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Leslie Patten

@mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social
1.4K followers 310 following 1.1K posts

Posts on Conservation and Climate Change issues across the West. Author of books on wildlife; living lightly, a blue dot in the reddest state

PostsRepliesMedia
Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
We need more of this monkey wrenching for all the tear downs he's raining on our environment www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
washingtonpost.com
Activist occupies new tree, extending border wall standoff in Arizona
Customs and Border Protection agents bulldozed a tree on Monday that activists had occupied for more than two months.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Eroding our Parks is the top priority for the Trump Interior Department www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
washingtonpost.com
Trump administration blocks $25 million in funding for national parks
The Interior Department did not give approval to more than 130 partnership agreements covering activities like tending to sled dogs and preventing damage to burial mounds.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
wapo.st/4jbv8vz
wapo.st
New cat species discovered in Bolivia for first time in over 100 years
Named Leopardus tilcayo, the new cat looks not unlike a leopard that shrank to the size of a house kitten.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Says the man who doesn't even use or have a computer. Trump wanted to discuss A.I., and wasn’t thrilled about all the recent talk of the dangers of A.I. “It’s a hoax,” Mr. Trump said “The robots are not going to be taking over the world. That’s not going to happen.”
nytimes.com
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Gets Onstage Call From Trump, Who Dismissed A.I. Safety Concerns (Gift Article)
Mr. Trump called Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, while Mr. Huang was onstage in Los Angeles and criticized calls to slow down and regulate A.I.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
My latest blog post on what's happening in the Rockies this fall for bears and food. Due to climate crisis changes, bears will have almost no foods this fall to prepare for winter hibernation. lesliepattenbooks.com/2026/09/06/c...
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Argentina locks in wilderness. Meanwhile Trump is destroying it over here
snowsportsnews.com
A former Patagonia CEO just locked millions of hectares of Argentine wilderness into protection—for at least 99 years
A former Patagonia CEO just locked millions of hectares of Argentine wilderness into protection—for at least 99 years
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
wyofile.com/u-s-fish-and...
wyofile.com
U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff tumbles by a quarter in Director Brian Nesvik’s home state of Wyoming - WyoFile
Nationwide, agency staffing has dropped by 36% since 2024 and wildlife refuges, already debilitated by a lack of resources, continue to lose employees.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
This is really good news. "The BLM claimed that American Prairie is managing the bison as wildlife, not as a food-producing livestock herd, and therefore is in violation of the Taylor Grazing Act." Horses also use BLM and FS allotments and they aren't slaughtered for food. A specious argument
cowboystatedaily.com
Judge Halts BLM Directive To Removal Bison From Federal Grazing Allotments
A federal judge on Friday blocked a BLM directive to remove bison from Montana federal grazing allotments because they're being managed as wildlife, not…
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
How many people have actually seen an old growth forest? How much old growth is left in the U.S.? Hardly any. An old growth tree is not like any tree you've ever seen before. Trump is hell bent on making sure no one will ever see one again morethanjustparks.substack.com/cp/214219630
morethanjustparks.substack.com
US Forest Service to Clearcut One of the Last Great Groves in the Tongass
It’s referred to as Unit 346 in the Twin Mountain II Timber Sale. On the ground, it’s some of the most spectacular old growth we’ve ever witnessed, and it’s marked for clearcutting.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
love this company! www.nytimes.com/2026/09/02/c...
nytimes.com
Patagonia Sues Trump Over Reduction of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah (Gift Article)
The outdoor apparel maker joined environmental and Native American groups in challenging President Trump’s reduction of Bears Ears National Monument.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Working hard every day to accelerate the climate crisis www.axios.com/2026/08/27/t...
axios.com
Scoop: U.S. close to striking "massive" deal for Venezuelan oil fields
The deal would give the U.S. an ownership stake in Venezuela's oil fields and more than double American oil reserves.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
When the reddest state in the Union has a warning about DOJ behavior at polling places we should all heed www.nytimes.com/2026/08/28/u...
nytimes.com
Wyoming Governor Objects to ‘Very Odd’ D.O.J. Election Monitoring (Gift Article)
Governor Mark Gordon, a Republican, said he was concerned by the behavior of election observers who visited a polling station in Cheyenne.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Trump's destruction now extends to our National Forests and National Parks and our wildlife. Everything he touches dies www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
washingtonpost.com
Trump seeks to open millions of acres of national forests to roads
The Trump administration proposed a repeal of the 2001 “roadless rule,” raising concerns among environmentalists that already-threatened woodlands could be further fragmented.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A big problem here is that as a one party state the primary at the height of the summer determines our election outcome. Turnout is low and the crazy extremists always turn out.
