Governor says the town changed the rules after years of preparing the site for heavy industry; Inola voters will decide whether to prohibit aluminum smelting.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday criticized Inola’s decision to keep a moratorium on heavy-industrial development in place while voters consider prohibiting primary aluminum smelting within the town.
In a statement released by his office, Stitt said the seven-month moratorium sends “a troubling message” to companies considering major investments in Oklahoma.
“Local voices should continue to speak into the process, but changing the rules in the middle of a multi-year permitting process undermines the certainty job creators need to invest billions of dollars and create thousands of jobs,” Stitt said.
He called the decision a reversal that “sets a damaging precedent that should be carefully reviewed under our Constitution.” Stitt did not identify a particular constitutional provision or announce legal action.
Smelter ban goes to voters
The Inola Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday night to extend the moratorium through April 7, 2027, and send a proposed smelting ban to voters next spring.
The proposed ordinance would prohibit primary aluminum smelting within Inola. The moratorium temporarily blocks development in the town’s heavy-industrial district, including work connected to the proposed $4 billion aluminum facility at the Port of Inola.
Nearly 300 people attended Monday’s meeting, according to Oklahoma Public Media Exchange reporting. The crowd gave trustees a standing ovation after the votes.
Mayor Darlene Shear said she was siding with residents who remain concerned about the proposed facility’s potential effects on health, agriculture and the surrounding community.
“I don’t feel that I’ve been given the information that I need to know in my heart that everything is safe,” Shear said.
Political and legal fight continues
The project became a major issue in this year’s Republican race for governor. President Donald Trump backed the smelter and endorsed Mike Mazzei, who later defeated Attorney General Gentner Drummond for the Republican nomination.
Drummond opposed the project and filed a lawsuit seeking to block it as a public nuisance. A federal judge returned the case to Rogers County District Court on Sept. 3.
Separate litigation over the citizen petition preceded Monday’s vote. Trustees met in executive session to discuss that case and possible legal challenges to the moratorium.
Site was zoned for heavy industry
Stitt’s argument rests partly on the site’s development history. Town records show Inola rezoned nearly 1,200 acres for heavy industrial use in 2017, and PSO later transferred the industrial park to the Port Authority for large-scale development.
Stitt said Inola remained involved as the aluminum project advanced.
The proposed smelter is backed by Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, a joint venture owned 60% by Emirates Global Aluminium and 40% by Chicago-based Century Aluminum. Supporters describe the project as a major source of jobs and domestically produced aluminum. Opponents say the developers have not adequately answered questions about emissions, water, energy use and effects on nearby farms.
Inola voters will next decide whether a primary aluminum smelter should be allowed within the town at all.
