Lawmakers pass Reindustrialize Oklahoma Act to help fund aluminum smelting plant

Yahoo

24-05-2025

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — After the announcement that a $4 billion aluminum smelting plant was headed to northeast Oklahoma, lawmakers passed a bill that would give millions of dollars in incentives.
'It's the first smelter, aluminum smelter company, or factor manufacturer that's been built in the United States in 45 years,' said Gov. Stitt on Wednesday.
Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) is the manufacturer that the act is aimed at.
Oklahoma entered into an agreement with one of the world's largest aluminum manufacturers to build a production plant in northeast Oklahoma, which is expected to create an estimated 2,800 new jobs.
According to the Governor's Office, the $4 billion project with EGA would create 1,000 direct jobs and 1,800 indirect jobs.
Lawmakers discussed the pros and cons on the floor when voting for the act. When all is said and done, the plant will get over $800 million in state dollars or around that amount of money.
'I think Oklahoma could have gotten a better deal,' said Senator Mary Boren (D-Norman).
Senator Boren said that the state is investing a lot of money in a plant that will end up providing more money for the entire country.
Aluminum smelting has been known to be a serious water and air polluter, but Senator Boren said that EGA and its country are aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement.
'Senator Kirt asked representatives if they're going to follow Oklahoma standards or are they going to continue to follow the standards that they're business has for environmental priorities. They looked in a somewhat horrified way, 'why would we ever reduce our standards, that we take a lot of pride in,'' said Senator Boren.
Agreement reached to bring major aluminum plant to Oklahoma
EGA is the world's largest premium aluminum producer. According to the act, they wouldn't get money until they hired 700 people in the first year and then 1,000 continually.
Over on the House floor, when questioning the act, lawmakers asked about the priorities the manufacturer has shined a light on. According to EGA's website, one of their goals is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and another is diversity.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion has been a hot-button topic on the House and Senate floor in Oklahoma.
The Chief Executive Officer for EGA, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, has said, 'Diversity drives business performance, and is also the right thing for society. Heavy industry is traditionally male-dominated, and our goal is to change that.'
On the House floor, Rep. Forrest Bennet (D-OKC) asked Rep. Mike Osburn (R-Edmond) if he knew that the manufacturer prioritized diversity and if it would be a problem with them in the future for potential contracts.
'I don't know the answer to that,' said Rep. Osburn.
'This is a historic day for Oklahoma,' said Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle). 'With the passage of the Reindustrialize Oklahoma Act, we are sending a clear message to the world – Oklahoma is open for business and ready to lead the next era of American manufacturing. ROA-25 gives our state a powerful tool to compete for high-impact investments that bring long-term jobs, economic growth, and prosperity to our citizens. This is a smart, pro-economic development policy that only rewards real performance. There is no upfront giveaway. Companies must deliver major private investment and create jobs before any rebates are issued. It's a win-win for Oklahoma workers and our economic future.'
Construction is expected to begin in 2026, and production is expected to start between the end of 2029 and the beginning of 2030.
The full agreement can be read here.
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