When I first saw this late at night on Highway 98 in northern Arizona I felt a distinct Close Encounters vibe. However, as I got closer it finally revealed itself as . . . just an ordinary power generating station. When I drove past, I saw that it was, specifically, the Navajo Generating Station, a coal-fired plant built in the ’70s on land leased from the Navajo Nation. However, shale gas eventually made it uneconomic to operate, and last year it ceased operation. For now, though, the lights are still on.

January 27, 2020 — Coconino County, Arizona

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This is how change happens.

One story at a time.

This investigative reporting takes time too. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices.

We can afford to take our time because we don’t report to oligarchs or corporations. We report to you, and for you.

And the stakes are high. Democracy is on the defense. We’ve been exposing corruption and scandal for five decades, and this is a pivotal moment in our country’s history. Will democracy prevail? We won’t wait for time to tell—independent journalism is essential for democracy, and we’ll keep doing our part to amplify the free press.

So, we’re asking: Will you join the fight? Mother Jones has been here for 50 years, and we need your support to fuel the future of investigative journalism. Mark our 50th anniversary with a gift of any amount.

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