The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a statement of interest supporting Century Aluminum’s construction of a new primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma.
The DOJ submitted the filing on August 28, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
This federal intervention opposes a lawsuit by the Oklahoma Attorney General alleging state environmental violations.
The DOJ argues the state’s legal challenge threatens the production of materials critical for national defense.
The Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit to protect federal environmental regulatory processes.
Federal officials emphasized the project is crucial for reducing U.S. reliance on foreign aluminum sources.
The Inola project follows Century Aluminum’s recent reactivation of its Mount Holly smelter in South Carolina.