Environment
Environment
Puget Sound Whale Watchers Accused Of Loving Endangered Orcas To Death
The question of whether boat-based watching tours are really harmless has become more urgent in Washington state, where Southern Resident killer whales have been declining since the 1990s. Continue Reading Puget Sound Whale Watchers Accused Of Loving Endangered Orcas To Death
Willapa Bay Oyster Farmers Struggle As Shrimp Population Booms
Of the 70,000 acres of mudflats in Willapa Bay, less than 10,000 acres are used for shellfish cultivation. Researchers estimate about a quarter of that farmable land has already been taken over by burrowing shrimp. But the battle over land between shellfish growers and the shrimp is not entirely new. Continue Reading Willapa Bay Oyster Farmers Struggle As Shrimp Population Booms
EPA Begins Removing Herbicide Barrels From Eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Lake
The Environmental Protection Agency has begun removing potentially contaminated barrels from Wallowa Lake. Despite initial fears, the barrels seem to have been full of lake water, though the EPA is waiting for test results to confirm that the water and barrels are indeed clean. Continue Reading EPA Begins Removing Herbicide Barrels From Eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Lake
Southwestern Washington’s Port Of Kalama Says Methanol Refinery Can’t Export For Fuel
Port of Kalama commissioners unanimously passed a lease amendment with a controversial methanol facility Wednesday night that prohibits the company from exporting its product for fuel. Continue Reading Southwestern Washington’s Port Of Kalama Says Methanol Refinery Can’t Export For Fuel
Canada Wants To Ban Single-Use Plastics. Would It Make A Difference?
From Vancouver to Halifax, plastic plates, plastic bags and plastic straws may be on their way out. But a possible country-wide prohibition on certain single-use plastic products may not address the spread of the most insidious plastic litter, some scientists say. Continue Reading Canada Wants To Ban Single-Use Plastics. Would It Make A Difference?
In Astoria, Cormorant Birds Take Over Iconic Bridge, And Salmon Below Are On The Menu
Cormorants by the thousands have taken up residence under the landmark Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River. Their poop can corrode the bridge and that is unacceptable to the Oregon and Washington transportation departments. But what actions to take against the protected birds and whose responsibility that is are up in the air. Continue Reading In Astoria, Cormorant Birds Take Over Iconic Bridge, And Salmon Below Are On The Menu
U.S. Forest Service Seeks To Overhaul Timber Management Rules
Federal land managers have proposed sweeping rule changes to a landmark environmental law that would allow them to fast-track certain forest management projects, including logging and prescribed burning. Continue Reading U.S. Forest Service Seeks To Overhaul Timber Management Rules
Oregon Wave Energy Testing Project Moves Forward
A renewable energy project planned off the coast of Newport is taking a step forward. Oregon State University has submitted a final license application for a wave energy testing facility with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If built, it would be the largest of its kind in the U.S. Continue Reading Oregon Wave Energy Testing Project Moves Forward
Tribes Say Fish Passage Above Grand Coulee Dam Is Possible
A team of researchers presented their findings on Tuesday to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. In short, they said, salmon can survive in the upper reaches of the Columbia Basin, and fish passage needs to happen above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. Continue Reading Tribes Say Fish Passage Above Grand Coulee Dam Is Possible
Timeline: A History Of Grizzly Bear Recovery In The Lower 48 States
At their peak, grizzly bears numbered more than 50,000 in the Lower 48. Facing threats from habitat loss, hunting and conflicts with people and livestock, their numbers dwindled to fewer than 1,000 in the lower 48 by the time the Endangered Species Act was implemented in 1975. Here’s a timeline of the management actions, court cases and notable events that have shaped grizzly bear recovery since their ESA listing through today. Continue Reading Timeline: A History Of Grizzly Bear Recovery In The Lower 48 States
Oregon Approves New Plan For Managing Gray Wolves
Oregon fish and wildlife commissioners approved a new management plan Friday for gray wolves, a long-awaited document that sets protocols for potential hunts and new thresholds for when the agency may kill wolves after attacks on cattle and sheep. Continue Reading Oregon Approves New Plan For Managing Gray Wolves
West Coast Rockfish Populations Rebound Faster Than Expected
Too much fishing with trawl nets led to a devastating collapse in fish populations in the 1990s. Widow rockfish were one of 10 different groundfish species that were declared overfished, and trawl boats were restricted from catching them. Continue Reading West Coast Rockfish Populations Rebound Faster Than Expected
