Carson McCullough
Ninth Circuit shuts down feds’ request to revive Keystone XL pipeline permit program
The Ninth Circuit has denied a request from the Trump administration to revive a permit program for oil and gas pipelines, serving yet another blow to the feds in a legal battle that originated with the long-disputed Keystone XL oil pipeline.
Feds’ environmental review of coal lease plan passes muster with Montana judge
U.S. District Judge Brian Morris ruled Friday that the U.S. Department of the Interior has fully remedied its failure to conduct a complete environmental analysis before lifting a temporary pause on coal leasing for thousands of acres of public lands.
Montana Supreme Court: Dinosaur fossils worth millions aren’t minerals
After a nearly seven-year dispute over the ownership and definition of dinosaur fossils — including the remains of a rare Tyrannosaurus rex — the Montana Supreme Court has found they are not considered minerals.
Poll: Governors get better marks for handling of virus crisis than Trump
While President Donald Trump’s disapproval numbers rise over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy, a new poll finds most Americans believe that their own states’ governors have responded better to the pandemic.
Keystone XL hits permitting snag over environmental concerns
The long-disputed Keystone XL oil pipeline, intended to create over a thousand miles of pipeline between Nebraska and Canada, has once again found its progress halted after a federal judge pulled a crucial permit for the project on Wednesday.
Obama, Trump tie as America’s most admired men in 2019; Michelle Obama tops women
Former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump tied for most admired man of 2019 in a Gallup poll released Monday, while former first lady Michelle Obama claimed the title of most admired woman of the year.
Poll: Public hearings did not move needle on impeachment support
A week of public and televised hearings in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump failed to sway most Americans as to their stance on the proceedings, according to a poll released Tuesday.
Yellowstone Park’s migrating bison can ‘reset’ spring green-up
A team of researchers led by Chris Geremia, senior bison biologist for Yellowstone National Park, and Rick Wallen discovered that as bison migrate and forage through natural landscapes like valleys and grasslands, their grazing is so intense it essentially resets the conditions for springtime greenery. Researchers say that as bison consume vegetation, they are restoring plant conditions to an earlier springtime state – essentially restarting the springtime clock.
Ecological crisis: One-fourth of birds in U.S., Canada lost in last 50 years
Wild bird populations in the United States and Canada have shrunk by 2.9 billion, or one in four, in the last 50 years, according to a new study published Thursday.