Pictures from Aug. 12, 2002 Rally organized by Citizens for the Preservation of Valley Beautiful

The nuclear issues in this east Tennessee county are two-fold: 1) Urenco wants to build a new uranium enrichment facility at a pristine site in either Unicoi, TN, Lynchburg, VA or Wilmington, NC and 2) Nuclear Fuel Services in nearby Erwin, TN is seeking an expanded permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a BLEU facility (blended uranium enrichment of uranium).  BREDL submitted a request for a hearing on the NFS expansion to the NRC on August 8, 2002.    

Many Unicoi residents and at least one Alderman said that the Mayor sought to abolish zoning in the Town of Unicoi in order to smooth the way for Urenco.  On August 12 Citizens for the Preservation of Valley Beautiful organized a demonstration and a press conference in front of the Unicoi Town Hall to show that people opposed both Urenco and the plan to abolish zoning.  People filled the room and the debate filled the air.  

In a stunning turnaround, an alderman who had supported the Mayor's plan offered to table the resolution to eliminate zoning.  The 3-2 vote preserved zoning and resulted in an important victory for Citizens for the Preservation of Valley Beautiful.

Aug. 12, 2002: Citizens for the Preservation of Valley Beautiful Press Release - Proposal to rezone called ploy to allow nuclear plant in Eastern Tennessee

Aug. 8, 2002: BREDL requests hearing on license amendment for Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) license for special nuclear materials, SNM— 124, which would authorize construction and operation of a uranyl nitrate storage building