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Louisiana teachers' union concerned about educators' future; Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump immunity case; Court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility; Landmark NE agreement takes a proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks.

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Speaker Johnson accuses demonstrating students of getting support from Hamas. TikTok says it'll challenge the ban. And the Supreme Court dives into the gray area between abortion and pregnancy healthcare, and into former President Trump's broad immunity claims

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

Groups Ask Obama to Appoint “Salmon Czar”

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Tuesday, March 10, 2009   

Seattle, WA – After about 20 years in court, groups that represent conservation and fishing interests along the West Coast say it's time for a different approach to saving endangered salmon and steelhead. They're asking President Obama to appoint a federal Salmon Director to finalize and implement a recovery plan for the fish. More than 75 organizations in six states have signed a letter asking that such a position be created as part of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Jeremy Brown, a commercial fisherman in Bellingham, thinks the suggestion will make sense to the new president, who has already made special appointments in other troubled industries.

"He's pretty much set himself up to follow through at some level, you know, saying he wants to use the best available science and seeking to resolve these sorts of hanging issues."

All sides agree this 'hanging issue' is as complex as it is controversial. The fishing industry says federal steps to save salmon have been too small, but the federal agencies point to growing numbers of fish as proof of some progress. Conservation groups argue that most of the fish are from hatcheries, and that wild fish numbers are only a fraction of what they should be.

Brown, who heads the Washington Trollers Association, says the potential appointment of a "salmon czar" is not meant as a slam to U.S. District Judge James Redden, the man whose Portland courtroom has been the site of the longtime salmon recovery battle.

"Judge Redden is doing his best to allow the agencies and so on to resolve this, but it's not really good public policy to legislate, or to administer programs, from the bench."

All week, the Pacific Fishery Management Council is meeting in Seattle. It is expected to announce another year of major restrictions on commercial fishing, affecting the livelihoods of many in communities along the West Coast. The meetings are open to the public; the agenda is online at www.pcouncil.org.




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