MWNB /tags/mwnb MWNB en-US Copyright KUNC/Community Radio for Northern Colorado 2020 Fri, 04 Apr 2025 01:22:56 GMT Poll shows the impacts of extreme weather are being felt more in the West /2025-04-03/poll-shows-the-impacts-of-extreme-weather-are-being-felt-more-in-the-west The percentage of adults in the West who say they’ve been personally affected by an extreme weather event, including wildfires and high heat, jumped 13% in the last two years. Fri, 04 Apr 2025 01:22:56 GMT /2025-04-03/poll-shows-the-impacts-of-extreme-weather-are-being-felt-more-in-the-west Yvette Fernandez New law gives Utah’s water agent power to negotiate with other Mountain West states /2025-04-03/new-law-utah-water-agent-power-negotiate-surrounding-mountain-west-states Utah lawmakers have given the state more voice in negotiations over the Colorado and Bear rivers. The move, however, has some environmentalists concerned about the sensitive multi-state agreements that govern the rivers. Thu, 03 Apr 2025 22:44:08 GMT /2025-04-03/new-law-utah-water-agent-power-negotiate-surrounding-mountain-west-states Kaleb Roedel The Mountain West could provide important habitat to monarch butterflies, experts say /2025-04-03/mountain-west-rockies-important-habitat-monarch-butterflies-endangered-species-act This comes as the insects are rapidly declining and are under consideration for Endangered Species Act protections. Thu, 03 Apr 2025 22:39:48 GMT /2025-04-03/mountain-west-rockies-important-habitat-monarch-butterflies-endangered-species-act Hanna Merzbach National Park Service is evaluating where electric scooters and hoverboards should be allowed /regional-news/2025-04-02/national-park-service-is-evaluating-where-electric-scooters-and-hoverboards-should-be-allowed The proposal would give each park superintendent the authority to decide where micromobility devices can go. Some public lands groups worry they'll be permitted in environmentally-sensitive areas. Wed, 02 Apr 2025 20:53:33 GMT /regional-news/2025-04-02/national-park-service-is-evaluating-where-electric-scooters-and-hoverboards-should-be-allowed Rachel Cohen Wind and solar power are surging in the Mountain West. But that could change under Trump. /2025-04-02/wind-solar-power-surging-mountain-west-could-change-under-trump A new scientific analysis shows the U.S. is generating more electricity from wind and solar than ever before, and several states in the Mountain West are helping lead the charge. However, the future growth of wind and solar is uncertain. Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:52:37 GMT /2025-04-02/wind-solar-power-surging-mountain-west-could-change-under-trump Kaleb Roedel New Wyoming abortion law forces more patients to travel to neighboring states /2025-04-01/new-wyoming-abortion-law-forces-patients-to-travel-to-colorado-utah-montana Since a new law shuttered the state’s only procedural abortion clinic, its patients were referred to Colorado, Utah and Montana. Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:28:52 GMT /2025-04-01/new-wyoming-abortion-law-forces-patients-to-travel-to-colorado-utah-montana Hanna Merzbach Wildfires have grown in size in recent decades – but they still pale in comparison to centuries past /2025-03-27/wildfires-tree-rings-camp-fire-lahaina-university-arizona In recent decades, wildfires have gotten larger and more intense, and community-destroying blazes are an increasingly common occurrence. But new research looking at centuries of wildfires shows that compared with fires in the 19th and earlier centuries, today’s blazes pale in comparison – at least in terms of size. Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:52:23 GMT /2025-03-27/wildfires-tree-rings-camp-fire-lahaina-university-arizona Murphy Woodhouse Bureau of Land Management shuts down wild horse adoption program after legal challenge /2025-03-26/bureau-of-land-management-shuts-down-wild-horse-adoption-program-after-legal-challenge A U.S. District judge said it was “not hard to imagine” that some horses and burros went to slaughter in his ruling that led to the Bureau of Land Management’s decision to shut down the adoption program. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 22:13:54 GMT /2025-03-26/bureau-of-land-management-shuts-down-wild-horse-adoption-program-after-legal-challenge Yvette Fernandez New Mexico passes bill to create alert for missing Indigenous people, a rising trend in the West /2025-03-26/new-mexico-bill-alert-missing-indigenous-people-rising-trend-west New Mexico lawmakers have passed a bill to create an alert system for missing Indigenous people, a growing trend in the Mountain West region. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 20:38:46 GMT /2025-03-26/new-mexico-bill-alert-missing-indigenous-people-rising-trend-west Kaleb Roedel Appeals court says corner-crossing is legal. What does it mean for the West? /regional-news/2025-03-25/appeals-court-says-corner-crossing-is-legal-what-does-it-mean-for-the-west The judges said the ranch could not deny access to federal public lands for lawful purposes and affirmed that corner crossing is not trespassing, as long as private land is not physically touched. Tue, 25 Mar 2025 21:24:55 GMT /regional-news/2025-03-25/appeals-court-says-corner-crossing-is-legal-what-does-it-mean-for-the-west Rachel Cohen