This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah Energy Summit just took place ("Governor's energy summit highlights stark divide," Tribune, Jan. 11). I attended, hoping to discover ways to save energy at the large industrial facility where I work as a manager.
This event is to bring together industry experts, utility companies, private engineering, manufacturing firms and politicians to address providing clean, affordable, sustainable energy. The summit was valuable, except for Sen. Orrin Hatch's lunchtime ramble.
Gov. Gary Herbert and Lt. Gov. Greg Bell gave excellent speeches focused on how the energy industry affects Utah's economy. Hatch spent a monotonous hour talking about everything except energy, stumbling aimlessly among entitlement reform, the fiscal cliff and the debt ceiling.
Creating a profitable energy industry while maintaining the environmental integrity that other Utah industries depend on is an incredible challenge. This would have been a perfect opportunity for Hatch to learn, an opportunity he wholly missed.
Energy policy is a tough issue, Sen. Hatch. You were elected to help find effective solutions, not dodge the topic.
Jeremiah Osborn
Salt Lake City