Environment ~ Missoula Current

Interior Department sued for secrecy about endangered species

November 10, 2018

The Interior Department is taking deliberate, unlawful steps to preclude scientists and the public from having a say in the

‘There was really no firefight’: California wildfire consumes entire town of 27,000

November 10, 2018

After leveling nearly an entire town of 27,000 in a matter of hours, the Camp Fire in Northern California turned

Montana judge blocks construction of Keystone XL pipeline

November 9, 2018

A Great Falls federal judge on Thursday blocked construction of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline, ruling the federal government

Can beer help Missoula make the connection between healthy forests and clean water?

November 9, 2018

There’s one surefire way to get Missoulians thinking about forests, fire and water: Make it about beer.

Fast-moving California wildfire forces mass evacuations

November 9, 2018

A 17,000-acre blaze in Northern California is rapidly spreading, prompting widespread evacuations and underscoring how there is no such thing

Court upholds massive Denver reservoir expansion despite habitat loss

November 6, 2018

A controversial reallocation project designed to provide water security for the growing Denver metropolis will continue as planned after the

Mitigating wildfire risk in Rattlesnake Canyon, Forest Service crews thin, burn hundreds of small trees

November 4, 2018

For the past few days, fog has often blurred the mountains above the Rattlesnake Canyon. But looking closer at the

Montana joins five states, seven tribes suing polluters for costs of mining cleanup

November 2, 2018

Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee joined the U.S. government and seven tribes as plaintiffs in suing two zink

Federal biologists struggle for solutions after grizzly bears again listed as threatened

November 1, 2018

After a federal judge renewed endangered species protections for all grizzly bears in September, state, tribal and federal agencies are

River erosion, recreational access ride on new open space bond

November 1, 2018

Morgan Valliant has spent the past five years chasing elusive grants to help address the impacts a shift in use

Montana Public Service Commission backs Trump’s emissions rule in 3-2 vote

November 1, 2018

The all-Republican commission voted 3-2 last week to comment in favor of the president’s plan. The two dissenting members felt

Reducing U.S. coal emissions could create jobs in forestry, transportation, study finds

November 1, 2018

s coal is phased out to make room for cleaner energy sources, a new study concludes new technology could create

Humans driving major decline of global wildlife populations, new study finds

October 31, 2018

A sobering new report shows the impact “exploding human consumption” has on animals, finding that wildlife populations have declined globally

Montana judge: Feds failed to protect endangered Canada lynx from trappers

October 30, 2018

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to adequately protect endangered Canada lynx from being accidentally killed or injured by

A first! Grizzly bear trapped on Bitterroot Valley golf course

October 29, 2018

Golf pro Jason Lehtola called Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks with news that the bear trap they’d left on Whitetail

Open space bond, maintenance levy more than trails and scenic hikes, backers say

October 29, 2018

A new open space bond and maintenance levy would do more than secure scenic vistas and working farms. It would

Missoula forestry tour emphasizes collaboration in reducing wildfire risk

October 26, 2018

In a nation that is increasingly divided, it appears there’s still at least one thing that can bring neighbors, nonprofit

Generating power and diverting waste: Missoula treatment plant pursues cleaner future

October 24, 2018

Missoula's use of wastewater and other biosolids produced at the wastewater treatment plant has transformed the city into a national

Washington state voters to decide on nation’s first carbon fee

October 24, 2018

Depending on the will of voters, Washington state could lead the nation in enacting the country’s first direct carbon fee

“Mistaken” hunting of endangered species survives policy challenge in court

October 24, 2018

Two wolf advocacy groups lack standing to challenge a federal policy barring prosecution of people who kill endangered animals but

Goodbye fossil fuels: Missoula sets 100 percent clean electricity goal by 2035

October 23, 2018

At the inaugural Clean Energy Expo held in downtown Missoula, the city joined Climate Smart Missoula, global climate expert Steve

Bullock sues AG Fox over approval authority for conservation easements

October 22, 2018

On Monday, the governor’s office announced that Bullock filed a lawsuit to ask the Montana Supreme Court to overturn AG

Leaked memo advises silence on FOIA requests for endangered species info

October 22, 2018

A leaked memo from what conservationists say is the Justice Department advises the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to withhold

900-pound grizzly bear relocated after seeking refuge in garage outside Valier

October 18, 2018

A 900-pound male grizzly bear that sought refuge in a garage on the Birch Creek Colony west of Valier was

Montana FWP: Make mountain lion management areas huge to reflect cats’ behavior

October 18, 2018

Montana could have its first cougar management strategy where the boundaries are set by the cats themselves. On Wednesday, Fish,

Trump commits U.S. to expanding efforts to clean up ocean litter

October 12, 2018

President Donald Trump signed legislation Thursday committing the United States to expand efforts to clean up nearly 8 million metric

Vicki Christiansen sworn in as U.S. Forest Service’s new chief

October 11, 2018

After seven months as interim chief, Vicki Christiansen is now chief of the U.S. Forest Service. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

Montana group sues DOI for Zinke emails in search of unethical, illegal acts

October 10, 2018

American Oversight is helping Montana-based Western Values Project file a lawsuit in Washington, D.C., federal court to gain access to records of

9th Circuit: Should feds prosecute ignorant endangered species killings?

