Laws of Notion

Why is Colorado phasing out coal? Simply put: Planet Earth is warming up. Fast. For decades, scientific evidence has pointed to significant human influence on our climate, dating back to the Industrial Revolution. Burning fossil fuels like coal releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming.

Climate change increases the volatility in our systems. And the catastrophic effects are already being felt. The U.S. has experienced a record-breaking number of weather disasters in recent years, including droughts, hurricanes, and wildfires.

In 2019, the Colorado legislature took its boldest step yet toward addressing climate change. House Bill 1261 committed Colorado to a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and a 90% reduction by 2050. Almost every sector would be affected.

Electrical utilities, like Tri-State would need to generate more of their power from renewables like wind and solar. The bill signaled the beginning of the end for coal plants in the state.

For others, the bill was seen as an overreach and another example of the glaring rural-urban divide in America today.

How do we balance the need to protect the planet with the need to protect livelihoods?

To explore more from this episode, visit https://coalatsunset.org/episodes/episode-3-you-knew/

Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock

Guests:

• Waleed Abdalati, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder

• Ray Beck, retired Moffat County commissioner and former mayor of Craig

• KC Becker, former Colorado Speaker of the House

• Jennifer Holloway, Executive Director of the Craig Chamber of Commerce

Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod.

To hear bonus clips and find additional resources, visit https://coalatsunset.org/

There's a popular saying in Craig, Colorado: "Coal keeps the lights on."

But in 2020, the electrical utility Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association announced that it would close its coal-fired power plant and coal mines in Craig by 2030. The news was like an earthquake. Hundreds of jobs would be lost. The town now faces the prospect of massive economic disruption as its primary industry disappears.

In our first episode, we travel to Craig and hear from the CEO at the center of that decision, a coal worker bracing for change, and one local business owner who's already looking for ways to reinvent the town's identity. What will Craig do now?

To explore more from this episode, visit https://coalatsunset.org/episodes/episode-1-the-decision/

Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock

Guests: • Duane Highley, CEO, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association • Jennifer Holloway, Executive Director, Craig Chamber of Commerce • Kirstie McPherson, owner, 518 Wine Bar & The Find • Graham Roberts, environmental supervisor, Trapper Mining Inc.

Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and was produced in partnership with House of Pod.

To hear bonus clips and find additional resources, visit https://coalatsunset.org/

Often there is a cultural catalyst that sparks change. And that catalyst can come from people being empowered with data, knowledge, and opportunity. From Pueblo to Aurora to other parts of Colorado, communities are finding traditional and new ways to engage in the change they want for their future. This could be things like a closer collaboration with the government to install a community air monitoring network, training individuals on how to engage in policy, or pushing for large-scale change, such as the energy transition, which can have the co-benefits of helping with both climate change and local air pollution.

Learn more about the podcast at clearingtheair.org.

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The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions to society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Episode Credits:

Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock

Producing, marketing: Tricia Waddell

Additional writing: Meredith Sell

Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long

Sound design: Seth Samuels with tracks from Epidemic Sounds

Audio engineering: Jesse Boynton

With wildfires intensifying, every dollar spent on mitigation and resilience matters more than ever. This episode explores the tough choices and bold solutions shaping Colorado’s future: training a new generation of workers, leveraging new technology, and balancing suppression with prevention. With resources stretched thin, how do we decide what will make the most impact?

Learn more about the podcast at institute.dmns.org/united-by-fire and lawsofnotion.org.

Sign up for the Institute for Science & Policy’s mailing list.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.

If you like our work, consider making a tax-deductible donation.

The Institute for Science & Policy is a catalyst for thoughtful dialogue, working toward solutions to society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Episode Credits:

Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock

Reporting, writing, editing: Carson Frame

Editing, marketing: Tricia Waddell

Production support: Nicole Delaney and Jordan Marks

Fact-checking: Kate Long

Sound design: Seth Samuel

Original music: Ryan Flores

Additional music: Epidemic Sound

Studio recording: Side 3 Studios

Think about timber mills closing in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. Or fisheries collapsing in New England. Or Midwestern automotive factories moving offshore. Some of those communities managed to survive. Many didn’t.

Since the mid-2000s, coal closures have washed over the U.S. like a wave.

As President, Donald Trump pledged he'd restore the livelihoods of coal workers. But by the end of his term, coal jobs were as endangered as ever.

In Appalachia, closures hit small towns hard. Muhlenberg, Kentucky. Manchester, Ohio. McDowell County, West Virginia. The list goes on. Schools, hospitals, and other public services withered. People moved away.

We wanted to get some national perspective on coal-impacted communities. We wanted to see what we've learned from other towns that are further ahead in their transitions. Most of all, we wanted to know if Craig could succeed where others failed.

To explore more from this episode, visit https://coalatsunset.org/episodes/episode-4-the-other-craigs/

Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Guests:

• Heidi Binko, Executive Director of the Just Transition Fund

• Chris Markuson, Director of Colorado and State Economic Transition Policy at the BlueGreen Alliance

• Kirstie McPherson, owner of 518 Wine Bar and The Find

• Tim Wohlgenant, Executive Director, Yampa Valley Community Foundation

Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod.

To hear bonus clips and find additional resources, visit https://coalatsunset.org/