In rural northwestern Colorado, the town of Craig is at a crossroads. Coal has long been the primary employer and economic driver in this small, tight-knit community, which takes pride in providing energy to the surrounding region. Here, coal is an identity. A duty. A way of life. But something is about to change. The nearby coal plant and mines will close by decade's end as Colorado moves on from fossil fuels. Now, Craig faces an uncertain future. Some business owners and local officials are seeking reinvention. Others still hold out hope of a coal revival.  This is a story about the energy we use every day. But it's also about resilience in the face of change. Craig is only the latest American coal town to face a transition. It won't be the last. Can it succeed where others have failed?   A new series from the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, produced in partnership with House of Pod. For more information, visit 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/

In our second episode, we travel inside the Craig coal-fired station to learn more about the science and economics of coal amidst a rapidly changing renewable energy landscape. For centuries, society has relied on coal because it's been dependable. Reserves can be stored indefinitely and burned as needed to meet electricity demand in any weather, any time of day. But coal has been losing ground to renewables like wind and solar for decades as the prices of cleaner, greener technologies have come way down. And now, Colorado has made greenhouse gas reductions a priority. Coal is no longer the market driver it once was. Energy is a global challenge. But the transition is well underway. What will the state reasonably be able to achieve over the next decade? And what will that mean for our electricity? To hear bonus clips and additional resources for this episode, visit https://coalatsunset.org/episodes/episode-2-the-cost/ Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Guests: • Tim Osborn, plant manager, Craig station • Suzanne Tegen, Assistant Director, Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University • Bob Rankin, Colorado State Senator, District 8 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.  For more, visit https://coalatsunset.org/

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/

In Craig, Colorado, one big question looms: What if the transition fails? Transitions are nothing new, and American history is full of cautionary tales. When big industries fail or move away, bad things can happen to the small towns that rely on them.  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/

Coal at Sunset fans: if you enjoy diving into policy and you're looking for a little extra weekend listening before episode #5 debuts on Monday, we wanted to share this fun podcast segment produced by our friends at City Cast Denver. This story from late September looks at sidewalks. (Yes, sidewalks.) Denver’s sidewalks are in a sorry state. And that’s if you’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that has them at all. They’re broken, crumbling, and in desperate need of repair. But who should pay for that? It’s a trickier question than it may seem. As you’ll hear, this topic is a great example of how hyper local policies can have big impacts on our daily lives. Each weekday, City Cast Denver features in-depth conversations just like this one, showcasing the artists, politicians, activists, and leaders who make the city great, plus daily news updates. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. Find even more from City Cast Denver via their newsletter (https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/) or on Twitter at @citycastdenver.

There are estimated to be more than a thousand ghost towns in Colorado. Each one represents a failed economic transition. So for Craig, Colorado, the stakes are clear. Transitions require resources and support. In 2019, Colorado created the first state-level Office of Just Transition in the nation. It was designed to help coal towns like Craig strategize for the future. But in the early going, the office didn't have any funding. It didn't have anyone to run it. And unbeknownst at the time, a global pandemic was about to begin. In this episode, we meet Wade Buchanan, who stepped in to run the Office of Just Transition. He wanted to show that the government could deliver for Craig and other rural communities. He wanted to help. Would it be enough? To hear bonus clips and find additional resources, visit https://coalatsunset.org/ Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Guests: • Wade Buchanan, Executive Director, Office of Just Transition • Duane Highley, CEO, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association • Jennifer Holloway, Executive Director, Craig Chamber of Commerce • Bob Rankin, State Senator, District 8 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.

