Desert Environmental News: July 16, 2025

The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico is reactivating their Greatest Needs Impact Fund for Lincoln and Otero County to help Ruidoso residents after the floods that have reportedly taken the …

A federal judge has run out of patience over what he said is an "unreasonable delay" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in coming up with a

Last Thursday morning, the Rio Grande reached a major flood stage on the eastern edge of Big Bend National Park. Per data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the gauge at Boquillas International Crossing registered a crest of about 21 feet.

The Trump administration may look to reverse the monument designation for the Chuckwalla Monument after the Department of Justice cleared the way changes to 625,000 acres in Riverside County.

Nevada veterans at nuclear test site could soon see benefits through the FORGOTTEN Veterans Act.

Trump's focus on domestic energy production means the Bureau of Land Management is reconsidering protection from oil drilling in a 10-mile area surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The All Pueblo Council of Governors wants the protections to stay in place, while the Navajo Nation is suing to get them revoked.

The illness often begins with flu-like symptoms like fever, fatigue and muscle aches and can rapidly progress to severe respiratory distress.

New research suggests Sonoran Desert toads went into steep decline after stories of their mind-bending chemical properties began circulating among drug users.

The Turquoise Alert for missing Indigenous or endangered persons is now officially online, offering a vital tool to assist law enforcement

After rising concern from Patagonia residents over a proposed landowner agreement, Hermosa Mine operator South32 responded to criticism that the agreement would take away private well water rights.

Why planting more trees may not be the ‘silver bullet’ to combat extreme heat in Las Vegas. Read more from The Nevada Independent.

A plan to build more than 1 mile of a border wall between the United States and Mexico at Mount Cristo Rey near Sunland Park is getting pushback from some, including the Las Cruces Diocese.

Join host Chris Clarke and guest Kevin Emmerich, Co-Founder of Basin and Range Watch, as they discuss the environmental implications of the Greenlink West transmission line.

Arizona should get a share of the $10 billion available in the just-approved federal legislation originally dubbed the Big Beautiful Bill for states that paid for border

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is closed.

On any given day in Toquerville, thousands of cars weave through the small gateway community on their way to Zion National Park. Now, the new Toquerville Parkway will bypass the historic downtown, providing relief for locals and quicker travel for tourists.

Summer is usually slow enough at Arches to render timed entries unnecessary.

Also on Thursday afternoon, Yavapai County Sheriff Deputies and Yavapai County Verde Search and Rescue teams (VSAR) responded to a report of two lost hikers near Devil’s Bridge Trail. When VSAR arrived, the lost hikers made their way back to the trailhead and were safe; however, it was then reported that several other hikers needed help closer to Devil’s Bridge.

On Thursday, July 10th, shortly before 6 pm, Yavapai County Sheriff Deputies responded to a report of an unresponsive female hiker on Badger Springs trail

Arizona's new Ag-to-Urban development law threatens water security by bypassing sustainability requirements for profit

The small town of Bluff in Utah near Bears Ears National Monument has been certified as the newest Dark Sky International designation.

University of Utah researchers believe inflammation starts a months-long process that increases risk of aneurysm rupture.

Anglers who frequent Ascarate Lake said dredging and deepening it would make for better fishing and a healthier aquatic ecosystem. Studies found it would cost much more than expected to do so.

Northern New Mexico could become a geothermal energy production hub, and Kit Carson Electric Cooperative is planning to get in on the action, according to CEO Luis Reyes.

Government and grassroots organizations try to do their part to protect the community from the high temperatures.

A human has died of pneumonic plague in northern Arizona, Coconino County health officials said. The victim sought help at a Flagstaff hospital.

A group of 22 hikers near Virgin are safe after becoming lost in the area Friday evening.

The $60 million Zion Canyon Hot Springs opened Monday.

Between dams, diversions and a changing climate, the Colorado River doesn’t flow like it used to. Now, scientists and conservationists in Utah are working to give cottonwood trees a better chance.

Secrecy around the proposed data center, code-named Project Blue, has fueled opposition to the plan. Now, the City of Tucson is releasing details that had previously been kept secret due to NDAs.

Clean-energy projects have new deadlines for federal tax credits and limits on foreign parts, taking aim at California’s climate agenda. Eleven solar projects and one onshore wind project now face potential delays or cancellation.

Volunteers with a Tucson-based humanitarian group filed claims against the federal government Friday, alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault and false arrest and imprisonment stemming from a March incident.

Lake Mead is holding steady, about 7 feet lower than it was last year, but projections released Tuesday show it will have a steep drop in 2027.

New Mexican downwinders, receiving financial compensation for the first time, reckon with the ongoing tragedy of the Trinity bomb detonation — and fight to ensure remembrance.

The National Park Service is defending its handling of a lightning-sparked wildfire that destroyed the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of historic cabins, saying containment lines had been built around the blaze and crews were prepared to conduct defensive firing operations.

Dozens of residents in Keams Canyon, Arizona, on the Hopi Reservation's First Mesa, have returned home after being evacuated due to area wildfires on July 13. There are no reports

As the Oak Ridge Fire continued to spread southwest of the Navajo Nation capital last week, some families in the fire’s path refused to evacuate due to fear for their livestock.

Adelita Grijalva won the primary to succeed her father in Southern Arizona’s Congressional District 7 with 62% of votes

The approximately 12-foot tall likeness of the billionaire mounted on a trailer navigated long lines, had crowds talking at Arches National Park as they endured long lines at the entry station.

Augusta’s key assets – Reward, a permitted, feasibility stage project, and the Bullfrog deposit – are adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti’s claims in the Beatty district.

A water treatment facility at the North Rim had been compromised by the fire, causing chlorine gas to fall to the bottom of the Canyon.

State Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) expressed his disappointment following the California State Assembly's decision to deny a hearing for Senate Bill 10, a legislative effort aimed at

Brightline West has announced updates to field investigation work along its Interstate 15 right-of-way in Southern California.

The 30-plus year fight is finally over, and downwinders in Mohave County can claim victory after being included in the renewed Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.