TWW’s Colorado State Director, Greg Brophy participated in Western Governor’s Association’s most recent workshop focused on North Dakota Governor and WGA Chair Doug Burgum’s Reimaging the Rural West Initiative. Brophy spoke on a panel focused on Emerging Opportunities in Energy at a workshop for the initiative held in Santa Fe, NM on November 4th to 5th.
The panel discussed emerging opportunities for rural communities to capitalize on their natural resources and the practices, policies and partnerships that can foster energy research, technology and industries. Brophy was joined by Jeff Edwards, Executive Director, Utah Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Initiative and Melissa Fox, Program Director, Applied Energy Programs, Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Brophy highlighted The Western Way’s recent work regarding the economic impacts and development opportunities that rural renewables have in western states. Offering the findings from TWW’s rural renewable economic impact studies in Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada as the potential for rural communities in other Western states to benefit from an “all of the above” energy development strategy.
The next workshop as part of the Reimagining the Rural West Initiative will take palace on December 3rd with Idaho’s Gov. Brad Little will hosting and delivering remarks during the in Post Falls, ID. Topics of discussion will include strategies to upgrade energy efficiency in rural areas, engage new communities in the outdoor recreation industry, and increase access to remote telehealth services.