climate change

Health and environmental advocates vow to fight it in court.

The power grid across Western states is under growing strain. Now, a new report argues the region’s governments and utilities need to work together to keep the lights on and costs down.

At less than 140,000 square miles, snow cover across the region was the lowest ever recorded on February 1 in the satellite record, which goes back to 2001. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) call it the “worst snowpack on record.”

Legislation based around “chemtrail” conspiracy theories was killed by lawmakers, although there’s still a narrow window for it to resurface. Meanwhile, the state's approval for cloud seeding, which is at the root of the conspiracies, is moving forward.

Across the Mountain West, groundwater is the unseen force keeping springs flowing, wetlands green, and desert plants alive. Now, a new interactive tool is making that hidden water easier to see.

The idea of a linear fuel break, or LFB, is pretty straightforward: by clearing grass or other fuel along fire-prone roads, or planting fire-resistant vegetation, you can slow the spread of wildfire. New research suggests they may save more money than they cost to install and maintain.

As much of the Mountain West faces another dry winter, researchers are turning their attention underground to the water many communities rely on but rarely see.

Cold temperatures have settled over much of the Mountain West this winter, but precipitation has been harder to come by, leaving large parts of the region unusually dry for late January.

As many homeowners face a growing insurance crisis, state leaders across the region are considering reforms. Two groups have recommendations for them as state legislatures begin convening again.

Local elected officials across the region are worried that changes in federal policy are putting their communities at risk from wildfire. But public land agencies say some of the concerns are overstated.