Formal request made for first land transfer at Paducah DOE Site

As part of planning for the future reindustrialization of the Paducah Department of Energy site, an important first step was submitted to DOE Wednesday. 

A formal letter of request was made for the first transfer of land from DOE to the community. “This is a multi-step process that could take several years,” said McCracken County Judge-Executive and Industrial Development Authority Chair Craig Clymer. 

The request was submitted jointly by the Paducah-McCracken County Industrial Development Authority and the Paducah Area Community Reuse Organization and signed by Judge Clymer and Eddie Jones, PACRO Chair.

“Land transfer represents an important step toward the reindustrialization of the Paducah site and integral to our Environmental Management mission,” said Joel Bradburne, Department of Energy’s Portsmouth Paducah Project Office Manager. 

“The Department of Energy is committed to working with our community partners to ensure the site will remain an asset for the region. We are pleased to receive this land transfer request and begin our evaluation.” 

In 2023 the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce received a grant from DOE for a reindustrialization study of the site. 

The grant identified the land transfer process as a major initiative for the community.

The IDA has been designated as the local recipient for any available land. IDA is the organization which holds land for Paducah’s economic development efforts and can issue bonds, handle infrastructure grants and construction. 

The Greater Paducah Economic Development organization oversees the process of recruiting economic development interests to Paducah and McCracken County and coordinates the work of IDA.

The request from IDA asks for approximately 250 acres for the first land parcel to be transferred to the community. 
    
The land will provide opportunities to explore locating other companies such as energy, nuclear, technology, manufacturing, and related industries to the area. 

Any use of the property would be consistent with the industrial nature of the current site that has operated for over 70 years. 

“The Chamber’s study is a comprehensive approach for the site to facilitate the land transfer process, identify future economic development prospects, and workforce needs for now and the future,” said Sandra Wilson, Chamber President/CEO.

“Securing land is one of the first steps in building a new vision for the site. My father was one of the laborers who built the former gaseous diffusion site. It’s exciting to begin building the new future for the site and the jobs it will bring for our third generation of families in the region,” said Bruce Wilcox, GPED President/CEO.