The Department of the Army (DA) sent a letter to Georgia’s Department of Economic Development outlining water supply concerns over Hyundai’s upcoming Metaplant in the Peach State.
Hyundai is building a $7.6 Metaplant in Georgia that will be manufacturing electric and hybrid vehicles. The DA conducted an evaluation of the South Korean automaker’s plant in Georgia, which resulted in some water supply concerns that it shared with the state’s Department of Economic Development.
“…we determine that the project would result in negligible impacts on municipal and private water supplies, and that no water withdrawal permits would be required from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD),” wrote the DA in its letter.
The DA has requested a reevaluation of Hyundai’s water supply permit from the Georgia EPD. On August 23, 2024, The Peach State’s environmental authorities received a proposal from Hyundai, asking permission to add four new wells to increase its water supply. The legacy automaker’s proposal reveals that Hyundai intends to draw 25 million liters of water per day from an underground aquifer used by local residents.
There were high hopes for Hyundai’s Georgia Metaplant when it was initially announced. The new factory was initially planned to be a manufacturing facility strictly concentrating on EV production. However, demand for expensive EVs declined this year, leading to Hyundai deciding to produce hybrid vehicles in the Georgia factory as well.
Hyundai’s Georgia Metaplant also looked forward to benefiting from Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives. However, many South Korean auto companies with operations in the United States are biding their time while waiting to see the results of the next US Presidential elections, considering Trump’s thoughts on electric vehicles.
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