In the state Legislature, utilities have had the upper hand — but now the choice is up to voters
Colorado voters hold the cards on renewable energy
Posted inSeptember 13, 2004: When a Boom is a Bust
A water-and-wilderness bill kicks up dust in Nevada
Critics say an economic development initiative could suck desert springs and rural counties dry
Posted inSeptember 13, 2004: When a Boom is a Bust
Communities search for a safer way to kill mosquitoes
West Nile virus brings a long-simmering controversy to a boil
Posted inSeptember 13, 2004: When a Boom is a Bust
Dear friends
Potluck High Country News’ next thrice-yearly board meeting will take place in Portland, and we’d love to have you join us for a potluck party on Saturday, Sept. 25. It will take place at the First Unitarian Church, on the corner of 12th and Main, from 6-9 p.m. Beverages will be provided; please bring a […]
Posted inSeptember 13, 2004: When a Boom is a Bust
The beauty of the ugly West
The other evening, I drove out to the unofficial shooting range in the hills outside of town. It consists of a metal shack and a dusty flat area glinting with bullet shells, where locals fire away at a remarkable variety of appliances, plastic chairs and other refuse. Hardly any vegetation covers the denuded hills, save […]
Posted inSeptember 13, 2004: When a Boom is a Bust
When a Boom is a Bust
Natural gas has pumped money and workers into Wamsutter, Wyoming. But the town struggles to be anything more than a barracks for industry.
Posted inWotr
Give a cheer for Winnebagoes
This is America: You can drive just about any kind of gas-guzzling, hydrocarbon-spewing, rust exhibit you want — unless you drive a recreational vehicle, otherwise disdained as an “RV.” Among the pundits of political correctness, driving an RV puts you one social notch above suspected terrorist. Sure, RVs are big, ugly, get notoriously poor mileage […]
Posted inWotr
The bear has been misleading people for 60 years
Smokey Bear celebrated his 60th birthday this summer, and the ageless advertising icon wandered out of the woods for an elaborate birthday bash. He was feted by a crowd that included Dale Bosworth, chief of the U.S. Forest Service, and children of firefighters who sang happy birthday to him. Smokey, who never speaks, was also […]
Posted inWotr
When the night sky provides free entertainment
One night this August, my husband Richard and I woke at 3:30 am and headed groggily outside to our back deck to watch for meteors. As I stepped out the door, Richard said, “There’s one!” I looked overhead and caught the tail end of a white line fading in the black sky over our small […]
Posted inWotr
For wilderness, small can be beautiful
As the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act approaches Sept. 3, there is a temptation to talk about iconic places such as the John Muir Wilderness in California or the Bob Marshall in Montana. But out in the middle of a worked-over oil and gas patch south of Vernal, Utah, lies the White River, a […]
Posted inWotr
Another fish kill on the Klamath seems to be coming
Unfortunately, it’s business as usual in the Klamath watershed, where all the conditions are in place for yet another fish kill similar to the one that occurred in the fall of 2002. It’s another dry year, with the same low flows in the river that caused the deaths of at least 34,000 salmon two years […]
Posted inWotr
Sometimes, it takes a tourist
One day early in the summer, my husband, Mike, and I were working on our place, a few irrigated acres carved from Wyoming’s high desert. Tree limbs lay scattered from a recent tree trimming, manure was heaped in the corral. The last thing we needed was a telephone call from a stranger. He spoke with […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Public lands lifeline
Wading through the vast web of laws and policies that govern our public lands can be confusing even for lawyers, let alone for ordinary citizens. Even commenting on a Bureau of Land Management resource management plan, which guides grazing, mining, oil and gas drilling, and off-road vehicle use, can be daunting. But The Wilderness Society […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Mining research tool debuts on Web
A new Web site provides a comprehensive look at who owns mining claims on public lands in the West, along with a scathing analysis of the legacy of the 1872 Mining Law in 12 Western states. Produced by the Environmental Working Group, “Who Owns the West,” allows the user to scroll through regional, state and […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Calendar
The 15th annual Bioneers Conference will be held in San Rafael, Calif., from Oct. 15-17. Sessions range from “Media and Democracy” to “Art in Action: Accelerating Social Change” and “Social Profit: From Value to Values.” Register by Sept. 24 to get in on the action. 505-986-0366 www.bioneers.org Do you have questions for the Center for […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Remembering those forgotten in the desert
Every year, hundreds of Mexican immigrants die in the Arizona desert. This year will be no different. Their deaths generally receive little more then a mention in some local papers. But author and poet Luis Alberto Urrea is trying to change that. In The Devil’s Highway, Urrea chronicles the ill-fated journey of a group of […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Central City road is wildlife-friendly
Your article on the new road to Central City struck a tone that might give your readers a faulty impression about the construction of this badly needed road and the potential impact on wildlife (HCN, 6/21/04: Mining town gambles on a road to riches). Prior to construction of this new parkway, the Central City Business […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Bark beetles affect human communities, too
Your bark beetle article missed the human and community dimension (HCN, 7/19/04: Global Warming’s Unlikely Harbingers). People who live, work, and play in forests devastated by beetles (e.g. Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula) perceive a wide range of impacts and risks. The biological implications of widespread beetle-kill include invasive, fire-prone grasses, decline in fish and animal habitat, […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Trees face twin devils
Thank you for your recent, timely and in-depth article on the horrors of increasing bark beetle infestations (HCN, 7/19/04: Global Warming’s Unlikely Harbingers). In this report, changes in beetle life histories were targeted as the principal effect of climate change. However, rising temperatures and drought are apt to affect plant defenses as well. Trees facing […]
Posted inAugust 30, 2004: How Long Will it Flow?
Give the beaver a break
Bill Croke’s piece about beavers caught my eye (HCN, 6/7/04: Revenge of the old-timers: The beavers are back). I’m one of the “New Westerners” who likes the idea of having beaver around, and I’ve spent time and energy over 30-plus years trying (to no avail) to get the Nevada Department of Wildlife to prohibit the […]