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One cow can produce up to 264 pounds of methane every year, and it's estimated that livestock production is responsible for 30% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

How livestock farming fuels climate change

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

Colorado residents and out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $10.8 billion on outdoor recreation within Colorado's river basins in 2019. About a quarter of this came from participants in water sports such as rafting. (Adobe Stock)

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court left key watersheds unprotected by the Clean Water Act, the Polis administration has designated new …

Water conservation projects in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Wyoming are expected to save more than 111,000 acre-feet of water annually, enough water to supply approximately 447,000 people for a year. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado taps $5.6 million Bipartisan Infrastructure dollars for water projects

The Biden Administration is investing $105 million in water conservation and efficiency projects meant to shore up drought resilience, including more …

Lowry Ranch is important habitat for several Tier 1 species from the State Wildlife Action Plan, including the burrowing owl, northern leopard frog and swift fox. (Adobe Stock)

Aurora residents to continue opposition to fracking near reservoir, Superfund site

Aurora residents and environmental groups said they will continue to oppose fracking near the Aurora Reservoir, thousands of homes and 13 schools …

$Most methane pollution comes from the drilling and processing of fossil fuels, and has been on the rise since the introduction of hydraulic fracturing technology. (Adobe Stock)$

Colorado, nation face public health, climate risks as methane pollution soars

Methane pollution is increasing at the fastest rate in decades, according to a new report, and that's making it harder to turn the tide on climate …

Untreated factory farm waste runoff contains high levels of fecal pathogens such as E. coli, antibiotics and cleaning chemicals. (Adobe Stock)

Clean-water advocates head back to court over Colorado factory farms

Clean-water advocates are heading to state district court after Colorado regulators turned their back on a judge's decision last year calling for bett…

At least half of the $32.8 million to replace lead pipes will be prioritized for areas overburdened by pollution and decades of underinvestment, including communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Infrastructure Law brings $32.8 million to Colorado to replace lead pipes

Nearly $33 million from President Joe Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Law is headed to Colorado to help locate and remove hazardous lead pipes from …

Fungal decay and fire both break down hydrogen and carbon bonds, a process that releases energy. But while fire releases heat, mushrooms absorb that energy like people do when digesting food. (Adobe Stock)

Mushrooms can help prevent mega-wildfires

By Stephen Robert Miller for the Food and Environment Reporting Network.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for t…

More than 80 national park units, including Rocky Mountain National Park, sit next to public lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

New BLM rule could help protect America's national parks

As critics work to roll back new Bureau of Land Management rules, public lands advocates are defending the agency's move to put conservation uses on …

The 1922 Colorado River Compact gives priority to Lower Basin states: Arizona, California and Nevada, for rights to Colorado River Water. (Adobe Stock)

Study: 90% of CO River irrigation water goes to cattle

As Colorado and other states grapple with shrinking Colorado River water levels, new research pinpoints how much water is being diverted for cattle …

Most of the USDA produce samples tested in this year's Dirty Dozen list from the Environmental Working Group were within the legal allowance for chemical pesticide residue. (Adobe Stock)

Strawberries top Dirty Dozen list of produce packed with pesticides

Nonorganic fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemical pesticides, including fungicides which can harm male reproductive systems, according to the …

Decades of policies like redlining, that forced people of color into neighborhoods surrounded by industrial polluters, have led to a host of negative health outcomes, including cancers and premature death. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado lawmakers eye ways to reduce pollution in vulnerable communities

In 2021, Colorado lawmakers took a first step toward addressing decades of toxic pollution disproportionately impacting low-income neighborhoods and …

Supporters of Colorado's House Bill 1379 said it will help protect Coloradans from flooding, help ensure safe and sufficient drinking water and help preserve fishing, boating, and other recreational opportunities across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Restoring protections for Colorado endangered waters and wetlands

Colorado lawmakers are considering legislation to restore protections to key waters and wetlands struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last year in a …

Firefighters and veterans stationed at military bases for at least one year, and who have cancer or other diseases may be eligible to receive financial compensation from the companies that produced PFAS forever chemicals. (Adobe Stock)

New bill would expand PFAS ban for tampons, other consumer items

Colorado lawmakers want to beef up legislation that bans PFAS, so-called forever chemicals, by 2028. Yahn Olson is an associate attorney with …

Nine in 10 voters across eight Mountain West states including Colorado want oil and gas companies, not federal and state governments, to pay for cleanup and restoration costs. (Adobe Stock)

West's Latino voters want conservation over development on public lands

Voters, including 74% of Republicans, 87% of Independents and 96% of Democrats, would support candidates in elections who prioritize conservation on …

Old-growth forests, which provide crucial wildlife habitat, clean water and carbon sequestration, are under threat from the effects of climate change, magnifying drought, disease, insect damage and fire severity. (Adobe Stock)

