Judge dismisses lawsuit aimed at stopping construction of Rivian EV plant in GA

A Morgan County judge has dismissed a lawsuit aimed at stopping the construction of a $5 billion electric vehicle manufacturing plant east of Atlanta.

When Rivian Automotive first announced its plans in 2021, the plant was the largest economic development project in Georgia history. But it was superseded in 2022 when Hyundai Motor Group broke ground on a $5.5 billion EV plant west of Savannah.

The lawsuit, filed by a group of nearby property owners along Interstate 20, charged the state with acquiring the property and then leasing it to Rivian to avoid local zoning laws. Morgan County Superior Court Judge Stephen Bradley ruled Tuesday that local zoning regulations do not apply to state-owned property.

The plant’s opponents have cited the impacts of increased traffic, litter, water contamination, and damage to local wetlands.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton, and Walton Counties (JDA) closed on the bonds financing the project in November and executed a rental agreement giving Rivian long-term rights to the site.

“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,” the state and local agencies wrote in a prepared statement. “It is a new year, and this ruling is a defining new chapter as we look toward a bright future of success with Rivian.”

Construction is due to begin soon on the project, which is expected to create 7,500 jobs.