How Arizona national parks survived the longest government shutdown in U.S. history
GRAND CANYON – With community help, the two national parks in Arizona that remained open during the federal government shutdown are still beautiful and saw little negative impact.
From ‘green blob’ to majestic sentinel: The science of saguaros
PHOENIX – Saguaros are known around the world as a symbol of the American West, but scientists still are unlocking the secrets to how these giants grow and why they only grow in the Sonoran Desert.
Central Arizona Project supports draft legislation for drought contingency plan
PHOENIX – The board of the Central Arizona Project on Thursday voted to support the draft legislation for the Drought Contingency Plan, a major water savings deal in the Colorado River basin.
Arizona Corporation Commission adopts first rules to encourage electric vehicles
PHOENIX – Arizona last month adopted its first policies to encourage electric vehicle use. It won’t come cheaply, but the costs of incentives and infrastructure could actually be less than the environmental and health costs of the status quo.
Drought hangover: ‘OK’ snowpack in Colorado won’t be enough to replenish reservoirs
GREELEY, Colo. – Despite decent snowpack in the Southern Rockies, drought and heat have sapped soil moisture in the Colorado River Basin, which leaves the vast area “in a deep hole” in terms of refilling dwindling reservoirs.
Arizona mom joins activists protesting Wheeler nomination to head EPA
WASHINGTON - Phoenix environmental activist Columba Sainz joined other moms Wednesday in Washington, where members of the Moms Clean Air Force turned out to oppose Andrew Wheeler's nomination as the next head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Arizona’s drought plan faces several obstacles, and time is just one of them
PHOENIX – Arizona lawmakers say they’ve made progress on a drought contingency plan, but much remains to be done before a Jan. 31 deadline imposed by federal water managers.
Shutdown, additional requests for water could disrupt Arizona drought plan
PHOENIX – The federal government’s partial shutdown is hampering Arizona’s efforts to forge a drought contingency plan, and requests for additional water could make the task even more difficult.
Beetles vs. birds: What happens when fighting nature with nature backfires?
COTTONWOOD – Beetles used in a biological control program from nearly two decades ago continue to threaten nesting habitat for the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher.
Future for Mexican solar seems bright, even under new administration
HERMOSILLO, Mexico – Several large solar projects in Sonora are soon to come fully online, including one of the largest in Latin America. Much of this expansion came from energy reforms pushed by President Enrique Peña Nieto, but with a new administration in power, will the progress continue?
Officials hopeful ‘fire funding fix’ helps tame brutal wildfire seasons
WASHINGTON – After years of wrangling, Congress last year passed the "fire funding fix" that creates a $2.25 billion emergency fund that federal officials can tap when the cost of fighting wildfires exceeds the budget, as it has done regularly for years now.
Nonprofit shop is a hub for Tempe cycling community – and a recycling project
TEMPE – Bike Saviours, a cooperative in Tempe, not only teaches customers how to fix their bikes, its volunteers help them build bikes from scratch using donated parts.
