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The Washington County Water Conservancy District in Utah pays property owners a rebate of $2 for each square foot of grass up to 5,000 square feet, and $1 per square foot for more than 5,000 square feet that are removed and replaced with water-efficient landscaping. (Adobe Stock)

One Utah county looks to buy lawns to save water, residents' money

By Morgan Sjogren for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Alex Gonzalez for Utah News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

The analysis from Climate Central uses data from 476 weather stations to assess trends in 245 climate divisions spanning all 48 contiguous U.S. states over a 51-year period. (Climate Central)

Report: Longer, more intense fire weather seasons, especially across West

A new report finds that climate change is affecting weather conditions in ways that increase wildfire risk, with the West seeing the greatest jump in …

In 2019, Utah saw $48 million of gas wasted, enough to meet the annual needs of more than a fifth of the residential gas customers in the state, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed gas pipeline rule could help keep UT communities safe

One Utah public lands advocate is standing behind the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's proposed rule which aims to improve ove…

Road traffic collisions are a leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 54 in the U.S. The year 2020 was the deadliest year for pedestrians in 40 years. (Adobe Stock)

Can narrower roads save lives and help the environment?

A new study sheds light on the importance of street design, especially as it relates to traffic and pedestrian safety. In Utah, from 2019 to 2022…

The lake bed of the Great Salt Lake is laced with arsenic, mercury and other toxic substances, according to the environmental law firm Earthjustice. (Jenny Thompson/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Argues UT Has Failed to Address Shrinking Great Salt Lake

Conservation and community groups have filed a lawsuit against Utah for what they claim is the state's failure to ensure enough water gets to the Grea…

Gov. Spencer Cox speaks about projects underway in the Beaver River watershed. (Utah Department of Natural Resources)

Utah Leaders Tour Forest Management Projects

Last week federal, state and local leaders visited forest management projects in Utah to examine how land managers are addressing what some are …

The Salt Lake Chamber, Utah Clean Air Partnership and TravelWise are the groups behind the Clear the Air challenge, an attempt to curb pollution and improve air quality statewide. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Kicks Off 2023 'Clear the Air' Challenge

The 14th annual Clear the Air Challenge in Utah begins July 1. The month-long challenge is designed to encourage Utahns to reduce their vehicle …

According to the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, the state has plugged more than 100 wells. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe Stock)

Group Urges Action to Plug Orphaned UT Oil Wells

Congress allocated billions of dollars through the infrastructure law to plug orphaned well sites across the country, with Utah being one of the …

Soot standards were last updated by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2012. In December 2020, the Trump administration declined to tighten standards. (Adobe Stock)

EPA 'Soot Standard' Receives Pressure from UT Clean-Air Advocates

The danger of soot pollution is real, and clean-air advocates in Utah say it is a top-of-mind issue for many in the state. Lindsay Beebe, senior …

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is more than 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, with methane from human sources driving roughly a third of current global warming. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Group Calls EPA Methane Rule Crucial for State's Overall Wellbeing

A Utah group was one of many who voiced its support during last week's Environmental Protection Agency public hearing on a proposed rule to reduce oil…

According to the EPA, stronger standards would reduce harmful emissions and energy waste from covered sources by 87% below 2005 levels. (Adobe Stock)

UT Group Backs New EPA Proposal to Reduce Methane Emissions

One Utah group is pleased with the Environmental Protection Agency's latest proposal to further reduce methane pollution from oil and gas drilling…

Analyses show that the fossil-fuel fields currently producing, if fully developed, would push global temperatures past the Paris Climate Accords target of 1.5 degrees Celsius. (WildEarth Guardians)

BLM Halts Uinta Basin Oil-and-Gas Project Over Climate Concerns

The Biden administration has set aside a massive oil and gas drilling project in the Uinta Basin due to its potential effect on the climate and greenh…

Northern Utah'a air quality ranks among the worst on the planet, according to IQAir, a website that monitors pollution levels around the world. (Salil/Adobe Stock)

