Hyundai’s Georgia EV plant faces permit review over water impact concerns

A U.S. agency plans to reexamine the environmental permit for Hyundai Motor Group’s EV factory in Georgia ahead of its planned October opening.

Aerial view of Hyundai's Georgia plant, currently under construction. [YONHAP]

A U.S. agency plans to reexamine the environmental permit for Hyundai Motor Group’s EV factory in Georgia ahead of its planned opening in October.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Usace), which handles environmental permits for water resources during construction, agreed to reassess the permit for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (Hmgma) after a conservation group alleged that the impact of the plant on the local water supply was not properly assessed, AP reported Monday.

Hmgma released a statement saying it is “aware of the request” and will cooperate with the reassessment.

“We are confident that Usace will supply the relevant data in a timely manner and will assist them as needed,” Hmgma said, adding that it “adheres to internationally recognized standards and guidelines to reduce environmental impacts and protect communities.”

Built on a 2,923-acre site in Bryan County, Georgia, the Hmgma plant is scheduled to start production in early 2025 or sooner. The plant is set to have an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles, including Hyundai, Genesis and Kia EVs.

A letter from Usace released last Friday said that the plant’s 2022 permit did not address the factory’s plans to withdraw up to 6.6 million gallons of local underground water per day. This plan emerged earlier this year when the Georgia Environmental Protection Division considered a proposal to provide four new wells for the factory’s water supply, according to AP.

Usace was quoted as saying that the "permit is still valid [at this time]" and that the agency "has not requested that the permittee stop work."

The new factory is expected to create about 8,100 new jobs, according to Hmgma. Georgia officials say it’s the largest economic development project the state has ever seen.

Hyundai Motor's stock closed Tuesday at 247,500 won ($185), down 0.8 percent.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]