ENERGY ROUNDTABLE.

• Position: Discussion

This month, Utah Business partnered with Holland & Hart and Brahma Group, Inc. to host a roundtable event featuring energy specialists to discuss changes in the landscape, innovation, and environmental social governance. Moderated by Dr. Laura Nelson, executive director at the Governor's Office of Energy Development, here are a few highlights from the event.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE ENERGY AND MINERALS LANDSCAPE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS?

Josh Brown | Director of Government Affairs | Rio Tinto Kennecott

We're becoming involved in environmental social governance (ESG). We're continually looking at opportunities to improve our greenhouse gas emissions, to lower our carbon footprint, and continue mining at the same economic value that we need to stay in business.

Gary Swan | VP of Development | National Energy Foundation

The interest in smart energy technologies is the big thing we see. We expect that to continue to be a big driver of new opportunities for us. We're not getting a lot of pressure to [wrap these technologies in environmental and social governance]. But we like to do that anyway because, for us, it's really important to provide that context to build a comprehensive energy literacy. And we want to make sure that's captured in the way we present the whole new smart technologies and opportunities that make sure they understand that broader context.

Ashley Peck | Partner | Holland & Hart

We've seen an increase in state enforcement since the new administration took over. Enforcement rates are significantly lower on a federal level in terms of clients that are getting hit with inspections and enforcement actions by the EPA. We see state regulators stepping in and looking at things that they may have not been concerned about in the last several decades, and we have a lot of clients that are struggling to keep up with that.

Our clients, for the most part, have corporate sustainability policies, and they have other drivers besides regulation that help them make their decisions. I see more and more clients engaging at the front end with environmental groups, and we regularly advise them to do that if they think they're going to have an issue. Let's go sit down with that group now and be proactive. That's a little newer for Utah. And it's a smart way to go.

Chad Teply | SVP of Policy & Development | Rocky Mountain Power

For us, it's been customer expectations, and that ranges everywhere from our major industrials all...