Note from the Community: On June 29, 2026, CRG executives Bob Clark, Chris McKee, and Natasha Das hosted a special presentation for the City of Festus[cite: 1]. Below is our fully annotated, reality-checked breakdown of their official slide deck.
Introduction & "We Listened"
Slides 3–4
What CRG Claimed
"We are here because we believe in this project... We listened. We made changes. Today is not the end of the conversation, but a long-term partnership."[cite: 1]
The Reality Check
They "listened" only after 100% of the incumbent pro-development city council members were wiped out in a historic April election landslide, and thousands of residents signed recall petitions.
The Conceptual Plan (The Shrinking Megawatts)
Slides 6–7
What CRG Claimed
Designing for approximately 600 megawatts—flaunting that it is "40% smaller than the 1-gigawatt plan" with 500-foot residential property line setbacks[cite: 1].
The Reality Check
The 1-gigawatt monstrosity was a deliberate anchor-drop strategy. Propose an apocalyptic grid-destroyer first so that a 600-megawatt industrial park looks like a generous compromise.
Environmental Stewardship & Forest Preservation
Slide 9
What CRG Claimed
"± 52% of the land preserved! Leaving ± 188 acres untouched, protecting natural beauty and local gravesites."[cite: 1]
The Reality Check
Celebrating that they aren't paving over *every single square inch* of the 360+ acres doesn't change the fact that the remaining 48% will host a massive high-security industrial campus humming 24/7.
Water & Closed-Loop Cooling
Slide 18
What CRG Claimed
"A closed-loop cooling system that recycles water, producing little to no wastewater discharge. Can operate for years without draining."[cite: 1]
The Reality Check
Internal engineering reports (Horner & Shifrin) released via sunshine requests proved the Jefferson County Water Authority is already at capacity limits. Confidential agreements kept those scary numbers hidden until local watchdogs exposed them.
Air Quality & Tier 4 Backup Generators
Slide 19
What CRG Claimed
"Backup generators run mainly for brief monthly testing and genuine outages. We've committed to Tier 4 generators and daytime-only testing."[cite: 1]
The Reality Check
"Backup generators" for a 600-megawatt facility means an immense fleet of industrial diesel engines roaring simultaneously during grid stress, requiring heavy EPA air permits that residents had to fight tooth and nail to uncover.
Decommissioning Bond
Slide 21
What CRG Claimed
"If abandoned after 20 years, the City may draw on a $10 million bond or letter of credit to reposition the asset."[cite: 1]
The Reality Check
A $10 million bond is a drop in the bucket for a $6 billion corporation walking away from a massive, obsolete industrial wasteland two decades down the road.
Electricity & The Grid ($3M Relief Offer)
Slide 22
What CRG Claimed
"We pay for our own energy... If electricity use exceeds 1 GW, we will fund a $3 million payment to the City for residential electric rate relief."[cite: 1]
The Reality Check
A token payout of $3 million spread across local utility accounts doesn't fix the long-term strain and wholesale rate spikes inflicted on everyday regional ratepayers by massive tech loads.
Residential Buyouts
Slide 23
What CRG Claimed
"Honoring the voluntary buyout for 12 homes at Fair Market Value as of June 1, 2025 + 15% and a $10,000 moving allowance."[cite: 1]
The Reality Check
Let's not forget that families originally found out their homes were in a secret developer buyout zone via Facebook posts because the city and developer never bothered to notify them directly.