Land Acquisition Procedure
The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was selected to manage the acquisition of land because of the availability of qualified and experienced personnel within the organization. USACE management arranged to use such personnel in the acquisition of all properties required for the new site.
In a letter dated August 11, 1952 to Lt. Gen. Pick, Commanding General, Corps of Engineers, the General Manager for the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, (Mr. M. W. Boyer) designated the approximate boundaries of the selected site near Portsmouth and requested that the Corps of Engineers start the purchase of land immediately. The Huntington District Office of the Corps of Engineers was assigned this task and promptly set up headquarters in Waverly, Ohio.
With the public announcement of the site location on August 12, 1952, condemnation proceedings were filed with the Justice Department on all affected tracts simultaneously in order to prohibit speculation and soaring prices.
