February 8, 2001

By Frank Munger, News-Sentinel senior writer

OAK RIDGE -- The U.S. Department of Energy added more fuel to an Oak Ridge controversy Wednesday, confirming plans to do an environmental impact statement on future use of federal land -- a move that could stall some industrial developments by a couple of years or longer.

Soon after confirming that plan, however, a DOE spokesman said Oak Ridge Manager Leah Dever was postponing a formal announcement scheduled for this morning.

"While Leah Dever has met with staff-level officials on the issue, she has not had an opportunity to brief (DOE) headquarters senior management," said Steven Wyatt, a spokesman in the federal agency's Oak Ridge office. "Therefore, we have been asked to delay a public announcement until after this occurs."

U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., apparently intervened in Washington to block Dever's move on the land-use issue. He met Wednesday with Jim Decker, acting director of DOE's Office of Science.

"I asked that before DOE moves forward with a lengthy EIS process on any part of the Oak Ridge reservation that the duly elected leaders of our area be given a briefing and have an opportunity to be heard," Wamp said in a press statement.

The congressman said he was assured he would be given a full update on any land-use study before a decision is final.

Wyatt said it is still Dever's recommendation that DOE conduct a full-scale environmental impact statement before proceeding with land-use proposals in Oak Ridge.

If that decision holds, it would be a blow to the business community and a significant victory for conservationists who want to stop piecemeal development of DOE's 34,000-acre Oak Ridge reservation. But the ebb and flow of Wednesday's reports and rumors left both sides confused and wondering what might come next.

"I really don't know what I can say. It's obvious politics are being played somewhere," said Dev Joslin, a forestry researcher who heads Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation. The group supports preservation of undisturbed federal land for environmental research, recreation and other uses.

"We've been in favor of an EIS all along and think it would an excellent idea," Joslin said.

Parker Hardy, president of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber favors land-use planning but does not think an environmental impact statement is necessary.

Heretofore, DOE has conducted limited reviews -- known as environmental assessments -- on proposed projects involving use of federal land.

After receiving a call from Dever about plans for the EIS, Hardy said, "We're disappointed, but we'll move forward." He received a second call from Dever later in the afternoon, postponing the announcement and adding some doubt to the plans.

The most immediate concern to the business community is that an environmental impact statement would delay development of an industrial park on a DOE parcel known as ED-3.

Hardy said ED-3 would supply the need for a "Class-B" industrial park with immediate access to new tenants.

Plans for an EIS reportedly would not affect two other land-use proposals already in the works on DOE's Oak Ridge reservation -- 10 acres of land designated for private investment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and a 182-acre strip of Clinch River floodplain. Dever recently approved an environmental assessment for the floodplain, which would give river access to a proposed residential development on 1,200 acres near the DOE reservation.

Jim Campbell of the East Tennessee Economic Council said DOE is sending a bad signal to the business community if the agency proceeds with an environmental impact statement.

"I have no idea why, all of a sudden, we need to stop something that was well along and almost done," Campbell said.

An environmental assessment for ED-3 was nearly complete until Dever halted the work, he said.

DOE has supported "Partners in Progress," a program that promotes industrial development on the west end of the federal reservation. "What happened to our partnership?" Campbell asked Wednesday.

"Slowing down the transfer of surplus property will negatively impact the city's efforts to enhance its tax base," Oak Ridge City Manager Paul Boyer said. "And since the government chooses already not to pay its fair share of the costs, it's just going to put us in an even less favorable financial position." Joe Lenhard, a retired DOE executive who supports private development of federal property, said an environmental impact statement would be a "minor disaster" and could stall projects for as long as five years.

Frank Munger can be reached at 865-482-9213 or twig1@knoxnews.infi.net.

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