Records show Anduril chose one of three site plans in Pickaway County
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- State records show Anduril considered three site plans for its Pickaway County weapons manufacturing facility before selecting its five-warehouse plan.
According to state records, Anduril considered three alternative project plans to minimize the effects on local wildlife, as is required by the EPA. Anduril ultimately went with the option requiring the largest effect on local ecosystems, determining it was the only site that would meet the "anticipated production demands" of the Department of Defense.
Anduril, a defense systems manufacturing company, announced plans to build aerial autonomous weapons in Pickaway County in January. Anduril selected Ohio for its Arsenal-1 project because the state offers economic support for major developments and is home to many universities. See previous coverage of Arsenal-1 in the video player above.
Permit requests show five warehouses was the only way to meet the production and job creation demands required by JobsOhio. JobsOhio awarded Anduril a $310 million state grant to support drone and aerial weapons manufacturing near Rickenbacker Airport. Under the funding agreement, Anduril must create 4,008 jobs by 2035, and permits said ulterior site plans would not have accommodated enough workers.
Filings show Anduril's team chose the five warehouse option over off-site or four-building alternatives with smaller environmental impacts. The selected site will require 76 acres of trees to be cleared, and will affect 5.6 acres of wetlands.
Under the approved plan, two streams will be permanently rerouted, with one feeding into the other and culverting under roadways. Both streams are unnamed tributaries to Walnut Creek.
The project will also affect 11 wetlands. To supplement the effects on wetlands and wildlife, Anduril’s planning team proposed buying stream and wetland credits from mitigation banks. Mitigation banks allow developers to financially support wetlands or streams that have been restored or enhanced elsewhere to offset their own environmental impacts.
The selection was the most expensive option, costing Anduril $1.4 billion to construct. However, state records show the two other options would have led to potential production delays, which could have resulted in the project "likely" moving out of state.
Filings indicate Anduril has not begun construction in areas with identified environmental impacts. However, Anduril confirmed to NBC4 in late September that construction is quietly underway elsewhere on the site. Anduril previously said it hopes to begin weapons manufacturing in Pickaway County by July 2026.
As is required by Ohio law, Anduril will have to offer a chance for public feedback on the project. According to a letter from the Ohio EPA, Anduril must notify the public by Nov. 4.