Coal mines in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming account for approximately 41 percent of coal production in the United States, causing significant land disturbances. Without proper reclamation practices, orphan mines create barren, unstable lands unlikely to recover. Where mines have been successfully...

Vector-borne diseases, caused by pathogens and parasites, are transmitted through living organism carriers known as vectors. Mosquitoes, the most common disease vectors, transmit illnesses such as Zika, West Nile, chikungunya, malaria, dengue, and yellow fever, which affect millions of people across the world and kill...

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is a species of concern across the western United States as it has the potential to outcompete native plant species, reduce biodiversity, and diminish nutrient availability for ungulates. Furthermore, because cheatgrass can quickly dominate disturbed...

Good air quality is critical for the Intermountain Region of the National Park Service (NPS) to uphold legal mandates, such as the Clean Air Act, to protect park visitor health, the ecological health of the park flora and fauna, and the preservation of the vistas...

Due to increasingly frequent and severe drought conditions in the southwestern US, land managers and livestock producers need to monitor stock ponds with increasing regularity. The ability to assess stock pond water levels with Earth observing satellite systems would enhance...

Saline systems, consisting of salt flats, ponds, and marshes, provide vital water resources to northern Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the driest regions in the world. Mining is extensive in the Atacama, which contains 30% of the world’s lithium reserves and...

West Maui is at risk of losing ecosystem services provided by coral reefs due to land-based sources of pollution (LBSP). In 2011, The US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) identified Wahikuli, Honokōwai, Kahana, Honokahua, and Honolua as priority watersheds in...

Invasive grass species, specifically B. tectorum (cheatgrass), B. japonicus (japanese brome), and Melilotus (sweet clover), have expanded out of the Great Basin and into the western Great Plains of the United States. Increased development and land use in western South Dakota have provided a gateway...

The urban heat island (UHI) effect occurs when non-vegetated surfaces trap heat during daylight hours, increasing the overall temperature of urbanized cities relative to adjacent rural areas. Excessive heat can increase the likelihood of heat stroke or dehydration, especially in vulnerable populations without access to...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will be supervising a harbor deepening project in Port Everglades, Florida. The project raises concerns about potential impacts on the nearby...