The state has followed the law and gone above and beyond to work with the local community and will continue to do so, including through committees put into place by the state to allow for a consolidated forum to provide feedback." The unanswered questions about transparency come days before Georgia's gubernatorial primary on May 24. Critics accuse Kemp of touting the project while trying to keep a lid on the unresolved issues ahead of a contested election. Kemp's office didn't respond to a request for comment. One of the key transparency issues concerning the Rivian project occurred in February, when the state of Georgia took over the Rivian project after the JDA asked for assistance, citing lack of resources. This allowed officials to bypass local rezoning hearings, which were scheduled for the JDA to address concerns about the effects of heavy industrial development on land in Morgan County that's predominately rural with large-lot residential homes.