A Vision and Framework for Colorado’s Energy Future featuring Tisha Schuller and Doug Benevento

Common Sense Digest

In an ideal end state, Colorado’s energy would be affordable, reliable, and leave the smallest possible environmental footprint. To achieve this, energy would be appreciated as a central force that enables progress—rather than being viewed by legislators and policymakers as a necessary evil. Consumers would be empowered with choices that reflect their means, values, and circumstances. While we understand that both state and national energy objectives will continue to prioritize lowering the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of energy, in an ideal state, decarbonization would be one among many balanced tradeoffs.

In this ideal state, Colorado leaders would make economic development a central consideration of energy policy. After all, this would position Colorado to sustainably reduce GHG emissions with public support, while attracting the businesses, workers, students, innovators, and partners required to undertake the massive task of evolving the energy system. You can read more about this issue from our full report, found on our website.

Guest host and CSI Colorado Executive Director Kelly Caufield welcomes the report's authors, Tisha Schuller and Doug Benevento to the show to discuss its findings, its recommendations, and to discuss an ideal path forward. The conversation covers innovation, decarbonization, permitting, electrification and much more. Colorado can lead in a multitude of energy issues, but it will take fortitude, creativity, and collaboration.

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Tisha Schuller is a 2023 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow. She founded Adamantine Energy to provide thought leadership to energy companies to translate sustainability and decarbonization aspiration into action. Tisha advises private clients from Fortune 100 energy companies to non-profit environmental organizations in matters including ESG and decarbonization strategies, managing disruption, energy policy, environmental justice, and stakeholder engagement. She also serves as the Strategic Advisor for Stanford University’s Natural Gas Initiative. Previously, Tisha served as president and CEO of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association and as principal and vice president of Tetra Tech, a national environmental consulting and engineering firm. She has a B.S. from Stanford University.

Doug Benevento is also a 2023 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow. He is a partner at Holland & Hart. Doug brings a sophisticated understanding of environmental policy and compliance from his high-level leadership roles at federal and state agencies, including serving as the EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and the EPA Region 8 Administrator. He draws on this expertise and strong working relationships with regulators across the Mountain West and in Washington, DC to advocate for clients through both legal and legislative avenues. Doug guides companies to understand and respond to the regulatory impacts and ongoing developments of environmental justice matters. As the former Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, clients turn to Doug for his public health background and ability to proactively identify and develop solutions.