Southeast Missouri Smelter Announces Intent to Restart This Year

NEW MADRID, MO - The idled Magnitude 7 Metals aluminum smelter near New Madrid, formerly owned and operated by Noranda, announced its intent to restart production by the end of the year. Not mentioned in the release today is how the smelter will be powered, and whether the smelter will be in compliance with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources plan to reduce sulfur dioxide pollution to levels that are safe to breathe. New Madrid County recorded the worst air quality in the United States before idling, according to 2019 EPA data.

The cost of electricity is a major input and longstanding barrier to domestic aluminum production, and the fluctuating cost of coal can quickly impact the financial viability of energy-hungry smelters. Renewable energy and energy storage offer affordable, fixed-price energy options that do not release emissions in an area that's failed to reduce sulfur dioxide pollution down to allowable levels.

Statement from Jenn DeRose, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Strategist in Missouri:

"We are excited about the potential for union jobs that will return to this part of the state, and we want to see those jobs stick around. Long-term economic investment will be more likely if this operation is powered by clean energy, especially solar and storage. Powering the smelter with clean energy will help ensure the smelter's long-term viability by leveraging affordable, fixed-cost energy, and cleaner air for everyone who lives in New Madrid County and beyond."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.