The Power of Digging Deep: Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE)

The Utah FORGE project, a partnership between the University of Utah and the U.S. Department of Energy, utilized a diverse range of outreach tactics to establish community trust and transparency in rural Beaver County. Strategies included early consultation with local officials, educational programs for youth, and the installation of real-time seismic and water usage monitoring in public libraries to address environmental concerns. The document argues that leveraging trusted local institutions and creative engagement—such as song contests and science modules—can facilitate the success of geothermal projects and pave the way for subsequent commercial developments like Fervo Energy's Cape Station project.

• Utah FORGE employed a multi-faceted engagement approach that combined political presence at city and county meetings, environmental transparency through public seismic monitoring, and youth-oriented activities like a geothermal-themed song contest.
• To address community concerns regarding hydrology and seismicity, the project installed computers in all three Beaver County public libraries to provide real-time seismic monitoring and data on water usage.
• The project leveraged the University of Utah's status as a trusted educational institution to implement hands-on learning modules for elementary students, science lesson plans for teachers, and a statewide parody song contest for high schoolers.
• The engagement efforts of Utah FORGE are credited with creating a foundation for future geothermal initiatives in the region, specifically Fervo Energy’s commercial-scale Cape Station project, which is expected to generate 6,600 construction jobs, 160 full-time jobs, and $437 million in earned wages.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). The Power of Digging Deep: Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE). https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/29102607/Power-of-Engagement-Utah-FORGE.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. The Power of Digging Deep: Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE). n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/29102607/Power-of-Engagement-Utah-FORGE.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=The Power of Digging Deep: Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/29102607/Power-of-Engagement-Utah-FORGE.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcendpower, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{The Power of Digging Deep: Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE)}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/29102607/Power-of-Engagement-Utah-FORGE.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }