Story perspectives

Drummond Opposes $4B Inola Smelter, Warns of Chaos

8/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

General Gentner Drummond opposed the $4 billion Inola aluminum smelter, citing a 633-acre land transfer, $255 million state cost, and 55,000-gallon wastewater output every two hours.
He warned that zeroing the income tax would create chaos and proposed restoring the grocery tax, ending exemptions, and raising taxes to fund health, education and mental-health services.
Conservative leaders Don Spencer and Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) accused Drummond of calling true conservatives “fascists” and “enemies.”

History

Historical Context

Since the EPA forced Alcoa to clean a New York Superfund site in 1998 and required a $330 million pollution-control upgrade at its Texas plant in 2003, it has shown willingness to impose costly bonds and discharge limits on aluminum projects. That legacy underpins today’s debate over Gentner Drummond’s proposed Inola smelter, with state officials invoking past EPA restrictions as precedent.

1 of 2

Story summary

General Gentner Drummond opposed the $4 billion Inola aluminum smelter, citing a 633-acre land transfer, $255 million state cost, and 55,000-gallon wastewater output every two hours.
He warned that zeroing the income tax would create chaos and proposed restoring the grocery tax, ending exemptions, and raising taxes to fund health, education and mental-health services.
Conservative leaders Don Spencer and Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) accused Drummond of calling true conservatives “fascists” and “enemies.”

1 / 2