  We report high steady-state nuclear polarization of 1 torr $^3$He gas nuclei
via metastability-exchange optical pumping at magnetic fields above 2 T. The
introduction of highly polarized $^3$He gas into Brookhaven's Electron Beam Ion
Source would enable a new, polarized $^3$He ion source for use at the
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and a future Electron-Ion Collider facility. By
adapting recent developments in high field metastability-exchange optical
pumping for higher pressure gas, we have successfully polarized 1 torr $^3$He
sealed cells in the EBIS solenoid. Through careful manipulation of the RF
discharge parameters, polarizations above 80% were attained at 2, 3 and 4 T,
with 89% being reached at 3 T with a 664 s relaxation time.
