Eagle Mountain pauses vote to create code allowing future nuclear energy generation

EAGLE MOUNTAIN — Nuclear energy in Eagle Mountain has been a contentious issue this year, but city leaders weren't ready Tuesday to green light a proposal that would clear a path to allow alternative energy within the city.

The Eagle Mountain City Council paused on approving or denying the proposed creation of an alternative energy overlay zone.

The proposal would essentially create a road map for the city to follow should alternative energy generation proposals come before city officials.

"I want to start this off by really trying to share the basis as far as why we're pursuing this and why energy in general is important to pursue for Eagle Mountain's future, and a lot of this all centers around economic development," said Evan Berrett, director of legislative and strategic services for Eagle Mountain, during a presentation to the council.

The proposed overlay zone would aim to attract energy projects, including solar, geothermal, and nuclear, while ensuring proper oversight and avoiding water-intensive projects, its proponents say. The code would not apply to any specific area of the city at this time to be designated for the overlay zone, Barrett explained.

"We're not proposing that we pre-zone any particular area; it's gives you more control in that selection of the appropriate sites," Barrett told the council members.

He added the overlay zone also addresses the need to be selective in choosing energy projects, as well as how and where they developed.

Community members were split on the matter during a public comment portion of the meeting.

Jason Rasmussen said the decision should wait until sometime after recently elected Mayor Jared Gray and new council members officially take office. He also raised questions about who has the decision-making power.

"It sounds to me like some of it is done by staff members, maybe some of it's been done by the City Council, and I'm not sure where the line of demarcation lies with that. So as a citizen, I would like a little bit more clarity on that," he said.

However, some residents were seemingly on board with the idea.

Brooke Spencer was in support of the alternative energy overlay zone, citing the idea of the city having control where nuclear energy generation could go if it were to be proposed.

He also pointed to the recent announcement of Brigham City becoming a reactor site.

"That shows that anything can happen at any time, and putting something like this in place puts the power as much as possible in local control for us to make decisions as a city, so that every single person here is able to come up to the mic and talk about this issue," he said.

Tuesday's anticipated vote comes after City Council members approved a measure earlier this month to update the city's annexation policy, thus laying a framework for potential nuclear energy opportunities down the road.

In December 2024, the city began considering a proposed zone change that would allow small modular nuclear reactors, natural gas power plants, battery energy storage systems and solar energy projects in the city.

That vote was tabled in January, but talks continued, including conversations with experts in the nuclear field to discuss small modular reactors.

Since then, Barrett said the city sought out more education to learn the good and bad related to nuclear energy, and came up with a different zone amendment that wouldn't require immediately determining where alternative energy generation would be located in Eagle Mountain.

Some City Council members said even more time may be needed to further explore the proposed code creation and what could be the best and safest way to implement nuclear energy into Eagle Mountain.

The City Council voted unanimously to table the discussion to a later time, though its members did not specify Tuesday when the matter may be revisited.

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