The Council
A proposed governance layer for community benefits, shared resources and campus-wide interests. It would act through a charter agreed by participating parties.
Shared systems.
Stronger local outcomes.
A proposed working group for PORTS–Pike: connect independent projects, clarify shared responsibilities, and evaluate practical benefits for the surrounding community.
Proposed, not established. Existing institutions and operators retain their authority.
Built around the place.
Accountable to its people.
PORTS has an active cleanup mission, independent operators and established local institutions. This proposal starts by listening to the people and organizations already doing the work.
Community First means considering the people of Pike, Jackson, Ross and Scioto counties and the surrounding region. A new working group makes sense only where a real coordination gap exists.
DOE / Portsmouth SSAB
Federal stewardship, cleanup and the existing federal advisory process.
SODI
Community reuse, asset transition and economic diversification.
Ohio University / PORTSfuture
Independent information, technical assistance and public engagement.
ASCEND
Local business, workforce and supplier coordination.
Pike County
Local government and community development responsibilities.
Existing responsibilities and local initiatives—not a list of partners, members or endorsers.
Coordinate together.
Keep accountability clear.
Two distinct roles. Written authority. Independent operators.
Screen practical connections in power, water, cooling and recovered heat. Each connection needs a responsible owner, an agreed scope and evidence that it adds value.
The Integrator
A separately appointed entity would carry out approved technical integration and coordination. Scope, funding and accountability must be agreed by sponsors.
No displacement. No delay. No assets managed without written delegation.
DOE, the Portsmouth SSAB, SODI, PORTSfuture, local government, regulators and facility operators retain their authority. Stop work that creates exposure for permitting or the core construction schedule.
Prove a useful connection before building a new institution.
- 00
Listen
Confirm the gapUnderstand existing roles, community priorities and sponsor constraints before authorizing work.
- 01
30-day screen
Test the interfacesMap owners, economics, risks and design decisions. Proceed, pilot, defer or stop.
- 02
90-day definition
Define one pilotTest one sponsor-approved use case with a named operator, credible demand and an engineering scope.
- 03
Formalize
Earn a durable structureConsider an entity only after recurring value, funding, liability and decision rights are established.
Proposed sequence. Proceed, pilot, defer or stop at each gate. These are proposed durations, not completed milestones.
Community value has to be measurable.
Jobs, water stewardship, local purchasing and public finances need evidence—not promises. Public reporting should distinguish a proposal, a signed commitment and a delivered result.
Jobs & skills
Track wages, local hiring, funded training and placements. Distinguish construction job-years from permanent jobs.
Water & environment
Assess actual water needs, independent monitoring and public reporting alongside existing oversight.
Local suppliers
Track local contracts and spending, with clear eligibility and a practical way for smaller businesses to compete.
Public value
Distinguish net local revenue from gross taxes, accounting for incentives, public costs and delivered commitments.
Evaluation criteria, not promised outcomes. This concept has no committed jobs, tax projections, training partnerships or procurement awards to announce.
Questions deserve
direct answers.
Support, skepticism and opposition are legitimate parts of the conversation. A technical concept cannot substitute for public participation or official decision-making.
Is a Council already established?
No. The PORTS–Pike Integration Council is a proposal for discussion, beginning as a chartered working group if participating parties agree. A formal entity would follow only if recurring value justifies it. No organization is a member or endorser merely because it appears here.
What about cleanup and environmental safety?
Cleanup remains an active responsibility. This concept makes no finding that any parcel is safe for a particular use, including food production. Health and contamination concerns deserve accessible evidence, independent scrutiny and the appropriate official processes.
DOE cleanup informationWhat could this mean for water and electricity?
The concept promises neither lower household bills nor zero water consumption. Generation, transmission, rate effects, water sources, consumption and drought resilience require project-specific evidence and review by the responsible utility, regulatory and environmental authorities.
Who would own or operate shared systems?
Existing owners and operators retain their assets and responsibilities. Any shared arrangement would require explicit written authority, agreements, funding and accountability. The Council would not manage member assets without written delegation. EnergiAcres proposes to be evaluated for the integrator role; appointment is not assumed.
Could recovered heat have a useful second life?
Potential uses include industrial processes, food processing, cooling and controlled-environment agriculture. First confirm temperature, timing, distance, reliability, demand, permissions and economics. Agriculture is a proposed proof case, not an approved project: separation from federal operations, closed-loop heat transfer and independent testing would be essential. Some heat streams may have no viable second use.
Does this proposal control community benefit funds?
No. The concept does not reopen or renegotiate existing community commitments, control their funds or announce new awards. Public reporting should distinguish announced commitments, signed agreements and money actually received or spent.
Start with a question.
Share a question or correctionShawn Cutter · shawn@energiacres.com
Benjamin Cross · nusynergyenergy@gmail.com
Concept contacts, not a project operator, public agency or formal regulatory-comment process. Please do not send confidential or security-sensitive information.
Prepared by EnergiAcres with NuSynergy Energy. EnergiAcres proposes to be evaluated for the integrator role and to underwrite the initial screen; neither appointment nor sponsor acceptance is assumed. No participation or endorsement is implied.