CDC report finds barriers to cooling center access for vulnerable residents during extreme heat
With record-breaking heat and an increasing number of days exceeding triple digit temperatures, a CDC report reveals that Arizona residents seeking refuge from extreme heat may face barriers to indoor, air-conditioned centers designed to shield them from dangerous heat.
Arizona leads nation in Valley fever infections—a “disease of color”
Evidence points to Valley fever as a growing problem in Arizona, yet little is known about who is most impacted by a pathogen that now sickens more people here than in any other state. Research shows the most serious form of the illness disproportionately impacts people of color, and likely those who work outdoors, but…
Scientists work to unravel fungus ecology as Valley fever expands throughout West
Valley fever has been known to scientists for more than 100 years, but its ecology remains shrouded in mystery, making it difficult for researchers to learn more about its impact on people and its imminent spread from climate change.
Despite 2016 law, Salt River horses remain unmanaged
Despite 2016 law, Salt River horses remain unmanaged, are not part of the natural ecosystem of the Salt River or even the American Southwest, but an invasive species, that, according to wildlife experts and scientists, is causing catastrophic harm to the Salt River’s natural ecosystem.
Border wall proposal threatens delicate wildlife habitats
President Trump wants to stop illegal immigration with a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but experts agree it would harm the ecology of one of the most biodiverse regions of North America.
Navajo Generating Station coal plant shutdown looms, Arizona Navajo and Hopi tribes look for economic solutions
For decades, fossil fuel was the most important economic driver for Arizona’s Navajos and Hopis. Now, even that is threatening to disappear.
Massive spill highlights outdated water quality standards, government oversight
Editor’s note: This report is part of an AZCIR collaboration with KPBS’ Fronteras Project, a regional news collaborative that produces reports on the changing culture and demographics of the American West and Southwest. The reporting was funded in part by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. By Valeria Fernández | Arizona Center for…
Impacts to health, livelihood continue 1 year after toxic mine spill in Mexico
On Aug. 6, 2014, nearly 11 million gallons of a copper sulfate acid solution poured into the Bacanuchi and Sonora Rivers from the Buenavista del Cobre copper mine, which is owned by Grupo México. The spill impacted an area almost 200 miles along the Sonora River Basin, which is home to more than 22,000 people.
Federal report recommends overhaul of U.S. chemical safety oversight
A federal task force identified sweeping shortfalls in the oversight of hazardous materials in the U.S., showing that short and long-term challenges exist to protect communities from the toxic and explosive chemicals stored at facilities across the nation and in Arizona.
2.8 million Arizonans live within vulnerable zones from toxic chemical leaks
More than 2.8 million Arizona residents — or 44 percent of the state’s population — live within areas that are most vulnerable to a catastrophic accidental release of gaseous, and sometimes explosive hazardous chemicals.
U.S. oversight of ammonium nitrate insufficient, GAO says
Government agencies across the U.S. can’t regulate ammonium nitrate, the hazardous chemical compound that detonated in West, Texas, killing 15 people and injuring hundreds more, a congressional investigation has found. Emergency management agencies at the local, state and federal levels don’t know how many facilities in the U.S. store the hazardous chemical.
Poor oversight cited in Texas ammonium nitrate blast mirrored in Arizona
One year after a fertilizer plant explosion killed 15 people, injured hundreds and devastated the town of West, Texas, significant questions remain about the safety and security of hazardous chemical storage facilities across the U.S. and in Arizona.