nytimes.com
In Wyoming, a Primary Fight Between the Right and the Far Right
One of the most conservative states has a legislature divided between a hard-right House and a merely right Senate. Ultraconservatives want a complete takeover in the Aug. 18 primaries.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
AI companies are racing to fuel climate change. Just these new proposed plants could release as much planet-warming pollution in a year as roughly half of all the passenger vehicles in the United States www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/c...
nytimes.com
Trump’s Push for More A.I. Data Centers Will Mean Major Air Pollution (Gift Article)
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
If you live in the West, you know this the most major issue and it will only get worse. But there is no reason to trust the Trump administration negotiating the logjam. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/31/c...
nytimes.com
U.S. Raises Threat of Steep Water Cuts in Lower Colorado River Basin (Gift Article)
A federal plan would impose drastic water cuts on Arizona, California and Nevada in dry years over the next decade. A legal battle could follow.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
“The American public at large should be concerned about this effort to erode their history, their life ways, and how fast they’re going to see data centers popping up around every corner.” We are being overtaken by people with no vision, no souls, no character
nytimes.com
Critics Say Historic Sites Are Endangered by Trump-Aligned Panel’s Plan (Gift Article)
Proponents say the changes to the federal preservation rules are necessary, but critics argue they are alarming and would help expedite the president’s redesign of Washington.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
An excellent expose on how Meta circumvented public input and created a blueprint for other companies intent on avoiding local opposition in order to get massive data centers built fast. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/t...
nytimes.com
How Meta Got Everything It Wanted in a Secret Louisiana Data Center Deal (Gift Article)
A Times examination details how the Silicon Valley giant used private talks with local officials to start a project big enough to cover nearly six square miles.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
this is a surprise, my representative. But she still needs to be voted out. Always trying to privatize public lands. The Dems that voted for this bill need to go! cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/23/h...
cowboystatedaily.com
Hageman One Of 7 Republican No Votes For $1.15 Trillion Trump-Backed Defense Act
Harriet Hageman was one of seven Republicans who voted against the Trump-backed $1.5 trillion National Defense Authorization Act that passed the House on…
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
The water wars begin: Gov. Mark Gordon said Wyoming’s share of water is protected by water rights that are senior to the 1922 compact." When the water was divided up in 1922, there were 16 million acre-feet of water available from the Colorado River. This year there’s only 3.5 million available
cowboystatedaily.com
In Cheyenne, Interior Secretary Says He'll Act On Colorado River Crisis, If He Has To
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday that he'll intervene in the Colorado River crisis — if he has to. “We have one-fourth the water and four…
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
This is horrible. cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/16/w...
cowboystatedaily.com
Wyoming Wind Turbines Killed More Than 23,000 Birds And Bats Last Year
More than 23,000 birds and bats were killed by wind turbines in Wyoming in 2025, according to a report presented Wednesday to the state Game and Fish…
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
BREAKING NEWS: For those of you who follow/care about Yellowstone wolf packs, the oldest remaining pack in the park since reintroduction in 1995 is the Mollies. They have left the Park and are now vulnerable to being killed in Wyoming's wolf hunt in September. My video is featured. Call WY governor
wyofile.com
Yellowstone’s oldest wolf pack, Mollie’s Pack, leaves the park, raising fears for its future - WyoFile
Wyoming officials say they recognize the Mollie’s Pack’s historic significance and have taken steps to address the situation, but they rebuffed requests to adjust a hunting season that’s two months aw...
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
“Today’s action is a direct strike against the federal government’s duty to consult with Tribes. It also profoundly disrespects our intergenerational Traditional Knowledge by destroying a framework for Tribal co-stewardship over our ancestral lands in which we invested years of effort.”
sltrib.com
President Trump drastically shrinks 2 Utah national monuments — again
Trump cuts nearly 3 million acres out of the two monuments in southern Utah.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
We don't need grazing or agricultural lands. Who cares about water or wildlife, springs, mule deer habitat and big-sky views families have cherished for generations. Billionaires who don't care about Wyoming pushing lies to build data centers. cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/13/r...
cowboystatedaily.com
Ranchlands Near Wheatland Eyed For $26 Billion 'Transformational' Data Center
A company called Site Layer 4 wants to rezone 5,344 acres of ranchland near Wheatland for a data center and power plant. The project, they say, adds 300…
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Will our reddest of red states be able to deny climate change after this weekend? wyofile.com/weekend-heat...
