environment Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

In Toppenish, A Trail Cam Zooms In On Unique Learning Opportunity For Yakama Nation Students

By Courtney Flatt June 23, 2020

An otter seen on a trail camera as part of an environmental science course at the Yakama Nation Tribal School. With the coronavirus pandemic, students still monitored the area of study near Highway 97 in Toppenish remotely.

Historically, the Yakama Nation Tribal School was a school “of last resort,” says principal Adam Strom, where students came after they could no longer attend other area schools. That’s changing. He says courses like this one in environmental science and natural resources are a big reason why. Read More

U.S. Senate Passes Big Funding Boost To Conservation Fund, Help For National Parks Maintenance

By Courtney Flatt June 17, 2020

Washington Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell helped push through the Great American Outdoors Act, speaking on the Senate floor with a picture of Mount Rainier on June 17, 2020. Screenshot / Courtesy of U.S. Senate

The Great American Outdoors Act would permanently allocate $900 million to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which finally lapsed almost two years ago. Continue Reading U.S. Senate Passes Big Funding Boost To Read More

Research From Northwest Scientists Shows Negative Climate Change Effects On Old Growth Forests

By Courtney Flatt June 1, 2020

OSU scientists detect a tagged hermit warbler in the canopy of an old growth grove in the Oregon Cascades. Learning how the small song birds travel over the course of a day could provide insight into why bird populations are doing well in old growth forests while declining in other warming landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. CREDIT: GREG DAVIS

Deforestation, climate change and the disturbances it can exacerbate – like wildfires, extreme droughts and insect outbreaks – are decimating old growth forests across the globe. That means forests worldwide are filling in with younger and shorter trees, according to a new study. Read More

Federal Rollback Of Environmental Rules Continue Despite Pandemic. Opponents Cry Foul

By NPR News May 28, 2020

Because of the pandemic, the Bureau of Land Management held virtual public hearings in April on a proposal to expand oil drilling in Alaska's North Slope. U.S. Department of the Interior / screenshot by NPR

The Trump administration is rushing to finalize some of its biggest environmental rollbacks ahead of November's election. Some affected groups say they're too distracted by the pandemic to engage. Continue Reading Federal Read More

Our Pandemic Habits Cut Carbon Emissions, But It’s Not Clear They’ll Last

By NPR News May 22, 2020

Energy demand plummeted because of the pandemic shutdown. A big question is whether new habits like telecommuting and flying less will endure, and mean lower oil consumption in the future. Continue Reading Our Pandemic Habits Cut Carbon Read More

Trump Administration Says Washington State Overstepped With Oil Train Law

By NWPB News May 13, 2020

Smoke billows from a Union Pacific train that derailed near Mosier, Ore., in the Columbia River Gorge. on June 3, 2016.

The Trump administration on Monday moved to block a Washington state law that imposed safety restrictions on oil shipments by rail following a string of explosive accidents. Continue Reading Trump Administration Says Washington State Read More

Pandemic Gives Pacific Northwest Whales A Respite From Din Of Underwater Noise

By Tom Banse May 13, 2020

Underwater noise impacts on endangered orcas were already under study before the coronavirus pandemic opened the door for a natural experiment.

American and Canadian marine scientists -- and one talented dog -- are seizing an unexpected opportunity presented by the coronavirus pandemic. They are trying to establish whether Pacifc Northwest whales benefit from the current drop in boat traffic and underwater noise. Read More

Federal Environmental Policies During Pandemic Raise Concerns Across Northwest

By NWPB News May 10, 2020

An elevated fish ladder designed to help migrating fish swim through the Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River near Almota, Wash.

State agencies and advocates have been alarmed by federal environmental policy rollbacks that continue unabated by the global coronavirus pandemic. Continue Reading Federal Environmental Policies During Pandemic Raise Concerns Read More

Pandemic Shutdown Is Speeding Up The Collapse Of Coal

By NPR News April 27, 2020

Energy analysts say coal use is down so much that some power plants might run out of room to stockpile it.

Coal use has plummeted in part because it's more expensive than natural gas or renewable energy. Mines are shutting down, and some power plants may run out of places to stockpile coal. Continue Reading Pandemic Shutdown Is Speeding Up The Collapse Of Read More

10 Years After BP Deepwater Horizon Spill: Oil Drilled Deeper; Rules Relaxed

By NWPB News April 20, 2020

Oil in the Gulf of Mexico as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig burns

Ten years after an oil rig explosion killed 11 workers and unleashed an environmental nightmare in the Gulf of Mexico, companies are drilling in deeper and deeper waters, where payoffs can be huge but risks are greater than ever. Continue Read More

As Many People Stay Home, Will The Environment Improve — At Least Temporarily?

