Discussion of a ‘grid emergency’ ignores cheaper alternatives like solar and wind.
Pollution
Posted inArticles
The future of Alaska’s Pebble Mine — and its salmon
A timeline shows Scott Pruitt’s EPA waffling between mining and fishing interests.
Posted inJuly 23, 2018: Pay for Prey
Saving baby Jo from the smoke
A mother grapples with her decision to flee the 416 Fire with her infant daughter.
Posted inJune 25, 2018: Little Weed, Big Problem
Trump’s coal and nuclear bailout helps execs and hurts the grid
In a heavy-handed directive, the Department of Energy caters to industry barons.
Posted inJune 25, 2018: Little Weed, Big Problem
GMO grass is creeping across Oregon
Missteps by agribusiness giants allowed the invasion. Now they’re off the hook for cleanup.
Posted inArticles
Colorado follows California’s lead for cleaner cars
Fourteen states have now bucked the EPA to adopt stricter emissions standards.
Posted inJune 11, 2018: Reclaiming the Klamath
Kleptoparasitism; an octopus named Fred; moose chasers
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inArticles
Who pays for the damage caused by climate change?
Three Colorado communities are suing to make oil companies open their wallets.
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Arizona water utility chooses solar over coal
The decision tips the ailing Navajo Generating Station closer to its planned closure.
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We need to fix up roads and bridges — not mines
Federal officials may add mining to a law that fast-tracks infrastructure permitting.
Posted inArticles
Nevada’s senators fight the Yucca Mountain resurgence
Republican political favors could again kill the nuclear waste project — for now.
Posted inMay 28, 2018: The River of Lost Souls
The dark secrets of the Animas River
A 2015 spill that turned the waterway orange is a reminder of mining’s disastrous legacy.
Posted inArticles
Don’t even think about leaving a trace
An outdoorswoman reflects on the myriad kinds of litter she’s encountered in nature.
Posted inArticles
Lawmakers grill EPA chief on spending and ethics scandals
During a hearing on Capitol Hill, Scott Pruitt called the controversies a ‘distraction.’
Posted inArticles
What happens in a small town when the gas goes out?
A writer ponders his community’s dependence on natural gas in its absence.
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EPA proposal would let states relax coal plant pollution rules
The change could increase contamination from coal ash leaching into groundwater.
Posted inArticles
Drilling, one mile outside Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes
Opposition swells against leases that could impede wildlife migration corridors.
Posted inApril 16, 2018: Cashing in on Standing Rock
Latest: Toxic-tinged wildlife refuge deemed safe for visitors
But conservation groups fear contamination at Colorado’s Rocky Flats still lingers.
Posted inArticles
California steps up for environmental justice
In the absence of federal leadership, a new state office for communities affected by pollution takes shape.
Posted inArticles
Natural gas wells make poor neighbors
Without a rule to prevent waste, living close to industry is difficult and dangerous.