Richland County approves Westinghouse rezoning despite unanimous planning commission disapproval and broad public opposition

Richland County Council approved a rezoning request Dec. 17 that will allow Westinghouse to convert a 53-acre parcel near 5801 Bluff Road to heavy industrial use for a new manufacturing facility.

Christopher Knight, representing Westinghouse, told the council the Columbia fuel fabrication site has operated in Richland County since 1969 and that the added acreage would permit construction of a state-of-the-art facility to produce an advanced LEU Plus fuel product. "This new facility will have more efficient processes and increase the use of automation while creating approximately 100 jobs of a highly technical nature," Knight said.

Nancy Parr, Westinghouse’s environmental protection manager, said the company expects the new building to generate "less air and water discharges compared to existing operations" as production moves from older facilities, and that a focused cultural resource survey found no historic sites in the selected area.

Speakers from across Lower Richland urged the council to reject the rezoning. Dr. Tamara Warren said the property had been placed in a conservation special-purpose base district under the county’s 2021 land development code and noted both staff and the planning commission recommended disapproval. "I only think it is fair that if we are setting a standard on how we engage individuals in the community, we either defer until the next meeting so we can have everyone come to the table to express our concerns," Warren said.

Community advocate Tiffany Bridal urged the council to "accept the staff and commissioners’ recommendation to disapprove this map amendment," reading a constituent statement that described long-standing local fears about nuclear operations.

John Gregor, president of Friends of Condoree Swamp, cited on-site groundwater contamination investigations and argued Westinghouse already has sufficient property zoned heavy industrial closer to Bluff Road, which he said would better buffer the Congaree River floodplain and sensitive conservation lands.

Pamela Greenlaw pointed the council to a Department of Interior document about Westinghouse’s prior licensing and raised concerns about activities on-site that may fall under federal oversight, saying the county could lose control "of what is under the roof of the proposed facility." Neil Balchemas and other residents warned rezoning would remove a mature pine forest and harm downstream ecosystems.

Councilwoman Terracia English, who represents the district that includes the site, said the county does not regulate nuclear safety and that state and federal agencies (including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and DHEC) oversee those matters. After summarizing meetings and outreach she said she was "responsible" and moved to approve the rezoning. The motion was seconded and the council announced "Motion approved." The transcript records the approval but does not provide an itemized roll-call vote in the public record excerpt.

The council’s approval comes despite a unanimous 8–0 planning commission recommendation to disapprove and staff support for disapproval. Opponents asked the council either to defer the case to allow broader public engagement or to deny it outright because of environmental, cultural and contamination risks; proponents argued the expansion would modernize operations, reduce emissions from older buildings and preserve local jobs.

The county record indicates next steps will follow standard permitting and regulatory channels for any future construction; the approval before the council was the local zoning map amendment that changes the parcel’s allowable uses.