Episode 9: Michael Bell, Host of Dakota Mornings Radio Show
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
Release Date: 09/13/2024
Episode 32: Fireside Chat: Reflections and the Road Ahead
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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…the CEO and President of Minnkota Power Cooperative, and the outgoing Lignite Energy Council board chair…and Todd Brickhouse, President & General Manager of Basin Electric Power Cooperative…our incoming board chair. Together we discussed the Council’s progress over the past year, leadership transitions, and what their vision is for the next chapter of coal.
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Episode 31: Keynote Speaker – Aaron Witt, BuildWitt
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 world, Aaron Witt has built his career around the dirt world. In November, he flew to Bismarck, ND straight from Belize to talk to our members at our 2025 annual conference.
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Episode 30: Policy and Progress: Updates from Governor Kelly Armstrong
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 the 2025 Lignite Energy Council annual conference about coal’s role in powering our state’s economic growth.
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Episode 29: Political Perspectives from Industry Leaders
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 Fortner sat down with Ron Ness of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, Arik Spencer of the Greater North Dakota Chamber, and Alison Ritter of the Western Dakota Energy Association, to discuss the challenges of engaging and recruiting the next generation of industry professionals to serve as county commissioners, legislators, and policymakers.
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Episode 28: Future Opportunities for the Lignite Industry
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 year? At our annual conference in November, Mike Holmes of the Lignite Energy Council discussed some of those research & development opportunities with Stacy Tschider, CEO of Rainbow Energy Center, Carroll Dewing, Sr. Vice President and COO of the North American Coal Corporation, and Josh Stanislowski, Director of Energy Systems Development at the EERC. Take a listen and hear what they had to say about emerging...
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Episode 27: CO₂as a Commodity: Turning a Challenge into Opportunity
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 secure a long-term future for both the lignite industry and the state’s oil and gas industry. In November 2025 Mike Holmes, the Lignite Energy Council Executive VP of Research & Development, sat down with Ron Ness, President of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, Charles Gorecki, CEO of the EERC, and Conway Nelson, Director of Carbon Management at Rainbow Energy Center, to explore the role...
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Episode 26: Legislators’ Role in Powering Production
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 support positive energy policy going forward? During the 2025 Lignite Energy Council annual conference, Reps. Todd Porter and Anna Novak and Sen. Dale Patten sat down with Jessica Bell, VP of External Affairs at Rainbow Energy Center, to discuss the state’s role in advancing coal and energy production.
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Episode 25: Year in Review 2025
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 impacting North Dakota’s lignite industry in 2025, reflect on the year’s major milestones and discuss how far the industry and the LEC have come over the past year.
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Episode 24: North Dakota State Senator Dale Patten
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 the legislature. Topics include coal, critical minerals, CO₂ pipelines, and balancing growth with landowner rights.
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Episode 23: Mac McLennan, CEO of Minnkota Power Cooperative
Lignite Energy Council Podcast
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 of experience, McLennan shares insights on industry challenges, regulatory shifts, and economic opportunities.
info_outlineIn this episode, Michael Bell, the dynamic host of the Dakota Mornings Radio Show, joins us to share insights into his early career and the pivotal moments that led him to transition to Washington, DC, where he became deeply involved in Republican politics. He reflects on his extensive experience as a lobbyist, advocating for key issues at both state and national levels, before ultimately returning to North Dakota to take the helm of the popular Dakota Mornings show. Throughout the conversation, Michael offers valuable reflections on his journey, the challenges he has overcome, and the lessons he’s learned across both media and political arenas.