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meeting to order. Uh Britney, will you
call roll please?

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» Larry
>> here.

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00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:11,600
» Jason
>> here.

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00:28:11,039 --> 00:28:12,559
» Mark
>> here.

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00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:13,520
» Dan
>> here.

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00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:18,159
» Darlene
>> here. Acknowledgement that the agenda

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00:28:16,159 --> 00:28:25,320
was posted outside the door of I know
town hall more than 24 hours prior to

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the meeting. Pledge allegiance, please.

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» I pledge to the flag of the United
States of America and to the for it

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00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:42,640
stands one nation
indivisible with

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all.
Pastor Hill, would you please lead us in

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prayer?

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» Father, you have heard us
pledge allegiance to the nation of which

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we are a part.

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But more than that, you have heard us
say that we are under you.

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And in view of that, father,
the decisions we make, whether we make

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them as an individual,
as part of a family,

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as part of a community, as part of a
nation.

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We beg and plead for your wisdom
in guiding those decisions.

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Father, there are many hearts here
tonight

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deeply concerned for the good of this
community and of this nation.

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And there will be people who will be
speaking and pouring out their hearts.

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Decisions will be made.
And father,

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we understand
that not all will get their way,

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but we are one nation
under you,

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indivisible.
May we also be one community

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under you,
indivisible.

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We pray that the actions,

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the words,
the intentions,

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and the outcome.
We'll have your blessing.

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We thank you for those who have taken
roles of leadership in this community

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and our nation.
And we pray for their wisdom and their

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their capacity to see truth and work
with truth.

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May your blessing be upon this assembly
tonight

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in Jesus name. Amen.
>> Amen. Thank you sir.

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I know. I know.
Okay, everyone.

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Can I please ask you all to silence your
phones? That'd be great. Please. And

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thank you.

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00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:44,720
» Um, number one, approval of previous
regular meetings minutes is printed. I

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make a motion to approve previous
regular meeting minutes as printed.

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» Second.

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00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:53,279
» Mark made the motion. Second by Dan.
Larry.

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00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:55,039
» Yes.
>> Jason.

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00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:56,159
» Substain.
>> Mark.

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00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:57,039
» Yes.
>> Dan.

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» Yes.
>> Darling.

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00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:05,840
» Yes. Okay. Before we get started with
public comments, I just want to remind

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you all of a few things. Okay.
>> Excuse me.

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» You still can't hear me?
>> Okay. Sorry.

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» Okay. Is that better? Can you hear me?
>> No.

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00:32:24,159 --> 00:32:32,799
» Okay. I want to remind you all the rules
of conduct for public meetings. Uh,

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every citizen
conversation comment shall be limited to

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three minutes discussion unless such
time is extended by the mayor.

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All questions, comments should be
directed to the mayor and to no citizen

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00:32:47,919 --> 00:32:55,760
may address and or question any
individual governing body member or

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staff member except with the permission
of the mayor.

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No gestures or activities intended to
disturb the order or decor of the

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governing body meeting shall be
permitted.

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No citizen shall speak or comment so as
to distract, disturb, or interrupt any

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00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:24,480
other speaker, but shall only make
comments after the mayor has recognized

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him or her after he or she has stated
their name and address. Any citizen who

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shallfully
disturb the lawful assembly of the

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00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:40,799
governing body meeting shall be asked by
the mayor to leave the meeting. And in

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the event that such citizen will not
leave the public assembly and continues

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to disturb and disturb such assembly,
such person may be subject to be removed

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from the chamber for disturbance of
peace.

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and

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the trustees, town staff and members of
the public shall not make not make

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allergent, slanderous, threatening,
abusive, or disparing comments to or

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about others during this meeting. No
shouting and no physical actions will be

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tolerated. Okay.
Thank you.

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Okay, we're going to go to number three.
Oh, we're going to go to public comments

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number two. And we're going to start

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with if you have a blue dot
and you're number one.

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» Are you sure?
>> Are you sure?

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» Okay. Thank you.
Okay. Uh number two.

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Okay.
Number three.

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This is Okay. Go ahead, please.

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00:35:13,599 --> 00:35:21,520
Good evening. My name is Ryan Platkin.
I'm an Oklahoma business owner and a

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father of four. My company will turn the
metal that this plant plant plant makes

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into finished American products.
[snorts] So this isn't just theory for

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me up here. It's my payroll, capital, my
kids' future right here in Iola.

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Let me be really direct. For Iola, this
is jobs the day construction starts and

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paychecks for a generation afterwards. A
tax base that builds schools and roads

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in our state. Short term, it's the
biggest thing to happen to this town in

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our lifetimes. Long term, it's why our
kids and grandkids won't have to leave

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Iola to find good work. And understand
who chose you. [clears throat] EGA could

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have built anywhere in the world. They
chose Iola for the people here. And

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because Oklahoma is an honest, easy
place to do business, let's stick to our

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word. They've already opened an office
right here in town. And from day one,

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they brought in local partners, Century
Aluminum, and me as an Oklahoma, US

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Aluminum. I signed anou with EGA to
build the downstream, the factories that

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will take the raw aluminum and turn it
into finished products and lasting jobs.

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The smelter is just the anchor. The
downstream is the exponential growth

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that we'll have right here in Oklahoma.
It's not just one plant. It's the start

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of an entire industry right here.
This is one of the things that troubles

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me. EJ opened that office so anyone with
a question could walk in and get an

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answer face to face. Almost nobody has.
The experts are here. The answers are

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here. They're already paid for. They're
waiting. If you have concerns, good. Go

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use them. That's what they're here for.
But before you vote to slow down the

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best thing that comes that that has come
to this town in a generation,

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anyone who's worried about the
environment, do the homework. Look at

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modern smelters all around the world.
Iceland, Norway, Canada. They sit in

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some of the most beautiful, most
protected countries on Earth under the

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00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:28,400
most strict environmental rules in the
world. This industry can run clean in

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the toughest places on the planet. It
will run clear clean here in Oklahoma.

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We Oklahomaans should hold them to it
through our regulatory process. So

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here's what what's at stake. A
moratorium doesn't just delay the plant.

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It tells every American that we don't
value our country's independence. That

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we won't carry our weight to make
materials that our defense depends on.

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And it tells every employer watching
that Oklahoma blinks. We already lose

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too many of our young people, too many
jobs to Texas. This council could set

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our state and our country back decades
with a single vote. That's bad for me,

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but it's far worse for my children and
my grandchildren. We don't need to slow

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this down. We need to step up and lead.
Thank you.

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» Thank you.
Okay, we're going to go to number four.

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If you have a blue sticker has number
four on it, you're next, please.

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Good evening. My name is Kip Collins.
I'm president at MD Building Products, a

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family-owned Oklahoma manufacturer
that's been making things in America for

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over a hundred years. Let me tell you
what we make because it's probably in

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your house right now. The weather
stripping around your front door, the

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threshold you step over, the metal trim
between your carpet and your tile.

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That's us. MD products are in tens of
millions of Americans homes and aluminum

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is the lifeblood of nearly everything
that we make. We employ about 1100

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people, more than 600 right here in
Oklahoma. Good jobs with families behind

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them. And for more than 30 years, while
our competitors cha chase cheaper

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prices, easier operations, and less
complexity overseas, MD kept investing

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in American manufacturing. We chose to
make it here.

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So, I have a front row seat to something
painful. I have watched this industry

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lead the United States year after year,
plant after plant. Today, the aluminum

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we depend on comes from all over the
world and almost none of it from

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America.
You would think cheaper was better. It

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wasn't. What we got instead was fragile,
fragmented supply chains. prices we

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can't predict and we can't control. And
when supply chain breaks, I'm the one

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that has to call the customer and say we
can't deliver. That's not a

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hypothetical. That's a Tuesday.
Here's what this country learned the

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hard way. When you send your
manufacturing overseas, you don't just

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send the jobs. You send the independence
and you send the profits. You lose

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control of the materials.
This project changes that. Oklahoma

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primary aluminum would put primary
aluminum production back on American

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soil
in our state. Every bill it casts would

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carry a mark made in the US by Oklahoma
Primary Aluminum.

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For a company like ours, that is not a
slogan. That's supply that we can count

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on, jobs that we can protect, and a
customer we can finally say yes to. MD

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has been reshoring American
manufacturing for three decades.

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Oklahoma has led the way in bringing
industry home, but we can't finish this

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job downstream if we don't make the
metal upstream.

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So, I'm asking this board, please don't
slow this down. Let Oklahoma take the

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next step. Let's bring the making of
this critical material home and protect

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the industry and the jobs we already
have. Thank you.

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» Thank you.

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Okay. If you have a blue dot, it has a
five on it. No, I'm sorry. Yeah. Number

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five.

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» Good evening. My name is U. Brigier
General Andrew Ballinger. I am here at

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the request
of the agent general of Oklahoma and by

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extension the Oklahoma military
department to talk about the national

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defense implications of having a
domestic aluminum production facility

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here in the United States. Okay.
Um, so by the way, I have studied this

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quite a bit at the National War College
and I have seen some of the implications

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uh recently when I was in East Africa.
As you can imagine, it's very difficult

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to get certain high-end pieces of
equipment, not necessarily war fighting

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equipment, but other administrative and
logistical things that we have to have

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uh in Africa because nothing is made
locally. Everything is imported from uh

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overseas.
So, I have some experience with what

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we're talking about here, and I just
want to relay the thoughts and concerns

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of the military department in Oklahoma
and myself as their representative. Um,

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as the gentleman before me just
mentioned, about 80% of our aluminum uh

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is imported that we use here
domestically in the United States. Uh,

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the number one and number three
producers, as I understand it, are China

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and Russia. Uh there are implications in
the event of what we call contested

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logistics
that should trouble arise either with

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one of those two countries or elsewhere
and they have the ability to impact our

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ability to resupply our defense
industrial base which is what we're

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talking about here. Uh we can expect
that they will do so. So, not only do we

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have to worry about protecting our
troops and other things moving into a

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different theory of operations
worldwide, but we have to worry about

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protecting the resupply of the raw
materials that we must have that come

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into this country. It kind of stands to
reason therefore that a domestic

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production capability is safer to or is
easier to safeguard here at home if it's

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uh based here at home. and also because
of the predictability and the price

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stability of that raw material. Uh as
just an aside, since about the year

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2000, there's been a rapid increase in
the amount of things that are

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manufactured overseas and then imported
into the United States. And so as a

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result of that, we've kind of gotten
sideways with our domestic defense

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industrial base. And this is a very
positive move in the in the eyes of most

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defense experts
uh to

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increase that capability in the
continental United States uh for those

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reasons. And let me just add that when
you have a manufacturing capability no

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matter if it is defense related or sort
of not

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there is a sort of osmosis that occurs
in the production.

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We have to have that experience as well.
So that aids in that. I appreciate the

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council very much. Have a good night.
>> Thank you.

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» Okay. Number six.

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00:44:49,760 --> 00:44:56,319
Good evening. My name is Janet Spurlock
and I yield my time to Beth Eaton.

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00:44:55,040 --> 00:45:00,240
Tonight you're going to hear
presentations from multiple

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00:44:58,079 --> 00:45:05,760
organizations that will tell you about
the environmental permits, national

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security implications, jobs, economic
transformation, and the legal risk to

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this town. But let me refresh your
memory on what we've uncovered in the

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last year. Claim one, we will operate
within permit limits. ODEQ will protect

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00:45:18,720 --> 00:45:26,480
you. ODEQ is going to tell you the
permitting process is thorough, air

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monitoring will be in place and that
there will be safe limits. However, the

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00:45:29,119 --> 00:45:37,040
technology they claim to be using is
state-of-the-art. Yet, it cannot be

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00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:44,160
validated as it's only based on modeling
and projections. It will be submitted in

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good faith by EGA, not tested by EPA or
ODQ.

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In 2006, the EPA commissioned a study of
cumulative fluoride exposure. The

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00:45:52,160 --> 00:46:01,280
conclusion to total fluoride exposure
was already at or exceeding safe

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thresholds. Yet at the ODEQ process
meeting in April, the chief engineer

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00:46:04,240 --> 00:46:12,720
told us that ODQ will not look at the
cumulative impacts of multiple

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industries. Instead, each one is looked
at on their own and they won't look at

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centuries other facilities history of
significant non-compliance.

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Claim two, this is a critical industry,
a matter of na national security. Let me

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00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:33,920
remind you of just a few weeks ago when
the government governor's office told us

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00:46:31,839 --> 00:46:39,040
and I suspect the letter from the White
House will likely state it again that

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00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:44,880
aluminum is critical to our military
that the US imports 85% of its aluminum

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00:46:42,720 --> 00:46:49,920
and that this plant doubles American
capacity and brings a thousand jobs.

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This is what you won't hear. Century
Aluminum already had a plant described

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as producing some of the purest, highest
quality defensegrade aluminum here in

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00:46:57,119 --> 00:47:04,400
the US. But Century shut it down and put
roughly 650

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00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:09,440
people out of work in Hosville,
Kentucky. So when they tell you this is

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00:47:06,800 --> 00:47:13,440
a critical industry, ask him why the
plant wasn't already making that

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00:47:11,280 --> 00:47:18,319
critical aluminum and it couldn't
survive. The answer is always the same

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00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:24,000
across their company. They need cheap
power. There is still no signed power

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00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:29,760
agreement for this project. Do they
intend to sue the state of Oklahoma or

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00:47:26,319 --> 00:47:35,760
the OC if they don't pass an affordable
long large load tariff rate for their

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00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:41,119
required power generation. The aluminum
association imports approximately 70% of

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00:47:38,720 --> 00:47:45,680
its aluminum from Canada, not from
China. from Canada where aluminum

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00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:50,800
production is cleaner and dramatically
cheaper because it runs on hydro power.

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And the aluminum association, the
industry's own trade group, has asked

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00:47:52,880 --> 00:48:01,119
for a ban on exports as it is estimated
that 2 to three million

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00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:04,708
» metric tons are exported annually.
>> Thank you.

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» Thank you. [applause]

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[cheering]

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» [applause]

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00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:22,160
» Number seven, please.
>> My name is Roger Eaton. I'm an I know

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00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:26,280
resident for over 20 years. I yield my
time to Beth Richards.

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She's next.
>> Hang on.

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00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:50,800
» Okay, Beth, you have three minutes.
>> Got it.

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00:48:49,119 --> 00:48:55,119
The toll supports claims that they've
invested $18 million in a rail spur and

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00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:59,200
over $70 million in a wastewater
treatment facility. They frame that as

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00:48:57,280 --> 00:49:04,240
commitment to Iola, but commitment to
what exactly and with whose money? The

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00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:09,359
railspur does not only exist for the
smelter. The wastewater facility does

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00:49:06,240 --> 00:49:13,200
not only exist for the smelter. These
connections serve any tenant in their

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00:49:11,200 --> 00:49:17,119
park. Now, if they claim that this
moratorum puts the port development on

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00:49:15,119 --> 00:49:20,720
hold indefinitely, they would see if
they read it, it was clearly stated that

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00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:25,040
it does not. And if the industrial park
is as valuable as Tulsa Port's claims,

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00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:29,119
why does their entire argument depend on
this one tenant? I mean, considering

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00:49:27,520 --> 00:49:34,000
that they bought that land for a dollar
an acre and then promoted it as such a

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00:49:31,920 --> 00:49:37,359
generous gift from PSO, who sat on it
for over 37 years with no meaningful

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00:49:35,839 --> 00:49:42,240
revenue,
while meanwhile PSO secured a 99-year

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00:49:40,240 --> 00:49:47,200
service agreement in return and is now
asking for rate increases to us. Yes,

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00:49:45,119 --> 00:49:50,960
how generous of them. Let's look at
OPA's letter that says that they want to

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00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:53,680
work with this community in a
transparent, responsive, and

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00:49:52,079 --> 00:49:57,440
constructive manner. There's that
patronizing tone that I recognize, but

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00:49:55,839 --> 00:50:00,720
yet they disabled their comments on
their Facebook page and held private

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00:49:58,960 --> 00:50:04,480
meetings with select residents days
before this meeting. Let me remind you

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00:50:02,960 --> 00:50:08,559
of a conversation that I had with
Century Aluminum's attorney when he told

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00:50:06,160 --> 00:50:12,480
me to my face that the injury claims
from communities near Mount Holly had no

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00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:16,480
basis and then proceeded to encourage me
to apply for a job. Their attorney

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00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:20,480
representing a company trying to build
next to our homes, schools, has homes

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00:50:18,400 --> 00:50:24,240
and schools has dismissed real community
health and safety concerns like they

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00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:27,520
were nothing. Shame on them for
threatening a small Oklahoma town with

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00:50:26,000 --> 00:50:32,000
hundreds of millions of dollars in
litigation. That is not talking to us

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00:50:29,520 --> 00:50:36,559
like neighbors. As Matt Abad told Fox 23
at that same meeting in March, or when

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00:50:34,240 --> 00:50:40,160
he told the Tulsa world in April that we
know how to navigate these local

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00:50:38,000 --> 00:50:44,960
politics,
federal landscape, and workforce. Then

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00:50:42,640 --> 00:50:48,720
their letter invokes the US and Oklahoma
Constitution claiming that this

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00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:53,280
moratorum is an unconstitutional taking
of property rights. Property rights are

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00:50:51,119 --> 00:50:57,440
not an unlimited unlimited free-for-all.
The right to your use your property has

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00:50:55,760 --> 00:51:01,119
never meant the right to harm your
neighbor. The same company that benefits

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00:50:59,680 --> 00:51:04,160
from our hundreds of millions in
federal, state, and local funding is

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00:51:02,800 --> 00:51:09,599
claiming that the government has no
authority to regulate what they build.

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00:51:06,720 --> 00:51:13,520
Lastly about OPA, it is in fact a shell
company for a foreign government who

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00:51:11,760 --> 00:51:18,319
slapped an Oklahoma name on it and wants
to use our constitution to stop an

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00:51:15,599 --> 00:51:22,240
American town from governing itself. And
as EGA has touted to our local trustee

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00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:25,839
about how Century doesn't really have
any control and isn't really running

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00:51:23,839 --> 00:51:29,359
running this show, wants to use it
against us while simultaneously not

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00:51:27,680 --> 00:51:33,520
following the same practices in their
own country. I would be jailed, fined,

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00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:38,000
or worse for what I'm saying to you
today. The only thing transparent about

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00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:41,359
their letter is their fear that six
months of review may uncover something

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00:51:39,680 --> 00:51:45,280
that they do not want this town to see.
And we've clearly put the pressure

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00:51:43,040 --> 00:51:50,079
pressure in the right spot. I've got six
seconds left, but I'm the next person.

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00:51:46,640 --> 00:51:53,200
Can I keep reading? I'm almost done.
They say they

283
00:51:51,920 --> 00:51:57,680
» I'm almost done. I won't take three
minutes. They say they want Oh, what?

284
00:51:55,920 --> 00:52:00,880
» We're trying to limit everyone to three
minutes, please.

285
00:51:58,720 --> 00:52:05,040
» I took his. This one's mine.
>> That you just got a little bit left.

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00:52:03,040 --> 00:52:09,079
» Yeah. like this is it and it's fast.
It's big print.

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00:52:06,079 --> 00:52:09,079
» Okay,

288
00:52:09,920 --> 00:52:13,040
» I'll cut it short.
>> Okay.

289
00:52:11,760 --> 00:52:17,119
» They say they want to open and
transparent dialogue while while having

290
00:52:15,200 --> 00:52:21,920
private lobbying meetings and disabling
public comments. They want a they want

291
00:52:19,200 --> 00:52:25,839
to have domestic aluminum.
They say they whatever they say

292
00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:29,119
rateayers are protected, but PSO has
already approved over a billion dollars

293
00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:32,720
in new power generation through SEWHIP
funds. We do not misunderstand. These

294
00:52:31,280 --> 00:52:37,599
are all contradictions and we do not
live in a paradox. They want us to trust

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00:52:35,280 --> 00:52:40,640
the process as if they do not see that
we do not see that we are the study.

296
00:52:39,200 --> 00:52:44,000
What they are describing feels like
we're being pushed out of a plane,

297
00:52:42,319 --> 00:52:47,520
strapped to a parachute we never agreed
to wear and told not to question whether

298
00:52:45,760 --> 00:52:52,079
it opens or not to be grateful to be
here for the opportunity to be here. We

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00:52:49,839 --> 00:52:55,599
have right to question all of it. Please
pass this moratorum. They've already

300
00:52:53,760 --> 00:53:01,280
spent tens of millions of dollars. They
can afford to wait a few more months.

301
00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:05,200
And I stand by what I said. We support
you guys when you make the right

302
00:53:02,960 --> 00:53:09,886
decisions. We are here for you. So, do
not be afraid of this. Thank you.

303
00:53:07,599 --> 00:53:11,906
» Thanks again. [cheering]
[applause]

304
00:53:19,711 --> 00:53:21,731
[applause]

305
00:53:25,440 --> 00:53:30,200
Okay. So, number nine, please.

306
00:53:30,720 --> 00:53:37,760
Oh, is that you?
>> Oh, okay. [laughter]

307
00:53:36,160 --> 00:53:42,559
Okay.
>> Please remember we're trying to limit

308
00:53:39,440 --> 00:53:45,559
this to three minutes. Okay. Uh, number
10

309
00:53:55,200 --> 00:54:00,880
OCO.
My name is Lacy Rayu. I am a Clammore

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00:53:59,200 --> 00:54:04,960
resident and I have taken the time out
of my afternoon to speak tonight at the

311
00:54:02,480 --> 00:54:09,599
Anola town hall meeting. Like many
people here, I am in opposition of the

312
00:54:07,280 --> 00:54:14,079
aluminum smelter. Looking at the
studies, facts, and statistics, I cannot

313
00:54:12,000 --> 00:54:18,559
imagine why anybody would want to bring
something like this to the small rural

314
00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:23,359
town of Anola, Oklahoma. Sadly, if this
project moves forward, Anolians and many

315
00:54:21,520 --> 00:54:27,520
neighboring Oklahomaman will
unconsensually suffer the effects of

316
00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:33,040
tons of pollutants as well as a higher
electric bill. Sounds promising. The

317
00:54:30,640 --> 00:54:36,960
pollution radius is said to be up to 15
miles and that is not including the

318
00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:41,760
Oklahoma wind.
Documented documented studies from

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00:54:39,119 --> 00:54:47,680
comparable facilities show that literal
tons of pollutants will be emitted into

320
00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:53,200
our air, water, and land. The 1979
Cornwall Island study shows that a herd

321
00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:58,079
of cattle exposed to 300 tons of
fluoride per year dropped dead within a

322
00:54:55,280 --> 00:55:04,000
5 mile radius. The Iola smelter will
emit 425 tons per year and will be less

323
00:55:01,599 --> 00:55:09,200
than three miles from the school homes
and farms. For those who stand in the

324
00:55:06,480 --> 00:55:13,520
support of the smelter, would you want
to live next to that? What do you want

325
00:55:11,440 --> 00:55:18,400
your family or farm living ex living
less than three miles from 425 yearly

326
00:55:16,240 --> 00:55:22,640
tons of fluoride?
Well, you sure do want other people's

327
00:55:20,640 --> 00:55:29,920
families and farms to be subjected to
that. The blatant disregard of the

328
00:55:26,480 --> 00:55:35,280
health for Oklahoma's wildlife and the
environment as a whole disgust me. Shame

329
00:55:33,200 --> 00:55:39,119
on those who support this smelter. How
heartbreaking for those who have lived

330
00:55:37,040 --> 00:55:43,680
in Iola for years, built their lives,
raised generations, and own family

331
00:55:40,880 --> 00:55:47,920
farms. The Bible commands us to care for
each other, the animals, and the land

332
00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:52,000
that God gifted us. One day, you'll
stand before him and answer for

333
00:55:49,520 --> 00:55:57,359
supporting this. Please, we urge you to
vote yes to this proposed moratorum.

334
00:55:54,880 --> 00:56:01,553
Please stand with us, not against us.
Thank you for your time.

335
00:55:59,119 --> 00:56:01,553
» Thank you, [applause]

336
00:56:02,808 --> 00:56:06,079
[cheering] Adam.

337
00:56:07,393 --> 00:56:13,720
» [applause]
>> Number 11, please. Number 11,

338
00:56:17,040 --> 00:56:22,880
esteemed mayor Shear and trustees of the
town council. Good evening. My name is

339
00:56:21,200 --> 00:56:27,119
Adam Burstein. I'm honored to be here
this evening with the good people of the

340
00:56:25,040 --> 00:56:29,920
town of Inola and the state of Oklahoma.
Thank you.

341
00:56:28,559 --> 00:56:34,240
I am the technical director for
strategic and critical materials in the

342
00:56:31,760 --> 00:56:37,040
office of the secretary of war. I am
here before you this evening

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00:56:35,359 --> 00:56:41,280
representing the assistant secretary for
industrialbased policy. We are

344
00:56:39,200 --> 00:56:45,359
responsible for ensuring that our sons
and daughters, sisters and brothers and

345
00:56:43,200 --> 00:56:49,839
fathers and mothers in uniform have the
equipment and materials they need to

346
00:56:47,520 --> 00:56:53,760
fight our nation's wars and return home
to us safely.

347
00:56:51,760 --> 00:56:58,000
My primary responsibility is to figure
out how to secure the raw materials, the

348
00:56:55,839 --> 00:57:01,599
minerals and metals necessary to make
this happen. I'm here to highlight the

349
00:57:00,240 --> 00:57:05,680
critical role of aluminum and the
Oklahoma primary aluminum project to our

350
00:57:03,599 --> 00:57:10,480
mutual national security and the defense
industrial base. A matter that connects

351
00:57:07,520 --> 00:57:14,640
the local economy of Oklahoma directly
to the safety and security of our

352
00:57:11,920 --> 00:57:18,079
nation. Often when we think of national
defense, we picture the final products.

353
00:57:16,640 --> 00:57:21,280
We envision fighter jets soaring
overhead, naval vessels patrolling the

354
00:57:19,680 --> 00:57:24,960
seas, and armored vehicles protecting
our service members. Yet, none of these

355
00:57:23,359 --> 00:57:28,960
capabilities can exist without the
foundational materials that build them.

356
00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:32,480
Aluminum is the backbone of our modern
military.

357
00:57:30,880 --> 00:57:36,480
However, the defense industrial base is
only as strong as its local supply

358
00:57:34,000 --> 00:57:41,359
chains. We cannot continue to rely on
foreign competitors or adversaries for

359
00:57:38,480 --> 00:57:44,640
the materials that secure our freedoms.
domestic production, refining and

360
00:57:42,960 --> 00:57:49,119
manufacturing of aluminum are absolute
imperatives for national security.

361
00:57:47,119 --> 00:57:53,440
Unfortunately, today we find ourselves
in a precarious position, reliant on

362
00:57:51,599 --> 00:57:58,480
foreign and adversarial sources for
materials such as aluminum. Since 1980,

363
00:57:56,480 --> 00:58:02,640
the United States has lost 80% of its
domestic primary aluminum smelting

364
00:58:00,240 --> 00:58:07,599
capability, and we now produce only a
small fraction of what we need. It has

365
00:58:05,440 --> 00:58:11,599
been 46 years since the last primary
aluminum smelter was built in the United

366
00:58:09,280 --> 00:58:14,640
States. The Oklahoma primary aluminum
project represents a critical

367
00:58:12,880 --> 00:58:19,040
opportunity to rebuild our primary
aluminum production capability.

368
00:58:17,359 --> 00:58:22,640
Over the past few years, we have started
to experience the risks of our raw

369
00:58:20,799 --> 00:58:26,559
material reliance as certain nations
have taken action against us. As a

370
00:58:24,960 --> 00:58:30,720
nation, we cannot afford to be so
dependent on others and vulnerable to

371
00:58:28,319 --> 00:58:33,599
such manip manipulation.
When we support industrial development

372
00:58:32,319 --> 00:58:37,680
and infrastructure in our own
communities, we are not just creating

373
00:58:35,359 --> 00:58:41,040
jobs or boosting local tax revenue. We
are actively fortifying the United

374
00:58:39,280 --> 00:58:45,440
States ability to equip and defend
itself. Every ton of aluminum produced

375
00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:51,119
or processed domestically is a step
toward true true strategic independence.

376
00:58:48,960 --> 00:58:55,359
This town and this state have a unique
opportunity to be a crucial link for our

377
00:58:53,119 --> 00:58:59,119
national security. By continuing to
foster a supportive environment for

378
00:58:56,960 --> 00:59:02,559
manufacturing and heavy industry and
recognizing the criticality of a project

379
00:59:00,880 --> 00:59:06,880
such as the one we're discussing this
evening, you ensure that our fighting

380
00:59:04,559 --> 00:59:10,799
forces have the reliable domestic supply
of aluminum they require to fight, to

381
00:59:08,640 --> 00:59:15,200
win, and to come home. A resilient
supply chain starts right here. The

382
00:59:13,200 --> 00:59:19,200
Oklahoma Primary Aluminum Project is
vital to our national defense.

383
00:59:17,920 --> 00:59:24,839
» Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you.

384
00:59:21,839 --> 00:59:24,839
Number

385
00:59:26,400 --> 00:59:29,880
12, please.

386
00:59:33,680 --> 00:59:40,559
» Hello, Mayor Shear,
Vice Mayor, and trustees and the

387
00:59:38,160 --> 00:59:45,599
wonderful people of Iola. My name is
Audrey Robertson. I work for all of you.

388
00:59:43,280 --> 00:59:49,599
I am the assistant secretary of energy
at the Department of Energy and I

389
00:59:47,359 --> 00:59:55,040
oversee our office of critical minerals
and energy innovation. My mandate is to

390
00:59:53,200 --> 00:59:59,920
secure America's energy and
manufacturing independence. But I am a

391
00:59:57,920 --> 01:00:04,000
newcomer to Washington and was thrilled
to come to a wonderful town in the

392
01:00:02,079 --> 01:00:08,880
middle of the country and leave DC this
morning because before answering

393
01:00:06,000 --> 01:00:12,559
President Trump's call to serve my I
spent my career building energy

394
01:00:10,720 --> 01:00:18,400
infrastructure in rural communities
across the West. I know that abstract

395
01:00:15,599 --> 01:00:22,799
national goals don't mean a thing to
communities that will live alongside

396
01:00:20,480 --> 01:00:27,440
this infrastructure for the rest of
their lives unless they're assured of

397
01:00:25,359 --> 01:00:32,640
the material benefits unless those are
communicated. And I know and can hear

398
01:00:29,920 --> 01:00:36,720
that there is skepticism in this room.
There are worries about what this

399
01:00:34,160 --> 01:00:40,960
project means for your air, your
children, your soil, for your beautiful

400
01:00:39,040 --> 01:00:45,520
river, for the farms and schools I drove
by coming here today.

