A conversation with Natalie Koch, author of ‘Arid Empire: The Entangled Fates of Arabia and Arizona.’
Climate change
Posted inArticles
A year in the Borderlands: The biggest stories from 2022
With a little help from our friends, HCN untangles the complexities of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2023: Ripple Effects
Can assisted migration save the Rio Grande’s cutthroat?
Scientists wage an upstream battle to save trout in a warming West.
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Bringing back California’s wild bees
Scientists and farmers fight against the homogenization of nature to return native pollinators to the Golden State.
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Alaska’s Arctic waterways are turning orange, threatening drinking water
Scientists think climate change may be the culprit.
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Could Alaska help lessen international dependence on Russian oil?
A proposed LNG project spanning the state would export natural gas, but could harm land, wildlife & subsistence harvests.
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Utah dismisses youth climate case. But it’s not over.
What the state court’s decision signals for other similar cases.
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Is carbon capture the solution for jobs and climate action in fossil fuel country?
A project in Wyoming’s coal region brings the new technology, but critics say it carries unacceptable risks.
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Federal, state and local agencies reach agreement to address Salton Sea crisis
The $250 million commitment will support public health and habitat while conserving Colorado River water.
Posted inDecember 1, 2022: Beyond Illusion
Pink snow is a red flag for the West’s water
Researchers are trying to understand what drives snow algal blooms and how they could alter water supplies.
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Alaska salmon face a tide of new mines
Active and proposed mines threaten key salmon watersheds in Alaska and British Columbia.
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On the fireline, emotional trauma is a hidden threat
As fires grow larger, wildland firefighting poses new risks to bodies and minds.
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After June’s floods, will the Yellowstone River be allowed to roam?
Rock walls called riprap constrain the river to protect property from erosion —but there are other options.
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The pinyon jay’s predicament
The keystone species’ habitat in New Mexico is threatened by wildfire prevention and the climate crisis.
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Can the Salton Sea be saved?
Climate change, megadrought and agricultural needs have transformed the ‘jewel in the Californian desert’ into a toxic place.
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The West’s hottest county is also its most Latino
Some places in Imperial County, California, experienced 117 days above 100 degrees this year.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2023: Ripple Effects
Why the country’s largest shellfish farm is struggling to hire and retain workers
And how it’s dealing with climate change and housing costs to make back-breaking work a little easier.
Posted inOctober 1, 2022: Making Refuge
A smoldering threat to wildland firefighters
Long COVID affects more than 16 million Americans, and firefighters are at increased risk of getting it.
Posted inOctober 1, 2022: Making Refuge
‘You’re living in a tin can’
Arizona’s mobile-home residents are far more likely to die from excessive heat.
Posted inOctober 1, 2022: Making Refuge
‘Estás viviendo en una lata’
En Arizona, los residentes de casas rodantes son más propensos a morir de calor excesivo.