Environment
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Snowmobiler who survived 3 avalanches warns of backcountry danger
Erin Cox, KSL-TV | Posted Feb. 15 - 10:33 p.m. | Save Story
Avalanche conditions are very dangerous over President's Day weekend as snow continues to fall. Forecasters with the Utah Avalanche Center issued warnings for much of the state about heading into the backcountry.

An asteroid has a 2% chance of hitting Earth in 2032. Here's how astronomers are tracking it
Ashley Strickland, CNN | Posted Feb. 15 - 4:16 p.m. | Save Story
A recently discovered asteroid, named 2024 YR4, has on average a 2% chance of hitting Earth in 2032. While those odds of an impact are slim, astronomers are closely tracking the space rock to uncover more details — a process that could soon involve the most powerful observatory ever launched into space.

Winter is the most dangerous season for first responders, UHP says
Darby Sparks, KSL-TV | Posted Feb. 14 - 9:32 p.m. | Save Story
There were hundreds of crashes across the state of Utah this week.

Lively debate erupts over fluoride in drinking water systems
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 14 - 8:03 a.m. | Save Story
A Senate committee Thursday moved to advance a controversial fluoride bill after hearing from supporters and opponents and from those who assert systemwide injection of fluoride into drinking water violates bodily autonomy and self-will.

Bird flu found in wildlife across 10 Utah counties since November
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 13 - 8:43 a.m. | Save Story
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials say the avian flu has been detected in wild species across 10 counties over the past few months.

Oil and gas industry advocate picked to lead BLM
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 13 - 8:19 a.m. | Save Story
A longtime industry representative and advocate for independent oil and gas producers in the West, Kathleen Sgamma, was tapped to head the national Bureau of Land Management.

St. George mayor gives update on water security efforts amid extreme drought
Logan Stefanich, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 13 - 6:17 a.m. | Save Story
St. George Mayor Michele Randall outlined water security efforts during her State of the City address amid extreme drought facing the region.

Utah Inland Port Authority bill sent to Senate floor despite opposition
Collin Leonard, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 12 - 10:14 p.m. | Save Story
Longtime critics of the Utah Inland Port Authority gathered at the state Capitol on Wednesday to voice concerns about a proposed bill that would amend statute to expand the powers of the state entity beyond the borders of its many project areas across the state.

Salt Lake City is about to get another weather beacon. Here's what this one will forecast
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 10 - 6:14 a.m. | Save Story
Salt Lake City's buildings will offer more than weather forecasts beginning later this month.

2 land conservation groups square off in federal court battle
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 9 - 4:03 p.m. | Save Story
You would not think that two environmentally grounded organizations would be at odds with each other, but they are — leading to a court battle in which an administration judge has ordered a planned grazing improvement project halted in the Indian Creek area of the Bears Ears National Monument.

As many as 25,000 grebes killed by bird flu within Great Salt Lake, Utah officials say
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 9 - 2:31 p.m. | Save Story
Utah wildlife officials estimate 15,000 to 25,000 eared grebes have died in recent months from a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak across the Great Salt Lake.

Utah's big water efficiency push may help farms more than the Colorado River
Shelby Lofton, KSL-TV | Posted Feb. 9 - 12:07 p.m. | Save Story
Making sprinklers more water-efficient may help farms produce more crops but that doesn't mean it would save more water for the Colorado River.

Will Big and Little Cottonwood canyons become state parks?
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 9 - 9:58 a.m. | Save Story
A state senator wants to work with the federal government on land trades and facility acquisitions to create two new state parks — one for Big Cottonwood Canyon and another for Little Cottonwood Canyon.

DNR Division of Law Enforcement monitoring people on the ice at Strawberry Reservoir
Andrew Adams, KSL-TV | Posted Feb. 8 - 10:33 p.m. | Save Story
Department of Natural Resources' new Division of Law Enforcement officers are setting out to monitor people on the ice at Strawberry Reservoir.

