FARMINGTON — There's one Wasatch Energy too many in this state for Todd Cusick: His Wasatch Energy LLC energy sales and distribution business is often confused with Wasatch Energy Systems, a special service district that runs the Davis County burn plant.
Cusick's business, which sells about $400 million worth of natural gas annually to industrial users in the western United States, has spent a lot of time and money in the past seven years responding to confused customers and employees seeking the other Wasatch Energy.
The confusion should be cleared up come June when his Wasatch Energy becomes the only Wasatch Energy. The special service district, which was originated as the Davis County Solid Waste Management and Energy Recovery Special Service District in Layton just east of Hill Air Force Base, plans to change its name to Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District.
Nathan Rich, district director, said the change is being made in part to avoid confusion with Cusick's business, but also because state law requires it to take the words "Davis County" out of its name by 2005.
Cusick said his business had the name first and had it registered nationally to protect it. He said he has had no cooperation from Wasatch Energy Systems, noting that his business has taken hundreds of phone calls a week from employees calling in sick or customers wanting to know if the dump is open.
"We once got a letter from their lawyer saying he doubted there was any confusion over the names. I guess that's why their employees call us to report they're sick," Cusick said.
Rich said the proposed name change will be on the agenda for the district's May 21 public hearing to consider its fiscal year 2005 budget. The hearing is scheduled at 6 p.m. in the Davis County Memorial Courthouse, 28 E. State St., Farmington.
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