Wyatt Myskow

Mesquite bosque set aside to ease impact of one copper mine, at risk from another mine near Mammoth - AZ Luminaria A new copper mine threatens an Arizona mesquite forest meant to offset the loss of sacred Western Apache land at Oak Flat

The San Pedro Valley is one of Arizona's ecological jewels and a top choice for developers to buy up land to mitigate the impact of projects elsewhere.

But now, miners are seeking to extract from the valley's mountains—putting the area's mitigation sites at risk.
azluminaria.org/2025/08/07/a...

South32's Hermosa mine could be the country's first fast-tracked critical minerals mine. On the ground in Patagonia, AZ, it's already affecting locals.

“I’d like to get along with them,” said one local whose well could be affected. “But I can’t make them do the right thing."

As a Critical Minerals Mine Nears Approval in Arizona, Residents Fear It’s Already Affecting Area Water - Inside Climate News South32’s Hermosa mine would be the first approved under a new, fast-tracked process. The company recently notified local homeowners that it could impact their wells.

South32’s Hermosa mine in Arizona would be the first approved under a new, fast-tracked process. The company recently notified local homeowners that it could impact their water wells.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright says Trump admin is altering previous National Climate Assessments. These were produced by hundreds of climate scientists and mandated by Congress. (1/2)

Copper Mines Close in on Western Apache Sacred Site, and the Forest Protected to Mitigate The Damage - Inside Climate News To offset Resolution Copper’s impacts on the hallowed ground of Oak Flat, the federal government will take possession of a rare old-growth mesquite forest. But it already approved exploratory drilling...

To offset Resolution Copper’s impacts to the sacred site of Oak Flat, the federal government will take possession of a rare old-growth mesquite forest as part of a land exchange.

But the feds just approved exploratory drilling for another mine nearby.
insideclimatenews.org/news/0508202...

An account whose posts have led to bomb threats to children's hospitals and schools claiming that posting about public law enforcement activity is doxing.

www.yahoo.com/news/oregon-...

New York Post to launch California Post newspaper in LA Los Angeles is home to the second-largest concentration of Post readers, per News Corp.

Conservative tabloids (and similar) will simply take over the role of setting local/national narratives until liberal owners step up with their own ruthlessly anti-jargon, “common sense”-focused competitors. Center-left legacy media is not positioned to compete here. www.axios.com/2025/08/04/n...

As a Nevada Community Fights a Lithium Mine, a Rare Fish and Its Haven Could Be an Ace in the Hole - Inside Climate News The Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge has been called the “Galapagos of the Mojave Desert,” but nearby residents fear a proposed lithium mine’s impacts on the region’s water will hurt both the wildlife and ...

A junior mining company staking claims across Nevada's Amargosa Valley near Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge has pulled out of the area.

It comes after a large coalition formed to oppose the proposed mine, which I chronicled last year for @insideclimatenews.org.

insideclimatenews.org/news/1507202...

Interior Order Chokes Off Permits for Solar and Wind on Federal Lands The department creates a seemingly impossible new permitting criteria for renewable energy.

HUGE: The Trump administration will no longer permit any solar or wind projects on federal lands unless they produce more energy-per-acre than coal, gas or nuclear power plants.

Solar and wind literally produce less energy per acre, so simply this may just kill off any project on federal lands.

EPA Rescinds Finding That Greenhouse Gas Emissions Harm Human Health, Hobbling U.S. Climate Action - Inside Climate News The Trump administration Tuesday announced plans to revoke the agency’s “endangerment finding” on greenhouse gases, setting the stage for the federal government to cease regulating climate-warming emi...

Under a new plan from the Trump administration, the greenhouse gases largely responsible for climate change may soon no longer be regulated, a decision that threatens the health of communities and the environment.
insideclimatenews.org/news/2907202...

'So much has been taken': Apache women sue to halt land swap for Oak Flat copper mine Four Apache women filed suit in Washington, D.C., asking a judge to block a land exchange needed to build a copper mine at Oak Flat.

My latest on #oakflat - Apache women file suit on 1st Amendment religious issues www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

More than 90% of mycorrhizal biodiversity hotspots are located in unprotected areas.

Thank you @wyattmyskow.bsky.social and @insideclimatenews.org for featuring this research and sharing Underground Atlas.

Grist and The Salt Lake Tribune partner to co-fund climate reporter The journalist will cover climate impacts in Utah for local and national audiences.

Some good journalism news: @grist.org is launching new local partnerships with @sltrib.com.web.brid.gy in Utah and @flatwaterfreep.bsky.social in Nebraska! Both are hiring: grist.org/updates/gris...
grist.org/updates/gris...

Potential Repeal of Roadless Rule Could Permanently Damage Midwest National Forests - Inside Climate News Regional experts believe eliminating the 2001 rule could impact the carbon capturing ability, fire resistance and integrity of the region’s forests.

Regional experts believe eliminating the Roadless Rule could impact the carbon capturing ability, fire resistance and integrity of Midwest National Forests.

New Study Reveals Mycorrhizal Fungal Hotspots and Their Lack of Protections - Inside Climate News Fungal communities hidden underground support 80 percent of land plants around the world and store 13 billion tons of carbon annually. But new research mapping their locations reveal few concentration...

Hidden underground fungal communities support plants and store around 13 billion tons of carbon annually. But new research mapping their locations for the first time finds few concentrations of the vital fungi are protected.