401
01:00:43,200 --> 01:00:50,240
These are not just fair questions. They
are the exact questions you should be

402
01:00:47,599 --> 01:00:54,559
asking. And if I lived here, I would be
standing right where you are and

403
01:00:51,920 --> 01:00:59,520
demanding answers. And I'm here today to
address your concerns directly.

404
01:00:57,760 --> 01:01:05,839
But we've heard from several today about
where we stand as a country today. The

405
01:01:02,079 --> 01:01:10,880
United States is in a terrible position
in that we have outsourced the things we

406
01:01:08,720 --> 01:01:16,000
need to survive, the things we need to
grow, and the things we need to thrive

407
01:01:12,960 --> 01:01:20,280
in America. Over the last 30 years, it's
been a constant departure.

408
01:01:20,480 --> 01:01:29,599
Aluminum, as has been noted, is unique.
It has the the the strength of steel

409
01:01:26,880 --> 01:01:34,079
with a third of the weight. It is
indispensable to the building of our

410
01:01:31,680 --> 01:01:40,559
electricity grids, our defense systems,
aircrafts, laptops, phones, kitchen

411
01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:45,839
appliances, electrical wiring. And for
decades,

412
01:01:42,799 --> 01:01:51,119
we have had to rely on others.
This aluminum smelter will represent

413
01:01:48,559 --> 01:01:58,079
billions of dollars going into the
community. It will represent thousands

414
01:01:53,760 --> 01:02:01,440
of jobs. Four to 4,000 job estimate for
construction

415
01:01:59,920 --> 01:02:06,160
» and a thousand permanent.
>> Just a minute. Can we be respectful of

416
01:02:03,760 --> 01:02:11,680
the person that's up here talking and
for each and every one of you when it's

417
01:02:08,000 --> 01:02:15,920
your turn to get up here? Please,
>> please go ahead.

418
01:02:12,960 --> 01:02:20,640
» Thank you, mayor.
The high-paying career opportunities

419
01:02:18,160 --> 01:02:26,559
that will be provided to all of Rogers
County represent exactly what this is,

420
01:02:23,680 --> 01:02:31,520
the largest economic development project
in the history of Oklahoma. But I know

421
01:02:29,119 --> 01:02:35,119
what's on your mind. I can hear people
in the background. And I would like to

422
01:02:33,200 --> 01:02:41,200
reclaim some of my time if that's okay,
mayor, since I was interrupted.

423
01:02:39,119 --> 01:02:46,079
» Excuse me.
Excuse me, please. I did interrupt her.

424
01:02:44,480 --> 01:02:52,559
I'm going to give her an extra minute.
And please be respectful.

425
01:02:49,119 --> 01:02:56,720
Please be respectful.
>> So, I can hear from the people behind

426
01:02:54,160 --> 01:03:01,440
me, you don't believe that the cost of
having an industrial facility is worth

427
01:02:58,640 --> 01:03:07,280
the benefit. Let me tell you that this
project received $500 million from my

428
01:03:04,880 --> 01:03:11,520
office. We are the Department of Energy
that provided that funding. And the

429
01:03:09,280 --> 01:03:17,680
office it came from is called the office
of clean energy demonstrations.

430
01:03:15,280 --> 01:03:23,440
It is contingent, our funding is
contingent on this project meeting the

431
01:03:20,000 --> 01:03:27,760
most rigorous environmental standards.
The reason you are looking at programs

432
01:03:25,520 --> 01:03:33,280
and smelters all around the world and
from 50 years ago is because this

433
01:03:29,839 --> 01:03:37,920
smelter technology hasn't been built in
the United States. This is the newest

434
01:03:35,760 --> 01:03:43,359
technology. This is closed loop
technology that emissions will not leave

435
01:03:40,640 --> 01:03:48,000
the plant. They are captured. Water goes
through a water.

436
01:03:46,000 --> 01:03:52,440
All right. It's I guess it's not as
friendly here as where I came from,

437
01:03:53,680 --> 01:04:00,559
» but I understand you have concerns
>> and specifically

438
01:03:58,319 --> 01:04:06,319
specifically, mayor, I want you to know
that we care about this community.

439
01:04:02,960 --> 01:04:09,760
» Thank you. and we believe this project
will bring great things to this

440
01:04:07,920 --> 01:04:13,559
community and this nation.
>> Thank you for your time.

441
01:04:18,319 --> 01:04:23,079
» Okay, we're down to number 13, please.

442
01:04:31,680 --> 01:04:36,760
Well, heck, after that I'm a little bit
scared up here. So,

443
01:04:38,319 --> 01:04:45,280
» hello. My name is Aaron Pley. I am the
chief economic development officer for

444
01:04:42,640 --> 01:04:48,240
the city of Tulsa. For transparency, I'd
like to say that in the first Trump

445
01:04:46,559 --> 01:04:52,720
administration, I was the foreign direct
investment adviser for the US Department

446
01:04:50,319 --> 01:04:58,799
of Commerce, focused on foreign direct
investment, attracting foreign companies

447
01:04:54,480 --> 01:05:02,799
to the US. So, with that, I'll say this.
Most things I was going to say today

448
01:05:00,559 --> 01:05:06,319
have already been said. You've heard the
numbers. You heard the importance of

449
01:05:04,640 --> 01:05:09,520
national security. So, I'm going to
start from a little different

450
01:05:07,520 --> 01:05:14,079
perspective here. And I beg your
patience and your kindness as I speak,

451
01:05:12,319 --> 01:05:18,480
please.
I have a intern who's [clears throat]

452
01:05:16,559 --> 01:05:24,640
actually, oddly enough, married to a
young man from Anola called Dustin

453
01:05:21,280 --> 01:05:28,160
Wilkins. And she saw my talking points
and said to me, "You know what, Erin?

454
01:05:26,559 --> 01:05:34,960
Don't read those talking points. I want
you to go to Anola, look around,

455
01:05:31,599 --> 01:05:40,400
actually feel, experience the place."
And after I had a vanilla chocolate

456
01:05:38,079 --> 01:05:45,200
twist at Speedy's, I walked around the
city and I realized also I should say

457
01:05:43,599 --> 01:05:49,359
I'm from Kentucky, a little town called
Centerville. You have one stoplight. We

458
01:05:47,760 --> 01:05:54,000
have one stop sign in Centerville,
Kentucky. I've been in Tulsa for two and

459
01:05:51,520 --> 01:05:59,520
a half years. I'm not going to appeal to
you through the numbers. I'm just going

460
01:05:55,440 --> 01:06:04,319
to say what I feel honestly about this
plant and what it means to this country

461
01:06:02,000 --> 01:06:08,319
and to what I think the seat of Anola
but it's your city so you have the last

462
01:06:06,160 --> 01:06:15,280
word to say
this will be an important project for

463
01:06:11,520 --> 01:06:20,960
the US government it's a primary focus
and goal of our president of our country

464
01:06:17,920 --> 01:06:28,799
to bring aluminum production back to the
United States as was mentioned before

465
01:06:25,200 --> 01:06:33,920
80% of the steel in this world comes
from China and that's a danger to our

466
01:06:31,760 --> 01:06:36,880
national national security.
It's also important to note someone

467
01:06:35,359 --> 01:06:40,960
asked me when I came up here earlier
when I was talking in the back they said

468
01:06:38,799 --> 01:06:46,400
would you allow your children to live
next to this plant? Would you want this

469
01:06:43,599 --> 01:06:52,480
in your backyard? So the truth is in my
backyard no in my city maybe. I say that

470
01:06:50,720 --> 01:06:57,119
because there's another thing I talk
about. We talk about the values of a

471
01:06:54,480 --> 01:07:01,680
rural town. As one man man mentioned
earlier, many of our children have to

472
01:06:59,760 --> 01:07:06,079
leave our communities because they can't
find opportunities in their own

473
01:07:03,440 --> 01:07:10,480
hometown. For me, as a father of three
boys and now a grandfather as well, I

474
01:07:08,799 --> 01:07:15,920
know the importance of trying to build
places, opportunities in my city so my

475
01:07:13,280 --> 01:07:20,480
children don't have to leave my city to
live, work, and grow. I want them to

476
01:07:18,480 --> 01:07:25,760
explore the world, but I want them to
have the opportunity to truly live and

477
01:07:22,960 --> 01:07:30,160
work where they grew up. That's
important to me. I know it's important

478
01:07:27,359 --> 01:07:34,400
to many of you as well. And so I support
this project for two levels. The

479
01:07:32,160 --> 01:07:39,680
numbers, yes, are big and incredible.
Lots of jobs, construction jobs, 4,000,

480
01:07:37,440 --> 01:07:43,680
9,000 secondary jobs, 10,000 direct
jobs. And that's all good and fine. But

481
01:07:42,000 --> 01:07:45,760
what it means in terms of the community
is much more than that. Thank you,

482
01:07:45,200 --> 01:07:48,640
ma'am, for your time.
>> Thank you.

483
01:07:49,561 --> 01:07:51,581
» [applause]

484
01:07:57,760 --> 01:08:02,440
» She is number He is number 13.

485
01:08:05,280 --> 01:08:09,920
» Ma'am, are you number 13?
>> I'm number green 13.

486
01:08:08,240 --> 01:08:14,400
» Oh, I'm Well, I'm blue 13.
>> Oh, blue 13. I'm sorry. Blue 13.

487
01:08:11,839 --> 01:08:18,080
» Yes. Please, you have three minutes.
>> Good evening. My name is Dr. Christa

488
01:08:16,080 --> 01:08:22,719
Ratliff and I serve as president CEO of
the FISTA the fires innovation science

489
01:08:20,400 --> 01:08:26,400
technology accelerator located in lotton
fort sil. I also lead economic

490
01:08:24,719 --> 01:08:31,199
development for the entire southwest
region of Oklahoma. At fista our mission

491
01:08:29,440 --> 01:08:35,279
is to accelerate the development and
production of next generation defense

492
01:08:32,880 --> 01:08:39,679
technology. We bring together defense
contractors, researchers, military

493
01:08:37,679 --> 01:08:43,120
leaders and innovators all in one
campus.

494
01:08:41,199 --> 01:08:47,359
We work every single day to ensure that
technologies developed here in Oklahoma

495
01:08:44,960 --> 01:08:50,880
can be built, tested, and deployed in
support of our war fighters. Our

496
01:08:49,359 --> 01:08:54,799
partners include some of the most
consequential names in American defense

497
01:08:52,960 --> 01:09:00,480
all the way up to Fortune 100 companies
to include names like Rathon, Lidos,

498
01:08:57,839 --> 01:09:04,719
Northrup, Grumman, Andre, and dozens and
dozens of others working on technology

499
01:09:02,560 --> 01:09:09,120
right here in our home state to keep our
nation safe. I'm here tonight in strong

500
01:09:07,440 --> 01:09:13,520
support of the aluminum smelter proposed
in Iola because of what happens in

501
01:09:11,199 --> 01:09:18,960
Rogers County directly affects what we
can accomplish in southwest Oklahoma and

502
01:09:16,000 --> 01:09:23,920
across the entire state of Oklahoma.
Here is the reality of modern defense

503
01:09:20,880 --> 01:09:29,920
technology. Aluminum is not an optional
material. It is a foundational material.

504
01:09:27,040 --> 01:09:35,199
Drones, precision munitions, satellite
components, radar systems, ground

505
01:09:32,640 --> 01:09:39,040
vehicles are all the technologies that
our partners are developing and

506
01:09:36,719 --> 01:09:44,000
producing in Oklahoma and in FISTA
require aluminum in substantial,

507
01:09:41,040 --> 01:09:48,960
consistent and reliable quantities. When
the when the supply is uncertain, when

508
01:09:46,480 --> 01:09:54,239
it is dependent on foreign sources that
that are subject to tariffs, trade

509
01:09:50,960 --> 01:09:59,040
disruption or geopolitical instability,
the entire innovation pipeline is at

510
01:09:56,560 --> 01:10:03,199
risk, which directly impacts the risk to
our national security.

511
01:10:01,280 --> 01:10:07,120
We can design the most advanced systems
in the world right here in our home

512
01:10:04,960 --> 01:10:11,920
state of Oklahoma. But if we cannot
reliably source the materials needed to

513
01:10:09,199 --> 01:10:17,360
manufacture them at scale, we have built
an extraordinary engine with no fuel at

514
01:10:14,640 --> 01:10:21,840
all. Think of it this way. It would make
a little make little sense for Oklahoma

515
01:10:19,840 --> 01:10:26,320
to invest in a worldclass bread
manufacturing facility if we had no

516
01:10:23,760 --> 01:10:31,840
wheat that is grown in our state. The
ingredients and the innovation must

517
01:10:28,719 --> 01:10:35,279
exist together. That principle applies
just as directly to defense in

518
01:10:33,840 --> 01:10:37,920
technology and aluminum.
[clears throat and snorts]

519
01:10:36,080 --> 01:10:42,800
The Anola smelter is not just an
economic development project. It is a

520
01:10:40,320 --> 01:10:47,040
national security investment. It is the
kind of domestic industrial capacity

521
01:10:44,640 --> 01:10:52,239
that makes Oklahoma a more capable and
more resilient partner in America's

522
01:10:49,199 --> 01:10:56,400
defense posture. Vista and Southwest
Oklahoma stand in full support. Coming

523
01:10:54,640 --> 01:10:59,679
from a county with lots and lots of
manufacturing, some of the best

524
01:10:58,159 --> 01:11:03,600
manufacturing in the nation happens in
southwest Oklahoma and economic

525
01:11:01,600 --> 01:11:07,679
development. We strongly urge this
community to embrace the opportunity it

526
01:11:05,679 --> 01:11:10,840
has in front of it today. Thank you.
>> Thank you.

527
01:11:12,960 --> 01:11:17,000
» Number 14, please.

528
01:11:24,080 --> 01:11:31,280
Good evening. Uh, thank you for the
opportunity to address you tonight. My

529
01:11:27,840 --> 01:11:36,239
name is Howard Ground. I run a nonprofit
organization called the Environmental

530
01:11:33,040 --> 01:11:42,480
Federation of Oklahoma. An EFO is a
nonprofit 501c6

531
01:11:38,880 --> 01:11:46,800
with the goal of ensuring that a balance
is reached between protecting Oklahoma's

532
01:11:44,800 --> 01:11:52,080
natural resources and responsible
economic growth.

533
01:11:49,040 --> 01:11:57,040
Uh, achieving this goal will lead to an
environment and an improved quality of

534
01:11:54,000 --> 01:12:02,320
life for all citizens of Oklahoma.
EFO has 125 member companies from all

535
01:12:00,640 --> 01:12:07,600
across the state, all types of
companies. And we support economic

536
01:12:04,640 --> 01:12:13,520
development for the benefit of the local
community as well as the entire state.

537
01:12:10,239 --> 01:12:19,679
And those 125 companies,
they have about 800 environmental,

538
01:12:17,120 --> 01:12:25,040
health, and safety employees. And I work
with these employees to make sure that

539
01:12:21,360 --> 01:12:30,880
they have the resources to
um comply with their permits, make sure

540
01:12:28,320 --> 01:12:35,600
that they know exactly what needs to be
done. We do training, we do outreach, uh

541
01:12:33,760 --> 01:12:41,600
but also do help with economic
development. So we do support the

542
01:12:38,560 --> 01:12:47,199
Oklahoma primary aluminina facility
and this significant envir uh economic

543
01:12:45,120 --> 01:12:52,080
development impact on the area and the
state. And all I really want you to ask

544
01:12:49,600 --> 01:12:57,679
is that what you've heard earlier is
that you know you take into account the

545
01:12:54,800 --> 01:13:02,480
implications far beyond I know when you
make your decision. It it doesn't stop

546
01:12:59,840 --> 01:13:07,360
here. It's the entire state. It's the
country.

547
01:13:03,840 --> 01:13:13,520
I don't want Oklahoma to be
uh not open for business. And I'm afraid

548
01:13:10,239 --> 01:13:17,840
that's what will happen if we if we do
something that's not

549
01:13:16,159 --> 01:13:21,520
um
to benefit our economic development in

550
01:13:19,760 --> 01:13:25,120
this state. We will shut down economic
development and that's not good for

551
01:13:22,960 --> 01:13:31,080
anyone. So, thank you for your time.
>> Thank you.

552
01:13:28,080 --> 01:13:31,080
Number

553
01:13:33,120 --> 01:13:36,760
15, please.

554
01:13:36,800 --> 01:13:40,679
» Blue. Number 15.

555
01:14:00,640 --> 01:14:05,960
Hello, I'm Marcy McKinley. I live in
Iola.

556
01:14:06,239 --> 01:14:14,480
I'm amazed how many people who have
spoken about economic and have not

557
01:14:11,679 --> 01:14:21,840
looked at the Inola smelter website or
they know that we have several chemical

558
01:14:18,080 --> 01:14:25,920
engineers who have helped to bring truth
to this question. Some of them sitting

559
01:14:23,840 --> 01:14:30,159
here tonight.
We have

560
01:14:28,000 --> 01:14:35,199
a mechanical engineer who designs
natural gas gas plants which supply

561
01:14:33,679 --> 01:14:41,520
electricity.
We have the top people and they all are

562
01:14:38,880 --> 01:14:46,960
united and understanding
that environmentally we can't have this

563
01:14:44,719 --> 01:14:51,679
smelter.
Some of the people I spoke with earlier

564
01:14:49,440 --> 01:14:57,920
admitted that they've never seen the air
quality application. I have to wonder

565
01:14:54,640 --> 01:15:04,080
why you would talk about what's wrong
with you people in Iola that you won't

566
01:15:00,719 --> 01:15:08,560
get behind this great opportunity
and they've never looked at the air

567
01:15:06,159 --> 01:15:13,920
quality application. That's where you
start. Let me tell you about here since

568
01:15:12,320 --> 01:15:19,679
1908.
People's farms, ranches, and homes

569
01:15:16,239 --> 01:15:26,239
predate the port of the Tulsa and the
Tulsa Port Authority. Most of that land

570
01:15:22,400 --> 01:15:31,120
was zoned agricultural until 2017
when it was reszoned heavy industrial by

571
01:15:28,800 --> 01:15:35,520
the city of Inola.
Property owners whose land abuts the

572
01:15:33,600 --> 01:15:40,239
port of Inola didn't like the
reasonzoning, but they were never

573
01:15:37,440 --> 01:15:44,480
consulted about it. As a matter of fact,
I haven't talked to any of them who were

574
01:15:42,159 --> 01:15:50,880
notified of the zoning change at that
time. The zoning change was published in

575
01:15:47,360 --> 01:15:54,560
the Claremore Progress in 2017, but by
that time those property owners found

576
01:15:52,800 --> 01:15:59,520
out about it. There was nothing they
could do. Now the whole town and

577
01:15:57,199 --> 01:16:05,440
surrounding area are facing an aluminum
smelter which will usher in toxic

578
01:16:02,080 --> 01:16:10,640
chemicals like polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons to name just one which will

579
01:16:08,640 --> 01:16:16,239
bring serious health problems not just
for people but for animals as well. The

580
01:16:13,920 --> 01:16:22,239
entire area, including all soil and
crops, will be covered in fluorides.

581
01:16:19,199 --> 01:16:27,520
I know hay will become infamous for
being poisoned. All property within at

582
01:16:25,120 --> 01:16:33,440
least 10 miles of the smelter will face
collapsing values. and the Oklahoma

583
01:16:30,719 --> 01:16:39,840
business community, Governor Stit and
Oklahoma politicians, with the exception

584
01:16:36,320 --> 01:16:45,760
of Gentner Drummond and Tom Gan and some
other fantastic people are doing nothing

585
01:16:43,280 --> 01:16:51,600
about it because they either love the
revenue they think the smelter will give

586
01:16:47,840 --> 01:16:57,520
them or they fear President Trump. Now
the foreign owners of the smelter from

587
01:16:54,159 --> 01:17:04,000
Abu Dhabi and Dubai are threatening with
f financial sanctions if we dare to call

588
01:17:00,880 --> 01:17:06,320
a moratorum so we can look at important
questions.

589
01:17:05,679 --> 01:17:09,648
» Thank you.
>> Thank you. [applause]

590
01:17:10,248 --> 01:17:14,280
[cheering]
Oh,

591
01:17:14,833 --> 01:17:16,853
[applause]

592
01:17:18,108 --> 01:17:25,480
[cheering] we're going to go to number
16, please.

593
01:17:22,000 --> 01:17:25,480
Number 16.

594
01:17:27,520 --> 01:17:37,080
» Okay. I think you I think it's 17. Is
that correct, sir?

595
01:17:32,960 --> 01:17:37,080
» Are you 16? Okay.

596
01:17:42,880 --> 01:17:50,640
My [clears throat] name is Bob Rener. I
prepared this and sit here and listen to

597
01:17:48,560 --> 01:17:55,840
some of this. I was amazed at some of
the speakers, especially the the ladies

598
01:17:53,040 --> 01:17:59,920
that spoke, four or five of them. And
why am I surprised the federal

599
01:17:57,520 --> 01:18:03,360
government sent their troops here today
this evening.

600
01:18:01,679 --> 01:18:08,560
So, it changes what [applause] I want to
say.

601
01:18:06,320 --> 01:18:15,400
I I voted for the man because I thought
he would close the borders and now he's

602
01:18:11,280 --> 01:18:15,400
cramming this down our throat.

603
01:18:15,679 --> 01:18:23,760
The pe here's the thing about it. The
people in the community.

604
01:18:20,640 --> 01:18:27,760
I've been I've been here 50 of my 86
years

605
01:18:26,000 --> 01:18:31,760
and I'm not in good health and I don't
want to get involved in this because I

606
01:18:30,000 --> 01:18:35,679
don't sleep when I do and I'm not
sleeping at night. I've been sick this

607
01:18:34,080 --> 01:18:40,560
year,
but I've got family and I've got friends

608
01:18:37,760 --> 01:18:44,600
here. And this has been a pleasant
community to live in.

609
01:18:44,640 --> 01:18:50,800
This is the biggest controversy I've
ever seen.

610
01:18:48,560 --> 01:18:57,520
And I would like to charge each one of
you. You are fighting a giant. And I

611
01:18:53,600 --> 01:19:02,880
don't feel like all of you know it.
We're inviting the enemy of the United

612
01:18:59,679 --> 01:19:06,894
States of America that next door to the
Muslims over here [applause]

613
01:19:06,960 --> 01:19:12,400
to own [cheering] this to own this
plant.

614
01:19:10,719 --> 01:19:18,880
And who are those people that's going to
own the minority portion of it? Where

615
01:19:17,440 --> 01:19:21,880
are they from? I bet they're not from
Iola.

616
01:19:22,480 --> 01:19:31,040
Uh,
I would say this to I'm going when

617
01:19:27,760 --> 01:19:34,880
President Trump went to China, he come
back and said he was going to give land

618
01:19:32,960 --> 01:19:40,480
to Chinese businesses to come over here
and build. I bet you I know where he can

619
01:19:37,360 --> 01:19:45,440
get a bunch of them built over on the
river.

620
01:19:42,640 --> 01:19:50,159
I tell if if any of you don't feel like
taking this fight, and I don't, but

621
01:19:48,480 --> 01:19:54,880
you'd be doing yourself and the
community a favor to let somebody else

622
01:19:52,159 --> 01:19:57,760
in your position that can can put up
with it.

623
01:19:56,620 --> 01:20:01,000
[applause]
Thank you.

624
01:20:04,480 --> 01:20:07,810
[cheering]
[applause]

625
01:20:09,360 --> 01:20:12,360
Number

626
01:20:14,400 --> 01:20:19,480
17, please. 17.

627
01:20:20,400 --> 01:20:27,120
Hello, my name is Amber Self and I
currently reside in East Broken Arrow,

628
01:20:25,120 --> 01:20:31,760
directly west of the Vertigris River on
our family farm. The Self family has

629
01:20:29,760 --> 01:20:36,719
farmed in this area for nearly five
generations since the 1930s and

630
01:20:34,800 --> 01:20:42,159
currently owns farm ground right on the
Vertigus River. The family also owns

631
01:20:39,679 --> 01:20:47,040
cattle approximately three miles away
from this proposed aluminum smelter. The

632
01:20:45,120 --> 01:20:51,920
proposed smelter location would be
directly across the river from the

633
01:20:48,880 --> 01:20:56,800
family farm ground. This large project
is not just isolated to the town of

634
01:20:54,000 --> 01:21:00,480
Inola. This project will directly affect
us on the west side of the river in

635
01:20:58,560 --> 01:21:05,920
Broken Arrow as well. I don't think
that's getting enough attention. The

636
01:21:02,880 --> 01:21:10,000
Vertigris River provides water to Wagner
County Rural Water District number four

637
01:21:07,760 --> 01:21:15,679
and number five, the city of Broken
Arrow, the city of Kawita, and many

638
01:21:12,400 --> 01:21:19,760
other towns. The water supply is sourced
downstream from where the aluminum

639
01:21:17,360 --> 01:21:24,000
smelter would be located.
There are also many farms downstream

640
01:21:21,840 --> 01:21:29,840
that use irrigation for their row crop
farming operations. This is a major risk

641
01:21:26,880 --> 01:21:34,480
of contamination to the water source.
The proposed smelter will emit 425 tons

642
01:21:32,800 --> 01:21:40,480
of hydrogen fluoride into the air
annually per the Oklahoma DEEQ. This

643
01:21:38,159 --> 01:21:45,199
amount of fluoride is deemed extremely
hazardous according to the EPA. Once

644
01:21:43,280 --> 01:21:50,000
fluoride is introduced into a public
water supply is permanent. Fluoride ions

645
01:21:48,320 --> 01:21:54,960
are extremely tough. They do not
evaporate, boil, or degrade in water.

646
01:21:53,040 --> 01:21:58,800
The only way to remove or filter
fluoride from tap water is to use

647
01:21:56,719 --> 01:22:03,840
specialized treatment methods, which
most standard water treatment plants do

648
01:22:00,719 --> 01:22:08,080
not have. We own cattle and horses
approximately 3 miles from this

649
01:22:05,679 --> 01:22:12,639
location. The hydrogen fluoride that
will be emitted will pollute the air,

650
01:22:09,920 --> 01:22:17,199
water, grass, and surrounding and soil
surrounding the area. Fluorosis is a

651
01:22:15,280 --> 01:22:21,760
chronic disease caused by continued
ingestion of small but toxic amounts of

652
01:22:19,360 --> 01:22:26,800
fluoride in the diet or drinking water
over a long duration of time. When the

653
01:22:24,320 --> 01:22:31,760
fluoride settles on the surrounding
forage, the cattle and horses then

654
01:22:28,719 --> 01:22:36,560
ingest it. Long-term exposure can cause
skeletal fluorosis which will leave a

655
01:22:33,760 --> 01:22:40,960
severe impact on our cattle operation.
Not only do we have life livestock near

656
01:22:38,960 --> 01:22:45,120
this proposed smelter location, but we
grow corn, wheat, and soybeans

657
01:22:43,199 --> 01:22:49,360
approximately a tenth of a mile from the
smelter directly west of the river.

658
01:22:47,360 --> 01:22:54,080
Fluoride can accumulate on plant leaves
and it can cause leaf burn. It can low

659
01:22:51,920 --> 01:22:59,040
cause lower yielding crops and it can
cause overall reduced growth. I am for

660
01:22:57,040 --> 01:23:04,000
America first, but this agenda is simply
not it. Century Alum Aluminum has a long

661
01:23:02,320 --> 01:23:08,560
history of not following emission
guidelines. They have faced multiple

662
01:23:06,159 --> 01:23:13,440
environmental violations for exceeding
emissions test in Kentucky. They had 30

663
01:23:11,679 --> 01:23:16,960
violations in the last 12 years for
exceeding emission limits and numerous

664
01:23:15,040 --> 01:23:21,120
other violations.
Our family holds great pride in farming

665
01:23:19,040 --> 01:23:26,159
and this proposed aluminum smelter would
cause irreversible damage. For our far

666
01:23:23,840 --> 01:23:29,120
our family, farming is
>> Thank you.

667
01:23:26,880 --> 01:23:33,120
» Can I I have two more sentences.
>> Please finish the two sentences.

668
01:23:30,960 --> 01:23:38,159
» Okay. For our family, farming is not
just a side job, but is it is our entire

669
01:23:35,600 --> 01:23:42,560
entire livelihood. This smelter is not
only a threat to our family farm and our

670
01:23:40,480 --> 01:23:46,400
health, but to ev the health of every
individual that lives in the surrounding

671
01:23:44,239 --> 01:23:51,168
area. Please consider passing a
moratorum.

672
01:23:47,760 --> 01:23:51,168
» Thank you. Thank you. [cheering]

673
01:23:53,733 --> 01:23:55,753
» [applause]

674
01:23:56,639 --> 01:24:00,040
» Number 19.

675
01:24:03,920 --> 01:24:11,600
Good evening, Mayor Council.
We've talked before. We're talking again

676
01:24:10,000 --> 01:24:16,880
tonight.
Everyone that seems to have talked on

677
01:24:13,440 --> 01:24:23,679
the pro side of this, I can't help but
question whether they read the moratorum

678
01:24:20,480 --> 01:24:28,400
that is being requested tonight. They
are saying national security, national

679
01:24:26,159 --> 01:24:34,320
security, this must be done. This must
be done. I didn't realize that a

680
01:24:31,040 --> 01:24:38,960
temporary stop to study a zoning law
somehow prevents the national security

681
01:24:36,400 --> 01:24:43,040
of the United States for the most
critical mineral we [cheering] could

682
01:24:40,639 --> 01:24:48,159
possibly find. [applause]
In addition to that,

683
01:24:45,920 --> 01:24:53,040
why are we suggesting that when we
receive 60% of our import of aluminum

684
01:24:50,719 --> 01:24:57,280
from Canada that we have a strategic
issue with the sourcing of that

685
01:24:54,639 --> 01:25:02,560
material? I didn't realize that we were
at war with Canada.

686
01:24:59,840 --> 01:25:07,440
China does not [cheering] make up the
imports of aluminum to this country.

