# Ascend Elements settles false claims case over stalled battery plant **Published:** 2026-08-05T02:48:42.000Z **Source:** [Hoptown Chronicle](https://hoptownchronicle.org/ascend-elements-settles-with-federal-govt-over-ev-battery-plant-in-hopkinsville/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/ascend-elements-settles-false-claims-case-over-stalled-battery-plant Ascend Elements, a Massachusetts-based EV battery recycling company, has settled false claims allegations with the U.S. Department of Justice stemming from its $1 billion investment project in Hopkinsville, according to [reporting from the Hoptown Chronicle](https://hoptownchronicle.org/ascend-elements-settles-with-federal-govt-over-ev-battery-plant-in-hopkinsville/). The company announced plans in 2022 to build a major battery recycling facility in the western Kentucky city, but the project has faced significant setbacks. Ascend Elements filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, halting construction of the facility. The settlement with the Department of Justice resolved allegations related to false claims, though specific details including settlement amounts and the precise nature of the allegations were not disclosed. The company's bankruptcy filing came after the initial announcement of the ambitious manufacturing project, which was expected to create jobs and position Hopkinsville as a hub for battery recycling technology. Despite the legal and financial challenges, new owners have acquired the project and expressed commitment to completing construction, according to statements from the company. The facility is designed to recycle lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, a growing segment as EV adoption accelerates nationwide. Ascend Elements' Hopkinsville facility would have been part of a broader national effort to develop domestic battery recycling capacity, reducing dependence on foreign supply chains and recovering valuable materials from spent batteries. ## Sources - [Hoptown Chronicle](https://hoptownchronicle.org/ascend-elements-settles-with-federal-govt-over-ev-battery-plant-in-hopkinsville/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Hoptown Chronicle. The original source is available at https://hoptownchronicle.org/ascend-elements-settles-with-federal-govt-over-ev-battery-plant-in-hopkinsville/.