Public News Service

Air quality can suffer greatly during the summer when the Northwest experiences wildfires. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 6, 2024

Air Quality Awareness Week starts with focus on wildfire smoke

Agencies are raising awareness about air quality across the country this week. Led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality …

Birds are attracted to the Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove, Ore., where wastewater is treated naturally. (Bryn Nelson)

Wastewater wetlands in OR, US provide natural filtration option

By Bryn Nelson for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

Much of Oregon's BLM lands are in the southeastern part of the state. (John Chedsey/Adobe Stock)

New BLM rule creates opportunities for conservation in OR

Conservation and public access are on equal footing with other considerations for Bureau of Land Management lands under a recently announced rule…

A proposed mining road would have been built near the Brooks Range in northwest Alaska. (Irenabyss/Adobe Stock)

Rejection of AK mining road seen as victory for national parks across U.S.

The Biden administration has blocked a mining road in Alaska and public lands proponents see the move as a win for national parks around the country…

Prescribed burning is the purposeful use of fire to reduce the risk from fire fuel sources in the forest. (Heidi/Adobe Stock)

NW states, fed collaborate on prescribed burns to fight wildfires

State and federal agencies are collaborating to increase the use of prescribed fires in the Northwest. Prescribed fire is the controlled use of …

The Snake River is the largest tributary to the Columbia River. (Sascha Burkard/Adobe Stock)

Carbon emissions found from Columbia River Basin dams

A new report found four dams in the Columbia River Basin are big emitters of methane. Research from the organization Tell The Dam Truth showed the …

An update to the Northwest Forest Plan could be available by this fall. (jamesdcawley/Adobe Stock)

Update coming for 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan

The U.S. Forest Service has announced its intention to update a 30-year-old plan for managing forests in the Northwest. The agency has issued a …

Leslie Gulch is among the locations receiving added protections from a new Bureau of Land Management resource plan for southeast Oregon. (BLM)

BLM announces added protections for sensitive OR landscape

The remote landscape of southeastern Oregon is receiving additional protections. The Bureau of Land Management has finalized its resource management …

Salmon populations have dwindled in the Northwest, hurting the orcas that rely on them for food. (Stanislav/Adobe Stock)

Next steps for recovery after endangered orca decision in OR

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has decided to list Southern Resident orcas as an endangered species. With it comes guidelines for how the …

Southern Resident orcas' habitat stretches from Canada to California. (CarloEmanuele/Adobe Stock)

OR to decide on added protections for decreasing orca population

Oregon officials are considering providing additional protections to orcas in the region. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will decide on …

Bradford Island is located near the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. (J-B-C/Adobe Stock)

After Superfund listing, cleanup of Columbia River site progresses slowly

Advocates are making slow but steady progress to clean up a portion of the Columbia River named a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agenc…

Oregon ranked behind California, Massachusetts and Vermont in a report on transportation spending policies. (Christopher Boswell/Adobe Stock)

Report: Oregon in top 5 for transportation spending policies

Oregon ranks in the top five in a new report measuring how states spend on transportation. With the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and …

The 2020 wildfire season was one of the most destructive in Oregon's history. (mdurson/Adobe Stock)

Longer wildfire seasons have mental-health impacts in rural America

By John Upton and Kaitlyn Trudeau for Climate Central and Claire Carlson for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Serv…

According to the Global E-waste Monitor, in 2019,

Will 2024 be the year for Oregon 'Right to Repair' law?

Oregon will join 24 other states with "right to repair" legislation coming up in the 2024 session. Five other states will have these laws in effect …

Large-scale farm operations have raised concerns about nearby public health effects across the country. (Aaron/Adobe Stock)

Pollution concerns prompt OR county to limit large-scale farms

An Oregon county has enacted new restrictions on large-scale agriculture operations. Linn County commissioners approved a one-mile setback rule from …

An increase in wildfires has brought devastation to Oregon in recent years. (Victoria Schaal/Adobe Stock)

Inflation Reduction Act will improve national security, vet group says

A group of veterans is touting the national security benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act. The organization Elected Officials to Protect America …

The Big League Project is located near the Calapooia and Mohawk rivers' Watersheds. (Cascadia Wildlands)

Conservation groups seek to protect OR forest from logging project

Conservation groups have filed a lawsuit to block a logging project near Eugene. Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild and Willamette Riverkeeper are …

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management oversees 15.7 million acres of land in Oregon. (John Chedsey/Adobe Stock)