687
01:25:05,199 --> 01:25:11,199
That is from the International Aluminum
Institute. I would love for them to

688
01:25:09,760 --> 01:25:15,679
provide the facts that say that is
incorrect. That is not the strategic

689
01:25:13,920 --> 01:25:19,199
issue here. The better question for all
of you because I wrote a lot of stuff

690
01:25:17,600 --> 01:25:24,080
down and I'm going completely different
direction. The question for you is why

691
01:25:22,000 --> 01:25:29,040
are they here now?
Why does this matter to them now? It

692
01:25:26,560 --> 01:25:33,600
didn't matter to them months ago. It
didn't matter until they realized that

693
01:25:31,920 --> 01:25:38,960
maybe this was not going to be an easy
punt across the finish line that they

694
01:25:35,520 --> 01:25:43,040
thought. And you all have the
opportunity

695
01:25:40,480 --> 01:25:48,639
to not stop this permanently. You have
the opportunity to take a breath and to

696
01:25:45,840 --> 01:25:53,040
say, "Hey, we know that this is the
biggest aluminum smelter this country

697
01:25:50,400 --> 01:25:58,239
has ever seen. We don't know how to
handle that as a town. You shouldn't.

698
01:25:55,840 --> 01:26:02,639
You are not who is supposed to make this
decision. That's what this temporary

699
01:26:00,480 --> 01:26:07,120
moratorum will give you the opportunity.
I That's great that it's for national

700
01:26:04,320 --> 01:26:09,920
security. Wonderful. DEEQ hasn't
finished their permit writing. They

701
01:26:08,719 --> 01:26:15,840
haven't even got through the backed
analysis. They're on step like two of

702
01:26:12,320 --> 01:26:20,880
10. Why are you being told that if you
pass a temporary moratorum that somehow

703
01:26:18,800 --> 01:26:26,639
delays a billion dollar project and
loses them $70 million? That makes zero

704
01:26:23,679 --> 01:26:30,320
sense. And I really urge you to look at
your neighbors, not these folks that

705
01:26:28,400 --> 01:26:33,679
have showed up and asked you to say
national security should be above your

706
01:26:32,000 --> 01:26:38,480
neighbor, but to look at all of us that
live here and say, why can't we take six

707
01:26:36,400 --> 01:26:42,124
months to figure out whether this is
okay? Thank you. [applause and cheering]

708
01:26:44,690 --> 01:26:46,710
» [cheering]

709
01:26:48,619 --> 01:26:50,639
[applause]

710
01:26:53,040 --> 01:26:58,440
» Number 20, please. Number 20.

711
01:26:59,280 --> 01:27:06,320
» It's because they skipped the line.
>> It's because they skipped the line.

712
01:27:02,400 --> 01:27:09,320
» They You skipped You skipped a line.
us.

713
01:27:13,760 --> 01:27:21,840
» Good. Good evening. For those of you
that don't know me, my name is Carl Day.

714
01:27:19,440 --> 01:27:26,480
To set the record straight, I am not
against growth in Iola.

715
01:27:24,560 --> 01:27:32,000
As the city manager has told others
around the community, I am pro- a

716
01:27:29,040 --> 01:27:37,199
business and pro property rights. I
operate a cattle operation in southern

717
01:27:34,560 --> 01:27:42,320
Rogers and Maize counties. My business
handles close to 3,000 cattle a year and

718
01:27:40,480 --> 01:27:47,520
only
I only state this to point out the

719
01:27:44,080 --> 01:27:50,639
importance of finding out fluoride how
finding out how fluoride from an

720
01:27:49,199 --> 01:27:57,360
aluminum smelter could affect my
business.

721
01:27:53,280 --> 01:28:02,960
I have asked OPA, DEEQ, the EPA, and the
Oklahoma Department of A with no one

722
01:27:59,760 --> 01:28:07,600
giving me a data-driven answer. With
millions of dollars at stake for my

723
01:28:05,040 --> 01:28:11,600
business, my wife and I made the
decision to travel to Henderson County,

724
01:28:09,199 --> 01:28:16,719
Kentucky to gather soil and grass
samples. Those samples were taken along

725
01:28:14,400 --> 01:28:21,920
county roads
and highways two and five miles north

726
01:28:19,440 --> 01:28:27,679
and two and five miles south of Century
Aluminum Sabb plant with the hopes that

727
01:28:24,960 --> 01:28:32,639
those samples would
test at levels that would let my

728
01:28:29,520 --> 01:28:37,520
business continue. Unfortunately,
those four samples of grass all came

729
01:28:34,400 --> 01:28:41,440
back with toxic levels of fluoride. The
lab report was sent to a toxicologist,

730
01:28:39,520 --> 01:28:48,400
but I will let somebody else read that
to you. These samples range from 1,910

731
01:28:45,440 --> 01:28:54,239
parts per million to 183 parts per
million with 40 parts per million being

732
01:28:51,600 --> 01:28:59,360
considered toxic for cattle. These
samples were taken both five the samples

733
01:28:56,880 --> 01:29:04,239
taken at both five mile distances were
actually the highest of the group.

734
01:29:02,239 --> 01:29:10,239
I believe these results prove that toxic
emissions will not stay on OPA property

735
01:29:07,679 --> 01:29:15,360
or even the port's property. fluoride
particullet will be be dispersed upon

736
01:29:12,880 --> 01:29:20,480
private property for miles potentially
making livestock grazing impossible in

737
01:29:17,360 --> 01:29:25,199
the area. I have voiced my concerns with
numerous numerous agencies and have

738
01:29:22,800 --> 01:29:29,600
attached attended meetings with EPA
officials and senators. On Tuesday of

739
01:29:28,080 --> 01:29:35,760
last week, myself and a few other
livestock producers were asked to meet

740
01:29:31,679 --> 01:29:40,159
with Zad Ferris with EGA and John DZ
with Century Aluminum to discuss our

741
01:29:37,600 --> 01:29:44,080
concerns. They gave us the same answers
that we have heard many times before.

742
01:29:42,400 --> 01:29:47,679
It's a modern plant with modern
technologies.

743
01:29:45,920 --> 01:29:52,239
They didn't give any sort of data-driven
answers to our questions. And when asked

744
01:29:50,719 --> 01:29:57,120
about having a third party gather
samples for soil and grass to either

745
01:29:54,320 --> 01:30:01,120
confirm or contradict my findings, they
said no.

746
01:29:59,040 --> 01:30:05,520
Please pass this moratorum so that real
data-driven answers can be given because

747
01:30:03,600 --> 01:30:10,159
it's modern doesn't mean it won't
pollute our community.

748
01:30:08,000 --> 01:30:14,719
Just for reference, a five mile
circumference from the smelter would be

749
01:30:11,920 --> 01:30:20,187
50,000 acres. A seven mile circumference
is 100,000 acres.

750
01:30:17,679 --> 01:30:22,207
» Thank you, Carl.
[applause]

751
01:30:22,807 --> 01:30:24,827
[cheering]

752
01:30:29,357 --> 01:30:36,280
[applause]
>> Number 21, please. Number 21, please.

753
01:30:36,639 --> 01:30:43,040
No, they've they've messed up.
>> Carl was 19.

754
01:30:42,000 --> 01:30:47,400
» Our paper's different.
>> Our paper is different. Okay.

755
01:30:48,320 --> 01:30:56,320
» Good evening. My name is Andrew Faren.
I'm also a local livestock producer in

756
01:30:53,600 --> 01:31:00,239
Iola. I'm the one that sent the uh
Kentucky grass sample data to the

757
01:30:58,639 --> 01:31:07,280
Oklahoma State University animal
toxicologist, Dr. Dion Vandermir

758
01:31:04,080 --> 01:31:11,199
for review. Here's what he had to say.
The high grass concentrations compared

759
01:31:09,199 --> 01:31:14,639
to the soil concentrations indicate that
source of fluoride in the grass samples

760
01:31:12,960 --> 01:31:19,360
is likely to be fluoride containing
particullet that settle on plant

761
01:31:16,800 --> 01:31:23,600
surfaces rather than fluoride uptake
from the soil. Known sources of this

762
01:31:21,679 --> 01:31:27,199
type of contamination include fertilizer
production, mineral supplement

763
01:31:25,199 --> 01:31:31,920
production, and metal processing,
particularly steel and aluminum. The

764
01:31:29,920 --> 01:31:36,880
fluoride concentrations in the soil do
not represent a significant poisoning

765
01:31:34,320 --> 01:31:40,719
risk to grazing animals. The fluoride
concentrations in grass samples,

766
01:31:38,480 --> 01:31:46,400
however, are not compatible with safe
grazing of cattle. The nationalmy's

767
01:31:44,159 --> 01:31:50,960
indicated a maximum tolerable dietary
fluoride level for beef cattle at 40

768
01:31:48,800 --> 01:31:55,440
parts per million. The tested grass
samples contain fluoride at up to 48

769
01:31:53,199 --> 01:31:59,120
times this level.
This represents an extremely high

770
01:31:57,199 --> 01:32:03,920
exposure scenario if animals were to
graze such grass as a sub substantial

771
01:32:01,520 --> 01:32:07,920
component of their diet. The most likely
risk is chron chronic fluorosis with

772
01:32:06,400 --> 01:32:13,440
potential for permanent dental and
skeletal damage, impaired growth,

773
01:32:10,000 --> 01:32:18,400
lameness, and poor welfare.
One of his recommendations, which should

774
01:32:15,360 --> 01:32:22,719
resonate with everybody in this room, is
do not make hay or silage from any

775
01:32:20,400 --> 01:32:26,800
potentially affected cap affected
pastures for cattle feed unless testing

776
01:32:24,800 --> 01:32:31,040
confirms acceptable fluoride
concentrations.

777
01:32:29,120 --> 01:32:35,920
Like Carl mentioned, last week myself
and other livestock producers met with

778
01:32:32,880 --> 01:32:38,639
EGA and Century uh representatives. We
asked if they would be willing to have

779
01:32:37,120 --> 01:32:44,080
an independent third party collect
samples around current Century aluminum

780
01:32:40,480 --> 01:32:48,320
sites. They refused. We also asked who
would be liable in the event livestock

781
01:32:46,000 --> 01:32:51,520
became ill, lame, or died or if hay was
sold to an individual in a different

782
01:32:49,760 --> 01:32:54,960
area and those livestock became ill,
lame, or died. They refused to answer on

783
01:32:53,840 --> 01:33:00,080
account that they did not have their
lawyers present.

784
01:32:57,440 --> 01:33:02,960
Now ask yourself, why would a company
who claims they want to be good

785
01:33:01,360 --> 01:33:06,800
neighbors refuse to answer those
questions? refused to have independent

786
01:33:05,040 --> 01:33:10,800
third-party test the grass and soil
around their plants. Even if their claim

787
01:33:09,040 --> 01:33:15,600
is true that they will reduce fluoride
emissions by 70 to 80% based on these

788
01:33:13,600 --> 01:33:21,920
results in Dr. Vandermir's report,
instead of a 48 time toxic limit, it

789
01:33:18,080 --> 01:33:25,679
would be a 10 to 14 time toxic limit.
I ask you to pass this moratorum and

790
01:33:23,920 --> 01:33:29,840
call for third party independent testing
around their current sites and let

791
01:33:27,520 --> 01:33:34,880
science and data be the guide, not a
corporation. [applause] Thank you.

792
01:33:32,000 --> 01:33:34,880
» Thank [cheering] you.

793
01:33:38,654 --> 01:33:40,674
» [applause]

794
01:33:45,520 --> 01:33:56,040
» Okay. So, my numbers are off here. So,
we're going to say 21. Is that Cody

795
01:33:51,440 --> 01:33:56,040
Moore? Is that you? Please.

796
01:34:00,719 --> 01:34:08,400
» Good evening. My name is Cody Moore. My
family owns Moors Flying M Ranch. We've

797
01:34:06,159 --> 01:34:13,520
been here a while. I'm here to ask you
to pass the moratorum tonight. Please

798
01:34:11,040 --> 01:34:17,920
don't let a threat letter from the UAE
make this decision for you. A moratorum

799
01:34:16,320 --> 01:34:22,800
grounded in the health and safety of
this community is not arbitrary

800
01:34:20,560 --> 01:34:27,199
targeting. [clears throat] We won't be
bullied. There are people scheduled to

801
01:34:25,280 --> 01:34:32,560
talk tonight whose money matters more
than our livelihood and health. We've

802
01:34:30,239 --> 01:34:36,880
heard from a few already. Um they got
here early to tell us how we should

803
01:34:34,320 --> 01:34:42,560
sacrifice for our country. Uh as if
farmers don't sacri sacrifice enough.

804
01:34:40,560 --> 01:34:46,560
Please keep in mind that uh national
security is not on the shoulders of Iola

805
01:34:45,040 --> 01:34:51,120
citizens.
We were just the path of least

806
01:34:48,080 --> 01:34:58,639
resistance until now. As you hear
tonight from the EPA and the ODQ, please

807
01:34:54,800 --> 01:35:03,150
remember permitted does not mean safe.
Century Aluminum ran a smelter at Mount

808
01:35:00,880 --> 01:35:06,880
Holly, South Carolina that exceeded
[clears throat] its pollution limits

809
01:35:04,320 --> 01:35:12,320
more than 20 times in five years.
Neighbors had aluminum oxide rain down

810
01:35:09,199 --> 01:35:16,480
on their homes and cars. They were fined
$360,000

811
01:35:13,920 --> 01:35:20,836
just last year. Other smelters,
including Columbia Falls, Montana,

812
01:35:18,560 --> 01:35:25,520
became super fun sites. Their
[clears throat] towns are still cleaning

813
01:35:22,400 --> 01:35:29,920
up today. I yield the rest of my time to
my wife, Kristen.

814
01:35:28,041 --> 01:35:35,199
» [applause]
>> Can you do that?

815
01:35:31,920 --> 01:35:37,440
Ma'am, ma'am, are you are you down here?
Please, have you put your name down to

816
01:35:37,040 --> 01:35:40,800
talk?
>> No, he just yielded his time to me.

817
01:35:39,120 --> 01:35:47,040
» If you can finish your three minutes,
please. And you're not on the agenda.

818
01:35:43,360 --> 01:35:50,040
» I mean, on the on the deal.
>> Okay.

819
01:35:50,320 --> 01:35:56,480
» All right. Um, I'm going to read this
poem. It's a poem.

820
01:35:54,960 --> 01:36:01,600
When you were a child, did you play
among the trees? Did you dig in the dirt

821
01:35:58,800 --> 01:36:06,320
and feel the breeze on the swings? Did
your grandpa have cattle? Did you watch

822
01:36:03,840 --> 01:36:10,719
as they roamed? Did your grandma grow a
garden right outside her home? Did you

823
01:36:09,120 --> 01:36:15,040
ever ache for those feelings for the
warmth of that sun? [clears throat]

824
01:36:13,199 --> 01:36:20,960
What you've yet to do now can still be
undone. Our children are still here. My

825
01:36:18,000 --> 01:36:25,760
son is right there.
I'm not asking. I'm begging. Let him

826
01:36:22,960 --> 01:36:29,600
breathe clean air. You were once a child
and you trusted your grown-ups to choose

827
01:36:28,159 --> 01:36:34,960
for your safety, your heir, your
livelihood, that they would side with

828
01:36:32,239 --> 01:36:39,199
the greater good. My heart is on my
sleeve as I beg of you to refuse. You

829
01:36:37,520 --> 01:36:44,719
know what the right answer is, and I
think you've always known. Please vote

830
01:36:41,360 --> 01:36:49,317
like the child that you once were is
still coming home.

831
01:36:46,639 --> 01:36:49,317
» Thank you. [applause]

832
01:36:55,156 --> 01:37:02,440
» [applause]
>> Number 22, please. 22.

833
01:37:12,719 --> 01:37:18,880
» We'll turn this this way. Um, I know a
lot of us had time to stretch a minute

834
01:37:17,040 --> 01:37:23,280
ago, so if you're for the smelter, if
you can stand up.

835
01:37:21,600 --> 01:37:27,760
That's what I thought. All of these
people had the balls to stand up and

836
01:37:25,520 --> 01:37:32,400
come in here today. And we've got a lot
of people sitting over here on this left

837
01:37:29,199 --> 01:37:36,800
side. And where I come from, we call
that butt puppets. Somebody dresses up

838
01:37:35,199 --> 01:37:41,360
and somebody sends them to come down
here and talk and say a bunch of crap.

839
01:37:39,600 --> 01:37:45,360
But for the first guy that spoke that's
real worried about your family, your

840
01:37:43,280 --> 01:37:48,639
kids, and your livelihood. You want to
move next door to this buddy and raise

841
01:37:46,960 --> 01:37:52,880
four generations of family and have your
dogs and cats out there. Don't tell me

842
01:37:50,960 --> 01:37:58,037
you're worried about your livelihood
because of this plant coming in. You

843
01:37:54,480 --> 01:38:00,057
think we're not? [cheering]
[applause]

844
01:38:00,639 --> 01:38:07,119
There's several generations sitting on
this front row right here that's got

845
01:38:04,560 --> 01:38:10,000
land invested for years. I've got land
that families going to be on for years,

846
01:38:08,480 --> 01:38:14,239
but no, we're all scared to death. We're
going to lose it. So you, your kids can

847
01:38:12,960 --> 01:38:17,280
have a good life. That's what you're
worried about. Come down here and move

848
01:38:15,520 --> 01:38:20,363
next to it, buddy. Put it in your damn
backyard. [screaming]

849
01:38:20,963 --> 01:38:22,983
[cheering]

850
01:38:23,583 --> 01:38:25,603
[applause]

851
01:38:30,133 --> 01:38:32,808
[cheering]
[applause]

852
01:38:33,679 --> 01:38:42,159
» Number 23, please. [applause]
>> Oh, it's only going to get worse.

853
01:38:39,920 --> 01:38:45,119
» Number 23.
Yeah, it's only going to get worse for

854
01:38:43,600 --> 01:38:50,480
him.
>> All right, so they're out of touch.

855
01:38:49,040 --> 01:38:52,719
» I know. What do I got to do? I got to
grab the microphone. All right. Okay.

856
01:38:51,679 --> 01:38:55,600
You're obvious you guys are out of
touch. I mean, absolutely out of touch.

857
01:38:54,400 --> 01:38:59,199
And I understand you're only doing your
job, but you're paid to be here. We're

858
01:38:57,199 --> 01:39:03,119
not paid to be here. We're actually
losing money to be here. [cheering] So,

859
01:39:00,880 --> 01:39:06,719
so I get it to a small degree, but
ethically the fearing. So, we've had

860
01:39:05,440 --> 01:39:10,560
nothing but name dropping, right? I've
heard Trump a dozen times. I don't care.

861
01:39:08,880 --> 01:39:15,280
I voted for him three times, too. I
don't care. Trump don't live in my

862
01:39:12,320 --> 01:39:19,119
backyard. I've heard uh hyperbolic
fear-mongering. That's been my favorite

863
01:39:16,880 --> 01:39:24,000
part. The the the the generalities,
right? What we got? Uh national

864
01:39:20,960 --> 01:39:29,199
security, um open for business, uh
logistics, positive move, actively

865
01:39:26,239 --> 01:39:35,040
fortifying. None of that means anything.
It's l I So, just for reference, I was

866
01:39:32,639 --> 01:39:39,119
in the United States military also, and
I worked for the public affairs office,

867
01:39:37,199 --> 01:39:44,560
the PAO.
what they're doing. I facilitated. It's

868
01:39:42,080 --> 01:39:49,199
bull crap. Right? It is. It literally I
I did this for a living. Okay. All

869
01:39:46,800 --> 01:39:53,199
right. So, here's the reality. If our
national security literally depends on

870
01:39:51,040 --> 01:39:57,249
this smelter again, then you didn't do
your jobs. Why should we listen to you?

871
01:39:54,800 --> 01:40:02,400
Now, if you put us in this position,
[cheering] WE'RE NOT HERE TO save you

872
01:39:59,280 --> 01:40:06,159
from your mistakes. We're not here,
guys. We're not here to save them from

873
01:40:04,000 --> 01:40:10,960
their mistakes. Right? That's that's not
our responsibility. if they created that

874
01:40:09,199 --> 01:40:14,480
reality. But we all know again it's
fear-mongering. That's not a reality.

875
01:40:12,560 --> 01:40:18,400
Okay? The United States of America is
not in danger because we don't have

876
01:40:16,239 --> 01:40:22,320
enough aluminum, right? I mean, do we
need more aluminum? Absolutely. And hey,

877
01:40:20,239 --> 01:40:26,560
who are you trying to convince? Nobody
here. It was so patronizing,

878
01:40:24,159 --> 01:40:31,040
narcissistic, and entitled.
>> Oh my gosh. We know.

879
01:40:28,719 --> 01:40:36,960
» We've heard it. The bullet points every
day. We know aluminum's important. We

880
01:40:33,920 --> 01:40:41,440
know jobs matter. We know industry
matters. Not here. You literally want to

881
01:40:39,679 --> 01:40:46,000
take a plant that's going to poison hay
and put it in the hay capital of the

882
01:40:43,440 --> 01:40:48,239
world. [screaming] How dumb. [cheering]
And you think we're Okay. Sorry.

883
01:40:47,684 --> 01:40:52,880
[applause]
Let me Let me drop it down. All right.

884
01:40:49,920 --> 01:40:57,840
So,
sorry. I just It's It's just so crazy to

885
01:40:56,080 --> 01:41:02,000
think that we're going to believe that.
Again, he said there's no data driven.

886
01:40:59,840 --> 01:41:06,560
It's all generalities. No data driven.
We're not your guinea pigs. The data,

887
01:41:04,080 --> 01:41:14,560
all the data that is out there shows
it's bad. It's bad. Give me one data

888
01:41:10,400 --> 01:41:19,119
point that you can prove. We might talk.
The moratorium is simply that. Giving

889
01:41:16,880 --> 01:41:24,719
everyone time to breathe, look at it,
and take a chance. Okay? Look, you're

890
01:41:22,000 --> 01:41:29,040
our elected officials. Okay? You are
here to represent our wishes to the

891
01:41:27,119 --> 01:41:35,840
state and federal government, not the
federal government's wishes to the city.

892
01:41:32,960 --> 01:41:42,705
Period. This is your community that
elected you guys. I love almost I I know

893
01:41:40,000 --> 01:41:46,320
every one of you intimately,
[applause]

894
01:41:43,440 --> 01:41:51,199
but you're here for us, not for them. WE
DON'T WANT IT. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S

895
01:41:47,840 --> 01:41:54,320
SAFE. I don't I really don't. We don't
want it. We don't have to care for those

896
01:41:52,960 --> 01:41:58,880
things.
>> Sir, thank you. [cheering]

897
01:41:57,770 --> 01:42:01,880
[applause]
Number

898
01:42:04,880 --> 01:42:08,600
24, please.

899
01:42:14,560 --> 01:42:19,000
» Mr. Derban, are you not 24?

900
01:42:20,695 --> 01:42:25,335
[cheering]
>> The number is messed up. [applause]

901
01:42:27,760 --> 01:42:32,000
I don't know who did it.
>> I got applause on the way up. I just

902
01:42:30,800 --> 01:42:37,040
want to point that out. That was kind of
cool.

903
01:42:33,520 --> 01:42:41,711
Y'all, I'm American by birth and God
bless the United States of America.

904
01:42:39,691 --> 01:42:41,711
[applause and cheering]

905
01:42:42,400 --> 01:42:50,480
Folks, I'm a Oklahoma by choice. I live
here cuz I love Oklahoma.

906
01:42:48,480 --> 01:42:57,600
And I'm here tonight with the fine
fantastic citizens of Iola by the grace

907
01:42:53,600 --> 01:43:03,040
of God to stand up with them and fight
about choice. That's what you face here

908
01:43:01,040 --> 01:43:08,639
tonight. It is not an enviable place
that you sit. I don't envy you not one

909
01:43:05,679 --> 01:43:13,360
bit because you have a tough choice as
we've all faced in our lives as we come

910
01:43:10,880 --> 01:43:17,520
to those crossroads of what to do. And
in our lives, we have the choice

911
01:43:14,800 --> 01:43:21,920
sometimes of taking the easy path or
taking the hard path. And here tonight,

912
01:43:19,760 --> 01:43:25,360
I'm here to tell you that the easy path
is going along with the federal

913
01:43:23,520 --> 01:43:30,719
government and those trying to sell you
a multi-billion dollar deal that will

914
01:43:27,520 --> 01:43:34,320
sell Oklahomaans and the city of Iola
out.

915
01:43:32,000 --> 01:43:40,400
» That's the easy path. That's not the
hard path. Tonight, I'm asking you to

916
01:43:37,440 --> 01:43:45,199
make a decision that is based on making
the hard choices. It's difficult to make

917
01:43:43,760 --> 01:43:51,119
those choices, but those kind of
decisions are what lead to principle and

918
01:43:48,239 --> 01:43:55,920
that is what matters in the great state
of Oklahoma. So, I want you to know not

919
01:43:53,760 --> 01:43:59,760
who stands against the Inola smelter. I
think that's pretty clear. But I want

920
01:43:58,239 --> 01:44:05,440
you to know that as you choose this
difficult path, the path towards

921
01:44:01,920 --> 01:44:10,080
moratorum, sensible thinking, sensible
design, investigation and discovery, I

922
01:44:08,159 --> 01:44:15,360
want you to know that there are people
here who are against the smelter, but

923
01:44:12,560 --> 01:44:20,616
they stand with you if you stand for
them and a moratorum to investigate this

924
01:44:18,000 --> 01:44:20,616
issue. [applause]

925
01:44:22,320 --> 01:44:29,440
I stand [cheering] with you. If you
choose this fight against the federal

926
01:44:27,760 --> 01:44:32,000
government, you're going to go back and
you're going to get advice from Nathan

927
01:44:30,639 --> 01:44:35,840
Cross, a man who I went to law school
with, and he's a smart guy. He's not

928
01:44:34,080 --> 01:44:40,000
going to be able to deliver you any
promises on exactly what you need to do

929
01:44:38,320 --> 01:44:44,159
to make the right decision. Because this
is not what principled decisions rest

930
01:44:42,320 --> 01:44:48,800
on. They don't rest on clear and easy
decisions. They rest on decisions that

931
01:44:46,400 --> 01:44:53,040
are hard. And the hard decision here is
to fight against a massive federal

932
01:44:51,040 --> 01:44:57,920
bureaucracy, to fight against foreign
entities that want to own Oklahoma land.

933
01:44:55,040 --> 01:45:03,920
And on our 250th anniversary of this
country, I want to stand against foreign

934
01:45:01,360 --> 01:45:08,880
ownership of United States of America
property. And I want to ask everybody in

935
01:45:06,719 --> 01:45:13,920
here who will stand with the Inola
Council, if they vote against this, if

936
01:45:11,440 --> 01:45:16,892
you would for a second, just stand if
you'll stand with them to fight against

937
01:45:15,280 --> 01:45:20,480
this.
>> [cheering]

938
01:45:17,600 --> 01:45:22,843
» I rest my case. Thank you.
>> Thank you. [applause]

939
01:45:24,320 --> 01:45:30,520
» Okay, we are on number 26, please.

940
01:45:43,679 --> 01:45:47,679
Mayor and Board of Trustees, thank you
for your service. My name is John

941
01:45:46,560 --> 01:45:51,440
Chappie. I'm from the Oklahoma
Department of Commerce. I'm here to read

942
01:45:49,280 --> 01:45:55,280
a note on behalf of the Aluminum
Association.

943
01:45:53,600 --> 01:45:59,600
The Aluminum Association has long
supported growing aluminum smelter base

944
01:45:57,199 --> 01:46:04,880
in the United States. From the 1980s to
today, US primary aluminum production

945
01:46:02,320 --> 01:46:10,000
declined more than 80% while jobs and
sector have declined around 75% over the

946
01:46:07,199 --> 01:46:14,239
past decade. Today, the United States is
only able to make about 17% of the

947
01:46:12,000 --> 01:46:18,960
primary aluminum it uses every year,
making us heavily reliant on imports to

948
01:46:16,480 --> 01:46:23,119
meet demand. The Aluminum Association
supports an all of the- above approach

949
01:46:20,719 --> 01:46:26,400
to metal supply. Both primary aluminum
production and recycling have a critical

950
01:46:24,960 --> 01:46:31,040
role to play in increasing American
aluminum self-reliance.

951
01:46:28,800 --> 01:46:35,600
As we noted when the pro the project was
formally announced, the Anola smelter

952
01:46:33,119 --> 01:46:39,920
would be an enormous beacon for American
aluminum makers and significant step

953
01:46:37,520 --> 01:46:44,560
toward making a more self-sufficient
domestic industry. Primary and recycled

954
01:46:42,560 --> 01:46:49,040
aluminum are complimentary, not
interchangeable materials. Even and even

955
01:46:47,280 --> 01:46:52,560
with continued growth in recycling and
secondary production, the United States

956
01:46:51,040 --> 01:46:56,639
will require substantial amounts of
primary aluminum to meet demands from

957
01:46:54,880 --> 01:47:00,560
defense, aerospace, electrical
infrastructure, and other strategic

958
01:46:58,080 --> 01:47:04,280
sectors now and in the future. Thank
you.

959
01:47:01,040 --> 01:47:04,280
» Thank you.

960
01:47:07,119 --> 01:47:11,800
» Okay, number 27, please.

961
01:47:15,920 --> 01:47:20,920
Thank you everybody for coming. It's
important.

962
01:47:21,840 --> 01:47:27,040
» Um, I didn't plan on speaking. My name
is Hannah Ward and I'm from Claremore.

963
01:47:25,440 --> 01:47:30,320
And I appreciate you listening to our
comments. I'm just going to read

964
01:47:28,880 --> 01:47:37,119
straight from a study from the
Agricultural Science Digest volume 41

965
01:47:33,119 --> 01:47:41,600
special issue of April 2021. Sorry,
nervous.

966
01:47:39,199 --> 01:47:47,360
» Okay. It's acute and chronic effects of
aluminum smelter dust on hematology,

967
01:47:45,119 --> 01:47:54,560
metal bioaccumulation and oxidant
antioxidant status in rats. So it says

968
01:47:51,360 --> 01:48:01,440
aluminum smelting industry is implicated
with documented health risks. The study

969
01:47:57,920 --> 01:48:05,600
examined toxic effects of aluminum
smelting dust on real life chemical

970
01:48:03,679 --> 01:48:09,679
hazard instead of single aluminum
compounds which seldom exist in real

971
01:48:08,080 --> 01:48:12,679
life.
Sorry.

