Powering America

Neel Brown of the Progressive Policy Institute explains how advanced recycling uses molecular breakdown to process plastics that mechanical systems can't handle. They discuss the economic benefits for municipalities, including millions in potential savings on landfill tipping fees, and the legislative hurdles facing this emerging technology.

Bartlett Cleland of the Institute for Policy Innovation joins the show to discuss why AI and data centers represent the "economic opportunity of a generation." He breaks down the physical infrastructure required to power the digital future and explains how these billion-dollar investments are revitalizing the American Midwest by creating long-term, high-paying jobs for local communities.

Yaël Ossowski of the Consumer Choice Center joins the show to discuss the rise of "climate lawfare" and its hidden impact on energy costs. He explains the details of the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act and how specific litigation strategies by state AGs and private law firms are creating a backdoor tax for consumers.

Ross Marchand, Executive Director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, discusses the future of advanced recycling, focusing on the Recycled Materials Attribution Act. Marchand discusses advancements in recycling technology, the economic potential of increased recycling rates, and the regulatory challenges posed by state and federal guidelines. The conversation highlights the importance of a feder...

Political consultant Garrett Fulce joins the podcast to discuss how Texas is leveraging its history of aggressive infrastructure development to lead the national data center boom. He breaks down common misconceptions regarding energy and water consumption and explains why states must lean into digital infrastructure to stay competitive in the AI era.

The Powering America Podcast episode discusses the future of the Heartland Flyer, an Amtrak train connecting Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas. Despite achieving record ridership and revenue, the train faces potential shutdown due to Texas not securing funding in its budget. The episode highlights the significance of the Heartland Flyer as a vital transportation option for many residents and its...

Ross Eisenberg, president of America's Plastic Makers (APM), American Chemistry Council, discusses the Recycled Materials Attribution Act, a bipartisan bill that would establish federal standards for advanced recycling and provide regulatory certainty for manufacturers using recycled content.  Eisenberg explains how advanced recycling technologies can process hard-to-recycle plastics, support a mo...

As Congress considers H.R. 7502, the "Recycled Materials Attribution Act," David Clement, Policy Director at the Consumer Choice Center, discusses the economic and environmental significance of advanced recycling and plastics policy. H.R. 7502, introduced Feb. 12 by U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy, would establish a federal framework for recycled-content marketing claims and direct the Federal Trade Com...

Paul Gessing, President of the Rio Grande Foundation, discusses the political and economic landscape of New Mexico's energy sector. He explains how "microgrids" are becoming a genius solution for powering energy-intensive data centers without straining the public grid or raising costs for residents.

Wayne Winegarden, Senior Fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, joins the show to discuss why starving the coal industry of capital creates a more fragile and expensive energy grid. He details the hidden economic costs of aggressive energy policy in California and explains why coal remains a critical "dispatchable" resource when renewables and natural gas face supply shocks.

Ross Marchand, executive director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said data centers are critical infrastructure supporting the modern digital economy and the growth of artificial intelligence. He argued that public concerns about water and electricity usage are often overstated and lack context, noting that data centers account for a small share of national electricity use and can be less re...

On the Powering America Podcast, Steve Cortes, president and founder of the League of American Workers, argues that large-scale wind energy projects are inefficient, costly, and environmentally harmful, calling them a "multi-billion dollar scam" that depends on subsidies and redundant fossil fuel backup systems. He contends that wind turbines fail to produce consistent, economically viable energy...

In this episode of the Powering America Podcast, host Bryan Hyde speaks with Bill Beard, Municipal Affairs Liaison at the Goldwater Institute, about the growing role of data centers in the modern economy and the policy debates surrounding them. Beard explains that data centers are essentially the digital equivalent of libraries—critical infrastructure that powers everything from smartphones to clo...

In Part 2 of this conversation, Polar LNG President Joel Riddle expands on the economic, strategic, and national security implications of developing liquefied natural gas on Alaska's North Slope. He outlines how the project could generate billions in investment, create thousands of jobs across the United States, and drive long-term economic growth in Alaska through tax revenues, royalties, and inf...

In Part 1 of this two-part episode, we are joined by Polar LNG President Joel Riddle about a major liquefied natural gas project planned for Alaska's North Slope. Riddle outlines the scale and accelerated timeline of the project, including its potential to deliver up to 21 million tons of LNG annually and begin initial production by 2029–2030. He explains how global supply disruptions, including r...

Why This Podcast Exists What actually powers America, and who decides how it all works? Powering America: The Energy and Infrastructure Policy Podcast, hosted by Bryan Hyde, begins with a clear purpose. This show exists to bring clarity to the policy conversations shaping how America is built, powered, and sustained, conversations that often happen without transparency or real-world context. Energ...