WASHINGTON, D.C. – On February 24, 2023 the White House announced a 200% tariff on aluminum imports from Russia in response to its war in Ukraine. Currently, the U.S. imports more than 6 million tons of aluminum per year. The domestic industry has been on the decline for over a decade and currently only five aluminum smelters are operational within the country.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes five new sources of funding, totaling more than $50 billion, that could spur growth in clean U.S. aluminum manufacturing. This factsheet from the BlueGreen Alliance details how each of these new investments could impact domestic aluminum production.

In response to the announcement, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“The tariff on aluminum imports from Russia is a wake-up call that we need to invest in a secure domestic supply chain for clean aluminum—an essential ingredient for clean energy and national security.

“If we effectively use the investments in recent climate and infrastructure legislation—such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—we can reverse the decline of U.S. aluminum manufacturing so as to offer good union jobs to displaced workers, revitalize industrial communities, and strengthen our fight to secure a livable climate.”