In a ruling siding with an Idaho couple, justices removed protections from waters they said were non-navigable, like wetlands.
Law
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How social work can help fight the impacts of climate change
Denver’s Lisa Reyes Mason leads a new generation of social workers in helping communities adapt to the climate crisis.
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What hazardous cargo moves on Colorado railroads? It’s a ‘black box’, even to state regulators
In many Western states, 19th-century laws and deregulation allow chemical- laden trains to roll in obscurity — leaving hazmat teams guessing.
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What you need to know about the largest global gathering of Indigenous leaders
The summit, beginning today, offers a rare opportunity to collaborate on stopping threats to Indigenous lands and lives.
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Will the new U.N. High Seas Treaty help protect Pacific salmon?
In March, conservationists worldwide celebrated the historic agreement, which governs the ocean waters where salmon spend most of their lives.
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Colorado works on an oil and gas well cleanup guarantee, but doubts loom
The state’s financial assurance process called ‘the strongest in the nation.’
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Researchers solve one of the Borderlands’ biggest water puzzles
Officially, the U.S. and Mexico share 11 groundwater basins. A new map bumps that figure up to a stunning 72.
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The West’s salt lakes are turning to dust. Can Congress help?
A new research and monitoring program aims to conserve threatened but overlooked saline ecosystems.
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A year in the Borderlands: The biggest stories from 2022
With a little help from our friends, HCN untangles the complexities of the U.S.-Mexico border.
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How the West’s public lands fared in 2022
It was a bad year for dams and a good one for ‘green’ metals.
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The Cherokee Nation was promised a delegate to Congress. Why doesn’t it have one?
‘Lapse of time cannot divest Indian nations of their treaties and treaty rights.’
Posted inDecember 1, 2022: Beyond Illusion
Tribal nations fight for influence on the Colorado River
Indigenous nations in the basin are making a stand for their water — and upsetting the river’s power structure.
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On its 100th birthday, the Colorado River Compact shows its age
The foundational document was flawed from the start.
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The history behind the New Mexico-Texas Rio Grande settlement
It’s taken 10 years for the states to reach an agreement, but it may not be the end of the water conflict.
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The true stakes of the Indian Child Welfare Act
Allie Maldonado’s family was torn apart by removal. It was reunited by community — and ICWA.
Posted inNovember 1, 2022: The Futures of Conservation
Do bedrock conservation laws need a makeover?
Experts suggest needed upgrades in the face of modern crises.
Posted inNovember 1, 2022: The Futures of Conservation
In Colorado, a storied valley blooms again
The San Luis Valley’s Acequia Institute is raising new traditions from multicultural roots.
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Feds claim Defenders of Wildlife unlawfully fired union-organizing staffer
The environmental nonprofit’s work environment is under scrutiny after multiple unfair labor submissions.
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Treaty-less tribes struggle to have their rights recognized
A five-year fight over a few dozen clams in Washington highlights the inconsistent rights of Indigenous tribes.
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.