The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) voted to extend the timeline for the planned Advanced Carbon Products Innovation Center in Gillette.
The WBC granted $1.5 million to the project in 2017, and no money has been added with the extension. The council chose to extend the timeline so Campbell County would have a chance to get additional funding.
The goal for the center is to be an incubator for groups creating and testing carbon-based products. Energy Capital Economic Development, which is based in Gillette, will run the center. The county has been helping to secure funding.
The project recently received federal grant funding of an additional $1.5 million from the Economic Development Administration.
"The money will go to purchase the land and construct the building and then to purchase the necessary equipment, the technology that needs to be in the center," said Ivy McGowan Castleberry, public information coordinator for Campbell County.
McGowan Castleberry said the extension is contingent upon the WBC's review of some legal questions with the planned center.
"Specifically around who holds the rights to products that might be developed. Would those go to economic development? Would they go to the state of Wyoming? Would they stay with the entity?" McGowan Castleberry said.
McGowan Castleberry said they've already started looking for possible tenants and that University of Wyoming's School of Energy Resources and other groups are interested in setting up residence there to work on products.
She added the group has identified a piece of land and that once the legal questions are cleared up, they should be able to start work.