The Erie Coke Corporation is expected to change its plea in the federal case against it.

The plant opened on the east bayfront in the 1830s. About 100 years later, it started manufacturing coke, a fuel used for blast furnaces.

The indictment alleges Erie Coke violated the Clean Air Act by emitting harmful pollutants into the air.

The company had pleaded not guilty to those charges. But court records indicate the company will be changing its plea during a hearing Tuesday afternoon.

That means the case will not go to trial, but Erie Coke could still face fines at sentencing.

The environmental impact of the plant has been the subject of investigations, including one by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They are investigating whether harmful chemicals from the plant sank into the soil in nearby neighborhoods.

"We think it’s important for people in our community to keep abreast of what’s happening with Erie Coke and for the powers [that] be to know that there are people in the community [who] are watching,” said Sr. Pat Lupo of Hold Erie Coke Accountable. 

They are looking for people affected by the plant’s actions to file a victim impact statement. 

More information about the organization is available here.