972
01:48:12,880 --> 01:48:20,800
Um,
so the methods were that the adult rats

973
01:48:16,719 --> 01:48:27,520
were um gavvaged acute three consecutive
days and chronic six weeks doses of two

974
01:48:23,760 --> 01:48:31,920
dust concentrations. The results were
aluminum and iron were highest in dust

975
01:48:30,080 --> 01:48:38,400
and respectively accumulated in the
brain, the liver and the kidneys.

976
01:48:34,480 --> 01:48:44,000
Anemia, inflammation
um in the liver and kidney and caused

977
01:48:41,600 --> 01:48:49,199
damage and oxidative stress were
established in view of thrombocytoenia

978
01:48:46,800 --> 01:48:55,560
which was 35% which is a blood platelet
issue.

979
01:48:50,960 --> 01:48:55,560
um luccoytes which was 41%.

980
01:48:55,600 --> 01:49:04,800
And um lymphocytes which was 55%
and alterations in the amino transferase

981
01:49:02,960 --> 01:49:11,679
creatine
um melanodelahhide

982
01:49:07,040 --> 01:49:17,760
super oxidative dismutase catalase
aluminum facilitation of iron mediated

983
01:49:14,560 --> 01:49:23,440
lipid preoxidation is suggested. These
findings drew attention to the magnitude

984
01:49:21,280 --> 01:49:28,159
of dose dependent and the persistent
time dependent of aluminum dust as a

985
01:49:26,159 --> 01:49:33,040
health compromising
as health compromising and are of

986
01:49:30,239 --> 01:49:40,239
particular significance to workers in
aluminum smelting industry. Well, at the

987
01:49:36,320 --> 01:49:45,199
bottom of this first page, it says,
"This study followed the novel concept

988
01:49:42,400 --> 01:49:49,840
of real life risk simulation by
examining the toxic effects of aluminum

989
01:49:47,440 --> 01:49:54,800
smelting dust as a real life chemical
hazard instead of a single aluminum

990
01:49:52,159 --> 01:49:58,880
compound, which seldom exists in real
life. And the study is an attempt to

991
01:49:56,400 --> 01:50:07,760
create reliable predictions and
estimates of hemat or hem heotoxic,

992
01:50:04,239 --> 01:50:13,040
nephrotoxic, hepotoxic and oxidative
risks imposed upon human activity

993
01:50:10,480 --> 01:50:17,520
exposed to aluminum dust. And my
question is where are the doctors and

994
01:50:14,800 --> 01:50:21,360
the scientists that are here to say we
have these studies. We can prove it to

995
01:50:19,520 --> 01:50:27,199
you. We know without a fact that
everybody here, children, animals,

996
01:50:25,199 --> 01:50:30,696
everyone's safe. So, thank you.
>> Thank you. [applause]

997
01:50:36,239 --> 01:50:40,360
» Number 29, please.

998
01:50:57,360 --> 01:51:03,280
Good evening, trustees. My name is Brent
Skarky. I'm the head of communications

999
01:51:01,199 --> 01:51:07,440
for the state chamber of Oklahoma. I'm
here today representing the Oklahoma

1000
01:51:05,600 --> 01:51:12,719
business community. First off, we'd like
to thank you for spending the time in

1001
01:51:10,560 --> 01:51:16,960
the service. Decisions like this are
never simple. They require careful,

1002
01:51:14,719 --> 01:51:20,639
thoughtful, and sound judgment. You have
to be willing to balance the interests

1003
01:51:18,480 --> 01:51:24,480
of your community today with the needs
of future generations. We appreciate

1004
01:51:22,960 --> 01:51:28,000
your willingness to take on this
responsibility.

1005
01:51:26,080 --> 01:51:33,920
This is an important project for
Oklahoma. While the decisions center on

1006
01:51:31,920 --> 01:51:39,119
an aluminum production facility, the
implications reach far beyond a single

1007
01:51:36,400 --> 01:51:42,560
site or a single company. Projects like
these strengthen our state's

1008
01:51:40,400 --> 01:51:46,480
manufacturing base, create good paying
jobs. They show that Oklahoma is ready

1009
01:51:44,800 --> 01:51:50,960
to compete for industries that will
shape the economy for decades to come.

1010
01:51:49,199 --> 01:51:55,599
At the same time, we appreciate that
members of this community are asking

1011
01:51:53,040 --> 01:51:59,760
fair questions. When something this big
is proposed, those questions are

1012
01:51:57,599 --> 01:52:04,000
appropriate and they deserve thoughtful
answers. The good news is that Oklahoma

1013
01:52:02,400 --> 01:52:08,480
and our community have processes
designed for exactly these moments.

1014
01:52:06,239 --> 01:52:12,800
Oklahoma is no stranger to conversations
like this one. For generations, our

1015
01:52:10,320 --> 01:52:17,760
state has been a pioneer in energy
production. At the same time, we've

1016
01:52:15,280 --> 01:52:21,360
remained a leader in agriculture, which
of course depends on clean water,

1017
01:52:19,760 --> 01:52:25,280
healthy land, and responsible
stewardship. Our experience tells us

1018
01:52:23,599 --> 01:52:29,360
that these priorities don't have to
compete with one another. Oklahoma's

1019
01:52:27,440 --> 01:52:34,080
history gives us confidence that we can
evaluate opportunities like this one

1020
01:52:31,840 --> 01:52:38,159
carefully and fairly.
We believe this project should continue

1021
01:52:36,159 --> 01:52:43,040
moving through that proven process and
that process matters. It protects the

1022
01:52:40,400 --> 01:52:48,480
public. It gives communities confidence
and it gives business clear expectations

1023
01:52:45,840 --> 01:52:52,639
about the standards they must meet. If
Oklahoma wants to remain a place where

1024
01:52:50,560 --> 01:52:56,719
manufacturers choose to build, where
families can have good jobs close to

1025
01:52:54,639 --> 01:53:01,599
home, and where communities can continue
to thrive, we must be willing to

1026
01:52:59,280 --> 01:53:06,800
thoughtfully approve projects like this
and dismiss and not dismiss them simply

1027
01:53:04,560 --> 01:53:11,840
because they're large or they're new.
Our message today is simple. This is a

1028
01:53:09,199 --> 01:53:16,960
good project for Oklahoma. Environmental
standards should be met, and when they

1029
01:53:14,159 --> 01:53:22,560
are, the plan should move forward. That
means new high-paying jobs for Inola and

1030
01:53:20,239 --> 01:53:26,880
surrounding communities. Projects like
this come around once in a lifetime, and

1031
01:53:25,360 --> 01:53:32,159
we have a chance to change the
trajectory of Oklahoma. We know Oklahoma

1032
01:53:29,679 --> 01:53:36,800
can welcome responsible industrial
development while remaining a good

1033
01:53:34,480 --> 01:53:40,880
steward for the people and the resources
that make our state a great place to

1034
01:53:38,880 --> 01:53:45,800
live and call home. Thank you.
>> Thank you.

1035
01:53:42,800 --> 01:53:45,800
Um,

1036
01:53:46,320 --> 01:53:51,560
number 30, please. Number 30.

1037
01:54:02,800 --> 01:54:08,560
» Good evening, uh, Madame Mayor and
members of the board of trustees. I

1038
01:54:06,639 --> 01:54:12,400
appreciate your service and, uh, the
difficult decision you have in front of

1039
01:54:09,840 --> 01:54:16,719
you. Uh, my name is John Bud. I'm an
Oklahoma. I've raised two boys in this

1040
01:54:14,960 --> 01:54:19,599
state. And like every parent, nothing is
more important to me than two things.

1041
01:54:18,239 --> 01:54:24,000
Creating opportunities for my children
and making sure they're safe. I don't

1042
01:54:21,679 --> 01:54:27,520
believe those are competing values. As a
father, I would not support anything

1043
01:54:25,599 --> 01:54:31,599
that asks Oklahoma families to choose
between those two things. Today, I serve

1044
01:54:30,159 --> 01:54:35,840
as the head of the Oklahoma Department
of Commerce, and that's why I'm here

1045
01:54:32,880 --> 01:54:39,520
tonight. People ask all the time how we
keep our children and grandchildren from

1046
01:54:37,920 --> 01:54:44,400
leaving their homes in Oklahoma for a
bigger city. I worry about it all the

1047
01:54:41,840 --> 01:54:48,080
time with my boys. We keep them by
creating exciting opportunities where

1048
01:54:45,760 --> 01:54:52,800
they grow up.
This is the kind of project that gives

1049
01:54:50,159 --> 01:54:57,280
young people a reason to stay, raise a
family, and build a career right here in

1050
01:54:54,880 --> 01:55:00,639
this community. This project will create
opportunities for the people in this

1051
01:54:58,560 --> 01:55:05,520
room, for your children, and for your
children's children. It is a $4 billion

1052
01:55:03,360 --> 01:55:09,280
investment, the largest in Oklahoma
history. It will create a thousand

1053
01:55:07,360 --> 01:55:13,599
direct jobs, thousands more construction
and supplier jobs, and establish

1054
01:55:11,199 --> 01:55:17,760
Oklahoma as the home to the first new
primary aluminum production facility

1055
01:55:15,280 --> 01:55:21,599
built in the US in nearly 50 years. As
you've heard tonight, it's critical for

1056
01:55:19,599 --> 01:55:25,360
a lot of reasons, but to me, the most
important thing is a broad opportunity.

1057
01:55:23,679 --> 01:55:30,000
I do understand why some people have
concerns. If this facility is going to

1058
01:55:27,840 --> 01:55:33,760
be your neighbor, you deserve answers.
You deserve transparency and you deserve

1059
01:55:32,320 --> 01:55:37,679
confidence that no corners are being
cut. That is why the Department of

1060
01:55:36,159 --> 01:55:41,599
Environmental Quality's review is so
important. Their job is to make sure

1061
01:55:39,840 --> 01:55:45,920
this facility meets Oklahoma's
environmental standards before it ever

1062
01:55:43,440 --> 01:55:51,679
begins operating. That process should
cont should continue exactly as

1063
01:55:47,920 --> 01:55:54,719
intended. No shortcuts, no skip steps.
If this project can't meet the

1064
01:55:53,199 --> 01:55:58,480
regulatory threshold, I don't want it
either.

1065
01:55:56,239 --> 01:56:02,639
We've done our homework. I recently
visited a facility in Dubai that is

1066
01:56:01,040 --> 01:56:07,520
similar in size and technology to the
one proposed here. Modern technology.

1067
01:56:05,119 --> 01:56:11,920
What I saw was a modern, highly
automated manufacturing facility with

1068
01:56:09,520 --> 01:56:16,400
sophisticated environmental controls. It
was clean, technologically advanced, and

1069
01:56:14,320 --> 01:56:20,639
nothing like the images many people
associate with heavy industry from

1070
01:56:17,920 --> 01:56:24,080
generations ago. Reasonable people,
reasonable people can ask tough

1071
01:56:22,080 --> 01:56:28,320
questions about a project like this. In
fact, they should.

1072
01:56:26,080 --> 01:56:31,599
After looking closely at this project, I
believe Oklahoma can have both

1073
01:56:30,159 --> 01:56:35,840
meaningful opportunities for future
generations and strong protections for

1074
01:56:33,920 --> 01:56:37,840
the families who live here today. And I
support this project. Thank you for

1075
01:56:37,040 --> 01:56:41,080
listening.
>> Thank you.

1076
01:56:43,840 --> 01:56:48,679
» Okay, we're at number 31, please.

1077
01:56:58,000 --> 01:57:05,199
Good evening, Mayor and Council.
We live less than two miles from the

1078
01:57:03,360 --> 01:57:10,639
proposed site. We homeschool our
children and have two acres for

1079
01:57:06,639 --> 01:57:15,599
gardening and for animals that feed us.
There are Facebook posts from Governor

1080
01:57:12,800 --> 01:57:20,159
Stitz, a letter from the Port Authority,
a letter from the OPA, a letter from the

1081
01:57:18,000 --> 01:57:25,760
UAE, and now a letter from the White
House. Speaking of President Trump,

1082
01:57:23,440 --> 01:57:32,320
despite the fact that someone erected a
22 foot statue, golden statue of him in

1083
01:57:28,800 --> 01:57:40,000
Florida, he's not God. None of these big
guys are God over Inola, Oklahoma.

1084
01:57:36,639 --> 01:57:45,679
So allow me to quote from another letter
written from by the one true God. A

1085
01:57:43,440 --> 01:57:51,520
letter that gives clear direction,
instructions, and warnings about what

1086
01:57:48,320 --> 01:57:56,719
the council should do in this matter.
Proverbs 9:10 states that the fear of

1087
01:57:54,000 --> 01:58:03,760
the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of a man

1088
01:58:00,880 --> 01:58:08,560
lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the
Lord is safe." Additionally, Isaiah

1089
01:58:06,880 --> 01:58:16,400
28:16
warns us, "Whoever believes will not act

1090
01:58:13,840 --> 01:58:23,119
hastily."
Why are all these big guys, tiny ants

1091
01:58:19,280 --> 01:58:29,119
compared to God, rushing things, trying
to scare us? These are not godly ways,

1092
01:58:25,679 --> 01:58:35,040
but diabolical tactics. This fear is a
snare. Don't let them scare you. Ask

1093
01:58:32,480 --> 01:58:41,040
yourself, who do you fear?
Who will judge you and your decisions?

1094
01:58:38,239 --> 01:58:47,119
Do you believe in the God who loves you
and will reward those who act wisely and

1095
01:58:45,119 --> 01:58:51,360
justly?
There were some people here representing

1096
01:58:48,880 --> 01:58:55,920
the big guys who don't breathe air
making comments tonight.

1097
01:58:54,239 --> 01:59:01,040
But the kingdom of God belongs to the
little ones. So think of the little

1098
01:58:58,080 --> 01:59:07,040
ones. every small farmer's land, every
little child's lungs, kidneys, livers,

1099
01:59:04,480 --> 01:59:14,239
and brains.
Please make a decision that is informed.

1100
01:59:12,320 --> 01:59:18,480
This decision should be made to please
God and not made in haste. It should be

1101
01:59:16,639 --> 01:59:24,000
done with full knowledge. We need more
answers. We need more research. We need

1102
01:59:20,800 --> 01:59:28,239
more time. We need this moratorum. Don't
worry about aluminum production.

1103
01:59:25,360 --> 01:59:31,920
Governor Stitz just warned us that
President Trump Trump has 20 other

1104
01:59:30,080 --> 01:59:37,520
states just waiting to take this plant
on. Let's pray. [applause] Let's pray

1105
01:59:35,360 --> 01:59:40,960
though.
Let's pray that these states will be

1106
01:59:39,440 --> 01:59:49,440
wise enough not to put it where there's
people, children, animals, or hay. So,

1107
01:59:46,159 --> 01:59:53,840
dear mayor, please and council be
assured of all of our prayers. We know

1108
01:59:51,760 --> 01:59:57,360
this is tough. We've been fasting and
praying for months and we're not going

1109
01:59:55,199 --> 02:00:01,807
to stop. God bless you.
>> Thank you.

1110
01:59:59,843 --> 02:00:03,827
[applause]
[cheering]

1111
02:00:07,679 --> 02:00:12,998
» Number 32, please. 32.
[applause]

1112
02:00:17,599 --> 02:00:23,679
Good evening, Mayor and uh council
members. Uh my name is Alexandra Hunt.

1113
02:00:22,000 --> 02:00:30,639
I've been a resident here for a year
today actually. Um I'm blessed to be

1114
02:00:26,560 --> 02:00:37,280
here and I don't have all of my comments
formally prepared, but as far as the

1115
02:00:34,639 --> 02:00:40,719
information has come to me about the
pollutants that are going to enter this

1116
02:00:39,040 --> 02:00:45,599
area,
um I think that

1117
02:00:43,520 --> 02:00:50,560
what I have learned from the Bible is
that we have a right to steward our

1118
02:00:48,000 --> 02:00:58,480
animals and our land and our families.
And I don't think this um aluminum

1119
02:00:53,920 --> 02:01:05,040
smelter as it's been proposed um by the
EPA application would be pleasing. I

1120
02:01:02,320 --> 02:01:10,000
think that we can I don't know about we
we it it can be done better. We need

1121
02:01:07,599 --> 02:01:14,800
time we need a moratorum to figure out
how it can be done better. Maybe not not

1122
02:01:12,719 --> 02:01:19,520
at all but better.
Um, also, um, I've spoken at the

1123
02:01:17,679 --> 02:01:25,280
Oklahoma Corporation Commission, uh,
meeting twice now, once in person, uh,

1124
02:01:22,080 --> 02:01:31,760
in Oklahoma City and then once on Zoom.
And the reality is that PSO has 500,000

1125
02:01:28,320 --> 02:01:36,639
customers. And, um, the proposed
aluminum smelter is going to need a

1126
02:01:34,239 --> 02:01:42,480
power plant the size of Boston uh, in
order to run it. And the cheap power is

1127
02:01:40,800 --> 02:01:48,000
very likely going to come from those
500,000 five I'm sorry 500,000

1128
02:01:44,800 --> 02:01:54,880
residents. Um 58 out of a hundred of
them couldn't pay their electric bills

1129
02:01:50,960 --> 02:02:00,800
in 2024 and got their electricity shut
off. So that's 58 out of 100 customers.

1130
02:01:58,639 --> 02:02:08,560
So it's like I think 280 or something
like thousand customers. Um, so

1131
02:02:05,440 --> 02:02:15,119
it may provide a thousand people with
good jobs, maybe provide 10,000 people

1132
02:02:10,639 --> 02:02:20,080
with good jobs. And it will not be out
of the selling of aluminum. Part of it

1133
02:02:18,000 --> 02:02:25,440
will be from the cheap power that other
Oklahomaans are providing. And when that

1134
02:02:23,360 --> 02:02:32,159
power goes up or sorry cost for the
power goes up then Oklahoma businesses

1135
02:02:28,639 --> 02:02:40,400
their increase specifically be 22%
um on their energy costs um and

1136
02:02:37,440 --> 02:02:44,320
excuse [clears throat] me uh they will
those costs are going to end up getting

1137
02:02:42,080 --> 02:02:49,440
passed on. So everything's already going
up and unfortunately while it may

1138
02:02:46,960 --> 02:02:53,520
provide could could provide a great
living for for some people, I'm just not

1139
02:02:51,920 --> 02:02:56,800
sure this is the best economic
development for Oklahoma. That is all.

1140
02:02:55,520 --> 02:03:00,025
Thank you all very much. God bless you.
We're praying for you. [applause]

1141
02:03:06,000 --> 02:03:10,599
» Okay, number 33, please.

1142
02:03:19,040 --> 02:03:26,400
Good evening. Uh my name is Luke Cely
and I'm a resident by Nola. We moved

1143
02:03:23,280 --> 02:03:32,239
here about four years ago and one of the
things that brought us here was the

1144
02:03:28,239 --> 02:03:37,679
beauty of this great city. Um I'm asking
you my neighbors and town trustees to

1145
02:03:35,360 --> 02:03:42,639
have the courage to do right by your
fellow Inolans.

1146
02:03:39,440 --> 02:03:46,719
I urge you to issue the moratorum. If
you are afraid of the OPA, don't be

1147
02:03:44,880 --> 02:03:51,119
since they lack the grounds to sue this
town because they've misrepresented this

1148
02:03:48,400 --> 02:03:56,239
project from the start. They promised us
the latest, cleanest technology.

1149
02:03:54,000 --> 02:04:01,679
Uh we heard earlier about just how clean
the plant was in Abu Dhabi. Uh I wonder

1150
02:03:59,840 --> 02:04:06,000
what part of it was clean. Was it the
bathrooms? Um, I do like a good

1151
02:04:03,679 --> 02:04:12,159
bathroom, but but the air permit shows
OPA plans to emit 30% more fluoride per

1152
02:04:08,960 --> 02:04:17,119
ton than its own smelter in the UAE
and 50% more than a modern plant in

1153
02:04:14,560 --> 02:04:22,880
Norway. The cleaner technology exists.
They've simply chosen not to use it

1154
02:04:19,840 --> 02:04:27,920
here. They promise no harm to our farms
and families, yet they want to emit 425

1155
02:04:25,520 --> 02:04:30,960
tons of fluoride a year. Studies from
Canada to Australia show that far

1156
02:04:29,599 --> 02:04:35,920
smaller amounts already sick in
livestock and poison the soil. We should

1157
02:04:33,360 --> 02:04:40,639
expect worse. You've heard the specific
numbers from those studies from other

1158
02:04:37,760 --> 02:04:45,119
residents. Now, OPA points to the
Constitution and property rights. So

1159
02:04:42,719 --> 02:04:49,599
will I. The Constitution protects my
freedom to use my land just as much as

1160
02:04:47,440 --> 02:04:54,880
it protects my neighbor to use theirs.
It does not give my neighbor the right

1161
02:04:51,599 --> 02:05:01,199
to poison my land when using his. If
this smelter kept its waste on its own

1162
02:04:56,880 --> 02:05:06,239
land, we wouldn't be here. But it can't.
And here's the thing. We all want

1163
02:05:03,360 --> 02:05:11,599
American aluminum. No one is disputing
that. There isn't a single person in

1164
02:05:09,360 --> 02:05:16,159
this room who is not a patriot. At least
I would assume so. We're all here and

1165
02:05:13,840 --> 02:05:22,800
we're all fighting in a local government
forum. Um, participation in local

1166
02:05:19,840 --> 02:05:28,080
government uh is what it means to be
American.

1167
02:05:25,440 --> 02:05:33,119
Um, the Aluminum Association found that
restarting our existing smelters would

1168
02:05:30,159 --> 02:05:37,119
be cleaner, cheaper, and faster than
building this one. Real national

1169
02:05:35,520 --> 02:05:42,000
security means Americanowned production
that doesn't destroy American farmland.

1170
02:05:39,679 --> 02:05:46,400
You have competing goods. Why not find a
place where they don't compete? Why

1171
02:05:44,639 --> 02:05:51,360
trample local rights when there are
viable alternatives? So, I'm asking for

1172
02:05:49,040 --> 02:05:55,520
a moratorum. We still don't know the
truck traffic, the fire response, the

1173
02:05:53,599 --> 02:06:00,320
waste plan, or where the power comes
from for a plant that needs as much

1174
02:05:57,280 --> 02:06:04,560
electricity as the city of Boston. If
this project were as good as we're told,

1175
02:06:02,480 --> 02:06:08,960
they wouldn't need threats and secret
meetings.

1176
02:06:06,080 --> 02:06:14,520
Please represent the people who actually
live here. Thank you. [applause]

1177
02:06:11,280 --> 02:06:14,520
» Thank you.

1178
02:06:20,402 --> 02:06:22,422
» [applause]

1179
02:06:22,639 --> 02:06:28,639
» Thank you all for your comments and your
concerns. We're going to move on to

1180
02:06:26,480 --> 02:06:34,320
number three, please. That's the
presentation and discussion related to

1181
02:06:31,280 --> 02:06:40,320
the process of obtaining required
environmental permits for the purpose of

1182
02:06:37,360 --> 02:06:45,679
aluminum smelter at the port of Iola.
And before we do that, before we go to

1183
02:06:42,560 --> 02:06:50,560
that presentation,
if you have the green dot,

1184
02:06:48,560 --> 02:06:55,599
okay, I'm going to ask you to come up
number one, please, and make your

1185
02:06:53,599 --> 02:06:58,800
comment on,
>> please.

1186
02:06:57,760 --> 02:07:03,360
» I kind of want to see their
presentation.

1187
02:07:01,360 --> 02:07:08,400
» How do you think?
>> You know what? I agree with you. Let's

1188
02:07:05,440 --> 02:07:12,480
do the presentation first.
>> Thank you.

1189
02:07:10,560 --> 02:07:18,320
Sorry.
Let's do that presentation, please.

1190
02:07:15,920 --> 02:07:23,960
Number three,
EPA and ODQ representatives.

1191
02:07:47,760 --> 02:07:51,000
Good evening.

1192
02:07:52,159 --> 02:07:57,199
» Good evening
>> and thank you for the opportunity to

1193
02:07:55,119 --> 02:08:02,880
speak with you tonight. My name is
Melanie McGee and I'm the acting air

1194
02:08:00,320 --> 02:08:09,119
permitting, monitoring, and grants
branch manager for the US Environmental

1195
02:08:05,840 --> 02:08:15,599
Protection Agency and Region 6 office
headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

1196
02:08:12,079 --> 02:08:21,760
I'm here this evening to explain EPA's
role in the Oklahoma Department of

1197
02:08:18,320 --> 02:08:27,920
Environmental Quality or ODQ
air permitting process for the proposed

1198
02:08:24,639 --> 02:08:33,760
aluminum smelter project.
We believe that the states are best

1199
02:08:30,880 --> 02:08:39,840
positioned to identify their air quality
needs and to implement the clean air act

1200
02:08:37,199 --> 02:08:47,199
requirements directly.
Under EPA administrator Zeldon, the EPA

1201
02:08:44,000 --> 02:08:53,360
has worked to align itself so that it
fully meets its statutory obligations

1202
02:08:50,560 --> 02:09:00,800
while also supporting rather than
restricting states on permitting. In

1203
02:08:57,040 --> 02:09:06,960
short, we view this as a partnership,
one in which EPA allows states

1204
02:09:04,400 --> 02:09:13,119
states to address issues at the state
level wherever the law permits.

1205
02:09:11,119 --> 02:09:18,639
The Clean Air Act establishes a
framework and this framework is to

1206
02:09:15,679 --> 02:09:23,920
protect human health and the environment
and this is through the implementation

1207
02:09:20,800 --> 02:09:30,880
of the national air quality standards
while also giving states the freedom to

1208
02:09:27,199 --> 02:09:37,280
work within it when followed correctly.
In the early 1980s,

1209
02:09:33,360 --> 02:09:42,480
Oklahoma submitted to EPA a plan
outlining how it would implement the

1210
02:09:39,520 --> 02:09:47,599
Clean Air Act requirements.
Following EPA's approval of that plan,

1211
02:09:45,520 --> 02:09:53,599
the Oklahoma Department of Environmental
Quality became the air permitting agency

1212
02:09:51,199 --> 02:09:58,400
responsible for implementing and
enforcing the state's air quality

1213
02:09:56,639 --> 02:10:05,040
programs.
As the permitting authority, ODEQ is

1214
02:10:02,000 --> 02:10:10,719
responsible for issuing permits for air
emission sources in Oklahoma with the

1215
02:10:08,079 --> 02:10:16,560
exception of certain areas in on Indian
lands.

1216
02:10:12,719 --> 02:10:20,880
EPA's role in turn is to support the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental

1217
02:10:18,480 --> 02:10:25,199
Quality by providing technical
assistance,

1218
02:10:22,400 --> 02:10:30,639
developing national rulemaking, and
ensuring the state's programs remain

1219
02:10:27,920 --> 02:10:36,719
upto-date and in compliance with the
latest Clean Air Act requirements.

1220
02:10:34,560 --> 02:10:42,000
The roles are no different for the
proposed aluminum smelter project.

1221
02:10:40,239 --> 02:10:49,679
Oklahoma Department of Environmental
Quality is the permitting authority and

1222
02:10:45,280 --> 02:10:54,239
EPA is here in in supporting role as the
state works through their air permitting

1223
02:10:52,320 --> 02:11:00,719
process.
An air permit is a complex legal

1224
02:10:57,520 --> 02:11:06,719
document that establishes and outlines
the requirements and emission limits

1225
02:11:03,760 --> 02:11:10,880
that a facility must meet under its
specific Clean Air Act obligation.

1226
02:11:09,360 --> 02:11:14,960
including
the national ambient air quality

1227
02:11:13,199 --> 02:11:19,760
standards.
Before a permit can be issued, the

1228
02:11:17,520 --> 02:11:25,040
company must submit a complete
application and the Oklahoma Department

1229
02:11:22,320 --> 02:11:31,520
of Environmental Quality in this case
must then conduct a thorough review.

1230
02:11:28,719 --> 02:11:37,119
This review includes both the technical
aspects as well and opportunity for

1231
02:11:34,239 --> 02:11:43,199
public participation, which is where you
all come in. I understand that tonight's

1232
02:11:40,320 --> 02:11:48,639
issue is very important for all of you
and I so want to emphasize that no

1233
02:11:46,079 --> 02:11:54,320
permitting decision will be made until
there has been public participation and

1234
02:11:51,920 --> 02:12:01,040
the Oklahoma Department of Environmental
Quality has reviewed your comments

1235
02:11:57,679 --> 02:12:06,239
for a full and complete transparency of
the proposed aluminum smelter project.

1236
02:12:04,159 --> 02:12:12,639
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental
Quality has created a project web page

1237
02:12:09,920 --> 02:12:17,599
with detailed information, a project
timeline, and options to receive

1238
02:12:15,760 --> 02:12:23,440
updates.
As highlighted on their web page

1239
02:12:19,920 --> 02:12:29,440
timeline, a 30-day public notice and
comment period will be provided before a

1240
02:12:27,119 --> 02:12:34,320
permitting decision is made by the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental

1241
02:12:31,199 --> 02:12:40,560
Quality. The dates of the comment period
will be announced upon or shortly after

1242
02:12:37,599 --> 02:12:46,880
publication of the proposal. When a
final decision is made, a response to

1243
02:12:43,920 --> 02:12:52,320
comments received during the 30-day
public comment period will also be

1244
02:12:49,199 --> 02:12:57,760
provided. We encourage you to
participate in this process and to

1245
02:12:55,040 --> 02:13:01,440
monitor their website for updates. You
can also sign up for project

1246
02:12:59,360 --> 02:13:06,320
notifications.
Thank you again for the opportunity to

1247
02:13:03,679 --> 02:13:10,880
explain the air permitting process and
the EPA will continue our supporting

1248
02:13:08,480 --> 02:13:15,119
role to the Oklahoma Department of
Environmental Quality as they move

1249
02:13:13,040 --> 02:13:19,520
through their permitting process and
work towards a final permitting

1250
02:13:17,040 --> 02:13:23,592
decision. Thank you.
>> Thank you.

1251
02:13:21,572 --> 02:13:23,592
[applause]

1252
02:13:32,000 --> 02:13:37,199
Good evening, Madame Mayor and Town
Trustees. I'm Madison Miller, uh the

1253
02:13:35,840 --> 02:13:41,760
deputy executive director with the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental

1254
02:13:38,639 --> 02:13:44,639
Quality, or DEEQ. DEEQ was asked to be
here to describe where we are in the

1255
02:13:43,199 --> 02:13:48,320
permitting process for the proposed
aluminum smelter.

