One day after Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced his latest legal challenge against the proposed Inola aluminum smelter, state air quality officials updated the public about the facility’s permitting process.
Oklahoma Primary Aluminum plans to produce 750,000 tons of aluminum each year after building its smelter in the industrial park at Tulsa Port of Inola along the Verdigris River. It would be the first aluminum smelter built in the U.S. since 1980.
But community pushback and Drummond’s opposition to the smelter present potential obstacles for the proposed plant. Residents have voiced concerns about possible threats to livestock resulting from fluoride compounds emitted during primary aluminum smelting.
The DEQ outlined its permitting actions in an announcement late Wednesday. The department says it’s conducting a federal “best available control technology” (BACT) review, which aims to find an emissions limit while taking into account effects on energy, the environment, the economy and other considerations, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The department also plans to conduct a BACT review using state requirements.
“All of this will result in an extensive evaluation of the potential air quality impacts from the proposed facility, including the deposition of fluoride - both particulate fluoride and hydrogen fluoride - on vegetation and livestock,” the DEQ wrote.
The department did not respond to requests for an interview about the permitting process.
“DEQ released this information as part of its ongoing commitment to transparency and public engagement,” spokesperson Skylar McElhaney said in an email. “The agency stands ready to answer questions from citizens and elected officials.”
The department said in addition to previously holding a public meeting about the permit and participating in an Inola Town Council meeting, it’s planning two additional sessions.
“DEQ is in the early stages of reviewing the air quality modeling and Best Available Control Technology (BACT) analyses,” McElhaney said. “Once that technical review is complete, the agency will schedule another public meeting in Inola.”
Once a draft permit is complete, the department will accept public comments and hold a meeting about the content.
“DEQ’s focus is on ensuring that any permit issued by the agency is protective of human health and the environment and complies with all applicable requirements,” the announcement said.
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