The Southeastern Regional Development Agency (SERDA) in conjunction with the Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) held their first Southeastern Utah Regional Summit.
The event was open to all local officials from Southeastern Utah to network with other local affiliates and receive training put together by SERDA, ULCT and the Local Administrative Advisor (LAA).
Geri Gamber, Executive Director for SERDA, welcomed everyone and thanked everyone for coming; especially those who had traveled to be in attendance. Gamber was enthusiastic about this being SERDA’s first Regional Summit event.
Cameron Diehl, Executive Director for the ULCT, made his introductions and discussed the role that ULCT plays for local governments. Diehl discussed the commitment from SERDA that an event like this shows. It is not just a commitment to Price and Carbon County, but to the entire area.
”The League of Cities and Towns represents you at the capital,” stated Diehl.
The guest speaker of the night was Andy Worrall, Deputy Director of Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN).
“He is responsible for the overall management and integration of GAIN activities, including leading the development of tools and data for the broader community, developing strategies for the engagement of the nuclear industry and supply chain and supporting the GAIN director in all other activities,” as stated on GAIN’s website.
Worrall said several times that GAIN is not here to try and convince anyone or trick anyone into nuclear. Worrall wanted attendees to understand that his attendance was simply to educate, to clear up misconceptions and give an honest opinion.
“What’s most important to me is the integrity, scientific integrity, research integrity; if I lose my integrity I’ve lost everything,” expressed Worrall.
Worrall discussed that one of the biggest questions he gets about transitioning from a coal community to nuclear is “Will I still have a job as an electrician, or a mechanic, or a construction worker?” Worrall explained that much of the work needed for nuclear is very similar to the jobs that already exist in this area.
Worrall also discussed that nuclear is not something that can be rushed, it has to be researched and planned carefully. He advised that this is not a push to hurry and start building nuclear reactors, this is a push to educate about nuclear energy.
After Worrall’s presentation, attendees were invited to break into separate workshops.
