Trump’s move to drastically shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah was the latest episode in a long tug of war over presidential power and public lands. My latest for @kuer.org explores how we got here and what it might take to end the back-and-forth ⤵️ www.kuer.org/science-envi...

Trump’s Utah national monument cuts won’t stop the legal tango over public lands

“Until you get either some kind of congressional solution or a binding judicial opinion as to what the president's authority is, then we get the unfortunate result of having things bounce back and for...

kuer.org

A DOGE staffer convened a meeting with Department of Energy officials to discuss the future of nuclear power and downplayed the risk of radiation exposure at nuclear test sites: “They are testing in Utah. … I don’t know, like 70 people live there.” (Published March)

DOGE Goes Nuclear: How Trump Invited Silicon Valley Into America’s Nuclear Power Regulator

In its rush to boost nuclear energy, the Trump administration is rapidly rewriting rules to ease regulations and provide financial breaks for industry. “The safety culture is under threat,” a former h...

propublica.org

The entirety of the Boundary Waters is being evacuated due to wildfires, led by eight fearless Wilderness Rangers paddling around to campsites.   1,000,000 acres. 2,000 campsites. 4 teams of rangers. 2 rangers per canoe.

My story on the dramatic cuts to Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears here in southern Utah ⤵️

NPR@npr.org · 3w ago

Flanked by Utah’s delegation, Gov. Spencer Cox and Utah Speaker Mike Schultz, President Trump again reduced the boundaries and protections of the two monuments. Conservationists and tribal leaders worry it could undo years of work to protect these lands.

From @davidcondos.bsky.social @kuer.org - Trump again shrinks the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah. Reporting from a reporter based in southern Utah.

NPR@npr.org · 3w ago

Flanked by Utah’s delegation, Gov. Spencer Cox and Utah Speaker Mike Schultz, President Trump again reduced the boundaries and protections of the two monuments. Conservationists and tribal leaders worry it could undo years of work to protect these lands.

The company Cadiz Inc. has been trying for years to pump groundwater in the Mojave Desert and ship it to thirsty cities in California. Now, the Trump administration has signed off on part of its plan: converting an oil and gas pipeline to transport water. www.latimes.com/environment/...

Trump administration OKs California company's plan to pipe water out of the Mojave Desert

The California company Cadiz has been trying for years to pipe water out of the Mojave Desert. The Trump administration approved a plan for a pipeline.

latimes.com

Solar's sharp rise continues. As of April 2026, global solar capacity now exceeds 3 terawatt. 1 gigawatt → 1 terawatt: 20+ years 1 terawatt → 2 terawatt: 33 months 2 terawatt → 3 terawatt: 19 months

Mexican Man Killed by ICE in Houston Was Not the Target, they were searching for a Guatemalan in a different white van Free gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/u...

Mexican Man Killed by ICE in Houston Was Not the Target

nytimes.com

It had been quiet in #Utah. Too quiet. The Beehive State seemed due for a bad season.

Utah wildfires have burned more acres this year than the past 5 years combined

Bigger fires require more firefighters and more money. And the latest outlook expects Utah’s bad fire conditions to continue through August.

kuer.org

When Colorado River experts descended on CU-Boulder in June, one high-profile negotiator pointed an accusatory finger at its quads: “There is a metric shit ton of turf grass on this campus.” How Western universities maintain their "oasis-like" feel amid epic drought: waterdesk.org/2026/07/how-...

How universities in the West justify staying green during drought

In early June, water experts gathered at the University of Colorado Boulder to talk about the future of the Colorado River.  The lifeline for 40 million people in the Southwest is in dire shape. Too m...

waterdesk.org

zion national park, springdale, utah, 1987

“.. Members of the group Patriot Front ride the metro on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in Washington, D.C.” @reuters.com

Wildfires: a new thing to...bet on? My latest for @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/articles/peo...

People are betting on wildfires. Should they? - High Country News

Fire survivors say “it’s morally reprehensible,” and experts worry the wagering could lead to arson.

hcn.org

NOAA SPC has once again upgraded today's fire weather risk in western Colorado & Four Corners region to "extremely critical"--marking rare third consecutive day. Multiple existing fires will likely make further large runs today, & new ignitions willl take off quickly. #COwx #AZwx

Dangerous fire weather conditions are forecast across portions of the Great Basin and Southwest today as a robust fire weather pattern begins for an expansive portion of the Intermountain West.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an order restricting the use of fireworks through July 5, saying if there are multiple fire starts in the Salt Lake Valley during that time, “We’re screwed.” (Video by Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune)

Dangerous fire weather conditions are expected across portions of the Great Basin and Southwest on Friday. Dry and windy conditions will allow any new or existing wildfires to spread rapidly. Stay alert to the forecast at weather.gov and follow instructions from emergency officials.