Forest Service wants public comments on old-growth forest protections

The timber industry is pushing back against the Biden administration's proposal to limit commercial logging in the nation's last old-growth forests…

Eight in 10 Coloradans agreed forests, farms, grasslands and wetlands naturally capture carbon pollution, the primary driver of climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado poll shows broad support for voluntary private land conservation

Colorado voters said they support previous efforts to conserve the state's wild landscapes and open spaces, according to a new survey, and they …

Farms are in a unique position to slow global warming by reducing methane emissions, which are more than 80 times more potent at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2. (Adobe Stock)

Removing barriers and making space for next generation farmers

As Congress drafts the next Farm Bill, the National Young Farmers Coalition is calling on lawmakers to tackle climate disruptions and racial equity …

The Freshwater Challenge aims to restore 300,000 km of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands globally by 2030 and to protect intact freshwater ecosystems. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Water crisis threatens $58 trillion in food security, sustainability

The world's water and freshwater ecosystems, with an annual estimated economic value of $58 trillion, are in a downward spiral - according to a new …

September marked the planet's fourth-hottest month in a row, and 2023 is on track to be the hottest year on record. (Adobe Stock)

Surge in renewables keeps hopes of averting worst climate impacts alive

Record growth in wind and solar energy, battery storage and electric vehicle sales have kept the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 within …

For every $1 invested in conserving Colorado's prime wildlife habitat, lands along streams, lakes and rivers, and farmlands -- such as the Avant Vineyards in Palisade -- through tax credits, Coloradans receive up to $12 in economic benefits. (Colorado West Land Trust)

Colorado land trusts get $1 million in lottery proceeds for conservation

Great Outdoors Colorado, the lottery-funded program to preserve natural resources, has awarded a second $1 million grant to fuel conservation efforts …

So far, 283 projects in Colorado have been identified as priorities under the Inflation Reduction Act. (Adobe Stock)

IRA Funding Set to Boost Colorado's Clean Energy Economy

This month marks one year since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation's first significant investment in addressing climate change…

Some crops beneath solar panels only need watering every couple of days, compared with every few hours for those grown in direct sunlight. (Adobe Stock)

Solar-Farming Combos Reducing Water Usage

By Jane Palmer for Ensia.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Ser…

BLM investments will be used to restore 323,000 acres of public lands in the San Luis Valley and 170,000 acres in North Park, home to important big-game migration corridors. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Makes Big Investment in Colorado Public Lands

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is investing $161 million to restore public lands in Colorado and 10 other western states. Liz Rose, Colorado …

Parcels of land downstream of Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch have been subdivided into 35- to 50-acre large-lot tracts. (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust)

Preserving Cultural, Environmental Legacy in Southern Colorado

Ruybal Fox Creek Ranch sits in a dramatic canyon in the foothills of southern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, right next to the Rio Grande National …

Oil and gas leasing are currently allowed on 90% of publicly-owned lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Seeks Coloradans' Input on New Public-Lands Rule Aiming for Balance

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is holding a public hearing today in Denver on its new rule, which aims to put conservation, protection of …

According to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, there are currently more than 1,500 approved drilling permits that have not started production. (Adobe Stock)

Coalition Turns to CO Voters to Phase Out Fracking Permits

A coalition of grassroots groups is turning to Colorado voters in an effort to phase out all new oil and gas leases by 2030. Kate Christensen - an …

A new conservation roadmap emphasizes the need to protect lands that carry Colorado's most valuable natural asset, water. (Adobe Stock)

New Roadmap Aims to Double Acreage of Conserved Colorado Lands

As Colorado faces mounting challenges associated with a changing climate - record-breaking wildfires, extreme drought and dwindling water supplies…

More than 200 million people in the United States are estimated to currently have unhealthy levels of PFAS in their water. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Drinking Water Standards Take Aim at PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

At least 20 Colorado municipalities will have to improve their water treatment systems to remove so-called forever chemicals called PFAS from drinking…

Wildfire experts plan to use unmanned drones to help improve early detection, battle fires more effectively, and to reseed and restore scarred forests. (Windsong/Adobe Stock)

Report Charts a Course for Mitigating Wildfire Risk

As wildfire seasons in Colorado and across the American West become longer, less predictable and increasingly destructive, a new report aims to …

Poll: Strong Support for Conservation Among CO Communities of Color

Communities of color in Colorado and across the West strongly support conservation policies, including protecting water supplies and transitioning to …

Encuesta: Fuerte apoyo para la conservación entre comunidades de color de CO

Comunidades de color en Colorado y en todo el oeste apoyan firmemente las políticas de conservación, incluida la protección de los …

A new conservation easement overlooking the Animas River protects natural habitat for wildlife ranging from swift fox, bear and mountain lion to elk and deer. (Linda Lidov)

Conservation as a Tool for Strengthening Business

A few miles south of Durango on a parcel of Florida Mesa land overlooking the Animas River, a landowner is using an increasingly popular land …

In Colorado, outdoor recreation is considered to be a legally beneficial use of Colorado water. (Adobe Stock)

Revised Colorado Water Plan Prioritizes Conservation

A coalition of conservation groups is giving Colorado's revised state water plan a thumbs-up for its increased focus on protecting Colorado's rivers…

Green buildings are designed to reduce carbon footprints, and operational and maintenance costs, which boosts bottom lines for building owners and occupants. (Adobe Stock)

Building Construction in Colorado 7th Greenest in U.S.

