‘Remaining on track’: Judge dismisses Ford Marshall plant lawsuit
ROMULUS, Mich. (WOOD) — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit that challenged the planned Ford Motor Co. BlueOval Battery Park near Marshall, the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance says.
Marshall rezoned 700 acres south of Michigan Avenue between 13 Mile and 15 Mile roads as industrial for the electric vehicle battery plant. A group opposing the project, the Committee for Marshall-Not the Megasite, filed a petition for a vote on the rezoning. When the city clerk deemed that petition insufficient, the group filed a lawsuit.
A judge in September ruled against the opponents, denying their request for an injunction and for the court to order the city clerk to accept the petition.
Now, the lawsuit has been dismissed on all counts by a Calhoun County judge, according to a Wednesday release, and the development “remains on track.”
“With this lawsuit now dismissed and behind us, we look forward to keeping this important project moving forward as planned, because it will help Marshall recover from years of job and population losses, pump millions of dollars into our local economy and create opportunities for young people so they don’t have to leave the area to find jobs,” MAEDA CEO Jim Durian said in a statement.
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The Committee for Marshall-Not the Megasite in a Wednesday release said it “whole heartedly disagrees” with the ruling.
“The fight is not over,” it said. “The Committee will appeal at the proper time and is in consultation with its legal team.”
The path of the project, which was first announced in February of 2023, has been tumultuous, with some residents concerned about the impact it will have on the community and environment.
Ford in September paused the project, spurred by the United Auto Workers strike. Three months later in November, Ford said while it was moving forward with the plant, it was “right-sizing as we balance investment, growth, and profitability.” It also dropped the number of jobs the project is expected to create from 2,500 to 1,700.
The plant is expected to start producing LFP battery cells, which Ford says will help lower the cost of electric vehicles, in 2026.
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