High-Pollution Days Bring Free Rides on Wasatch Range Transit System

Salt Lake City is notorious for its bad air days this time of year, but there is a silver lining to the brown cloud. The Free Fare for Clean Air …

The Recovering America's Wildlife Act passed the House of Representatives in June and is awaiting a vote in the Senate. (mramsdell1967/Adobestock)

Conservation Union Places Western Monarch Butterflies on Threatened List

The iconic orange and black migratory monarch butterfly has just made the Red List of Threatened Species, designated by the International Union of …

Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, a network of 500,000 electric-vehicle charging stations will be built over the next decade. (trekandphoto/Adobe Stock))

Groups to Build EV Charging Stations Across Rural Utah, Western States

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an economical and environmentally friendly way to get from Point A to Point B, but the lack of charging stations often …

Salt Lake City and its surrounding region are among the Top 10 worst in the country for toxic ozone pollution/ (salil/Adobe stock)

Salt Lake City, Others Sue EPA for Stronger Ozone Protections

A group of health and environmental advocates has sued the Environmental Protection Agency over its failure to enforce air-pollution protections in 30…

Studies show oil and gas wells, like this one in Duchesne County, are a major source of methane pollution in Utah's Uinta and Wasatch regions. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Utah's Low-Producing Wells Emit Half of Methane Emissions

A new study found low-producing oil and gas wells make up about half the methane emitted from all well sites in the U.S., while accounting for just 6%…

Utah is one of the most wildfire-prone states in the U.S., experiencing between 800 and 1,000 ground fires, surface fires and canopy fires each year. (rck/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Utahns, Westerners Voice Concerns for Water, Climate Change

Voters in Utah and across the West are increasingly anxious about the effects of climate change on the beauty and ecology of their Rocky Mountains…

The primary cause of rapidly increasing extinction rates is due to habitat loss caused by human activity, with drought from climate change an increasingly potent accelerant. (PAOLO/Adobe Stock)

Scientists: Sixth Global Mass Extinction Event Happening Now

New research suggests Earth's Sixth Mass Extinction event, on par with the one that ended the age of dinosaurs, is already under way. Noah Greenwald…

Grand Staircase-Escalante in southern Utah is one of dozens of national monuments that could be fully protected under the 30x30 Conservation Plan. (Andrushko/Adobe Stock)

Conservationists See 2022 as Critical Year for 30x30 Initiative

Conservationists say significant progress was made in 2021 toward the goals of the 30x30 Initiative, to have 30% of the world's land and oceans …

The release of methane is one the largest sources of greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. (Leonid Ican/Adobe Stock)

Utah Officials Hope Climate Summit Spurs Action, Results

PARK CITY, Utah -- As talks continue at the annual international climate summit, Utahns are among those urging the U.S. to follow up on its …

Droughts caused by climate change can lower water levels in creeks and streams and affect water quality, making it difficult, if not impossible, for anglers to pursue their sport. (Mikhail/Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Must Speak Up about Climate Change

SALT LAKE CITY -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring their …

Utah's Goblin Valley State Park is one of four areas that could see oil and gas exploration if the BLM auctions off the parcels for mineral leases. (Colin/LindaMcKee/Adobe Stock)<br />

Judge's Ruling Puts Utah Wildlands at Risk for Oil-Gas Exploration

GREEN RIVER, Utah -- Despite a January presidential order pausing all oil and gas leases on public lands, the federal government has restarted the …

Geothermal energy is produced by drilling deep into the earth's bedrock, pumping in water, and using the resulting steam to generate power. (Utah FORGE)<br /><br />

Geothermal Has a Role in Utah's Clean-Energy Plan

SALT LAKE CITY -- A researcher at the University of Utah said plans for generating renewable energy should include a power source right under our feet…

Coal mining and coal-fueled electricity generation provides direct employment to about 2,500 Utahns, and millions of dollars in royalties to state and local governments. (agnormark/Adobe Stock)

Biden Could Face Uphill Battle in Utah Over Clean-Energy Plan

SALT LAKE CITY - President Joe Biden's $150 billion clean-energy plan aims to rid almost half the power grid of carbon-based fuels by 2035, but …

