Concern for Wetland Protection at Carbon Rivers Research & Development Site in Oak Ridge
Submitted by Doug Colclasure
Edited by Sally Schiller, JoAnn McIntosh and Virginia Dale
Carbon Rivers, a recycling and composite manufacturing business headquartered in Knoxville, has purchased 360 acres of the former S-50 site in Oak Ridge (Figure 1). The company plans to use the site for research and development to improve their process for recovering glass fiber from retired wind turbine blades into material that can be used in composite manufacturing. They have received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Energy Technologies Office via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Carbon Rivers’ recycling process appears to be a net positive for green energy.
Citizens are concerned, however, about the Carbon Rivers project at the former S-50 site because the area includes a wetland. Members of the Oak Ridge Zoning Board and Planning Commission are considering rezoning the site Industrial (IND-2). At the January Meeting of the Zoning Board, there was substantial public opposition to the rezoning plan. Carbon Rivers representatives attended the meeting and pointed out that their plant at this site will be research and development scale and not production scale. The company representatives made clear they favor zoning to preserve the wetland.
Please reach out to Wayne Blasius, Director of Planning and Development ( wblasius@oakridgetn.gov), Steve Whitson, Chair Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission ( stephen@whitsonconstruction.com), and Oak Ridge City Council (citycouncil@oakridgetn.gov) to voice your support to zone for preservation of the wetlands at this site.
Figure 1. Google Earth image of area in question with wetland and forested ridge marked by red ballons and Powerhouse greenway trail marked by purple line in the lower right. The site is bordered by the Clinch River, Poplar Creek and TN 58.
Figure 2. Recent aerial photographs of the site, note stacks of wind turbine blades most visible in middle of third photograph. Retired windmill blades began arriving in May 2022. Photo credits Charlie Hensley
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