Please join the Western Governors’ Association and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines as we welcome Payne Institute CCUS Program Manager Anna Littlefield presenting Stakeholder Engagement and Social License to Operate at the the Decarbonizing the West Initiative Hybrid Workshop on Thursday, February 8, 2024 in Denver, CO.  

The third workshop of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s WGA Chair Initiative, Decarbonizing the West, will be held at the Art Hotel in Denver, Colorado on February 7 and 8.

This workshop, hosted by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, will examine issues related to carbon removal technologies including direct air capture (DAC), carbon transport, and geologic carbon storage.

Along with remarks from Governor Polis and Governor Gordon, the two-day meeting will feature policymakers and experts from across the West in roundtable discussions about commercialization and development pathways for DAC, policy frameworks for long-term carbon storage, and various applications for carbon removal technologies.  

8:45 – 9:40 a.m.: Roundtable 5: Stakeholder Engagement and Social License to Operate  

Public perception for carbon management is a significant barrier to deploying carbon capture and storage technologies at scale. This is due in part to a lack of education and understanding of the technologies at play and the complexity of the energy system as a whole. Educational programs at all levels and community outreach can help inform the public on the benefits of these systems. This panel will address social barriers to the development of carbon removal projects and will explore best practices for stakeholder and tribal engagement.

Panelists: Quinn Antus, Carbon Management and CDR Program Manager, Colorado Energy Office, Joey Minervini, Public Affairs Manager – Americas, Global CCS Institute, Anna Littlefield, CCUS Program Manager, Payne Institute at Colorado School of Mines, Dana Gava, Physical Scientist – UIC Class VI Implementation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Kelli Roemer, U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management