Wellington Elementary School’s gymnasium was packed to capacity on Wednesday night as over 200 members of Carbon, Emery and surrounding counties met at a public hearing touching on a proposed new facility by Revolution Fuels in Wellington City.
Hoping to receive public comment about the facilities, Utah Division of Air Quality officials Martin Gray and Tad Anderson allowed both state and local officials as well as community members five minutes to express support, concern and general comments about the proposed project.
The project includes constructing a new coal-to-liquid fuel facility located in Wellington by Revolution Fuels. The project has garnered both local and state attention, with those in favor calling for more jobs in the area and those against the project raising red flags of concern over environmental affairs and being able to keep Carbon County’s high level of air quality.
“I’m also in favor of this project,” explained Carbon County Commissioner Casey Hopes at the hearing. “I think there’s a lot of work and engineering that’s been done to lower as much as possible the emissions and be as good stewards as possible.”
“We have worked very hard to bring services into this community that we haven’t had in the past,” said Castleview Hospital CEO Mark Holyoak. “In order for us to continue…we need to have a population.”
However, not all in attendance were as positive about the project as Hopes and Holyoak. “Yes, we want to see jobs here,” community member Sam Espinoza expressed, “but is this the right approach?”
Former school teacher of over 30 years Don Reese called upon the public to be skeptical about the incoming facilities. “I hope this project is good,” he said. “I know jobs are needed here, but don’t accept everything they say.”
Several other community members expressed support for the project but held reservations about the location chosen for the plant to be built.
The plant, projected to hire approximately 200-300 employees after start-up, has been seen by many as a new light of hope for Carbon County against the backdrop of the Carbon Power Plant’s closure in April of last year. The facility’s planned location is by the rodeo grounds in Wellington.
