GILLETTE, Wyo. — Tensions over the city’s nuclear energy exploration, as well as allegations of lack of transparency, dominated the public comment period at the Gillette City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 2. Campbell County commissioners and a state senator addressed the council, expressing their concerns about “secret meetings” and a non-disclosure agreement with a nuclear technology company.
Campbell County Commission Chairman Kelley McCreery spoke first, stating that he was present due to “secret meetings” held over the last few months involving Mayor Shay Lundvall, City Administrator Mike Cole, and County Commissioners Jim Ford and Scott Clem.
McCreery claims he and the county’s executive director are never invited and know little about what is discussed with entities such as the Department of Energy, BWXT Technologies, and possibly the governor’s office.
“They tell us very little. And half of the time, they say, “Oh, but this is confidential.” “You can’t tell anyone.” McCreery stated that a lack of transparency has “eroded trust and integrity” between the city and county.
County Commissioner Bob Jordan also spoke, stating that he attended a meeting at the Idaho National Laboratory that he described as a “presentation” to “push an agenda” by the Department of Energy.
Jordan stated that after conducting their own research, some commissioners now have a clear understanding of an agenda that has been advanced for years without direct communication with the entire commission.
State Senator Troy McKeown, who previously confronted the council over its non-disclosure agreement with BWXT, reiterated his concerns.
“My point was, why did you enter into the NDA? Why?” McKeown inquired, also criticizing the perceived lack of transparency.
The senator also expressed his belief that there is a plan to bring nuclear waste to the area, stating that he knows “for a fact that our governor’s entered into an MOU to make Wyoming a nuclear storage place.”
Gillette resident Rolf Arands echoed the transparency concerns, citing a 2022 report on city governance that recommended making council meetings more accessible to the public.
He questioned the accessibility of Lundvall’s call for a special meeting in a garage on a Monday afternoon in June 2023. He pointed out that since the council approved a cooperative agreement with BWXT in February 2024, there has only been one public presentation on the subject, despite the city spending approximately $21,000 on related travel.
The council did not respond to the speakers, which is standard procedure during the public comment period.
Despite his absence from the meeting, Lundvall previously defended the city’s decision to enter into the NDA with BWXT, claiming that it did not violate any state laws.
The mayor previously told County 17 that the city is well-positioned to benefit from and contribute to Wyoming’s nuclear energy industry growth.
“We already have water access, the power lines, the rail, the roads, the permitting systems — all because of oil and gas and coal,” she said.
According to Lundvall, making space for nuclear in the area will not require the city or county to abandon those legacy industries.
BWXT is a nuclear technology company that has been a preferred contractor for the US Navy’s development and deployment of nuclear reactors on submarines. In recent years, the company has placed a greater emphasis on developing portable microreactors for use in the United States.
The cooperation agreement signed by the company and Gillette allowed for the exploration of Gillette as a potential hub for the construction and deployment of those reactors.
