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natural environment

PERC report says investment in forest fuel treatments leads to decreased wildfire costs

A new report says prescribed burns and thinning projects save money, longterm, highlighting new peer-reviewed economic research on wildfires. The report, released by Bozeman-based Property and Environment Research Center, a “free market environmentalism” nonprofit think-tank, draws heavily on two economics papers looking at fire suppression costs and

Pollution fears in Loch Ness after thieves sink 1930s yacht

Pollution fears in Loch Ness after thieves sink 1930s yacht

By Lauren Beavis There are fears of pollution in Loch Ness after a 1930s river yacht was sunk by thieves who broke in to steal its bell. The motor yacht MY Anneke sank in Loch Dochfour, a freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands southwest of Inverness near Loch Ness. It

Billings expected to hit 90 degrees on Wednesday, could raise river levels

An upswing in temperatures Wednesday will have Billings residents knocking the dust off their AC units early this year. A weather system dominating the intermountain region of the United States is expected to bring potentially record-breaking highs this week, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.

Hottest Mays in Montana since 1895

Hottest Mays in Montana since 1895

Hottest Mays in Montana since 1895 In 2022, the continental United States experienced its third hottest July since 1895, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, while 20 states saw one of their 10 hottest days in the same month. The year prior, July marked the hottest

Bitterroot Front project approved to cut wildfire risk

Bitterroot Front project approved to cut wildfire risk

RAVALLI COUNTY, Mont. — A major wildfire reduction project in the Bitterroot Valley got final approval on May 12, 2026. According to a press release, the Bitterroot Front Project was designed to reduce wildfire risk for communities in the Bitterroot Valley. More than 800,000 acres had burned since 1999 and

A deep-ocean climate plan wins rare EPA approval, but is sinking plants in the sea the answer?

A deep-ocean climate plan wins rare EPA approval, but is sinking plants in the sea the answer?

Innovators who are working on ways to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to fight climate change are having a tough time lately. Their biggest supporter, Microsoft, recently began telling partners that it is pausing its carbon removal purchases. To get a sense of how big of a deal

EPA grants long-contested permit to dispose of Montana refinery’s wastewater

EPA grants long-contested permit to dispose of Montana refinery’s wastewater

Great Falls biorefinery Montana Renewables can now send hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater to disposal sites in nearby Pondera County after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved a permit application earlier this month. Pondera County officials told Montana Free Press that they are considering an appeal. The