In the Rocky Mountains, spring-fed streams and ponds have vanished, leaving patches of cracked mud. This year has been so extremely warm and arid that the mountains have remained largely snowless. The source of the Colorado River is drying up. @rgauth999.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...

'This is terrifying': The Colorado River, a lifeline for seven states, is drying up at its source

The source of the Colorado River in the Rocky Mountains is drying up, threatening a critical water lifeline for about 35 million people and 5 million acres of farmland across the Southwest.

latimes.com

The 15-Mile Reach in Colorado's Grand Valley, is a section of the Colorado River where agricultural use, municipal demand, and needs for recreation and wildlife converge. And this summer it could fully dry up.

A river crisis is unfolding in the American West

The Colorado has been struggling for decades. This summer could bring it to the brink, threatening endangered wildlife and communities.

nationalgeographic.com

Stewart Mandel ranks the top 15 college football teams of the 1990s. No. 1 was easy. The rest weren't: www.nytimes.com/athletic/736...

Ranking college football’s 15 best teams of the 1990s: Is anyone close to ’95 Nebraska? (Gift Article)

A decade of heated national championship debates creates some interesting debates when ranking the best teams.

nytimes.com

New 2026 monsoon drought status update from NIDIS — "The monsoon will likely have little influence on streamflow in the Colorado and Rio Grande Rivers." www.drought.gov/drought-stat...

2026 Monsoon Drought Status Update for the Southwest U.S. | June 18, 2026 | Drought.gov

This drought status update covers the North American Monsoon and the impacts on drought across the Southwest U.S. NIDIS and partners will issue future drought status updates as conditions evolve.

drought.gov

Come join our team ✍️ 📻 ⛰️ KUER is Utah's statewide NPR member station, and our newsroom is hiring for a brand new position: Community Service Journalism Reporter. More details here: www.kuer.org/work-with-kuer #journalismjobs #publicradio @pmja.bsky.social @current.org

Work with KUER

Would you like to work for Utah’s premier NPR member station? KUER provides employment in the following departments: Administration, Development, Engineering, RadioWest, News and Operations.

kuer.org

Laying off 2 climate journalists and killing the Climate Desk is a step backward for NPR. The good news: local public radio stations are still doing climate journalism. These 33 local climate reporters are still at it. @coveringclimatenow.org @sammyroth.bsky.social legal-planet.org/2026/06/16/n...

NPR Cut Its Climate Desk. These 33 Local Climate Reporters Are Still at It - Legal Planet

Laying off 2 climate journalists is a step backward for NPR. The good news is that local radio stations are still doing climate journalism.

legal-planet.org

““Not only does this undermine the integrity of the national parks; it sets a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization.” Judge Blocks National Parks From Removing ‘Negative’ Signs www.nytimes.com/2026/06/12/u...

Judge Blocks National Parks From Removing ‘Negative’ Signs

nytimes.com

Neat piece in today's Washington Post highlighting my projections for global temperatures in 2026 and 2027 in light of the potentially record setting El Niño event developing later this year: www.washingtonpost.c...

It's officially El Niño time. Here's my story for @kuer.org from earlier this spring about what a potentially strong #elnino could mean for Utah weather: www.kuer.org/science-envi...

Will El Niño bail Utah out after its warm and dry winter, or bake it?

Forecasters expect an El Niño weather pattern to emerge this summer, which could influence how hot or wet Utah’s weather gets.

kuer.org

National Weather Service@nws.noaa.gov · 2mo ago

More info at: www.noaa.gov/news-release...

Wildfires are undercutting the minor progress the U.S. has made to control ozone levels this century.

Wildfires Are Reversing Years of US Air Quality Gains, Study Finds - Inside Climate News

Tailpipe emissions standards implemented early this century helped reduce smog levels. Longer, more intense fire seasons have erased much of that progress.

insideclimatenews.org

If your newsroom still lives and dies by Chartbeat — if pageviews are all that matters to management — it’s missing out on some critical intel. The stories that get visits might be the ones you should be doing fewer of if your goal is chasing subscriptions. www.niemanlab.org/2026/06/what...

What kind of stories are best at turning local news readers into subscribers? It’s hard news, not the soft stuff

An analysis of billions of visits to a metro newspaper's website finds that entertainment and sports stories might generate lots of pageviews, but it's topics like government, transportation, and…

niemanlab.org

May 2026 had the second-worst May drought conditions in contiguous U.S. history, with a Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) of -6.93. The only worse May: the Dust Bowl year of 1934 (a PDSI of -7.03). Three of the top-10 months for worst U.S. drought since 1895 have been in 2026:

NPR lays off its chief climate editor There's no conspiracy — just another newsroom making a poor decision @sammyroth.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/climatec...

NPR lays off its chief climate editor

There's no conspiracy — just another newsroom making a poor decision.

open.substack.com