The Army Corps of Engineers will reassess an environmental permit granted in 2022 to Hyundai for its $7.6 billion electric vehicle plant in Georgia. This decision follows complaints from the Ogeechee Riverkeeper conservation group, which raised concerns about potential impacts on the region's water supply. The Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that the application from state and local economic development agencies did not include Hyundai's plan to withdraw 6.6 million gallons per day from a key underground aquifer.
Details of Hyundai's water requirements emerged earlier this year as the Georgia Environmental Protection Division reviewed a proposal for four new wells to provide the factory with water. These developments prompted the Army Corps to revisit its initial finding of "negligible impacts" from the project. Despite this, construction at the 2,900-acre plant remains on schedule, with Hyundai aiming to commence production by the year's end and employ 8,000 workers.
State regulators noted the Army Corps' scrutiny is "unlikely to impact or delay" the permit decision on the new wells. However, local farmers express concerns that the auto plant could deplete their water sources. But state regulators found the water used by the Hyundai plant would reduce water levels in the aquifer by a maximum of 19 feet for private wells within 5 miles; most wells reach deep enough and won't be meaningfully impacted, the regulators say. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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