Public News Service

Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Experts: Wildfire management funding should include community response

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …

TerraPower's Natrium plant, slated for construction in Kemmerer, will use liquid sodium to cool its reactor, instead of the industry standard of water, according to the company's website. (Adobe Stock)

Federal funds to help fuel ‘next-gen’ WY nuclear plant

Recent investments in clean energy from the Biden administration are hitting the ground in Wyoming. Engineering company TerraPower, founded by Bill …

Chronic Wasting Disease was detected in 30.3% of hunter-harvested adult, male white-tailed deer in 2023-up from 25.9% in 2022, according to a Wyoming Game and Fish Department report. (Jacob W. Frank/NPS)

Wyoming Game and Fish names new leader

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will soon have a new director, and she's taking stock of the challenges ahead. More than half of Wyoming's …

Sage grouse have been petitioned for addition to the federal endangered species list nine times over the last 25 years, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report. (Western Watersheds Project)

Feds updating management plans for threatened sage grouse ecosystem

After nearly a decade of delays, a federal agency is working on a new resource management plan that will affect an iconic Western bird species…

Of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 8 states, Wyoming produces the most nitrogen oxides annually, at nearly 38,000 tons. (Adobe Stock)

WY awaits EPA decision on updated haze plan

Wyoming is one of several states currently updating its plan to address regional haze, but local environmental groups say its plan isn't enough…

Coal production in the Powder River Basin was 50% lower in the first quarter of 2024 than the first quarter of 2014, by about 49 million tons. (Robert Coy/Adobe Stock)

Changes in WY coal production may call for changes in tax structure

A new policy could affect the future of coal mining in the Powder River Basin and in turn, Wyoming's tax structure. The Powder River Basin produced …

The U.S. Department of Defense has known about the existential threat of climate change for decades, and wildfires now cost upward of 394 billion dollars in damages each year. But taxpayers invested just 14 dollars in wildfire management. (Adobe Stock)

2023 tax receipt breaks down nation’s spending priorities

As many Wyomingites await their 2023 federal income tax refunds, a new National Priorities Project report breaks down how the money they won't get …

Despite a looming 2030 deadline to dramatically reduce fossil fuel emissions in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, PacifiCorp has ditched plans to invest big in wind and solar. (Adobe Stock)

Pacificorp throws a lifeline to Wyoming coal and natural gas industry

PacifiCorp's updated energy roadmap throws a lifeline to Wyoming's coal industry but critics said the new Integrated Resource Plan is a major setback …

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

Report: 90% of CO River irrigation water used to feed cattle

As Wyoming and other states grapple with shrinking Colorado River water levels - new research pinpoints how much water is being diverted to feed cattl…

Initial cost estimates for adding controversial carbon capture technology to existing power plants range from $500 million to $1 billion per single coal-burning unit. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming’s coal use mandate raising ratepayer utility bills

Starting this month, 145,000 Wyoming ratepayers will make a down payment on what's projected to add up to billions of dollars in additional costs…

The EPA's final methane rule allows third-parties to identify

Governor at odds with methane rule built on WY air pollution protections

Gov. Mark Gordon has blasted the Biden administration's final methane rule, claiming it will lead to higher fuel prices and put additional burdens on …

Wolverines could get federal protections in November

Wyoming's elusive population of wolverines, whose contributions include keeping in check squirrel and other small mammal populations living at high …

Rocky Mountain Power has asked the Public Service Commission to increase its maximum profit to 10.3%, and make customers responsible for 100% of fuel cost overruns, instead of the current 80%. (Adobe Stock)

Rocky Mountain Power 30% rate hike hearing in Casper Thursday

The Wyoming Public Service Commission, the agency that regulates utility companies, is holding a public hearing this Thursday in Casper seeking …

As of Aug. 15, 2023, the federal government lists 75 disasters in the U.S. and its territories, compared with 55 in the same period last year. (Adobe Stock)

Most Older Adults Lack Emergency Plan for Natural Disasters

Most older adults are not as prepared as they should be to respond quickly in the event of natural disasters which can strike with little notice…

Wyoming has been a leader nationally on protecting wildlife migration corridors, including vast tracts of grasslands key for wildlife connectivity. (Adobe Stock)

Grasslands Protectors Chart Restoration Course in Cheyenne

More than 300 ranchers, tribal members, conservationists, researchers, federal and state agency officials gathered in Cheyenne last week to find ways …

The world's leading scientists have warned that fossil fuel emissions must be cut by 45% by 2030, and phased out entirely by 2050, to avert catastrophic impacts of a changing climate. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Proposal Continues New Oil and Gas Leasing on Public Lands

July was the hottest month in recorded history, but critics of the Bureau of Land Management's new oil and gas rules warned the proposal ignores the …

If commissioners approve Rocky Mountain Power's request, the utility is expected to bring in an<br />additional $140 million per year from ratepayers. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Ratepayers Could Be on Hook for Volatile Natural Gas Prices

