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A diamondback rattlesnake flicks its tongue.

Arizona rattlesnakes could be affected by I-11 construction

Dec 2, 2023 A portion of the project cuts through desert land, which experts say could cause continuing concerns for wildlife.
We visit Altar Valley west of Tucson where various members from the community and different agencies have created the "Altar Valley Conservation Alliance" to try to protect the land for future generations while allowing ranchers and others to continue to make a living on it.

Federal initiative awards Altar Valley Watershed $1.2 million for flood resilience

Dec 1, 2023 The investment drives innovation for water infrastructure projects
A file image of the Sonoran Desert.

Pima County to Reorganize Environmental Departments next year

Nov 29, 2023 The new Conservation Lands and Resources Department is expected to be completed next summer.

40 years of Gould’s turkey restoration success in the Sky Islands

Nov 20, 2023 From local extinction to Thanksgiving triumph, the journey of North America’s largest wild turkey species in Arizona’s southeastern mountains
Treated wastewater, like this sample in Carson, California, could soon become a bigger part of the West's water portfolio. Cities in the drought-stricken Colorado River basin are putting big money behind project

ADEQ unveils Advanced Water Purification Program

Nov 20, 2023 The program looks to reuse wastewater into a purified water source
John Kmiec, director of Tucson Water at the Sweetwater Wetlands Park in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. Kmiec says that the water that flows through the wetlands is highly treated water from the Pima County Agua Nueva facility that gos into the aquifer for future generations.

Tucson Water receives federal funding to combat PFAS, construct new water treatment facility

Nov 17, 2023 $30 million awarded through EPA from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in Cochise County, Arizona.

Conservation windfall in Arizona: America the Beautiful Challenge funds key initiatives

Nov 15, 2023 Statewide grant recipients develop nature-based solutions

Stargazing marvel: Saguaro National Park earns Urban Night Sky certification

Nov 14, 2023 International Dark-Sky Association taps park to join its cosmic club
View of the San Pedro Valley from Montezuma Pass in Coronado National Memorial, on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

Reviving Montezuma Pass: Sky Island Alliance's bold initiative to rewild decommissioned roads

Nov 11, 2023 From roads to rivers: volunteers unite to transform old paths into thriving wildlife corridors
This photo distributed by NextEra Energy Resources shows the 100-megwatt Borderlands Wind Project, which entered service in late 2021. Its 34 turbines will provide enough energy for Tucson Electric Power to supply 26,000 average homes.

BLM halts SunZia Transmission Project in Arizona amid concerns over cultural impact

Nov 9, 2023 A temporary suspension sparks consultations as the Bureau of Land management responds to cultural concerns, impacting a segment of the transmission project

Environmental groups raise concerns over proposed border road impact on endangered jaguars and critical habitat

Nov 8, 2023 Environmental groups say they want no new construction, in response to a proposed border road and its potential impact on endangered jaguars and other endangered and threatened species.
A solar array used by Tucson Electric Power to add renewable energy to the grid, August 2019

TEP's energy plan under review

Nov 7, 2023 Assessing Tucson Electric Power's path to carbon neutrality and natural gas debate
Ashton Johnson uses his drip torch during a prescribed burn operation in Kaibab National Forest on Oct. 5, 2023. Fire crews planned to burn around 2,300 acres of land that day.

Fighting fire with fire: How prescribed burns protect forests in northern Arizona

Nov 6, 2023 The prescribed burns in Kaibab National Forest are part of the U.S. Forest Service’s 10-year wildfire crisis strategy, which aims to combat wildfires in high-risk forest landscapes.
Since the 1980s Tucsonans have replaced their green lawns with decomposed granite and opted for plants like palo verde trees and cacti, which can endure long periods of drought and extreme heat.

That green lawn may not be so green: Gas-powered equipment are heavy polluters

Nov 5, 2023 Gas-powered lawn equipment in Arizona emitted 445,908 tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, the polluting equivalent of putting 98,162 cars on the road, a new report says.
Regional and local leaders came to celebrate the kick off event for the new University of Arizona Western Environmental Science Technical Assistance Center for Environmental Justice (WEST EJC) at the Pima County Abrams Public Health Center in Tucson, Ariz., on Wednesday, Nov. 1.<br/><br/>From left to right: City of Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, EPA Regional Tribal Operations Committee Co-Chair Laura Ebbert, Regional Administrator for EPA Martha Guzman, Chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors Adelita Grijalva, Dean of the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Iman Hakim, Pima County Health Director Theresa Cullen, Deputy County Administrator, Francisco Garcia.

University of Arizona leads the way in western environmental justice initiatives

Nov 3, 2023 Empowering communities and bridging gaps: UA's role in transforming environmental equity
The Pinyon Plain Mine shaft in Coconino County, on Wednesday, Aug. 30. In 2016, the mine shaft punctured a perched aquifer that contained natural levels of uranium, requiring the mining company Energy Fuels to pump water to the surface to an impoundment for treatment.

Navigating murky waters: how laws and regulations can hinder tribal initiatives

Nov 3, 2023 In this tapped episode, Katya Mendoza and Paola Rodriguez explore the intersection of preserving tribal heritage, defending precious resources and reforming mining laws.

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