‘It’s the opposite of a virtuous cycle.’
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Another gunky, toxic season for Utah waters
Harmful algae blooms, fueled by warming temperatures and nutrient runoff, plague the state.
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Washington to adopt rules protecting farmworkers from wildfire smoke
Some labor advocates say they don’t go far enough.
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EPA to investigate claims of civil rights violations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Tribes and environmental justice groups say management of the Delta harms traditional food systems and causes pollution.
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A quarter of rural water systems likely contain ‘forever chemicals’
USGS research confirms widespread PFAS contamination in drinking water — including in rural communities and private wells that are almost never tested.
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The Supreme Court just made it easier to destroy wetlands and streams
The decision strips federal protections from the ephemeral streams that are crucial for life in the arid West.
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Supreme Court shrinks definition of the Clean Water Act
In a ruling siding with an Idaho couple, justices removed protections from waters they said were non-navigable, like wetlands.
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Most drinking water in the U.S. is contaminated by PFAS; here’s what you can do about it
The EPA just proposed new rules on toxic ‘forever chemicals.’
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Cómo usar datos de colaboración colectiva para repensar los desastres naturales
El Monitor Ciudadano de Inundaciones de Tijuana puede servir como modelo para la colección de datos en el oeste estadounidense impactado por las inundaciones.
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As extreme weather outpaces response, could crowdsourced data help?
Tijuana’s Citizens’ Flood Monitor offers a model for data collection in the flood-affected West.
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EPA and Montana mining company promise action after revelations of cozy relationship
Previous reporting showed how regulators and the mine teamed up to rebut independent researchers.
Posted inMarch 1, 2023: Moving Parts
The 90-foot sentinel of Butte, Montana
What does a statue dedicated to mothers reveal about women’s rights?
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Inside the EPA’s close relationship with a Montana mining company
When faced with new research on health risks in Butte, the agency turned to industry for guidance.
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Colorado regulators come down hard on troubled oil company
K.P. Kauffman said that penalties could result in a large bankruptcy, leaving well cleanup to the state.
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The EPA vetoed Alaska’s proposed Pebble Mine
Read a Q&A with Yup’ik fisher and activist Alannah Hurley on the fight for Bristol Bay’s future.
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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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Radioactive waste sickened his community. Then it caught up with him.
Earl Tulley fought for justice for the Navajo communities harmed by uranium mining. Then he found a lump in his jaw.
Posted inNovember 1, 2022: The Futures of Conservation
To protect eagles, hunters and conservationists rebuild old alliances
Evidence of the toxic effects of lead ammunition on wildlife spurs a search for common ground.
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Will the Supreme Court gut the Clean Water Act?
The justices could remove federal protection from 80% of the Southwest’s streams.
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What the Inflation Reduction Act means for Indian Country
$720 million goes directly to tribal nations, but compromises raise questions.