Oklahoma Primary Aluminum pushes back on attorney general’s allegations, arguing environmental reviews are underway and the project aligns with President Trump’s manufacturing goals.
The developers behind a proposed aluminum smelter near Inola are pushing back against Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s lawsuit, arguing environmental reviews are already underway and that the project would advance President Donald Trump’s effort to expand domestic manufacturing.
In a statement issued after Drummond filed suit challenging state agreements connected to the development, Oklahoma Primary Aluminum cast the project as part of Trump’s effort to rebuild domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign sources of critical industrial materials.
“Oklahoma Primary Aluminum is leading a national effort initiated as part of President Trump’s America First agenda to bring aluminum production and jobs back to the United States,” the company said.
Drummond’s lawsuit challenges state actions related to the project and seeks judicial review of agreements involving public support for the development. The legal challenge has intensified debate over the proposed facility, which supporters view as a transformational manufacturing investment and critics view as carrying significant environmental and financial risks.
The project has become one of the most closely watched economic development efforts in Oklahoma, drawing support from state leaders who cite its potential economic impact while facing criticism from opponents concerned about environmental effects, electrical demand and the use of public incentives.
The company said the facility would be the first new aluminum production plant built in the United States since 1980 and would help strengthen domestic supply chains for a metal widely used in manufacturing and national defense.
According to Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, the project would create at least 1,000 permanent jobs, 2,000 indirect jobs and 4,000 construction jobs while helping increase domestic aluminum production and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
The company’s response directly addressed concerns surrounding environmental oversight, which has become a central issue in the controversy.
“An environmental review is very important to us, and we expect to engage in a thorough and rigorous process,” the company said.
Developers said environmental review processes were triggered months ago and are currently underway through permitting procedures overseen by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. The company said those reviews are required under state and federal law, include opportunities for public participation and will continue throughout the permitting process.
The statement also sought to reassure residents about potential environmental impacts, describing the proposed facility as the “most modern aluminum plant in the world” and citing technology licensed from Emirates Global Aluminum. According to the company, the plant would use real-time emissions monitoring, enclosed material handling systems and other environmental safeguards designed to protect nearby communities, farms and wildlife.
The project’s substantial electricity requirements have also generated scrutiny. Oklahoma Primary Aluminum confirmed it plans to obtain power from the electric grid and is negotiating a power agreement with Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
The company noted that any agreement would be subject to review by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates utility rates and utility operations in the state.
According to the statement, the aluminum production technology proposed for the facility would use roughly one-third less electricity per ton of aluminum than other U.S. aluminum plants currently in operation.
The company said it intends to continue working through the regulatory review process as permitting reviews move forward.
