A U.S. federal government agency is reportedly planning to reevaluate the environmental permit for Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle plant it is building in Georgia.
According to the Associated Press on the 26th (local time), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) notified in a letter on the 23rd that it would reevaluate the environmental permit, saying that the state and local economic development agencies that approved the construction of the plant did not notify Hyundai Motor Group that it intended to use up to 6.6 million gallons (25 million liters) per day from groundwater, the region’s main drinking water source.
The decision came after environmental groups challenged regulators, saying they failed to properly investigate the potential impacts the plant’s water supply would have on the area, the AP reported.
Earlier in June, a Georgia environmental advocacy group filed a notice of intent to file suit against two U.S. government agencies.
They are reportedly planning to file a lawsuit, claiming that Hyundai Motor Group failed to properly assess the environmental impact of its $7.6 billion electric vehicle and battery plant it is building.
“All activity related to this project must be halted immediately until a critical step (the environmental assessment) is properly completed,” said Donald DJ Stack, a lawyer representing the environmental groups.
“When you concentrate water supplies in one area, it’s going to impact domestic and agricultural wells,” said Ben Kirsch, legal director for the nonprofit environmental advocacy group Riverkeeper. “The biggest question we have in all of this is what effect will it have on other resources: the natural springs, wetlands, tributaries and streams in that area.”
However, Georgia Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Sarah Lipps said it is unlikely that additional federal oversight will influence Georgia regulators’ final decision on the Hyundai plant or delay its completion.
Hyundai Motor Group began construction of a dedicated electric vehicle plant in Bryan County, Georgia in October 2022 with an investment of $7.6 billion. It plans to begin official production in the fourth quarter of this year.
(Seoul = News 1)
-
- great
- 0dog
-
- I’m sad
- 0dog
-
- I’m angry
- 0dog
-
- I recommend it
- dog
Hot news right now
2024-08-27 11:52:50