By PBS Newshour April 6, 2020

Alexandra Sasha Grieb and Kyleigh Dabler, both 19, from Kennewick, waved at passing cars driving by Richland’s John Dam Plaza. Grieb said it will be up to younger generations to fight climate change now with their votes. “The earth will survive climate change. Humans won’t,” she said. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

Will the current lull in activity make a difference in the air we breathe or the future of climate change? Continue Reading As Many People Stay Home, Will The Environment Improve — At Least Temporarily?Read More

Washington High Schoolers Won’t Get Litter Crew Jobs This Summer — But Adults Can Apply

By Courtney Flatt March 27, 2020

Washington high school students won't get the chance to get job skills in outdoor litter crews this summer. But the Dept. of Ecology will hire adults for the crews. CREDIT: Washington DOE

The state Dept. of Ecology will bring the student crews back next summer. But the agency will will hire more adult crews, ages 18 and up, to pick up litter. There won’t be as many openings as with youth workers because the adults will work longer than three weeks. Read More

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Promises Executive Action On Climate After GOP Legislative Walkout

By Dirk VanderHart March 9, 2020

People gather on the steps of the Oregon Capitol in Salem for a rally for climate action on Feb. 11, 2020. CREDIT: Kaylee Domzalski/OPB

For the second year in a row, Democrats’ signature bill for instituting a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was stymied by a Republican walkout. Now, the focus falls on Gov. Kate Brown. Continue Read More

Climate Stewardship Connects Eastern Washington Faith And Farming To Legislative Action In Olympia

By Courtney Flatt March 5, 2020

Church members at Richland’s Shalom United Church of Christ sing environmental hymns during a service on Feb. 9, 2020, that addressed environmental issues, such as climate change. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

Climate change isn’t a new topic for progressive churches like Shalom United Church of Christ in Richland. But it is perhaps tinged with new urgency. Survey results from the Pew Research Center show that congregations are delving into environmental awareness recently. And so are farmers. Read More

Alaska Feels The Brunt As Investors Promise Retreat On Fossil Fuels

By NPR News March 1, 2020

JPMorgan Chase is the latest investor to say it won't finance drilling in Alaska's Arctic. Some welcome the move, but there's also concern in a state that depends heavily on oil revenue. Continue Reading Alaska Feels The Brunt As Read More

Scientists Gather To Study Risks Of Microplastic Pollution In Northwest Waters

By NWPB News February 24, 2020

Microplastic fibers, like this one from an Oregon river, are less than 5mm and often show up in vivid color under the microscope. CREDIT: TODD SONFLIETH / OPB

This week, a group of five-dozen microplastics researchers from major universities, government agencies, tribes, aquariums, environmental groups and even water sanitation districts across the U.S. West is gathering in Bremerton, Washington, to tackle the issue. Read More

Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion To Fight Climate Change

By NPR News February 18, 2020

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced Monday he would spend $10 billion of his own fortune to launch a global initiative to fight climate change. He is photographed here in front of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in October. CREDIT: Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Amazon, the company Bezos founded and heads, has come under increasing scrutiny for its own carbon footprint. Continue Reading Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion To Fight Climate ChangeRead More

2.5 Million Pounds Of Radioactive Waste Illegally Dumped In Oregon Landfill Near Columbia River

By Monica Samayoa February 15, 2020

Garbage, hauled in by train from long distances, is unloaded onto trucks for transfer to the landfill in the barren, rolling hills near Arlington, Ore., Aug. 3, 2004.

The Oregon Department of Energy has issued a notice of violation to a hazardous waste facility for accepting more than 2 million pounds of radioactive materials east of the Columbia River Gorge. Continue Reading Read More

Clean Water Protection Businesses Could Dry Up As Trump Administration Rolls Back Regulations

By NPR News February 2, 2020

Water emerges from the headwaters of Nevada Spring Creek at around 44 degrees year-round. A mitigation bank provided private money to reconnect it to Montana's Blackfoot River and to restore a prized trout fishing habitat. CREDIT: Nick Mott/Montana Public Radio

The Trump administration is stripping clean water protections put in place by President Barack Obama, and some in the industry worry that the regulatory changes will threaten their business. Continue Reading Clean Read More

Student Mini-Docs

By Murrow News 8 Staff January 23, 2020

Four unique mini-docs that look at motherhood in higher education, police and drone technology, protecting our own backyard and WSU women's rowing. These unique mini-documentaries were produced, directed and edited by students of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. Continue Read More

