In Jonesborough, Tennessee, the Washington County Regional Planning Commission has postponed a crucial meeting concerning the rezoning request from BWXT, a prominent nuclear technology firm. This decision was made in response to an unexpectedly large turnout of community members eager to voice their opinions.

The session, initially scheduled for Tuesday, was set to address BWXT’s proposal to rezone approximately 128 acres of land on Nuclear Fuels’ property along Old State Route 34. This rezoning is pivotal for constructing a new facility focused on producing uranium, a project tied to national security efforts.

However, the venue proved inadequate to accommodate the significant public interest, leading officials to defer the meeting to ensure all voices could be heard and information properly disseminated. The commission had only announced the gathering a day in advance, which may have contributed to the overwhelming turnout.

The rezoning ordinance is part of a broader $1.5 billion government contract that enables BWXT to expand its operations across East Tennessee. The company’s role as a supplier of nuclear components and fuel to the United States government underscores the importance of this project in the national security landscape.

The ordinance requests 128 acres of land on Nuclear Fuels’ property on Old State Route 34 in Jonesborough to be rezoned for a new facility for producing uranium for national security purposes.

The ordinance follows a $1.5 billion government contract allowing BWXT to expand facilities throughout East Tennessee.

Many residents of Washington County said they are against the ordinance, citing health risks of living near nuclear facilities, narrower roadways and lack of research on the commission’s side.

Daniel Westbrook, a nearby resident, is against the ordinance. He says the public wasn’t given enough notice of the meeting.

“An entity called the neighbors of BWXT put out a flier on Facebook, but before that we didn’t know,” Westbrook said. “I think going forward, we will know [this information]. You saw the amount of people here today. That’s going to grow exponentially. It’s too important. I think they understand that the community has attention to this fact, and the number [of comments] will grow.”

Westbrook claimed that the public hadn’t received enough information regarding the ordinance in advance to its reading.

“We don’t know who’s regulating it,” he said. “Have they gotten any permits? What has been relayed to our community leaders? We suspect, having gone through issues pertaining to Bitcoin, the corporations that come in and want to put these plants typically give very limited information or even misinformation. This is too important when you’re dealing with uranium.”

Resident Jeff Jernigen said he lives two miles down the road from the BWXT facility in Jonesborough.

He said the decision to reschedule the ordinance reading was a good idea and allows both residents and the commission to gather information.

“I think we should be open to it,” Jernigen said. “I think it could be a very good thing for the economy of the area; however, that obviously needs to be balanced against the impact it would have on the locals, and the safety issues are of some concern. I’m glad they’re going to reschedule it so we can have a lot of community participation.”

The Washington County Regional Planning Commission did not specify a date for the rescheduled ordinance reading.