Racine Requested to Withdraw 7 Million Gallons of Water Per Day for Foxconn

The city of Racine requested to withdraw an average of 7 million gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan for the Foxconn plant.

Thirty-nine percent of the water would be consumed daily and not be returned to the Great Lakes due to evaporation or incorporation into the product.

According to the Department of Natural Resources website, the DNR received the Racine diversion application on January 26, 2018. This application will include a public hearing which will be held on March 7, followed by a public comment period which will last until March 21.

Within 90 days of receiving the application, the DNR will make the decision on whether the application meets the Great Lakes Compact requirements for a straddling community exception to the ban on diversions.

Foxconn is the self-proclaimed world’s largest electronics manufacturer, which employs thousands of people and makes billions of dollars in sales. The plant’s most well-known manufactured product is the Apple iPhone.

The purpose of the Foxconn plant in Wisconsin would be the manufacturing of liquid crystal display screens used by computers, television systems and other products. Proponents of the plant say that it would be the largest economic development project in Wisconsin.

Foxconn promises to create 3,000 jobs, which is projected to quadruple within the first six years of its operation. In return, Wisconsin will offer sales tax exemptions for construction materials, as well as tax credits for capital investment.

According to Governor Scott Walker, the Foxconn plant will begin its construction work this year and is predicted to open two years from now.

Many are skeptical of the Foxconn’s ability to follow through with its promises based on failed arrangements the company made in places such as Pennsylvania and Brazil. The naysayers are also worried about the high manufacturing and environmental costs.

Eric Olson, director and lake specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Extension Lakes, said that the Milwaukee and Michigan areas have long been planning to become centers for global water consumption.

Olson said that Foxconn coming to Wisconsin “is not out of the blue.”

For a few years, there have been attempts to create economic development strategy focused on Lake Michigan as a resource due to the abundance and good quality of the water. While the Foxconn plant will be built in Mount Pleasant, the headquarters of the company will be situated in the Milwaukee area.

The amount of water requested by Racine is not unusual for a project such as Foxconn. While 7 million gallons per day might seem like a large number, Olson said that it is not a lot when compared with the overall size of Lake Michigan.

Nevertheless, the public’s interest in the issue is important. Water diversion for Foxconn might not be a big environmental threat, but considering the increasing globalization of the Michigan and Milwaukee areas, future projects might have a greater impact. Olson calls for vigilance in cases like these.

“The strategy for the city of Milwaukee is just getting started and fresh water is only going to become more scarce,” Olson said.

Katie Shonia
Reporter
Ketevan.Shonia@uwsp.edu