Energy Reporter

David Madison

David Madison is an award-winning journalist and documentary producer based in Bozeman, Montana. He’s also reported for Wyoming PBS. He studied journalism at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and has worked at news outlets throughout Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Montana.

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Latest from David Madison

Battle Lines Drawn Over Huge Eastern Wyoming ‘Green’ Hydrogen Jet Fuel Project

Battle lines are being drawn over a pair of contentious eastern Wyoming wind and solar projects that recently got leasing approval from state officials. The plan is to make “green” hydrogen jet fuel.

David MadisonMay 15, 2025

Hageman Aims To Protect Hydro Power By Reversing Biden Fish Protections

The U.S. House passed a bill sponsored by Wyoming’s Harriet Hageman on Tuesday that aims to protect the hydro power produced by Glen Canyon Dam. A Biden-era protection on fish bypasses the dam and kills its ability to produce energy, Hageman says.

David MadisonMay 14, 2025

Montana Man Steals Shotgun, Ammo And Body Armor From Cop Cars

A 28-year-old man will spend three years in prison for his 10-day crime spree vandalizing and robbing law enforcement vehicles in Billings, Montana. Among the stuff he stole was a shotgun, ammunition and body armor.

David MadisonMay 14, 2025

On the floor of a natural gas drilling rig, roughnecks move 25-ton blocks over a section of drilling pipe 8 miles north of Evanston, Wyoming, in this file photo.

Reaction To Trump Tariffs Helps Push Wyoming Oil Prices To Four-Year Low

The price of oil in Wyoming has been pushed to a four-year low, caused by a response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. A state economist also reports 200 fewer oil and gas jobs than a year ago.

David MadisonMay 13, 2025

Thirteen Bozeman police officers were caught playing games of “Crime Bingo,” the department reported. The customized bingo cards included incidents to check off during traffic stops, like “arrest 2 people” or “butt-ass naked.”

‘Crime Bingo’ Results In 9 Montana Felony Cases Being Thrown Out

Nine felony cases connected to Bozeman, Montana, police officers playing “Crime Bingo” have been tossed by the local county attorney. The arrests could be tainted by the potential for officers to make them based on the game.

David MadisonMay 12, 2025

A West Yellowstone, Montana, thrill-shooting specialist keeps clients safe while making their machine gun dreams come true at Big Gun Fun.

Find Your "Inner Rambo" At Big Gun Fun In West Yellowstone

Want to shoot an MP5, AK-47, M16, M4, a KRISS Vector or a Thompson submachine gun like the one toted by Bonnie and Clyde? No problem. At Big Gun Fun in West Yellowstone, you can fire weapons most people only see in news footage and action films.

David MadisonMay 11, 2025

Smoking pot may be legal in some states, but it’s not in Yellowstone National Park. When asked by customers the best way to spark up in the park, a West Yellowstone cannabis seller advises don’t — getting stoned in Yellowstone invites a federal charge.

Cannabis Sellers Warn Against Taking Marijuana Into Yellowstone

Smoking pot is legal in some states, but it’s not in Yellowstone. That's why West Yellowstone cannabis sellers warn against taking marijuana into the park as it becomes a federal crime -- and the charges can be harsh.

David MadisonMay 11, 2025

Paul Dey, official and certified beer judge, enjoying a Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co. beer at The Safari Club restaurant in Thermopolis in a file photo.

Wyoming Is The Second Most Expensive State For Beer Lovers

Beer in Wyoming isn’t as expensive as it is in Alaska, but buying a brew in the Cowboy State is the second highest in the country. Behind the high prices, several factors are at play: tourism, the cost of shipping and a bartender’s sensitivity to locals’ pricing.

David MadisonMay 10, 2025

An amendment attached to sweeping legislation moving its way through the U.S. House has ignited a debate over the sale of federally owned public land. Wyoming’s Harriet Hageman supports the move, while Republicans in other Western states oppose it.

Hageman And House Committee Open Up Sale Of Federally Owned Public Land

An amendment attached to legislation moving its way through the U.S. House this week opens federal land for sale in Utah and Nevada. Wyoming’s Harriet Hageman supports the move, while Republicans in other Western states oppose it.

David MadisonMay 09, 2025

Men Accused Of Dumping Wyoming Oil Field Waste In Utah Face Multiple Felonies

A pair of oil field waste haulers are accused of trying to cut corners and pocket more money by dumping Wyoming oil field waste near a town in Utah. They face multiple felony charges.