The Wyoming Public Service Commission is holding its first public comment hearing today in Rock Springs on Rocky Mountain Power's proposal to increase…

Until the Inflation Reduction Act raised oil and gas leasing rates on lands owned by all Americans, the industry paid as little as $1.50 per acre to install wells, compared to tens of thousands per acre charged to wind and solar operators. (Adobe Stock)

BLM to Cut Solar, Wind Leasing Fees by 80 Percent

The Bureau of Land Management wants to cut leasing rates by 80% for wind and solar projects on public lands, and streamline the application process…

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is investing $10 million to restore the LaBarge Restoration Landscape Area, which includes sections of the Red Desert to Hoback mule deer migration corridor. (Adobe Stock)

BLM to Invest $20 Million in Wyoming Public Lands Restoration

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is investing $161 million dollars to restore public lands in Wyoming and 10 other western states. Joshua Metten…

The EPA admits its new standards for air pollution at power plants could bring small increases in utility bills, but projects the plan would bring a total of $85 billion in climate and health savings. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Standards Seen as Attack on Coal-Fired Power Plants

The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to cut pollution from power plants not already set to retire by 90% by 2030 is the most ambitious in ov…

More than 90% of public lands managed by the BLM are currently available to be leased to oil and gas developers. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Proposal Would Allow Conservation Leases on Public Lands

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on a new management proposal which includes leasing parcels of public lands for …

In 2011, coal produced 44% of all electricity in the United States. In 2022, it produced just 20% and is projected to drop to 10% or less by 2030. (Creativenature.nl/Adobe Stock)

Report: Half of Nation’s Coal Power Units to Retire by 2026

The U.S. is projected to retire half of its coal-fired power units by 2026, just 15 years after coal use for electricity reached its peak in 2011…

The current rate of species going extinct is estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times higher than natural background extinction rates, and is accelerating because of human activity including unsustainable use of land, water and energy use, and climate change. (Lucaar/Adobe Stock)

Congress Could Sidestep Endangered Species Act to Delist Grizzlies, Wolves

Congress is considering three bills that would sidestep the Endangered Species Act to de-list the Northern Continental Divide and Yellowstone grizzly …

Just 18% of premature deaths from air pollution from coal-fired power plants occur in the states where facilities are located. (Tomas/Adobe Stock)

Report Counts Deadly Impacts of Coal-Fired Power Plants

Thousands of lives are cut short every year because of air pollution from coal-fired power plants in Wyoming and across the United States, according …

Over the past 50 years, the population of pygmy rabbits in Wyoming has declined by 69% (Serikbaib AdobeStock)

Groups Call on U.S. Fish and Wildlife to Prevent Pigmy Rabbit Extinction

On Monday, conservation groups submitted a petition calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the pygmy rabbit under the Endangered …

Just 47% of Wyoming residents prefer leaders place more emphasis on protecting water, air, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities over maximizing the amount of land available for drilling and mining. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Conservation Efforts, Environmental Priorities Remain High in Wyoming

Voters in Wyoming and across the West strongly support protecting water supplies, public lands and migration corridors for wildlife, according to the …

The 163 billion cubic feet of lost methane on public lands represents enough wasted natural gas to meet the needs of 2.2 million households; nearly as many households as New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming combined, studies show. (Adobe Stock)

Report: $500 Million Gas Lost at Oil and Gas Fields on Public Lands

Oil and gas operators waste a half billion dollars worth of natural gas on public lands every year, according to a new report. Chad Franke, …

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is expected to release new rules this summer for dealing with continued Colorado River water shortages. (Adobe Stock)

Wall Street Sees Profits in Dropping Colorado River Levels

As Wyoming and other Colorado River Basin states grapple with ways to keep a river more than 40 million people, agriculture and industry depend on …

The Glen Canyon Dam currently generates energy for nearly six million households in Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. (Adobe Stock)

Falling Lake Powell Water Levels Put Wyoming Hydro Power at Risk

Part of the deal Wyoming struck for sending its water down the Colorado River was that state residents would be able to tap electricity generated at G…

Evanston�s Historic Roundhouse and Railyards, constructed by Union Pacific Railroad in 1912-1914, was refurbished by the city in 2009 as a public facility. (Mary Humstone)

Historic Restoration Called More Sustainable Than New Construction

A changing climate is prompting many developers to consider how their work can be more sustainable, and how they can produce housing, retail and …

Industry groups are betting that limiting methane waste at oil and gas operations will help keep natural gas competitive as consumers demand cleaner sources of energy. (Adobe Stock)

Methane Air-Pollution Proposal Taps Wyoming Technologies

A new federal plan to reduce harmful air pollution by limiting methane waste at oil and gas facilities taps proven strategies already at work in opera…

As buffalo herds graze, they inspire new vegetative growth across vast tracts of lands in a natural process that mimics the onset of spring. (Adobe Stock)