American bald eagles are having a moment, ecologically and culturally
Mike Catalini, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 8 - 8:33 a.m. | Save Story
America's national bird, the bald eagle, is having a moment. The eagles find themselves in a sort of environmental updraft since the early 2000s, when the federal government took the thriving birds off its endangered species list with more states following suit. Culturally, too, they're soaring.

DEQ executive director Kim Shelley to leave post
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 8 - 8:02 a.m. | Save Story
The head of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality is leaving her position — an announcement issued after disgruntled employees contacted media outlets asserting Kim Shelley's departure was a force-out. The change takes effect at the end of January.

Recent rain causes 'aesthetics issue' with water in Davis, Weber counties
Collin Leonard, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 7 - 1:02 p.m. | Save Story
Some residents in Weber and Davis counties report a strong chlorine smell coming from their water. Treatment plants had to increase chlorine treatment after the rain this past week.

St. George Regional Airport has 'landmark year' in 2024, record-breaking numbers
Mori Kessler, St. George News | Posted Feb. 7 - 7:38 a.m. | Save Story
The St. George Regional Airport had a "landmark year" in 2024 as it experienced record growth in travelers passing through the airport.

How drones could be the future in boosting Utah's precipitation
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 6 - 9:42 p.m. | Save Story
Utah started testing drones for cloud seeding for the first time last week, marking a first in the U.S.

Extreme drought returns to parts of Utah as dry conditions intensify statewide
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 6 - 7:11 p.m. | Save Story
Extreme drought has returned to Utah for the first time in nearly two years, but a weekend storm could help parts of the state that have so far missed out on winter storms.

New legislation pushes for efficient use of federal land in energy development
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 5 - 9:22 p.m. | Save Story
Two energy bills sponsored by Rep. Derrin Owens, R-Fountain Green, advanced unanimously from a Senate committee late last week in another move eyeing Utah's energy landscape.

Interior secretary orders review of public lands withdrawals
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 5 - 9:59 a.m. | Save Story
A comprehensive — and controversial — order by newly confirmed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directs a review of withdrawals of federal lands.

Utah's pollinator program demonstrates success amid crisis
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 4 - 9:24 p.m. | Save Story
A pilot program established in 2021 to help pollinators in Utah has enjoyed success and is helping residents, communities and other entities to plant pollinator-friendly plants to encourage their survival.

How Utah's outdoors has become the secret to Silicon Slopes' growth
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Feb. 3 - 7:05 p.m. | Save Story
Utah and business leaders agree that Utah's outdoors play a critical role in the state's growing tech sector.

Endangered frog daddies transported 7,000 miles to 'give birth' to young
Issy Ronald, CNN | Posted Feb. 3 - 9:52 a.m. | Save Story
Eleven endangered male frogs that traveled 7,000 miles in a bid to save their species from extinction have "given birth" to 33 froglets at London Zoo.

Federal hiring freeze halts some wildland firefighter preparations
Mike Anderson, KSL-TV | Posted Feb. 1 - 10:49 a.m. | Save Story
As federal firefighting crews with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management try to staff up for the upcoming fire season, they're now having to wait and see if they'll be able to hire seasonal help.

Ute Mountain Ute reps dismayed after Navajo Nation, Energy Fuels reach accord on uranium ore
Tim Vandenack, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 31 - 3:10 p.m. | Save Story
Representatives from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe expressed concern after Navajo Nation and Energy Fuels officials reached an accord on transport of uranium ore.

Utah group joins global network to protect Great Salt Lake
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 31 - 12:00 p.m. | Save Story
A Utah conservation group is hoping to change the lake's fate by joining a global network of grassroots organizers who advocate for water quality improvements.

Bill to prohibit fluoride in public drinking water systems advances
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 31 - 7:45 a.m. | Save Story
Fluoride in public drinking water systems fostered a robust debate before a legislative committee in Utah.

