Confluence and Net Zero Cities Agenda

2025 Confluence Agenda

8:30 am – 9:30 am

Opening Remarks and Keynote Speaker

Will Toor, Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office

Colorado’s Climate Policy Amid a Changing National Landscape

Will Toor, executive director of the Colorado Energy Office, will describe the state and future of Colorado’s climate initiatives amid changes in national climate and energy policy. How can Colorado achieve its climate goals while uncertainty exists about the future of incentives for electric vehicles, and clean energy and federal environmental regulations?

9:40 am – 10:40 am

Alternatives to the Big T

Declining availability of shares in the Big Thompson Project mean massive changes in how municipalities are procuring water for development. Projects such as Cobb Lake, Terry Bison Ranch and Firestone’s acquisition of native water signal a shift in approach. What is the extent of this trend, and what does it mean for growth and development in these communities?

Moderator: A dam Jokerst, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, WestWater Research; A mber Kauffman, District Manager, Little Thompson Water District; J ulie Pasillas, Director of Water and Community Resources, Town of Firestone; M att Machado, Partner, Lyons Gaddis; Grant Tupper, Director of Operations, Rocky Mountain Region, Select Water Resources; B rent Waller, President and Partner, FrontRange H2O

10:50 am – 11:50 am

Thirsty Neighbors

Communities in the Denver metropolitan area increasingly are looking north for water. From Thornton to Castle Rock, Aurora to Parker, Denver-area municipalities are acquiring land and water rights from Northern Colorado. What has been the extent of these acquisitions, and how will these purchases affect the ability of communities and industry to grow in Northern Colorado?

Moderator: K ristin Todd, President and CEO, NoCo Foundation; S ean Cronin, Executive Director, St. Vrain & Left Hand Water Conservancy; L ucy Harrington, Senior Regulatory Specialist and Project Manager, GEI; Patrick Wells, Water Strategy Specialist, Northern Water; C assidy White, Senior Associate, WestWater Research

11:50 am – 12:20 pm

LUNCH BREAK

12:25 pm – 1:25 pm

The Trump Effect

A new administration in Washington, D.C., promises dramatic changes in many policy areas. What will these shifts mean for water projects and supply, particularly due to agricultural and energy policies, and how will opposition to climate research and funding affect the region’s climate-tech sector?

Moderator: S andra Hagen Solin, founder, Capitol Solutions; A manda Countryman, Professor, Dept. of Agricultural Resource and Economics, Colorado State University; C hris Goemans, professor, Agriculture Economics Department, Colorado State University; D an Haley, executive director, Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development; D an Powers, executive director, CO-Labs

1:35 pm – 2:35 pm

Colorado River: Spending Out of Trouble

Some cities and states that face cuts in Colorado River allocations are moving aggressively to invest in infrastructure to help address potential loss of water, including more storage, capturing seasonal runoff and wastewater recycling. What policy-level avenues being tried elsewhere might work along the Front Range, and how seriously are area municipalities and other water users exploring those options?

Moderator & Speaker: A lex Hager, Reporter, KUNC; Sean Chambers, Director, Greeley Sewer & Water; J ames Eklund, Member, Sherman & Howard; I an Shelledy, Program Officer, Environment, Walton Family Foundation; Joe Taddeucci, Director of Public Works, City of Boulder

2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

The Bright Side

Not all is doom and gloom on the water front. Prices for some water sources have actually flattened, if not fallen, in recent years, along with the cost of storage. Some industrial users are working with environmentalists to keep water in the region’s rivers, and some developers are working to maintain highly productive agricultural land in production. Several communities have joined to form the Cobb Lake Regional Water Treatment Authority. What are some of the positives that are occurring, and how is the region poised from an economic-development perspective in comparison with other metro areas in the West?

Moderator: C hris Matkins, Principal, Ally Utility Consulting; K ate Ryan, Executive Director, Sr. Staff Attorney, Colorado Water Trust; R obert Sakata, Ag Water Policy Advisor, Colorado Department of Agriculture/Sakata Farms; Karen Schlatter, Interim Director, Colorado Water Center; Nicholas Wharton, Town Manager, Town of Severance

2025 Net Zero Cities Agenda

8:30 am – 9:30 am

Opening Remarks and Keynote Speaker

Will Toor, Executive Director, Colorado Energy Office

9:40 am – 10:40 am

Ground Zero: Decarbonizing Construction

Construction activities represent a significant contributor to greenhouse-gas emissions, but new technologies and practices show promise for reducing the sector’s environmental impact. From innovations that decarbonize production of concrete or steel to use of mass timber, big changes are coming to how buildings are constructed.

Moderator: B rian Dunbar, Executive Director, CSU – Institute for the Built Environment; C aitlin Casassa, Director of Sustainability — State of Colorado, Office of Sustainability in the Department of Personnel and Administration; Kristin Colaur, LEED Green Associate, Sustainability Manager, Turner Construction Company; S adie Cline, Principal, ZGF Architects; W ill Lepry, Director, Colorado Mass Timber Coalition

10:50 am – 11:50 am

Driving Green: Transitioning Toward Zero-Emissions Transportation

Private-sector companies and governments continue to transition toward vehicle electrification and alternative fuels. What are real-world examples, and what obstacles exist toward broader adoption?

Moderator: M arie Eisemann, Advanced Clean Energy Advisor, Colorado Energy Office; B uford Barr, COO, New Day Hydrogen; Frank Bruno, CEO, Via Mobility; Matt Lerman, Infrastructure Program Manager, Colorado Energy Office; K amala Vanderkolk, Business Development Manager, National Car Charging

11:50 am – 1:10 pm

LUNCH BREAK

12:25 pm – 1:25 pm

The Trump Effect

1:35 pm – 2:35 pm

Utilities in Transition

Utilities play a crucial role in achieving carbon neutrality, with ambitious goals for increasing renewable energy, including wind and solar, and reducing the role of coal in their portfolios. What goals have the region’s utilities set, and what challenges and opportunities exist for them to reach those goals?

Moderator: J ulie Murphy, Director, Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission, Department Natural Resources; J ason Frisbie, CEO, Platte River Power Authority; R obin Lunt, CCO, Guzman Energy; L auren Quillian, Director of Energy & Environmental Policy, Xcel Energy

“Water is emerging as one of the most important and controversial subjects to be addressed in the 21st century. Water issues are particularly complex, and understanding the nuances is critical for good decision-making.”

Water Literate Leaders of Northern Colorado Program

From energy to waste, an increasing number of cities are seeking to achieve aggressive sustainability-related goals. But what does it mean to be “net-zero?”
This event will unpack what it means for cities and counties and the reason behind the movement,
as well as address implications for the private sector and the regional population at large.