Placing future land use planning in a regional context: The savannah river site

Since the end of the Cold War, facilities that were part of our nation's nuclear weapons complex are shifting from production of bombs to cleanup of wastes and reuse of lands and facilities no longer needed for bomb-making activities. This shift will necessitate a new style of planning that must include the understanding that on-site land uses can have a great impact on off-site land uses and planning in the larger regions where these facilities are located. This article explains the need to place land use planning at Department of Energy (DOE) sites into a larger regional planning context by drawing on the example of recent research conducted by the authors at the Savannah River Site. A study of written plans that have been developed and interviews with planners and local officials showed that future uses will have a great impact on communities and that constructive planning initiatives are needed to build the trust necessary for DOE to enter a public dialogue about the risks and benefits of alternative land use scenarios.