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Oak Ridge Council authorizes property transfers to enable proposed Oklo-linked fuel‑recycling project amid calls for clawback clarity
Summary
Council approved a resolution allowing the city manager to transfer Heritage Center parcels to Oaklow Incorporated to support a proposed advanced nuclear fuel‑recycling facility tied to Oklo, citing a projected roughly 800 jobs and $1.68 billion private investment; councilors asked for clear clawback language and state agreements before final transfers are executed.
Oak Ridge City Council on the April agenda authorized the city manager to transfer parcels in the Heritage Center Industrial Park to Oaklow Incorporated to advance a proposed advanced nuclear fuel‑recycling facility connected with Oklo.
The city manager said the development could bring “around 800 jobs and 1,680,000,000 in investment with Oklo,” and stressed that any transfer package would include clawback provisions and require coordination and approval from the state because some parcels are tied to earlier state land transactions.
Councilwoman Smith said she wanted to review the state agreements and proposed clawback language before supporting a full transfer. “I’d kinda like to see it before I approve,” she said, noting she had seen only a cover letter and wanted explicit language on valuation and any buyback provisions.
Staff and the manager replied that the resolution would authorize the manager to work through phased transfers and to incorporate clawbacks that are “acceptable to the city and the state,” and that the city expects transfers could be phased because the city does not yet own all parcels.
Del Colclasure, a member of the public, urged council to approve the measure and emphasized the project’s local economic potential. Ray Evans, who said he has worked with the development team, described the plan as a “perfect location” and vouched for the developers’ reputation.
Council members discussed timing and whether the resolution required the council to accept deeds before they saw final agreements; staff said the intent was to give the manager authority to negotiate and include required protections and that the state’s involvement on certain parcels will shape the final documents.
The resolution passed on the council floor with a recorded tally of 5 ayes and 1 nay. The manager and city attorney were directed to continue drafting transfer language and clawback provisions and to provide council members with the state agreements and proposed clawback text for follow‑up before individual deed transfers are finalized.
