Since 1994, when the EPA started to address uranium mine sites, cleanup efforts of mining sites have been slow.Continue readingUranium Mine Sites in the United States
Taking down four dams in Oregon and California would be a coup for advocates of dam removal. It could also mark the moment when their movement rediscovers a more realistic goal: bringing restoration into balance with human needs.Continue readingThe Winners, the Losers, and the Landscape That Might Emerge If the Klamath River Dams Disappear
The Klamath River Hydroelectric Project consists of four dams that were built between 1922 and 1964 to provide flood control and hydroelectric power. Their operator, PacifiCorp, has opted not to pursue a costly relicensing process that would keep them operating. While they continue to generate electricity and store water in three reservoirs, they have extremely…Continue readingTwo Hundred Miles From the Ocean, a Gauntlet of Dams
Two decades into the 21st Century, broadband internet access still falls short of reaching tens of millions of Americans — especially in hilly and remote parts of the rural West. But local initiatives and creative uses of technology are slowly helping close the divide.Continue readingBy Land or Sky, Rural Western Communities Seek an Elusive Good: Broadband Internet Access
As technology has advanced and the demand has grown for video streams for teleconferencing, telemedicine, and binge-watching, the Federal Communications Commission has steadily raised the threshold for what it defines as “high-speed” broadband internet service. Since 2019, 25 megabits per second download and 4 megabits up has been the FCC’s target. Most delivery technologies have…Continue readingDefining ‘Broadband’ Internet
If other figures in American law are celebrated for what they changed, the late Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas has been celebrated for what he kept unchanged. Continue readingJustice Douglas’ Real Roots Were in the Wilderness: Q&A with Judge M. Margaret McKeown
Once prized as a key ingredient in fire retardant foam, non-stick pans and many everyday items, a synthetic chemical’s appearance in public water supply wells raises questions of how to protect the public from unknown health hazards.Continue readingConcern Over the “Forever Chemical” PFAS Is High, But Remedies Remain Remote
Farmers, large and small, are beginning to grapple with what the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act means for them. Many expect to see cutbacks on pumping once the program is fully implemented in 2040.Continue readingSmall Farmers Wait for California’s Groundwater Hammer to Fall
Even after record-setting fires devastated communities around the West, resistance to policies to reduce housing vulnerability persists, particularly if they constrain development. Embed from Getty Images The remnants of homes in Paradise, California after the Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed more than 18,000 structures in November 2018. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images…Continue reading“Fire Amnesia” Hurts Efforts to Make Wildland Housing More Resilient
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