‘Rock crispy treat’: Mesa students design storm-drain grate that blocks trash
MESA – Using gravel and epoxy, two Red Mountain High School seniors have come up with storm-drain grate that traps trash but lets the water flow through easily.
Amid trade war, Chinese company is buying shuttered U.S. paper mills
PHOENIX – A Chinese company is buying and renovating long-closed paper mills in the U.S. as the U.S.-China trade war continues to heat up.
Citrus squeeze: Pushed by development, costs, citrus shrinks in state economy
The number of citrus operations in Arizona fell about 40 percent from 2012 to 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as farms have been buffeted by encroaching development, drought, disease and scarce water resources.
Federal appeals court orders BLM to reconsider how Chaco drilling permits impact environment
PHOENIX – A federal appeals court has ruled the Bureau of Land Management needs to reconsider how drilling permits could impact natural resources in the area around Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico
‘These are parks’: Signs of life returning to the depleted Colorado River Delta
LAGUNA GRANDE, Mexico – Small restoration sites along the Colorado River are showing scientists and the public what the delta once looked like and the wealth of wildlife it supported.
As the Colorado River Basin dries, can an accidental oasis survive?
CIÉNEGA DE SANTA CLARA, Mexico – More than 40 years ago, agricultural runoff diverted to northern Mexico created the largest wetland in the Sonoran Desert. But as water becomes ever more scarce, can it survive?
Final 100 miles of the Colorado highlight how badly the river is overtaxed
SAN LUIS RIO COLORADO, Mexico – By the time the Colorado River reaches the border with Mexico, it’s pretty much spent. Ninety percent of the river’s water is used in the U.S., which has dramatic effects on northern Mexico.
Dust, particle pollution disproportionately affect Latino and poor communities
PHOENIX – Latino and lower-income communities of Phoenix are breathing in more polluted air than residents in other parts of the city, and a new report indicates it’s part of a national trend.
Rare frog fossil sheds light on a gap in Arizona geologic record
PETRIFIED FOREST – Paleontologists have discovered a rare frog fossil that dates back to the late Triassic period.
Arizona farmers can legally grow industrial hemp, but will they take the risk?
CASA GRANDE – Paco Ollerton, a third-generation cotton farmer, is carefully looking at growing industrial hemp – a crop that has attracted many with its environmentally friendly claims – this summer, as it will be legal to grow in the state May 31.
Trout in Arizona: Hatchery upgrades will improve the state’s sports fishing industry
FLAGSTAFF – Nearly 60% of the state’s trout begin their lives at Sterling Springs Hatchery, which is being upgraded to save water and money.
Sewage is the real border crisis for many towns and cities
NOGALES – A failing, aging network of pipes and wastewater treatment plants that run from Mexico into U.S. cities is causing public health and environmental concerns for California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
