The Rural Blog

A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky. Links may expire, require subscription or go behind pay walls. Please send news and knowledge you think would be useful to benjy.hamm@uky.edu.

The Rural Blog

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8 rural-related stories win Sigma Delta Chi awards, including reports on ICE, inequalities, firefighters, environment, etc.

30,000 trees and 2,000 volunteers can restore New Orleans' wetlands

Earth's methane levels began to spike in 2020; a new study may have uncovered the 'culprit.'

In landmark 5-4 ruling, Supreme Court says Environmental Protection Agency can't protect wetlands not tied to streams

Flora/fauna quickies: How snails travel so far, pet-inspired art, what to do when baby bird falls from a nest, and more

EPA effectively says no to Alaska's huge Pebble Mine, but the 'epic resource battle' is expected to continue in court

Lawyers: High court likely to reject its and EPA's definitions of 'waters of the U.S.,' but which wetlands will be regulated?

Low-lying rural areas near coasts will bear the brunt of sea-level rise, analysis of Chesapeake Bay maps indicates

High court reconsiders 'significant nexus' ruling on wetlands

Army Corps of Engineers announces it won't use relaxed Trump-era waters definition when making permit decisions

USDA finalizes and expands 'swampbuster' rules on farm wetlands conservation, dismaying Farm Bureau

Study explores risk of rising sea levels to rural coastal areas

Some states seek federal money to fight invasive species

Report: New definition of 'waters of the U.S.' would strictly limit the Clean Water Act to always-flowing streams

April 13 deadline for journalists to apply for expenses-paid expedition to learn about Upper Mississippi River issues

EPA staff say Pruitt practices extreme secrecy, cite paper for repeal of WOTUS rule as an example

Outgoing EPA head says one of her biggest regrets was failing to connect to rural America

Army Corps issues letter giving guidance on determining 'waters of the U.S.' jurisdiction

Trump says he would eliminate rule that expansively defining 'waters of the United States'

Republicans move to force Obama to veto resolution blocking Waters of the U.S. rules