Youth-Led Climate Lawsuit ‘Reluctantly’ Dismissed By Federal 9th Circuit Appeals Court

By NPR News January 20, 2020

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday the young plaintiffs had "made a compelling case that action is needed," but they did not have legal standing to bring the case. Continue Reading Read More

2020 Brings New Protections For West Coast Seafloor Habitat

By Cassandra Profita January 12, 2020

Rocky reefs off the Oregon coast provide valuable habitat for rockfish and other marine life. Courtesy of Oceana

Regulations that began Jan. 1 restrict bottom trawl fishing on about 90% of the seafloor off Washington, Oregon and California. Continue Reading 2020 Brings New Protections For West Coast Seafloor HabitatRead More

How The Trump Administration’s Environmental Policy Rollback Affects The Northwest

By Cassandra Profita January 10, 2020

Fish advocates say sending water through spill bays is the best way to ensure fish survival through dams in the Columbia and Snake rivers. CREDIT: CASSANDRA PROFITA

A new Trump administration plan to scale back a bedrock environmental law could affect all kinds of projects in the Northwest, including timber sales, hydroelectric dams, and large energy developments like the controversial Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas project with its 235-mile Pacific Connector pipeline. Read More

Video: Mexico’s Most Active Volcano Erupts, Spews Ash Cloud Nearly 20,000 Feet

By NPR News January 10, 2020

The dramatic explosion of Popocatépetl, about 40 miles south of Mexico City, sent columns of ash and debris shooting into the sky. Continue Reading Video: Mexico’s Most Active Volcano Erupts, Spews Ash Cloud Nearly 20,000 Read More

California Will Enforce The Energy-Efficient Lightbulb Rule President Trump Wants To Reverse

By NPR News January 1, 2020

Jack George, an employee at Royal Lighting, looks at chandeliers using incandescent light bulbs at the store in Los Angeles. A federal judge is allowing California to enforce updated efficiency standards that will affect such specialty lightbulbs. CREDIT: Jae C. Hong/AP

California and other states are challenging the Trump administration over its reversal of standards for energy-efficient lightbulbs. Continue Reading California Will Enforce The Energy-Efficient Lightbulb Rule President Trump Read More

Judge Rules In Favor Of Exxon In Climate Change Fraud Case

By NPR News December 10, 2019

Environmental activists rally outside of New York Supreme Court in October in Manhattan, the first day of the trial accusing ExxonMobil of misleading shareholders about its climate change accounting. CREDIT: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

In a three-week trial, New York state prosecutors argued that the oil company had downplayed the financial risks it faces from possible climate regulation. Attorney General Letitia James said doing so made Exxon's assets appear more secure than they really were, which in turn affected its share price and defrauded investors. Read More

Nature’s ‘Brita Filter’ Is Dying And Nobody Knows Why

By NPR News December 8, 2019

A recently dead pheasantshell mussel is rotting in its shell. Snails, crawfish and other river inhabitants will eat the flesh. "Nothing goes to waste," says Virginia biologist Tim Lane. CREDIT: Nathan Rott/NPR

A mysterious die-off of freshwater mussels has scientists scrambling to find a cause. Freshwater mussels clean water and provide habitat to countless other species. Continue Reading Nature’s ‘Brita Filter’ Is Dying And Nobody Knows WhyRead More

Wildlife Managers Look To Save Salmon Habitat In Washington’s Chehalis Basin

By Courtney Flatt November 27, 2019

Adult fall Chinook salmon in the Priest Rapids Hatchery. CREDIT: PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY

Biologists say, if things continue, salmon may be extinct from the basin by next century. That’s why they’re coming up with a plan to help restore the area’s 3,400 miles of streams and rivers – which are also home to the largest diversity of amphibians in the state. Read More

Lower Columbia River Methanol Refinery Halted By Washington Regulators For Environmental Review

By Monica Samayoa November 24, 2019

The proposed site at the Port of Kalama where NW Innovation Works is proposing a 90-acre methanol plant. CREDIT: NW INNOVATION WORKS

A $2 billion methanol project proposed for the Lower Columbia River town of Kalama, Washington, hit a new roadblock Friday, when the Washington Department of Ecology said the environmental review did not adequately assess its greenhouse gas emissions and contributions to climate change. Read More

Developers Of This New ‘Battery’ Are Trying To Spark A Carbon Capture Revolution

By PBS Newshour November 17, 2019

A cross-section of an electroswing adsorber, which is essentially an electrochemical cell — that is, a battery. The battery has two active (negative) electrodes on the outside and a positive (counter) electrode in the middle (red). When electricity runs into the battery, the active layers, which are covered with quinone, collect CO2 from the surrounding air. Image by Sahag Voskian

