USGS now says the region has the nation’s second-largest reserves, but a flush market means little will change for now.
Economy
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Keep ranchers on the land, and the land stays open
Want to keep those wide-open spaces? Pick ranching over development.
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Trump’s contradictory promise: Bring back coal and boost natural gas
Experts say low natural gas prices are the biggest cause of coal’s downturn.
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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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Science education program teaches impacts of fossil fuels at their source
In Colorado’s oil- and gas-producing counties, science teachers broach a thorny subject in their own backyard.
Posted inMay 16, 2016: Grizzly Face-Off
West Coast cities sue Monsanto to pay for chemical cleanup
Cities take a new tack to fight pollutants: targeting companies who make them.
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A coalition hopes to halt gold mine proposals near Yellowstone
The group of business-owners seeks help from Washington to prevent mining north of the national park.
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Podcast: The 21st century prospector of Storey County, Nevada
Real estate tycoon and Mustang Ranch owner Lance Gilman talks about his checkered past.
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Why I’m fighting foreign garlic growers and their U.S. allies
Our little New Mexico garlic patch is raising hell in law firms and government offices.
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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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Coal downturn hits railroads hard
Federal transportation board rejected a proposed Montana railroad due to coal bankruptcies.
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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.
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Will states find other revenue streams to weather the fossil fuel bust?
Powerhouses like Wyoming and Alaska are shrinking budgets, not looking for new sources of income.
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Uncertain future for Wyoming’s laid off coal miners
There’s some state support available but many workers face tough choices.
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The nation’s biggest coal mines lay off hundreds of workers
Cheap natural gas is the main culprit, but future job cuts will come from climate change policies.
Posted inApril 4, 2016: A Land Divided
Developers look to cash in on the Grand Canyon’s popularity
The landmark stands at a crossroads, as tourism booms and more development seems inevitable.
Posted inApril 4, 2016: A Land Divided
In the shadow of Silicon Valley, a new crop of tech-savvy farmers
Jacob Martinez, founder of Digital NEST, is teaching young Latinos the tech skills they’ll need in a new era of agriculture.
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Oregon’s energy plan offers a glimmer of hope for biomass energy
Advocates hope the timber-rich state’s decision to ditch coal could help revive the struggling industry.
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This is what an oil bust looks like
Low prices have energy companies and communities reeling as rig counts plummet and unemployment climbs.