The residents of Tesla's proposed location for its fourth Gigafactory have taken to the streets to protest against the company's plans. Tesla announced in November that it would be building its latest Gigafactory in the village of Grunheide, a town with a population of just 9,000 people, 23 miles east of Berlin in Germany.
Locals are pushing back against Tesla's planned factory as it will apparently result in the clearing of 740 acres of forest. Tesla, which plans to pay around $45.36 million for the plot of land, previously stated that its factory would provide a lot of benefits for the small town, as it will employ more than 12,000 people when it comes online.
This means that the added commerce from the workers and the jobs provided to local residents should invigorate the town's economy by a huge margin. European investors have even expressed interest in pouring millions of dollars into the town; with some developers announcing plans of building high rise apartments and massive mall complexes to meet the upcoming demand.
Residents apparently are not convinced as more than 250 protesters had gathered around in Grunheide last week, expressing their contempt of Elon Musk's plans. Protesters claimed that not only will the establishment of Tesla's factory result in the clearing of a substantial amount of forested area but that the factory will effectively reduce the village's water supply.
A report from a water association representing the German state of Brandenberg has claimed that Tesla's factory would likely require more than 300 cubic meters of water per hour when it becomes operational. This will effectively deplete local reserves, stealing away water from local residents. Other protesters have also pointed out that Tesla's factory could contaminate local drinking water sources.
One protester told reporters that the group had nothing against Tesla. However, its plans to put up its massive gigafactory in a protected wildlife zone could have a negative effect on the local wildlife, the environment, and the area's residents.
The Nature Conservation Association (NABU) in Brandenburg previously claimed that Tesla's factory could put further pressure on a local species of bat that is already facing possible extinction. A newly formed group called the Citizens' Initiative Gruenheide against Gigafactory claimed that Tesla's factory would likely shift the balance in the area's fragile ecology. The group is calling for the government to force Tesla to find another suitable location for its new factory; preferably an area where it can do less harm to the environment.
