Environment ~ Missoula Current

Trump administration proposes sweeping changes to Endangered Species Act

July 19, 2018

The Trump administration says its proposed revisions to the decades-old Endangered Species Act reduce regulatory burden, while conservationists call them

Golden Spike trail opens, providing final link between Missoula and Hamilton

July 18, 2018

A half-mile trail appropriately named the Golden Spike officially opened Wednesday, the final piece in a bike-walk route that now

Study: Poor air quality leads to fewer national park visitors

July 18, 2018

Air pollution may be keeping people away from national parks, according to a new study of ozone levels in some

Grizzly bear euthanized after fall onto Glacier Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road

July 18, 2018

Rangers in Glacier National Park euthanized a female grizzly bear this week after it apparently fell about 20 feet onto

Report: Montana falling behind nation in transition to renewable energy sources

July 18, 2018

While Montana's congressional delegation hailed passage of a bill to extend the license for a hydropower dam on the Rocky

Open space stewardship levy headed for November vote

July 16, 2018

Come November, Missoula voters will be asked to approve a $500,000 perpetual mill levy intended to take care of the

Many Glacier Campground reopens to tents after grizzly bear eludes capture

July 16, 2018

A grizzly bear that entered the Many Glacier Campground in late June and ate two brook trout campers were cleaning

Firefighter killed as wildfire explodes near Yosemite National Park

July 16, 2018

A deadly wildfire threatening Yosemite National Park in California doubled in size overnight, fire officials said Monday. The Ferguson fire

Scientists: North American forests may be near carbon-storage limit

July 13, 2018

Once believed to play a crucial part in combating climate change because of their ability to store and absorb carbon

City Council approves conservation levy for ballot as voters also consider new open space bond

July 12, 2018

While all Missoula County votes will consider funding a new Open Space bond this November, city residents will be asked

Poll: Record number of Americans now believe climate change is real

July 12, 2018

Nearly three-quarters – 73 percent – of survey respondents believe there is substantial evidence for global warming, according to the

Ninth Circuit to consider oversight for “predator derby” hunting competitions

July 11, 2018

In an Idaho forest, the Girls Scouts need a permit to hold a camping event. But the government says no

Glacier National Park Conservancy launches $500K campaign for Sperry Chalet rebuild

July 11, 2018

With the reconstruction of Sperry Chalet underway, the Glacier National Park Conservancy on Tuesday announced a $500,000 fundraising campaign to

Undeterred by lawsuits, BLM offers another 118 oil and gas leases in Montana

July 10, 2018

In spite of lawsuits challenging past sales, the federal government has announced another auction of more than 100 oil and

Glacier National Park: Work begins to rebuild Sperry Chalet

July 10, 2018

A remarkable 10 months after all but its stone walls were destroyed by fire, the reconstruction of Sperry Chalet began

Amid concerns, Missoula County agrees to place $15M open space bond on ballot

July 9, 2018

Conservation advocates on Monday urged Missoula County commissioners to place a new $15 million open space bond on the November

FWP scrambles to repair flood damage at Clark Fork River access sites

July 9, 2018

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is asking the public for a little patience as it tries to restore access to

Fallen Missoula firefighter remembered one year after death at Seeley Lake fire

July 9, 2018

From the lookout, DJ Johnson heard the incident commander’s voice come over the radio, requesting a Life Flight helicopter to

Record-setting Colorado fire forces more evacuations; arson charges filed

July 5, 2018

In just 8 days, what started as a barbecue pit fire in southeastern Colorado has grown to 103,000 acres, making

Daines, Gianforte praise salvage plans on Kootenai National Forest

July 5, 2018

A post-fire restoration project set for 3,000 acres on the Kootenai National Forest will produce 27 million board feet of

Pruitt resigns as head of EPA; former coal industry lobbyist named acting administrator

July 5, 2018

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned Thursday, ending a tenure dogged by unrelenting controversies overhis spending, ethics and management

Floating the Missouri with the ghosts of Lewis and Clark

July 4, 2018

After a while, your neck gets sore. Not from the paddling so much as from the gawking — staring up

USFS to thin 1,725 acres in Pattee Canyon; neighbors encouraged to follow suit

July 3, 2018

Intent on reducing the wildfire danger on Missoula’s fringe, the U.S. Forest Service again plans to thin trees in Pattee

Conservationists say Wyoming senator’s bill guts Endangered Species Act

July 3, 2018

The Republican chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee introduced a draft bill this week that has conservationists

At citizens’ urging, Missoula City Council sends $15M open space bond request to county

June 25, 2018

Missoula can continue to protect the open spaces that provide an unmatched quality of life while also solving its housing

New website, app show cleanest waters for swimming in Flathead Lake

June 25, 2018

A new online tool will help swimmers find the cleanest waters for swimming in Flathead Lake. The Flathead Lake Biological