1256
02:13:46,719 --> 02:13:52,480
Currently, the only permit application
DEEQ has received for the proposed

1257
02:13:50,079 --> 02:13:57,119
aluminum smelter is an air quality PSD
construction permit. and PSD stands for

1258
02:13:55,199 --> 02:14:00,480
prevention of significant deterioration.
Um, it's a statutory term. You'll hear

1259
02:13:58,960 --> 02:14:05,840
me say it a couple of times while I go
through this. The permit application was

1260
02:14:03,040 --> 02:14:10,960
received on February 9th, 2026 and is
undergoing technical review by DEEQ

1261
02:14:07,760 --> 02:14:14,320
permitting staff. DEEQ rather than EPA,
as you just heard, is the permitting

1262
02:14:12,400 --> 02:14:18,639
authority in this instance because DEEQ
has been delegated program authority

1263
02:14:15,920 --> 02:14:22,239
from EPA and DEEQ and EPA work together
on a regular basis with EPA providing

1264
02:14:20,639 --> 02:14:26,960
oversight of the federal programs and
support to the state and DEEQ providing

1265
02:14:24,320 --> 02:14:31,440
local implementation of those programs.
As an initial matter, I want to point

1266
02:14:28,960 --> 02:14:35,679
out so that it's really clear that DEEQ
doesn't have the authority in statute to

1267
02:14:33,840 --> 02:14:40,159
decide where a proposed facility will be
located. DEEQ has the responsibility to

1268
02:14:38,560 --> 02:14:44,800
ensure all environmental requirements
are met prior to the construction and

1269
02:14:42,560 --> 02:14:48,800
operation of the facility. And in doing
so, DEEQ is committed to going above and

1270
02:14:47,040 --> 02:14:52,400
beyond to ensure the public is fully
informed. The current permitting law

1271
02:14:51,199 --> 02:14:55,280
requires only that the permit
application be placed somewhere in the

1272
02:14:53,840 --> 02:14:58,719
county where it can be viewed for public
inspection. This means that the

1273
02:14:57,199 --> 02:15:02,480
application could be obscurely placed
somewhere in the public library or some

1274
02:15:00,560 --> 02:15:05,679
similar place. But in this instance,
DEEQ is requiring that all relevant

1275
02:15:04,320 --> 02:15:10,159
documents related to the proposed
smelter, not just the application, be

1276
02:15:08,000 --> 02:15:14,400
posted on the DEEQ website in DEEQ's
online permitting docket. Further, we

1277
02:15:12,800 --> 02:15:17,599
have created a dedicated web page just
for the proposed smelter and have

1278
02:15:15,840 --> 02:15:21,599
created an online list serve sign up
through which citizens can sign up to

1279
02:15:19,040 --> 02:15:25,520
receive notifications about the project.
It's important to DEEQ that the public

1280
02:15:23,199 --> 02:15:30,000
has the this information in an easily
accessible way.

1281
02:15:27,599 --> 02:15:33,599
DQ's objectives are to one, implement
the PSD permitting program in accordance

1282
02:15:32,000 --> 02:15:37,760
with all statutory and regulatory
requirements. Two, engage citizens by

1283
02:15:36,320 --> 02:15:40,880
making technical and administrative
aspects of the permit process more

1284
02:15:39,360 --> 02:15:45,360
accessible to the public than the law
presently requires. And three, uphold

1285
02:15:43,119 --> 02:15:49,599
DEEQ's mission to protect human health
and the environment. I want to detail

1286
02:15:47,760 --> 02:15:53,599
the efforts DEEQ has taken to engage
citizens on the smelter. D. Hughes

1287
02:15:51,840 --> 02:15:57,520
executive director along with myself and
other key staff members on two different

1288
02:15:55,280 --> 02:16:01,360
occasions in April of 2026 drove to
Inola upon request to meet with small

1289
02:15:59,840 --> 02:16:05,920
groups of concerned citizens in the
Inola area including state lawmakers.

1290
02:16:04,079 --> 02:16:10,159
DEEQ held a two and a half hour public
process meeting in this very room on

1291
02:16:07,440 --> 02:16:14,400
April 23rd, 2026 during which DEEQ
detailed the PSD permitting process and

1292
02:16:12,000 --> 02:16:18,400
received questions from the public.
DEQ also attended an agricultural round

1293
02:16:16,480 --> 02:16:21,599
table in Mohal, Oklahoma, where DEQ
discussed aspects of the permitting

1294
02:16:19,840 --> 02:16:26,079
process with Iola area farmers and
ranchers as well as state lawmakers and

1295
02:16:23,599 --> 02:16:30,079
members of Congress. Regarding future
activity, DEEQ has informed the public

1296
02:16:28,480 --> 02:16:34,240
that prior to the issuance of a draft
permit, DEEQ will hold two public

1297
02:16:32,000 --> 02:16:38,000
meetings that are not required by law to
detail the technical aspects of the

1298
02:16:35,840 --> 02:16:41,519
permit. One meeting to go over best
available control technology, which I'll

1299
02:16:39,679 --> 02:16:45,760
explain in a second, and another meeting
to go over modeling. When we get to the

1300
02:16:44,080 --> 02:16:48,880
point when a draft permit is published,
the 30-day public comment period will

1301
02:16:47,439 --> 02:16:52,080
commence and DEEQ will hold another
public meeting where comments will be

1302
02:16:50,240 --> 02:16:55,679
received.
And I want to mention since we've been

1303
02:16:54,080 --> 02:16:59,519
talking about data, these last three
meetings that I just spoke about are

1304
02:16:57,280 --> 02:17:03,840
where we will present data that's being
considered in the permit that DEQ has

1305
02:17:01,519 --> 02:17:07,840
based decisions on. My remarks are
general right now um because we're going

1306
02:17:06,639 --> 02:17:11,280
through the process. It's not a
predetermined process and we're

1307
02:17:09,040 --> 02:17:14,960
currently in uh at the evaluation of the
permit.

1308
02:17:12,800 --> 02:17:18,800
So, what does DEEQ's air quality PSD
evaluation look like? DEEQ's evaluation

1309
02:17:17,200 --> 02:17:22,639
is focused on the environmental impacts
of the proposed facility in the location

1310
02:17:20,639 --> 02:17:26,080
where it is proposed. But like I said,
DEQ is not authorized under the Clean

1311
02:17:24,319 --> 02:17:30,960
Air Act or any other law to decide where
a facility will be located. The PSD

1312
02:17:29,200 --> 02:17:35,679
permitting process is a prescribed
process by statute and regulation under

1313
02:17:33,750 --> 02:17:40,479
[snorts] the state and federal clean air
acts and associated PSD regulations.

1314
02:17:38,559 --> 02:17:45,200
NDEQ is currently working through that
process. So I want to give just a quick

1315
02:17:43,120 --> 02:17:50,880
reiteration of DEEQ's presentation at
the process meeting on April 23rd um to

1316
02:17:48,719 --> 02:17:56,319
explain what the four elements or prongs
of PSD are. So the first is the best

1317
02:17:53,439 --> 02:17:59,599
available control technology or BACT.
This is a top- down analysis of control

1318
02:17:58,160 --> 02:18:03,359
technologies meaning we're looking at
the most effective control technology

1319
02:18:01,200 --> 02:18:07,439
first and determining if it is both
technically feasible and cost-effective

1320
02:18:05,280 --> 02:18:11,920
as required by law.
Second is we're looking the impacts to

1321
02:18:09,359 --> 02:18:15,840
class one areas. So we're required to
look at federally protected lands

1322
02:18:13,439 --> 02:18:20,399
referred to as class one areas. And the
class one areas that are potentially

1323
02:18:17,599 --> 02:18:24,880
implicated uh by this proposed project
include Ky Creek in Arkansas, the upper

1324
02:18:22,800 --> 02:18:28,240
Buffalo in Arkansas, and Hercules Glade
in Missouri. And we work with federal

1325
02:18:26,639 --> 02:18:33,120
partners to evaluate the impacts on
those protected areas.

1326
02:18:30,880 --> 02:18:37,120
The third prong is modeling. And this
element of PSD requires the use of

1327
02:18:35,120 --> 02:18:40,880
computer modeling to evaluate how the
proposed facility will impact the

1328
02:18:38,719 --> 02:18:45,599
national ambient air quality standards
known as knacks in the location where it

1329
02:18:43,439 --> 02:18:49,519
is proposed. The goal is to protect the
airheds ability to continue to attain

1330
02:18:47,599 --> 02:18:53,599
those standards. So we look at whether
the facility would cause or contribute

1331
02:18:51,280 --> 02:18:57,359
to a violation of the knacks and how the
facility would affect the increment or

1332
02:18:55,760 --> 02:19:01,280
the amount of pollution the area is
allowed to increase under the Clean Air

1333
02:18:59,040 --> 02:19:04,479
Act. And there's some interplay here
with the control technologies used

1334
02:19:03,040 --> 02:19:08,160
because if the modeling shows there
would be a contribution to a violation

1335
02:19:06,000 --> 02:19:12,880
of the NAX or that the facility would
exceed the allowed increment DEEQ would

1336
02:19:10,399 --> 02:19:17,040
not be able to issue the permit without
uh changes to the facility's emissions

1337
02:19:15,120 --> 02:19:22,160
either through controls or sizing of the
facility etc.

1338
02:19:19,519 --> 02:19:28,319
So the fourth prong is additional
impacts and the PSD rules require the

1339
02:19:25,439 --> 02:19:33,280
applicant to provide an analysis of the
impairment to visibility soils and

1340
02:19:31,040 --> 02:19:38,160
vegetation that would occur as a result
of the source and general commercial

1341
02:19:35,920 --> 02:19:43,200
residential industrial and other growth
associated with the source.

1342
02:19:40,880 --> 02:19:48,479
This part is really important to DQ and
to the community. The rule states, and

1343
02:19:46,479 --> 02:19:52,319
it's written a little backwards, um, so
bear with me. It states that the

1344
02:19:50,240 --> 02:19:56,800
applicant need not provide an analysis
of the impact on vegetation having no

1345
02:19:54,960 --> 02:20:02,000
significant commercial or recreational
value. So, in other words, this

1346
02:19:59,120 --> 02:20:05,680
evaluation of vegetation happens only if
the vegetation has significant

1347
02:20:03,439 --> 02:20:09,760
commercial or recreational value. It's
obvious that in this community of Bola

1348
02:20:08,160 --> 02:20:14,000
and the surrounding area, there is
absolutely vegetation with significant

1349
02:20:11,600 --> 02:20:19,680
commercial and or recreational value.
DEQ announced this um at the April

1350
02:20:17,200 --> 02:20:23,760
process meeting that to address this
requirement, the company is conducting

1351
02:20:21,520 --> 02:20:28,160
an evaluation of the proposed facilities
impacts on the soils and vegetation in

1352
02:20:26,240 --> 02:20:31,680
the areas that are determined to have
significant commercial and/or

1353
02:20:29,600 --> 02:20:36,000
recreational value, including what the
impacts of fluoride would be to grazing

1354
02:20:33,359 --> 02:20:41,200
livestock. DEEQ will then conduct a
comprehensive review of this submitt.

1355
02:20:38,960 --> 02:20:44,640
So DEEQ fully recognizes the community's
concerns about fluoride emissions from

1356
02:20:42,640 --> 02:20:49,040
the proposed smelter and their potential
impacts to grazing grasses and therefore

1357
02:20:46,640 --> 02:20:51,760
to grazing livestock. So to reiterate,
the impacts of fluoride emissions from

1358
02:20:50,399 --> 02:20:55,200
the proposed smelter are being
considered and evaluated to the full

1359
02:20:53,680 --> 02:20:59,040
extent to which DEEQ is legally
authorized to consider it and the

1360
02:20:57,280 --> 02:21:02,080
results of this evaluation will be fully
presented and discussed at one of the

1361
02:21:00,479 --> 02:21:06,319
future DEEQ public meetings that I
mentioned. The PSD permitting process

1362
02:21:04,880 --> 02:21:10,319
requires months of thoughtful analysis
and engineering calculations. The

1363
02:21:08,399 --> 02:21:13,280
evaluation is iterative, meaning that
DEEQ will continue to request

1364
02:21:11,920 --> 02:21:17,359
supplemental information from the
applicant until all of DEEQ's questions

1365
02:21:15,200 --> 02:21:21,359
are answered. It's crucial to understand
that DEEQ operates under both statutory

1366
02:21:19,200 --> 02:21:25,280
authority and statutory limitations, but
the DEEQ is using all the tools provided

1367
02:21:23,439 --> 02:21:29,280
under the Clean Air Act to ensure the
maximum protections are achieved that

1368
02:21:27,040 --> 02:21:33,319
DEEQ is authorized to require. Thank
you.

1369
02:21:30,080 --> 02:21:33,319
» Thank you.

1370
02:21:34,138 --> 02:21:41,280
» [applause]
>> Okay, if you have the green dot and

1371
02:21:38,640 --> 02:21:44,520
you're number one, please come up with
your comment.

1372
02:21:44,960 --> 02:21:50,000
Thank you, mayor. Before my time starts,
can I ask a point of clarification? I

1373
02:21:48,800 --> 02:21:54,000
know we talked at the beginning, I have
to address you since they presented. Can

1374
02:21:52,319 --> 02:21:57,760
it be questions that they can
participate in answering or is it only

1375
02:21:55,760 --> 02:22:00,640
questions directed to you all as the
council?

1376
02:21:58,640 --> 02:22:05,680
» It's really just questions to the mayor.
>> Okay. to the questions to the mayor. Not

1377
02:22:03,520 --> 02:22:10,080
I can't ask them things that you they
would have to

1378
02:22:06,319 --> 02:22:13,200
» I ask them to answer.
>> Okay. Go ahead.

1379
02:22:11,200 --> 02:22:17,520
» Okay. So, just to you that's fine. Um it
informs how I'm going to ask these

1380
02:22:14,560 --> 02:22:21,920
questions. So, I love that they came
here. Really appreciate DEEQ coming yet

1381
02:22:20,000 --> 02:22:25,040
again. Madison did a great job in the
process meeting. No complaints there.

1382
02:22:23,520 --> 02:22:28,720
They have been more than helpful like
she mentioned um with the executive

1383
02:22:27,120 --> 02:22:32,640
director showing up here to meet with
people. Phenomenal. [snorts] really

1384
02:22:30,640 --> 02:22:39,359
appreciate their support. What I'm
confused on from this whole agenda item

1385
02:22:37,120 --> 02:22:44,800
point is what bearing does that have for
you in a temporary moratorum?

1386
02:22:42,880 --> 02:22:48,160
I am very confused. Why would we say
this is an iterative process? They're

1387
02:22:46,399 --> 02:22:53,120
still taking time. They don't have
anything. Man, we're not even at the

1388
02:22:49,920 --> 02:22:56,399
back to review all these other steps.
Yet, they want you to say that you would

1389
02:22:55,200 --> 02:23:02,640
be willing to give them a building
permit tomorrow. Why? That doesn't make

1390
02:22:59,600 --> 02:23:08,399
sense. If the process is still ongoing,
okay, pass a temporary moratorum until

1391
02:23:05,520 --> 02:23:12,560
the process is complete. This makes no
sense to try to convince you that, oh,

1392
02:23:11,200 --> 02:23:17,200
the process is going to be taken care
of. Don't worry while we rush ahead.

1393
02:23:14,640 --> 02:23:20,240
That doesn't seem to meet the same
standards that they're asking for you

1394
02:23:18,800 --> 02:23:24,240
guys to rush ahead with.
>> Okay.

1395
02:23:20,640 --> 02:23:30,160
» Um I think that this just helps support
the reason we need this moratorum. Like

1396
02:23:26,560 --> 02:23:36,720
they said, in fact, as both from the EPA
and ODQ, fluoride is an extra addition.

1397
02:23:34,479 --> 02:23:41,280
That is an extra step that they not they
wouldn't normally have to take, which

1398
02:23:38,640 --> 02:23:48,640
should signal to all of us that this is
an unusual project that deserves time

1399
02:23:46,080 --> 02:23:52,720
for review and scrutiny. I don't think
anyone here has disagreed with the fact

1400
02:23:50,399 --> 02:23:57,520
that we know there's going to be
requirements and regulations and

1401
02:23:54,880 --> 02:24:02,880
calculations done to see that. No one
has been presented that information. So

1402
02:23:59,760 --> 02:24:06,880
when the only information we have is 425
tons per year of fluoride and a heck of

1403
02:24:04,720 --> 02:24:10,720
a lot more of other things like
thousands of tons of particulate and

1404
02:24:08,800 --> 02:24:15,760
hundreds of thousands of tons of CO and
I mean there's just the permit goes on a

1405
02:24:12,640 --> 02:24:20,560
lot more than 425 tons of fluoride.
That information is all we have. So,

1406
02:24:18,560 --> 02:24:24,960
promises from the company that they will
do better. Like they said, the permit's

1407
02:24:22,720 --> 02:24:31,040
the legal document. If you're going to
do better, submit that. Put that in the

1408
02:24:28,479 --> 02:24:34,880
permit application to DEEQ and stand by
what you're going to claim. I I really

1409
02:24:33,200 --> 02:24:38,399
don't understand and I don't think that
this should have bearing on your vote

1410
02:24:36,399 --> 02:24:44,560
tonight because in fact it should
support your vote because it just helps

1411
02:24:41,520 --> 02:24:49,120
clarify why you need more time and why
you all should not be making this

1412
02:24:46,640 --> 02:24:53,520
decision. It should be with the support
and the full knowledge of every other

1413
02:24:51,040 --> 02:24:56,560
institution that can prove that this is
safe for this community which no one

1414
02:24:55,280 --> 02:25:00,465
has.
>> So I appreciate it. Thank you.

1415
02:24:58,080 --> 02:25:02,484
» Thank you.
[applause]

1416
02:25:06,800 --> 02:25:12,479
Number two.
>> Number two,

1417
02:25:11,040 --> 02:25:16,960
guys. First of all, I just want to thank
you um commissioners. I think you guys

1418
02:25:15,439 --> 02:25:22,160
are all volunteer. I don't think you're
even getting paid. A lot of

1419
02:25:18,880 --> 02:25:27,040
responsibility, a lot of stress.
I know you're trying your best. I just

1420
02:25:24,399 --> 02:25:33,840
personally want to thank you. Um guys in
in April when the ODC came in um I I was

1421
02:25:30,640 --> 02:25:39,359
horrified. Uh is because my questions
that I ask is what horrified me. Uh and

1422
02:25:36,720 --> 02:25:44,160
number one was that ODC is not
performing any study. There's no

1423
02:25:41,600 --> 02:25:48,319
scientists with ODC on their chest that
are performing a study. ODC isn't

1424
02:25:46,640 --> 02:25:54,800
commissioning a they're not paying for a
study. It's all EGA that's performing

1425
02:25:51,600 --> 02:25:59,840
the study and handing it for review.
That is so different than performing a

1426
02:25:57,520 --> 02:26:06,640
study yourself. I mean the motivations
of the people making that study their

1427
02:26:01,840 --> 02:26:12,640
paycheck is being paid by EGA.
So that really hurt my heart uh and gave

1428
02:26:08,960 --> 02:26:16,160
me great concern. Uh second at in April
there was no study on any kind of

1429
02:26:14,319 --> 02:26:20,560
accumulation in our soils which is our
greatest concern. I was very happy to

1430
02:26:18,000 --> 02:26:25,040
hear that's been added. uh and and there
was no study on our vegetation which

1431
02:26:22,399 --> 02:26:29,280
also you know very important to us.
Unfortunately both those studies if I

1432
02:26:26,800 --> 02:26:37,520
understand her right is still performed
by EGA not by any kind of scientist paid

1433
02:26:32,960 --> 02:26:42,160
by ODC u or the EPA either one and by
the way on any of these I really hope

1434
02:26:39,760 --> 02:26:46,880
I'm wrong like I really hope she comes
up and shows me the fool because I want

1435
02:26:44,720 --> 02:26:53,120
them to be wrong. We are vulnerable
right now from what I can tell

1436
02:26:50,240 --> 02:26:58,560
to be polluted immensely with no
recourse, with no knowledge, with no

1437
02:26:55,359 --> 02:27:04,880
monitoring, nothing. Um, also from the
April meeting,

1438
02:27:00,640 --> 02:27:09,280
EPA, the OGA, excuse me, OPA, the United
Arab Emirates are responsible for their

1439
02:27:07,520 --> 02:27:13,600
own monitoring.
So, from what I understood, ODC is not

1440
02:27:11,600 --> 02:27:19,520
doing any monitoring. We're not doing
any monitoring. It's all the poller

1441
02:27:16,560 --> 02:27:24,319
himself self-monitoring
from that. If the poller himself sees

1442
02:27:22,000 --> 02:27:28,880
that, oh, I polluted, it's his
responsibility to report. It's his own

1443
02:27:26,960 --> 02:27:34,240
self-reporting.
And like we've discussed before, do we

1444
02:27:31,040 --> 02:27:38,960
trust these folks from across the world
to worry about us and actually be honest

1445
02:27:36,479 --> 02:27:42,160
in their self-reporting? I really hope
that's wrong. And that's something some

1446
02:27:40,800 --> 02:27:47,200
of some of you council members, we've
talked about. We've got to have a way to

1447
02:27:44,479 --> 02:27:52,080
be measuring ourselves, not relying on
the poller himself doing the the u the

1448
02:27:50,560 --> 02:27:57,040
measuring.
Um from that April meeting, safety

1449
02:27:54,800 --> 02:28:02,319
concerns from other states from Century
Aluminum's other smelters were to not be

1450
02:27:59,359 --> 02:28:07,680
considered whatsoever in our permitting.
Now, that seemed crazy to me. Uh but

1451
02:28:05,840 --> 02:28:11,600
that's what I understand that uh they
said was going to happen.

1452
02:28:09,520 --> 02:28:17,021
Um,
I guess I'm done. Thank you.

1453
02:28:13,680 --> 02:28:17,021
» Thank you, sir. [applause]

1454
02:28:17,760 --> 02:28:27,680
Okay, this is number four.
Okay, we're going to move on to pres uh

1455
02:28:24,479 --> 02:28:33,920
item number four, presentation and
discussion related to the quest

1456
02:28:30,399 --> 02:28:40,000
moratorum on all permits, approvals,
entitlements, physical or administrative

1457
02:28:36,479 --> 02:28:45,920
advancements of constit construction of
facilities within the industrial heavy

1458
02:28:43,040 --> 02:28:51,120
district and other matters related to
the proposed aluminum plant.

1459
02:28:49,439 --> 02:28:52,960
sir.
>> Yes, ma'am.

1460
02:28:52,399 --> 02:28:57,840
» Thank you.
>> You're welcome.

1461
02:28:54,479 --> 02:29:06,399
» Um I'm impressed with these kids. Um
they've been been very good. Um

1462
02:29:02,880 --> 02:29:11,439
this is a tough thing and I I say that
just because you guys are stuck in the

1463
02:29:08,240 --> 02:29:15,439
middle of this thing and
I' I've heard I've heard fear being

1464
02:29:13,760 --> 02:29:23,439
pressed from this side. I hear a lot of
people that are scared from this side.

1465
02:29:20,160 --> 02:29:27,760
and you guys have an obligation. Um,
we're here in Rogers County. I thought

1466
02:29:25,280 --> 02:29:33,200
it would be appropriate to provide you a
statement from Will Rogers of all people

1467
02:29:30,080 --> 02:29:38,399
to the county. His dad is the basis for
the name of this county, right?

1468
02:29:36,080 --> 02:29:42,800
Will said he thought it was nature he
was living off of, but it was really

1469
02:29:40,640 --> 02:29:49,520
future generations that he was living
off of. You guys have an obligation

1470
02:29:46,640 --> 02:29:53,600
to make sure that whatever goes forward
here, you're protecting for future

1471
02:29:51,280 --> 02:29:58,680
generations. Will we Will said it 100
plus years ago, still true today.

1472
02:29:58,800 --> 02:30:04,160
Despite the propaganda we've heard from
this side, despite the fear, despite

1473
02:30:02,319 --> 02:30:08,960
everybody seeming to be scared that this
thing isn't going to go forward, this

1474
02:30:06,240 --> 02:30:13,439
moratorum doesn't stop the smelter from
going forward.

1475
02:30:10,640 --> 02:30:19,920
The draft, as it said, simply gives the
town a seat at the table.

1476
02:30:17,280 --> 02:30:25,920
Y'all deserve a seat at the table. Out
of anybody anywhere, you are going to be

1477
02:30:22,720 --> 02:30:31,200
the most affected both positively and
negatively

1478
02:30:28,319 --> 02:30:37,000
to I I saw the letters that were sent
from the OPA. I saw the letters that

1479
02:30:33,120 --> 02:30:37,000
were sent from the port authority.

1480
02:30:37,200 --> 02:30:44,399
I grew up in Malgi, Oklahoma. I went to
Preston High School. We we played Inola

1481
02:30:42,240 --> 02:30:51,120
a few times. I played Mr. Grigg when he
was the coach at Talqua Sequoa. Um

1482
02:30:49,600 --> 02:30:55,359
I understand [snorts] what it's like to
be in Oklahoma. I understand these

1483
02:30:53,600 --> 02:30:58,800
people that are here that stand up and
say, "Look,

1484
02:30:56,960 --> 02:31:03,359
you you try to press us into something,
we're going to we're going to fight

1485
02:30:59,840 --> 02:31:08,479
back." You guys have the ability to say,
"Look, we're going to make certain that

1486
02:31:06,080 --> 02:31:11,439
it's safe." And I think I think you have
more than the ability, you have the

1487
02:31:09,920 --> 02:31:16,439
obligation, but you have to pass this
moratorum.

1488
02:31:13,439 --> 02:31:16,439
Ultimately,

1489
02:31:16,640 --> 02:31:27,120
this thing is not drafted in a way that
removes any power or rights from the

1490
02:31:25,120 --> 02:31:31,120
smelter, assuming that they can move
forward, qualify with all the ODQ

1491
02:31:29,680 --> 02:31:36,319
permits, which are still pending. I
mean, they're only on number one. Um, I

1492
02:31:33,920 --> 02:31:42,720
think they've got three or four more to
um, even get to propose.

1493
02:31:39,760 --> 02:31:47,399
I put a binder in front of you guys.
Um, before this meeting started,

1494
02:31:48,720 --> 02:31:56,399
this moratorum as it's drafted gives a
six-month kind of lead time.

1495
02:31:54,560 --> 02:32:02,080
The city council has the ability to at
any any time after the moratorum starts.

1496
02:31:59,840 --> 02:32:08,560
You fix the zoning issue require
permitting which allows for you to have

1497
02:32:04,560 --> 02:32:13,680
a affirmative effective say in the other
things that are going to occur around

1498
02:32:10,800 --> 02:32:15,760
this town. Do you have a copy Mr. Dyer?
>> I think it's the one you provided

1499
02:32:15,120 --> 02:32:18,760
before.
>> Yeah.

1500
02:32:19,439 --> 02:32:24,560
But the fact that these letters that
have been sent from the OPA and the port

1501
02:32:22,479 --> 02:32:27,200
authority try to strongarm you into
saying no, you can't pass this

1502
02:32:25,680 --> 02:32:32,080
moratorium now. It's it's just
disingenuous. I printed off a copy. It's

1503
02:32:30,000 --> 02:32:38,240
it's number two of your your binder
that's in front of you today.

1504
02:32:35,359 --> 02:32:43,840
Final approver final approvals and site
work don't plan to begin

1505
02:32:41,280 --> 02:32:48,720
pursuant to OPA's own website until year
in 2026.

1506
02:32:46,080 --> 02:32:53,680
So you pass this moratorum. It's got a
six-month lead time on it. If you fix

1507
02:32:51,040 --> 02:32:58,319
the zoning issue, very simply, um,
require them to provide a permit, then

1508
02:32:56,160 --> 02:33:04,720
you're going to have a say. You're going
to have a seat at the table.

1509
02:33:01,439 --> 02:33:09,520
I've heard nothing from any of the pros
prosmelter group. I've heard nothing

1510
02:33:06,640 --> 02:33:13,280
from the anti-smelter group that says
that y'all shouldn't have a seat at the

1511
02:33:11,439 --> 02:33:17,615
table. In fact, I think that's what all
of the citizens from Iola are here

1512
02:33:15,680 --> 02:33:19,635
demanding.
>> [applause]

1513
02:33:22,201 --> 02:33:24,221
[applause]

1514
02:33:26,560 --> 02:33:33,120
» This ordinance does not stop any of the
permits.

1515
02:33:30,960 --> 02:33:36,560
It directs a review. It allows the town
council to participate in a review to

1516
02:33:35,200 --> 02:33:42,560
different things that are going to show
up because I've been looped in for not

1517
02:33:40,319 --> 02:33:48,800
very long at this point and it's very
hard to find out exactly what the plans

1518
02:33:45,040 --> 02:33:54,319
are other than tons of jobs, tons of
economic benefit to the area.

1519
02:33:51,600 --> 02:34:00,000
How this actually is going to affect the
city of Iola, I can't find.

1520
02:33:58,399 --> 02:34:06,479
Maybe that's been discussed with some of
y'all. It should be available. um

1521
02:34:03,280 --> 02:34:13,560
through some actual demonstrable basis
in a public meeting such as this for you

1522
02:34:09,439 --> 02:34:13,560
guys to understand and decide

1523
02:34:14,640 --> 02:34:21,840
to the extent that this moratorum is
passed. It's neutral in its face. It's

1524
02:34:19,840 --> 02:34:27,439
not favorable to anybody. It's not
favorable to the city. It's not

1525
02:34:23,359 --> 02:34:30,960
favorable to the smelter. It simply says
the city council gets to sit there and

1526
02:34:29,120 --> 02:34:34,680
make a decision about what is best for
the city and its citizens.

1527
02:34:35,359 --> 02:34:43,422
The ordinance does not permanently ban
any use. It does not tell any company

1528
02:34:39,680 --> 02:34:48,160
that they can never build here.
[snorts] It does not, despite the

1529
02:34:45,680 --> 02:34:52,800
letters, exposed the town to a claim for
regulatory taking. I believe that. I

1530
02:34:51,200 --> 02:34:57,560
believe that's just a threat. It's more
fear being pressed upon the city.