Bills in Congress seek to nix conservation in BLM Public Lands Rule

Bills in Congress would throw out comments for a proposed rule that would prioritize conservation and restoration on U.S. Bureau of Land Management …

The Biden administration has announced $196 million going out to 169 culvert repair projects across the country. (Jacob/Adobe Stock)

Federal Investment 'Incredible Opportunity' to Improve NW Fish Passage

Fish passage is set to improve in the Northwest with an investment from Congress's bipartisan infrastructure law. The Biden administration has …

Southeastern Oregon is a mostly arid section of the state. (Bob/Adobe Stock)

Proposed Plan Protects 400,000 Acres in Southeastern OR

A newly released management plan for the Owyhee landscape in Oregon will bring greater protections for more than 400,000 acres of public land…

The Yaquina Bay area is home to about 15,000 Oregonians. (Bobby Hayden)

Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Gets First Update Since 1982

The management plan for a coastal Oregon estuary is getting its first update in four decades. The public can comment on the draft of the Yaquina Bay …

There are about 25,000 pronghorn in Oregon. (tomreichner/Adobe Stock)

BLM Funds to Restore Landscapes in OR

The federal government is investing $161 million to restore landscapes across the West, including in Oregon. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management …

Cape Foulweather is in Lincoln County south of Depoe Bay. (Mitch Meseke-Wirestock Creators/Adobe Stock)

OR Coast Conservation Areas Opportunity for 'Bottom Up' Management

Locals will help steward two iconic locations on Oregon's coast. The Cape Foulweather Complex and Cape Lookout Marine Conservation areas were …

Wind energy makes up about 14% of the electricity generated in the state. (Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Report Provides Guidelines for Siting Renewables Responsibly in OR

Oregon needs more renewable energy but also should be aware of where it sites new projects. A new report provided guidelines for choosing the best …

A passage under U.S. Highway 97 south of Bend is one of Oregon's five completed wildlife crossings. (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)

OR Lawmakers Consider Bill to Protect Wildlife from Busy Roads

Oregon lawmakers are considering a measure to increase the number of wildlife crossings in the state. Crossings help animals get under or over busy …

Fire hardening a home also involves managing vegetation within 100 feet of the home. (jryanc10/Adobe Stock)

Hardening Homes Could Be More Effective Defense Against Wildfires

Wildfires are a growing threat in the Northwest and a lot of money is spent on fire suppression. But a less costly approach could be to make homes …

The Greater Hart-Sheldon area in southeastern Oregon is home to more than 350 species. (brx0/Flickr)

New Rule Could Spur More Conservation on BLM Lands

A proposed rule from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management could raise conservation up as a priority on the land it manages. Under the proposal…

Country Natural Beef ranchers are in nine western states covering more than 6.5 million acres of land. (Patrick Jennings/Adobe Stock)

Collaboration Grows 'Regenerative Ranching' Program in Northwest

By Caroline Tracey for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Missouri News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

The Trojan Nuclear Plant in Oregon was connected to the grid in 1975 and shut down in 1992. (David Falconer/Wikimedia Commons)

'Atomic Bamboozle' Documents 'False Promises' of New Nuclear Tech

A film premiering this week tackles the potential harms of the nuclear industry. Portland State University professor emeritus Jan Haaken directed …

The Bonneville Dam is located about 40 miles east of Portland, Ore. (Dominic/Adobe Stock)

NW Energy Experts in DC Talking Grid Update, Saving Fish

Northwest energy experts and conservation leaders are in Washington, D.C. to urge policymakers to invest in modernizing the region's power grid…

On its route through Oregon, the GTN pipeline system skirts by Pendleton and south near Ashland. (Photocreo Bednarek/Adobe Stock)

Gas Pipeline Expansion Would Hurt NW Climate Goals, Say Opponents

Environmental groups want West Coast governors to speak out against the expansion of a gas pipeline in the region. The Canadian company T-C Energy is …

Highways are considered hot spots for soot pollution. (vit/Adobe Stock)

Critics: EPA's New Soot Standards Lag Behind Current Science

Clean-air advocates say a new air-quality standard from the federal government does not go far enough to protect the public. For the first time in a …

The North Fork of the Smith River in Oregon was not included in 1990 protections for the river, which runs through California. (Zachary Collier/Northwest Rafting Co.)

