Anastasia Hufham
@hufh4m.bsky.social
Covering the environment for The Salt Lake Tribune 🤠 Read what I write: sltrib.com/staff/ahufham/ Reach out: ahufham@sltrib.com
Breaking – SCOTUS overturns prior ruling that federal agencies must consider upstream & downstream environmental impacts from a given project. Big implications for environmental reviews across the country, especially for UT's Uinta Basin Railway:
The Salt Lake Tribune@sltrib.com · last yr.Though the case centered on the Uinta Basin Railway, the Supreme Court’s decision could limit the scope of environmental reviews that federal agencies are legally required to conduct.
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives struck down a move to sell off thousands of acres of public land across Utah and Nevada Wednesday night after immense pushback from conservationists, sportsmen and other groups who opposed the measure.
House Republicans strike Maloy’s move to sell Utah’s public lands from Trump budget bill
Maloy previously said that selling public land could help build affordable housing and address water infrastructure concerns in her district.
sltrib.com
The Salt Lake area has some of the worst ozone pollution in the country. But the state of Utah says the region should not have to adhere to stricter federal air quality standards — and the Trump administration is listening. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Why the Trump admin may be weakening air quality standards for Salt Lake City
The northern Wasatch Front has some of the worst ozone pollution in the country. But the state of Utah says the region should not have to adhere to stricter federal air quality standards — and the Tru...
sltrib.com
Green Natural Gas Ventures LLC’s gas and helium plant in La Sal is “exposing residents … to air pollutants, which is a violation of Utah law and has an adverse impact on the health and welfare of the public,” the state claims. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
A southeastern Utah plant is a ‘major source of air pollutants.’ The state just sued its owner.
Green Natural Gas Ventures LLC owns a gas and helium plant in La Sal, Utah.
sltrib.com
Utah produced a record 65M barrels of oil in 2024 due to drilling in the Uinta Basin. If the state has its way & the Uinta Basin Railway is built, oil production will keep breaking records. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Utah is producing more oil than ever. Even more could be on its way if a controversial railway gets built.
The oil-rich Uinta Basin could be producing even more waxy crude oil than 2024's record-breaking levels but for transportation constraints.
sltrib.com
A Salt Lake City-based nuclear energy company announced it is partnering with the state and the Intermountain Power Agency to explore putting a small nuclear reactor in Millard County.
‘The state is robbing us’: A potential nuclear project in rural Utah highlights concern about new energy law
While the Millard County Commission says it supports nuclear energy in general, it’s not happy with the way state leaders are bringing the power to Utah.
sltrib.com
The state’s investment in relatively cheaper electricity sources like coal, natural gas and solar has helped keep residential costs lower, even as Utahns are using more electricity than ever.
Utahns pay the lowest rates in U.S. for electricity, even as one of the state’s biggest, dirtiest power sources declines
The state’s investment in relatively cheaper electricity sources like coal, natural gas and solar has helped keep residential costs lower, even as Utahns are using more electricity than ever.
sltrib.com
In 2024, coal made up 46% of Utah’s total electricity generation, with only 5 coal mines operating — the fewest in 150 years. Coal's decline persists despite the state's attempts to help the industry. Solar and natural gas have picked up the slack. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Utahns pay the lowest rates in U.S. for electricity, even as one of the state’s biggest, dirtiest power sources declines
The state’s investment in relatively cheaper electricity sources like coal, natural gas and solar has helped keep residential costs lower, even as Utahns are using more electricity than ever.
sltrib.com
The Trump administration chose to "speed up" permitting for the expansion of a copper mine in southeastern Utah. The mine laid off or furloughed more than half its workers in November. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Trump admin chose to ‘streamline’ permitting for a Utah mining project
President Donald Trump issued a March executive order to increase American mineral production to protect national security.
sltrib.com
This morning @washingtonpost.com reported that Trump is looking to shrink Bears Ears & Grand-Staircase Escalante NMs in Utah — again — to expand mining and drilling. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Trump may shrink 2 Utah national monuments to expand mining and drilling in the West, per report
After declaring a national energy emergency earlier this year, President Donald Trump is looking to roll back federal protections to promote energy development.
sltrib.com
“Kelly Pehrson has been a steady, trusted leader at UDAF for years, and I’m grateful he’s willing to take on this new role,” Gov. Spencer Cox said about his appointee.
Despite a history of controversy, Spencer Cox says this is the ‘trusted’ man who should lead a state department
“Kelly Pehrson has been a steady, trusted leader at UDAF for years, and I’m grateful he’s willing to take on this new role,” Gov. Spencer Cox said about his appointee.
sltrib.com
Cox’s choice to run Utah's agriculture department has a history that has raised red flags from San Juan County to Salt Lake City. Read more here: sltrib.com/news/environ...
Despite a history of controversy, Spencer Cox says this is the ‘trusted’ man who should lead a state department
“Kelly Pehrson has been a steady, trusted leader at UDAF for years, and I’m grateful he’s willing to take on this new role,” Gov. Spencer Cox said about his appointee.
sltrib.com
A man was hospitalized Tuesday night after a shooting involving a law enforcement officer for the Utah Department of Natural Resources. More details here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
sltrib.com
Two men were charged with multiple felonies Tuesday after Utah officials say they dumped oily wastewater into a northeastern Utah pond on multiple occasions.