wyofile.com
Weekend heat wave could bring historic highs to northern, western Wyoming - WyoFile
The forecast calls for a real possibility of the hottest temperatures recorded in many northern Wyoming towns, with thermometers reaching nearly 110 degrees.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
More warnings about AI data centers. META in Cheyenne WY discharged wastewater contaminated with Cupriavidus gilardii, a bacterium that interfered with operations at the city's water reclamation facilities and contaminated the municipal reuse water system cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/02/c...
cowboystatedaily.com
Cheyenne Won’t Take Data Center Wastewater After Meta Contractor Contaminated System
Cheyenne announced Thursday it's suspended taking wastewater associated with data center systems after a Meta contractor contaminated the city’s…
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Beautiful red fox seen just outside Yellowstone National Park.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
All I can think is: This is so Stupid! www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
GOP lawmakers move to officially rename Department of Defense as Department of War
Republicans pushed a proposal to officially rename the Defense Department into early versions of the House and Senate defense policy bills.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
I live in rural WY and wouldn't have internet if not for Starlink. Starlink is the only part of SpaceX that's profitable, but If they are worth trillions why did they just raise my monthly fees? www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/t...
nytimes.com
Is SpaceX Worth $1.77 Trillion? It’s a Pie in the Sky, Some Investors Say
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Reposted by Leslie Patten
Go Green @ecowarriorss.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
US citizens will go thirsty for billionaires Most New US Data Centers Are Slated for Drought-Plagued Areas More than 60% of the contiguous US is currently at varying stages of drought but AI data centers want whatever water remains www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Most new US data centers are slated for drought-plagued areas
Amid public outcry over water-guzzling server farms, a Guardian analysis indicates trouble ahead.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
As the Colorado River system dries up, meanwhile AI data centers are going all out on building in our Western states, basically stealing the little water the West has. www.upr.org/environment/...
upr.org
Lake Powell levels are functionally even lower than on paper, report says
Federal data typically focuses on the total amount of water stored, but some water has to stay in reservoirs to keep dams working. That means even less is available for cities and farms.
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Reposted by Leslie Patten
Go Green @ecowarriorss.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
In a warming Arctic, gray whales struggle to find nourishment as Grey Whales die from starvation Grey Whale population plummeted during the past 7 years from a high of more than 27,000 whales in 2016 to less than 13,000 last year. sourcenm.com/2026/06/03/r...
sourcenm.com
In a warming Arctic, gray whales struggle to find nourishment • Source New Mexico
More than 900 eastern North Pacific gray whales have been found dead along the shorelines of Mexico, Canada and the United States since 2019.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Botanicals for Health Last year in June I went on a field trip with John Mionczynski to the Red Desert. John is a well-known biologist and expert botanist on medicinal plants. He probably knows the Red Desert better than anyone, having lived nearby for most of his life and explored it deeply. I'd…
thehumanfootprint.wordpress.com
Botanicals for Health
Last year in June I went on a field trip with John Mionczynski to the Red Desert. John is a well-known biologist and expert botanist on medicinal plants. He probably knows the Red Desert better than anyone, having lived nearby for most of his life and explored it deeply. I'd been previously to the Red Desert for a one day exploration.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
No more wide open skies for Montana. At least three large data centers and many smaller ones have been proposed for the state, lured by tax breaks, vast open land and Gov. Greg Gianforte, who has tried to make Montana a hub for A.I. This one below the size of 3800 football fields.
nytimes.com
You Can’t Stop This Data Center, a Mom Was Told. She Won’t Quit.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Robins on the decline. A sign that things are worsening between climate change, habitat loss, pesticides... www.wbez.org/environment/...
wbez.org
American robins’ numbers are on the decline. Here’s why and what that might mean.
The numbers of the songbird appear to be dropping not only in the Chicago region but throughout much of the country. Experts say it's another sign many birds in North America are in trouble.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Water war talk "Flying over Phoenix, Rauch noticed how almost every house in that arid country has a swimming pool. It feels extravagant to her that such communities would demand more water from Wyoming, which aren’t focusing on swimming pools and are more worried about watering their cattle."
cowboystatedaily.com
Flaming Gorge Marinas Race To Survive As 1M Acre-Feet Of Water Sent Downriver
Releases of up to 1 million acre-feet of water downriver from Flaming Gorge are gutting the gorge’s world-famous kokanee fishery and has marinas racing to…
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
What is a mosaic landscape? About a month ago I decided to explore the extensive tracts of lodgepole forest at the far end of our valley that hug our main access road. At a glance this forest appears "mature", thick with trees around 50-70' tall. But start walking through the woods a different…
thehumanfootprint.wordpress.com
What is a mosaic landscape?