Colorado ranks seventh nationally when it comes to addressing climate change in its building practices, according to the latest U.S. Green Building …

Under Colorado's clean air law, major polluters including coal mines are required to obtain and comply with air pollution operating permits. (WildEarth Guardians)

Deadline for State to Act on Coal Mine Air Pollution Permit Back in Court

Environmental groups are headed back to court this Friday in hopes of setting a clear deadline for Gov. Jared Polis' administration to start reining …

The conservation group Keep it Colorado has awarded $197,000 in grants to protect 8,512 acres of lands, including 2,500 acres adjacent to Mesa Verde National Park, that would otherwise be at imminent risk of being sold, subdivided or converted to other uses. (Adobe Stock)

New Grants to Help Preserve Iconic Mesa Verde Viewshed

A new grant is expected to help close the deal to protect key parcels of historic ranchlands and wildlife habitat adjacent to Mesa Verde National Park…

Coloradans living in lower-income households are not only at higher risk of harm from climate change, but also suffer from environmental racism and injustice in their day-to-day costs of living, including the expense of purchasing bottled water. (Adobe Stock)

New Report Spotlights Climate Justice Blind Spots

Colorado's low-income workers and communities of color along the Front Range said they face daily environmental threats, including poor air and water …

San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition is fostering an equitable local food system in part by providing bilingual farm business training and engaging the next generation of farmers. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Conservation Heroes Honored

Nine Colorado groups and individuals have been honored as "Conservation Heroes" for their outstanding contributions to land, water and wildlife …

A recent designation of Southwest Colorado streams marks the largest community proposal for Outstanding Waters protections to be adopted in Colorado's history. (Adobe Stock)

Southwestern Colorado Waters Win New Protections

As climate change brings longer and more severe drought to the American Southwest, a community-led coalition is celebrating new protections for more …

The annual value of terrestrial ecosystem services globally, including watersheds that filter and clean drinking water, is estimated to be roughly equivalent to the annual global Gross Domestic Product. (Adobe Stock)

State Lawmakers Press Biden to Create National Biodiversity Strategy

More than 350 state lawmakers from across the U.S. are urging President Joe Biden to create a national strategy to protect, restore and secure the …

A new Colorado private-land conservation plan aims to align and integrate with other statewide plans that have climate action components that support water, wildlife, recreation and agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Private Landowners Key to Climate Resiliency

More frequent and exponentially larger wildfires and prolonged drought already are impacting Colorado's agricultural lands and regional economies…

Colorado allows private landowners to benefit financially when they set aside lands for conservation. (Adobe Stock)

Landowners Embrace Conservation as Financial Boon, Family Legacy

Landowners in Colorado could play a major role in President Joe Biden's efforts to conserve 30% of the nation's undeveloped lands by 2030, and make …

Forests can play a big role in alleviating climate-change threats. Forests, harvested wood products and urban trees offset 11% of greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States each year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Have Stake in Climate-Change Solutions

DENVER -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness and outdoors as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring …

A new report examined 15,221 miles of Colorado's rivers that currently lack any conservation designation, but that also met criteria for protections under state law. (Adobe Stock)

Report Spotlights Key Colorado Rivers for Protections

DURANGO, Colo. - Colorado's rivers and streams supply drinking water and outdoor recreation opportunities, and support biodiversity and wildlife…

Together, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests are home to many diverse ecosystems, with elevations ranging from 5,000 feet to more than 14,000 feet. (P Owens/usda.gov)

Groups Urge More Wilderness in GMUG National Forests' Draft Plan

DELTA, Colo. - The U.S. Forest Service has released its draft management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests. The plan …

In July 2020, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported 3.4 million visitors, an increase of almost a million from the same time period in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

CO Water Stewards Brace for Record Crowds on Public Lands

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Colorado's public lands, which account for 43% of the entire state, are seeing record use after officials relaxed COVID-19 health …

Some students in the San Luis Valley, especially young people of color, may not have been able to participate in the types of outdoor recreation that many Coloradans take for granted. (ArtTower/Pixabay)

Students in San Luis Valley Needed for Whitewater Rafting, River Surfing

ANTONITO, Colo. - Middle- and high-school students in Colorado's San Luis Valley will get to go whitewater rafting for the first time this summer…

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