EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — The statewide push to produce nuclear energy may soon take more steps forward at a local level in Utah County.
Throughout the year in Eagle Mountain, the conversation around their future has centered on the potential of nuclear energy taking up residency.
A zone change vote was tabled in January, which made room for industry experts to come in and talk about small modular reactors (SMRs) in a March town hall.
“The standards are the same,” said BYU Professor Dr. Matthew Memmott during the meeting. “It’s just that they’re so much more safe, the distance you can be and be totally unaffected is much, much, much smaller.”
Now, as night falls on the year 2025, city leaders may have taken a step towards that future - through a new annexation policy plan.
“This policy plan does not expand the boundaries of Eagle Mountain,” said city spokesperson Tyler Maffitt. “More so, it’s a guiding, decision-making framework.”
Six different areas for potential annexation into the city were approved Tuesday night, each with various positions throughout the Cedar Valley area.
“I’m not opposed to annexation,” said resident Todd Crowther. “But if the long-term plan is to have nuclear generation - that’s what concerns us.”
Crowther is particularly worried by Area 2, which bumps up against Meta’s property.
“The only reason to put it this close is for the data centers - which is used to power AI,” said Joy Rasmussen during public comment in the Tuesday meeting.
At the city’s southerly limit, Area 2 sprawls out - a vast swath of open land several miles away from the city’s busiest areas. Yet Crowther and others say it is still too close to home.
“The radiation, the nuclear reactor - so close to population, so close to schools,” Crowther said.
Vocal opponents like Joy Rasmussen point to nuclear’s troubling past.
“The risks are too great,” Rasmussen said. “I have an in-law who died of cancer - she was a downwinder.”
But city officials have their eye on future-focused announcements like the one in Brigham City.
“We understand what’s taking place in other parts of the state and we are trying our best to be competitive,” said Maffitt.
Maffitt says Area 2 is of particular interest to them for energy generation. But he insists they’re not limiting their options, pointing to “Possibilities such as battery-storage solar, natural gas energy generation.”
Whatever change is to come, residents like Rasmussen hope the people’s voice will be powerful.
“If you want to put energy there, let’s do something different,” said Rasmussen. “It does not need to be in our city.”
The council passed its annexation plan in a unanimous vote on Tuesday. Maffitt reiterated this does not yet change their city’s boundaries - but sets guidelines for property owners who would like to be annexed into Eagle Mountain in the future.