While most electricity in Utah is generated by gas or coal-powered plants, one regional utility is considering the nuclear option. (brianguest/Adobe Stock)

Utah Watchdogs Voice Concerns Over 'High-Tech' Nukes

SALT LAKE CITY -- In the push toward carbon-free energy production, some cities in Utah and nearby states are considering a new type of nuclear …

A report prepared for the Utah Legislature points out that the state's power grid may not have the reserve capacity to withstand an extreme heat wave without blackouts. (naufalmq/Adobe Stock)

Heat Wave Generates Concerns Over Viability of Utah Power Grid

SALT LAKE CITY -- Extreme drought has brought abnormally high temperatures across the Western states this week, and normally temperate Utah has not …

The Biden administration's 30x30 Plan to fight climate change by preserving public lands, such as the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, may not be possible without congressional action. (Laurens/Adobe Stock)

30x30 Plan Fights Climate Change by Protecting Public Lands, Waters

MONTICELLO, Utah - The 30 by 30 Plan, also called the "the "America the Beautiful" campaign" campaign, aims to preserve 30% of the nation's public …

President Joe Biden has nominated longtime environmentalist Tracy Stone-Manning to serve as director of the Bureau of Land Management. (NWF Photo)

Conservationists Laud Choice of Stone-Manning to Head BLM

MOAB, Utah -- Conservationists in Utah and across the West are praising the Biden administration's nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning, a longtime …

Conservationists Back Congressional Effort to Restore Methane Controls

MOAB, Utah -- Conservationists and others are optimistic key climate-change regulations on methane leaks rolled back during the Trump administration …

Under President Joe Biden's infrastructure program, thousands of new workers would be needed to improve bridges and roadways, repair water and wastewater systems and build a clean-energy economy. (denklim/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Biden Climate Summit Could Bring Jobs, Infrastructure to Utah, U.S.

SALT LAKE CITY -- When President Joe Biden hosts a virtual summit on Earth Day, he's not only seeking to engage world powers on environmental issues…

Restoring EPA regulations on vehicle emissions standards could help the Wasatch Front/Salt Lake City region roll back its annual brown cloud, which appears each winter. (Utah Dept. of Health)

For Utah, Biden Climate-Change Plan Could Mean Cleaner Air, New Jobs

SALT LAKE CITY -- President Joe Biden released a package of executive orders this week designed to fight climate change, curb pollution, conserve …

The Jacob Hamblin Arch is part of the former Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument that Utah conservationists hope will be restored by the incoming Biden administration. (kojihirano/Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

Groups Look to Biden Administration to Save Utah Wildlands

MOAB, Utah -- Utah conservation groups, battered by four years of Trump administration rollbacks of public-land protections, say they're looking for …

Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management, William Pendley Perry (center), tours outdoor trails near Moab in 2019 with several BLM staff members. (BLM)

Federal Judge Orders Removal of Acting BLM Director

MOAB, Utah -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) begins this week without a director. In a win for conservation groups and a number of Western …

Water from the Upper Basin of the Colorado River is stored in Lake Mead near Las Vegas. A white ring around the banks is evidence of a 20-year drought that has left the reservoir less than half full. (trekandphoto/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Groups: Utah Water Pipeline Project Unnecessary, Dangerous

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- A coalition of 15 conservation groups says a Utah plan to divert water from Lake Powell is unnecessary, overpriced and endangers …

The Jordan River, which flows south out of Utah's Great Salt Lake, has a history of pollution problems, though there have been major cleanup efforts in recent years. (Sakaguchi/Adobe Stock)

Groups Sue EPA for Halting Enforcement of Air, Water Pollution Regs

SALT LAKE CITY - Conservation groups are asking a federal judge to make the Environmental Protection Agency enforce air and water pollution controls…

The Uinta Basin Railway was designed to transport crude oil from production fields across rural Utah to refineries in nearby states. (alexhiotrov/Adobe Stock)

