Lignite Energy Council Podcast

Episode 35: Keeping It Local: How Energy Projects Strengthen Coal County Budgets

As electricity demand rises and the focus returns to reliable energy, new projects are creating real dollars for local communities. LEC President Jonathan Fortner explain

Episode 34: Western Dakota Energy Association (WDEA) Executive Director, Alison Ritter

Alison Ritter has been the executive director of the Western Dakota Energy Association (WDEA), since July 2025, following the retirement of former ED Geoff Simon. WDEA re

Episode 33: Beyond the Classroom: Expanding Energy Opportunities

Where will the next generation of our industry's workforce come from? How is that pipeline of talent growing? At our 2025 Lignite Energy Council annual conference, I sa

Episode 32: Fireside Chat: Reflections and the Road Ahead

The Lignite Energy Council has gone through a lot of change in the past 50 plus years. At the 2025 lignite energy council annual conference, I sat down with MacMcLennan…

Episode 31: Keynote Speaker – Aaron Witt, BuildWitt

He could be called the Millennial Mike Rowe. With an eye towards big equipment, a love for moving dirt, and a passion for finding the best of mining practices across the

Episode 30: Policy and Progress: Updates from Governor Kelly Armstrong

Coal is the 5 th largest industry in North Dakota, and provides the dependable, reliable electricity we use every day. Governor Kelly Armstrong talked to our members at

Episode 29: Political Perspectives from Industry Leaders

What does it take to be a leader in your community? Why do those voices matter? How can you add to the conversation? During our annual conference in November, Jonathan Fo

Episode 28: Future Opportunities for the Lignite Industry

As we kick off 2026, we're looking towards the future of the coal industry this year. What new opportunities are in store, and what's going to be making headlines this

Episode 27: CO₂as a Commodity: Turning a Challenge into Opportunity

One of the biggest headline-makers of the past year has been carbon capture and utilization. Let's separate the fact from the fiction, and look at how captured carbon can

Episode 26: Legislators' Role in Powering Production

As 2025 comes to a close, we're taking a look back at policy and legislative decisions that impacted the lignite coal industry over the years. What will it take to suppor

Episode 25: Year in Review 2025

LEC President & CEO Jonathan Fortner is joined by LEC's Executive Director of Public Engagement Retha Mattern to recap the key federal, state and local developments impac

Episode 24: North Dakota State Senator Dale Patten

North Dakota State Senator Dale Patten joins the podcast to share his insights on the future of North Dakota's energy industry and his perspective as a key policymaker in

Episode 23: Mac McLennan, CEO of Minnkota Power Cooperative

In this episode of the LEC Podcast, we talk with Minnkota Power CEO Mac McLennan about energy policy, carbon capture, and the future of coal in North Dakota. With decades

Episode 22: Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND)

In this episode, we sit down with Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, North Dakota's newest member of the federal delegation. She shares insights from her first two months in

Episode 21: Dave Glatt, Director of ND Department of Environmental Quality

In this episode, DEQ Director Glatt joins to discuss environmental regulations affecting the lignite industry. He highlights North Dakota's strong compliance record, chal

Episode 20: Lignite Plant of the Future, Tyler Hamman EERC

This episode of the Lignite Energy Council Podcast explores the "Lignite Plant of the Future," with EERC guest Tyler Hamman discussing lignite's economic importance, regu

Episode 19: CO2 Education Program, Brent Bogar AE2S

This episode features Brent Bogar, who discusses his role in advancing carbon capture education efforts in North Dakota. The conversation explores the state's carbon capt

Episode 18: Kay LaCoe, VP of Public Affairs for the Lignite Energy Council

In this episode, Kay Lacoe, Vice President of Public Affairs for the Lignite Energy Council, discusses the results of recent statewide polling on public opinion regarding

Episode 17: Daryl Hill, Lignite Historian

In this episode, we meet Daryl Hill, a lignite historian, who discusses the early history of lignite mining in North Dakota, from discoveries by Lewis and Clark to the tr

Episode 16: Kevin Lawrence, Chief Meteorologist

In this episode of the LEC Podcast, we sit down with Chief Meteorologist Kevin Lawrence to explore the science behind weather patterns and the art of forecasting. Kevin s