Echoes of Appalachia

A proposal from BWX Technologies to rezone 128 acres near Jonesborough for a new uranium processing facility has triggered strong opposition from residents across Washington and Greene counties. The project would occupy the former Aerojet property, a site already burdened with a legacy of contamination, and would sit along Little Limestone Creek, a waterway that flows into the Nolichucky River. Since the Nolichucky supplies drinking water for Greeneville, the plan has raised alarm among community members who feel their region has already suffered enough from industrial decisions made far from the people who live with the consequences.

BWXT wants to build a plant that converts depleted uranium into high purity material for defense applications. The company highlights economic benefits, including around 175 skilled jobs, along with modern environmental controls that it says will prevent any liquid discharge from entering the creek or surrounding waterways. For a rural Appalachian community where well-paying technical jobs are limited, these promises carry real weight.

Many residents view the proposal through the lens of the site’s troubled history. Aerojet once used the same property for depleted uranium work, leaving contamination in surrounding farmland. Reporting from WJHL along with Yahoo shows that state records and community accounts point to years of soil problems and uncertainty. Families still remember testing in fields and lingering questions about long term exposure. That memory shapes public reaction to BWXT’s request far more strongly than any promotional campaign from the company.

About forty acres of the land BWXT wants to rezone sit inside the Little Limestone Creek floodplain. This detail alone has become central to the debate. Floodplain building brings elevated risk, even for facilities designed to handle hazardous materials with modern engineering. Appalachian waterways rise quickly during heavy rain. Runoff from hillsides funnels down through narrow channels that can swell with almost no warning. If floodwaters ever reached work areas or storage zones of a uranium processing plant, even a small release could leave a long trail of sediment contamination, habitat disruption, and threats to public water supplies downstream.

Little Limestone Creek feeds directly into the Nolichucky River, where Greeneville draws drinking water. For residents, that connection feels immediate and personal. Many live close enough to the creek to watch it rise during storms. Many spent weekends fishing in the Nolichucky or raising livestock along its banks. In a region where waterways remain tied to agriculture, recreation, and household wells, the idea of expanding uranium related operations near a sensitive stream has created widespread concern.

Public frustration deepened when many residents said they received inadequate notice of the initial planning commission meeting. The meeting moved forward with limited community participation, and the short timing left people feeling excluded from decisions that could shape the region’s environmental health for generations. Once word spread, public meetings became crowded with residents voicing concerns about safety, water quality, and the continued arrival of heavy industry into their Appalachian communities.

This conflict reflects a larger history throughout Appalachia. For decades, companies seeking inexpensive land or communities with less political leverage have built industrial sites throughout the mountains without fully addressing environmental consequences. Coal mining, chemical work, waste storage facilities, and energy projects have left soil damage, polluted streams, and long battles over cleanup. Many rural Appalachian residents carry earned skepticism toward corporations that promise environmental protection while pursuing projects that bring high risk.

Opponents of the rezoning argue that Appalachia’s ecosystems remain too delicate to withstand another industrial footprint involving radioactive materials. Forested ridges and valleys around Jonesborough support diverse wildlife that depends on clean streams. The region’s limestone based groundwater system contains channels and voids that allow contaminants to travel unpredictably. A site already associated with uranium contamination raises intensified worry, especially if new operations begin above a floodplain connected to a regional drinking water supply.

Those speaking against the project say their opposition comes from a desire to protect their home rather than resist economic improvement. Many welcome good jobs, although they reject the idea that employment must come with risk to water quality or community health. Others note that Appalachian communities repeatedly become locations for projects that would face stronger resistance in wealthier or more politically influential areas.

BWXT states that the new facility would use advanced environmental controls. The company says its waste systems will ensure that no liquid discharge reaches Little Limestone Creek and that federal and state regulations will guide every phase of the project. While these assurances help reduce uncertainty for some people, they do not erase the weight of past harm for families who live next to the site. Many want independent studies, clear environmental plans, and long term monitoring before considering any form of acceptance.

The debate now centers on a question that appears in rural communities across the country. How can economic development move forward without threatening essential natural resources. Appalachia depends on healthy streams and rivers. They support farming, outdoor activity, and drinking water. They shape community identity and provide a sense of place. When a proposal carries the risk of altering those waters, opposition grows from a deep-rooted cultural and environmental connection.

As Washington County officials continue reviewing the rezoning request, residents are organizing with determination. Petition gatherings, informational meetings, community groups, and outreach to lawmakers have expanded rapidly. Those involved describe their efforts as a final protective wall for Little Limestone Creek, the Nolichucky River, and the generations that rely on both.

Whether the rezoning passes or fails, this struggle highlights a truth long recognized across Appalachia. Once a watershed suffers harm, recovery can take decades or centuries if recovery takes place at all. Many residents see that risk as too great to accept.

The future of the BWXT proposal will reveal how deeply local officials value the protection of Appalachian waterways and how strongly communities can shape decisions that define their land, their health, and their future.

-Tim Carmichael