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Emery County Commission hears mixed public reaction as Valor Atomics seeks adjacent industrial land
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…
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