BAY MINETTE — A bill passed in the Alabama Legislature that will save Baldwin County residents $5 million and help pave the way for road building by the new Novelis plant.

According to state Rep. Donna Givens, who represents District 64 in Bay Minette, Loxley, Robertsdale, Silverbill, Summerdale, Foley and Elberta, the Alabama Department of Transportation will provide the money for the access road without dipping into the Baldwin County Commission budget. She gave a state of the state and state of the county presentation to the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce's Business at Breakfast series Tuesday, June 20, at Coastal Alabama Community College.

"Baldwin County brings in billions — with a B — to the state, so this bill will help our people get some money back," the freshman representative said.

Novelis, an aluminum rolling mill and recycling facility coming to Bay Minette that will create nearly 1,000 jobs and a $2.5 billion investment, which owns the industrial access road being built, will be responsible for its maintenance costs. No local tax money will be used.

Construction on the plant is underway and is expected to open in 2025.
House Bill 291 states that when a public corporation builds access roads to an industrial facility for secure entry, it won't be considered public property.

Lee Lawson, CEO and president of Baldwin County Economic Development, said he is happy with the county's continuous growth and development. Lawson highlighted the role played by Novelis in the state of Alabama achieving the Silver Shovel Award for economic development success in 2022 by national business publication Area Developent and mentioned upward trends in job and population growth in Baldwin County.

According to previous reports by GCM, the plant is the first aluminum rolling mill to be constructed in the United States in 40 years and is the largest single investment in the industry since the 1980s.

"Our area is poised for greatness," Lawson said.

He said he is anticipating a prosperous year in 2025, citing upcoming projects such as the Mobile Port, growth at the Gulf Shores airport to commercial flights, the Novelis plant and the Mobile River Bridge.

In previous reporting by GCM, Novelis President Steve Fisher has emphasized the significance of the project.

"But we're not just building a plant," Fisher said. "We're building a future for hundreds of individuals and families. When this site is fully functional, we expect to grow our team here to nearly 1,000 people, helping local residents build high-paying advanced careers in a fantastic town."