
Nathan Rott
Nathan Rott is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, where he focuses on environment issues and the American West.
Based at NPR West in Culver City, California, Rott spends a lot of his time on the road, covering everything from breaking news stories like California's wildfires to in-depth issues like the management of endangered species and many points between.
Rott owes his start at NPR to two extraordinary young men he never met. As the first recipient of the Stone and Holt Weeks Fellowship in 2010, he aims to honor the memory of the two brothers by carrying on their legacy of making the world a better place.
A graduate of the University of Montana, Rott prefers to be outside at just about every hour of the day. Prior to working at NPR, he worked a variety of jobs including wildland firefighting, commercial fishing, children's theater teaching, and professional snow-shoveling for the United States Antarctic Program. Odds are, he's shoveled more snow than you.
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The environmental impacts from Russia's invasion of Ukraine could be felt far longer than the war itself.
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The U.S. Supreme Court's opinion in a key environmental case, WV v. EPA, says the federal agency lacks authority to use greenhouse gas emissions caps to force fossil fuel power plants out of business.
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As the Russian invasion blocks much of Ukraine's food exports elsewhere, ports in the far south are the few Ukrainian-run transit points for goods in and out of the country.
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In tree ring records dating back to AD 800, the only multidecade drought that came close to today's was in the 1500s. Researchers say climate change is a factor and the U.S. must plan for less water.
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Sea level rise is threatening billions in coastal property. A California lawmaker is proposing a novel way to retreat from the threat: buying and renting out properties as long as they're habitable.
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Her historic confirmation is also symbolic, as the agency was long a tool of oppression against Indigenous peoples. Haaland will be key to President Biden's ambitious efforts to combat climate change.
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The changes will restore protections that were taken away under former President Donald Trump. But they will take time, and wildlife advocates say many bird species already face a risk of extinction.
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The Biden administration is moving to restore protections for migratory birds. It's the latest step to reverse a number of environmental rollbacks under former President Donald Trump.
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At work every day, Agnes Boisvert attends to ICU patients "gasping for air" and dying from COVID-19. But communicating that harsh reality to her skeptical community has been a challenge.
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In Southern California, pollutants from wildfire smoke caused up to a 10% increase in hospital admissions. Researchers say there's a need for better air monitoring and public health programs.