1531
02:34:57,600 --> 02:35:05,160
This is simply a pause.
Gives you the the ability to deliberate.

1532
02:35:05,200 --> 02:35:14,960
And if at any point
OPA, EGA,

1533
02:35:11,439 --> 02:35:20,800
the port, ODQ, these people show up and
they tell you, "Hey, this is all of the

1534
02:35:17,840 --> 02:35:26,080
information that we have." And you all
as the elected officials on behalf of

1535
02:35:23,120 --> 02:35:31,120
the town's people here get to see it and
say, "Yeah, you know what?

1536
02:35:29,120 --> 02:35:37,520
I think it can be safe. I think it's not
going to affect the people around us."

1537
02:35:34,399 --> 02:35:41,359
then you get to approve it. You can you
can overturn the moratorum a month from

1538
02:35:39,280 --> 02:35:46,399
now if you want to. If you decide that
that's the right thing to do.

1539
02:35:44,720 --> 02:35:50,479
The people that are here that voted for
you guys

1540
02:35:48,160 --> 02:35:57,680
put their trust in you to do the right
thing to protect them.

1541
02:35:53,520 --> 02:36:04,240
Everybody here that lives within some
reasonable distance of this smelter is

1542
02:35:59,920 --> 02:36:09,680
concerned and rightfully so. Um, ODQ has
not finished any potential proposals.

1543
02:36:07,359 --> 02:36:15,359
They haven't I addressed any permits.
Nothing is licensed yet. All anybody

1544
02:36:12,640 --> 02:36:18,720
here can see is potential damage to
them.

1545
02:36:16,880 --> 02:36:26,240
They put their trust in you to make the
right decision as far as whether it can

1546
02:36:22,399 --> 02:36:33,520
safely go forward or not.
Now, one thing that is really concerning

1547
02:36:29,600 --> 02:36:39,920
to me for the city and why I think um a
really hard look should be um pressed

1548
02:36:36,560 --> 02:36:45,160
upon whether the moratorum should go
forward and whether the smelter should

1549
02:36:41,439 --> 02:36:45,160
go forward at all.

1550
02:36:45,280 --> 02:36:51,200
I've heard at previous meetings,
discussions about pitcher just up the

1551
02:36:48,640 --> 02:36:57,600
road, one of the largest super fun sites
ever to exist. Um, I want to say the

1552
02:36:55,120 --> 02:37:02,240
estimated total cleanup was 600 billion.
They don't really know because they

1553
02:36:59,040 --> 02:37:07,280
can't clean it up.
>> It's It's true.

1554
02:37:03,760 --> 02:37:11,960
» They've had to abandon the town.
If you're not from Oklahoma, you

1555
02:37:08,560 --> 02:37:11,960
wouldn't know that.

1556
02:37:12,880 --> 02:37:21,800
» We we we have multiple instances of
aluminum smelters in the country.

1557
02:37:28,160 --> 02:37:32,280
Sir, you want to use this one?

1558
02:37:46,080 --> 02:37:54,160
» We're good.
>> We're good.

1559
02:37:50,560 --> 02:38:01,439
So, I've got a smelter in Vancouver
there. They discovered that there was a

1560
02:37:55,760 --> 02:38:06,479
variety of contamination in um 1973.
As of 1990, um there was a super fun

1561
02:38:04,720 --> 02:38:12,399
site that was dedicated that was never
affirmatively cleaned up.

1562
02:38:08,880 --> 02:38:20,160
Uh there's a
there there was a Kaiser me smelter that

1563
02:38:15,680 --> 02:38:26,640
occurred in um Spokane, Washington.
It was listed on the super fund site

1564
02:38:23,840 --> 02:38:34,080
from potliners being left and
ineffective cleanup. It was listed in

1565
02:38:30,960 --> 02:38:39,680
1983, the year that I was born, 42 years
ago. And guess what? It's still an

1566
02:38:36,240 --> 02:38:44,880
active ongoing super fund. site. We've
got the SEFAC, Columbia Falls, Montana

1567
02:38:41,920 --> 02:38:50,479
Super Fund site. So far, they have
committed um 57.5 million just to

1568
02:38:48,479 --> 02:38:55,439
containment
with an expected $1.4 billion to

1569
02:38:53,600 --> 02:39:02,240
completely remediate that. That that's
as of 2016. It's still not done.

1570
02:38:59,520 --> 02:39:05,920
Reynolds Metals in Troutdale, Oregon,
was listed on the Super Fund site in

1571
02:39:04,000 --> 02:39:13,040
1994,
only 32 years ago. It's still active

1572
02:39:08,319 --> 02:39:17,359
ongoing as a potential cleanup site.
Um

1573
02:39:15,200 --> 02:39:22,880
the last one that I have that and these
are just aluminum smelters that they

1574
02:39:19,520 --> 02:39:31,200
have turned into super fun sites.
um they polluted the the bay in Lvaka,

1575
02:39:26,720 --> 02:39:35,120
Texas and um it it ultimately has been
removed from the super fund site but

1576
02:39:33,359 --> 02:39:39,200
because from the super fund list but
because of uh

1577
02:39:37,439 --> 02:39:45,280
because of the inability to ultimately
complete it. The problem with most of

1578
02:39:41,520 --> 02:39:51,200
these sites is that the entity that is
developed and operating the aluminum

1579
02:39:47,680 --> 02:39:57,520
smelter files bankruptcy.
And you know who's left holding the bag?

1580
02:39:54,880 --> 02:40:05,520
The taxpayers.
And unfortunately, the city of Iola um

1581
02:40:01,600 --> 02:40:09,359
can't afford a 1.4 billion clean up. In
fact,

1582
02:40:07,359 --> 02:40:14,479
if you don't do something to protect the
citizens here, and a church without

1583
02:40:12,720 --> 02:40:18,520
people isn't a church, a city without
people isn't a city either.

1584
02:40:20,479 --> 02:40:26,960
I can't say that the technology that
they're representing isn't the best and

1585
02:40:25,439 --> 02:40:31,120
greatest technology and that these
things will happen or will not happen. I

1586
02:40:29,920 --> 02:40:38,200
can't say that. I'll be I'll be
forthright with you guys. I'll talk

1587
02:40:33,280 --> 02:40:38,200
about what I I can certainly say.

1588
02:40:38,319 --> 02:40:45,280
I can certainly say that you deserve a
seat at the table.

1589
02:40:42,080 --> 02:40:50,640
You're the most effective party.
I can certainly say that I find the

1590
02:40:48,560 --> 02:40:55,359
letters threatening you guys to be
totally disingenuous and the most

1591
02:40:52,880 --> 02:41:00,800
opposite of an Oklahoma neighborly thing
that I've seen in a long time. And I see

1592
02:40:57,439 --> 02:41:05,120
terrible things on a daily basis.
It's gross to me. If the port wants to

1593
02:41:03,600 --> 02:41:08,640
be a good neighbor for you guys, they
should show up and say, "Yeah, we agree

1594
02:41:06,720 --> 02:41:13,206
with you. We want to make it safe and
we're going to show you where

1595
02:41:11,187 --> 02:41:13,206
[applause]

1596
02:41:18,800 --> 02:41:26,160
And we're going to show you how and why
you can rely on us and we can be a good

1597
02:41:24,720 --> 02:41:29,840
neighbor. Because that's what we do in
Oklahoma. When somebody's cows get out,

1598
02:41:28,160 --> 02:41:33,160
guess what? We go help clean them up and
put them back.

1599
02:41:40,000 --> 02:41:44,800
The White House has taken a position
this is good for national defense. It

1600
02:41:43,120 --> 02:41:49,200
very well may be. White House has also
taken a position there's 20 other sites.

1601
02:41:46,800 --> 02:41:53,200
If the city of Iola won't approve it for
the right spot, this isn't going to harm

1602
02:41:51,359 --> 02:41:57,920
the country. This isn't going to preempt
them from putting it elsewhere. If you

1603
02:41:55,120 --> 02:42:01,600
believe in Mr. Trump's Mr. President
Trump's

1604
02:42:00,000 --> 02:42:05,920
true social statement that they've got
20 other sides. Yeah. Well, maybe it's

1605
02:42:04,080 --> 02:42:09,481
not right for it to go on anola. It can
go somewhere else.

1606
02:42:08,172 --> 02:42:11,501
[applause]
[cheering]

1607
02:42:17,342 --> 02:42:19,361
» [applause]

1608
02:42:19,920 --> 02:42:27,760
» So
ultimately I'm going to read to you guys

1609
02:42:23,840 --> 02:42:35,520
the statute from which I derive
the moratorum draft in part and it's 110

1610
02:42:32,000 --> 02:42:41,359
11 Oklahoma statutes 43101. I know you
guys are not attorneys. It's the tab

1611
02:42:37,840 --> 02:42:46,640
number five in your binder
and this this is reiterated throughout

1612
02:42:43,359 --> 02:42:52,160
the moratorum draft and it sets out that
for the purpose of promoting health,

1613
02:42:48,960 --> 02:42:57,040
safety, morals or the general welfare of
a community. The municipal governing

1614
02:42:54,720 --> 02:43:00,880
body may regulate and restrict the
height, number of stories, and size of

1615
02:42:58,880 --> 02:43:04,240
buildings and other structures, the
percentage of lot that may be occupied,

1616
02:43:02,560 --> 02:43:09,600
the size of yards, courts, and other
open spaces, the density of population,

1617
02:43:07,280 --> 02:43:13,600
and location and use of buildings,
structures, and land for trade,

1618
02:43:11,520 --> 02:43:18,000
industry, residents, or any other
purpose. This falls under any other

1619
02:43:16,399 --> 02:43:22,319
purpose.
You guys have the ability to protect the

1620
02:43:19,920 --> 02:43:28,200
health, welfare, and safety of all the
people who live in this town. And that

1621
02:43:23,760 --> 02:43:28,200
is what they are begging you to do

1622
02:43:28,479 --> 02:43:36,720
to the extent that there's questions
about the moratorum draft as it sets. I

1623
02:43:33,760 --> 02:43:39,760
am happy to answer them. It's been, as I
said at the last meeting, it was

1624
02:43:38,080 --> 02:43:45,760
carefully curated. It was carefully
drafted to try to give the city an

1625
02:43:43,760 --> 02:43:50,319
answer to all of the concerns that these
citizens have because as I heard from

1626
02:43:48,640 --> 02:43:55,200
about half the people that came up here
that are adverse to the smelter, you

1627
02:43:53,520 --> 02:44:00,880
know,
we're all in favor of doing what's best

1628
02:43:58,479 --> 02:44:04,640
for America,
but

1629
02:44:02,880 --> 02:44:10,960
that has to work in conjunction with
doing what's best for our town

1630
02:44:07,840 --> 02:44:14,880
who live here and I and I tried to give
you guys the ability to take some

1631
02:44:13,200 --> 02:44:19,173
control over this because you deserve
it. The people that live here deserve

1632
02:44:16,399 --> 02:44:21,192
it.
[applause]

1633
02:44:23,759 --> 02:44:25,778
[applause]

1634
02:44:31,279 --> 02:44:39,240
Ultimately you have a moral imperative I
believe to execute this moratorum.

1635
02:44:39,920 --> 02:44:48,479
If you believe that the people that
elected you trusted you to do your job,

1636
02:44:44,960 --> 02:44:53,600
trusted you to step into this position,
I've not heard anybody from Iola that

1637
02:44:50,720 --> 02:44:58,000
gave you an address with an Inola
basis on it that stood up here and said,

1638
02:44:55,279 --> 02:45:01,680
you know, we're we're all for you
striking down this moratorum. No, no,

1639
02:44:59,920 --> 02:45:06,240
they they want you to look out for them.
That's all they're asking for. And you

1640
02:45:03,840 --> 02:45:10,080
know what? They've elected you. They
trust you. There's so many people here

1641
02:45:08,160 --> 02:45:13,920
that have been together for generations
that it doesn't make any sense that they

1642
02:45:12,319 --> 02:45:17,040
wouldn't.
But they also have to trust you to be

1643
02:45:15,600 --> 02:45:22,880
able to stand up and say, "You know
what? If this isn't best for us, you'll

1644
02:45:20,479 --> 02:45:28,359
try to do something about it.
That's your job."

1645
02:45:25,359 --> 02:45:28,359
Um,

1646
02:45:28,800 --> 02:45:32,520
is there any questions

1647
02:45:32,720 --> 02:45:38,560
about the moratorum?
>> No.

1648
02:45:36,399 --> 02:45:44,439
I will I will leave you with this quote
from Woody Guthrie

1649
02:45:41,120 --> 02:45:44,439
since we're

1650
02:45:46,080 --> 02:45:52,880
he's one of the greatest songwriters in
the history of Oklahoma. And he said,

1651
02:45:49,760 --> 02:45:57,600
"Some will rob you with the six gun.
Some will rob you with a fountain pen."

1652
02:45:56,080 --> 02:46:02,240
Said, "As through this world you will
ramble, you've never seen an outlaw

1653
02:45:59,359 --> 02:46:06,649
drive a family from his home."
That's it. Thank you.

1654
02:46:04,630 --> 02:46:06,649
» [applause]

1655
02:46:13,800 --> 02:46:21,439
[applause]
>> Okay. If you have the red dot and you're

1656
02:46:18,960 --> 02:46:27,600
number one,
you're telling me no. No, no. Okay. How

1657
02:46:24,640 --> 02:46:34,479
about number two?
How about number three?

1658
02:46:30,720 --> 02:46:37,960
If you got the red dot,
there she comes.

1659
02:46:46,560 --> 02:46:53,840
I'm here on behalf of the rural economic
development of Iola, the ready

1660
02:46:51,520 --> 02:46:58,800
committee. And we just wanted to speak
up about giving our support when a major

1661
02:46:56,240 --> 02:47:02,399
project like aluminum plant is proposed.
It's natural for people to feel

1662
02:47:00,240 --> 02:47:06,560
cautious. We all care deeply about
protecting the character and quality of

1663
02:47:04,000 --> 02:47:11,359
life in our community. Aluminina plant
represents a significant opportunity not

1664
02:47:09,120 --> 02:47:15,920
just for jobs but for long-term economic
stability. That doesn't mean we ignore

1665
02:47:13,439 --> 02:47:20,479
concerns. We can set clear expectations
on environmental standards, traffic

1666
02:47:18,080 --> 02:47:24,000
planning, and community impact. We can
make sure the plan operates in a way

1667
02:47:22,240 --> 02:47:28,399
that respects the town and aligns with
our values. When a town is growing and

1668
02:47:26,319 --> 02:47:32,640
new businesses want to move in, it's
almost guaranteed that some people will

1669
02:47:30,080 --> 02:47:37,279
push back. That resistance is normal,
but how you respond can make the

1670
02:47:35,279 --> 02:47:41,600
difference between a productive
conversation and a community fight. A

1671
02:47:39,680 --> 02:47:46,000
strong response acknowledges concerns
without letting negativity dominate the

1672
02:47:43,680 --> 02:47:50,240
narrative. Towns that refuse to grow
don't stay the same, they fall behind.

1673
02:47:48,399 --> 02:47:54,399
We deserve better than decline or
stagnation. We deserve a future where

1674
02:47:52,479 --> 02:47:58,880
our community is strong, stable, and
full of opportunity. So, let's approach

1675
02:47:56,800 --> 02:48:03,120
approach this with open minds and steady
leadership. Let's shape today in a way

1676
02:48:01,520 --> 02:48:08,520
that strengthens our town and honors
what makes it special. Thank you.

1677
02:48:05,279 --> 02:48:08,520
» Thank you.

1678
02:48:08,800 --> 02:48:12,600
» Number four, please.

1679
02:48:22,880 --> 02:48:27,200
Good evening, council members, and thank
you for taking the time to hear and

1680
02:48:25,760 --> 02:48:30,560
consider what all of us have to say
today. My name is Matt McKinley. I live

1681
02:48:28,800 --> 02:48:34,640
in Anola with my wife and our seven
children where we homestead a mile from

1682
02:48:32,560 --> 02:48:37,680
here. We also have cattle and sheep
which are both threatened by this

1683
02:48:35,760 --> 02:48:41,840
smelter. I want to start by reflecting
upon why the people who own the aluminum

1684
02:48:39,920 --> 02:48:46,479
plant, shareholders who are based in
Chicago and the UAE, chose to try and

1685
02:48:44,160 --> 02:48:50,319
build a smelter in our small town in a
place in Oklahoma that most everyone in

1686
02:48:48,240 --> 02:48:53,279
the country has never even heard of. It
wasn't because they care about us or

1687
02:48:51,840 --> 02:48:57,359
because they wanted to invest in our
town. No, the reason they chose us is

1688
02:48:55,680 --> 02:49:01,439
because they think we're suckers who
would be easy to trick and easy to push

1689
02:48:59,359 --> 02:49:04,640
around and would be an easy source of
money when they got their polluting

1690
02:49:02,720 --> 02:49:08,319
smelter up and running in a place where
they won't have to live next to it.

1691
02:49:06,960 --> 02:49:12,720
There's a lot of anger over this
project, the NDA's PR promises for a

1692
02:49:10,640 --> 02:49:16,399
worldclass clean smelter with legal
documents that don't promise any of that

1693
02:49:14,640 --> 02:49:20,240
and other backroom dealings that took
place to get us here. And I think some

1694
02:49:18,560 --> 02:49:25,040
of it has unfairly been directed at you
all, our council members who have not

1695
02:49:21,920 --> 02:49:30,240
had a chance to make a decision on this.
That changes tonight. Tonight, you have

1696
02:49:27,359 --> 02:49:35,359
the first real opportunity to show them
that you have a backbone. That Inola is

1697
02:49:32,960 --> 02:49:39,520
not suckers or cowards by voting yes on
this moratorum. And after you vote yes

1698
02:49:38,000 --> 02:49:43,760
tonight, that's when your real work
begins. I don't think I'm alone in

1699
02:49:41,600 --> 02:49:46,800
thinking and expecting that you all have
do everything that you have in your

1700
02:49:45,120 --> 02:49:52,560
power to find a way to kill this
project. If you determine that it is not

1701
02:49:49,279 --> 02:49:57,359
safe or it is going to harm us or our
children or our livestock, we expect and

1702
02:49:54,960 --> 02:50:01,040
demand no compromises and no concessions
with these out of state shareholders who

1703
02:49:59,040 --> 02:50:05,120
want to poison our children and collapse
our livestock to make some easy money.

1704
02:50:03,600 --> 02:50:09,120
I'm not being hyperbolic with that
statement or conjecturing. We know with

1705
02:50:07,279 --> 02:50:13,760
absolute certainty that a smelter like
the one being proposed will decimate

1706
02:50:10,960 --> 02:50:18,160
livestock and hay inola based on studied
cases around other smelters that have

1707
02:50:15,680 --> 02:50:22,960
pollutant levels less than the proposed
smelter here. I have information on

1708
02:50:20,800 --> 02:50:27,760
these livestock collapses and the
required coings which I'll give to you

1709
02:50:24,720 --> 02:50:31,120
after my talk. Now let's suppose that
you have you do everything in your power

1710
02:50:29,279 --> 02:50:34,880
and you discover that hey you can't kill
the project. Okay. While I think I speak

1711
02:50:33,439 --> 02:50:38,479
for a lot of people here again when I
say that we expect you to never

1712
02:50:36,319 --> 02:50:42,080
compromise or offer concessions with
them and do everything in your power to

1713
02:50:40,479 --> 02:50:46,560
force Century Aluminum to build the
cleanest, safest smelter in the world

1714
02:50:44,880 --> 02:50:51,120
because all of us here and our children
deserve nothing less. There's no

1715
02:50:48,640 --> 02:50:57,200
guesswork or wiggle room about what this
entails. There are clean modern smelters

1716
02:50:55,120 --> 02:51:01,279
with alumin with pollutant levels,
especially hydroflloride significantly

1717
02:50:59,760 --> 02:51:07,200
less than what is proposed in this
smelter. And we expect nothing less than

1718
02:51:04,479 --> 02:51:10,880
that. You represent us and you are
dutybound to make sure that that

1719
02:51:08,880 --> 02:51:14,319
happens. They don't get to monitor
themselves for pollutants. An

1720
02:51:12,560 --> 02:51:18,000
independent group checks them regularly
and their plant must shut down if they

1721
02:51:16,640 --> 02:51:22,399
are in complian until they're in
compliance again. We expect you to never

1722
02:51:20,319 --> 02:51:27,040
compromise on this. As far as the
shameful conduct from Oklahoma Primary

1723
02:51:24,479 --> 02:51:29,680
Aluminum threatening to sue our town,
>> I'm sorry. Your three minutes is up.

1724
02:51:28,800 --> 02:51:31,920
» That was three minutes.
>> Yes, sir.

1725
02:51:30,160 --> 02:51:37,428
» Okay.
It does. [applause]

1726
02:51:35,408 --> 02:51:37,428
[cheering]

1727
02:51:43,600 --> 02:51:49,760
» Yeah, it's going to be number six,
please.

1728
02:51:47,359 --> 02:51:57,359
No, you're not six.
>> Okay. So, number five is marked out.

1729
02:51:53,040 --> 02:52:00,880
Okay. And then it's went to number six.
>> McKinley.

1730
02:51:58,080 --> 02:52:07,960
» McKinley. Mrs. McKinley. I don't think
that's you.

1731
02:52:03,920 --> 02:52:07,960
» Did you change your dress?

1732
02:52:09,600 --> 02:52:13,479
» Not yet. Mrs. McKinley,

1733
02:52:13,520 --> 02:52:20,319
» it
you're you're number seven.

1734
02:52:17,680 --> 02:52:25,920
» Okay. So, this is
>> You go ahead and go first and then

1735
02:52:24,080 --> 02:52:31,279
» three minutes, please.
>> My name is Marie McKinley. I'm from

1736
02:52:27,439 --> 02:52:34,880
Inola. Um, and I just wanted to say
there are still too far too many

1737
02:52:32,560 --> 02:52:38,479
unanswered questions. What studies
demonstrate that these emissions will

1738
02:52:36,399 --> 02:52:42,160
not harm livestock,
uh, crops or local businesses? How many

1739
02:52:40,479 --> 02:52:45,840
trucks will travel through I know each
day? Which roads will have to be

1740
02:52:43,680 --> 02:52:49,840
widened? How will hazardous waste from
the smelting process be transported and

1741
02:52:47,840 --> 02:52:53,200
disposed of? What is the emergency
response plan if there is a major

1742
02:52:51,359 --> 02:52:57,840
industrial fire? Who pays for the
specialized equipment and training such

1743
02:52:55,040 --> 02:53:01,040
a facility would require? How frequently
will emissions be monitored and where

1744
02:52:59,359 --> 02:53:05,279
will monitoring occur? How will this
facility be powered? Will additional

1745
02:53:02,960 --> 02:53:09,279
power generation be required? If so,
what are the environmental impacts of

1746
02:53:06,880 --> 02:53:12,960
that generation? These are not minor
details. Um, and they should be these

1747
02:53:11,600 --> 02:53:16,479
questions should be answered. They are
fundamental questions that deserve

1748
02:53:14,399 --> 02:53:20,880
complete answers before construction
proceeds. This project would permanently

1749
02:53:18,720 --> 02:53:24,479
change the character of Anola. For
generations, agriculture has been the

1750
02:53:22,720 --> 02:53:28,800
backbone of this community. We are known
for our farms, ranches, and open land.

1751
02:53:26,640 --> 02:53:33,760
This proposal would transform into an
ind industrial corridor. Whether someone

1752
02:53:31,279 --> 02:53:37,840
supports or opposes that vision is it is
unquestionably a decision that deserves

1753
02:53:35,600 --> 02:53:43,120
a thoughtful consideration, not one made
under pressure or artificial deadlines.

1754
02:53:41,120 --> 02:53:47,760
I also want to be clear about one point.
Many of us support expanding aluminum

1755
02:53:45,279 --> 02:53:52,080
production in the United States. We
recognize its importance to

1756
02:53:49,279 --> 02:53:56,000
manufacturing and national security. But
supporting domestic aluminum production

1757
02:53:53,840 --> 02:54:01,680
does not require accepting this specific
proposal in this specific location.

1758
02:53:59,520 --> 02:54:06,319
Industry organizations themselves have
noted that restarting and modernizing

1759
02:54:04,000 --> 02:54:11,520
existing American smelters may offer a
cleaner, faster, and less expensive path

1760
02:54:09,120 --> 02:54:16,080
toward increasing domestic production.
We should explore the best solution, not

1761
02:54:13,840 --> 02:54:20,000
simply the first one presented.
Likewise, protecting American

1762
02:54:17,760 --> 02:54:23,920
agriculture is also a matter of national
security. If this facility can be built

1763
02:54:22,399 --> 02:54:27,840
somewhere that does not threaten
productive farmland and rural

1764
02:54:25,760 --> 02:54:33,200
communities, then that option deserves
serious consideration.

1765
02:54:30,080 --> 02:54:37,680
If this project is as beneficial as OPA
and the port have repeatedly claimed,

1766
02:54:35,760 --> 02:54:43,200
then transparency should strengthen
their case, not weaken it. Questions

1767
02:54:40,960 --> 02:54:48,000
from citizens should be welcome with
complete answers, not met with threats

1768
02:54:45,359 --> 02:54:52,720
of litigation or private meetings that
only deepen public distrust. This

1769
02:54:50,640 --> 02:54:57,840
council has one responsibility above all
others, to protect the people of Iola. A

1770
02:54:56,000 --> 02:55:01,279
six-month moratorum is not the end of
this project. It is simply an

1771
02:54:59,279 --> 02:55:05,439
opportunity to gather facts, answer
legitimate questions, and ensure that

1772
02:55:03,279 --> 02:55:10,160
whether whatever decision is ultimately
made is based on evidence rather than

1773
02:55:07,520 --> 02:55:14,080
promises. If the answers truly support
this project, then six months will have

1774
02:55:11,840 --> 02:55:19,760
changed nothing except increasing public
confidence. If the answers reveal

1775
02:55:16,640 --> 02:55:25,600
serious risks, then those six months may
save the health, property, and future of

1776
02:55:22,960 --> 02:55:30,556
generations of Iola families. For that
reason, I respectfully ask you vote in

1777
02:55:28,160 --> 02:55:32,575
favor of the six-month mortorium.
[applause]

1778
02:55:39,071 --> 02:55:41,091
» [applause]

1779
02:55:44,640 --> 02:55:51,600
» Hello again. Still Thomas. Haven't
changed. Um I'm starting to regret

1780
02:55:49,760 --> 02:55:56,800
signing up for every time that I could.
Uh I'm getting a little hungry, which I

1781
02:55:53,439 --> 02:56:01,279
assume all of us are. I I just kind of
wanted to reiterate something that I

1782
02:55:59,359 --> 02:56:07,279
thought was very interesting that I hope
all of you recognized, which is out of

1783
02:56:04,640 --> 02:56:12,000
the people tonight who have talked to
you, not at you with the pre-written,

1784
02:56:10,160 --> 02:56:15,600
pre-prepared, canned letter from
somebody else that they were sent here

1785
02:56:13,439 --> 02:56:20,080
to read and tell you, "This is what my
boss told me to come here and tell you."

1786
02:56:18,319 --> 02:56:27,840
» The people who have wanted to talk to
you have all said very similar things.

1787
02:56:23,760 --> 02:56:35,680
We want you to have authority. We want
you to be able to make decisions. That's

1788
02:56:31,520 --> 02:56:41,120
what the whole idea of the moratorum is.
I don't know again if anyone read the

1789
02:56:38,000 --> 02:56:47,279
moratorum that Trevor again explained
because its only goal is to give you

1790
02:56:44,240 --> 02:56:53,040
that seat to do this. I'm all for what
the ready committee discussed. We all

1791
02:56:50,560 --> 02:56:57,520
want that growth. when they say, "Oh,
well, we'll we'll do this. We'll do

1792
02:56:54,319 --> 02:57:02,000
this. We'll do this." You don't have the
step to require those things that

1793
02:57:00,479 --> 02:57:07,840
they're saying, "Oh, well, we'll make
sure that it's safe." You right now

1794
02:57:04,560 --> 02:57:12,080
can't. You don't have that ability.
That's what this moratorum and possibly

1795
02:57:10,319 --> 02:57:17,920
some sort of zoning change would give
you. So I I think so far again a lot of

1796
02:57:15,439 --> 02:57:22,479
these proponents of the smelter have
been giving you reasons to enact this

1797
02:57:19,680 --> 02:57:26,240
moratorum even if you are for the
smelter I don't think there's been a

1798
02:57:24,880 --> 02:57:31,680
disagreement that we want the safe
smelter that has never no one has stood

1799
02:57:29,200 --> 02:57:38,240
up on this council and said I want this
even if it's unsafe because we are our

1800
02:57:34,240 --> 02:57:42,640
neighbors all of us live here I I don't
see why this is incompatible with

1801
02:57:40,560 --> 02:57:47,520
wanting the smelter at
The moratorum is temporary. It is in

1802
02:57:45,279 --> 02:57:51,680
line with every other town, city, and
municipality that is passing similar

1803
02:57:49,359 --> 02:57:58,000
ordinances and similar requirements that
are even longer and more arbitrary.

1804
02:57:55,279 --> 02:58:01,359
And for data centers, data centers are
not putting hydrogen fluoride into the

1805
02:57:59,600 --> 02:58:06,640
air. They're not releasing thousands of
tons a year of particulate matter. Their

1806
02:58:03,680 --> 02:58:10,240
emissions are so dramatically less and
they are not being questioned. I don't

1807
02:58:08,880 --> 02:58:14,160
remember the federal government showing
up for the national security issue,

1808
02:58:12,080 --> 02:58:17,920
which is AI and data centers, to speak
at all these other town council

1809
02:58:15,520 --> 02:58:23,040
meetings. They're here today because
they know that if you have a seat at the

1810
02:58:20,080 --> 02:58:27,408
table, who knows what information you
will uncover.

1811
02:58:25,120 --> 02:58:30,640
I think we need to ask ourselves
[applause]

1812
02:58:28,000 --> 02:58:34,319
why they're stopping.
And I'll leave you with this. They have

1813
02:58:32,720 --> 02:58:38,880
threatened. They have sent these letters
that say, "Oh, you're exposed to

1814
02:58:35,520 --> 02:58:42,960
liability." I'll remind you that all of
us have the same standing. We may not

1815
02:58:41,040 --> 02:58:47,920
have billions of dollars, but we have
the same standing. So if you don't pass

1816
02:58:45,040 --> 02:58:51,698
it, the liability still exists.
>> Thank you.

