Arizona environmental chief, physician differ on role of EPA
WASHINGTON - Arizona's top environmental official told separate House and Senate committees Tuesday that the federal government needs to back off and let states take care of environmental regulation on their own.
Parker saloon owner turns to solar for power, but keeps other technology at bay
PARKER – The moment you take a sharp right turn off State Route 95 and onto Cienega Springs Road near Parker, there’s no such thing as a pit stop along the 5-mile journey. The bumpy, winding road leads to The Desert Bar, a secluded, booze-friendly landmark that’s been a staple in the area for more than 34 years.
Water Hole: No running water on Navajo Nation reservation
MONUMENT VALLEY – On the outskirts of Monument Valley, touching the Arizona-Utah border, a water well is encased in a brick building behind a barb-wired fence. A few cattle graze nearby, mooing to occasionally pierce the quiet.
Advocates fear Superfund budget cuts further delay cleanup of sites
WASHINGTON - In the nine years since the former smelter near her house in Dewey-Humboldt was added to the Environmental Protection Agency's list of toxic Superfund sites, Rose Eitemiller said she's seen some progress. But not much.
Everything old is renewed again as architects renovate historic buildings
PHOENIX – Old buildings have a story to tell.
Innovative farming: Harvesting exotic plants in the Southwest
SCOTTSDALE - Glacier lettuce. Thai Lavender Frog Egg Eggplant. Tigerella Tomato. The rare plants are among those grown at Brother Nature Farms in Scottsdale.
Solar could replace Navajo Generating Station power, but not its jobs
WASHINGTON - Solar power advocates say a 250-megawatt renewable-energy facility could be in place in time for the late-2019 closure of the Navajo Generating Station, if permitting and construction began right away.
Arizona universities recognized as national leaders in composting
PHOENIX - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established a goal in September 2015 to cut food waste in half by 2030.
National park visitors spent $995 million at nearby businesses in state
WASHINGTON - The 12 million people who visited national parks in Arizona last year spent more than $995 million with nearby businesses, a $63 million increase from the year before, the National Park Service said.
Changing landscapes, rising temperatures in Maricopa county
PHOENIX - The ground is 9 degrees hotter at night in Chandler and Gilbert than it was at the turn of the century, as increases in population and development in those areas resulted in changes in land use, according to a 2016 study.
Trump orders review of predecessors’ national monument designations
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump ordered the Interior Department Wednesday to review two decades of national monument designations, actions he said represent an "egregious use of government power" affecting millions of acres of land.
