By Pat Fain and Leslie Agron
This is the first of several columns about a different vision for Oak Ridge than has previously existed.
The default development plan Oak Ridge has been operating under, to rely on federal subcontractor and spin-off industry growth, has stalled. The degree to which it will revive as the U.S. economy revives remains to be seen.
The U.S. Department of Energy says the Uranium Processing Facility they are just starting is their last big build in Oak Ridge. Upon its completion the number of employees in this function will decrease by about one-third. Given this and other concerns, it behooves us to consider other possible engines to fuel the Oak Ridge economy. We think that any successful replacement development plan will be woven from a combination of elements, rather than from one major thread alone.