1817
02:58:48,399 --> 02:58:51,698
» Thank you, sir. [applause]

1818
02:58:56,229 --> 02:58:58,248
[applause]

1819
02:58:58,960 --> 02:59:05,279
» Sir, you're number eight.
>> I am.

1820
02:59:03,040 --> 02:59:10,000
» Thank you.
Darren Blanchard. I live in Mounds Creek

1821
02:59:07,760 --> 02:59:15,920
County. I come here tonight because it's
the Oklahoma standard. Uh I want to give

1822
02:59:13,040 --> 02:59:21,200
the mayor and the city council a big
thank you for allowing applause and not

1823
02:59:18,560 --> 02:59:27,439
trampling on people's civil rights. We
didn't plan this out. [applause]

1824
02:59:24,240 --> 02:59:31,439
Um but Tom spoke before me and he
mentioned data centers. They don't need

1825
02:59:30,080 --> 02:59:34,960
representatives from the federal
government to come because we have city

1826
02:59:32,960 --> 02:59:38,720
managers that are putting people in jail
because they're speaking up and trying

1827
02:59:36,560 --> 02:59:42,134
to protect their community of Green
Country. [applause]

1828
02:59:44,319 --> 02:59:50,880
I visit a lot of different communities
to talk about poorly planned

1829
02:59:47,760 --> 02:59:57,840
developments, poorly placed developments
and I encourage you um to go ahead and

1830
02:59:53,920 --> 03:00:03,120
pass this moratorum because proper
planning would give you the city council

1831
03:00:00,560 --> 03:00:07,600
a seat at that table. It's a pattern
that we see across the country not just

1832
03:00:05,040 --> 03:00:13,279
Oklahoma. It's lack of planning, poor
placement of these projects.

1833
03:00:09,920 --> 03:00:18,279
So again pass the moratorum I see this a
question I see this as a question of

1834
03:00:15,279 --> 03:00:18,279
representation

1835
03:00:18,640 --> 03:00:25,680
regardless if it's the data centers or
smelter there's this promotion of

1836
03:00:22,800 --> 03:00:30,319
national security and that's true to an
extent but

1837
03:00:28,080 --> 03:00:34,000
is it all about national security or is
this corporate welfare and crony

1838
03:00:31,920 --> 03:00:38,464
capitalism masquerading itself as
national security

1839
03:00:36,444 --> 03:00:38,464
[applause]

1840
03:00:41,680 --> 03:00:47,760
and I've had a few applauses. So, I
would like to reclaim some of my time

1841
03:00:44,960 --> 03:00:52,720
when it's when it's due. I am firm in my
answer to that question and I hope you

1842
03:00:49,680 --> 03:00:58,800
are too. Uh, I want to talk about the
governor who sent one of his goons,

1843
03:00:55,359 --> 03:01:03,920
Derek Sparks, hired onto the staff to
quote unquote better the relationship

1844
03:01:00,960 --> 03:01:09,680
with the Oklahoma legislature. He said
Tom Gan, that's your elected

1845
03:01:06,160 --> 03:01:15,145
representative, made his eyes bleed. Tom
Gan's one of the good ones. I know he's

1846
03:01:11,840 --> 03:01:15,145
reached out to me. [applause]

1847
03:01:17,120 --> 03:01:23,760
If that's how the governor's team thinks
about your elected representative, you

1848
03:01:21,680 --> 03:01:29,600
got to ask yourself,
what do you think he thinks about you

1849
03:01:27,200 --> 03:01:34,960
and the people of Iola?
It's a fair question. We're coming up on

1850
03:01:32,319 --> 03:01:42,160
the 250th birthday of this country. I
want to remind you of a date before this

1851
03:01:37,279 --> 03:01:48,560
was a country, December 16th, 1773. The
theme for that day was taxation without

1852
03:01:44,399 --> 03:01:52,319
representation. Boston Tea Party.
That's why a lot of the people across

1853
03:01:50,160 --> 03:01:56,479
the country, not just Oklahoma, are in a
frenzy about some of these developments.

1854
03:01:54,560 --> 03:02:00,640
There's a utility burden that's put onto
us. We're having to foot the bill for

1855
03:01:58,640 --> 03:02:05,439
it, and we shouldn't have to. We feel
like it's a de facto tax onto us and

1856
03:02:03,520 --> 03:02:09,920
it's not right and we're standing up and
defending our property rights and and

1857
03:02:07,680 --> 03:02:14,095
this tax that is put onto us. Thank you
for your time.

1858
03:02:10,880 --> 03:02:14,095
» Thank you. [applause]

1859
03:02:16,661 --> 03:02:18,681
[applause]

1860
03:02:18,880 --> 03:02:22,680
» Number nine, please.

1861
03:02:22,720 --> 03:02:28,880
» Good evening. Thank Thank you for uh
allowing me to come up here. Um sorry,

1862
03:02:26,560 --> 03:02:33,439
sound nervous, but um my name is Tori
Engel. Um, I live in Anola. I've been

1863
03:02:31,359 --> 03:02:39,760
here for four years. Me and my small
family. Um, been a lifelong resident

1864
03:02:36,479 --> 03:02:45,600
Maize County and Rogers County. Um,
when I I read the letter recently from

1865
03:02:42,479 --> 03:02:50,960
uh the OPA and bit surprised, not too
surprised, but I was a bit surprised to

1866
03:02:48,720 --> 03:02:57,840
see that. Um,
this isn't just a uh private project.

1867
03:02:54,479 --> 03:03:04,560
It's being backed by it's been mentioned
several times $500 million for the from

1868
03:03:01,760 --> 03:03:10,000
the US federal um government and you
also have $255 million from the state.

1869
03:03:08,319 --> 03:03:15,840
Um
that's funded from taxpayer money. I

1870
03:03:12,399 --> 03:03:18,640
believe as taxpayers in in this room we
we should we reserve the right to review

1871
03:03:17,279 --> 03:03:23,600
the risk to the public within a
reasonable amount of time.

1872
03:03:21,359 --> 03:03:28,319
um some of those items being reviewed.
Obviously, I'm as concerned as anybody

1873
03:03:25,279 --> 03:03:35,120
about the environmental risks. Um HF
sounds sounds pretty nasty. Um I don't

1874
03:03:30,960 --> 03:03:39,840
own a farm or anything, but um it it
still concerns me with my my one child.

1875
03:03:37,520 --> 03:03:44,479
Um
the one thing I want to challenge is

1876
03:03:41,279 --> 03:03:49,359
national sec that's been brought up. If
I believe that this project is truly

1877
03:03:46,319 --> 03:03:53,840
important to national security,
um I don't believe it makes sense to

1878
03:03:51,279 --> 03:03:59,439
concentrate this one project in one
area. And in doing that, you're putting

1879
03:03:56,479 --> 03:04:04,000
all the risk on one single community. Um
I believe infrastructure like that would

1880
03:04:02,080 --> 03:04:09,120
be more resilient if you have it spread
out. Um and I question if that's been

1881
03:04:07,600 --> 03:04:15,760
considered.
Additionally, we know about Truth

1882
03:04:11,359 --> 03:04:19,680
Social. Um, this is the exact quote. The
group that's doing it is extraordinarily

1883
03:04:17,840 --> 03:04:23,680
wealthy and if they don't do it in
Oklahoma, they have 20 other sites. I

1884
03:04:22,479 --> 03:04:29,439
would love to have them. Again, that's
been brought up many times. Um, but

1885
03:04:26,560 --> 03:04:33,520
given the level of public investment,
public investment and the availability

1886
03:04:31,600 --> 03:04:37,520
of alternatives, I think it's fair to
all the parties to take short amount of

1887
03:04:35,680 --> 03:04:42,640
time to determine whether this project
truly fits this community and whether

1888
03:04:40,000 --> 03:04:48,560
the burden is being shared fairly.
So, in conclusion, um my intake on the

1889
03:04:45,520 --> 03:04:53,359
letter, the OPA and the smelter project
folks are trying to move this project as

1890
03:04:51,520 --> 03:04:58,319
quickly as possible past the political
risk zone and into a legally pro

1891
03:04:56,160 --> 03:05:05,359
protected zone. I think uh we should be
trying to slow that down and we need to

1892
03:05:01,920 --> 03:05:10,880
otherwise why does the OPA question the
public's moratorum? They're certainly

1893
03:05:07,920 --> 03:05:14,800
ready to accept the public's funding. So
why shouldn't they accept a brief pause

1894
03:05:12,720 --> 03:05:18,720
to help the public fully understand this
project's impact? Thank you.

1895
03:05:17,442 --> 03:05:22,200
[applause]
>> Thank you, sir.

1896
03:05:24,560 --> 03:05:30,600
» Number 10.
There he is.

1897
03:05:31,680 --> 03:05:36,492
» Good evening, sir.
[applause and cheering]

1898
03:05:40,080 --> 03:05:47,359
Good evening, mayor and trustees and
citizens of Iola. I stand here tonight

1899
03:05:45,120 --> 03:05:52,560
to speak plainly. The smelter project
did not begin with the people. It did

1900
03:05:50,399 --> 03:05:57,279
not begin with open town halls, full
disclosure, public consent, or

1901
03:05:54,640 --> 03:06:02,720
neighborto neighbor honesty. It began
behind closed doors, secret meetings,

1902
03:06:00,080 --> 03:06:07,120
non-disclosure agreements, and decisions
were made before the citizens most

1903
03:06:04,640 --> 03:06:11,600
affected were ever truly brought into
the process.

1904
03:06:08,960 --> 03:06:16,160
That is the original problem.
The people of I know and the surrounding

1905
03:06:13,600 --> 03:06:20,960
area are not unreasonable. They're not
anti-growth. They're not against jobs.

1906
03:06:18,880 --> 03:06:26,399
And they are not against America
producing aluminum, but they are against

1907
03:06:24,000 --> 03:06:29,800
being treated like an afterthought in
their own hometown.

1908
03:06:29,840 --> 03:06:35,680
They are against being told the fact
that the project of this size, this

1909
03:06:33,600 --> 03:06:40,479
risk, and this consequence is already
too far along for them to question

1910
03:06:37,520 --> 03:06:44,720
anything and to just be quiet. Now,
after months of secrecy, the people have

1911
03:06:42,399 --> 03:06:49,920
been bullied with legal threats for
asking questions and for asking for

1912
03:06:46,880 --> 03:06:54,880
time. We've all seen the letters. We've
all seen the threat that if Inola acts

1913
03:06:52,479 --> 03:06:59,680
to protect itself, the town could face
litigation. We have seen the suggestion

1914
03:06:57,439 --> 03:07:05,600
that property taxes could go up if the
town does not stand down. We have seen

1915
03:07:02,560 --> 03:07:09,520
the audacity of a foreign entity to
frame local self-government as the

1916
03:07:07,760 --> 03:07:15,040
problem.
But let me say this clearly, those

1917
03:07:11,920 --> 03:07:19,983
threats do not weaken the resolve of the
people of Iola. It only strengthens

1918
03:07:17,964 --> 03:07:19,983
[applause]

1919
03:07:21,920 --> 03:07:29,279
because when a foreign company and a
public authority respond to citizens

1920
03:07:26,560 --> 03:07:33,920
concerns with intimidation,
it proves exactly why the people are

1921
03:07:31,680 --> 03:07:36,800
right to be concerned in the first
place.

1922
03:07:35,649 --> 03:07:41,279
[applause]
>> This project,

1923
03:07:39,040 --> 03:07:47,520
if this project is so safe, so
beneficial, so welcome, then why the

1924
03:07:43,760 --> 03:07:53,200
secrecy to begin with? Why the NDAs? Why
the urgency? Why the legal threats? The

1925
03:07:51,439 --> 03:07:57,279
citizens of Io are not going to be
bullied into silence. They're not going

1926
03:07:55,040 --> 03:08:01,200
to be intimidated out of protecting
their homes, their farms, their water,

1927
03:07:59,200 --> 03:08:05,120
their livestock, their children, and
their way of life. They are not going to

1928
03:08:03,200 --> 03:08:09,760
surrender their rights because someone
else supposedly spent money before

1929
03:08:07,760 --> 03:08:15,520
considering earning the trust of this
community. People have rights, too.

1930
03:08:12,880 --> 03:08:19,760
Residential property owners have rights.
People parents have rights. Farmers and

1931
03:08:17,760 --> 03:08:25,120
ranchers have rights. And those rights
do not disappear because a corporation,

1932
03:08:22,720 --> 03:08:28,880
a port authority, or state and federal
officials decide this project was

1933
03:08:27,120 --> 03:08:34,880
convenient.
This town council has a duty to the

1934
03:08:32,080 --> 03:08:40,240
people who live here first.
Not to foreign ownership interest, not

1935
03:08:37,600 --> 03:08:45,760
to political pressure, not to legal
threats, not to economic development pro

1936
03:08:43,600 --> 03:08:49,760
proposals with talking points avoiding
substant substantive issues and

1937
03:08:48,240 --> 03:08:55,520
certainly not to those who choose
secrecy and now demand our trust.

1938
03:08:53,040 --> 03:08:59,279
» Sir, your three minutes is up, but I'd
like for you to go ahead and continue.

1939
03:08:57,359 --> 03:09:04,720
» Thank you.
>> Did you have anything else? [applause]

1940
03:09:01,120 --> 03:09:04,720
Did you have anything else?

1941
03:09:05,279 --> 03:09:08,520
Yes, sir.

1942
03:09:08,720 --> 03:09:13,479
» Roll on.
>> I'm sorry.

1943
03:09:13,900 --> 03:09:17,885
[laughter]
[panting]

1944
03:09:21,840 --> 03:09:28,080
» So ladies and gentlemen, thank you for
your kindness this morning or this

1945
03:09:26,160 --> 03:09:33,520
afternoon and evening. The path forward
is simple. Protect the people. Protect

1946
03:09:31,200 --> 03:09:39,439
your neighbors. Support the moratorum,
demand transparency, require answers

1947
03:09:36,479 --> 03:09:42,479
before action, and do not be afraid of
threats from those who should have

1948
03:09:40,800 --> 03:09:48,640
respected the people of this community
from the beginning. The people of Iola

1949
03:09:45,600 --> 03:09:54,399
and the surrounding area will prevail
because they are standing on the side of

1950
03:09:50,560 --> 03:09:59,120
truth, on god-given property rights, on
local control, and on the truly simple

1951
03:09:57,279 --> 03:10:03,120
American principle that government
belongs to the people.

1952
03:10:01,359 --> 03:10:07,600
They will not give up. We will not going
to back down [applause] and will not be

1953
03:10:05,200 --> 03:10:10,560
intimidated to into surrendering the
future of our community. Thank you very

1954
03:10:09,760 --> 03:10:13,561
much.
>> Thank you. [applause]

1955
03:10:11,541 --> 03:10:13,561
[cheering]

1956
03:10:18,091 --> 03:10:20,110
[applause]

1957
03:10:23,120 --> 03:10:28,840
Number 11, please. Number 11.

1958
03:10:29,439 --> 03:10:33,800
Mr. Durban, are you still here?

1959
03:10:35,120 --> 03:10:44,720
Calling once. Calling twice. Okay. Uh,
how about number 12,

1960
03:10:42,800 --> 03:10:49,000
Mr. Dailyaly? Is that who that is?
>> Yes.

1961
03:10:45,040 --> 03:10:49,000
» Yeah. Please.

1962
03:10:54,319 --> 03:10:59,439
» Mayor and trustees, thank you for this
opportunity to speak. I want to focus

1963
03:10:58,000 --> 03:11:02,479
tonight on the two letters that we've
all talked about already that we

1964
03:11:01,120 --> 03:11:07,439
received, one from OPA and one from
Tulsa Ports. Both letters oppose the

1965
03:11:04,960 --> 03:11:11,359
proposed moratorum. I'm here to stand in
support of it. Both describe the

1966
03:11:09,200 --> 03:11:14,800
benefits of the project. Both warn in
different ways that if I pauses this

1967
03:11:13,279 --> 03:11:18,880
project, there may be serious
consequences for our town. These are

1968
03:11:17,120 --> 03:11:22,000
advocacy letters from entities with
major financial and institutional

1969
03:11:20,240 --> 03:11:25,600
interest in the project. They're not
court orders. They're not neutral legal

1970
03:11:23,920 --> 03:11:29,840
opinions. They're definitely not the
final word on Inola's authority or

1971
03:11:27,600 --> 03:11:33,680
responsibility. I'm not here to provide
legal advice. We've actually got some of

1972
03:11:31,760 --> 03:11:37,840
it already, but I do want to make three
points. First, ODQ's permitting process

1973
03:11:36,080 --> 03:11:41,600
is important. It sounds like it's going
to be very thorough, and we should

1974
03:11:39,680 --> 03:11:46,319
participate in it, and we will. But an
air permit isn't the same thing as a

1975
03:11:43,600 --> 03:11:51,279
broad local review of infrastructure,
public safety, roads, water, sewer,

1976
03:11:49,279 --> 03:11:54,560
storm water, emergency response,
agriculture, livestock, housing

1977
03:11:52,960 --> 03:11:58,399
pressure, or the burden on local
services. And I purposely listed all

1978
03:11:56,240 --> 03:12:03,120
that because they don't cover it.
Second, heavy industrial zoning doesn't

1979
03:12:00,560 --> 03:12:06,720
automatically, as stated in the letters,
prove that surrounding communities are

1980
03:12:05,040 --> 03:12:12,560
prepared for what is being called the
biggest economic development project in

1981
03:12:08,800 --> 03:12:17,120
Oklahoma history. Third, Tulsa ports
points to an $18 million uh that they

1982
03:12:14,880 --> 03:12:20,560
spent on a rail spur and more than $70
million that they spent on a wastewater

1983
03:12:18,720 --> 03:12:24,000
treatment facility. These investments
may be valuable no matter what

1984
03:12:22,080 --> 03:12:28,479
industrial user ultimately develops
there. But if they spent money before

1985
03:12:26,160 --> 03:12:32,319
all the permits, approvals, and local
concerns were resolved, the public

1986
03:12:30,240 --> 03:12:36,353
should ask who assumed that risk. It
certainly wasn't Inola.

1987
03:12:34,333 --> 03:12:36,353
[applause]

1988
03:12:39,040 --> 03:12:47,520
Prior spending should not become a claim
against Idola, nor a cudgel to surrender

1989
03:12:44,640 --> 03:12:50,960
its local responsibilities. OPA and toll
supports both speak as though this

1990
03:12:49,359 --> 03:12:55,040
project is clearly in Iola's best
interest. If that's true, they should be

1991
03:12:53,120 --> 03:12:59,840
just as concerned as residents are about
the proposed emissions disclosed in the

1992
03:12:57,279 --> 03:13:03,279
ODQ air permit materials and the
potential negative impact on downwind

1993
03:13:01,600 --> 03:13:06,560
communities, which you've heard all
night. Economic development is

1994
03:13:04,960 --> 03:13:11,279
important. National security is
important, but national security does

1995
03:13:08,399 --> 03:13:16,800
not cancel due process. Don't let fear
do the work that law, evidence, and

1996
03:13:14,080 --> 03:13:20,560
public process are supposed to do. No
one should be able to make Anola's voice

1997
03:13:18,319 --> 03:13:23,760
disappear through pressure, private
conversations, or political maneuvering.

1998
03:13:22,640 --> 03:13:27,359
That's the point of the proposed
six-month moratorum, to gather

1999
03:13:25,600 --> 03:13:31,200
information needed to understand the
risks before Anola is asked to surrender

2000
03:13:29,200 --> 03:13:34,800
its voice, accept the environmental and
financial consequences, or treat this

2001
03:13:33,200 --> 03:13:40,543
project decision as if it's already been
made. Thank you.

2002
03:13:37,359 --> 03:13:40,543
» Thank you. [applause]

2003
03:13:44,640 --> 03:13:48,600
» Number 13, please.

2004
03:13:49,200 --> 03:13:52,520
Number 13.

2005
03:13:55,760 --> 03:14:01,319
I'm blind. I've already
>> Thank you.

2006
03:14:02,960 --> 03:14:06,439
Number 14.

2007
03:14:08,239 --> 03:14:17,359
Is that long? Miss Miss Long
>> Shane Shane Long. I'm sorry.

2008
03:14:20,319 --> 03:14:25,479
I'm sorry. You're back up here. Get up
here,

2009
03:14:26,239 --> 03:14:29,560
» Mr. Long.

2010
03:14:30,160 --> 03:14:37,439
» All right. Well, the last time I come up
here, I asked them to stand up, but if

2011
03:14:35,200 --> 03:14:42,239
you're do not want this here, will you
stand up so they can see the support we

2012
03:14:39,439 --> 03:14:46,560
have here? Everybody stand up if you're
against the smelter. [applause]

2013
03:14:44,640 --> 03:14:50,080
I mean, numbers shows pretty good. I
think there's some in the gym, some

2014
03:14:48,319 --> 03:14:54,000
outside, some that got hungry. Hell, I'm
tired. I want to go home and go to bed.

2015
03:14:51,359 --> 03:14:57,680
I know most of you guys do. But I think
you need to look at the numbers here and

2016
03:14:55,439 --> 03:15:03,120
the people that don't want this. And you
need to take in consideration what we're

2017
03:15:00,720 --> 03:15:07,200
asking for, not just for one. It It's
pretty sickening that I know some

2018
03:15:05,680 --> 03:15:10,720
sitting up here who's willing to put
this in town and let their family and

2019
03:15:08,800 --> 03:15:14,479
grandkids live around here. I mean,
that's that's bad, you know, just like I

2020
03:15:12,960 --> 03:15:18,319
asked that gentleman. I mean, bring your
family down here. Move next door to it.

2021
03:15:16,160 --> 03:15:24,000
Man, I'm scared to death. I've got kids
and family and you really want this. I

2022
03:15:22,000 --> 03:15:29,120
mean, you want to do that. We're not
against jobs coming. I I do want to

2023
03:15:27,200 --> 03:15:33,520
point out one thing. I go in a lot of
houses here and see a lot of people and

2024
03:15:31,120 --> 03:15:37,600
I hear this is going to bring jobs. This
is going to bring jobs.

2025
03:15:35,760 --> 03:15:42,080
Do you know how many damn houses I go to
and none of them work at that paper

2026
03:15:38,960 --> 03:15:45,649
plant? 90% of them are coming from Tulsa
or out here. [applause]

2027
03:15:45,680 --> 03:15:52,319
We're not against growth. That's great.
But to make our animals and kids sick

2028
03:15:50,800 --> 03:15:56,080
and the kids can't go out on the
playground because there's certain

2029
03:15:53,680 --> 03:15:59,200
chemicals in there. I mean, we can't go
to Fort Gibson Lake cuz it all ran down

2030
03:15:57,920 --> 03:16:03,279
there and got in the lake. I mean,
that's done with. I enjoy fishing. I

2031
03:16:01,920 --> 03:16:07,200
enjoy going to the Vertigus River and
fish, but that's going to be gone. But,

2032
03:16:06,000 --> 03:16:11,439
you know, I think you need to think
about your future generation and your

2033
03:16:09,040 --> 03:16:14,720
kids living here. If you want to say
you're a staple here and four

2034
03:16:13,040 --> 03:16:18,960
generations and this and that. I mean,
think think about it. You really want

2035
03:16:16,160 --> 03:16:23,200
your next generations to live with that.
Look at these kids sitting up here.

2036
03:16:21,120 --> 03:16:27,200
They're going to have to move. They live
down the road from me. As a matter of

2037
03:16:24,399 --> 03:16:30,479
fact, got several neighbors in here. So,
and I know some of you sitting up here

2038
03:16:28,880 --> 03:16:34,399
supporting it. That's a neighbor. And
that's sick. So, I want to thank all of

2039
03:16:32,399 --> 03:16:40,016
you that stood up and was not
embarrassed like the butt puppets. Thank

2040
03:16:36,880 --> 03:16:40,016
you. [applause]

2041
03:16:46,399 --> 03:16:51,880
» Number 15.
>> Number 15, please.

2042
03:16:59,120 --> 03:17:04,720
I spoke earlier, but I was told by the
lady that I should keep my spot, and I'm

2043
03:17:02,960 --> 03:17:08,800
glad I did. First, I want to say my
children have been sitting down since

2044
03:17:06,239 --> 03:17:11,920
9:00 a.m. And then we gave them brahms
right before coming. So, I'm sorry

2045
03:17:10,239 --> 03:17:17,840
they're a little loud, but they really
wanted to be here. They care about this.

2046
03:17:14,239 --> 03:17:22,319
I wanted to this time around just share
from my personal experience

2047
03:17:20,399 --> 03:17:26,800
with
government regulated chemicals that were

2048
03:17:24,479 --> 03:17:33,840
poorly regulated
um by poorly placed developments. So I

2049
03:17:29,520 --> 03:17:37,920
grew up with environmental exposure that
was regulated and approved from the time

2050
03:17:36,160 --> 03:17:43,600
I was 6 months old till that time I was
18. I went off to college and all of a

2051
03:17:41,920 --> 03:17:47,680
sudden I would wake up in the middle of
the night with my hands tied behind my

2052
03:17:45,359 --> 03:17:53,439
back. Sometimes I would get out of the
bed and fall and I was at Harvard and I

2053
03:17:51,760 --> 03:17:58,000
couldn't read a paragraph and I'm like
what's wrong with me? Great. Now I'm

2054
03:17:55,600 --> 03:18:02,319
here and I can't even read. I had
multiple scerosis. I was diagnosed with

2055
03:18:00,000 --> 03:18:08,800
that later on by a doctor at the
environmental center of Dallas who works

2056
03:18:05,520 --> 03:18:14,160
with tons of people who were exposed to
chemicals that were regulated.

2057
03:18:12,479 --> 03:18:17,840
We did a lot of treatments, very
expensive treatments. I starved myself.

2058
03:18:16,239 --> 03:18:21,040
They gave me sauna treatments. They gave
me medicines. None of it healed me. None

2059
03:18:19,760 --> 03:18:27,120
of it healed the people that had
Parkinson's or had pretty much lost

2060
03:18:23,760 --> 03:18:31,760
their lives. Um, God healed me in one
prayer meeting. President Truman's niece

2061
03:18:30,160 --> 03:18:35,600
laid hands on me and she prayed for me
and I was completely healed.

2062
03:18:34,399 --> 03:18:39,279
» But I'll never forget what those
chemicals did to me. Yes. Blessed be

2063
03:18:37,040 --> 03:18:43,600
God. I'm married and I have children.
Thank you, Jesus.

2064
03:18:41,760 --> 03:18:47,200
So, I'm [clears throat] thinking about
all the children here and all the people

2065
03:18:45,359 --> 03:18:53,520
here. These were chemicals that were
regulated that were approved. We really

2066
03:18:50,720 --> 03:18:58,080
need time. We need the time. We need the
moratorum.

2067
03:18:55,200 --> 03:19:01,520
A second experience which I tremble to
talk about this because I love all

2068
03:18:59,359 --> 03:19:06,080
people. One of my best friends is from
Pakistan. When she was five, Jesus

2069
03:19:04,239 --> 03:19:08,720
appeared to her and said, "I want you to
believe me." And she's like, "I can't.

2070
03:19:07,600 --> 03:19:11,840
They're going to my parents will have to
kill me. You have to tell them first."

2071
03:19:10,160 --> 03:19:16,960
Jesus did. They converted. It was
wonderful and she's amazing. Um,

2072
03:19:15,520 --> 03:19:22,239
but when I went to Europe with my
husband for pilgrimage, I had two

2073
03:19:19,120 --> 03:19:25,680
encounters with Muslims who live what
they believe.

2074
03:19:24,080 --> 03:19:29,279
And
we couldn't go out at night in France

2075
03:19:27,600 --> 03:19:32,960
when we went to pray at this place
because the nuns told us we had to be

2076
03:19:30,880 --> 03:19:37,920
locked in because it was dangerous
because of the Muslims. And then I had

2077
03:19:35,040 --> 03:19:41,520
an experience on a taxi where I paid in
London and the guy couldn't take my

2078
03:19:39,840 --> 03:19:45,359
card. The machine was broken. So I give
him cash. He's like, I I I don't have

2079
03:19:43,359 --> 03:19:50,319
change. I don't work with cash. So this
Muslim was waiting for the taxi and he's

2080
03:19:47,760 --> 03:19:53,920
like, I'll give you the €5. Give me your
20. So I gave him my 20. He took my

2081
03:19:52,319 --> 03:19:58,880
five. I mean he Yeah. Yeah, he gave me
five and I was like, "Where's my

2082
03:19:55,279 --> 03:20:04,720
change?" I have never in my whole life
seen a person look at me like I'm worse

2083
03:20:01,520 --> 03:20:10,319
than a dog, worse than I mean the the
the the hatred towards me. So, just one

2084
03:20:07,680 --> 03:20:14,560
last quote, if you don't mind, from a
man who I don't know if you know, but

2085
03:20:13,200 --> 03:20:17,920
the [clears throat] majority of
Christians have been killed in the last

2086
03:20:16,080 --> 03:20:23,040
hundred years, and it's been by the
hands of Muslims. And the man said,"I

2087
03:20:21,040 --> 03:20:27,200
killed this priest because my religion
tells me I can lie to you. I can cheat

2088
03:20:25,600 --> 03:20:30,720
you. I can rape you. And I can kill
you." That's what their religion

2089
03:20:28,319 --> 03:20:35,680
actually says. Can we trust this? Do we
want 600 Muslim workers to come here? I

2090
03:20:33,439 --> 03:20:40,349
think we need time to think about it and
to pray. Thank you.

2091
03:20:37,120 --> 03:20:42,368
» Thank you.
[applause]

2092
03:20:45,520 --> 03:20:50,120
» Okay. Number 16.

2093
03:20:56,399 --> 03:21:03,439
Good evening. I am speaking in support
of the proposed moratorum.

2094
03:21:01,279 --> 03:21:07,359
The request for a moratorum is not about
stopping development. It's about

2095
03:21:05,520 --> 03:21:11,840
responsible governance and informed
decision-making. Local governments have

2096
03:21:10,399 --> 03:21:16,000
both the authority and the
responsibility to ensure that

2097
03:21:14,239 --> 03:21:19,920
development is compatible with the
community's long-term vision and does

2098
03:21:18,239 --> 03:21:24,800
not create unnecessary risk for
residents.

