Gov. Spencer Cox releases ‘State Energy and Innovation Plan’

Gov. Spencer Cox and Secretary of the Interior Tom Vilsack sign a shared stewardship agreement Friday pledging to combine efforts to combat catastrophic wildfires in the West.

SALT LAKE CITY – Gov. Spencer Cox has released Utah’s new State Energy and Innovation Plan.

“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,” Cox said in remarks at the One Utah Summit today at the State Capitol.

The plan, which list six commitments that Utah will follow into the future, is posted on the Utah Office of Energy Develoment’s website at http://energy.utah.gov/plan

“Gov. Cox frequently tell his team that good policy can’t be written sitting in our offices in Salt Lake,” said Thom Carter, energy advisor to the governor and executive director of the Office of Energy Development (OED). “He encouraged us to travel the state so we could really understand the important issues facing Utahns.”

After taking that advice, Carter said that his staff has created an “… interactive state energy plan that demonstrates our commitment to a balanced, market-driven approach to energy.”

Rather than an actual plan, the energy and innovation roadmap released by the governor today list six principles that will serve as guideposts for energy development in Utah.

Utah is committed to an “any of the above” energy future, the plan says. The state will support efforts and policies that provide a variety of tools and resources that citizens, communities, businesses and industry can choose from to deliver or obtain affordable, reliable energy.

Utah is committed to American energy independence by pursuing policies and actions that will enable more domestic energy development and enhance global energy security, according to the plan.

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 electric vehicle charging; emerging fuel hubs; and coal community support and diversification.

“At the beginning of my administration,” according to Cox, “I released the One Utah Roadmap and directed the Utah Office of Energy Development to update the statewide energy plan.”

The governor explained that state code requires that state energy policy have adequate, reliable, sustainable and clean energy resources.

“That’s precisely what this plan does,” he concluded.

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