Our Stories

The Latest by Ted Zukoski

Staff Attorney

Ted was an attorney in the Rocky Mountain regional office from 2003–2018. He protected wilderness, roadless areas and the planet's climate on behalf of conservation groups in the Four Corners' states.

April 17, 2009

Hey, Sheriff! How About Busting These Guys?

By Ted Zukoski

Shortly after his confirmation, Secretary Ken Salazar declared that there’s a "new sheriff in town" at the Department of Interior.  If there was one part of the swamp that is DC that needed draining, it was DOI, what with the sex and drugs scandal at MMS and many of former Secretary Gale Norton’s cronies sentenced …

March 19, 2009

Red Cliff Mine: A Hazy Future?

By Ted Zukoski

We knew the proposed Red Cliff coal mine in western Colorado had a lot of problems.  It’s no secret that coal is a dirty fuel.  On top of the predictable global warming impacts from burning the mined coal, this mine each year will spew thousands of tons of methane – a greenhouse gas 20 times more …

February 18, 2009

King Coal Threatens Colorado Canyons, Increases Climate Change

By Ted Zukoski

The news on climate change is coming thick and fast these days. Over the weekend, news reports stated scientific studies showed global warming accelerating faster than predicted.  Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed to take a second look at regulating CO2 from coal-fired power plants as a pollutant, signaling a 180 from the Bush administration’s do-nothing approach. Here in …

February 3, 2009

Boy Scouts New Merit Badge … for Clearcutting?

By Ted Zukoski

When one hears the phrase "Boy Scout," one picture that comes to mind is a bunch of youngsters out in the woods, around a campfire, enjoying marshmallows as well as nature.  One might assume that on top of "trustworthy," "obedient," and "brave," Boy Scouts might also put protection of the Great Outdoors among their values. …

January 22, 2009

Now We Can All Retire … Right?

By Ted Zukoski

Jan. 20 marked the dawn of a new day in Washington.  We hope it means a clear break from the past eight years of drilling, logging, and ignoring science.  So now all us enviro lawyers can retire or get real jobs because President Obama – enjoy those two words together – is going to take …

January 9, 2009

Bush Interior Department's Legacy: Down the Toilet?

By Ted Zukoski

With the end of the Bush Administration, the President’s faithful servants are putting a smiley face on their "accomplishments."  Before we look at the praises the Interior Department sang of itself, let’s do our own quick review, starting with the out-and-out sleaze.  There’s the convinction (for lying to Congress) of Jack Abrahamoff protege Steven Griles (Deputy Secretary of …

December 23, 2008

Got Clean Drinking Water?

By Ted Zukoski

In the arid West, water is life.  And life may get a lot more difficult for the Colorado River – a major source of water for Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California – over the next few decades. First, there’s the double whammy of population growth and climate change, the first demanding more water from …

November 28, 2008

Beetle battle: NY Times Misses Beetle / Warming Link

By Ted Zukoski

One of the good things about the Web is that it increases accountability.  Those questioning the so-called "mainstream media" (MSM) don’t have to hope that a stingy editor will find a few column inches to publish an op-ed to have their views heard. So while I’m a regular reader of The New York Times, I was happy …

November 25, 2008

Bush's National Symbol: Dead Bald Eagles

By Ted Zukoski

We expected the worst for the environment from a Bush presidency.  And he has never worked harder to meet our expectations than in these last few months.  The list of misdeeds is long, and probably sadly familiar.  Some of W’s parting shots include: – Gutting key protection in the Endangered Species Act. – Opening millions of …

October 14, 2008

Interior Goes Nuke-u-lar on Grand Canyon

By Ted Zukoski  /  Rocky Mountain Office

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne didn’t like the law that required him to promptly protect public lands around the Grand Canyon from uranium mining.  So he’s getting rid of it. Citizens have only a few days to express their opposition. With less than 100 days left in its life, the current administration has its hands full.  …