2099
03:21:22,399 --> 03:21:30,000
A temporary moratorum is an established
planning mechanism that allows a city to

2100
03:21:27,520 --> 03:21:34,960
preserve the status quo while gathering
information, evaluating impacts, and

2101
03:21:32,960 --> 03:21:40,479
determining whether existing regulations
are adequate for a project of the scale

2102
03:21:37,680 --> 03:21:45,200
and nature proposed.
Recent examples in Oklahoma demonstrate

2103
03:21:42,800 --> 03:21:49,439
that temporary moratoria are a
recognized planning tool that allows

2104
03:21:47,359 --> 03:21:54,560
local governments to evaluate
significant energy, water,

2105
03:21:52,000 --> 03:21:59,359
transportation, and land use impacts
before additional development proceeds.

2106
03:21:58,000 --> 03:22:02,960
And when there is substantial
uncertainty regarding, excuse me,

2107
03:22:01,520 --> 03:22:08,160
regarding potential health or
environmental effects, the caution is

2108
03:22:05,439 --> 03:22:13,680
certainly appropriate.
As previously mentioned,

2109
03:22:11,200 --> 03:22:18,239
this is not a permanent restriction and
there is no request to deprive anyone of

2110
03:22:15,680 --> 03:22:22,239
the use of their property. It is to be a
pause while the city determines whether

2111
03:22:20,000 --> 03:22:26,800
its zoning regulations and planning
framework adequately address the

2112
03:22:24,479 --> 03:22:31,200
proposed development.
If questions remain unresolved, then a

2113
03:22:29,120 --> 03:22:36,000
temporary moratorum is a reasonable and
responsible step. It would allow the

2114
03:22:33,680 --> 03:22:40,800
city to complete its review, evaluate
land use compatibility, and develop any

2115
03:22:38,800 --> 03:22:45,600
regulations necessary to protect the
public interest.

2116
03:22:43,840 --> 03:22:50,399
I would like to finish by adding the
following. Compliance with zoning

2117
03:22:48,080 --> 03:22:54,800
provisions does not mean those
regulations adequately address the

2118
03:22:52,319 --> 03:23:00,080
public health, safety, and welfare
issues presented by industrial projects

2119
03:22:57,279 --> 03:23:03,359
of unprecedented scale. Municipal
governments have an ongoing

2120
03:23:01,439 --> 03:23:06,800
responsibility to re-evaluate their
ordinances when circumstances change

2121
03:23:05,279 --> 03:23:11,279
dramatically.
And it is important to recognize that

2122
03:23:08,640 --> 03:23:15,760
many of these industrial projects are
made possible through substantial public

2123
03:23:13,200 --> 03:23:19,840
investment. Federal, state, and local
taxpayers have contributed significant

2124
03:23:17,840 --> 03:23:25,760
funding toward these projects, making
them a true public private partnership.

2125
03:23:23,520 --> 03:23:29,439
Last but not least, my sincere thanks to
those who brought this moratorum to the

2126
03:23:27,680 --> 03:23:34,635
people. Thank you.
>> Thank you.

2127
03:23:32,615 --> 03:23:34,635
[applause]

2128
03:23:36,239 --> 03:23:40,359
» Number 17, please.

2129
03:23:50,640 --> 03:23:57,920
I probably should have spoken earlier,
but my name is Rosalie Griffith and I

2130
03:23:55,600 --> 03:24:04,160
have been a member of the community for
56 years. As we all know, the past few

2131
03:24:01,680 --> 03:24:10,479
weeks have been difficult. The
discussion surrounding the proposed

2132
03:24:06,560 --> 03:24:16,800
smelter plant has brought strong
has brought out strong feelings, deep

2133
03:24:13,600 --> 03:24:23,279
concerns, and passionate opinions.
Every resident should know this clearly.

2134
03:24:20,239 --> 03:24:28,399
Your voice matters. Your concerns should
be heard and your well-being is the

2135
03:24:26,160 --> 03:24:35,520
highest priority.
Many of you have expressed fears about

2136
03:24:30,960 --> 03:24:42,239
health, safety, environmental impact,
property values, and the future of our

2137
03:24:38,319 --> 03:24:46,399
town. These concerns are real and they
deserve careful, respectful

2138
03:24:44,720 --> 03:24:53,200
consideration.
I feel the town council is committed to

2139
03:24:49,600 --> 03:24:59,520
making sure every question is answered
and every viewpoint is included in the

2140
03:24:56,319 --> 03:25:06,000
decisionmaking process.
At the same time, we must address the

2141
03:25:02,160 --> 03:25:10,399
tone of recent conversations.
Disagreement is part of a healthy

2142
03:25:08,800 --> 03:25:18,640
community.
personal attacks, threats, and attempts

2143
03:25:13,760 --> 03:25:25,760
to harm or im intimidate members of the
council or any resident or not.

2144
03:25:22,960 --> 03:25:33,040
We should always protect everyone's
right to speak and we should also

2145
03:25:28,720 --> 03:25:37,439
protect everyone's right to feel safe.
Let's move forward. Let's move forward

2146
03:25:35,920 --> 03:25:44,640
constructively.
form a community advisory group made up

2147
03:25:41,200 --> 03:25:50,640
of residents with diverse viewpoints to
ensure the public is involved in every

2148
03:25:47,520 --> 03:25:56,560
stage of this process.
Publish all documents, reports, and

2149
03:25:53,680 --> 03:26:03,680
communication related to the proposed
project so all of the public has access

2150
03:26:00,640 --> 03:26:10,960
to the same information.
Our goal should be simple. A fair,

2151
03:26:06,960 --> 03:26:18,239
transparent, and respectful process that
reflects the values of our town. We are

2152
03:26:14,960 --> 03:26:25,600
all neighbors. We live here, raise our
families here, and care deeply about

2153
03:26:21,279 --> 03:26:32,239
this community. Let's all be civil and
respect each other as we work through

2154
03:26:28,720 --> 03:26:39,347
this together.
This is what our town is about.

2155
03:26:35,760 --> 03:26:39,347
» Thank you. [applause]

2156
03:26:42,319 --> 03:26:46,359
Number 18, please.

2157
03:26:54,640 --> 03:27:02,880
» Hi. Uh, my name is Megan. I'm from
Kawita. I'm not a public speaker, so

2158
03:27:00,160 --> 03:27:08,880
sorry. Um,
I live on a I'm the fourth generation on

2159
03:27:05,680 --> 03:27:15,200
a homestead that is directly south about
12 miles or so. Um, we get a lot of

2160
03:27:12,560 --> 03:27:20,640
north winds and all of our water comes
from the verdigree.

2161
03:27:17,920 --> 03:27:24,800
Uh,
I mostly just came here to remind you

2162
03:27:23,040 --> 03:27:30,399
guys that
it's not just Iola. We're here. We're

2163
03:27:27,359 --> 03:27:33,560
watching and it affects us too. We got
your back.

2164
03:27:33,680 --> 03:27:40,863
And also, I grew up around a lot of cows
and I know a lot of crap when I smell

2165
03:27:38,319 --> 03:27:44,192
it.
[applause]

2166
03:27:42,173 --> 03:27:44,192
[cheering]

2167
03:27:50,033 --> 03:27:57,080
[applause]
Number 19, please. Number 19.

2168
03:27:58,399 --> 03:28:01,880
this real quick.

2169
03:28:02,720 --> 03:28:10,640
» Hi, my name's Amber. I'm from Claremore.
And boy, was this refreshing coming from

2170
03:28:07,840 --> 03:28:14,640
there because nobody's in jail right
now. You guys aren't on your phones.

2171
03:28:12,479 --> 03:28:21,600
Nobody's eating popcorn. So, thank you
for that. Thanks for taking the time to

2172
03:28:16,560 --> 03:28:26,800
listen because I new to that for me. Um,
I don't think you guys are being asked

2173
03:28:24,720 --> 03:28:31,120
to welcome partners that bring
prosperity because these guys have a

2174
03:28:28,880 --> 03:28:36,399
ledger of failures. Century Aluminum
brings a trail of class action lawsuits

2175
03:28:33,439 --> 03:28:40,479
and repeated EPA violations. EGA
facilities have been targets of military

2176
03:28:38,239 --> 03:28:44,319
missile and drone strikes.
I'm here again to support this

2177
03:28:41,920 --> 03:28:49,040
moratorum, not with a song this time,
but with a sign, and I had to leave it

2178
03:28:46,640 --> 03:28:55,680
outside. So, if any of you kids want a
wooden cardboard hatchet, go for it.

2179
03:28:52,720 --> 03:29:01,840
Um, like a hatchet, this moratorum can
be a tool to clear a path. Voting

2180
03:28:59,279 --> 03:29:06,160
against this ignores obvious red flags,
but and it wouldn't be clearing the way.

2181
03:29:04,479 --> 03:29:10,560
You are sharpening the blade against the
very foundation Oklahoma was built upon.

2182
03:29:08,880 --> 03:29:13,680
I was raised by generations of
Oklahomaans who taught me that standing

2183
03:29:12,479 --> 03:29:17,680
up for what is right is not a
suggestion. It is a duty.

2184
03:29:16,080 --> 03:29:21,359
This is beyond the consideration of an
economic opportunity. This invites a

2185
03:29:19,680 --> 03:29:26,000
history of instability and negligence
into the heartland. The moratorum isn't

2186
03:29:24,000 --> 03:29:30,800
just a pause on an industrial project.
It is a test of our stewardship and a

2187
03:29:28,560 --> 03:29:35,600
test of yours specifically.
Who put you in those seats? It was not

2188
03:29:33,600 --> 03:29:39,120
an outside corporation nor a foreign
entity or government office with deep

2189
03:29:37,439 --> 03:29:42,000
pockets. And it was certainly not the
weirdo that was talking about ice cream

2190
03:29:40,399 --> 03:29:46,080
swirls earlier, pretending like he had
small town spirit.

2191
03:29:44,000 --> 03:29:49,600
It's definitely some of the people in
this room.

2192
03:29:48,080 --> 03:29:55,279
It's some of the people that are sitting
in the gym next door. It's But a lot of

2193
03:29:53,439 --> 03:30:00,479
us are here to support each other. A lot
of us have been here before. Maybe for a

2194
03:29:57,200 --> 03:30:04,800
Friday Night Lights rivalry, maybe uh
help clean up after a tornado. We've

2195
03:30:02,880 --> 03:30:08,880
been here before, but it's the people
that are familiar with this room that

2196
03:30:06,880 --> 03:30:13,439
put you in those seats. It's the people
that know what this community is about

2197
03:30:11,359 --> 03:30:18,560
and have been in this community long
enough to know what kind of change this

2198
03:30:15,439 --> 03:30:24,479
is going to make overall.
Now, your authority is a borrowed tool

2199
03:30:21,840 --> 03:30:28,399
granted by Inola to protect them, not to
bargain their safety away for a project

2200
03:30:26,479 --> 03:30:33,680
pushed in through the dark. This
moratorum is the sharpened edge of your

2201
03:30:31,200 --> 03:30:37,439
power. Now, it is an instrument of your
oversight meant to safeguard the people

2202
03:30:35,439 --> 03:30:41,200
who elected you. And if this project
proceeds through hasty choices, this

2203
03:30:39,680 --> 03:30:45,200
will not be a situation that you can
simply move past. The hatchet will be

2204
03:30:43,439 --> 03:30:49,120
brought down upon the reputation of
every official who had a hand in that

2205
03:30:47,200 --> 03:30:53,120
decision. And I still really believe
these guys are going to be behind you

2206
03:30:50,479 --> 03:30:57,200
through that. Even outside if people are
coming to attack you, these guys are

2207
03:30:54,720 --> 03:31:02,720
here for you guys. And they want to feel
that back.

2208
03:30:59,520 --> 03:31:06,479
You have everything to gain by putting
this on pause. a track record of

2209
03:31:04,880 --> 03:31:08,880
courage,
community trust.

2210
03:31:07,680 --> 03:31:11,880
» Thank you, ma'am.
>> Thanks.

2211
03:31:12,431 --> 03:31:14,450
[applause]

2212
03:31:19,600 --> 03:31:23,479
» Number 20, please.

2213
03:31:44,960 --> 03:31:56,920
I'm sorry. Was she number 20?
Who is that?

2214
03:31:51,760 --> 03:31:56,920
Huh? Luke Steely. Steely.

2215
03:31:57,520 --> 03:32:04,560
No.
Okay then. Okay. Thank you for everyone

2216
03:32:02,319 --> 03:32:10,040
for all your comments. We're going to go
on to number five.

2217
03:32:07,040 --> 03:32:10,040
» Question.

2218
03:32:12,560 --> 03:32:15,800
» Yes, sir.

2219
03:32:15,967 --> 03:32:17,986
[clears throat]

2220
03:32:21,200 --> 03:32:29,439
» I don't know if it's even working. Yeah.
If we have a uh what' you say in the

2221
03:32:27,359 --> 03:32:35,359
game a cart.
>> I I said a seat at the table.

2222
03:32:31,279 --> 03:32:40,720
» Okay. How are we going to
patrol that? I know we're not. Who will

2223
03:32:38,479 --> 03:32:44,800
do that?
>> That that that will be the council. Um,

2224
03:32:43,439 --> 03:32:50,640
some of this could be the planning
commission, but ultimately it would be a

2225
03:32:46,560 --> 03:32:58,479
a requirement of a permit request, a
special use permit by the smelter to

2226
03:32:54,640 --> 03:33:03,760
seek a permit to get started. That's
after this moratorum. That's after

2227
03:33:01,200 --> 03:33:08,319
they've got that permitting in place.
Thank you.

2228
03:33:05,439 --> 03:33:13,680
So, so basically the change here, the
proposed change is effectively that a

2229
03:33:11,200 --> 03:33:20,319
special use permit will become a
requirement that along with that special

2230
03:33:16,560 --> 03:33:26,239
use permit, city attorney with outside
council will come up with a permitting

2231
03:33:23,359 --> 03:33:32,160
process for which they will require
specific things. As there is more

2232
03:33:29,359 --> 03:33:37,439
transparency from OPA, which I think has
been a problem so far.

2233
03:33:34,640 --> 03:33:43,840
Uh correct. It it there would indeed be
oversight. Um you've heard about I fire

2234
03:33:40,720 --> 03:33:48,560
response team for instance, roadways,
cities always have those rights. The

2235
03:33:46,319 --> 03:33:54,239
preeminent one clearly is health,
safety, and welfare of the public.

2236
03:33:51,840 --> 03:33:57,520
ODQ, they've already set out, look,
these are our standards. These are what

2237
03:33:55,520 --> 03:34:03,359
we have to follow. EPA said, look, we're
going to put it on the ODQ. What neither

2238
03:33:59,359 --> 03:34:08,960
one of them told you though is that ODQ
is limited to restrictions as to what

2239
03:34:06,800 --> 03:34:16,520
the EPA standards are. And our EPA
standards are less than Norway and

2240
03:34:11,840 --> 03:34:16,520
Iceland. This is a problem.

2241
03:34:16,960 --> 03:34:23,920
Ultimately, you guys could say, "Look,
we don't think that's appropriate. We

2242
03:34:21,520 --> 03:34:28,720
think our town because we are the hay
capital of the world has the ability to

2243
03:34:26,720 --> 03:34:33,680
say, you know what, if we need to
protect our other citizens, we need a

2244
03:34:31,040 --> 03:34:38,479
buffer zone of a mile or we need a
buffer zone of two miles. And you can be

2245
03:34:36,319 --> 03:34:45,040
more restrictive to that end that you
want. Right now, you have no say.

2246
03:34:43,279 --> 03:34:51,840
That's all these people are begging you
to do is stand up and say, "Look, we got

2247
03:34:48,000 --> 03:34:57,439
to protect our community
and to

2248
03:34:54,640 --> 03:35:03,279
I I don't see a reason why you shouldn't
enact this moratorum

2249
03:34:59,840 --> 03:35:10,960
and and I I'm I'm trying to be as truly
objective as I possibly can, but but I

2250
03:35:06,800 --> 03:35:15,040
mean, Mr. Grigg, you you've been in
Henrietta, Oklahoma. You drive by the

2251
03:35:13,359 --> 03:35:19,680
smelter. It was a zinc and copper
smelter that was there 65 years ago. My

2252
03:35:17,840 --> 03:35:25,680
grandpa worked there. He had cancer of
all manner different types. But nothing

2253
03:35:22,800 --> 03:35:28,560
grows on the hills around it still 50
years later since the thing's been

2254
03:35:27,040 --> 03:35:33,120
closed.
That that shouldn't be the case here.

2255
03:35:30,000 --> 03:35:35,760
And I I hope that they can
if they can put it here that they can

2256
03:35:34,479 --> 03:35:39,920
make it safe and it doesn't affect
anybody. I I am pro- energy industry. I

2257
03:35:38,239 --> 03:35:44,479
am proen energy across the board both
personally and professionally.

2258
03:35:42,239 --> 03:35:48,880
But
more importantly, you got to protect

2259
03:35:46,800 --> 03:35:55,279
people.
And right now, you guys, you you're

2260
03:35:52,560 --> 03:36:00,479
you're a ship without a rudder. You've
got no say whatsoever. You've got no

2261
03:35:56,960 --> 03:36:04,880
ability to require anything.
Mainly because this ordinance should

2262
03:36:02,000 --> 03:36:11,439
have been enacted prior to all of this
taking place. It wasn't. and and I'm I'm

2263
03:36:08,399 --> 03:36:16,720
trying to give you guys the tools to put
yourself in a position to have a say.

2264
03:36:13,359 --> 03:36:21,760
That's it. That's really it.
Which is is less than what my clients

2265
03:36:18,880 --> 03:36:24,640
have asked of me. But I think it's the
right thing to do. It's the right thing

2266
03:36:23,120 --> 03:36:29,600
under the laws of the state of Oklahoma.
It's the right thing under the Oklahoma

2267
03:36:26,720 --> 03:36:34,960
standard as we've heard referenced here.
Um

2268
03:36:32,479 --> 03:36:39,120
if I were in y'all's position
personally, I would say yeah. I mean, we

2269
03:36:36,880 --> 03:36:43,439
we we need to have a say. We owe it to
the people that live here. We owe it to

2270
03:36:40,880 --> 03:36:50,560
our neighboring communities who don't
get any benefit from uh the tiff that's

2271
03:36:46,000 --> 03:36:54,560
going into place. Um who may have some
substantial effects, who by the way, I

2272
03:36:53,680 --> 03:36:59,760
mean, you want to talk [snorts] about
threats, the city of Iola has liability

2273
03:36:56,479 --> 03:37:05,200
to those people, too. Um y'all were put
in a you were put between a rock and a

2274
03:37:01,920 --> 03:37:10,160
hard place, and you didn't ask for it.
and and this is my

2275
03:37:07,680 --> 03:37:15,200
my olive branch or hand out to try to
help you up.

2276
03:37:12,080 --> 03:37:17,600
» Okay. My question is you mentioned an
ordinance.

2277
03:37:16,239 --> 03:37:21,439
» Yeah.
>> So we could have an ordinance instead of

2278
03:37:20,000 --> 03:37:25,600
a moratorum.
>> So So

2279
03:37:23,439 --> 03:37:27,600
» to be able to
hold it.

2280
03:37:26,160 --> 03:37:32,960
» Hey, thank you for asking question.
>> I'm just asking a question because you

2281
03:37:30,000 --> 03:37:38,080
mentioned an ordinance. Yeah. that would
have we would have a

2282
03:37:36,720 --> 03:37:38,880
» seat at the table.
>> Right.

2283
03:37:38,319 --> 03:37:44,000
» Right.
>> With an ordinance. Cor.

2284
03:37:40,239 --> 03:37:48,160
» Well, what you need to do first is you
need to

2285
03:37:46,000 --> 03:37:52,239
you need to enter into the moratorum
because it allows you the time period

2286
03:37:50,080 --> 03:37:59,520
that it takes
to draft and correct your zoning issues.

2287
03:37:56,720 --> 03:38:02,800
That's a problem right now. I I will
acknowledge that that is is generally a

2288
03:38:01,279 --> 03:38:04,560
problem. I've had that discussion with
the city attorney.

2289
03:38:04,000 --> 03:38:08,880
» Okay.
>> Um

2290
03:38:06,399 --> 03:38:13,680
I I think you're well within your rights
>> to do this.

2291
03:38:10,399 --> 03:38:20,520
» You asking whether the ordinance is to
make

2292
03:38:14,800 --> 03:38:20,520
» correct or that you're requested tonight

2293
03:38:21,680 --> 03:38:28,880
attorney.
>> Okay. and and and

2294
03:38:25,200 --> 03:38:36,399
» again this is it it's real like you said
it's legal terms a lot that's why I

2295
03:38:32,560 --> 03:38:40,960
asked the question of
I know we're not going to make

2296
03:38:39,439 --> 03:38:47,040
let's say we're talking about the air
permit or they are we're not going to

2297
03:38:44,560 --> 03:38:52,640
make that decision or somebody that's a
scientist somebody mentioned that while

2298
03:38:49,600 --> 03:38:57,840
ago is going to have to do that
>> Madison Miller is driving the boat there

2299
03:38:54,399 --> 03:39:03,600
and the ODQ has been excellent to deal
with. They have gone out of their way to

2300
03:39:00,720 --> 03:39:08,800
try to be informative to the town, but
that's not the extent of what the city

2301
03:39:06,560 --> 03:39:15,520
can have some control over. That's why
you're getting this um response.

2302
03:39:13,840 --> 03:39:19,279
They think you don't deserve a seat at
the table ultimately,

2303
03:39:17,680 --> 03:39:25,680
but
the way that this thing is drafted gives

2304
03:39:21,920 --> 03:39:33,200
this group the ability to put zoning
requirements in place, draft a permit

2305
03:39:29,520 --> 03:39:37,120
requirement that will address as things
come up

2306
03:39:34,960 --> 03:39:41,200
what is necessary to protect the
citizens of the town, which is y'all's

2307
03:39:39,359 --> 03:39:44,239
job. And and that's all it does.
>> Good. Everybody is here talking about

2308
03:39:43,040 --> 03:39:47,359
all of these other things. You need to
stop it. You need to stop it. Full

2309
03:39:45,920 --> 03:39:51,200
disclosure, that's that's not what's
proposed. That's not what's before you.

2310
03:39:49,359 --> 03:39:55,120
What's before you now is a six-month
break for you to fix your ordinances and

2311
03:39:53,920 --> 03:40:01,359
deal with what should have been done
before. One,

2312
03:39:58,239 --> 03:40:05,439
implement permitting process where you
can require them and you could continue

2313
03:40:03,120 --> 03:40:09,600
the moratorum if you want. You could you
can make other decisions. And in fact,

2314
03:40:08,239 --> 03:40:15,120
60 days from now, if y'all don't think
it's appropriate, I you could upend the

2315
03:40:12,160 --> 03:40:18,640
moratorum and vote vote it off. That's
that's okay. That is well within your

2316
03:40:17,120 --> 03:40:24,160
purview.
It's a group has to do it. Has to be a

2317
03:40:20,239 --> 03:40:30,160
majority vote of the board. Um but but
it's

2318
03:40:26,720 --> 03:40:34,399
it's just a a balance to try to make
sure that you have a say in the process

2319
03:40:31,920 --> 03:40:37,520
because right now you don't.
>> Okay? And and if all the these

2320
03:40:36,160 --> 03:40:42,399
government officials that showed up here
want to say, "Look, we'll help have a

2321
03:40:39,200 --> 03:40:44,880
say." That would be great because that's
I don't know how many people from this

2322
03:40:43,840 --> 03:40:48,399
side of the room walked up here and
said, "We want transparency.

2323
03:40:47,120 --> 03:40:50,160
We want to know how we're going to be
protected."

2324
03:40:50,000 --> 03:40:54,960
I
>> mean, that that's that's what the people

2325
03:40:52,319 --> 03:40:58,479
are always going to be concerned about.
And you know what? If

2326
03:40:57,200 --> 03:41:02,800
federal government really wants to cram
it down your throat, I don't know that

2327
03:40:59,600 --> 03:41:06,080
you can stop it. But that doesn't mean
that it's not your job to take steps to

2328
03:41:04,720 --> 03:41:09,840
make sure the people here are safe to
the extent that you can. And honestly,

2329
03:41:07,920 --> 03:41:14,000
that provides protection for everybody
everybody on this board.

2330
03:41:13,520 --> 03:41:18,359
» Okay.
>> Okay. Thank you.

2331
03:41:14,880 --> 03:41:18,359
» Any other questions?

2332
03:41:18,960 --> 03:41:26,399
» J have any other questions? Okay. Okay.
Number five, presentation of the letters

2333
03:41:24,800 --> 03:41:31,680
received from the Oklahoma Primary
Aluminum, the TOSA ports, the White

2334
03:41:29,279 --> 03:41:37,239
House, and others related to the
proposed aluminum plant and the proposed

2335
03:41:34,239 --> 03:41:37,239
memoratorum.

2336
03:41:39,600 --> 03:41:44,399
» Scott, can you tell us about these
letters?

2337
03:41:43,760 --> 03:41:48,479
» No,
>> those are the letters that have been

2338
03:41:45,840 --> 03:41:53,200
provided to you all. I think you
understand those. The newest one there

2339
03:41:50,479 --> 03:41:56,520
is letter from President Trump, I
believe someone,

2340
03:41:56,560 --> 03:42:05,960
» is there someone here that wants to read
this letter from the president?

2341
03:42:02,479 --> 03:42:05,960
» There she is.

2342
03:42:09,279 --> 03:42:16,080
» Sure. Uh, it'd be a privilege to read
the letter that President Trump signed

2343
03:42:14,160 --> 03:42:20,239
and got delivered yesterday for all of
you. This is obviously a matter that

2344
03:42:18,160 --> 03:42:25,279
matters greatly to him, as does
transparency. He is the most transparent

2345
03:42:22,880 --> 03:42:27,600
administration.
>> Please,

2346
03:42:25,680 --> 03:42:32,880
» why don't I just read the letter that he
provided uh for the benefit of the

2347
03:42:29,840 --> 03:42:39,680
trustees. I send my warmest greetings to
the city council and the proud citizens

2348
03:42:35,040 --> 03:42:44,640
of Inola Oklahoma as your Inola.
>> Thank you. I apologize.

2349
03:42:42,239 --> 03:42:49,279
Inola, Oklahoma, as your community
stands on the threshold of history with

2350
03:42:47,040 --> 03:42:53,120
the opportunity to approve the Oklahoma
aluminum smelter, the first primary

2351
03:42:51,439 --> 03:42:58,000
aluminum smelter to be built in the
United States for nearly 50 years. Since

2352
03:42:55,920 --> 03:43:03,040
the very first day of my administration,
I have fought tirelessly to bring

2353
03:42:59,840 --> 03:43:07,840
domestic manufacturing back home. The
America First mission is built on the

2354
03:43:05,439 --> 03:43:12,880
simple belief that the United States
must never again depend on foreign

2355
03:43:10,080 --> 03:43:17,840
powers to meet its economic and military
needs. That is why upon returning to

2356
03:43:15,359 --> 03:43:23,199
office, I called for aluminum to be
proudly made in America, ensuring that

2357
03:43:20,640 --> 03:43:27,920
our country can supply its own aluminum,
safeguard similar materials essential to

2358
03:43:25,600 --> 03:43:33,120
our national security, and stand ready
to defend ourselves for generations to

2359
03:43:30,080 --> 03:43:38,640
come. The proposed Oklahoma aluminum
smelter stands at the centerpiece of

2360
03:43:35,680 --> 03:43:44,560
this great national effort. A landmark
joint venture between Century Aluminum

2361
03:43:41,120 --> 03:43:49,279
and EGA. This $4 billion undertaking
represents the largest single project

2362
03:43:46,640 --> 03:43:55,199
investment in the history of Oklahoma,
delivering an estimated 26.3

2363
03:43:52,239 --> 03:44:00,000
billion dollar in economic impact while
creating a thousand permanent

2364
03:43:57,040 --> 03:44:04,479
high-paying jobs and 4,000 jobs
throughout its construction. Once

2365
03:44:02,560 --> 03:44:09,760
completed, the plant will rank as the
largest primary aluminum production

2366
03:44:06,720 --> 03:44:14,319
facility in the United States, more than
doubling our nation's total output and

2367
03:44:11,920 --> 03:44:18,880
providing dependable jobs and lasting
revenue for hardworking citizens of

2368
03:44:17,040 --> 03:44:24,000
Iola.
This monumental project will also rank

2369
03:44:21,600 --> 03:44:30,239
among the cleanest and safest smelters
of its kind. Built with the greatest

2370
03:44:26,479 --> 03:44:35,600
care for the natural beauty of Oklahoma.
The health and safety of the citizens of

2371
03:44:32,560 --> 03:44:40,800
Anola will be protected at every step.
Your air and water resources vigorously

2372
03:44:38,319 --> 03:44:46,160
safeguarded by the state and federal
oversight for the benefit of your

2373
03:44:43,279 --> 03:44:51,600
community. That same commitment extends
to the incredible farmers, cattlemen,

2374
03:44:48,880 --> 03:44:56,319
and ranchers of Rogers County, whose
land and livelihoods will only grow

2375
03:44:53,840 --> 03:45:02,160
stronger as they continue to feed our
nation and power its prosperity.

2376
03:44:59,680 --> 03:45:06,960
The people of Anola have always embodied
the very best of the American spirit,

2377
03:45:04,640 --> 03:45:12,479
and this city council now holds the
power to write the next chapter in

2378
03:45:09,199 --> 03:45:17,359
Oklahoma's story. I strongly urge you to
approve the Oklahoma aluminum smelter

2379
03:45:14,880 --> 03:45:22,000
without delay so that together we may
strengthen our national security,

2380
03:45:19,520 --> 03:45:26,560
supercharge our economy, and lead our
nation boldly into the golden age of

2381
03:45:24,399 --> 03:45:30,560
American greatness.
>> Thank you for coming up and reading

2382
03:45:28,160 --> 03:45:30,560
that.

2383
03:45:33,110 --> 03:45:35,785
» [applause]
[cheering]

2384
03:45:38,960 --> 03:45:49,485
» Okay. If you have an orange dot
and your number one

2385
03:45:46,560 --> 03:45:51,505
orange,
[laughter]

2386
03:45:51,840 --> 03:46:01,439
» okay, your name is number two. It's not
number one. My orange is number two.

2387
03:45:58,399 --> 03:46:06,080
» Your orange is number two.
>> I got the one.

2388
03:46:02,720 --> 03:46:06,080
» I got the two.