About a month ago I decided to explore the extensive tracts of lodgepole forest at the far end of our valley that hug our main access road. At a glance this forest appears "mature", thick with trees around 50-70' tall. But start walking through the woods a different picture emerges. There are old logging roads and the understory is clear and easy to maneuver.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
The man was a great conservationist and philanthropist. Should be a model for today's greedy billionaires. He spent a lot of effort to restore ecosystems on his properties. www.nbcnews.com/news/obituar...
nbcnews.com
Ted Turner, billionaire media mogul and CNN founder, dies at 87
He conquered the broadcasting industry and reshaped the television landscape with CNN, the first 24-hour cable news network in the U.S.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Can Bezos stoop any lower www.wsj.com/business/med...
wsj.com
Amazon Discusses ‘Apprentice’ Reboot—With Don Jr. as a Potential Host
Studio executives have held internal discussions about making new episodes of reality TV show.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
It was 80 degrees in Billings last week in mid-April and Red Lodge had a big fire. Are we concerned yet about climate change? www.mtpr.org/montana-news...
mtpr.org
What does climate change in Montana look like? This winter, climatologist says
Snowpack in the West typically reaches its peak in early April but that hasn’t happened this year. Drought persists, setting up conditions for wildfires and low water supply. This warm, snowless winte...
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
“We urge you to stay the course and make it clear that Chinese auto manufacturers and their products present unprecedented dangers to our economic and national security, and their manufacture, sale, or operation on U.S. soil is non-negotiable,” Vote this kind of mentality out!
wsj.com
Democratic Senators Call on Trump to Block Chinese Automakers From Manufacturing in U.S.
The three senators, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, also called for a ban on Chinese vehicles manufactured or titled in Canada and Mexico.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
The Biden administration in 2022 estimated the work would cost $3.3 million. But Mr. Trump’s government agreed to pay Clark $11.9 million to do it, and later added tasks that increased the contract to $17.4 million. While our Parks struggle, Trump steals Park Service $$ for favors.
nytimes.com
Firm Building Trump’s Ballroom Got a Secret No-Bid Contract for a Nearby Job
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
The bill would have required regulators to conduct economic and national security analyses when determining whether to list a species as endangered, This was how the GOP wanted to celebrate Earth Day
nytimes.com
Republicans Had an Earth Day Plan to Limit Species Protections. It Flopped.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
The desperate move is in response to projections that show Lake Powell, “without major intervention,” could drop below 3,490 feet in elevation by August, which would kill hydroelectric generation at Glen Canyon Dam. If it drops even further, the dam is in danger of structural failure.
wyofile.com
Feds order Flaming Gorge drop to save imperiled Lake Powell from potential structural failure - WyoFile
Record-breaking heat and historically low snowpack have reduced water storage on the Colorado River system to 36%, officials say.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
"This morning, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it was difficult to determine the actual causes of climate change." This guy who initially seemed like an intelligent choice, now just appears to be as dumb and incompetent as the rest of Trump's group www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/c...
nytimes.com
The Treasury Secretary vs. Climate Science
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Trump's BBB and trashing of Biden's energy policies is leading to this giant utility in the West switching to coal wyofile.com/wyoming-elec...
wyofile.com
Wyoming electric utility dumps wind and solar in long-term planning - WyoFile
One of the key driving forces behind the expansion of wind turbines in Wyoming is gutting plans for future renewable energy projects. Rocky Mountain
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Watch a grizzly bear haul a deer carcass to claim as his own.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Living in the Greater Yellowstone, this is an accurate report of the disappearance of our trail network due to lack of Forest Service funding. FS maps show trails that are disappearing. Volunteers with Back Country Horsemen are the only one maintaining front country trails in the Shoshone NF
washingtonpost.com
Internal Forest Service report finds ‘unpassable trails, unsafe bridges’
A report obtained by The Post says the U.S. Forest Service’s trails are deteriorating rapidly due to staff cuts under the Trump administration, posing risks to visitors.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
A proposal for mandatory cuts — designed to protect water elevations in Lake Powell — outlines major cutbacks on the amount of water flowing to the Phoenix and Tucson areas. Inflows to Lake Powell from April through July are projected to be 22% of normal
wyomingpublicmedia.org
'Dismal,' 'depressing' and 'seriously dry': Low snow threatens Colorado River water supply
Arizona's water supply could face major cutbacks on the heels of an exceptionally hot, dry winter in the Rocky Mountains.
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Leslie Patten @mamagrizbskysocial.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Does he plan to use tactical nuclear weapons? He is really getting scary. As the GOP happily goes on vacation www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
wsj.com
Iran War News Live Updates: U.S. Strikes Kharg Island, Hitting More Than 50 Military Targets
President Trump has given a deadline of 8 p.m. ET for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
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