Anastasia Hufham

Breaking – SCOTUS overturns prior ruling that federal agencies must consider upstream & downstream environmental impacts from a given project.

Big implications for environmental reviews across the country, especially for UT's Uinta Basin Railway:

House Republicans strike Maloy’s move to sell Utah’s public lands from Trump budget bill Maloy previously said that selling public land could help build affordable housing and address water infrastructure concerns in her district.

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives struck down a move to sell off thousands of acres of public land across Utah and Nevada Wednesday night after immense pushback from conservationists, sportsmen and other groups who opposed the measure.

Why the Trump admin may be weakening air quality standards for Salt Lake City The northern Wasatch Front has some of the worst ozone pollution in the country. But the state of Utah says the region should not have to adhere to stricter federal air quality standards — and the Tru...

The Salt Lake area has some of the worst ozone pollution in the country.

But the state of Utah says the region should not have to adhere to stricter federal air quality standards — and the Trump administration is listening.

More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

A southeastern Utah plant is a ‘major source of air pollutants.’ The state just sued its owner. Green Natural Gas Ventures LLC owns a gas and helium plant in La Sal, Utah.

Green Natural Gas Ventures LLC’s gas and helium plant in La Sal is “exposing residents … to air pollutants, which is a violation of Utah law and has an adverse impact on the health and welfare of the public,” the state claims.

More here: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Utah is producing more oil than ever. Even more could be on its way if a controversial railway gets built. The oil-rich Uinta Basin could be producing even more waxy crude oil than 2024's record-breaking levels but for transportation constraints.

Utah produced a record 65M barrels of oil in 2024 due to drilling in the Uinta Basin.

If the state has its way & the Uinta Basin Railway is built, oil production will keep breaking records.

More here:

www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

‘The state is robbing us’: A potential nuclear project in rural Utah highlights concern about new energy law While the Millard County Commission says it supports nuclear energy in general, it’s not happy with the way state leaders are bringing the power to Utah.

A Salt Lake City-based nuclear energy company announced it is partnering with the state and the Intermountain Power Agency to explore putting a small nuclear reactor in Millard County.

Utahns pay the lowest rates in U.S. for electricity, even as one of the state’s biggest, dirtiest power sources declines The state’s investment in relatively cheaper electricity sources like coal, natural gas and solar has helped keep residential costs lower, even as Utahns are using more electricity than ever.

The state’s investment in relatively cheaper electricity sources like coal, natural gas and solar has helped keep residential costs lower, even as Utahns are using more electricity than ever.

Utahns pay the lowest rates in U.S. for electricity, even as one of the state’s biggest, dirtiest power sources declines The state’s investment in relatively cheaper electricity sources like coal, natural gas and solar has helped keep residential costs lower, even as Utahns are using more electricity than ever.

In 2024, coal made up 46% of Utah’s total electricity generation, with only 5 coal mines operating — the fewest in 150 years.

Coal's decline persists despite the state's attempts to help the industry. Solar and natural gas have picked up the slack.

More here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Trump admin chose to ‘streamline’ permitting for a Utah mining project President Donald Trump issued a March executive order to increase American mineral production to protect national security.

The Trump administration chose to "speed up" permitting for the expansion of a copper mine in southeastern Utah. The mine laid off or furloughed more than half its workers in November.

More here:

www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Trump may shrink 2 Utah national monuments to expand mining and drilling in the West, per report After declaring a national energy emergency earlier this year, President Donald Trump is looking to roll back federal protections to promote energy development.

This morning @washingtonpost.com reported that Trump is looking to shrink Bears Ears & Grand-Staircase Escalante NMs in Utah — again — to expand mining and drilling.

More here:

www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Despite a history of controversy, Spencer Cox says this is the ‘trusted’ man who should lead a state department “Kelly Pehrson has been a steady, trusted leader at UDAF for years, and I’m grateful he’s willing to take on this new role,” Gov. Spencer Cox said about his appointee.

“Kelly Pehrson has been a steady, trusted leader at UDAF for years, and I’m grateful he’s willing to take on this new role,” Gov. Spencer Cox said about his appointee.

Despite a history of controversy, Spencer Cox says this is the ‘trusted’ man who should lead a state department “Kelly Pehrson has been a steady, trusted leader at UDAF for years, and I’m grateful he’s willing to take on this new role,” Gov. Spencer Cox said about his appointee.

Cox’s choice to run Utah's agriculture department has a history that has raised red flags from San Juan County to Salt Lake City.

Read more here:
sltrib.com/news/environ...

A man was hospitalized Tuesday night after a shooting involving a law enforcement officer for the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

More details here:

www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

‘Beyond anything I’ve ever seen’: Two men charged with felonies after toxic wastewater dumped in Utah pond The Utah Trust Lands Administration said it received a tip about the illegal dumping in February 2024.

Two men were charged with multiple felonies Tuesday after Utah officials say they dumped oily wastewater into a northeastern Utah pond on multiple occasions.

