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The Oregon Outback covers a swath of sparsely populated counties in the southern part of the state. (chris/Adobe Stock)

Already largest in world, OR dark sky sanctuary expected to grow

A sanctuary for stargazing in Oregon is the largest in the world and is set to get even bigger. In eastern Oregon, the organization DarkSky …

The Lomakatsi Restoration Project partners with the U.S. Department of the Interior on forestry training for tribal youth. (fs.usda.gov)

Fed grant supports OR tribal youth conservation training

Federal grant money is supporting an Oregon organization rehabilitating the land and training tribal youth. The Interior Department's Indian Youth …

Wildfire smoke can be especially hard for people with preexisting respiratory conditions. (Cavan/Adobe Stock)

Tips for protecting homes during OR's wildfire season

Wildfires have burned across Oregon this year, but a few tips could help people protect themselves against their damaging impacts. Fires have …

Agriculture accounts for nearly 85% of Oregon's water use. (Deyan Georgiev/Adobe Stock)

Oregon seeks public comment on large-scale farming regulations

Oregonians have until July 22 to submit comments on the implementation of new environmental restrictions for the state's largest farms. When the …

A dirty air filter can keep air conditioners from running optimally. (Kevin Brine/Adobe Stock)

Home cooling tips as hot summer days come to OR

As Oregon is seeing its first major heat event of the summer, some simple tips can help you keep your home cooler. Most of Oregon was under a heat …

Fireworks and dry, hot weather are never a good combination. Last year, in Portland alone, fireworks ignited 46 fires, according to Portland Fire & Rescue. (Mickis Fotowelt/Adobe Stock)

Weather sparks rise in OR holiday weekend wildfire risk

Local fire crews across Oregon will be working to limit the number of manmade fires in the state on what looks to be the hottest weekend of the year s…

The Conservation Fund says it aims to protect five million acres of forest by 2035. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

1 million acres of forest protected under The Conservation Fund, including in OR

The Conservation Fund, which works to protect land and nature across the U.S. has announced it has protected more than 1 million acres of working …

The Climate Protection Program was adopted in Oregon in 2021 but invalidated in late 2023. (Cascadia Aerial/Adobe Stock)

Coalition forms to support restoration of OR Climate Protection Program

A diverse coalition of groups in Oregon is advocating for the restoration of the Climate Protection Program as the state works to reestablish it…

The phase-out of gas-powered leaf blowers in favor of electric in Portland begins ins 2026. (nieriss/Adobe Stock)

Portland turns down noise from gas-powered leaf blowers with phaseout

By Hannah Wallace for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Networ…

More than a half million people visited Crater Lake National Park in 2023. (reisegraf/Adobe Stock)

Great Outdoors Month: Outdoor recreation 'economic multiplier' for OR

June is Great Outdoors Month, which also underscores the importance of outdoor recreation in Oregon. As temperatures warm up, people are enjoying …

Port Westward is located on the Columbia River north of the town of Clatskanie, Ore. (Sam Beebe/Wikimedia Commons)

Groups challenge proposed refinery near Columbia River

A lawsuit is challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision not to require a permit for the construction of a new refinery on the Columbia …

Lake County, despite its small size, annually contributes about $22 million to the state of Oregon in outdoor recreation revenues. (flickr)

Public lands in Oregon's Dark Sky Sanctuary set for BLM update

More than 3 million acres of public lands in southeastern Oregon are poised for enhanced management by the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM is …

A new clinic on the Grand Ronde reservation includes solar panels so the building has power even during an outage. (Photo by Claire Carlson)

Clinic on OR reservation drives tribal self-reliance

By Claire Carlson for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaborat…

Many Oregonians lack air conditioners even as extreme heat events increase in the state. (M-Production/Adobe Stock)

OR first in nation to use Medicaid dollars to protect against climate change

By Samantha Young for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Servic…

Conservation groups say the Northwest's old growth forests need greater protections. (Bob/Adobe Stock)

Update to Northwest Forest Plan expected soon

An update to the 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan is expected soon. The plan has a been a critical tool for managing 19 million acres of federal …

The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument encompasses about 14,000 acres in east-central Oregon. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

New BLM rules better protect national parks, supporters say

Conservation groups said two new federal rules aim to help better protect public lands, including national parks. The Bureau of Land Management's …

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

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 …

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…

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…

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 …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 19, 2024

2024Talks - September 20, 2024

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OR: Environment