‘Beyond anything I’ve ever seen’: Two men charged with felonies after toxic wastewater dumped in Utah pond
The Utah Trust Lands Administration said it received a tip about the illegal dumping in February 2024.
sltrib.com
Two men were charged Tuesday after Utah officials say they dumped oily wastewater into a northeastern Utah pond on multiple occasions. Read more here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
‘Beyond anything I’ve ever seen’: Two men charged with felonies after toxic wastewater dumped in Utah pond
The Utah Trust Lands Administration said it received a tip about the illegal dumping in February 2024.
sltrib.com
You know Utah's lands better than anyone. Help us share stories about how our public lands are being used and enjoyed, and what changes you’re seeing.
Help us tell the stories about how Utah’s lands are changing
You know Utah's lands better than anyone. Help us share stories about how our public lands are being used and enjoyed, and what changes you’re seeing.
sltrib.com
Utah received its largest environmental grant *ever* last year to clean up SLC’s dirty air. But the state says it is holding off on spending any of that money due to questions about President Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
A $110 million grant to clean up Salt Lake City’s air is on hold amid confusion over Trump’s funding freeze
The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is not spending hundreds of millions of federal dollars, not because those funds are frozen, but because of uncertainty over Trump's federal funding freeze...
sltrib.com
May or shall? Debate over a bill directing Utah’s nuclear energy roadmap is stuck on one word dictating whether collaboration between the state and municipalities is required for nuclear projects, or optional. #utpol
Nuclear energy bill hangs on a single word as cities and counties fight for a say • Utah News Dispatch
A nuclear energy bill is one of Gov. SpencerCox's priorities. Disagreements between the House, Senate and local governments have delayed it.
buff.ly
We talked to three former superintendents of Utah national parks about the impact of the Trump/Musk firings. Here's what they had to say: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
They used to run Utah’s national parks. Trump’s mass firings are ‘a really big deal,’ they say.
Three former superintendents of Utah’s "Mighty 5" national parks say the Trump administration’s firings of park staff will degrade not only visitors’ experiences, but also the lands and history the pa...
sltrib.com
DOGE is cancelling offices leases across Utah for the National Park Service, USGS and other agencies, via @hufh4m.bsky.social www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
DOGE is cancelling office leases across Utah. Here’s where.
The newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, reports it has terminated office space leases used by federal agencies in Utah.
sltrib.com
“I know people are really worried that they’re next, and I hate to be grim, but they are,” a worker laid off from the USGS in Utah told me. There are thousands of stories like these from fired federal workers across the country. Hard to fathom. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
They landed their ‘dream’ jobs in Utah. Then the Trump admin fired them.
These two Utah workers were among thousands of federal employees fired recently to purge what the Trump administration considers a bloated bureaucracy.
sltrib.com
I've been able to confirm at least 17 national park employees fired in Utah due to the mass Trump layoffs, but a source tells me that number might be closer to 30. More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Trump’s mass layoffs hit Utah national parks
Utah’s national park sites brought $3 billion to the state’s economy in 2023, according to a National Park Service report released in September, bringing in 15.7 million visitors and supporting over 2...
sltrib.com
State leaders want Utah to be "one of the nuclear headquarters for the world."
Safety, nuclear waste, water use: Here’s what you need to know about Utah’s nuclear push
State leaders want Utah to be "one of the nuclear headquarters for the world."
sltrib.com
Utah state leaders have been promoting nuclear energy over the last few months. I've gotten a lot of questions about what future nuclear development might mean/look like for the people who live here. Here's what you need to know: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Safety, nuclear waste, water use: Here’s what you need to know about Utah’s nuclear push
State leaders want Utah to be "one of the nuclear headquarters for the world."
sltrib.com
Rep. Celeste Maloy says conservation shouldn’t be a “use” of America’s public lands. Yesterday, she introduced a bill to repeal the Biden-era Public Lands Rule: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Utah Republican moves to axe Biden-era conservation rule
The Biden administration had finalized the rule, which it said restored balance in the management of public lands, in June.
sltrib.com
Heightened immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration has sent a wave of anxiety over the Ute Indian Tribe and others across the country, where Indigenous citizens fear they could be profiled.
Ute parents coach kids to memorize tribal ID and phone numbers, fearing ICE sweeps near reservation
Heightened immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration has sent a wave of anxiety over the Ute Indian Tribe and others across the country, where Indigenous citizens fear they could be profiled.
sltrib.com
Retaliatory tariffs and the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration have Utah farmers on edge.
‘Year of uncertainty’: Utah farmers could feel the pinch from Trump’s tariffs, immigration policies
Hay growers vent about being blamed for Utah's water woes, express concern about the future at Utah Hay Symposium
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Some water news — a dry January hurt forecasts for Lake Powell & the Colorado River. Last month, hydrologists thought spring runoff into Lake Powell would be 81% of average. They now expect it to be just 67% of average. But February could bring a reprieve: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Snowpack in the Rockies is lagging well below average. Colorado River forecasters still see hope on the horizon.
Lackluster January precipitation led to a decline in snowpack above Lake Powell.
sltrib.com
Dear Utahns: It's already difficult to get access to some records the public should be able to see, and it appears lawmakers are trying to make it harder (1/6)
Gustus: Tell your state senator transparency matters. Before it’s too late.
Utah lawmakers want to make it harder for you and us to obtain public records
sltrib.com
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox appointed Shelley to direct the Department of Environmental Quality just before his first term.
Utah’s top environment official to quit mid-legislative session
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox appointed Shelley to direct the Department of Environmental Quality just before his first term.
sltrib.com