BLUEFIELD, Va. — Efforts to extend natural gas to the Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Park in Tazewell County are ongoing.
According to Chuck Presley, chairman of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors, an engineering firm has been selected to complete the design work for the first phase of the plan to bring natural gas to the Bluestone Park.
"I’m really excited about this project because it will help serve the Eastern District from the Comfort Inn to the Bluestone," Presley, also the board's Eastern District supervisor, said. "Lawrence Brothers will be able to connect to gas service, which should significantly lower their heating costs. The next phase of installation is expected to begin in 2026. This is a need the Bluestone area has had for a long time, so this is a big win for the community."
The Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Park is located just off of U.S. Route 460 not far from the town limits of Bluefield, Va. It is was originally envisioned as a site for high-tech, manufacturing and other businesses.
As for a specific timeframe on the project, Presley on Thursday deferred additional comment to Tazewell County Administrator Eric Young.
However, he said the project is needed and will benefit not only the technology park, but businesses and residences in that area as well.
"Yes, exceptionally needed," Presley said of the natural gas project.
Presley said the county also is working on a project to bring natural gas to the western side of the county, adding he is excited to see where that development goes.
The Tazewell County Industrial Development Authority received a grant last year from the Commonwealth Economic Development Partnership to fund the design and permitting of a potential gas line from its terminus near the Comfort Inn on U.S. Route 460 to the Bluestone Technology Park, according to earlier reports from Tazewell County Administrator Eric Young.
Young said the county had received several inquiries from data centers about the park but added the electrical capacity was insufficient. He said natural gas is a cheaper alternative which could attract modern, high-energy manufacturing, adding the county therefore wanted to pursue extending gas to the park.
Presley also released this week what called a "May, June and July" board update.
In that update, Presley talked about several other projects as well, including a planned September meeting at the Ebenezer Church to discuss water line expansions; the acquisition of a structure in North Tazewell that will serve as the new home of the Tazewell County Fire Department; how a $4 million loan could help the county fund a leachate tank at the Tazewell County Landfill, a tire shredder, improvements at the Cedar Bluff transfer station, and the Springville fire station; and how the county helped the local school system finance and pay for the bleachers at Graham High School, along with repairs for the wall at Tazewell High School and repairs to Richlands Elementary.
The necessary engineering work for the installation of bleachers and lights is underway at the Graham High School field, Tazewell County School Superintendent Christopher Stacy said earlier this month.
“Once those are completed we’ll start moving the bleachers in with the light installation probably occurring at the same time,” Stacy said.
The bleachers are coming from the former Grundy High School in neighboring Buchanan County.
Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com