Carbon capture technology is slowly being integrated into energy and industrial facilities across the globe. Typically set up to collect carbon from an exhaust stream, this technology sops up greenhouse gases before they spread into Earth’s airways. Read More

EPA Proposes Relaxing Obama-Era Rules On Waste From Coal Plants

By NPR News November 4, 2019

PacifiCorp's Carbon Plant in Utah is one of several coal-fired power plants in the company's fleet chosen for early retirement. CREDIT: Cassandra Profita/OPB

The Environmental Protection Agency would give coal plants more time to close unlined coal ash ponds, and ease rules on wastewater. Opponents say that prolongs the risk of toxic spills. Continue Reading EPA Proposes Relaxing Obama-Era Rules On Read More

Major Coal Producer And Trump Campaign Donor Files For Bankruptcy Of Murray Energy

By NPR News October 29, 2019

Bob Murray — seen at the headquarters of Murray Energy in St. Clairsville, Ohio — pushed the Trump administration to roll back numerous coal regulations. But he says the industry needs even more help from the government. Jeff Brady/NPR

Bob Murray, the owner of Murray Energy, pushed the Trump administration to roll back numerous coal regulations. But he says the industry needs even more help from the government. Continue Reading Major Coal Producer And Trump Read More

Diversifying Crops Is Good For The Planet. But Can It Be Good For Farmers’ Wallets?

By NPR News October 23, 2019

A mix of barley, peas and flax grows in a field at Casey Bailey's farm near Fort Benton, Mont. Bailey sells this crop to Montana dairy farmer Nate Brown, who has been feeding it to his goats.

Fertilizer runoff is fueling the toxic algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico. Farmers could help by growing crops in rotation to reduce the need for fertilizer. But it's unclear who will buy them. Continue Reading Diversifying Crops Read More

Trees That Survived California Drought May Hold Clue To Climate Resilience

By NPR News October 18, 2019

Forest biologist Patricia Maloney is raising 10,000 sugar pine seedlings descended from trees that survived California's historic drought.

When it comes to surviving the warming climate, scientists are finding that some plants and animals have an edge. The hope is that these "super adapters" can help preserve their species. Continue Reading Trees That Survived California Read More

Washington, Oregon, Yakama Nation Call For Superfund Listing At Bonneville Dam

By Cassandra Profita October 18, 2019

Bradford Island sits alongside Bonneville Dam in the middle of the Columbia River.

The Yakama Nation and the states of Oregon and Washington are asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to declare a new Superfund site on the Columbia River at Bradford Island alongside Bonneville Dam. Continue Reading Read More

Don’t Want Plastic With Your Seafood? Neither Do Otters And Orcas In Northwest Waters

By Tom Banse October 2, 2019

OSU masters student Katherine Lasdin separates the innards of a donated rockfish at the Port of Newport, Oregon, for later analysis to see if it ingested microplastics. CREDIT: TOM BANSE/N3

Plastics in the ocean food chain has become a hot topic for local scientists, for similar reasons city and state policy makers and activists are debating plastic bag bans and how to reduce plastic straw and bottled water usage. All are concerned that the world's oceans are awash in plastic trash and fibers. Read More

Only 2 Countries Are Meeting Their Climate Pledges. Here’s How The 10 Worst Could Improve

By PBS Newshour September 29, 2019

The coal power plant "Staudinger" by energy company Uniper is photographed during sunrise in Grosskrotzenburg, 30km outside Frankfurt, Germany, February 13, 2019. CREDIT: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

10 countries account for approximately 70 percent of the world’s emissions, and all except one — India — are not on pace to meet the climate goals needed to prevent 2 degrees Celsius of warming. Continue Reading Only 2 Read More

U.N. Climate Summit Sets Stage For New National Emissions Promises

By NPR News September 23, 2019

A coal-fired power plant in central Poland. Global greenhouse gas emissions rose in 2018, and the world is on track for potentially catastrophic climate change in the coming decades. Czarek Sokolowski/AP

Humanity is not on track to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. Delegations from nearly 200 countries are meeting to discuss promises they made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Continue Reading U.N. Climate Summit Sets Read More

Fly The Cleaner Skies: Airlines Look To Biofuel Production With Northwest Ties

By Courtney Flatt September 19, 2019

Alaska Airlines has 32 Boeing 737 MAX jets on order. CREDIT: PAUL WEATHERMAN/BOEING

Airlines like Alaska, United and Delta are looking into biofuel production. It’s a trend experts say will keep growing. The Northwest is playing a big role in several experiments airlines are helping fund. Continue Reading Fly The Read More

Trump Administration Finalizes Plan To Repeal Obama-era Water Protections

By Monica Samayoa September 12, 2019

Sheri Tonn, with Citizens for a Healthy Bay, looks at the old Occidental Chemical Corporation site from a boat on the Hylebos Waterway. For decades the facility produced drycleaning solvents and other chemicals that have slowly leached underground. CREDIT: COURTNEY FLATT/NWPB

The move comes as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed the repeal Thursday of the Waters of the United States rule — the first step in a two-step rule making process. Continue Reading Trump Read More

Could Relocating Sage Grouse Save The Birds In Washington?

