Prior to joining the Ouray County Plaindealer, Chart covered courts and legal affairs for Law360 in his hometown of Atlanta, GA. He began his reporting career at the nearby Marietta Daily Journal, covering local and state politics and economic development. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia. Before journalism, he led other lives as a government oversight investigator, brewery hand, and public lands worker in southwest Colorado.
Beat: Environment and natural resources in the rural Colorado mountains
Rural mountain communities in western Colorado are on the frontlines of environmental challenges. A deepening drought fuels more frequent, intense wildfires, leaving property owners to pay higher insurance costs or unable to obtain policies. The winter tourism economy is no longer able to reliably depend on cold temperatures and deep snowpack. Conflicts have increased over managing public lands after federal funding cuts. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg on the rich variety of stories covered by this beat. The position will include local reporting as well as contributing to projects for High Country News, through the new Western Environmental Reporting Collaborative partnership.