Buffalo Restoration Key to Wildlife Economy, Tribal Health

By Jake Bullinger for Bitterroot Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Wyoming News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

Leading scientists warn the next decade is critical to averting the worst impacts of the climate crisis by transforming economies to run entirely on clean energy. (Adobe Stock)

Utilities' Plans Called Out of Sync with Clean-Energy Transition Demands

Pacificorp delivers energy to 140,000 Wyoming households, but it received a "D" grade in a new report sounding the alarm over utility companies' …

Researchers warn that as climate change increases wildfire areas in snow zones throughout the West, the wildfire influence on the snowpack also will grow. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wildfires Expanding Into Snow Zones Will Impact Water Supplies

Wildfires in Wyoming and across the West are creating bigger impacts on snowpack supplying farms, energy production and drinking water for millions …

Wyoming to Receive $25 Million for Orphan Wells Under Infrastructure Bill

President Joe Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to bring more than 300 jobs to Wyoming to clean up and plug so-cal…

According to a 2021 study, 90% of coal must remain unextracted to keep global temperatures at levels considered safe by leading scientists. (Adobe Stock)

Court Ruling Adds to Challenges Facing Wyoming Coal Industry

A federal court's decision to require the Department of Interior to consider the potential health and climate impacts of coal mining on public lands c…

On July 8, the spot price for crude oil dropped by 6.89%, but the retail gas price only fell 2.56% days later. (Adobe Stock)

Big Oil Keeping Prices High as Crude Prices Drop

A new analysis shows big oil companies are much more reluctant to lower gasoline prices when crude prices drop than they are to raise prices when crud…

The world's top scientists recently warned that climate pollution must peak, and then begin to go<br />down, within three years to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of a warming planet. (Adobe Stock)

Courts Asked to Block Oil and Gas Leases Over Health, Climate

A new lawsuit hopes to reverse the Bureau of Land Managment's recent approval of oil and gas lease sales on public lands across eight western states…

Wyoming has set a target to get 82% of Wyoming's working population ages 25-64 to complete a valuable postsecondary credential or degree by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Students Could Help with Unfilled Jobs

Nearly 95,000 Wyomingites have completed some college, but have not earned a degree or credential, according to new data from the National Student …

The latest report from leading climate scientists warned that greenhouse-gas emissions need to peak within three years, and then start going down, in order to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Summit in Lander Aims to Boost Awareness, Engagement

Wyomingites concerned about bigger and more frequent wildfires, prolonged drought, threats to clean air, water and wildlife can explore ways to …

The Biden administration approved more drilling permits in 2021 than President Donald Trump did in the first year of his presidency, <a href=

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Groups File Protests to Stop Oil and Gas Leases on Public Lands

Fifteen conservation groups from Wyoming and across the nation have filed administrative protests challenging the Biden administration's plans to resu…

In fiscal year 2021, the Wyoming Food Bank distributed more than 13 million pounds of food, a 12% increase over 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Food Bank to Distribute Water to Rawlins Residents

Water is a precious commodity in Wyoming and across the Mountain West, and the Wyoming Food Bank is headed to replenish supplies for Rawlins …

Low-producing wells waste enough gas each year to meet the energy needs of more than 3.6 million homes in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Reducing Methane Pollution Seen as Potential Revenue Source

Smaller wells account for just 6% of the nation's oil and gas production but are responsible for half of all methane pollution in the U.S., according …

Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of haze pollution in U.S. national parks. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Target of New Lawsuit for Not Enforcing Clean Air Act

A coalition of environmental organizations are taking the Environmental Protection Agency to court over its failure to enforce the Clean Air Act's Reg…

Taxpayer subsidies to the fossil-fuel industry have been used to fund disinformation campaigns on climate, and lobbying efforts to stall transitioning to clean-energy sources. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Not Too Late to Resolve Climate Crisis

Burning fossil fuels at current rates is expected to produce mass extinctions and other catastrophic outcomes, but a brighter future is possible if …

Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would tax oil and gas company profits and redistribute funds to Americans who earn less than $75,000 per year. (Adobe Stock)

Big Oil's Claims on Gas Prices Under Scrutiny

A new Accountable.US report suggests the fossil-fuel industry is misleading the American public on the cause of rising gas prices. Kyle Herrig…

PacifiCorp's Jim Bridger Power Plant, southeast of Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, is Wyoming's number one polluter and the nation's third biggest source of haze pollution. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Promise Lawsuit Against EPA Over Lack of Air-Pollution Enforcement

Environmental groups filed a notice of intent this week to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over the agency's failure to enforce the …

Scientists say the primary cause of rapidly increasing extinction rates is due to habitat loss caused by human activity, with climate change an increasingly potent accelerant. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 6th Mass Extinction Event Likely Already Under Way

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

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

2024Talks - September 18, 2024

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WY: Climate Change