October 9, 2018

Are people more likely to kill wildlife if they know they can get away with it by pleading ignorance? On

Volunteers clean Reserve Street homeless camp; residents allowed to keep shelters

October 9, 2018

Volunteers from the Clark Fork Coalition, Missoula Valley Water Quality District, the Open Aids Alliance and other local organizations came

Glacier Park: Going-to-the-Sun Road closes early for the winter

October 9, 2018

After a wild and interrupted summer season, Glacier National Park's keystone Going-to-the-Sun Road has closed for the winter. Until the

Landmark climate report urges 1.5 degree cap before 2040

October 9, 2018

Limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius – instead of the half-degree higher that the Paris accord allows – could be

Feds place 20-year ban on new mines in Yellowstone National Park’s backyard

October 8, 2018

The federal government on Monday placed a 20-year hold on new gold mines in mountains at the doorstep of Yellowstone

Logs, lime mortar and stories: Volunteers raise a gabled barn at historic Rock Creek homestead

October 5, 2018

Rumored to have been an African-American cook for Gen. George Custer, Annie Morgan built the homestead in the 1880s. She

Climate change and coffee: Missoula business considers the future of the bean

October 4, 2018

Climate change could impact the cost of that morning cup of coffee as shifting weather patterns shrink the world's coffee

Montana experts help game wardens, tribal officials use fly larvae to nab poachers

October 4, 2018

Game warden and law enforcement rangers, when investigating a poaching case, can collect the insects feeding on a carcass, then

Wildlife refuges eliminate part-time law enforcement officers

October 2, 2018

The American ideal of the friendly public-land ranger still persists, complete with Smoky Bear hat and horse companion. But by

VIDEO: Tester’s Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act clears key committee vote

October 2, 2018

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed Tester’s Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act, which permanently withdraws mineral rights on 30,000

Glacier Park: Black ice, heavy snow close Going-to-the-Sun Road

September 29, 2018

Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road was temporarily closed Saturday afternoon because of black ice, accumulating snow and low visibility. Park

Environmentalists challenge oil leases near Dinosaur National Monument

September 28, 2018

Four environmental groups sued Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday to protect the two-state Dinosaur National Monument from increased air

Hunter kills grizzly sow, mortally wounds cub on Rocky Mountain Front

September 27, 2018

An archery hunter killed a sow grizzly and wounded her sub-adult cub this week on the Rocky Mountain Front. Montana

Judge orders Feds to let public weigh in on sage grouse habitat

September 25, 2018

A federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s updated policy on public participation in the process by which the Bureau

Missoula federal judge returns Yellowstone grizzlies to protected status

September 24, 2018

Missoula Federal District Court Judge Dana Christensen ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service didn’t do all that the

National parks (including Glacier) hit hardest by climate change, study finds

September 24, 2018

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and University of Wisconsin-Madison performed a first of its kind analysis that found

Wild & Scenic designation protected Flathead River’s forks, but threats loom

September 24, 2018

Clear water. Native fish. Scenic surroundings. Thrilling rapids. These special characteristics draw people from around the nation to the Middle

Judge voids denial of protected status for Pacific fisher

September 24, 2018

A federal judge on Friday ordered the U.S. government to reconsider its denial of Endangered Species Act protection for the

Public Lands Day: Volunteers help clean addition to Fish Creek wildlife area

September 22, 2018

As part of National Public Lands Day, members of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers bent their backs this week to help

Comment deadline nears on Trump administration’s overhaul of Endangered Species Act

September 21, 2018

The public comment period on the Trump administration’s move to overhaul the Endangered Species Act ends next week and if

Montana FWP investigates illegal kills of deer, bull elk near Whitefish

September 20, 2018

Most recently, wardens responded on Wednesday to a report that a white-tailed buck had been shot and killed in a

Going-to-the-Sun Road fully reopens as Howe Ridge fire continues to ‘creep and smolder’

September 17, 2018

More than a month after it was closed and thousands of visitors were evacuated during a firestorm, the Glacier National

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USGS stream gauges slowly return to service after nationwide failure