Matthew Renda
Approaching ‘carbon bubble” could wipe trillions from global economy
Mass unemployment, public disenchantment with institutions, a restless body politic – these are some of the features of a brave new world that could come about if prices of fossil fuels suddenly crater due to the rapid development of renewable energy technology.
Montana, California, New Mexico: Western primaries offer bellwether for midterms
Voters will head to the polls in three western states on Tuesday, poised to make decisions that may be the first major test of whether the oft-predicted “blue wave” will materialize in November. California, Montana and New Mexico are among the eight states hosting primary elections on June 5, asking voters to whittle large fields of candidates vying to represent their respective political parties in statewide gubernatorial races and national offices.
Report: Republicans stacking federal courts with unqualified conservatives
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee released a report Friday accusing their Republican colleagues of conspiring with President Donald Trump to reshape the federal judiciary by appointing judges whose only qualifications are youth and conservative ideology.
Hot, cold, dry or wet, pikas resistant to climate change, study finds
The American pika, a cousin of the rabbit, has thriving populations both in areas that are wetter and colder, and warmer and drier, than scientific records had previously indicated, according to a study published by biologists working for the U.S. Forest Service.
Conservation groups sue Zinke over oil and gas development in sage grouse habitat
Conservation groups filed two nearly identical lawsuits in federal courts in Idaho and Montana on Monday against Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Trump takes first step toward drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
One of the most pristine natural reserves in North America is in danger of being despoiled after the Trump administration initiated the process to allow oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
Smith, Salmon rivers make list of “America’s Most Endangered Rivers”
The Smith River in Montana and the Salmon River in Idaho made an environmental organization’s list of the nation’s most endangered rivers due to mining, flood control projects, dams and plans for a border wall.
Judge: Government plans to recover Mexican gray wolf in Arizona insufficient
The Mexican Gray Wolf is nearly extinct in the United States, pushed to the brink by mostly hunters and livestock owners. About 100 wolves remain in the Southwest according to the most recent counts.
Oregon, Washington join states in challenging latest Trump travel ban
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced he and 15 other states and the District of Columbia filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court opposing the third iteration of Trump’s controversial travel ban.
Feds will ask citizenship status on 2020 census
The government announced Monday night it will include citizenship questions on the 2020 U.S. census, prompting a federal lawsuit that evening from California and threats of other suits by more states. The U.S. Department of Commerce said the inclusion of citizenship status on the census questionnaire came at the request of the Department of Justice to assist with enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.