Boise State Public Radio is a founding member of the bureau, a regional newsroom investigating the issues that define the Mountain West – from land and water use to urban growth to our unique culture and heritage.
Bureau partners include Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, KUNR in Reno, Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado and KANW in New Mexico. Colorado Public Radio (CPR News) and KJZZ in Phoenix, Arizona, are associate partners. Many other stations across the region are affiliates of the bureau.
The bureau also produces “Our Living Lands,” a weekly radio segment exploring how climate change affects Indigenous communities, in partnership with Koahnic Broadcast Corp. and Native Public Media.
The bureau was formed in 2018 and joined NPR’s network of regional newsrooms in 2025. It receives funding from Eric and Wendy Schmidt and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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New Mexico takes a big step toward universal childcare -
In June, the Trump administration called for a consolidation of federal wildfire agencies “to achieve the most efficient and effective use of wildland fire offices.” Now federal leaders have released plans about how to carry out the order. -
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service incentive launched last year and is now expanding to more wildlife refuges. -
Climate change could be taking a toll on the smallest creatures in the Mountain West. A new study finds insect populations in one mountain valley have plunged by more than 70% in recent decades. Scientists say this trend could shake the food chain in alpine areas across the region. -
The federal government has issued new guidelines to wildland firefighters for the voluntary use of protective masks. The move comes as knowledge of long-term health risks faced by such workers – including cancer – grows. -
Spanish language music is popular and big business but feeling the effects of immigration crackdownsIncreased Immigration crackdowns are having an impact on Spanish-language live performances as performer visas are being revoked. This is having a significant economic impact on local communities. -
Number of doctors leaving small towns reaches new high -
The Public Lands Rule was among the Biden Administration's signature efforts to protect and restore Bureau of Land Management land in the face of climate change and increasing land fragmentation. -
The federal government currently spends significantly more on suppressing fires than preventing them. -
Environment and outdoor recreation advocates say changes to the Land and Water Conservation Fund could undermine its effectiveness.
