Utah recently hosted Sen. John Curtis’ Conservative Climate Summit, bringing leaders from across the country to Salt Lake City to talk about America’s energy future. It’s great to see our state’s leaders take part in those discussions because Utah has a big role to play.
In my time representing Wasatch County, I’ve seen how Utah has been a place where people roll up their sleeves and solve tough problems. That’s true of our pioneers who built communities in the desert and it’s true today as Utah companies and researchers lead the way on new sources of power.
You can see it in Beaver County, where the world’s largest geothermal project is already underway. You can see it in the research on hydrogen and advanced nuclear happening at our state’s universities. These efforts expand our energy capabilities. More than that, they create jobs for local workers, drive investments in small towns and help us build a stronger economy.
Sen. Curtis’ Conservative Climate Summit was a chance to highlight that progress. Utah companies shared how they’re growing, hiring and building solutions that serve Utah and the entire country.
But there’s a challenge standing in the way of this progress. Too often, projects at home are slowed down by red tape in Washington. Rules keep changing, permits drag on for years, investors get spooked and communities miss out on good jobs. Recent decisions from the Department of the Interior have only added to the uncertainty. That’s not fair to Utah workers or businesses who just want a clear path forward.
This is why leadership matters. Sen. Curtis has been standing up for Utah. He’s made it clear that federal agencies should follow the law concerning energy incentives as Congress wrote it. His decision to place holds on Treasury nominees until energy tax credits are implemented properly shows he’s serious about protecting Utah companies. That kind of action makes a difference; it gives developers and workers more confidence that Washington won’t move the goalposts on them.
The stakes are high. Every delayed project is a missed opportunity, lost paychecks, lost investments and lost progress. And the truth is if we don’t move forward, someone else will. Other states and even other countries are eager to take the lead. Utah shouldn’t have to watch those opportunities slip away.
The good news is that we’re ready. Utah has the natural resources. We have smart people at our universities and strong companies in our communities. Most of all, we have the work ethic and determination that define Utah. When Washington clears the roadblocks, Utah can keep leading the way.
Too often, conversations about energy turn into politically motivated fights, but Sen. Curtis’ Summit brought people together, proving that this issue shouldn’t divide us. Everyone wants reliable power, good jobs and a good future for our kids. That’s common ground that we can build on.
I’m proud that Sen. Curtis shows the rest of the country that the future of American energy is being shaped right here in Utah. From small towns to our biggest cities, Utahns are already proving what’s possible. With the right policies, we can keep driving innovation and powering economic growth for years to come.