My latest on @spun.earth's findings:
insideclimatenews.org/news/2307202...

Republican Excitement for Wyoming Rare Earth Mining Contradicts the Party’s Disdain for Renewables - Inside Climate News Ramaco Resources’ Brook Mine could become the second rare earth extraction operation in the U.S., but the minerals face an uncertain domestic market under President Trump.

Ramaco Resources’ Brook Mine could become the second rare earth extraction operation in the U.S., but the minerals face an uncertain domestic market under President Trump.

Dismantling of EPA’s Scientific Research Arm Fulfills Key Chemical Industry Goal - Inside Climate News Companies feared rules and lawsuits based on the Office of Research and Development’s assessments of the dangers of formaldehyde, ethylene oxide and other substances.

The petrochemical industry didn’t like the science that the EPA was putting out on chemical risks. Now, the office responsible for that work has been eliminated by the Trump administration and the future of agency risk assessments is uncertain.

anyways, it's dry out here in the southwest!

nothing like checking the morning inbox to see Utah's Division of Water Resources open an email with "100% of the state is in moderate to severe drought."

It also mentions reservoirs have dropped around 10% this summer, compared to the usual 2%, and the Great Salt Lake will continue to decline

Tribal water settlement aims to repair generations of exclusion The Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act would repair decades of legal disputes and devote $5 billion to delivering Colorado River water to tribes in northeastern Arizona.

After decades of drought, contamination & legal battles, Hopi, Navajo & San Juan Southern Paiute tribes are closer to securing long-promised water rights. A $5B federal settlement could deliver Colorado River water after generations of exclusion, via @clomahqu.bsky.social
azcir.org/news/2025/07...

Amazon Web Services is company behind Tucson’s Project Blue, according to 2023 county memo - AZ Luminaria Amazon Web Services is revealed to be the company behind the Project Blue data center proposed for Tucson.

Exclusive: Records obtained by Arizona Luminaria tie Amazon to a massive Tucson area data center that has been shrouded in secrecy until now

Women’s contributions and men’s racism erased from history of Muir Woods National Monument An initiative to fill in historical gaps from the Muir Woods National Monument disappeared under pressure from the Trump administration.

SCOOP: The Trump Administration directed the Muir Woods National Monument to remove language it had added to its interpretative signs detailing women's contributions to the monument and the racist ideologies of some of its founders.

19thnews.org/2025/07/publ...

Southwestern Drought Likely to Continue Through 2100, Research Finds - Inside Climate News Climate change is warming the North Pacific Ocean, leading weather patterns that drive drought in the U.S. Southwest to persist decades longer than they have in the recent past.

“Doesn’t it suck that every time the science improves, the outlook for the climate and water looks worse?”

That's one researcher's takeaway on a new study finding greenhouse gas emissions are likely to cause the Southwest's drought to last until 2100.

insideclimatenews.org/news/1807202...

EPA Tries to Stop Closure of Colorado Coal Plants After Meeting With Colorado Springs Utilities - Inside Climate News Environmentalists lamented the agency’s decision, but Colorado officials said it would have little impact on its planned shutdown of coal plants.

EPA's decision to deny Colorado's plans to shut down coal plants came after a meeting with a utility hoping to keep its coal online. Read more about what Colorado and Colorado Springs Utilities are saying in my story for @insideclimatenews.org insideclimatenews.org/news/1707202...

Last week the board of directors of the Imperial Irrigation District - largest user of water on the Colorado River, and one of California’s leading solar producing counties - voted on a resolution "Opposing the Expansion of Solar Development on Farmland." 🔌💡

'Big Beautiful Bill' Set to Slash Through U.S. Climate and Justice Drive - Inside Climate News Trump’s legislation will hurt clean energy, boost fossil fuels and end investment in environmental justice. Climate advocates vow to continue the fight.

The @insideclimatenews.org team breaks down the climate and environmental implications of Trump’s tax cut and spending bill.

To summarize: it’s bad for the climate and environment, among many other things.
insideclimatenews.org/news/0307202...

Trump Administration Acts to ‘Severely Weaken’ a Key Environmental Law - Inside Climate News The White House said changes issued under the National Environmental Policy Act would simplify an “overly burdensome process.” Critics accused agencies of gutting the law.

Federal agencies like Interior Department are rolling back NEPA regulations, which experts warn will cut public participation and gut environmental reviews of projects.

@kiley.bsky.social‬ and I have the details on what’s happening and why it matters:

insideclimatenews.org/news/0207202...

Paramount Will Pay President Trump $16 Million to Settle 60 Minutes Lawsuit “It is a dark day for independent journalism,” says Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Paramount capitulates to Trump, in a "dark day for independent journalism," says Sen. Bernie Sanders. If the free press is to persevere through the Trump era, the media must refuse to follow Paramount's example, by @kpaoletta.bsky.social. www.cjr.org/news/paramou...

Arizona's clean energy industry falls silent as Trump bill threatens progress President Donald Trump's tax and policy bill could slow Arizona's clean energy industry, but companies aren't talking.

We've seen news on how Trump's bill will kill clean energy projects and jobs.

I wanted to know which were most at risk in Arizona.

But report authors won't share and companies won't talk. It suggests outcomes may be even worse than estimated.

with Austin Corona:
www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

A lot is happening right now, but it is important to note that federal agencies are completely rolling back NEPA requirements and replacing them with interim rules that limit what projects can be reviewed for environmental impacts and limit public comment on them.