Companies and investors are trying to survive a collapsing U.S. coal market.
Communities
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Dispatch from coal country: Advocates and adversaries duel over leasing reform
In western Colorado, two visions for the future of fossil fuels collide at a BLM listening session.
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Retreating glaciers a sign of Alaska’s major meltdown
This summer’s record-breaking temperatures hasten glacier, permafrost melt.
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A week of Black Lives Matter protests in the West
After last week’s police shootings, Americans use social media to call for police reform and racial justice.
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By the numbers: Western coal mine layoffs
Coal mines are scaling back and shutting down — and jobs are disappearing.
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Can Alamosa find a fix for the ‘catch-all’ emergency room?
A new movement aims to provide an alternative for people experiencing mental health crises in Colorado.
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Rural New Mexico hospitals pool resources to survive
Will a new network be the difference for remote hospitals on the brink of financial collapse?
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New hydrocarbon estimates put western Colorado on edge
USGS now says the region has the nation’s second-largest reserves, but a flush market means little will change for now.
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Why the EPA fails to enforce the Civil Rights Act
Despite a new environmental justice action plan, the EPA has a poor record of protecting communities of color from toxic environments.
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Can California’s water agencies keep up the conservation momentum?
Without mandatory regulations, some local districts fear a return to water waste.
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Searching for solutions in the changing rural West
A new project looks to answer how small towns can survive a new era.
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Can a ranch sawmill improve forest health in rural Colorado?
Cutting timber on a billionaire’s land could boost the San Luis Valley’s economy.
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How rural New Mexico shares water during drought
Centuries-old traditions offer guidance for water managers seeking resilience in an uncertain future.
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Photos: The American town left behind in Canada
Point Roberts, Washington, is cut off from the rest of the U.S. by the Canadian border.
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Why doesn’t the West report its lead data?
Lead poisoning in children is underreported nationwide, and the West’s lack of data is particularly glaring.
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Video: Coal industry downturn rocks a Colorado mountain town
Former miners watch an iconic silo crumble, and discuss what it means for their community.
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The end of coal is bringing a wrenching transition
Mixed feelings from the anti-coal bandwagon as closures wreak havoc on small-town economies.
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A millennial mayor and his timber town
This young local is trying to transform Aberdeen, Washington, into a city for his generation.
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Can we learn from Europe’s approach to laid-off coal miners?
A more secure safety net for workers in transition means higher taxes, a tradeoff many Americans oppose.
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Can food hubs boost rural farming economies?
The Department of Agriculture is funding new initiatives to streamline local food systems.