Coronavirus: County may allow Tesla plant to resume operations next week

ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. -- The dispute between Tesla and San Francisco Bay Area authorities over the reopening of a factory in the face of coronavirus shutdown orders is coming to an end.

Tesla has reached a tentative deal with Alameda County to resume operations. Alameda County released a statement late Tuesday night saying it has reviewed Tesla's safety plan, and if the carmaker adds some safety recommendations, it could get permission to reopen next week.

The plant is operating outside of compliance with county health orders. While Gov. Gavin Newsom gave clearance for manufacturing to resume in California late last week, more restrictive health orders in Alameda County prohibit manufacturing until site-specific healthy and safety guidelines can be put in place.

On Saturday, CEO Elon Musk filed a federal lawsuit against Alameda County looking for an injunction against the health order to allow the plan to resume activity. Musk tweeted that he reopened the plant Monday, saying that he would "be on the line with everyone else" and "if anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me."

RELATED: Elon Musk says Tesla plant restarting production against Alameda County rules

President Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to back Tesla CEO Elon Musk in his ongoing fight to reopen the Fremont electric car factory against Alameda County's coronavirus shelter-in-place order.

As Tesla employees were arriving to work Tuesday just before 7 a.m. local time, the president tweeted, "California should let Tesla & @Elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!"

Fremont police say that they currently have no plans to make any arrests or issue any citations for what would be a misdemeanor.