Environment
On a record day in D.C. for smoke pollution, U.S. Senate panel debates wildfire strategy
As smoke from Canadian wildfires caused the most hazardous air conditions on record in the Washington, D.C., area on Thursday, members of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said that Congress should lift federal firefighter pay and encourage logging to reduce the risk of future blazes. “Smoke from the wildfires burning right now […]
Marshall Fire caused by Xcel Energy power line, reignited junk burn, authorities say
The Marshall Fire in Boulder County was caused by two distinct ignitions, one sparked by an unmoored Xcel Energy power line and another from embers of a week-old trash fire at the nearby Twelve Tribes property, that eventually merged into the larger fire, investigators announced Thursday. The Marshall Fire began on Dec. 30, 2021, amid […]
Effects of climate change on farming, federal spending explored by U.S. Senate panel
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators on the Budget Committee dug into the impacts of climate change on farming during a Wednesday hearing, raising concerns about what the next few decades hold for food production and the way of life. But Republicans and representatives of farm groups pushed back against increased government regulation. Brent Johnson, president of […]
Wildfires, drought have damaged Colorado watersheds. Bennet bill could boost resiliency.
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet on Tuesday introduced a plan to combat the impact of climate change and wildfires on Western fresh water sources and improve the health of forests and watersheds across the country. The Colorado Democrat, along with Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, introduced The Headwaters Protection Act, which would increase funding […]
Bees are being decimated in Colorado, but a new law will help
On the last day of Colorado’s 2023 legislative session, Senate Bill 23-266 was signed by leaders of the state Senate and House. The bill limits the sale of a class of pesticides, neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” which are known for killing bees and other pollinators. The governor signed the bill a little over one week later, […]
It’s time to get real (data) on pollution reductions
Oil and gas operations emit pollution that harms health and worsens the climate crisis. There neither is nor will there ever be such a thing as “zero-pollution” oil and gas operations. Emitting pollution is built into how this industry operates. However, there are existing technologies and practices that are tried and true for dramatically reducing […]
U.S. Interior Department finalizes fossil fuel, mining ban near Chaco Canyon
The federal government will not issue new oil and gas or mining leases on federal lands within 10 miles of Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, the U.S. Interior Department said Friday. The public lands order from the department’s Bureau of Land Management will stay in effect for 20 years. The order said about 340,000 […]
Denver has 137 miles of new bike lanes, but more quality multimodal facilities are needed
On a recent Wednesday, surrounded by 20-25 Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff and bike advocates, Mayor Michael Hancock took a victory lap in regards to bike lane build-outs. Speaking in front of newly built bike infrastructure across from Rocky Mountain Lake Park, Hancock emphasized that “these are new opportunities for people to get […]
Time is ripe for rural climate action
There is no better time to invest in rural Colorado and in climate action. The best science is telling us that the window is still slamming shut for staving off significantly worse effects from climate change. Congress might be focused on the debt limit and spending cuts, but we should not be distracted by the […]
Decarbonization ambitions ignite debate over mining, permitting
The decarbonized, electrified future envisioned by the Biden administration, state governments, automakers, utility companies and corporate sustainability goals depends to a huge degree on minerals and metals. Lots more lithium will be needed for car and truck batteries, as well as the big banks of batteries that are increasingly popping onto the electric grid to balance the […]
BLM rulemaking is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape conservation policy
A version of this commentary originally appeared in the Nevada Current. While it may not receive the national headlines other federal agencies do, the Bureau of Land Management is one of the most consequential agencies in the federal government. Very soon, it could be one of our biggest sources of action to take on climate […]
Western lands fight erupts over Bureau of Land Management’s conservation proposal
One thing opponents and proponents of a recently proposed U.S. Bureau of Land Management rule agree on: It would be a major shift in how the agency manages nearly 250 million acres of federal lands. The rule would allow for conservation leases, similar to how the agency auctions off parcels of land for mining, livestock […]