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Archive (2001-2002)

Provo mayor calls Kuhni plant foul, seeks its removal

By Jonathan Selden

To Provo Mayor Lewis Billings, the odor coming from the Kuhni animal-rendering plant in the East Bay section of Provo is an awful stench.

To Kevin Kuhni, it smells like money.

Billings appeared before the Economic Development and Human Resources Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the State Capitol to ask the Legislature to help move the plant out of Provo.

'There is tremendous pressure from the community,' Billings said. 'It is very clear to us that we need to resolve this issue.'

The mayor asked the legislature to approve $3 million to help with the anticipated $7 million cost of moving the plant to Southwestern Utah County.

The mayor stressed that he is not attempting to 'oust' the long-standing animal carcass-processing center from Provo.

'We are not here because we want to hurt that business ... We are not here trying to drive them out of our city. We are just here trying to help relocate them,' he said.

Kuhni''s, as it is commonly known, creates a lurid stench over the East Bay area as it chemically processes animal carcasses into things like Jell-O, Billings said.

Once a rural area, Provo''s East Bay industrial park is now an expanding high-tech community.

Apparently, the two industries don''t mix.

'I have never had CEOs calling me with more profane language than over this issue. Kuhni''s now exists in a time and in a place where it conflicts with the economic development of our community,' Billings said.

Novell''s Provo headquarters, which shares air molecules in close proximity to Kuhni''s, agreed.

Novell is concerned about the working environment for its employees, said John Hankey, vice president of real estate for Novell Worldwide, who flew in from San Jose, Calif., to complain about the smell.

But Kuhni''s is not going away easy.

'We love where we''re at. Why should we pay to move when we''re happy,' Kuhni said.