Tesla Files Giga Mexico Environmental Impact Statement
Tesla has submitted an environmental impact statement for Giga Mexico, which is an important step for further development. Nuevo León Governor Samuel Garcia confirms the documents have been handed over and expresses his hope that the factory will start production as soon as possible.
Tesla files environmental impact statement for Giga Mexico
Last Monday, Tesla filed an Environmental Impact Statement for its Giga Mexico, dubbed “Proyecto Mario.” In Nuevo León, the company owns a 1,561-hectare plot of land in the vicinity of Cerro la Mota and Cumbres de Monterrey in the municipality of Santa Catarina. There, Tesla set aside 260 hectares for the construction of its Gigafactory, “Project Mario.” According to its environmental impact statement, Tesla proposes to mitigate its environmental impact by protecting more than 16,000 animal species in Nuevo León.
Measures for building a factory
Tesla foresees that clearing the site for construction will leave “a mitigated, compensable environmental impact.” To do this, the company proposes to scare away the fauna and save 16,000 specimens of flora and fauna. Among them are lizards, viper turtles, biznaga, and peyote. In addition, the company wants to reproduce 30,000 plants. A reforestation program will also be applied.
According to the document, El Obispo Creek flows near the site. The company assures that it “will be maintained in its current state, and measures will be taken to ensure that land-use change activities do not affect the creek.” The property is located outside the Cerro la Mota Natural Protected Areas and near the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park.
Changes due to Giga Mexico will last for 32 months
It is planned that land use change activities at the site will be implemented gradually over 32 months. These will include grading, installation of temporary infrastructure, labeling of flora specimens to be saved, salvage of specimens, expulsion of fauna, clearing, stripping, and reforestation.
“Based on sampling conducted at the site, it is estimated that the number of specimens that will be saved is 16,798, and an additional 30,114 specimens of plants will be reproduced in the nursery,” according to the statement.
Governor confirms Tesla environmental claim filing
Gov. Samuel Garcia Sepulveda confirmed on Wednesday that Tesla submitted an environmental impact statement last Monday for its Gigafactory. He said he hoped the company would launch a plant in the municipality of Santa Catarina as soon as possible.
“As with Tesla, this is coming from Tesla, which already submitted its environmental impact statement on Monday, and I hope the world’s largest plant is up and running very soon,” the governor said.