⚖️ Public Health and County Accountability — For the Public Record
We are entering this statement into the public record to affirm that the citizens of Washington County expect our elected Commissioners to uphold their legal and moral duty to protect public health, property, and environmental safety.
The proposed Euclidean rezoning of BWXT-affiliated property from Residential and Agricultural classifications to M-2 High Industrial Impact directly borders active farmland (A1) and established residential neighborhoods (R3). The affected tract also contains approximately forty (40) acres of mapped flood plain, situated within the Nolichucky River watershed—a vital regional water system that includes Little Limestone Creek and supports both domestic and agricultural water resources downstream.
Approving this rezoning would violate Washington County’s Comprehensive Plan, which expressly calls for compatibility between adjacent land uses, the protection of agricultural and residential areas from industrial encroachment, and the preservation of environmentally sensitive lands and flood plains.
Moving forward with this Euclidean zoning change—without an independent comprehensive environmental impact assessment, independent hydrological study, and transparent public disclosure of industrial activities—would constitute a serious breach of duty in governance. Under Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 13 and 68, and applicable federal environmental law, County officials can personally be held liable if they knowingly or negligently approve actions that threaten the community’s air, soil, water, or long-term health.
We therefore call upon Washington County to withhold any rezoning action until all required studies, public hearings, and full disclosures are completed, published, and entered into the permanent record for public review.
Protection first — profit second.
Our community’s health, farmland, homes, and watershed must come before industrial expansion.