North Dakota's Energy Future: Coal, AI, and the Filibuster Fight (11-12-25)

This episode of What's On Your Mind broadcasts live from the Lignite Energy Council's annual meeting in Bismarck, North Dakota, focusing heavily on the state's energy industry, the threat and opportunity of AI, and the national debate over the Senate filibuster. Host Scott Hannon speaks with energy experts about clean coal, carbon capture technology, and the battle against over-regulation. The show also features an in-depth conversation with Dr. Terry Pilling, Dean of Engineering at the University of Mary, about critical thinking, AI, and the demand for skilled engineers.   🎙️ Standout Moments The Fight for Coal and Energy Independence: The host opens with the story of Great River Energy selling its efficient North Dakota coal plant to Rainbow Energy for just $1 because the Minnesota-based co-op was "woke," highlighting the regulatory attacks on affordable, reliable energy. China, in contrast, is building coal plants weekly. [0:00:54 - 0:02:29]. The Filibuster Debate: The show repeatedly takes calls and texts on the filibuster, with host Scott Hannon wrestling with the idea of eliminating the 60-vote rule. While Republicans like Stephen Miller push for its end to advance the GOP agenda, Hannon fears Democrats would use it to pack the Supreme Court and add new blue states like D.C. and Puerto Rico. [0:03:36 - 0:05:07] and [0:08:58 - 0:09:44]. CO2 as a Commodity: The Bakken 2.0: Mike Holmes and Jonathan Fortner of the Lignite Energy Council explain that capturing industrial CO2 is key to a "Bakken 2.0". The CO2 is used in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) to extract an estimated three to seven additional billion barrels of oil , generating billions in state revenue and keeping electricity costs low and the air clean. [0:16:03 - 0:17:11] and [0:24:20 - 0:26:08]. Rare Earth Minerals Opportunity: Jonathan Fortner discusses how North Dakota's lignite coal contains rare earth elements like germanium and gallium. Mining these minerals—currently 95% controlled by China —is a national security imperative and a massive opportunity to disrupt China's dominance. [0:21:49 - 0:23:09]. AI and Critical Thinking in Engineering: Dr. Terry Pilling, Dean of the Hamm School of Engineering at the University of Mary, discusses the future of the workforce amid AI. He stresses that while AI provides instant knowledge, the future will demand critical thinking and creativity, as AI is a "stochastic parrot" that only collates existing data. The school offers a unique course, "Engineering in Ancient Rome," which culminates in a two-week…This episode of What's On Your Mind broadcasts live from the Lignite Energy Council's annual meeting in Bismarck, North Dakota, focusing heavily on the state's energy industry, the threat and opportunity of AI, and the national debate over the Senate filibuster. Host Scott Hannon speaks with energy experts about clean coal, carbon capture technology, and the battle against over-regulation. The show also features an in-depth conversation with Dr. Terry Pilling, Dean of Engineering at the University of Mary, about critical thinking, AI, and the demand for skilled engineers.   🎙️ Standout Moments The Fight for Coal and Energy Independence: The host opens with the story of Great River Energy selling its efficient North Dakota coal plant to Rainbow Energy for just $1 because the Minnesota-based co-op was "woke," highlighting the regulatory attacks on affordable, reliable energy. China, in contrast, is building coal plants weekly. [0:00:54 - 0:02:29]. The Filibuster Debate: The show repeatedly takes calls and texts on the filibuster, with host Scott Hannon wrestling with the idea of eliminating the 60-vote rule. While Republicans like Stephen Miller push for its end to advance the GOP agenda, Hannon fears Democrats would use it to pack the Supreme Court and add new blue states like D.C. and Puerto Rico. [0:03:36 - 0:05:07] and [0:08:58 - 0:09:44]. CO2 as a Commodity: The Bakken 2.0: Mike Holmes and Jonathan Fortner of the Lignite Energy Council explain that capturing industrial CO2 is key to a "Bakken 2.0". The CO2 is used in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) to extract an estimated three to seven additional billion barrels of oil , generating billions in state revenue and keeping electricity costs low and the air clean. [0:16:03 - 0:17:11] and [0:24:20 - 0:26:08]. Rare Earth Minerals Opportunity: Jonathan Fortner discusses how North Dakota's lignite coal contains rare earth elements like germanium and gallium. Mining these minerals—currently 95% controlled by China —is a national security imperative and a massive opportunity to disrupt China's dominance. [0:21:49 - 0:23:09]. AI and Critical Thinking in Engineering: Dr. Terry Pilling, Dean of the Hamm School of Engineering at the University of Mary, discusses the future of the workforce amid AI. He stresses that while AI provides instant knowledge, the future will demand critical thinking and creativity, as AI is a "stochastic parrot" that only collates existing data. The school offers a unique course, "Engineering in Ancient Rome," which culminates in a two-week…