The vote was unanimous -- the Union County Commissioners approved Hyperion Refining LLC’s rezoning application and ordinance yesterday. Hyperion officials plan to erect a 400,000 barrels-a-day oil refinery and Integrated Combined Cycle electric power plant in rural Union County. During the public input of the meeting, Save Union County Committee spokesperson Ed Cable asked the commissioners to complete an Environmental Impact Study before approving Hyperion’s paperwork. In addition, he asked that the public be allowed to look at the revised ordinance before commissioners voted and that the Whalen Law Office report be made public. Union County resident Burdette Hanson also spoke against the passage of the ordinance while Citizens For Hyperion chairperson J.B. Mercer urged commissioners to pass it based on if the application was filled out correctly. Two others in the crowd of about 130 asked that the issue be decided by a vote of the people. The commission made no comments and continued with the meeting. Commissioner Milton Ustad made a motion to delay the second reading of Hyperion’s proposal. However, none of the other commissioners would second the motion. Commission Chairman Doyle Karpen immediately began conducting the second reading. Hyperion’s rezoning application and ordinance had been revised to the point that they appeared to be completely new documents. As soon as Karpen finished reading the ordinance revisions, an attorney in the audience interjected that with such substantial changes in the ordinance, the process called for another public hearing. Nothing was said by the commissioners and Karpen finished the second reading. Two of the biggest changes were the size of the Energy Center Planned Development. The acreage of the proposed site was reduced from 3,882.24 acres to 3,292 acres. In addition, the site is now east of 473rd Avenue. Commissioner Ross Jordan made a motion to approve the ordinance as it was presented, and Commissioner Marvin Schempp seconded it. Each of the commissioner spoke regarding their decision and the process. “I think this document is completely different from the original,” said Jordan, “and we’ve addressed areas of concern that I’ve personally had and heard at the public hearing.” “It’s not the county commissioners’ responsibility or authority to send this to a vote of the people,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to vote on the other ordinance. And if the citizens decided they want to refer it, that is up to the citizens. Our responsibility has been to look at this ordinance, determine whether it was proper for Union County, make sure if it was proper we covered all the elements of concern the citizens had and we as commissioners had, and I think we have done that.” “I’d like to say that I believe the county’s liability here has been protected by the amendments of this ordinance,” said Commissioner Dale Neely. Only Schempp spoke during the recall vote. “I was going to vote no but I’m going to vote yes today because of the letter I got,” said Schempp referring to an email containing a photograph of him meeting with county and state officials Saturday.