Why Peter Sinks gets some of the coldest temperatures in the US
Mike Anderson, KSL-TV | Posted Jan. 29 - 8:22 a.m. | Save Story
Peter Sinks is pulling some of the coldest temperatures in the country, dropping to 56 below zero just over a week ago.

Trump order temporarily protects small Idaho community from major wind energy project
Gitanjali Poonia, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 28 - 5:48 p.m. | Save Story
Among the dozens of executive orders President Donald Trump signed shortly after being sworn in office is one that temporarily pauses leasing and permitting land for wind energy. It's a step toward his campaign promise to "Drill, baby, drill" and to end government investments into green energy.

Utah has a lot of energy needs on the horizon. Is it time for nuclear?
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 28 - 8:03 a.m. | Save Story
A bill that would set up a new development body and other entities to welcome nuclear energy has cleared its first hurdle in the Utah Legislature.

Securing water from out of state will be a 'Herculean' effort, Utah's water agent says
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 27 - 2:08 p.m. | Save Story
Utah's water agent told lawmakers that efforts to secure water deals outside of the state are underway, but he warns it will be easier said than done.

Human composting bill returns, headed to Senate committee
Eva Terry, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 26 - 7:47 p.m. | Save Story
Utah may soon be the 13th state to legalize "natural organic reduction," or human composting, as an alternative, lower-cost and eco-friendly way to bury the dead.

Lawmakers want to keep wildlife refuges open during a shutdown
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 26 - 1:03 p.m. | Save Story
Utah has already passed a law that says the state will step up to keep national parks open in the event of an emergency government shutdown, much like it did in 2013 to the tune of $1 million.

What swapping crops for houses means for Utah's water and agriculture future
David Condos, KUER | Posted Jan. 25 - 7:12 a.m. | Save Story
Farms are quickly becoming mementos of a different time in Moab.

Wall of ice the size of Rhode Island heading toward penguin-packed island off Antarctica
Seth Borenstein, Associated Press | Posted Jan. 24 - 8:37 p.m. | Save Story
The world's biggest iceberg — a wall of ice the size of Rhode Island — is lumbering toward a remote island off Antarctica that's home to millions of penguins and seals.

Photos: Frigid winds create unique ice formations at Bear Lake
Mike Anderson, KSL-TV | Posted Jan. 24 - 6:18 a.m. | Save Story
A combination of strong winds and frigid temperatures created some unique sights at Bear Lake Thursday, and you won't have to battle any crowds to see them.

Utah firefighters reflect on unprecedented wildfire experience in Southern California
Alex Cabrero, KSL-TV | Posted Jan. 23 - 10:41 p.m. | Save Story
After two weeks of helping to fight the devastating wildfires in Southern California, Utah firefighters are on their last 24-hour shift.

Feds directed $122.8M in drought spending across Utah. Will it be held up by freeze?
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 23 - 9:02 p.m. | Save Story
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation directed about $122.8 million toward drought mitigation and resiliency projects in and around Utah.

Utah bill targets RMP account amid rate increases, but will it help or hurt customers?
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 22 - 9:05 p.m. | Save Story
A bill that targets a Rocky Mountain Power recovery account cleared its first hurdle in the Utah Legislature as lawmakers vented about the company's rising rates.

Eggs prices keep climbing, supplies drop amid bird flu
Lois M. Collins, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 22 - 5:02 p.m. | Save Story
Egg prices are high. Consumers can blame bird flu for the disruptions in the egg market, experts say.

Where is the snow? Why Utah valleys remain on pace for below-average snowfall
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 22 - 3:20 p.m. | Save Story
A rare winter storm has turned the South into an unlikely winter wonderland this week, giving cities like New Orleans more snow in a day than Salt Lake City has received all season.
Trump energy emergency order should withstand court challenges, experts say
Jack Queen, Reuters | Posted Jan. 22 - 12:40 p.m. | Save Story
President Donald Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency to boost drilling and speed up pipeline construction should withstand court challenges but will not allow oil and gas producers to skirt all environmental laws, according to legal experts.

