Liam Coates
Liam Coates lee-um coa-tes
News Reporter, Washington, D.C.

Liam Coates expects to graduate from Dublin City University in fall 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Coates has a keen interest in the environment, transport, the arts and tech. He was the recipient of the Virgin Media Digital Content Creator Award at the 2023 National Student Media Awards.

Latest from Liam Coates

As water regulations shift – again – advocates, officials work to cope

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court's ruling this summer in the Sackett case was supposed to clarify Clean Water Act regulations, but has instead left officials waiting and wondering what's next as federal regulators work our new Waters of the United States rules, due by Sept. 1.


U.S. criticizes Mexico over protection of vaquitas, stops short of sanctions

WASHINGTON - Mexico is not living up to its responsibility to protect the threatened totoaba fish and the critically endangered vaquita, a small porpoise of which there are only around a dozen left in the Gulf of California, the Biden administration said this week.


Arizona advocates fear long-term impact of court’s discrimination ruling

WASHINGTON - Advocates say a Supreme Court ruling that struck down anti-discrimination protections will likely have little immediate impact in Arizona - beyond confusion - but they worry it opens the door to abuses down the road.


Navajo witnesses clash over government’s Chaco Canyon mining ban

WASHNGTON - A moratorium on mining within 10 miles of Chaco Canyon tramples on tribal sovereignty and denies Navajo badly needed royalty payments; or it is needed to ensure oil and gas operations no longer poison the people, competing witnesses told a House panel.


Report: Shifting to EV fleets would save state, local governments millions

WASHINGTON - Arizona governments could save almost $283 million over the next 10 years if roughly 20,000 gasoline-powered light-duty vehicles in their fleets that are due to be retired were replaced with electric vehicles, according a recent report.


Supreme Court rules race-based college admissions unconstitutional

WASHNGTON - A divided Supreme Court said that race-based college admissions policies are unconstitutional violations of the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. Arizona universities do not believe it will affect them, but advocates called it "a shameful day."


National scorecard on electric-vehicle policies gives Arizona low marks

WASHINGTON - Arizona fared poorly across the board for policies aimed at encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles, according to a new national ranking of state policies. Arizona was 26th of the 33 states ranked, slipping from 25th place in the last report.


Lawmakers spar over BLM plan to weigh conservation in land-use decisions

WASHINGTON - A Bureau of Land Management rule that would, for the first time, count conservation as a legitimate use for public lands, along with mining, logging and other uses, is an "offensive" overreach of federal authority, Republicans said Thursday.


GOP feuding ends, House gets back to work with votes on guns, gas stoves

WASHINGTON - The House resumed work Tuesday after a weeklong pause when 11 Republicans, including two from Arizona, backed away from obstruction aimed at GOP leaders, clearing the way for votes to block regulations on guns and gas stoves.


Supreme Court pooh-poohs Arizona firm’s parody defense in trademark case

WASHINGTON - A Scottsdale company that makes doggy chew toys spoofing Jack Daniel's and other brands is not protected from trademark infringement suits by its claim that it was merely parodying, not appropriating, those brands, the Supreme Court ruled.


Phoenix official: River restoration projects bring ‘wide-ranging’ benefits

WASHINGTON - A Phoenix city official told lawmakers Wednesday that Army Corps of Engineers assistance with river restoration projects has provided wide-ranging benefits for the Valley, but that there is more to be done.


Defiant Republicans block gas stove bills in anger over debt ceiling

WASHINGTON - Conservative Republicans, including two from Arizona, took what was expected to be a routine party-line vote Tuesday on bills reining in federal bureaucrats and turned it into a referendum on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.


For more blue skies, Phoenix asks residents to blue-sky climate plan ideas

WASHINGTON - Phoenix wants to be more ambitious with its climate action plan, and city officials said they want residents to tell them the best way to get there. A recent public hearing included several big projects but a number of concerns at the neighborhood level, too.


Mohave County official blasts plans for expanded national monuments

WASHINGTON - A Mohave County supervisor said Wednesday that a proposed new national monument in northern Arizona would "devastate the economic growth potential" of the region, leaving little more than what he called "poverty with a view."


Arizona, California, Nevada agree on cuts to Colorado River water use

WASHINGTON - Arizona, California and Nevada unveiled a plan Monday to save 3 million acre-feet of Colorado River water between now and 2026, a stopgap measure to buy time while authorities figure out a long-term plan for the river.


Court rejects claim that copper mine land is needed for jaguar preservation

WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that regulators were wrong to conclude that parts of Pima County targeted for a copper mine are critical to the preservation of endangered jaguars, reviving chances for the stalled Rosemont Copper mine.