Sam Brasch
@sambrasch.bsky.social
Climate and environment reporter for Colorado Public Radio in Denver, CO.
The #AspenAcresFire, still burning quite actively along southern Colorado Front Range & having destroyed ~200 structures thus far, has become an exceptionally complex & challenging event from a firefighting perspective due to a confluence of climate, weather, & geography. [Thread]
Bleh. With all the wildfire smoke in Colorado, definitely a day to exercise indoors.
Not much of a surprise, but Yglesias has a soft spot for Manny Rutinel, a former EarthJustice lawyer who supported a fracking ban at the start of his campaign before shifting in favor of "all of the above" energy.
"Killing massive data centers might cut off the hypercharged growth of AI — that would be fine with me," Councilmemer Sarah Parady said. denverite.com/2026/05/18/d...
Data center moratorium gets unanimous approval in Denver, but that’s just the beginning
denverite.com
I'm seeing lots of speculation here that Polis wants a Senate seat. A better guess, IMO, is he goes back to his roots: financing ballot measures to shape state policy outcomes. This is a highly effective strategy and Polis helped perfect it as a sitting Congressperson.
Colorado just became the third state to legalize balcony solar. Virginia will probably be next: www.cpr.org/2026/05/07/c... via @sambrasch.bsky.social
Colorado approves balcony solar, but approved units aren’t widely available yet
Gov. Polis signed a bill into law on Thursday making Colorado the third state to clear a path for plug-in solar kits.
cpr.org
March 2026 would’ve ranked as Colorado’s 10th-hottest *April* on record.
Chris Bianchi@bianchiweather.bsky.social · 4mo agoNot only was March 2026 Colorado’s hottest March on record, it was Colorado’s hottest month compared to average on record (since 1895). Colorado’s statewide temp of 46.8° last month was 13.1° above average, the biggest monthly temp anomaly on record. By far. Unreal. #COwx
Climate scientists have tried for decades to communicate the insanity of nuclear war: there's no winning, even if a conflict somehow doesn't escalate. A limited exchange would still trigger mass starvation worldwide. www.cpr.org/2020/01/09/a...
A Colorado Professor Is Warning The World Of Nuclear Winter — Again
Nearly 40 years ago, professor Brian Toon taught the world to fear the climatic aftermath of nuclear war. He’s not done yet.
cpr.org
Daniel Swain@weatherwest.bsky.social · 4mo agoI can't believe we have reached this point, but this bears crystal clear emphasis: Our global climate system ensures that even "limited" use of lower-yield "tactical" nuclear weapons against civilian or industrial targets would have major regional-to-global scale consequences.
Mountain snowpack in Colorado should be peaking around now. This year, it's almost gone. New blog post that shows how it is now clear that this is the worst snowpack year on record for Colorado, following the record-shattering March warmth. 1/
Mountain snowpack should be peaking around now. This year, it's almost gone - Colorado Climate Blog
We’ve reached April 1, which is a key date in assessing where things stand with snow in the mountains, which then informs the likely water supply in streams and rivers later in the spring and summer. ...
climate.colostate.edu
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is suing the Trump administration, alleging that the administration targeted NCAR, the Colorado-based climate center, in a “campaign of retribution” against the state. By @sambrasch.bsky.social for @coloradopublic.bsky.social:
Lawsuit: Dismantling NCAR is part of President Trump’s 'campaign of retribution' against Colorado
The complaint comes from the consortium of universities managing the 66-year-old research center headquartered in Boulder.
buff.ly
“The nonprofit overseeing the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) sued the Trump administration on Monday, alleging the federally funded science hub could become ‘collateral damage’ in a sustained attempt to punish Colorado.” @sambrasch.bsky.social reports
Lawsuit: Dismantling NCAR is part of President Trump’s 'campaign of retribution' against Colorado
The complaint comes from the consortium of universities managing the 66-year-old research center headquartered in Boulder.
cpr.org
Can't overlook or overstate how ridiculous next week's heat looks. Denver may hit 80+ for 4 straight days. And a chance to hit 90. In March. Denver's earliest 90°+: April 30. If we get there next week (possible)...it'd be 6 weeks earlier than the current record. Unreal. #COwx
The data center drama continues in Denver. You might have heard the city is poised to enact a moratorium on the facilities. But residents want construction halted on a facility next door to a park and an affordable housing complex. denverite.com/2026/02/25/d...
A data center developer ditched a meeting over ‘safety concerns.’ Hundreds of neighbors showed up anyway
The development of a data center in north Denver met dramatic backlash on Tuesday night, with hundreds of residents packing a meeting in Elyria-Swansea to
denverite.com
Emergency radio communications indicate first responders are on the scene and responding to the fire.
