Western states dominate lists of where short-term particulate and ozone pollution are the worst.
Arizona
Posted inArticles
EVs’ demand for copper escalates threat against Apache’s Oak Flat
A massive copper mine in Arizona could destroy an Apache community’s most sacred land.
Posted inJune 1, 2022: A Legacy of Weapons and War
Powell’s looming power problem
Drought and demand threaten a critical component of the Western grid.
Posted inArticles
Cleanup of abandoned uranium mines creates a demand for workers
A growing industry for environmental remediation needs a local workforce with the right training.
Posted inArticles
How the economy of Indian Country impacts local communities
A ‘stealth’ economy for tribes often hides billions of dollars in jobs, growth and revenue.
Posted inArticles
Arizona faces a reckoning over water
The state’s powerful will to grow is challenged by extreme heat, deep drought and serious water-related stress.
Posted inApril 1, 2022: The Archives Issue
How the Earth stores records of the past
When human data doesn’t go back far enough, researchers turn to natural archives.
Posted inMarch 1, 2022: The Cloning Conundrum
Colorado River, stolen by law
Indigenous nations have been an afterthought in U.S. water policy for over a century. That was all part of the plan.
Posted inMarch 1, 2022: The Cloning Conundrum
Tribes along the Colorado River navigate a stacked settlement process to claim their water rights
The gauntlet leaves those nations in an unjust state of limbo.
Posted inMarch 1, 2022: The Cloning Conundrum
Will we share the same dismal fate as glaciers and forests?
Two recent books look at the parallels between human, ecological and societal illness.
Posted inMarch 1, 2022: The Cloning Conundrum
The digital world’s real-world impact on the environment
From data center warehouses to cryptocurrency, technology is another energy hog.
Posted inArticles
5 things to know about gray wolves regaining Endangered Species Act protection
Most importantly: The recent relisting doesn’t apply to the Rocky Mountains.
Posted inArticles
Montana mice may hold the secret to how viruses spread
Researchers are studying how climate change and biodiversity affect viruses’ jump from animals to people.
Posted inMarch 1, 2022: The Cloning Conundrum
When the little owl vanishes
A writer reflects on parenthood and what to talk about when confronting extinction.
Posted inArticles
The dizzying scope of abandoned mine hazards on public lands
As many as 500,000 abandoned mine features litter federal land, many posing environmental or physical safety hazards that especially threaten Native communities.
Posted inArticles
Biden’s ‘herky-jerky’ first year on Western issues
The new president sacrificed bold executive action to try to win over Congress.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2022: Water Rights and Responsibilities
Bye Ye; Denali Uber; Heard transition
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2022: Water Rights and Responsibilities
Religious gatekeeping in red-rock country
A resort capitalizes on a nearby Yavapai-Apache religious site despite having no meaningful relationship with the tribe.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2022: Water Rights and Responsibilities
Arizona’s utility commission slashed just transition assistance for tribes
The Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe will receive significantly less funds to assist in economy after the end of coal.