Energy is the defining issue of the 21st century. Almost all of our country’s greatest challenges can be tied back to it, including the high prices Americans are paying at the pump, in the grocery store, and to power their homes. That’s why I’ve made energy and environmental policy a hallmark priority since I’ve been in federal office.  We need an all-of-the-above, market- and innovation-driven approach to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy remains available to families and businesses.

It’s also important to note that growing the economy and protecting our environment are not at odds. Through good stewardship and bold federal policies, they can be complimentary goals and provide opportunities for one another. In practice, this means cutting red tape without cutting corners; embracing technologies like carbon capture and sequestration; and frankly an understanding that the market is driving climate innovation at a far better pace than policy.

At the end of the day we need every electron we can get. Developing traditional resources while expanding nuclear, geothermal, renewables, storage, and other emerging technologies is the only way we can successfully meet the massive energy demands of our time.

Wildfire management is one of the clearest examples of where we need to change our approach. For too long, federal policy has focused on fighting catastrophic fires after they start instead of doing the work necessary to prevent them in the first place. We need healthier forests, more active management, greater use of prescribed fire, removal of hazardous fuels, and better coordination among federal agencies, states, tribes, counties, and local land managers. Not only do these fires destroy forests and threaten homes, they devastate watersheds and wildlife habitat, endanger firefighters and rural communities, and can release enormous amounts of smoke and pollution into Utah’s air.

We also must focus on strengthening our domestic production capabilities to build resilience in the event of global economic shocks. We’re learning this lesson in real time as volatility regarding the Strait of Hormuz continues to put pressure on global oil supply chains.

Moreover, the United States is dangerously reliant on China for the materials that power our future—our defense systems, our batteries, and our clean energy technologies. This creates an unacceptable vulnerability, particularly as China has demonstrated a clear willingness to weaponize critical mineral flows as a coercive tool. Strengthening domestic critical mineral mining and processing will help safeguard national security and strengthen the economy.