Ford Motor Co. officials on Tuesday pledged to be good neighbors to those in rural west Tennessee who live near the automaker’s planned electric truck factory, a project expected to create thousands of jobs and change the face of the region.
More than 200 people attended a panel discussion at a high school in Brownsville, one of many communities that will likely be affected by Ford’s $5.6 billion project to build electric F-Series pickups at a 3,600-acre (1,460-hectare) parcel of land known as the Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County.
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BlueOval City is a joint venture between SK Innovation and BlueOval City. It will create battery factories on the Tennessee site as well as in Glendale (Kentucky). It is expected that the project will bring economic growth to several west Tennessee counties. Ford expects the plant to have approximately 5,600 employees. The factory construction and arrival of Ford suppliers will add thousands of new jobs.
It is anticipated that the project will bring in both large and small businesses, such as restaurants and hotels. Potentially, real estate values could rise. However, some residents are concerned that these changes may be associated with increased traffic, noise and crime.
They presented a welcoming face to the audience and spoke on topics such as worker development, environmental issues, philanthropy, and more. Ford representatives stated that they are eager to work with the residents and make this project a community asset.
“As we embark on the journey together, it is our commitment that Ford will be a good neighbor,”Dave Nowicki is the director for manufacturing, batteries and electric vehicles
Construction work on the truck factory should begin this year. However, crews have begun the ground-leveling operation at the location. Ford claims it will begin production by 2025.
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Already, entities with connections to this project have begun preparing. Tennessee Valley Authority will build an electric substation, and nearly 10 miles (of transmission line) to power the Megasite and its surrounding areas. The Megasite’s oversight board met recently to address environmental issues. In anticipation of an increased number of travelers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will resume service to Jackson’s regional airport. It is located about 40 miles from Megasite.
Ann McCormick, the project’s environmental and sustainability manager, said Ford has studied the area’s waterways and wetlands, in addition to an aquifer that provides water to homes and business. Ford created a pollution prevention program to help protect the area’s water resources. “mitigate any impacts that construction could have.”
Some residents wondered whether towns like Brownsville or Stanton where the factory is being built are prepared for the changes that it would bring to rural areas.
Brownsville resident Jim Miller, 75, said he’s thought about how the project will affect his town of about 9,800 people.
“I can see it exponentially growing. Whether Brownsville is ready for that, that’s the question,” Miller said. “You can’t let it overwhelm the culture and history of this area. It’s a fine line you got to walk.”
This article was written by The Associated Press.
The full article is available here here