Coal enabled a way of life in Craig that many cherish. A close-knit small town community is still a draw. But for those growing up here now, knowing big changes are ahead, will that feeling be enough for them to stay? In this episode, we look beyond coal and energy to examine some of the other opportunities that Craig will need to build out to retain and attract students and families. Education will be crucial. At Colorado Northwestern Community College, for example, new programs in aviation, cybersecurity, and paleontology might provide other career avenues. There's new creative energy coming in to Craig already. We see it in the public art sector, and the young business owners starting to make investments here. The next generation will find very different opportunities here than their parents did. Maybe that's what it takes to move beyond what's defined the town for so long. Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Guests:  • Marie Bolton, student, Colorado Mesa University • Ariane Caldwell, Secretary, Northwest Colorado Arts Council• Lisa Jones, President, Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) • Melanie Kilpatrick, Executive Director, Northwest Colorado Arts Council • Sue Mock, paleontology coordinator, CNCC • Sasha Nelson, Executive Director, Workforce Education and Economic Development, CNCC• Brittany Young, Assistant Director, Craig Chamber of Commerce Coal at Sunset 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/

The Yampa River is the lifeblood of northwestern Colorado. It's one of the last wild, undammed rivers in the American West. Nobody appreciates the Yampa's transformative power more than Tom Kleinschnitz. Now the director of Moffat County Tourism, he's spent a lifetime on the river. He knows that outdoor recreation and tourism can be an important part of Craig's post-coal future by creating jobs and driving economic activity. But the river is also under threat. Climate change has contributed to severe drought in recent years, and the Yampa's flow has dropped significantly. What will it take to protect the region's critical lifeline and ensure that it's still thriving when Craig needs it most? Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Guests: Tom Kleinschnitz, director, Moffat County Tourism; Josh Veenstra, owner, Good Vibes River Gear Coal at Sunset 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/

By decade's end, coal-fired energy production in Craig, Colorado will be a thing of the past. What will the town look like by then? More importantly: What do residents want their home to become? How does Craig's story help us understand the energy transition as a whole? In our final episode, we look ahead to opportunities on the horizon as the town moves beyond what has defined it for so long. At the Trapper mine, for instance, land will be revegetated for deer, elk, and grouse. The Craig power station could become a testbed for hydrogen production. New businesses are already moving into downtown. All around, there are hopeful signs for a post-coal future. *Correction:* An earlier version of this episode misstated the future dates of the Craig station unit retirements. As of December 2021, Tri-State and its utility partners (where applicable) have announced that Unit 1 will retire by the end of 2025; Unit 2 will retire on September 30, 2028; and Unit 3 will retire by 2030. This timeline has not changed and remains consistent with Tri-State's originally announced schedule. Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Guests: Ginny Brannon, Director, Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety; Wade Buchanan, director, Office of Just Transition; Duane Highley, CEO, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association; Jennifer Holloway, director, Craig Chamber of Commerce; Kirstie McPherson; Tim Osborn, plant manager, Craig Station; Graham Roberts, environmental supervisor, Trapper Mine 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/

Utilities will play a key role in the pace and implementation of Colorado's energy transition. In this special bonus episode, we wanted to share a few extended excerpts from an interview with Alice Jackson, President of Xcel Energy Colorado. In our wide-ranging conversation, recorded in late summer 2021, we talked with her about our state's changing electricity needs, implementing newer technologies like hydrogen and molten salt, the practicalities of getting to a completely zero carbon system, and much more. 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. For more, visit https://coalatsunset.org/

In our latest bonus episode, Tri-State President & CEO Duane Highley shares insights about regional energy markets in the West, renewable integration, and more. 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. For more, visit https://coalatsunset.org/

Science was revolutionized by Newton’s laws of motion. But how can we revolutionize our ideas? Laws of Notion is a podcast by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where we push against our preconceived beliefs and think critically about the world around us. Each season, we’ll tell a story about an issue facing a community, where there are no easy answers. We’ll explore the interconnections between science, policy, and our human nature. To learn more about the podcast check out lawsofnotion.org.

This year, we’re taking you deep into the world of water. Where values, science, law, and our identity collide, as communities in Colorado face tough choices about this dwindling vital resource. Stay tuned for Water, Under Pressure, a five-part podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future.  Learn more about the podcast at waterunderpressure.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 on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod.

