Romero lauds federal dollars for roads, rail, cites need for PFAS funding

WASHINGTON - Federal funding from the massive Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be "critical" to Tucson's ability to address contamination of the city's water supply by the chemical PFAS, Mayor Regina Romero told a Senate panel Wednesday.


Tribal leaders urge support for bills to protect cultural, sacred sites

WASHINGTON - Tribal leaders urged lawmakers Wednesday to pass a package of bills that would protect cultural and sacred sites by creating a new tribal cultural areas designation and require Native input on any decisions on those lands.


‘It’s getting close’: As the megadrought grinds on, Arizona working to meet water demands

PHOENIX – Recent NASA images of Lake Powell and Lake Mead put Arizona’s water crisis into perspective. Experts are sounding the alarm and Arizona cities and entities are instituting conservation plans, but the future of Arizona water remains uncertain.


Slither and bound: Rattlesnakes and toads get busy during monsoon season

SCOTTSDALE – The summer Arizona monsoon doesn’t just bring dramatic storms, it’s a signal for such desert animals as rattlesnakes and toads to reproduce.


Angry at other states, Arizona towns, tribes rethink planned water cuts

WASHINGTON - Faced with deep cuts to the water supply, and angry that other states are not doing their share, tribes and local governments in Arizona are increasingly talking about backing off earlier offers to give up some water.


Climate tool brings the bad news; advocates hope that brings good outcomes

WASHINGTON - A new online dashboard that aims to give state and local governments the real-time information they need to fight climate change paints a bleak picture for Arizona's future, calling for more heat, more drought and more wildfires.


Vegan handbags made of pineapple, cactus and cork could help save the planet

LOS ANGELES – Some designers are becoming more sustainable by replacing traditional leather with such materials as pineapple, cactus and cork. They look great and are better for the environment.


Federal funds for water projects a fraction of what Arizona says it needs

WASHINGTON - Arizona will get $109.5 million in federal funding this year to improve water systems in the state - a fraction of the $1.4 billion list of needs state officials say they have. And one official said "the needs are growing" for water projects around the state.


Shorter showers or rip up your lawn?: Conserving water is mostly an outdoors job

PHOENIX – Saving water is critical to living in prolonged drought, but most of Arizona’s use is outdoors – three-quarters of it for agriculture. To really save water, experts say, we need to think bigger than turning off the faucet while brushing our teeth.


3D printing and foam: Arizona organizations make homes more sustainable

PHOENIX – Amid climate change and an affordable housing crisis in Arizona, organizations have developed housing solutions, including using 3D printing and plastic foam, to make buildings better for the environment and for tight budgets.


Fight over Resolution Copper Mine drags on – and both sides expect more

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers, federal regulators and courts have been grappling with challenges to the proposed Resolution Copper Mine in Oak Flat for years, and while the two sides agree on little, most agree that the debate is likely to continue for years to come.


Supreme Court ruling against EPA hurts, may not hobble clean air in Arizona

WASHINGTON - Advocates say a Supreme Court ruling that said the EPA cannot force power plants away from fossil fuels cost the agency an effective tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions - but it's not the only tool, and help may be coming from an unlikely source.