Conservation Groups Sue UT Agency for Funding Private Oil/Gas Railway

MOAB, Utah - Conservation groups have sued a Utah state agency, claiming illegal use of public money to construct a private oil-and-gas rail line…

The energy industry, including the coal mining, oil, and gas sectors, is a diminishing but still important contributor to Utah's overall economy. (Maxim/Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah Workers Must be Protected in Fossil Fuels Phaseout

SALT LAKE CITY - As Utah's energy sector continues to struggle in the new coronavirus pandemic, a new report outlines how policymakers can diversify …

The Salt Lake Valley experiences a choking air inversion every winter due to tailpipe emissions and other pollutants. (Kryhin/AdobeStock)<br /><br />

'Roadmap' Poses Utah Policy Solutions on Air Quality, Climate Change

SALT LAKE CITY -- Could members of the conservative Utah Legislature be considering a plan to deal with climate change? The answer is a definite "mayb…

The BLM has been ordered to pull back dozens of oil and gas leases, including ones in the Black Dragon Canyon wilderness area in Utah, because it did not properly analyze the effects that oil exploration would have on climate change. (Antropova/AdobeStock)

BLM Ordered to Redo Climate Reviews on Utah Oil Leases

MOAB, Utah — A court challenge by conservation groups has forced the Bureau of Land Management to pull back dozens of oil and gas leases in …

State officials say tailpipe emissions from cars and light trucks account for almost 60% of the air pollution in the Salt Lake Valley. (disq/AdobeStock)<br />

Utah Officials Push Back Over Lower Emissions Standards

SALT LAKE CITY – The federal government is planning to revoke an Environmental Protection Agency regulation that allows California and 13 other …

Ancient petroglyphs line more than 40 miles of rock wall faces along southern Utah's Nine Mile Canyon, which has been called the

Groups Sue to Halt Oil, Gas Leases on Utah Public Lands

SALT LAKE CITY – A coalition of conservation groups is suing the Trump administration to halt the potential environmental damage from 130 oil an…

Climatologists say raging wildfires in the Amazon rainforest and in other parts of the world are attributable to global warming. (IAH/AdobeStock)

Poll Finds Political Affiliations Shape Opinions on Climate Change

SALT LAKE CITY — Category 5 hurricanes lashing the Atlantic Ocean and the massive fires still raging in the Amazon rain forest are stark reminde…

Air quality in Salt Lake City turns dangerous each winter when a natural air inversion traps pollution from coal-fired power plants and other sources in the atmosphere. (WikimediaCommons)

Advocates Criticize EPA Plan to Roll Back Pollution Regs

SALT LAKE CITY — Members of Moms Clean Air Force testified Monday before the Environmental Protection Agency over plans to roll back protections…

The Colorado pikeminnow is one of the endangered fish species threatened by oil-shale development in the Uintah Basin. (TaylorMcKinnon/Center for Biological Diversity)

Groups Plan to Sue Feds Over Utah Oil-Shale Project

VERNAL, Utah – A coalition of conservation groups plans to sue the Trump administration over plans to construct a commercial oil-shale …

A mountain biker surveys the terrain on the Gooseberry Mesa National Recreation Trail in southern Utah. (Wikimedia Commons)

Poll: Utahns Say Protecting Public Lands a Priority

GREEN RIVER, Utah — Utah voters expressed strong opinions in a new poll on issues such as climate change, protecting public lands and outdoor …

Parts of Salt Lake City, seen here on a clear day, have been in non-attainment of federal air-quality standards for more than a decade. (Flickr)

Groups Plan to Sue EPA over Utah Air Pollution

SALT LAKE CITY – A coalition of community, conservation and public health groups has put the Environmental Protection Agency on notice to …

A 2013 University of Colorado study found methane contributed to extremely high ozone pollution in Utah's Uintah Basin. (Jeremy Buckingham/Flickr)

Reversal of Methane Rule Called Threat to Utah Air Quality

SALT LAKE CITY – In its push for what it calls energy dominance, the Trump administration this week reversed Obama-era rules to limit methane …

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