The Mountain West News Bureau
The Mountain West News Bureau is a collaboration of public media stations that serve the Western states of Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The project's mission is to tell stories about the people, places, and issues of the Mountain West.
From land and water management to growth in the expanding West to our unique culture and heritage, the bureau explores the issues that define us and the challenges we face in the region.
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Patrick Buck/National Park ServiceIn annual reports sent to Dark Sky International, Utah’s national and state parks list light pollution from development and tourism as the main threat to maintaining their certification. -
Courtesy the Animal Welfare InstituteRoughly half a million dairy calves were transported from seven states in the upper U.S. to calf-rearing operations in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas in 2022, according to an investigation conducted by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), creating potential health risks for animals and people. -
Yvette Fernandez/KNPRThe long-anticipated rail line aims to hit 200 miles per hour on the track and connect riders from Southern California to Las Vegas in about two hours, less than half the time it takes to drive. Brightline West is the private company behind the project. -
R. Eskalis/NISTResearchers have found the sound that soot makes under bright light can be used to assess the impact of wildfires. -
ssmalomuzh/Adobe StockA coalition of Western conservationists and tribes are working to protect more public lands before the November presidential election. -
Bob Wick/Courtesy of BLMThe BLM has announced a final rule to revise their oil and gas leasing regulations. It includes the first royalty rate increase in more than 100 years, as well as an increase in the minimum bond for oil and gas companies.
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Social media can influence everything from what we eat to where we vacation. Now, a new study shows it’s also driving more visitors to U.S. national parks, especially in the Mountain West. -
Tillie Torres is an English teacher in Las Vegas with more than $80,000 in student loan debt. She tells her students to be careful with loans, and in a bittersweet moment, saw her own child graduate debt-free and become a teacher. When she had her own loan forgiven, it felt like a "huge weight" was lifted. -
For the first time, the federal government is putting limits on “forever chemicals” called PFAS in the nation’s drinking water – a move that will protect communities across the Mountain West. -
Some 70 West Bank-rescued dogs were flown across the Atlantic Ocean, ending up at different shelters across the country. It’s a taxing journey for any animal, but for 10 of these dogs, their trip ended here in Wyoming at The Kindness Ranch, an animal sanctuary tucked into flat, grassy lands on Wyoming’s eastern plains. -
At the dawn of Colorado’s wolf reintroduction project, tourism leaders in mountain towns are offering mixed views on the animals. Some are fearful or indifferent, while others are cautiously optimistic they could become an attraction. -
A legal analysis by regional and national animal welfare groups says Wyoming’s animal cruelty statute should apply. -
Study finds solar and wind power is surging in the Mountain West, but there’s plenty of room to growA new report shows wind and solar power account for more of America’s energy than ever before. Some states in the Mountain West are helping lead the charge. -
A federal judge in the Mountain West recently ruled in favor of wild horse advocates who sued federal land managers for failing to stick to their own rules. -
Wyoming authorities cited and fined the man $250, but so far have brought no other legal penalties for publicly displaying and killing wild wolf. -
The cows started experiencing symptoms shortly after the farm received a shipment of cattle from a Texas operation, and the animals later tested positive.
