Dozens gather in silent protest against Project River in Bradley Co.

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: No chants. No shouting. Just signs and a steady stream of people walking through the city of Cleveland.

Dozens of residents gathered Sunday evening to show their opposition to an $11.3 billion energy campus proposal known as Project River.

The protest was organized by Cleveland resident, Isaiah Bayliss, who says he wanted to turn the growing online conversation into something people could see in person.

“I wanted to organize something where we can kind of be seen and not heard,” Bayliss said. “It's just a show of numbers to let people know, raise more awareness, and kind of have a polite, respectful, organized group just working together.”

From teens to people in their 80s, the demonstration brought people of all ages together.

“This proposed project… it doesn't care if you're young or old, doesn't care which side of the political parties you're aligned with. This is something that's going to have a big impact on the area, and so I just wanted to see an organized group of people come together,” Bayliss said.

Another protestor, Debbie Bise, says she has a personal connection to the 850-acre plot of land the proposed campus would be built on near Lower River Road in Charleston.
She is concerned about the potential negative impacts Project River could have on the environment and the Hiwassee River.

“The river situation is already hectic out there now,” Bise said. “You put nine barges per day, going right past our property and the BNB Marina up that river. Where are you going to fish? Where are you going to boat? Where are you going to do jet skiing?”

Developers behind Project River say the proposal is about more than just an energy campus, but a way to bring in millions of dollars of revenue and hundreds of jobs to Bradley County, helping advance the growing region.

“Here in Bradley County, we've got the opportunity to tie it all together with this, you know, energy and technology campus,” said Mitchell Simpson, President and CEO of Wright Brothers Construction. “We're not trying to hide behind it. It very well could be a data center, but we also need to recognize that we could have advanced manufacturing here.”

In the meantime, Project River developers still have to go through zoning changes and ecological surveys before the county approves plans.

But protesters say they want more answers before that happens.

For the protesters, the message is simple: They want to be seen and they want county leaders and developers to pay attention.