Ski industry exploited ‘lax regulatory environment’ under Bush, says former Forest Service official

Going to court may be “the best way” to resolve a dispute over water rights between the U.S. Forest Service and the National Ski Areas Association, according to a former Forest Service ski area permit coordinator.

Koch brothers place fourth in Pacific Institute’s Climate B.S. of the Year Awards

Al Gore made headlines when he called B.S. on climate change deniers in Aspen over the summer, and now the Pacific Institute is doing the same. But this time B.S. stands for “bad science.”

Study: Border fences blocking black bear migration between Arizona, Mexico

There is a new political animal in America’s age-old immigration debate: the black bear.

Omnibus bill commits $4 million to combat white-nose syndrome

Congress allotted $4 million on Friday to study and combat the outbreak of white-nose syndrome — a mysterious and menacing disease that is killing off North American bats by the millions.

Incandescent lightbulbs win congressional reprieve at 11th hour

Congress didn’t just agree to keep the government’s lights on through the rest of the fiscal year. It is also ensuring it has the option of doing so with high-energy-consuming incandescent 100-watt lightbulbs.

Majority of Colorado voters favor civil unions for same-sex couples

According to a poll released last week by Public Policy Polling, Colorado voters narrowly favor making same-sex marriage legal and favor legalizing civil unions by a more than 3-1 margin.

Poll: Colorado has country’s second most popular governor

According to a poll released Thursday by Public Policy Polling, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is the second most popular governor in the country. Also, according to the poll, if an election were held today, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mark Udall would cruise to victory.

Colorado to join other states asking feds to reclassify marijuana

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chaffee and Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire have petitioned the federal government to change the schedule of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, a move they claim will remove the conflict between federal and state drug laws, which will in turn allow for the establishment of More…

Poll: Obama likely to beat Gingrich in Colorado

President Obama is not a popular politician in Colorado, but, according to a recent Public Policy Polling survey, Obama would defeat in a landslide Republican Newt Gingrich, whose star has risen of late but who boasts laughable negative numbers with voters here and is despised by the state’s enormous More…

Economists urge White House, Congress to protect more public lands

Protecting public lands can be a boon for the private sector, attracting companies and workers to the communities that border them, more than 100 economists wrote in letter to President Obama this week.

The letter (PDF) , signed by Texas A&M professor Douglass Shaw, urges the president to invest More…