Mountain West News Bureau

The Interior Department is spending around $40 million in tribal communities to plug old oil and gas wells that have caused serious pollution.

In the world of wildfire, hotshot crews are seen as among the most elite and capable personnel on the fireline. But those crews - and wildland firefighters of all stripes - face myriad challenges: low pay, tough conditions, mental and familial strain and all the stress that comes with being on the front lines of climate change-fueled conflagrations. In a first of its kind review, dozens of crew superintendents and other federal officials took a hard look at the program, and recently released a report that makes quite a number of recommendations.

The energy drink company Red Bull hosts one of the top mountain biking competitions in the world every year in Southern Utah. But the event has never invited women, and the female freeriding community is trying to change that.

New research shows air quality gains in the U.S. have been cut by wildfire smoke. Scientists are sounding the alarm for change if the world wants to breathe clean air in the future.

Researchers found that the emotions people feel – or don’t feel – when learning about climate change impact their support of policies on the issue. The George Mason study specifically focused on guilt, sadness, anger, fear and hope.

Fall means it’s hunting season for many residents in our region. One popular way to hunt and fish is to lease land from private property owners for a more one-of-a-kind experience, and technology is changing the way people find these opportunities.

Federal and state transportation officials unveiled new trucker parking lots at a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week. The event highlighted state and federal efforts to improve supply chains and driver safety.

The public comment period for a proposed BLM rule on oil and gas leasing ends this Friday. Among other changes, the proposal would increase bonding requirements for cleanup costs and increase royalty rates.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a serious issue in bodies of water across the West. In Idaho, USGS scientists have developed a tool that harnesses satellites to help detect where such blooms could be cropping up. That could make time- and resource-intensive detection efforts more efficient.

The U.S. Forest Service is spending nearly $19 million to fight invasive species threatening the nation’s forests, including several in the Mountain West.