U.S. District Court Judge Miranda M. Du largely upheld the federal government’s permit for the Thacker Pass lithium mine, a focal point in efforts to increase lithium production.

Ahead of a federal deadline, six of seven Colorado River states released a framework for cuts. But the states failed to gain the support of California, the state using the most water.

This week’s Indy Environment newsletter looks at improving drought conditions after large storms brought considerable precipitation to much of Nevada and the Colorado River Basin.

This week’s edition of Indy Environment looks at Nevada’s proposed consensus plan for the Colorado River — and comments from other states that rely on the river.

At an elevation of almost 9,000 feet, Mt. Rose corridor is the highest mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada that is open year round. As the winding, two-lane road connecting Reno and Lake Tahoe is pummeled by a series of snow storms fueled by an atmospheric river, it’s Chris Howland’s job to keep the road open.

For decades, fences posed risks to pronghorn antelope in a part of Nevada some call the “American Serengeti.” With hundreds of miles of fence removed, that is starting to change.

A Nevada rancher, environmental groups and two tribes challenging a federal permit for the Thacker Pass mine presented oral arguments in a Reno federal District Court this week.

With more storms on the way, about 71,000 Nevada residents are recovering from power outages over New Year’s weekend caused by wet and heavy snow in Reno, Sparks and Carson City.

This week’s holiday edition of the Indy Environment newsletter looks at four environmental issues to watch in 2023. Among them are the ongoing drought and a transition from fossil fuels.

This week’s Indy Environment looks at the main points from a three-day Colorado River conference held in Las Vegas as the water users face an ongoing crisis and looming cuts.

In this week’s Indy Environment newsletter, we talked with Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Tony Wasley, who is resigning from his post, after more than 25 years at the agency.

During remarks at the Tribal Nations Summit, President Joe Biden announced his intention to establish the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, protecting sacred land and connecting critical desert habitat.

Absent an agreement, the federal government is pursuing a two-pronged strategy on cutting Colorado River water use.

Last year, Justice James Hardesty empaneled a commission of water officials and District Court judges to study how cases are moving through the legal system. We spoke to Hardesty about the commission’s progress and the judiciary’s role in hearing water disputes.

Mike Harrison works as a “rot rider” for Down to Earth Composting in Reno. That means twice a week, he hitches a trailer to an e-bike and motors around town collecting compost. It might not be the fastest way to move large quantities of food waste around a city, but Harrison would not have it any other way.

This week’s Indy Environment looks at efforts to reduce wildfire risks through forest treatments, an effort that supporters say will also benefit the Truckee River watershed.

This week’s Indy Environment digs into new research from a team of scientists looking at the intersection of private wells in Nevada, contamination issues and public health.

In Clayton Valley, an epicenter for lithium exploration in Nevada, a contentious legal and administrative battle rages over water rights and the laws that govern mining in the West.

This week’s Indy Environment looks at shrinking reservoirs and rising energy prices for rural utilities on already tight margins.

Tribe members and other area residents are among millions of people nationwide who this year will experience poor air quality because of wildfires.