Savannah Standard

A court ruling has dismissed a lawsuit aiming to halt the construction of a $5 billion Rivian electric vehicle plant near Savannah, allowing the project to proceed. The decision follows local opposition citing concerns about traffic and environmental impact, with the plant set to create 7,500 jobs.

According to a report by The Telegraph, Rivian's initial 2021 plans marked Georgia's largest economic project until Hyundai Motor Group unveiled a $5.5 billion EV plant west of Savannah in 2022. A lawsuit by nearby property owners accused the state of acquiring and leasing land to Rivian to sidestep local zoning laws. However, Judge Stephen Bradley dismissed this case, stating these regulations don't apply to state-owned property. Opponents of the plant cited concerns including increased traffic, litter, water contamination, and harm to local wetlands.

The Capitol Beat reported that officials from the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton, and Walton Counties (JDA) stated: "The state, JDA, and – more importantly – taxpaying Georgians have again prevailed in overcoming the latest attempt by a few individuals who are committed to opposing this generational project that will benefit countless Georgians. It is a new year, and this ruling is a defining new chapter as we look toward a bright future of success with Rivian."

Fox 5 Atlanta reported that Judge Bradley's ruling was delivered in a seven-page statement. He clarified that the project site falls under the authority of multiple counties which exempts it from local regulations. Emphasizing the state's heavy investment in the project, Bradley pointed out that although Rivian has been leased the site for 50 years, it does not directly own it. Despite plaintiff claims of disruption and zoning violations, he deemed "economic development" as a valid use for the site and dismissed similarities with a prior lawsuit as invalid under the Public Lawsuits Act.

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Bradley stated in his ruling: "While the Court may be sympathetic to the local landowners adversely affected by the Rivian Project, it is compelled to follow existing law. The General Assembly and the Supreme Court have clearly declared that this type of economic endeavor is valuable and, by not waiving sovereign immunity, outside the reach of local land use regulations."