Environment
Topsoil protection should be stressed in the next farm bill, U.S. House Ag panel told
WASHINGTON — Farmers and academics at a Wednesday hearing stressed the need for members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee to support regenerative agriculture farming practices in the upcoming farm bill in order to protect topsoil. U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chair David Scott said he held the hearing to discuss ways policymakers and the Department […]
Hot, dry summer leads to an increase in wildfires across Idaho
Following a slow start to the fire season attributed to the area’s wet spring, fire activity has increased across Idaho and the West in recent weeks. Several large fires are burning in Idaho, including the Moose Fire burning north of Salmon, the Four Corners Fire burning in the Payette and Boise national forests outside of […]
Idaho Water Resource Board extends public comment on criteria for evaluating water projects
The Idaho Department of Water Resource’s Finance Board voted Thursday to extend the public comment period for feedback on the criteria that will be used to evaluate water projects for a project priority list. The board’s vote extends the public comment period an additional 30 days, through Oct. 11, according to a press release issued […]
Interior Department votes to rename geographic places in Idaho that included ethnic slur for Indigenous women
The U.S. Department of Interior’s Board on Geographic Names has voted to approve replacement names for 650 places across the West, including Idaho, that included the slur “sq—.” The board voted Thursday to approve the replacement names, including 71 places in Idaho, as part of an effort to remove the term from federal use, according […]
GOP balks at White House request for billions for public health, natural disasters, Ukraine
WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress are lukewarm about providing $47 billion in new emergency spending for the ongoing Ukrainian war against Russia’s invasion, COVID-19 and monkeypox public health campaigns, and to help states recover from natural disasters. GOP senators, who have returned to Washington, D.C., after Congress’ summer break, aren’t so sure the Biden administration’s […]
New government tool shows Idaho and other states’ climate-related risks, projections
The White House unveiled a new website Thursday intended to provide local and state governments and businesses with information about climate-driven events and data, including real-time information about droughts, floods, wildfires and extreme heat. The web-based tool, called Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation, contains information about current climate trends and projections through 2099, including […]
U.S. House members raise doubts about Manchin environmental permitting deal
More than 50 U.S. House members are objecting to a push to revise federal environmental permitting requirements for energy projects — part of a deal Democratic leaders struck with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin III to win passage of their climate, health and taxes bill that passed last month. The House members signed onto a letter […]
Public health advisory issued for Lake Lowell after cyanobacteria detected in water
Officials with Southwest District Health have issued a public health advisory for Lake Lowell after detecting high concentrations of a toxin-producing cyanobacteria in water samples. The cyanobacteria can be harmful to people, pets and livestock, so public health officials are advising people and their pets to stay out of the water, including avoiding swimming and […]
Thermal infrared remote sensing 101 at Yellowstone National Park
Thermal infrared satellite images are an important volcano monitoring tool that can be used to estimate surface temperature. And, in fact, these data are freely available for Yellowstone National Park and many other volcanoes worldwide. But interpreting these images is not as straightforward as it might seem — what shows up as either hot or […]
Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits could reshape Idaho’s energy landscape
Almost all utilities across the United States and the rest of the world operate their energy infrastructure on a real-time basis — meaning people are monitoring an energy grid at all times to respond to weather events and customer demand. That on-demand status makes it difficult to switch to renewable energy sources after the sun […]
Initial cleanup underway at abandoned Stibnite Mine as company hopes to resume mining
YELLOW PINE, Idaho — A gold mining company has begun the initial cleanup of a historic mine site in the Central Idaho mountains where it hopes to resume mining operations. Perpetua Resources, formerly known as Midas Gold, is seeking approval from the federal government to restart mining operations at Stibnite Gold Project about nine miles […]
Campgrounds, bridges, boat ramps: Here’s what the Great American Outdoors Act will bring Idaho
Idaho public lands and forests are in line to receive $28 million for the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to put toward improvements and upgrades through the first two years of funding from the Great American Outdoors Act. Enacted in August 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act is a five-year initiative that […]