for contractors to build the facilities. BCH stated they plan to begin construction in 2023, have the first reactor online in 2028, and the second reactor online in 2030. Economic impact BCH projects about $500 million annually in revenue and state and local taxes paid. A 2010 opinion piece in the Daily Herald suggested the plant would bring over 2000 short term jobs and 1000 high-paying long term jobs to the area. In the January 2017 webinar, BCH stated there could be up to 4000 short term jobs and "800-1,000 people in long term good jobs" such as electricians and engineers. Howard Sierer suggested. in a January 2022 opinion piece for The Independent in St. George, that many of the workers in the coal mining industry could be transitioned to working at the Green River nuclear plant as a way to maintain support for local businesses and governments in the area. Public reaction Public support in Utah for nuclear power around the time of the initial proposal was generally positive. A November 2007 editorial in the Provo Daily Herald newspaper stated 43 percent of polled Utahns supported the building of more nuclear power plants, and another poll conducted in February 2008 showed 57 percent in favor. Utah Senator Bob Bennett stated in late 2008 that "if we are going to be serious about carbon emissions, we have to have a much larger nuclear component in our electric production" in November 2008. Gary Kofford, the county commissioner for Emery County in 2008, stated that talk of building a nuclear plant near Green River was just speculation after TPD had been searching for a site for over a year. An editorial in nearby Grand Junction, Colorado expressed tentative support for the project, especially in light of coal and gas plants being shut down despite growing energy demands. The Utah State Legislature approved a joint resolution endorsing nuclear power as a viable option in March 2009. When TPD started the process to lease water from the Kane County Water Conservancy District, the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah—an environmental advocacy group—indicated it may fight the lease. A 2010 opinion piece in the Daily Herald stated that the trade off was acceptable between using about one percent of the water flowing in the Green River through Emery County every year, and bringing over 2000 short term jobs and 1000 high-paying long term jobs to the