Fire near I-25 and US 36 prompts evacuations of high school, nearby businesses
Traffic cameras show black smoke billowing across the highways, recalling earlier images from the 2022 Marshall fire.
cpr.org
Y'all, OG Purplish host @sambrasch.bsky.social returns to Purplish this week to dig into data centers and the competing visions for them at the State Capitol this session. He's joined by @taydolven.bsky.social of @coloradosun.com and KUNC's @lucasbradywoods.bsky.social 🎧 www.cpr.org/podcast-epis...
Will Colorado give data centers a warm embrace, or a cool reception? | Colorado Public Radio
As community resistance to data centers grows, Colorado legislators weigh competing visions on the issue.
cpr.org
It's mind-boggling until you remember Polis' family built their fortune in e-greeting cards.
NEW: There's been another round of layoffs at the lab formerly known as NREL. Weeks after scrubbing “renewable energy” from its name, the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden has cut 134 staffers. www.cpr.org/2026/02/09/n...
National Lab of the Rockies, formerly NREL, lays off more than 130 employees
The cuts impacted staffers engaged in both research and operations at the lab.
cpr.org
Don was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles.
You work in a newsroom long enough and your heart hardens a little bit, even if you don't want it to. Pieces like this break it back open. www.theverge.com/policy/86856...
I grew up with Alex Pretti
The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by federal agents was my childhood best friend.
theverge.com
The NSF just released a "dear colleague" asking for ideas to inform its plans to restructure the National Center for Atmospheric Research. This includes proposals to repurpose NCAR's Mesa Lab, an architectural icon below the Boulder Flatirons, for "private use."
Colorado lawmakers brace for their biggest battle yet over AI data centers www.cpr.org/2026/01/20/c... via @sambrasch.bsky.social #copolitics
Colorado lawmakers brace for their biggest battle yet over AI data centers
The data center boom is coming for Colorado. Lawmakers are set to decide whether to incentivize it or guard against the potential impacts.
cpr.org
Breaking: President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act allowing him to deploy troops as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement persist in Minneapolis.
Trump threatens to use the Insurrection Act to ‘put an end’ to protests in Minneapolis
Trump made the threat after a federal officer shot a man in the leg in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
trib.al
Many other reporters are ahead of me of this story, but some critical local context: Rep @joeneguse.bsky.social thinks dismantling NCAR is partially motivated "by a desire to retaliate against CO" for refusing to release former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters. www.cpr.org/2025/12/17/t...
The White House promises to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research
Congressman Joe Neguse claims the move is retaliation for Colorado's refusal to release former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
cpr.org
The White House promises to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research www.cpr.org/2025/12/17/t... via @sambrasch.bsky.social #copolitics
The White House promises to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research
Congressman Joe Neguse claims the move is retaliation for Colorado's refusal to release former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
cpr.org
NCAR once represented a commitment to make U S. the world's leader in atmospheric science. Now the White House has announced plans to disband it — hours before it will likely lose power to prevent wildfires on another extremely dry, hot, windy day around Boulder.
After Colorado started reintroducing moose in 1978, the species is thriving statewide. Ecologist also suspect the ungainly ungulates are behind a collapse of willow habitats in Rocky Mountain National Park. www.cpr.org/2025/12/08/c...
Have Colorado’s moose restoration efforts been too successful?
Around 3,500 moose now wander Colorado. The hungry herbivores are also threatening a once-wetland-rich valley in Rocky Mountain National Park.
cpr.org
Trump administration renames Colorado’s National Renewable Energy Lab: the National Lab of the Rockies www.cpr.org/2025/12/01/n... via @sambrasch.bsky.social #copolitics
Trump administration renames Colorado’s National Renewable Energy Lab: the National Lab of the Rockies
U.S. Department of Energy officials say name change reflects an “expanded mission” for the research hub under President Trump.
cpr.org
Faith Winter is why Colorado has a paid family leave program. My enduring memory: breaking the news to her that the AP had called it and the measure had passed, five years ago this month. She was killed in a car crash today. I wish her loved ones solace and comfort. coloradosun.com/2025/11/26/f...
Surveillance in action: "You know we have cameras in that jurisdiction and you can’t get a breath of fresh air, in or out of that place, without us knowing, correct?” denverite.com/2025/10/27/b...
Police used Flock cameras to accuse a Denver woman of package theft. She had her own evidence
"Like I said, nothing gets in or out of the town without us knowing."
denverite.com