David MadisonMay 08, 2025

A coalition of 18 attorneys general from mostly blue states is suing the Trump administration over its directive to pump the brakes on wind energy permitting. Wyoming has plenty of wind turbines, but isn’t part of the lawsuit.

Group Of Mostly Blue States Sue Trump Over Halt Of Federal Wind Energy Permits

A coalition of 18 attorneys general from mostly blue states is suing the Trump administration over its directive to pump the brakes on federal wind energy permitting. Wyoming has plenty of wind turbines, but isn’t part of the lawsuit.

David MadisonMay 07, 2025

The site about 20 miles southwest of Green River could produce 6 million tons of soda ash and sodium bicarbonate a year.

BLM Approves New $5 Billion Pacific Soda Trona Mine Near Green River

The Bureau of Land Management announced Friday it's approved Pacific Soda’s proposed $5 billion Dry Creek Trona Mine Project south of Green River. The project promises hundreds of full-time jobs.

David MadisonMay 05, 2025

Other Authors

Expect More E-Bikes Than Ever On Wyoming Trails This Summer

From a new trail system in the Bighorns to a revised e-bike policy for U.S. Forest Service trails around Jackson, summer in Wyoming appears poised to bring out more e-bikers than ever.

David MadisonMay 04, 2025

The hit HBO MAX series "The Last of Us" has much of its dystopian future set in Jackson, Wyoming, is actually filmed in Albert, Canada.

Sheridan Filmmaker Couldn’t Push Incentives Through In Wyoming, So He Went North

Sheridan filmmaker Sen Patrick Higgins tried to help push Wyoming to give incentives for his industry to film more in Wyoming. When that didn’t work, he went to Montana and lobbied for them there.

David MadisonMay 03, 2025

Wyoming Star Ian Munsick Declares He Has ‘The Greatest Hair In Country Music’

Wyoming native Ian Munsick has real cowboy roots and talent fueling his career as a rising star in Nashville. He also boasts having something else no other artist can claim — the “greatest hair in country music.”

David MadisonMay 02, 2025

A mound of dirt dug out of the ground for water storage sits next to a drilling site at the Lost Creek project in south-central Wyoming. The water is needed to cool down the drill bit when digging for uranium.

Former Wyoming Legislator Now In EPA Approves Long-Delayed Uranium Project

Former Sheridan state legislator Cyrus Western, put in charge of the EPA’s Denver office by the Trump administration, has approved a long-delayed Wyoming uranium mining project. Western says it was past time for “getting government out of the way.”

David MadisonMay 02, 2025

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, left, signs a three-state nuclear power compact with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Idaho Gov. Brad Little.

Wyoming A Lynchpin In New Three-State Nuclear Compact With Utah, Idaho

Wyoming has emerged as a lynchpin of a three-state compact with Utah and Idaho signed this week to form a nuclear energy partnership. The TerraPower project near Kemmerer could be just the beginning of a small, modular nuclear reactor revolution.

David MadisonMay 02, 2025

Ethics Probe: Wyoming BLM Chief Accepted Gifts, Gave Girlfriend Travel Perks

Wyoming BLM Director Andrew Archuleta is on leave after an ethics probe by the Office of Inspector General, which alleges he accepted a gift dinner and drinks from a private company, and treated his girlfriend to travel perks on the BLM’s dime.

David MadisonMay 01, 2025

Seminoe Dam on the North Platte River southwest of Casper is one of Wyoming's hydropower-producing dams.

Hageman Says Wyoming Can Be Part Of Hydropower Boom Across West

Harriet Hageman says there needs to be more investment in hydropower projects across the West, including Wyoming. She says hydropower can be “the backbone of our region’s energy future.”

David MadisonApril 30, 2025

The American Lung Association has named Fremont County and Casper as having the cleanest air in the United States for year-round particles. At the same time, some Wyoming cities and counties received failing grades for certain types of air pollution.

Fremont County, Casper Have Cleanest Air In The U.S., Lung Association Says

The American Lung Association has named Fremont County and Casper as having the cleanest air in the United States for year-round particles. Casper tied with Honolulu for the No. 1 ranking on the list of cleanest cities for year-round particle pollution.

David MadisonApril 29, 2025

A pair of Wyoming Department of Corrections officers move an inmate.

Homeless Montana Man Awarded $27.75 Million For Vicious Prison Beating

A homeless Montana man whose conviction for sex assault was overturned won a $27.75 million judgment for a vicious beating he took in prison. A private prison company, which also does business with Wyoming, didn’t do enough to protect him, a jury found.

David MadisonApril 28, 2025