\n<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump\u2019s goal of building a large aluminum smelter in Oklahoma passed a major hurdle in late August when Republican voters nominated a \u200bcandidate for governor who supports its construction after an unusually tough primary battle.<\/strong><\/p>\n The project must now overcome significant opposition in the small rural community of \u200cInola, where many residents are working to block plans by Emirates Global Aluminium and Century Aluminum to build the $4 billion smelter.<\/p>\n A moratorium on smelter permits \u2014 which Inola officials imposed in June \u2014 was set to expire on September 28, but the city council voted unanimously on September 14 to extend it through April 2027 and to hold a referendum on whether it should be built.<\/p>\n City officials had supported the project for \u200byears before turning against it earlier this year. Here\u2019s a look at what\u2019s next for the project, which would be the Western Hemisphere\u2019s largest source of the critical mineral and \u2060the first aluminum smelter built in the US since 1980.<\/p>\n WHY IS THE SMELTER AN ISSUE IN THE GOVERNOR\u2019S RACE?<\/p>\n The proposed smelter, which would produce 750,000 metric tons per year \u200bof aluminum, emerged as a key issue in the contentious race for Oklahoma governor.<\/p>\n Gentner Drummond, the state\u2019s attorney general who ran for the Republican nomination for governor, opposes the project over \u200benvironmental concerns and filed a lawsuit in June in state court seeking to block it.<\/p>\n Drummond\u2019s opponent, former state Senator Mike Mazzei, had opposed the project until the day Trump endorsed him in May.<\/p>\n Neither Drummond nor Mazzei garnered 50% of the vote in a June primary. That forced an August 25 runoff that Mazzei won by less than a percentage point, roughly 2,000 votes.<\/p>\n Days ahead of the runoff, Trump said in \u200ba social media post, opens new tab that there were \u201c20 other sites that would love to have\u201d the smelter if it were not built in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n EGA and \u200bCentury Aluminum tried to move Drummond\u2019s lawsuit to federal court, citing aluminum\u2019s importance to US national security.<\/p>\n The US Justice Department commented in support of the project and against the lawsuit, saying it is \u201ccommitted to \u200csupporting military \u2060readiness and opposing litigation that subverts environmental regulatory processes established by Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this month, though, a federal judge granted Drummond\u2019s request to have the suit remain in state court, where the case is continuing.<\/p>\n The Inola City Council voted in June for the moratorium after a contentious public hearing in which some residents suggested the smelter should be built at Mar-a-Lago, Trump\u2019s private Florida members\u2019 club.<\/p>\n That moratorium was extended earlier this week through April 7, 2027, when a referendum will be held on whether the smelter \u200bshould be built.<\/p>\n The council has jurisdiction because \u200bthe smelter is being developed in Port \u2060of Inola industrial park, which was created after the Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority bought more than 2,000 acres (809 hectares) at the site in 2019.<\/p>\n Term-limited Governor Kevin Stitt said the industrial park could be moved outside city limits if the Inola council continues to oppose the smelter. \u200bThat would remove the smelter from the council\u2019s jurisdiction.<\/p>\n \u201cThe port authority has chosen to be in the city limits, and they \u200bcan choose to leave,\u201d Stitt \u2060told Reuters. Abu Dhabi-based EGA and Chicago-based Century Aluminum said they were disappointed by the moratorium extension and think putting the smelter up for a referendum is premature given the court case.<\/p>\n \u201cMoving \u2060forward with \u200ba vote before the appeals process undermines basic due process and exposes Inola taxpayers to significant financial and \u200blegal risk,\u201d the companies said in a statement.<\/p>\n Both companies said this month in a regulatory filing they now plan to reduce fluoride emissions from the proposed smelter by 37%. They also said they plan to release an \u200beconomic impact study within weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cCommunity trust, transparency and responsible development remain central to our approach,\u201d said Ziad Fares, a developer on the project\u2019s engineering team.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Aluminum is essential to transportation, defense, aerospace and electrical infrastructure, but the US imports roughly 60% of the primary aluminum \u200bit uses.<\/p>\nWHAT IS THE STATUS OF DRUMMOND\u2019S LAWSUIT?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
WHAT DO LOCAL OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT THE PROJECT?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
It is not immediately clear how Stitt could achieve that goal as state law requires local approval for such a move. City officials did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\nWHAT ARE THE COMPANIES SAYING?<\/strong><\/h3>\n