The state Department of Natural Resources has approved the city of Racine's request to pull 7 million gallons of water daily from Lake Michigan for a Foxconn Technology Group manufacturing plant.
The agency approved the request Wednesday.
The Taiwanese company expects to break ground by next month on a $10 billion flat-screen plant in Mount Pleasant. The City of Racine asked the DNR permission to divert lake water to serve the facility.
Under the Great Lakes Compact, all water diverted from Lake Michigan must be returned minus what's lost to evaporation or what's incorporated into Foxconn's manufacturing processes. The city's application estimated about 2.7 million gallons daily will be consumed and won't return to the lake.
