In this issue, we dive deep into relationships of religion and power in Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has enjoyed lax water regulation. In a story from New Mexico, researchers are trying to rebuild the desert’s biocrust. And we report from Oregon, where the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians is reclaiming some of its traditional land – only after a wildfire swept through it. We ask whether boom-bust economies like those in Wyoming can survive the necessary shift away from fossil fuels, and we check in on a mountain goat lift operation in Washington. We ask what it means to be a mom who loves the desert when your daughter loves the Dollar Store. And we review Joe Wilkins’ new novel, which is an examination of the myth of mountain masculinity.

The Salt Lake Temple as seen in a reflecting pool in Temple Square, headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Credit: Kim Raff for High Country News

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Untrammeled coal country

I shed no tears for the looming demise of Wyoming’s coal industry (“With coal in free fall, Wyoming faces an uncertain future,” HCN, 8/5/19). Despite the Trump administration’s regulatory rollbacks and vocal cheerleading, coal is a dying industry — good news to environmentalists everywhere. Mining is a dirty, dangerous business for the miners themselves, and…

by Jeffrey Marshall

‘Christian norms’

I fully support the author of “The queer Mormon policy reversal is not enough” (HCN, 5/27/19), especially in her remarks about some seeking death as an escape from the “sin” of being “queer.” Everyone needs a center; for me, it is my Episcopal Church community, which — at least in its West Coast manifestation —…

by Malcolm Hepworth

Dreaming of good tenants

“Dreaming of Thoreau, but dealing with landlords” (HCN, 8/5/19) was irritating. The author conflated landscaping for a better environment with the issue of dealing with a landlord. The reluctance to have a broad mind when it comes to landscaping is a general one and likely has nothing to do with whether the homeowner lives on…

by Spencer Nelson

Geotagging

Thank you so much for the thoughtful piece, “Five reasons to keep geotagging” (HCN, 6/10/19). I’m subscribing thanks to pieces like this. Our public lands are for everyone, and everyone should feel welcomed just as they are, and as different from each other as they are. Anita Sarah JacksonSan Ramon, California This article appeared in…

by Anita Sarah Jackson

Inmates and fire

I fought fire alongside Arizona inmates for 15 years with the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service (“From Prison to Fireline,” HCN, 8/5/19). I am glad HCN took the time to highlight Arizona’s inmate fire program. The personal discussions with the inmates and their opinions of the program carry value for your readers. The…

by Dan Feola