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Data, AI, and Decision Making: State Environmental Leaders Tackle Pressing Issues
What if the biggest threat to environmental progress isn’t climate change itself, but the way we talk about it—and how we choose to fund its solutions?
In this episode of Unconventional Times, Richard Gordon takes you straight to Savannah, Georgia for a front-row seat at the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) conference, where leaders are rethinking the connections between economic growth and environmental health.
Secretary James C. Kenney of New Mexico and Commissioner Melanie Loyzim of Maine share surprising insights on why businesses actually want tough environmental regulations (as long as the rules don’t keep shifting), how Maine is turning shuttered paper mills into high-tech data centers, and how New Mexico leverages transparency and AI to deliver cleaner water and smarter outcomes for citizens.
Discover why state agencies are now key players on the environmental front lines—and why their stories matter more than ever.
Episode Overview
00:00 - Introduction: Unconventional conversations begin
00:29 - Live from Savannah: Setting the scene at the ECOS conference
00:48 - Forest fires, storms, and why data matters
01:22 - Sponsorship and the power of environmental data platforms
02:15 - What is ECOS? Explanation and significance
03:41 - Linking economic development and environmental issues
04:05 - Maine’s economy, lobster, timber, and climate impacts
05:01 - Data centers, brownfields, and economic diversification
05:41 - Business, permits, and balancing regulation
06:10 - Why “environment vs economy” is a false choice
07:45 - Regulatory certainty and attracting new industries
08:29 - What investors want: stability and transparency
11:13 - Future of AI in environmental agencies
12:24 - Maine’s move toward AI-driven licensing
13:44 - Federal EPA budget cuts and ripple effects
15:09 - How to run an agency amid fiscal uncertainty
16:17 - What environmental agencies need to do better
17:35 - Maine’s approach: blunt transparency and supporting decision-makers
18:28 - Closing reflections: frontline leaders shaping your future
19:20 - Thanks for listening and how to find more episodes
View all episodes
By Richard GordonWhat if the biggest threat to environmental progress isn’t climate change itself, but the way we talk about it—and how we choose to fund its solutions?
In this episode of Unconventional Times, Richard Gordon takes you straight to Savannah, Georgia for a front-row seat at the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) conference, where leaders are rethinking the connections between economic growth and environmental health.
Secretary James C. Kenney of New Mexico and Commissioner Melanie Loyzim of Maine share surprising insights on why businesses actually want tough environmental regulations (as long as the rules don’t keep shifting), how Maine is turning shuttered paper mills into high-tech data centers, and how New Mexico leverages transparency and AI to deliver cleaner water and smarter outcomes for citizens.
Discover why state agencies are now key players on the environmental front lines—and why their stories matter more than ever.
Episode Overview
00:00 - Introduction: Unconventional conversations begin
00:29 - Live from Savannah: Setting the scene at the ECOS conference
00:48 - Forest fires, storms, and why data matters
01:22 - Sponsorship and the power of environmental data platforms
02:15 - What is ECOS? Explanation and significance
03:41 - Linking economic development and environmental issues
04:05 - Maine’s economy, lobster, timber, and climate impacts
05:01 - Data centers, brownfields, and economic diversification
05:41 - Business, permits, and balancing regulation
06:10 - Why “environment vs economy” is a false choice
07:45 - Regulatory certainty and attracting new industries
08:29 - What investors want: stability and transparency
11:13 - Future of AI in environmental agencies
12:24 - Maine’s move toward AI-driven licensing
13:44 - Federal EPA budget cuts and ripple effects
15:09 - How to run an agency amid fiscal uncertainty
16:17 - What environmental agencies need to do better
17:35 - Maine’s approach: blunt transparency and supporting decision-makers
18:28 - Closing reflections: frontline leaders shaping your future
19:20 - Thanks for listening and how to find more episodes