Salt Lake City's cherished sycamore trees are dying. Here's how the city is responding
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 22 - 12:04 p.m. | Save Story
Scores of Salt Lake City's sycamore trees are struggling to survive because of disease and other issues. The city is considering a project that seeks to save them.

Salt Lake City passes ordinance banning new gas stations near 'sensitive lands'
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 22 - 6:24 a.m. | Save Story
The drama over a gas station next to Sugar House Park spilled over into a new citywide ordinance about gas station locations.

How does Utah rate on household energy costs?
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 20 - 9:02 p.m. | Save Story
Using data from the United States Energy Information Administration, a new analysis looked at what state households spend the most and least on energy costs.

What's on tap for Great Salt Lake in the 2025 Utah general legislative session
Adam Small, KSL Newsradio | Posted Jan. 20 - 8:28 p.m. | Save Story
The Great Salt Lake is once again expected to be a topic of discussion and action for Utah lawmakers in the 2025 general legislative session, which starts on Tuesday.
Trump administration talks Paris climate agreement withdrawal, Panama Canal and tariffs
Valerie Volcovici and Jasper Ward, Reuters | Posted Jan. 20 - 12:28 p.m. | Save Story
President Donald Trump will again withdraw the United States from the Paris climate deal, the White House said on Monday, removing the world's biggest historic emitter from global efforts to fight climate change for the second time in a decade.

How to reset your mental health with nature in 2025
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 19 - 12:17 p.m. | Save Story
Getting over those post-Christmas blues can be hard, and even some of the resolutions set for 2025 have already gone by the wayside.

Dozens of air quality sensors to give a clear picture of pollution in Davis County
Mike Anderson, KSL-TV | Posted Jan. 18 - 10:32 p.m. | Save Story
The Davis County Health Department is installing 41 air quality sensors across the county to give people a better idea of what's happening in their specific area.

How ready is Salt Lake City for catastrophic fire?
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 18 - 7:16 p.m. | Save Story
As wildfires continued to tear through Southern California communities, having Salt Lake City ready for a catastrophic event isn't lost on Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

Southern Utah leaders call on prayers for rain, as state warns of possible water 'challenges'
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 17 - 5:05 p.m. | Save Story
Washington County Commissioners are calling on residents to continue to reduce water consumption and pray for rain, as unfavorable water conditions persist in southwest Utah and some of the state's other basins.

Sen. Lee: Lawmakers ready to undo 'devastating harm' to energy sector by Biden administration
Suzanne Bates, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 16 - 10:31 p.m. | Save Story
Sen. Mike Lee said on Wednesday the Biden administration's actions on energy have made life more expensive for Americans.

Burgum says he'll work with Sen. Lee, Utah officials on federal lands issues
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 16 - 9:23 p.m. | Save Story
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, warned Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum of the daunting task that faces him should he be the ultimate pick to be the landlord of nearly one fifth of the nation's lands.

Maloy seeks Antiquities Act changes as Utah monuments land in the spotlight again
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 16 - 7:11 p.m. | Save Story
A Utah congresswoman is taking on the century-old law that created national monuments, as a pair of monuments in the state are expected to return to the spotlight.

18-year-old Plain City man canoes 1,300 miles on Columbia River in new documentary
Arianne Brown for KSL.com | Posted Jan. 15 - 3:06 p.m. | Save Story
Braxton Mitchell was offered the opportunity of a lifetime — running the Columbia River from the Continental Divide to the Pacific Ocean.

2024 was Utah's second-warmest year on record. These counties broke records
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 15 - 6:18 a.m. | Save Story
Ten counties, including Salt Lake and Washington, broke average temperature records last year, which was a scorcher across the U.S.
