Regulators confirm Hyundai's EV plant poses insignificant water impact risks

In the United States, U.S. regulators have completed a detailed review of the environmental permit for Hyundai's $7.6 billion electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant located in Georgia. This review, which took several months, emerged after concerns were raised by environmental groups regarding the factory's potential impact on local water supplies. The Army Corps of Engineers decided to revisit the permit in August 2024 after the Ogeechee Riverkeeper organization threatened legal action over what they claimed was inadequate consideration of the plant’s daily water consumption of up to 6.6 million gallons. The conservation group expressed worries that such usage could affect local drinking water sources critical for the surrounding community, farmers, and wetlands needed for ecological balance. Despite these concerns, the Army Corps concluded that the environmental impacts of the plant's water usage were insignificant and asserted that the facility would only have a long-term minor effect on the regional drinking water supply. This assertion marked a shift from the initial permit application's wording back in 2022 when the impact was deemed negligible. Currently, the plant has been operational for six months, producing EVs and employing around 1,200 workers. Hyundai also recently announced plans to expand the facility’s production capacity by two-thirds to produce up to 500,000 vehicles annually. The Army Corps of Engineers provided an official memo to the Georgia Department of Economic Development indicating that no revisions were necessary for the original permit. This decision elicited praise from state and local officials who emphasized the importance of balancing industrial development with environmental protection. As the situation unfolds, representatives from the Ogeechee Riverkeeper have stated that they will continue to monitor the situation closely and seek additional documentation to further understand the decision-making process behind the permit approval.