SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 10, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Gov. Spencer Cox and the Utah Office of Energy Development (OED) on Tuesday released Utah’s new State Energy and Innovation Plan.
The plan identifies six key commitments the State Energy and Innovation Plan will use to serve as a guidepost for energy development in Utah, according to a statement released by Cox’s office.
Thom Carter, Energy Advisor to the Governor and Executive Director of OED, announced the release of the plan during his remarks at the One Utah Summit. The plan lives on the OED’s website as an interactive story map at energy.utah.gov/plan.
“At the beginning of my administration, I released the One Utah Roadmap and directed the Utah Office of Energy Development to update the statewide energy plan,” Cox said in a prepared statement. “State code requires state energy policy to have adequate, reliable, affordable, sustainable, and clean energy resources and that’s precisely what this plan does. It’s crucial that we ensure Utah’s energy future is secure, innovative, and reliable in order to maintain our high quality of life and robust economy.”
Carter also commented.
“Gov. Cox frequently tells his team that good policy can’t be written sitting in our offices in Salt Lake,” he said. “He encouraged us to travel the state so we could really understand the important issues facing Utahns. After taking that advice, traveling the state for a year, and talking to many experts, stakeholders, and the public, we’ve created this interactive state energy plan that demonstrates our commitment to a balanced market-driven approach to energy.”
The six commitments detailed in the plan follow:
-
Utah is committed to an “any of the above” energy future, supporting efforts and policies that provide a variety of tools and resources that citizens, communities, businesses, and industries can choose from to deliver or obtain affordable, reliable energy.
-
Utah is committed to American energy independence, pursuing policies and actions that will enable more domestic energy development and enhance global energy security.
-
Utah is committed to pragmatic, market-driven climate solutions that enable innovative energy production. This includes a focus on supporting Utah-based research and development, ensuring we stay good stewards of our environment for future generations of Utahns.
-
Utah is committed to supporting rural communities through economic development and diversification efforts, infrastructure investment, and workforce training and development.
-
Utah is committed to supporting a clean energy future through a strong and responsible mining program for critical minerals; investment in emerging energy technology such as hydrogen, storage, and energy efficiency; and air quality research and incentive programs.
-
Utah is committed to collaboration with its local, regional, and federal partners to pursue infrastructure and innovation projects such as EV charging, transmission, emerging fuel hubs, and coal community support and diversification.
In an introductory letter on the website, Cox wrote that “Utah is well-positioned as a leader in energy development. Utah already has some of the lowest electricity rates in the nation, and as we continue on the path of developing affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy, we will power the best economy in the nation and provide a competitive advantage to our surrounding states.”
Read the full letter here, by clicking on the “Letter from the Governor” link. The page also provides links to information on other elements of the plan.
