Exurban Pursues an Alternative Site
In response to a pending legal case, Exurban USA, a metals recycling startup, has chosen to seek an alternative location for its planned e-scrap smelter, which was originally destined for Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The organization had already reached an agreement with the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission to purchase 77 acres of land in order for construction to begin on the site.
Led by executives from firms such as Aurubis, Umicore, and Glencore, Exurban plans to construct its own $350 million facility smelter and refinery. The plant will be used to domestically process printed circuit boards and other scrap materials that would otherwise be exported.
Legal Action Taken
The Bulmahn family, owners of farmland across the road from the project location, chose to take legal action against the proposed development. They filed a lawsuit at their state court to have the Fort Wayne Plan Commission’s approval of the potential plans for the project overturned. The basis of their argument was that such an application is not permitted under local zoning codes.
Exurban was adamant that the lawsuit had no grounds and would not succeed. However, before the judge was able to rule on the case, the claim had already caused too much of an impediment for the land purchase deal to go through.
Before finalizing the acquisition of 77 acres from Fort Wayne, Exurban was given a due-diligence period to conduct site testing and complete project engineering. This accord also provided the city of Fort Wayne with a way to reclaim ownership of the land, should construction not begin within the allotted timeframe.
However, WANE TV news reported that the contract ended on January 31st after both sides argued in court. Although they had an option to renew the contract, neither party chose to.
Fort Wayne Releases a Statement
The City of Fort Wayne explained that, “The purchase agreement between the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission and Exurban expired and hasn’t been renewed. The City of Fort Wayne and Exurban had a positive working relationship. Difficulties arose when a lawsuit was filed by a nearby landowner challenging the development. Exurban has expressed a continued interest in developing a business model in northeast Indiana in the future. The City of Fort Wayne will continue its efforts to find another private entity to invest in the city-owned property at Adams Center and Paulding roads to bring more economic development opportunities and additional jobs to our community.”
On February 20th in Allen Superior Court, a joint motion was filed by the litigants, plaintiffs, and defendants alike, seeking to have the judge nullify the approval of the development plan. The ruling was granted on February 22nd.
Exurban Sets Sights on Indiana
Exurban remains open to establishing a presence in northeast Indiana, even after facing setbacks. WANE 15 recently received a joint statement from the company’s co-founders, Wes Adams and Jean-Paul Deco who provided the following assertion:
“Exurban remains committed to advancing its zero-waste electronic metals recycling project in Indiana and will still be considering Northeastern Indiana. We have terminated our current purchase agreement at the Adams Township Industrial Park in Fort Wayne, as progress was delayed by a lawsuit challenging compliance with the city zoning ordinance. Exurban has elected to move to a more suitable site after several community leaders in other Indiana cities and counties expressed their interest in hosting our project.”
The organization feels that Indiana would benefit from the massive $340M investment for the recycling facility, with up to 200 new high-paying jobs being created in green technology.
Already boasting several leading metals recycling companies, Indiana is set to become even more environmentally friendly as it eliminates waste streams and provides American manufacturers with sustainable recycled materials.
“We would like to thank the City of Fort Wayne for considering us and Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Greater Fort Wayne Inc., for helping us find a new home. We look forward to announcing a new project location later this year.”
