by Wyoming Liberty Group What does Yucca Mountain, about a hundred miles west of the bright lights of Las Vegas, have to do with us in far-away Wyoming? A lot, as it happens. Long ago, Yucca Mountain in Nevada was proposed as the site of a permanent site to store nuclear waste, below the surface, in what is called a deep geological repository stora...

We're celebrating a huge milestone—100 episodes of Eye on the Issues!  For this special edition, host Mike Garofalo sits down with our very own President and CEO, Mandy Ludtke, for an inside look at the Wyoming Liberty Group's work and vision for the future.  Since launching Eye on the Issues in 2023, we've covered everything from school ...

In this special episode, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder joins us to talk about the biggest issues facing education in our state. From major court battles over school funding and education choice to the state's push for stronger career and technical training, Superintendent Degenfelder shares her perspective on where ...

by Wyoming Liberty Group President Trump is going all-in on nuclear power. That was the overriding message when the president recently put his signature to one of his latest moves. There was no need to read the tea leaves. The White House declared its clear intent with this announcement: "President Trump Signs Executive Orders to Usher in a Nuclear...

In this episode of Eye on the Issues, we sit down with Jenny Schucker—founder of Academy of the Winds, a Montessori school in Lander—to unpack the fallout from the recent judicial halt on Wyoming's Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Jenny shares how the ESA freeze has impacted her school's enrollment and budget, and more importantly, the families l...

In this episode of Eye on the Issues, we speak with Diane D'Arrigo of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS). This organization has worked with communities and policymakers on nuclear waste issues since the late 1970s.  This conversation explores how radioactive waste is generated through nuclear power, the types of materials it l...

by Wyoming Liberty Group A nuclear accident isn't the only way a power plant can unintentionally cause radiation exposure that can harm you. Just the process of mining uranium—the essential ingredient in nuclear power—can be problem enough. The history of uranium mining in Wyoming—and radiation exposure—has proven that. Why is this important? Well,...

Summary: SF186, as considered in 2025 but not passed, allows nuclear reactor manufacturers in Wyoming to store spent nuclear fuel (SNF) on-site, but only if the fuel is generated as part of the manufacturing process. While the bill attempts to limit what kind of fuel can be stored, the language is vague, allowing the federal Nuclear Regulatory Comm...

In this episode of Eye on the Issues, recorded in mid-May, we sat down with Anna Erickson, a professor of nuclear and radiological engineering at Georgia Tech. As someone who teaches and supports nuclear energy, Prof. Erickson offers an informed perspective—but even she raises concerns about how nuclear projects are being handled, particularly rega...

by Wyoming Liberty Group Sometimes, to understand something locally, you need to look globally. Sometimes, you have to go all the way to Germany. Such is the case for us in Wyoming, as powerful forces continue to push for making the Cowboy State a cradle-to-grave operation for all things nuclear, including storing spent nuclear fuel from reactor ma...