Ground Truth

January 17, 2019 — In his first bill introduced as a member of Congress, Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) is pushing for a land exchange that could clear the way for a massive copper and nickel mine near Lake … More

January 14, 2019 — A mysterious disease first detected seven years ago is attacking beech trees in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Scientists are scrambling to find the cause as the disease spreads rapidly. Beech leaf disease has been detected … More

January 10, 2019 — You’ve probably already seen yesterday’s tweet from President Trump regarding FEMA funding for victims of California’s wildfires. But just in case, here is the original transcript: “Billions of dollars are sent to the State … More

January 8, 2019 — A rare subspecies of marten may be spared from trapping in Oregon’s coastal forests, after the state’s Fish and Wildlife Service reached a court settlement with conservationists last week. Fewer than 200 Humboldt marten … More

January 4, 2019 — Conservation groups have filed extensive objections to a plan to log thousands of acres of the Tongass National Forest over a 15-year period. An 85-page objection letter prepared by Earthjustice on behalf of nine … More

December 31, 2018 — A proposed $1.2 billion hydroelectric facility in the mountains of West Virginia is years from generating electricity, even if the company proposing it secures the necessary permits. But it is already generating criticism from … More

December 26, 2018 — Late last week, shortly before a partial government shutdown took effect, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to ramp up logging on public … More

December 20, 2018 — The Forest Service is among the least popular agencies to work for in the federal government, according to an annual survey of public employees. Just under 53 percent of Forest Service employees are satisfied … More

December 17, 2018 — He rode in on a horse named Tonto. He leaves with something less of a flourish. Ryan Zinke’s tenure as Secretary of Interior lasted less than two years. He leaves behind a legacy of … More

December 13, 2018 — Sometimes a little bit of arm-twisting can yield big results. Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a version of the 2018 Farm Bill that would have opened wide swaths of national … More