logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2021
26m 55s

A Wind Farm in Coal Country

The New York Times
About this episode

Wyoming has powered the nation with coal for generations. Many in the state consider the industry part of their identity.

It is in this state, and against this cultural backdrop, that one of America’s largest wind farms will be built.

Today, we look at how and why one local politician in Carbon County, Wyo. — a conservative who says he’s “not a true believer” in climate change — brought wind power to his community.

Guest: Dionne Searcey, a domestic correspondent for The New York Times. 

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter

Background reading: 

  • The tiny town of Rawlins, Wyo., will soon be home to one of the nation’s largest wind farms. But pride in the fossil fuel past remains a powerful force

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Up next
Yesterday
Is Congress About to Kill This Local Radio Station?
From the moment President Trump and Republicans took control of Washington this year, they set out to turn their longtime threats against public media, which they see as biased, into action.Now, a piece of Republican legislation would cut more than a billion dollars from the Corp ... Show More
32m 36s
Jul 10
What to Expect From Trump’s New Trade Drama
After months of delaying his most extreme tariffs, President Trump is now threatening to revive the most aggressive version of his global trade war.America’s trading partners, investors and consumers are bracing for impact.The Times journalists Natalie Kitroeff, Ana Swanson, Magg ... Show More
31m 14s
Jul 9
Trump’s Top Aides Spread the Epstein Conspiracy. Now They Are Trying to Kill It.
For months, President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested that they would expose the hidden, potentially sinister truth about Jeffrey Epstein’s death in 2019.But over the past few days, the Trump administrationWhite House decided to shut down has poured cold water on t ... Show More
21m 47s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2022
A Clean Energy Future: How Hawaii Is Sparking The Push
Sixty percent of electricity in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels, like natural gas and coal. Today on the show, guest host Dan Charles talks with reporter Julia Simon about how Hawaii is fighting climate change by throwing out what's been standard for many decades and encouraging ... Show More
13m 24s
Sep 2023
New frontiers of clean energy emerge
Renewables and electric vehicles are on a tear, and they’ll soon likely attract $2 trillion in yearly investment. But global emissions have not peaked. So what are the new frontiers of technology that will make renewables and storage more valuable – and draw down emissions at the ... Show More
1h 7m
Nov 2021
Heat of the Moment: A Just Transition
We introduce the second season of Heat of the Moment, a podcast that, like And Now The Hard Part, tells stories from the front lines of one of the world's biggest challenges: the climate crisis. Moving away from coal is a top priority in the fight against climate change. But how ... Show More
25m 50s
Aug 2023
Why is Alberta pausing new renewable energy projects?
It’s been a busy month in Alberta energy politics. In early August, the provincial government caught many by surprise with a six-month pause on any new solar and wind projects that would produce more than one megawatt of power. Since then, Premier Danielle Smith has doubled down ... Show More
20m 19s
Sep 2022
The Climate Change Challenge - an Interview with Dr. Bonner Cohen
Today’s show rundown: Mark introduces us to a returning guest, Dr. Bonner Cohen (Bio Below). Dr. Cohen has a challenge up offering a bunch of cash to anyone who can disprove his stance on "climate change" - which uses to be called global warming. Mark asks, does the far left, thi ... Show More
1h 28m
Apr 2024
The Power of the Wind
You probably know wind energy projects have been around since the 90s, but did you know they now provide 10% of America’s energy, and more than that in other countries? Learn about what’s ahead for wind and what it’ll need to become a real star like coal.See omnystudio.com/listen ... Show More
51m 54s
Dec 2021
Checks and Balance: Nuclear option
Nuclear is responsible for nearly 20% of America’s power generation and about half of its clean energy. It’s greener than fossil fuels and more reliable than renewables. Yet safety fears remain and plants are being closed. Will the climate crisis force America to reconsider nucle ... Show More
42m 26s
Jan 2023
Money Talks: The new power in the North Sea
For decades, the North Sea’s fierce gales have created a challenge for those extracting the oil and gas buried beneath its swells. But the region’s poor weather is also the key to its future: offshore wind. And the plans are surprisingly ambitious. On this week’s podcast, hosts T ... Show More
35m 2s