A controversial deal for diverting water across the Rockies faces scrutiny.
Growth & Sustainability
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Have farmers markets been spoiled by their own success?
People go to farmers markets for many reasons. The jovial, wholesome atmosphere makes people feel good about their communities and the hard work put in by area farmers. Sometimes, we even want to buy something. But actually purchasing food is becoming an increasingly rare act, according to a recent Washington Post article. As one grower […]
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Will a bigger energy grid make way for renewables?
Utilities are embracing California’s bid to expand its grid, but states aren’t so sure.
Posted inJuly 25, 2016: Salmon Power
BLM moves away from landmark Northwest Forest Plan
Court showdown may force the agency to reconsider its Pacific Northwest logging goals.
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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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By the numbers: Western coal mine layoffs
Coal mines are scaling back and shutting down — and jobs are disappearing.
Posted inJune 13, 2016: Water to Dust
Arizona fends off threats to water supplies
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey is sticking by regulations and negotiating deals.
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How the West nurtured eco-minded agriculture
The ranchers of the Western Plains’ shortgrass prairie started a movement to find a less destructive way to farm.
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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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After years of drought and overuse, the San Luis Valley aquifer refills
How an over-taxed basin is getting its water use under control.
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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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Mapping the large-scale loss of natural areas in the West
Urban sprawl, energy development, agriculture and forestry have an ever-larger footprint on the West.
Posted inMay 16, 2016: Grizzly Face-Off
What the U.S. can learn from European coal miners’ second act
Europe and the U.S. have taken different paths in response to climate concerns and coal declines.
Posted inMay 16, 2016: Grizzly Face-Off
What the West’s trees tell us
How can biomass and carbon data help us mitigate the effects of human activity?
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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.
Posted inMay 2, 2016: The Gold King Reckoning
Will the ouster of California green leaders imperil clean air?
High-profile turnover at state agencies reflect a culture split between grassroots demands and developer interests.
Posted inMay 2, 2016: The Gold King Reckoning
Silverton’s Gold King reckoning
How the Animas River disaster forced Silverton to face its pollution problem — and its destiny.
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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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The drought isn’t over, so let’s not relax
It’s too soon to stop water conservation efforts. News of the drought’s end are greatly exaggerated.