Inola Aluminum Smelter Study Projects $49 Billion Impact
Inola Aluminum Smelter Study Projects $49 Billion Impact as Legal Fight Continues
Oklahoma Primary Aluminum says its proposed Inola aluminum smelter could contribute approximately $49 billion to Oklahoma’s economy through 2060, according to a new economic impact study released September 23. The company projects the facility would support an average of 7,000 Oklahoma jobs annually, including at least 1,000 permanent positions at the plant with average annual compensation of approximately $100,000.
The economic projections arrive as the proposed $4 billion-plus project at the Tulsa Port of Inola faces continued legal and community opposition. Democratic attorney general candidate Nick Coffey says he would continue the state’s lawsuit seeking to stop construction and supports an initiative petition that would allow Inola residents to vote on the project.
Inola Aluminum Smelter Study Projects Jobs and Economic Growth
The economic impact study, conducted by Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI), examines the proposed facility’s effects on employment, household income and economic activity over several decades.
According to Oklahoma Primary Aluminum’s economic impact report , the project is expected to contribute an average of $1.45 billion annually to Oklahoma’s gross domestic product.
The company also projects approximately $911 million in annual household income generated through direct employment, suppliers and other economic activity associated with the facility.
The study estimates the project would support an average of 7,000 jobs across Oklahoma each year, with employment peaking above 10,600 in 2029 as construction winds down and operational hiring increases.
Those figures include jobs beyond the proposed plant itself. The company projects at least 1,000 permanent direct jobs, with average annual compensation of approximately $100,000, alongside employment supported through construction, transportation, utilities, suppliers and other businesses.
The approximately three-year construction phase is expected to employ 4,000 workers, according to the company.
These figures are projections from an economic model, not jobs or economic activity that have already materialized. They depend on the project proceeding and operating as anticipated.
Nick Coffey Says He Would Continue Lawsuit Against Inola Smelter
The new economic study comes amid an ongoing lawsuit brought by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond seeking to stop development of the proposed smelter.
Drummond filed the case in June, arguing that the project threatens the health of area residents, livestock and natural resources.
The lawsuit was moved to federal court before being returned to Rogers County District Court in September. In the Attorney General’s September 3 announcement , Drummond said the case belongs in Oklahoma state court under Oklahoma law.
Nick Coffey, a Democratic candidate for Oklahoma attorney general, says he would continue pursuing the lawsuit if elected.
Coffey has also expressed support for a local initiative petition that would allow Inola residents to vote on the project.
He argues that political leaders who advocate smaller government and local control should apply those principles when residents raise objections to a major industrial development in their community.
The proposed facility’s developers dispute the effort to stop the project and maintain that it can proceed while meeting applicable environmental requirements.
The lawsuit remains unresolved, and the court has not determined that the proposed plant constitutes a public nuisance.
Inola Residents Seek a Voice in Proposed Aluminum Plant
The disagreement extends beyond projected economic benefits to questions about local decision-making, environmental protections and the future of Inola.
The proposed facility would occupy approximately 441 acres at the Tulsa Port of Inola. Oklahoma Primary Aluminum says the plant would strengthen domestic aluminum production and create long-term manufacturing employment.
Residents opposing the project have raised concerns about potential emissions and effects on nearby homes, livestock and natural resources.
The company’s project description identifies the facility as a planned primary aluminum production operation intended to serve industries including automotive manufacturing, construction, energy and defense.
Supporters point to the projected wages, construction employment and long-term economic activity. Opponents question whether those benefits justify the potential environmental and community impacts.
The local initiative petition introduces another question: whether Inola residents should have a direct vote on the project’s future.
Coffey’s position places that issue alongside the state’s legal challenge, while the company continues presenting its economic and environmental plans.
For Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, the newly released study provides a detailed estimate of the project’s potential economic contribution. For residents and state officials, the unresolved questions involve whether the facility should proceed, what protections would apply and who should have a say in that decision.
The proposed Inola aluminum smelter remains a major economic development project whose future is still being contested in court and within the community.
Comments