Intel vows to create more wetland than it removes
JERSEY TOWNSHIP — The size of the proposed $20 billion Intel Corporation computer chip manufacturing facility in Jersey Township makes it impossible to avoid impacting wetlands on the site.
That’s the opinion from EMH&T consultants on behalf of MBJ Holdings, an affiliate of New Albany Company, in its application for an isolated wetland permit from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
The Ohio EPA listened to residents’ concerns about the development’s impact on wetlands in a Tuesday evening public hearing at Jersey Church. Residents asked numerous questions prior to the public hearing, but only four commented for the recorded official hearing.
Joni Lung, from the Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water, told residents, “They would put in a large amount of fill that would make it not a wetland anymore. If you propose to destroy wetland, you must create wetland somewhere else.”
Jeff Lutz, a Jersey Township resident, said the company’s mitigation proposal doesn’t make sense to him.
“This mitigation idea is new to me,” Lutz said. “It’s bizarre you can locate another wetland miles and miles away and that somehow compensates. That’s a crazy concept to most people if a wetland is important to an area. We thought you were keeping the wetland and not letting a company pave it over. We’re not protected.”
The application includes two on-site alternatives for the approximately 895acre permit area located on a 926-acre site east of Clover Valley Road, west of Mink Street and south of Green Chapel Road. The site is in the process of being annexed to the city of New Albany.
There is also an off-site alternative, located west of the proposed site, included in the application. The site is approximately 1,050 acres, southeast of U.S. 62 and south of Green Chapel Road, bisected by Beech Road and Miller Road.
The off-site alternative would require significant expansion of utilities and the re-routing of Beech Road and electric transmission lines.
Linda Qian, communications and media relations director for Intel Global Public Affairs and Sustainability, said in a statement Wednesday, “Intel is committed to environmental sustainability and, for decades, has taken action to be a responsible environmental steward.
“Intel has been and will continue to work with EPA to comply with all recommendations and requirements related to mitigating the isolated wetlands on the Licking County site, with the proposed mitigation to occur in the same watersheds.”
Qian said the plan proposes mitigation of 2.18 acres of forested credit, 4.25 acres of non-forested credit, and 14.4 acres of forested wetland credit to offset the impact to 9.98 acres of isolated wetlands. She said the impact on the local watershed will be a net positive, with more wetlands in place than previously.
The project covers two watersheds, the Licking River Watershed to the north and the Upper Scioto Watershed to the south.
Patrick Hunkler, of Pataskala, said the mitigation area is 6 miles west and 11 miles southeast of the proposed site.
“It doesn’t do much for the recharge of our wells,” Hunkler said. “Intel is doing a lot of groundwater and how does that affect our groundwater?”
Lung said, “We don’t look at private water wells as part of this.”
EPA spokeswoman Heidi Griesmer said Intel has reserved sites for mitigation, if needed.
“They have to provide us different alternatives,” Griesmer said. “If there’s a reason we can’t approve it, we go back to the company, and if those changes make it economically unfeasible, normally the company withdraws.”
The application states the initial phase of the proposed development includes approximately 2.88 million square feet of occupiable space for two semiconductor chip manufacturing complexes, and an office building, and associated support facilities, storage areas, parking areas, storm water facilities and related infrastructure.
The development may be expanded in additional phases to include up to eight chip manufacturing facilities and up to five office buildings, along with support facilities and warehouse structures. Construction of the initial phase will begin soon after issuance of the isolated wetland permit and to be completed by 2025.
One alternative proposed by the company reduces the size of a parking lot, expands the size of a parking structure associated with future development, and eliminates an office building. The change allows for a stream to be maintained as open channel instead of being piped under the parking lot. This alternative would reduce office space by 520,000 square feet and parking by more than 272,800 square feet. kmallett@newarkadvocate.com 740-973-4539
Twitter: @kmallett1958