Years after animal cruelty legislation passes, the pork industry tries one last time to stop it.
Theo Whitcomb
Posted inArticles
A vision for more sustainable farmlands
Central California can’t continue to farm at its current industrial scale. As land is fallowed, what could take its place?
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See the Channel Islands’ stunning ecological recovery
The conservation success story is an example of what decades of work can accomplish.
Posted inFebruary 1, 2022: Essential
Tribes call out Oregon’s reckless gaming regulation
Using horse-racing laws, a shadowy state agency and a billionaire push for a private casino that threatens tribes’ self-sufficiency.
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At the Colorado River conference, ‘It’s really no longer a drill’
Water managers announce new measures to deal with dwindling water supply.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2022: Water Rights and Responsibilities
Who should pay to fix California’s sunken canals?
Agribusiness and its proponents say repairs will benefit disadvantaged towns. Those residents disagree.
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Interior’s new oil-and gas-leasing roadmap sidesteps climate action
The report leaves the door open for new leases on public land. What does that mean for the West?
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Judge rejects a Trump-era water contract in a win for tribes in California
A bid to benefit agribusiness has stalled again, leaving the Hoopa Valley Tribe hopeful that the next contract follows the law.
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What’s going on with redistricting in the West?
Yurij Rudensky of the Brennan Center breaks down the politics — and potential issues — Western states face in this year’s redistricting process.
Posted inNovember 1, 2021: The Radioactive Waste Next Door
Hmong Americans in Northern California fight wildfire — and distrust
Wary of local authorities, a community forms an ad-hoc firefighting force to defend its property.
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California Farmworkers Union fights to vote by mail in union elections
For a largely unorganized sector, expanded voting access would be a huge win.
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‘Deadbeat dams’ and their impact on cold-water ecosystems
As California mulls water storage, a new study adds nuance to cold-water conservation.
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A California county spars over water, marijuana law and race
Tasked to map an enigmatic aquifer for future water management, scientists confront political and scientific uncertainty.
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Anxiety and hope in wildfire-prone Oregon
How might we live in the reality of our climate?