Back in May, the future Ford EV battery plant known as BlueOval Battery Park Michigan faced an early legal challenge in the form of a petition organized by local residents concerned over sheer size of the site that wanted bring the matter to a public vote. That petition – created by the “The Committee for Marshall – Not the Megasite,” collected enough signatures to do precisely that, but upon review, the Marshall City Clerk determined that only 136 of those 800 signatures were valid and ultimately rejected it. The group behind the petition wound up challenging this decision in court – which was rejected as well – and now, a second lawsuit has been filed by opponents of this future Ford EV battery plant, according to WWMT News.
This second lawsuit was also filed by The Committee for Marshall – Not the Megasite, which alleges that the judge overseeing the first lawsuit was wrong to reject it. As was the case with the first lawsuit, this one claims that the group’s constitutional rights were violated when the Marshall City Clerk rejected their petition, which aimed to bring the matter of whether or not the BlueOval Battery Park Michigan site should be rezoned for industrial use to a public vote.
For its part, the city of Marshall alleges that this matter cannot be put to a public vote because money has already been appropriated for the project, though the lawsuit claims that this simply isn’t true. The filing also claims that the financial appropriations – as well as the ordinance itself – are not legal.
This is just the latest piece of drama surrounding the construction of the new Ford EV battery site, which will license technology from CATL to build lithium-iron phosphate batteries for future Blue Oval all-electric models. In fact, CEO Jim Farley recently traveled to Washington to meet with lawmakers concerned over CATL’s Chinese ties.
Updated: WWMT originally reported that The Committee for Marshall – Not the Megasite had filed a second lawsuit over this matter, which isn’t the case. Rather, the group has filed a legal brief to continue the case in court.
We’ll have more on BlueOval Battery Park Michigan soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
What a waste of time and resources. These people knew there was a megasite in place in Marshall for decades but only now do they act. Sorry, the trains left the station.
The dumbest thing we could do is stop battery production here in the USA. You want to be led by China? EV’s are coming in a large way. They are getting cheaper and unless you want to be ruled by the Saudis, Russians or Texas Oil barons that kill for money its time to switch and move on to a new form of energy propulsion.
We ARE being lead by China! ALL batteries come from CHINA, ALL materials to make them come from CHINA, because Democrat Presidents DON’T want America making them! It costs MORE to do the battery path then Oil. You’re obviously one of those “green nuts” like “just stop oil” is. Even electric needs OIL. How the hell do you think you lubricate those moving parts that are STILL in the wind up toy cars like yours? Obama put an END to producing our own batteries in his first term, now we HAVE to depend on China. If it weren’t for Bill Clinton promoting companies to move to CHINA to build OUR stuff, we wouldn’t have this problem today! As far as Marshall is concerned, go there, visit this Historic Town, and see who devastating this battery plant would be to them.. I was RAISED in that town! Also, as to your comment about batteries being “cheaper”, you’re WRONG! China has a choke hold on us, THEY dictate the price WE pay. It costs half the price of the new electric vehicle to replace the battery, and the warranty is NON transferable, meaning if you hate your wind up toy and sell it, the new owner would have to pay full price for a new battery if blew up! Adding to that, if you total your vehicle, you’ll be lucky to get insurance again for another one!
Isn’t the megasite clear across I 69 from the town of Marshall? I don’t see where it is hurting the city any since no buildings are being torn down to build it.
NIMBYism rum amok. Sad.