A 40-year-old calculation on the back of an envelope fuels something of a gold rush in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. But instead of gold, the attraction is water. And the plan is to move it and sell it to Colorado’s growing – and thirsty – metro areas on the Front Range. But how much water is there really? And how do we decide who gets it and who doesn't? This is episode one of Water Under Pressure, a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future.  Learn more about the podcast at waterunderpressure.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 on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod.  Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan UhlenbrockReporting, writing, production: Cat JaffeeProduction: Ann Marie Awad Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate LongTheme music: Alex Paul, Birds of PlayEpisode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Sound design: Ameeta GanatraMarketing: Tricia WaddellA special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

One of the most controversial pieces of real estate in the San Luis Valley isn’t because of anything it’s got above ground, but because of the water below it. Water is needed for all living things to survive. It can also be controlled and has been by civilizations for millennia. So how is it decided where the water goes and what it can be used for?  In order to understand this, we must understand how water rights work. This is episode two of Water, Under Pressure, a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.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 on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod.  Episode Credits:Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan UhlenbrockReporting, writing, production: Cat JaffeeProduction: Ann Marie Awad Additional reporting and fact checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate LongTheme music: Alex Paul, Birds of PlayEpisode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Sound design: Ameeta Ganatra and Seth SamuelMarketing: Tricia Waddell A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

When people learn that 91% of Colorado’s water is used for agricultural purposes, farmers are the first to blame for its overuse. But there’s a lot more baked into this figure than many realize. There are compromises that farmers are making, trying to ensure they are in the black financially while adapting to drought and a changing climate, in order to ensure we all eat. So as Colorado approaches 6 million people with most of us living in the Front Range are people aware of the sacrifices needed to keep up with the growing demand for water? This is episode three of Water, Under Pressure, a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future.   Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.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 on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod.  Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Reporting, writing, production: Cat Jaffee Production: Ann Marie Awad  Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Episode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds  Sound design: Seth Samuel Marketing: Tricia Waddell A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

The need to use every drop of water – multiple times over – matters. In Colorado, 80% of the precipitation falls on the western side of the continental divide, but 90% of the population lives to the east, in the Front Range. As the urban corridor continues to grow rapidly, the need for water is even more urgent. And often that water is coming from somewhere else.  This time on Water, Under Pressure, the Front Range of Colorado perspective. What are the water needs of a growing city? And is water from the San Luis Valley really the only solution?  Water, Under Pressure is a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.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 on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod.  Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan Uhlenbrock Reporting, writing, production: Cat Jaffee Production: Ann Marie Awad  Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate Long Theme music: Alex Paul, Birds of Play Episode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds  Sound design: Seth Samuel Marketing: Tricia Waddell A special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

In this series, we’ve investigated the pressures around water in Colorado – from climate change to population growth to different values – and how they shape the management of this vital resource. But where do we go from here? And how do we change the relationship we’ve had with water historically, to better reflect the realities of our future? Because we should all care about where our water comes from, where it goes, what it’s used for, and the true cost to use it. Water, Under Pressure is a podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us apart or help us to navigate our uncertain future. Learn more about the podcast and people featured at waterunderpressure.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 on society’s greatest challenges with scientific thinking, empathy, and inclusivity. The Institute is a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The podcast was produced in partnership with House of Pod.  Episode Credits: Reporting, writing, hosting: Kristan UhlenbrockReporting, writing, production: Cat JaffeeProduction: Ann Marie Awad Additional reporting and fact-checking: Nicole Delaney and Kate LongSound design: Seth SamuelTheme music: Alex Paul, Birds of PlayEpisode composition: Jesse Boynton with tracks from Epidemic Sounds Marketing: Tricia WaddellA special thanks to Trent Knoss and George Sparks

Laws of Notion Listeners! More on our state's water issues with our friends at City Cast Denver. Ever since Denver Water was founded in 1918, the agency has demonstrated enviable foresight, building out a massive infrastructure across 4,000 square miles to ensure Denver’s population (and economy) can continue to grow. But now that reservoirs and rivers are drying up across the West, is it time for Denver to share the wealth? Colorado’s top water reporter, Luke Runyon of KUNC, joins producer Paul Karolyi, City Cast Denver, to explain where Denver fits into the recent conflict over the Colorado River and offer an outsider’s perspective on Denver Water’s ambitious growth. This episode originally aired on August 29, 2022.  Learn more about City Cast Denver and subscribe to their daily morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ or follow them on Twitter @citycastdenver.  Learn more about the Institute for Science & Policy at institute.dmns.org and follow us on Twitter @institutescipol.