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Panel Discusses Engaging Rural Communities in Energy Transition

By Utah News Staff · September 4, 2026 · 1 min read
AI-written from public sources Written by Utah News AI and quality-checked before publishing.
A panel discussion focused on engaging rural communities during the energy transition and addressing climate change concerns. The session addressed economic challenges facing Utah and Western rural areas due to shifting energy demands.

Key takeaways

  • Rural communities in Utah and the West face economic challenges as coal demand falls and labor needs in mining and agriculture decrease.
  • Economic forecasts suggest these trends will persist as the transition from fossil fuels continues.
  • Engaging rural communities is considered critical for a fair and sustainable energy transition.
  • The panel featured experts from Utah Clean Energy, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, the Western Rural Development Center, and Native Renewables.

A panel discussion titled Bridging the Divide: Engaging Rural Communities on Climate Change and the Energy Transition addressed the importance of working with rural areas during the transition away from fossil fuels. The session focused on how to engage these communities to ensure a fair and sustainable energy transition.

According to a notice from the Intermountain Sustainability Summit, Utah and other Western rural communities have faced significant economic challenges as demand for coal has declined. Additionally, agriculture and mining have become less labor intensive. Economic forecasts suggest these trends will continue as concerns regarding climate change grow and the transition from fossil fuels proceeds.

The panel featured presentations from Josh Craft of Utah Clean Energy, Max Buckland of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Don Albrecht of the Western Rural Development Center, Rebecca Titze of Utah Clean Energy, and Suzanne Singer of Native Renewables. The discussion aimed to explore how leaders in the field are engaging with rural communities and how others can act as productive partners in that work.

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