At the confluence, Milltown State Park opens its gates to a new chapter

June 23, 2018

Celebrated at a grand and rainy gathering at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers, the opening of

Going-to-the-Sun Road opens for summer, but signs of winter remain

June 23, 2018

The Going-to-the-Sun Road is open for its entire 50-mile length, but there’s still abundant evidence of winter along the high-country

Montanans ask why state bears brunt of Bakken waste, while North Dakota reaps riches

June 22, 2018

More than a decade into the Bakken oil boom, the state of North Dakota, where the vast majority of the

Investigators: Firefighters needed more ‘tools’ in defense of Sperry Chalet

June 21, 2018

The four firefighters assigned to Sperry Chalet the night it burned in an ember storm were traumatized by the historic

Grizzly that mauled wildlife tech was one of Cabinet’s oldest; acted defensively

June 21, 2018

One of the oldest grizzly bears in the Cabinet Mountains of northwest Montana was identified as the bear that attacked

Gianforte’s bills to remove wilderness study status from Montana lands get hearing

June 21, 2018

Rep. Greg Gianforte on Thursday defended his bills to remove the wilderness study designation from 800,000 acres of public lands in Montana,

City Council committee places support behind $15M bond, perpetual stewardship levy

June 20, 2018

Supporters of conservation and open space cited the economic value of public lands and Missoula's growing population when urging members

State, federal agencies delay grizzly bear conservation strategy for Northern Continental Divide

June 20, 2018

State and federal agencies still haven’t signed onto a plan to manage grizzly bears in north-central Montana, but that’s OK

AG Fox joins Montana to lawsuit defending state mining laws from EPA proposal

June 18, 2018

Attorney General Tim Fox joined Montana to a lawsuit involving a coalition of states looking to rebuff a draft rule

Human activity pushing mammals to grow more active at night, global study finds

June 17, 2018

Mammals worldwide are becoming more active at night due to human activity such as agriculture and hunting, according to a

Booming use prompts rewrite of Flathead River management plan

June 15, 2018

The rubber and plastic comes in the form of kayaks and rafts, and they are coming by the thousands –

FWP Commission approves $900K Fish Creek land deal

June 14, 2018

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks intends to capture a few more squares of the property checkerboard that makes up the

Tribes, Montana FWP struggle to control Yellowstone bison hunt

June 14, 2018

Although not without incident, the tribal bison hunt outside Yellowstone National Park is running more smoothly. But that could change

Colorado wildfire cuts off cities of Durango, Silverton from tourists

June 14, 2018

A 27,000-acre wildfire burning in southwestern Colorado has cut off the cities of Durango and Silverton from their annual tourism

Forest Service wants to log 5,600 acres, replant 16,000 burned by Rice Ridge fire

June 13, 2018

The Lolo National Forest wants make the best of last year's 160,000-acre Rice Ridge fire by logging some trees. This

Leading scientific journal says rate of Antarctic ice loss has tripled

June 13, 2018

Melting Antarctic ice has raised global sea levels by more than a quarter of an inch since 1992, with 40

Grizzly bear dies after eating insecticides in open garage

June 13, 2018

A young grizzly bear that had been frequenting homes in north-central Montana died after getting into insecticides in an open

Dick Anderson Construction wins $4.08M contract to begin rebuilding Sperry Chalet

June 12, 2018

The National Park Service on Tuesday awarded a $4.08 million contract to Dick Anderson Construction of Great Falls to begin

Hunter kills grizzly he mistook for a black bear; second grizzly shooting death

June 12, 2018

An out-of-state hunter mistakenly shot and killed a grizzly bear in the Swan Valley after confusing it with a black

Forest Service chief approves salvage project for Sunrise fire on Lolo

June 11, 2018

The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing 14 recent wildfires to conduct post-fire salvage operations in western Montana, including five on

Crews break through Big Drift, set stage for opening Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road

June 8, 2018

Brian Paul opened the door of his 20,000-pound rotary snowplow Thursday morning and climbed down to dry pavement. The cab has

Frenchtown mill: EPA says dangerous levels of dioxins didn’t wash into Clark Fork

June 8, 2018

Dangerous levels of dioxins and other deadly contaminants from the defunct Smurfit-Stone mill site did not wash into the Clark

Smith River copper mine receives draft air pollution permit

June 7, 2018

The proposed Black Butte copper mine near White Sulphur Springs moved one step closer to reality this week when the

Daines lauds Forest Service decision to salvage dying timber from Sunrise fire

June 6, 2018

The interim chief of the U.S. Forest Service this week signed the first determination to remove dead and dying timber

Missoula's News Journal

Environment

Contribute

Latest in Environment

Conservation groups join DEQ in fight against 'bad-actor' mining exec