Foxconn Water Runoff Reportedly Flowed Into Pike River

MOUNT PLEASANT, WI -- Heavy rains in late August and early September have taken their toll on area residents, including the Foxconn construction area, which one area group says is now dealing with water runoff issues.

According to Kelly Gallaher of A Better Mount Pleasant, heavy rains accumulated in the area, causing storm water runoff at the Foxconn construction site broke through a containment barrier and began flowing into the Pike River.

"I drove to the construction site on Highway H approximately a half-mile north of Highway KR and recorded a video of the construction site. The containment barrier was no longer visible, with dirt and water rushing into a tributary at "Lampark Ditch" that flows directly into the Pike River."

Gallaher said that Wisconsin taxpayers contributed $6.7 million to restor and rehabilitate the Pike River in Mount Pleasant, and that uncontrolled stormwater, dirt and silt flowing from the Foxconn construction site will degrade the river in short order.

"The people of Mount Pleasant were told repeatedly by the village that storm water at the Foxconn construction site would be appropriately managed, and DNR regulations would be strictly adhered to at all phases of development," Gallaher said in a letter sent to project managers. "We were told that contingency plans and designs for historic floods were calculated. It is only September - not even a peak season for rain."

On Sep. 4, Mount Pleasant officials forwarded a Sigma Group erosion control memo to A Better Mount Pleasant after the group's query into stormwater runoff issues.

According to the memo, Sigma has been performing site erosion and sediment control inspections, reporting each week, and within 24 hours after a heavy rainfall. All reports are sent to the construction manager MW|G, prime contractor Hoffman, subcontractor Michaels and erosion controll contractor ECI.

According to the memo, Sigma and MW|G inspected the area on the morning of Sep. 3, and saw several issues including a temporary lack of drainage, and water collection and runoff issues.

The memo stated that the contractor started working on fixing these issues later in the day, however quit due to lighting. Repair and corrective actions were carried out on Sep. 4, according to the memo.

Illinois Concerned About Foxconn Water Runoff

The Foxconn site is in the headwaters of the Des Plaines River Watershed, which is upstream of Lake County. Officials in Lake County are concerned about water runoff from the site after intense rainfall in the Des Plaines River watershed created catastrophic and record-breaking flood heights in the region in 2017.

"The economic development and potential job opportunities would have a positive impact on this region, but we want to make sure our residents are not adversely affected," said Craig Taylor, SMC Chairman and District 19 Lake County Board Member in a Patch report. "Environmental impacts of the development process should be proactively and adequately addressed. Lake County has made a large investment in flood mitigation activities, and we want to ensure those efforts are supported watershed-wide."

The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and Lake County Board both approved unanimous resolutions in June to oppose State of Wisconsin decisions to reduce environmental standards that apply to Foxconn.

“The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission is very concerned regarding this event, both from a water quality and quantity perspective. Lake County has over 25 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, more than Racine and Kenosha Counties combined and this type of environmental impact does not respect state boundaries," Michael Warner, Executive Director of the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission told Patch.com. "This incident also broadens our concern over the Des Plaines River impacts as well, as excess stormwater flow causes major flooding damage within the County. The Des Plaines River is currently out of banks and at flood levels across the County and an increased outflow of this type from the upstream Foxconn site, new road surfaces and adjacent development will worsen this condition.”

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