Arizona tribes’ long fight for share of Colorado River water nears resolution in Congress
WASHINGTON – Arizona tribal leaders welcome progress in Congress toward the settlement of long-standing fights for Colorado River water. Yavapai-Apache, Navajo, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute leaders met with senators to discuss the pending deals.
California combats climate change: New legislation and ExxonMobil lawsuit take on plastic pollution
LOS ANGELES – California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a plastic bag ban Sunday. Meanwhile, the state and nonprofits are suing ExxonMobil for alleged deception of the public related to plastic recycling.
Conservationists say cattle grazing on federal lands in Arizona has pushed a threatened garter snake closer to extinction
WASHINGTON – The northern Mexican garter snake, already threatened, is losing habitat due to livestock grazing on federal land in Arizona, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. The group has sued two federal agencies to protect the reptile.
Arizona has seen growth in clean energy jobs under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, at a cost Republicans call wasteful
WASHINGTON – The 2-year-old Inflation Reduction Act gives incentives for clean energy projects. Democrats tout job growth and progress against climate change, but Republicans remain skeptical at the high cost.
Navajo Nation strengthens rules on uranium transportation as negotiations continue with Energy Fuels Inc.
WASHINGTON – Navajo Nation adopts new regulations on transportation of uranium ore through tribal land as it continues negotiations with Energy Fuels Inc.
Governors prod Congress for more help on growing threat of wildfires in West
WASHINGTON – The western United States faces a severe and growing wildfire crisis. Increasingly destructive wildfires have threatened lives, herds and livelihoods. Governors of Arizona and 19 other states are urging Congress to act more swiftly to improve federal efforts to reduce and manage wildfires.
Apache trout, Arizona’s state fish, dropped from endangered species list after 50-year comeback
WASHINGTON – Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declared the state fish of Arizona no longer endangered on Wednesday. The comeback of the Apache trout is a conservation success story 50 years in the making, though advocates say the move is premature.
Men’s triathlon postponed as Seine River fails to meet safety requirements for Paris Olympics
PARIS – Despite assurances from Paris Olympics and city officials, the Seine River was unsuitable for the men’s triathlon Tuesday, with time running out for improved conditions.
Tucson, aiming to trim electric bills and hit carbon neutral by 2045 to fight climate change, will explore creating a public utility
WASHINGTON – A feasibility study in Tucson will explore the creation of a public power utility as the city seeks to cut electric bills and be carbon neutral by 2045. The current contract with Tucson Electric Power expires in 2026, and the city wants to ensure utility practices align with its environmental goals.
Amid heat waves and drought, Arizona Republicans reject expert consensus on climate change as ‘fake science’
WASHINGTON – Arizona heat waves and drought are exacerbated by climate change, experts say, yet Kari Lake and Republicans in Congress dispute the scientific consensus.
Arizona farmers turn to solar panels to shade crops, save water and generate power
WASHINGTON – With Arizona’s blazing sunshine and depleting water sources, agrivoltaics could be used to grow healthy crops in a sustainable way. Federal funding under IRA and REAP is helping farmers get started.
Does Arizona have enough water? Phoenix-area cities are spending big to make sure it does
Phoenix, Peoria and cities across the Valley are focused on adding new water supplies, rather than just using less of the water they already have.