‘Beyond anything I’ve ever seen’: Two men charged with felonies after toxic wastewater dumped in Utah pond The Utah Trust Lands Administration said it received a tip about the illegal dumping in February 2024.

Two men were charged Tuesday after Utah officials say they dumped oily wastewater into a northeastern Utah pond on multiple occasions.

Read more here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Help us tell the stories about how Utah’s lands are changing You know Utah's lands better than anyone. Help us share stories about how our public lands are being used and enjoyed, and what changes you’re seeing.

You know Utah's lands better than anyone. Help us share stories about how our public lands are being used and enjoyed, and what changes you’re seeing.

A $110 million grant to clean up Salt Lake City’s air is on hold amid confusion over Trump’s funding freeze The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is not spending hundreds of millions of federal dollars, not because those funds are frozen, but because of uncertainty over Trump's federal funding freeze...

Utah received its largest environmental grant *ever* last year to clean up SLC’s dirty air. But the state says it is holding off on spending any of that money due to questions about President Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze.

More here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Nuclear energy bill hangs on a single word as cities and counties fight for a say • Utah News Dispatch A nuclear energy bill is one of Gov. SpencerCox's priorities. Disagreements between the House, Senate and local governments have delayed it.

May or shall? Debate over a bill directing Utah’s nuclear energy roadmap is stuck on one word dictating whether collaboration between the state and municipalities is required for nuclear projects, or optional. #utpol

They used to run Utah’s national parks. Trump’s mass firings are ‘a really big deal,’ they say. Three former superintendents of Utah’s "Mighty 5" national parks say the Trump administration’s firings of park staff will degrade not only visitors’ experiences, but also the lands and history the pa...

We talked to three former superintendents of Utah national parks about the impact of the Trump/Musk firings.

Here's what they had to say: www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

DOGE is cancelling office leases across Utah. Here’s where. The newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, reports it has terminated office space leases used by federal agencies in Utah.

DOGE is cancelling offices leases across Utah for the National Park Service, USGS and other agencies, via @hufh4m.bsky.social www.sltrib.com/news/politic...

please write about this

They landed their ‘dream’ jobs in Utah. Then the Trump admin fired them. These two Utah workers were among thousands of federal employees fired recently to purge what the Trump administration considers a bloated bureaucracy.

“I know people are really worried that they’re next, and I hate to be grim, but they are,” a worker laid off from the USGS in Utah told me.

There are thousands of stories like these from fired federal workers across the country. Hard to fathom.

More here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Trump’s mass layoffs hit Utah national parks Utah’s national park sites brought $3 billion to the state’s economy in 2023, according to a National Park Service report released in September, bringing in 15.7 million visitors and supporting over 2...

I've been able to confirm at least 17 national park employees fired in Utah due to the mass Trump layoffs, but a source tells me that number might be closer to 30.

More here:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Safety, nuclear waste, water use: Here’s what you need to know about Utah’s nuclear push State leaders want Utah to be "one of the nuclear headquarters for the world."

State leaders want Utah to be "one of the nuclear headquarters for the world."

Safety, nuclear waste, water use: Here’s what you need to know about Utah’s nuclear push State leaders want Utah to be "one of the nuclear headquarters for the world."

Utah state leaders have been promoting nuclear energy over the last few months.

I've gotten a lot of questions about what future nuclear development might mean/look like for the people who live here.

Here's what you need to know:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Utah Republican moves to axe Biden-era conservation rule The Biden administration had finalized the rule, which it said restored balance in the management of public lands, in June.

Rep. Celeste Maloy says conservation shouldn’t be a “use” of America’s public lands. Yesterday, she introduced a bill to repeal the Biden-era Public Lands Rule:
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Ute parents coach kids to memorize tribal ID and phone numbers, fearing ICE sweeps near reservation Heightened immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration has sent a wave of anxiety over the Ute Indian Tribe and others across the country, where Indigenous citizens fear they could be profiled.

Heightened immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration has sent a wave of anxiety over the Ute Indian Tribe and others across the country, where Indigenous citizens fear they could be profiled.

‘Year of uncertainty’: Utah farmers could feel the pinch from Trump’s tariffs, immigration policies Hay growers vent about being blamed for Utah's water woes, express concern about the future at Utah Hay Symposium

Retaliatory tariffs and the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration have Utah farmers on edge.

Snowpack in the Rockies is lagging well below average. Colorado River forecasters still see hope on the horizon. Lackluster January precipitation led to a decline in snowpack above Lake Powell.

Some water news — a dry January hurt forecasts for Lake Powell & the Colorado River.

Last month, hydrologists thought spring runoff into Lake Powell would be 81% of average. They now expect it to be just 67% of average.

But February could bring a reprieve:

www.sltrib.com/news/environ...

Gustus: Tell your state senator transparency matters. Before it’s too late. Utah lawmakers want to make it harder for you and us to obtain public records

Dear Utahns: It's already difficult to get access to some records the public should be able to see, and it appears lawmakers are trying to make it harder (1/6)