US Army Corps of Engineers: Hyundai water supply permit reevaluation “warranted”

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - In a letter provided by local environmental group Ogeechee Riverkeeper and verified by WTOC News, the US Army Corps of Engineers tells the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority that it may take another look at some permits for Hyundai’s electric vehicle plant in Bryan County.

The Army Corps’ Savannah District Commander says initial information from the JDA lead regulators to believe that no water withdrawal permits would be required for the project.

According to the letter dated August 23, that decision could be reevaluated after Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division released draft plans last month for four permits associated with the Hyundai project that would allow Bulloch and Bryan counties to withdraw millions of gallons of groundwater each day.

“So far, we’ve just seen conclusions, conclusory statements that say there aren’t going to be impacts without leading us to how they came to that conclusion,” said Ogeechee Riverkeeper legal director Ben Kirsch.

Earlier this year, the local environmental group threatened to sue the US Army Corps of Engineers, which analyzes permit requests, claiming the agency overlooked water supply concerns at the Hyundai site.

“We see this as a small victory along the way, a step in the right direction towards making sure all of the impacts at this site are fully considered,” said Kirsch.

The letter asks economic leaders to give an overview of the effects the electric vehicle plant, and any related drawdowns, would have on municipal and private water supplies.

In a joint statement, leaders from the JDA, Georgia’s Department of Economic Development, and the Savannah Economic Development Authority said:

We have received a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to provide additional data on the projected water supply for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA). We appreciate the USACE’s diligence to ensure that all information is being considered in its permit, and as we have done with all USACE requests, we will deliver this information as soon as possible. Our plan will provide water for HMGMA while protecting and preserving the local environment, and we remain committed to doing this the right way.

Hyundai says it plans to start production at its Bryan County site later this year. The US Army Corps of Engineers is giving economic leaders 10 days to confirm that they will give regulators the requested info.

A US Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson said that based on new information USACE are taking another look at the Hyundai Plant project’s effects on water supply.

The spokesperson says that at this time, the permit is still valid and they have not requested the permittee to stop work.

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