10/13/09

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) _ Utah State University and the Idaho
National Laboratory are joining forces for a new research
partnership in Utah's mineral-rich Uinta Basin.

The deal announced Tuesday includes the creation of a research
hub in Vernal, the eastern Utah town whose history has closely
followed oil and gas development.

The project will focus on finding ways to make energy
development easier on the environment. That will include cutting
air pollution and finding new uses for salty water that's extracted
during oil and gas operations.

The other component will be investigating ``hybrid energy
systems'' that combine traditional energy with renewables such as
solar and wind.

Researchers will be housed at a 70,000-square-foot center
expected to be completed next year.
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On the Net:
Utah State University: www.usu.edu
Idaho National Laboratory: www.inl.gov

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP-10-13-09 1104MDT<