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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A new research project in the Mountain West aims to improve forecasts of snowfall, and estimates of how climate change will affect the region’s snowpacks and water supplies.
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The Bureau of Land Management recently held a series of public meetings about its new proposed sage grouse management plan. As the bird’s population continues to dwindle across the West, the agency is trying to add protections, all in an attempt to prevent the bird from being listed as an Endangered Species.
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New findings about sublimation explain how snow is lost to evaporation before it can melt. The data can help form better predictions about water supplies from the Colorado River.
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Conservation groups are celebrating the approval of the wolverine restoration bill. They see Colorado as a key piece of a strategy to ensure the survival of the extremely solitary member of the weasel family.
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A new study looks into how many fish are in reservoirs across the U.S., and what role these ecosystems could play in conservation and food security.
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The Interior Department is spending another $70 million to reopen habitat for native fish in many parts of the U.S., including the Mountain West.
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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.
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Wyoming authorities cited and fined the man $250, but so far have brought no other legal penalties for publicly displaying and killing wild wolf.
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The cows started experiencing symptoms shortly after the farm received a shipment of cattle from a Texas operation, and the animals later tested positive.
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Many Americans are trying to lower their energy bill – and carbon footprint– by turning to rooftop solar panels. A new report shows where in the U.S. it makes the most financial sense to go solar.
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Several national companies are condemning Idaho’s restrictions on healthcare choices, saying the state’s laws are bad for both women and the bottom line.
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Transitioning to electric vehicles – or EVs – is much more complicated than simply adding more charging stations across the country. Those on the cutting edge of this effort talked about the challenges and potential solutions at a recent expo in Las Vegas.
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The department announced $3 million in grant funding to protect big game habitats and migration corridors in seven Western states.
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The Affordable Connectivity Program has helped millions of households get internet access with subsidies. The program will wind down at the end of April unless the federal government agrees to fund it through the end of the year.
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This spring, the federal government is expected to finalize a rule that would require oil and gas companies to pay more to drill on public lands across the Western U.S.
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A new report shows air pollution is affecting most national parks across the U.S., including parts of the Mountain West.