Climate action on public lands would force a reckoning for fossil fuel dependent states and communities.
State government
Posted inArticles
Climate change research threatened by University of Alaska budget cuts
Gov. Mike Dunleavy slashed university funding by $130 million, alarming Alaskans, scientists and climate specialists.
Posted inAugust 5, 2019: From Prison to Fireline
How partisan politics can make ballot measures undemocratic
A fight over wolf management in Alaska shows how lawmakers can undermine citizen-led initiatives.
Posted inMay 27, 2019: Public Pushback
Trump’s infrastructure order threatens local right to protect the environment
Washington blocked a coal terminal under the Clean Water Act. New rules could subvert that authority.
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Wyoming Legislature extends lifeline to coal power
As economics challenge coal’s future, Wyoming passes a law to prop it up.
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Push for renewables vexes Western power supplier
Tri-State’s future looks less than bright unless it can keep up with the times.
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Supreme Court takes on a case of treaty rights vs. state taxation
The Yakama Nation and Washington state square off over a right to travel without burden.
Posted inArticles
California contemplates water for struggling fish
In an unprecedented move, the state may require upstream users to cut water use to improve water quality in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Posted inJanuary 21, 2019: What Killed Washington's Carbon Tax?
What killed Washington’s carbon tax?
The curious death of 1631 and what it says about the future of addressing climate change.
Posted inJanuary 21, 2019: What Killed Washington's Carbon Tax?
Hunters and anglers flex their political muscles
In the midterms, public land access issues helped several candidates nab governorships.
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A toxic past and present on the Spokane River
In eastern Washington, a push to clean PCBs from its namesake river faces a dirty legacy and global pollution problem.
Posted inFebruary 4, 2019: Nizhoni Girls
It’s time to start eating roadkill
Salvaging meat in Alaska is commonplace. Can it catch on in the Lower 48?
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Wyoming’s data trespass laws remain defeated
The state did not appeal a ruling striking down portions of the laws over free speech.
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Settlement forces Oregon to update water pollution permits
In 2017, the state had the worst backlog of expired permits nationwide.
Posted inOctober 29, 2018: When your neighborhood goes BOOM
The precarious plan for the Lake Powell Pipeline
Officials in Utah’s fastest-growing county are obscuring details of what a high-stakes project will cost taxpayers.
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Land-transfer advocates seek authority instead of ownership
The Trump administration isn’t giving land to states, but it is giving states more control over public lands.
Posted inAugust 31, 2018: The Big Threat to Bighorns
See the influences behind Colorado’s wildlife commission
A powerful governing board gives agricultural interests the loudest voice.
Posted inArticles
Montanans must rely on each other in crisis
A network of local providers steps in as vital mental health centers close.
Posted inAugust 6, 2018: What Are We Doing Here?
Montana is losing essential mental health services
As the state’s mental health system faces an uncertain future, experts encourage crisis prevention.
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Why Justice Anthony Kennedy wasn’t good for Indian Country
The retiring Supreme Court justice leaves a legacy of anti-tribal votes.