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Residents raise wetlands, worker counts and rezoning concerns during public comment on Amazon/AWS and industrial growth
Summary
Two members of the public criticized ongoing industrial expansion around New Carlisle and Olive Township, citing large worker counts, rezoning of farmland to industrial, dewatering and wetlands impacts tied to Amazon/AWS construction and called on county bodies to better manage growth and environmental impacts.
During public comment at the July 8 meeting, two residents urged the commission to consider broader community and environmental impacts of large industrial and data center developments in the New Carlisle/Olive Township area.
Dan Caruso (New Carlisle) said he had heard estimates of up to 4,000 people working daily in the IEC construction area, and said projected permanent employment numbers from GM and Amazon (cited at about 1,600 and 600, respectively, by other sources) should not be used to justify additional rezoning of agricultural land to industrial. Caruso urged the commission and related bodies to stop further industrial rezoning in New Carlisle and Olive Township to preserve the rural character of the area.
Steve Francis (calling in from Clay Township) referenced a recent New York Times piece about the Amazon project, raised concerns that dewatering for construction may have damaged wetlands at the Amazon site, and urged the commission to consider the project'level environmental consequences rather than deferring all responsibility to other agencies. Francis said he believed dewatering had "all but destroyed" the wetlands at the Amazon site and indicated possible follow-up through administrative appeals or litigation.
The commission heard both comments during the public comment period; no formal actions were taken in response at this meeting.