By Courtney Flatt September 3, 2019

A male greater sage grouse struts its stuff on Bureau of Land Management land in this April 21, 2012, photo. CREDIT: BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT/FLICKR

Moving imperiled sage grouse from one spot to another can be hard on the birds. But research from Washington State University suggests that after a restless adjustment period, the birds eventually get used to their new homes. Continue Reading Could Read More

U.S. Forest Service Proposes Plan To Reduce Environmental Scrutiny For Public Lands Projects

By Jes Burns August 22, 2019

Thinning, mowing and prescribed fire are used in Ponderosa pine forests to maintain an open forest floor. CREDIT: Jes Burns/OPB/EarthFix

The U.S. Forest Service is proposing to reduce the public’s role in shaping the way it applies federal environmental laws to projects on public lands. The agency says the changes would help land managers “make timelier decisions based on high quality, science-based analysis.” Read More

Plastic’s New Threat: Indestructible Rafts For Ocean-Crossing Invasive Species

By NWPB News August 2, 2019

Marine organisms like these gooseneck barnacles are crossing the Pacific Ocean to North America by hitching rides on floating debris composed of man-made materials — mostly plastic. Courtesy of Russ Lewis

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Fukushima, Japan, also triggered tsunami warnings for our coastlines here in the Pacific Northwest. And while the resulting waves did not turn out to be catastrophic when they reached our local shores, those same forces delivered a wake-up call. Read More

Plastics Or People? At Least 1 Of Them Has To Change To Clean Up Our Mess

By NPR News July 31, 2019

Plastic bags wash up as part of the litter on beaches around the world. CREDIT: REUTERS/RICARDO ROJAS

As consumers rebel against plastic waste, there's a growing question: Do we invent something people can toss without harming the environment or do we change people by giving them a chance to reuse? Continue Reading Plastics Or People? Read More

Lab Results Show Eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Lake Free Of Herbicide Barrel Contaminants

By Erin Ross June 28, 2019

Wallowa Lake in eastern Oregon, supplies drinking water to the city of Joseph. CREDIT: AARON SCOTT/OPB

After almost 10 months of waiting, residents of Joseph, Oregon, can feel more confident drinking their water and swimming in nearby Wallowa Lake, according to lab test results released Thursday. Continue Reading Lab Results Read More

Demonstrators Urge Republican Senators To Maintain Walkout For Rural Oregon Interests

By Dirk VanderHart June 27, 2019

A flatbed truck rides by as a crowd rallies at the Capitol in Salem to protest House Bill 2020. CREDIT: David Stuckey/OPB

The so-called “Stay Strong Stay Gone” rally marked the latest backlash over bills seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon. Loggers, truckers, farmers and their supporters had all come, they said, to urge 11 Senate Republicans who’ve been absent from the statehouse since last week to remain in hiding. Read More

Oregon Senate President Says Cap-And-Trade Bill Is Dead Amid GOP Walkout

By Dirk VanderHart June 25, 2019

The Oregon State Capitol in Salem on March 18, 2017.

Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, says Oregon’s sweeping plan for addressing climate change this legislative session does not have the votes to pass. But it’s not clear whether that will be enough to bring Senate Republicans back to work. Read More

Oregon Senate Republicans Stage Walkout For 2nd Time This Year To Stop Vote On Climate Bill

By Dirk VanderHart June 20, 2019

The Oregon Capitol. CREDIT:BRADLEY W. PARKS/OPB

For the second time this legislative session, Oregon Senate Republicans prepared Thursday to stage a walkout, denying Democrats the ability to pass legislation. It’s the latest step in a standoff over sweeping climate change legislation. Read More

EPA Begins Removing Herbicide Barrels From Eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Lake

By Erin Ross June 18, 2019

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. Read More

Canada Wants To Ban Single-Use Plastics. Would It Make A Difference?

By PBS Newshour June 13, 2019

A Canadian ban on single-use plastics products could go into effect as early as 2021. CREDIT: COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS

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. Read More