Pollution

Scott Anderson, a researcher at the Idaho National Laboratory's Irradiated Materials Characterization Lab, works with materials in a "glovebox" as part of the lab's research into how exposure to radiation alters reactor components. The lab's research is aimed at understanding how materials and fuels respond to radiation, which is crucial data as licenses for existing nuclear reactors are extended. (Robert Zullo/ States Newsroom)

With decarbonization, advocates see a bright future for nuclear after decades of dormancy

BY: - April 24, 2023

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — At the sprawling array of laboratories and test facilities in the southeastern Idaho desert where the U.S. nuclear power industry was born more than 70 years ago, past, present and future are converging. Not far from where the first reactor to ever produce usable electricity made history in 1951, Idaho National […]

COMMENTARY
Cattle near Stoneville, South Dakota, on July 21, 2021. (USDA Photo by Lance Cheung)

On ag pollution, state’s carrot doesn’t work and the stick is a twig

BY: - February 16, 2023

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) Secretary Hunter Roberts confirmed what long has been known about South Dakota during a Jan. 19 briefing before a legislative committee. South Dakota gives only lip service to controlling agricultural pollution. In a broad discussion, Roberts told the House Ag and Natural Resources committee that financial efforts to […]

Mountains in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

Fossil fuel drilling threatens air and wildlife in national parks, advocacy group finds

BY: - February 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — A “massive” methane cloud forming over Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.   Noxious air pollution fouling Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.  Herds of mule deer and pronghorn at risk of decimation at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Environmental problems like these are already resulting from fossil fuel extraction near four […]

Kids float down French Creek; a sign stands near the city of Custer's treated wastewater discharge point along Flynn Creek. (Courtesy photos)

Landowners feel sidelined as Custer plans wastewater discharge into French Creek

BY: - December 16, 2022

Critics of a city’s decision to release treated wastewater into a scenic and historic Black Hills creek say it could pollute the water and is being done without sufficient input from affected residents. The city of Custer is upgrading its wastewater treatment system because of projected population growth and maintenance problems with the current system. […]

Natural gas tanks

NorthWestern customers to see bump in monthly refunds from overpriced pollution clean-up

BY: - November 18, 2022

More than 48,000 NorthWestern Energy customers in South Dakota will see higher refunds in their utility bills over the next year. The Public Utilities Commission approved a plan by the company on Friday that will bump up the refunds it has used to pay back customers since 2016 for a cleanup project that came in […]

The Mississippi River, a source of drinking water for thousands of eastern Iowans, has PFAS, according to Iowa DNR tests.

Iowa town in talks with 3M to fix ‘forever chemical’ contamination

BY: - November 17, 2022

CAMANCHE, IOWA — A major manufacturer of toxic chemicals that persist indefinitely in the environment will pay for a new drinking water source or a water treatment system for Camanche in eastern Iowa. The town of about 4,600 residents lies across the Mississippi River from a 3M Company facility near Cordova, Illinois. The facility has […]

A precipitation chart displayed recently at the Eastern South Dakota Water Conference in Brookings. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Changing climate could flush more soil and fertilizers into water, experts say

BY: - October 25, 2022

BROOKINGS — Water management professionals say more soil and fertilizer will leave farms and enter the state’s waterways as climate change intensifies storms and droughts. Experts from around the nation discussed the problem recently at the annual Eastern South Dakota Water Conference in Brookings. The Northern Great Plains can expect more heavy rains because of […]