Miguel Otárola is a climate and environment reporter at CPR News.
Professional Background: Miguel joined CPR in 2021 after covering Minneapolis and its suburbs as a reporter for the Star Tribune. Before that, he began his journalism career interning at newspapers across the country, including the Arizona Republic, Seattle Times and Boston Globe. Miguel was also a host of a music show at KFAI 90.3 FM, a community radio station in Minneapolis.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in mass communications from Arizona State University.
On his first day in office, President Biden promised to review the Trump administration’s policies around habitat for the greater sage grouse, and to look into the handling of onshore oil and gas leasing. Those efforts are now underway.
Xcel Energy has struck a deal to close Colorado’s largest coal-fired power plant before 2035, a move that could slash the utility’s carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 90 percent this decade.
Less than a fifth of all cities and towns in Colorado have automatic curbside recycling programs — including Aurora, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction.
The oil and gas company has agreed to remediate several violations in exchange for a lower fine, but could still be charged the original fine if it doesn't fully comply with it's agreement with Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
Xcel Energy plans to stop burning coal in the city and close the Comanche Generating Station, the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, by 2040.
While proactive forest thinning and savvy firefighting kept the fire away from buildings, it still covered 600 acres of forest at Cal-Wood, and more than 10,000 acres in Boulder County — the largest ever recorded there.
The official launch of a massive solar array that will power the steel mill in Pueblo was held Wednesday on top of a hill with a view that framed the array, mill and power station connecting the two.
Colorado’s top air regulator has been reassigned to a new position after a state-backed investigation found potential conflicts of interest with a mining company seeking an air pollution permit.