Photo: Sylvain Lefevre / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is seeking pollution data before the construction of the nation's largest aluminum smelter near Inola, Oklahoma.
Drummond asked a Rogers County judge on Thursday to compel the companies behind the project to disclose their emissions data.
The attorney general is concerned about the potential impact of fluoride pollution on local agriculture, particularly cattle that consume hay.
The proposed facility, known as Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, is expected to be the largest primary aluminum production plant in the U.S., with a planned capacity exceeding 750,000 metric tons of aluminum per year.
The project is a joint venture between Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), a state-owned enterprise of the United Arab Emirates, and Century Aluminum, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Chicago.
EGA holds a 60 percent controlling interest in the project.
Drummond has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the construction of the smelter, citing concerns over hazardous emissions, including fluoride, which could harm local livestock and strain the regional power grid.
The smelter is projected to draw more power than many Oklahoma cities consume, potentially affecting electricity reliability and affordability for residents.
Inola has already halted heavy industrial construction until April 7, when voters will decide whether to ban aluminum smelting in the town.
Drummond's legal actions aim to protect the health and livelihoods of Oklahomans, emphasizing the need for transparency regarding the environmental impacts of the project.