By Alexis Steagall, Copy Editor
Foxconn, one of the world’s largest electronic manufacturers, is coming to Mount Pleasant, Wis. The plan to build the new manufacturing plant was first announced in July of 2017.
Over half a year later, the citizens of Southeastern Wisconsin stand eagerly awaiting 13,000 job openings and an improved economy. But others are expressing concerns about the company’s effect on the local water supply and fragile ecosystems.
Despite many open forums and events concerning the effects that Foxconn will have on the environment, the topic seems to lack youth voices and opinions. Yet some students from Indian Trail High School & Academy feel strongly about the subject.
“We are not too young to call our state representatives, or to encourage kids to bring it up at the dinner table to look at what is happening,” said Maya Hernandez, a General Studies senior at Indian Trail.
Whether teens feel shunned from local conferences by the older generations or just don’t see the reasoning behind the concern, Foxconn will affect all people living in southeast Wisconsin and it is up to the general public to decide how much power Foxconn will receive.
“My first impression was ‘oh my gosh, more jobs!’ But I was disappointed in them when I heard about how [the company] treated their people in China and the wasteful use of water. They had no consideration for what they were doing to the environment,” said Hernandez.
Adding to the controversy, Foxconn and the community must face a decision regarding the government to allow them to drain 7 million gallons of water from Lake Michigan each day for manufacturing uses. Although the company plans on returning the water, only 60 percent of that water will actually return to the lake. Critics are questioning what happens to the other 40 percent and just how much this will affect the great, fresh water lake. Even the water making its way back into the water system has a high risk of pollution.
“We do have several laws and regulations in place thanks to our state government and the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] tracking companies and making sure they are following protocol, but it is easier said than done,” said Megan Awe, a science teacher at Indian Trail.
Proponents of Foxconn argue that there is little to no risk of health or environmental problems that come with the company, but their past in China suggests a tarnished track record. In 2013, critics raised awareness to Foxconn dumping contaminated water into river systems, which sickened the citizens and workers. Although working conditions and laws in foreign countries may vary, there is always a perpetual threat of water and ecosystems being removed, relocated and polluted.
Another environmental concern revolves around the destruction of wetlands. Overall, the property is said to cover at least 1,200 acres of land, and 26 of those acres contain 42 preserved wetland areas. Despite the state laws protecting these wetlands, Governor Scott Walker made several major exceptions to state environmental laws for the company.
“He seems more concerned about the economy and jobs, maybe he doesn’t know about all of the horrible things Foxconn has done or maybe he chooses to ignore them,” said Kadie Kraabel, a General Studies senior at Indian Trail.
Wetlands offer many natural benefits for the Earth and they are preserved in order to save these areas from complete industrialization. With the rapid decline of wetlands in the United States, it may become a rough situation for the environment and those who raise concern.
“Wetlands are the natural filter,” said Staci Braya, another science teacher at Indian Trail. “Taking away that filter means pollutants are going directly into our groundwater and our water source for us to be drinking and using for food.”
Regardless, Foxconn is scheduled to settle in the Mount Pleasant community and open for business in the year 2020.