Bill in Congress Would Protect Smith River Watershed in OR

A new bill in Congress would add greater protections to a river and its watersheds in southern Oregon. Oregon Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron …

In Oregon, 36 building projects were LEED-certified in 2022. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Oregon Ranks in Top 10 for Green Buildings

Oregon is high on the list of states focused on sustainable building practices, according to a new report. The state comes in at number 10 in U.S…

The Columbia River is renowned for its salmon and steelhead runs. In a year of good returns, over 1 million Chinook, coho and sockeye salmon, and summer steelhead travel up the river to spawn in its tributaries. (Adobe Stock)

New Columbia River Protections Under EPA Permits

The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to stop oil and other toxic chemical discharges into the Columbia …

Ecola Point is about three miles north of Cannon Beach, Oregon. (Sepp/Adobe Stock)

Teeming with Life, OR Coastal Areas Receive New Protections

Six stretches of Oregon coast that are home to a diverse array of wildlife are set to receive critical protections. Oregon's Ocean Policy Advisory …

The River Democracy Act would double the number of river miles currently protected as Wild and Scenic. (Jeffrey Schwartz/Adobe Stock)

OR Rivers Vital to State's BIPOC Communities

Oregon is home to a plethora of rivers, but those waterways are not always accessible to every community. A new video series highlights how …

The Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility has 300-megawatt wind farms and a 50-megawatt solar farm. (Chad/Adobe Stock)

Novel Solar-Wind-Battery Power Plant in OR a 'Needle Mover' for Renewables

A first-of-its-kind hybrid power plant with wind, solar and battery storage has opened in Oregon, and the plant could be a model as power grids …

Before the EPA's ban, Oregon had planned to phase out the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos by 2023. (Dusan Kostic/Adobe Stock)

U.S. Pesticide Use Could Be on Docket in Trade Talks

As the United States enters into talks over a new trade framework with several nations, America's lax pesticide policy could be a sticking point for …

Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River is located near the Oregon town of Cascade Locks. (RG/Adobe Stock)

After Superfund Listing, Hard Work of Columbia River Site Cleanup Starts

A popular fishing site on the Columbia River for members of the Yakama Nation has been listed as Superfund site by the federal government. Now comes …

La Perennial Wind Chaser Station propuesta era una central el�ctrica a base de gas que habr�a generado 415 megavatios de potencia. (Ranimi/Adobe Stock)

OR Desechados planes para construir planta de energía a base de gas

Oregón ha eliminado oficialmente una planta de energía a base de gas cerca del río Columbia. El Consejo de Ubicación de Energí…

Crater Lake National Park covers more than 180,000 acres in southern Oregon. (aiisha/Adobe Stock)

Public Lands Day Celebrates 'Spectacular' Landmarks in OR, U.S.

Saturday is National Public Lands Day, a celebration of national parks in the United States. People will be able to access national park lands for …

Veterans are a greater part of the solar workforce than in any other energy industry. (hetmanstock2/Adobe Stock)

OR Elected Officials Urge Congressional Climate Action

Elected officials in Oregon and across the country are calling on Congress to speed up the transition to clean energy. At least 20 elected leaders in …

The Yaquina River is located on the central Oregon coast, meeting the Pacific Ocean near Newport. (Bobby Hayden)

Update to Old Estuary Plans Starts in OR with Yaquina River

Oregon's estuaries - the wetlands where the ocean meets rivers and streams - are rich habitat for wildlife, and they even store carbon from the …

Wildlife mapping efforts of species such as pronghorn reply on GPS radio collaring. (Stephen/Adobe Stock)

Western Migration Mapping Efforts Seek Congressional Funding

Mapping migration routes is important for conserving species such as pronghorn, so supporters hope Congress will fund mapping efforts. The United …

The Ice Harbor dam in southeastern Washington is among those that could be breached to help Northwest salmon. (davidrh/Adobe Stock)

Public Comment Encouraged on Snake River Dams Removal Plan

A report from leaders in Washington state lays out how the services of four dams on the lower Snake River could be replaced in order to save ailing sa…

The Rogue River was one of the original eight to receive federal protections when the Wild and Scenic Rivers act was passed in 1968. (Eric Tegethoff)

National Rivers Month: More Protections for OR Waters

June is National Rivers Month and a proposal in Congress would protect more of Oregon's rivers. Currently about 2% of Oregon's 110,000 miles of …

Hood River, Ore., is a popular Columbia Gorge spot for water sports during the summer. (Adam Jones, PhD/Wikimedia Commons)

Clean Water at Columbia River Beaches? There's an App for That

Ready to make a splash this summer? An app is helping direct Northwesterners to spots along the Columbia River where it is safe to play. "Swim …

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