Emery County Commission hears mixed public reaction as Valor Atomics seeks adjacent industrial land
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Summary
At an April 7 public hearing, Valor Atomics described plans to expand next to the San Rafael research lab and said it needs adjacent acreage; community members and the state lab’s director urged the county to weigh long‑term economic impacts before selling a 110‑acre parcel. The commission approved a contingent letter pending a second appraisal.
Emery County commissioners heard more than an hour of public comment April 7 as Valor Atomics presented plans to acquire a roughly 110‑acre industrial parcel adjacent to the San Rafael research lab.
Corey Gardner, identified as head of commercial development for Ballard Tomics, told the commission the company is preparing to start its reactor at the lab and wants contiguous land “to expand” with manufacturing and fuel fabrication capacity and, potentially, housing for personnel. “We are getting ready to turn on our reactor,” Gardner said during the hearing and asked the county to consider Valor’s immediate need for laydown space and site characterization.
The most direct challenge came from Jaren Wallace, director of the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab, who urged the commission to consider long‑range economic effects before permanently selling county land. “Selling this land to a single company isn’t just a missed opportunity. It’s giving up on the vision the county itself established for this property,” Wallace said, and asked commissioners to reserve about 10 acres east of the lab to preserve options for the state research center and future tenants.
Residents questioned traffic and safety impacts if heavy construction and frequent truck traffic increase in nearby neighborhoods. One resident described dead animals and road safety concerns and asked whether delivery routes could be changed to reduce impacts. Valor representatives said construction traffic is temporary and pledged continued communication with local officials and planning staff to limit neighborhood disruption.
Several speakers also pressed technical and regulatory questions about licensing and safety. Valor representatives said their reactors use high‑temperature gas designs and TRISO‑type fuel and argued those designs differ materially from legacy light‑water reactors; they acknowledged they have pursued litigation and licensing discussions with federal regulators but emphasized safety as a top priority.
Commissioners discussed procedural and fiscal matters: state code requires two independent appraisals for the sale of public land, and the county currently had one appraisal on file and awaited a second. The commission moved to approve a letter to calculate an asking price based on the average of two appraisals, but made the approval contingent on receipt of the second appraisal; that motion passed in roll call (Jensen, Leonard and Warwood recorded as "Yes").
Why it matters: the parcel in question lies inside a county industrial park created to attract long‑term economic development. Commissioners said the decision could affect whether the county retains permitting authority or cedes some control if the land transfers to state ownership, and could determine whether the lab and multiple private companies have room to grow.
What’s next: the sale process will pause until the county receives the second appraisal and finalizes the asking price. Valor representatives said they will continue due‑diligence work and are available for follow‑up discussions with commissioners and residents.