Well Mitigation Fund reaches $1M for Bulloch and Bryan County residents affected by Hyundai Metaplant wells

STATESBORO, Ga. (WSAV) — A fund created to help residents in Bulloch and Bryan counties who are affected by Hyundai Plant’s use of four Floridan aquifer wells has reached $1 million.

The Development Authority of Bryan County Board of Directors approved $250,000 to go toward the Well Mitigation Fund, which is meant to help residents affected by the wells that have been approved for use by the Hyundai Motor Group.

The Development Authority of Bulloch County and the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority (Savannah JDA) also approved $250,000 each previously. The Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) also announced they will be contributing $250,000.

When combined, the total contributions equal $1 million.

“The fund was created to address any impacts to existing Floridan aquifer wells within the five-mile radius of the planned well sites,” a press release sent by Savannah JDA said. “The fund is expected to have ample resources to provide remediation to anyone that may be affected by the wells.”

The fund is meant to cover costs for those who need to lower pumps on their private wells if they drop, following the Floridian aquifer wells’ usage. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division said that they worked on a study on water supply impacts back in February and found that wells in the area might drop up to 19 feet, meaning shallower wells will have to be dug again, WSAV Eden Hodges reported previously.

The four wells in Bulloch County could pump around 6 million gallons of water per day, which would be sent to Bryan County. Bryan County then will send it to the Hyundia Metaplant.

“Bryan County, who will manage the fund on behalf of both counties, will hire a consultant with experience developing well mitigation plans to prepare policies, eligibility guidelines, processes and public information documents,” the Savannah JDA press release said. “This process and the mitigation policy enacted by both counties should be completed by the end of this year.”

The Bulloch Action Coalition, a group that opposes the use of the Hyundai Metaplant usage of the aquifers, said in a livestreamed meeting on Monday that they would be creating a petition to nullify the agreements between Bulloch and Bryan counties which could stop the drilling and operation of the aquifers and the use or creation of the Well Mitigation Fund.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division will have another meeting to discuss the proposed permits with the public Tuesday from 6-9 p.m. at Southeast Bulloch High School.

WSAV’s Nakya Harris will be in attendance and WSAV will provide more information following the meeting.