Widely distributed but hard to disentangle, exotic elements are vital to green energy and military applications. For decades, China has dominated the dirty business of mining and processing rare earth ores. Two Mojave desert mines, one operating and one planned, may change that picture.Continue readingRare earths mining takes a heavy toll. Is it worth moving mountains for a domestic supply?
Category: Economic Development & the West
In its early 20th century heyday, Allensworth, California was celebrated as a model of Black self-sufficiency; then came loss and a long decline. A new generation is bringing new ideas, new money, and ambitions for a model economic and environmental rural community. Continue readingA Central Valley family’s quest to revive a historic Black town is the work of generations
With promises of jobs and hopes for tax breaks, server farms are reshaping local grids, plumbing, and politics. Are they a boon for communities, or a burden?Continue readingThirsty for power and water, AI-crunching data centers sprout across the West
Long since fish canneries built Southeast Alaska’s signature town, the trade is now being used to attract tourists.Continue readingKetchikan calls itself ’Salmon Capital of the World.’ Does the title still fit?
The West led the charge to legalize marijuana. As it becomes big business in many cities and towns, some others view it with distaste grounded in moral qualms or concerns about criminal cartels. Will growing revenues help sweeten the pot?Continue readingUrban, rural and tribal: how three Wests diverge on cannabis
The state has gone from being an also-ran in the population sweepstakes to the country’s fastest-growing.Continue readingIdaho is increasingly a bullseye for Californian migrants
With outdoor recreation in its east and fossil-fuel resources on the west, can Garfield County develop an economy that serves both ends?Continue readingAstride Two Wests, Colorado County Faces a Tricky Economic Balance
With the state committed to decarbonizing its electricity supply by 2045, Farmington’s coal-fired power plant and mine are set to shut down. Faced with the loss of their largest employer, city leaders are considering whether to get behind an uncertain carbon-capture technology, or turn to renewables and the tourist economy. Continue readingAs Plant Faces Closure, New Mexico City Weights Bet on Clean Coal Technology
The nationwide decline of coal is testing the resilience of the Powder River Basin. Residents used to a thriving economy, a top-notch education system, and an excess of job opportunities are learning to live with less. Continue readingBeyond the Coal Boom: Powder River Basin Residents Look to a Diversified Future