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Roane County executive touts $1.68 billion Oaklow project, grant awards and new fire truck
Summary
Roane County Executive (unnamed) told the Roane County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 8 that a project referred to in the meeting as “Oaklow” will locate in the Oak Ridge corridor, bringing what the executive described as a $1,680,000,000 capital investment and 812 jobs to the county.
Roane County Executive (unnamed) told the Roane County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 8 that a project referred to in the meeting as “Oaklow” will locate in the Oak Ridge corridor, bringing what the executive described as a $1,680,000,000 capital investment and 812 jobs to the county.
“The president wrote those executive orders on May 23 — had those executive orders not been written, this project does not locate in Roane County,” the County Executive said, describing the announcement as part of a national security and regional economic initiative.
The County Executive said the project involves small modular reactor manufacturing and fuel reprocessing or recycling, as described at the meeting. He credited coordinated action by local governments in the Oak Ridge corridor and a jointly approved economic development resolution with Anderson County and the city of Oak Ridge for helping recruit the project.
The executive also announced two grants that will fund local recreation projects: a grant package that will allow investments “somewhere between $3,740,000 at Riley Creek Campground,” and a separate award to construct a kayak launch at Poplar Creek adjacent to an existing commercial site, both described as awards made through natural-resources-related grant programs the county applied for. The meeting materials identify the grants as stemming from the Oak Ridge natural resource damages assessment work discussed previously by county staff.
Separately, the executive said Roane County received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that funded a new fire truck and that the vehicle would be parked outside the courthouse immediately following the commission meeting for a group photo. He also announced the full-time appointment of Melinda Farrell as director of solid waste and recycling.
The executive highlighted other smaller items in his report: a large donation of pet-shelter supplies (26 full pallets of cat litter) to the Roane County Animal Shelter, and ongoing work on the Browder property acquisition (a parking-lot purchase described as complete by the county attorney). He said members of the county’s opioid council and a community navigator will present results of their work at the board’s November meeting.
No formal action was required on the announcements; the commission recessed after receiving the reports.
