Mountain West

For kids who use wheelchairs, finding a park they can access can be challenging. A mom in Berthoud, Colorado is fundraising to create an inclusive park where everyone can play side by side.

More than a century after the U.S. started selling oil leases on public lands, the Biden administration is seeking to let conservationists lease government property to restore it.

New data on snow sublimation (where snow evaporates before it can melt) will help water managers across the West understand the Colorado River water supply.

In the Southwest, tribal health organizations are finding ways to counter the factors — including the lack of access to clean drinking water — that contribute to high rates of childhood obesity in Native communities.

Cloud seeding involves using planes and ground-based equipment to put silver iodide into clouds when weather conditions are right. Colorado, Utah and Wyoming have all expanded their cloud-seeding programs in recent years.

The burly animals are an icon of the American West and culturally significant for many Native American tribes. They were driven to near extinction in the late 1800s.

Americans are increasing their focus on health and the environment, and there’s a growing market for sustainable home-building materials – like insulation.

Colorado's Staunton State Park has invested in all-terrain wheelchairs for people with disabilities so that they can get out and enjoy nature again.

Snow data from the Colorado River Basin Forecast Center shows a strong start for the region's water supplies, but heavy snow may get soaked up by dry soils before it can flow into Lake Powell and Lake Mead.

More than 10% of the water carried by the Colorado River evaporates, leaks or spills as the 1,450-mile powerhouse of the West flows through the region’s dams, reservoirs and open-air canals. Key stewards of the river have ignored this massive water loss for decades.

Emails obtained by The Associated Press depict a desire to reach a consensus but persistent disagreement over how much each of the seven basin states could or should give. Ultimately, the mid-August deadline came and went with no deal.

The money comes as government officials have struggled to contain destructive infernos being made worse by climate change.