Public News Service

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 …

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 …

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 …

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…

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 presa de Bonneville en el r�o Columbia, est� situada cerca de la ciudad de Cascade Locks, en Oregon. (RG/Adobe Stock)

Tras inclusión en el Superfondo, comienza el duro trabajo de limpieza del río Columbia

Un lugar de pesca muy popular en el río Columbia para los miembros de la Nación Yakama ha sido incluido en la lista del Superfondo por el go…

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 …

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 …

Dioxins are called persistent organic pollutants (POPs), meaning they take a long time to break down once they are in the environment, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

OR Activists Seek Dioxin-Contamination Accountability in Low-Income Eugene

As a West Eugene wood-treatment facility continues the process of reducing operations, activists are seeking accountability for contamination that …

Seals bring their pups to Coquille Point in Oregon and nurse them on the shore. (David/Adobe Stock)

New Protections Designated for 'Fragile' OR Shoreline Sites

Oregon has added new protections to unique areas along the southern coast teeming with life. The state Land Conservation and Development Commission …

Many of the farmworkers in Oregon near the Columbia River Gorge work in orchards. (Kirk/Adobe Stock)

Radio Station Shares Bilingual News with Gorge Farmworkers

A unique radio station in the Columbia River Gorge provides information in English and Spanish, on topics ranging from the environment to immigration…

Salmon numbers in the Pacific Northwest could improve due to colder ocean temperatures. (Tyler Hulett/Adobe Stock)

Ocean Temperatures Favor Salmon, But Population Decline Still Concern

Recent data on ocean conditions could be good news for struggling salmon in the Northwest. But advocates for the species warn this isn't enough to …

Quartzville Creek is among the river sections currently protected as wild and scenic in Oregon, but only about 2% of the state's river miles have that federal designation. (Bob Wick/Bureau of Land Mgmt.)

OR Businesses Support River Protections

PORTLAND, Ore. - Hundreds of Oregon businesses have signaled their support for legislation protecting rivers across the state. In an open letter…

As the Northwest feels the summer heat, salmon are struggling to migrate hundreds of miles upstream. (Conrad Gowell/Columbia Riverkeeper)

Northwesterners to Rally to Support Threatened Salmon

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Rallies are taking place across the Northwest to support salmon, which face dire conditions in the Columbia River Basin. Saturday…

The South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve near Coos Bay supports 65 jobs. (Werewombat/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Southern OR Coastal Reserve Has Big Local Impact

COOS BAY, Ore. -- A system of little-known public lands protecting sensitive coastal habitats generates big economic impacts for local communities…

Portions of the Rogue River are among rivers currently protected as Wild and Scenic in Oregon. (Eric Tegethoff)

OR Breweries Give Cheers to Wyden, Merkley for River Protection Bill

PORTLAND, Ore. - Support is brimming from Oregon's craft breweries for a bill that would give nearly 4,700 miles of the state's rivers and streams …

Fishing is popular near the Bonneville Dam along the Columbia River. (Nathan K/Flickr)

Toxins in Columbia River Lead to Call for Superfund Listing

HOOD RIVER, Ore. -- Oregon, Washington and the Yakama Nation are asking the Biden administration to list one stretch of the Columbia River as a …

Salmon numbers are declining rapidly in the Snake River, the Columbia River's largest tributary. (norikko/Adobe Stock)

NW Groups: Pieces in Place to Address Salmon Decline

PORTLAND, Ore. - Groups are urging Northwest leaders to act on U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson's infrastructure and Snake River dam proposal. The plan would …

Catching salmon is big business for communities along the Oregon coast. (ftfoxfoto/Adobe Stock)

NW Proposal Could Boost Salmon 'Boat to Plate,' Supporters Say

PORTLAND, Ore. -- If the Pacific Northwest has a taste, it's for the region's salmon, but as the iconic fish species dwindles, it also effects a food …

In 2019, Oregon's mega-dairies produced 6.5 billion pounds of waste, according to the Stand Up to Factory Farms Coalition. (Lynn Ketchum/Oregon State University)

OR Lawmakers Could Freeze Mega-Polluting Dairy Farms

SALEM, Ore. - Critics say big dairy farms produce a massive amount of waste and pollution, and bills in the Oregon Legislature would hit pause on …

A bill in Congress would protect more than 14 miles of the Owyhee River as wild and scenic. (Greg Shine/BLM)

Owyhee Happy Hour: OR Breweries Push Canyonlands Protection

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The effort to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands is getting support from a big Oregon industry that also relies on clean water: …

The Klamath River was once the third-largest salmon producing river on the West Coast. (Matt Baun/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

OR, CA Lend Help to Keep Klamath Dams' Demolition on Track

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- Oregon and California are stepping in to save a project to remove dams from the Klamath River. The states are applying to co-…

Salmon run numbers continue to plummet in the Columbia River basin. (Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife/Flickr)

Columbia River Basin Salmon in Hot Water

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Salmon in the Columbia River basin have been feeling the heat -- and experts say it's pushing fish species to the brink of …

Low levels in the Klamath River could make conditions ripe for spreading disease among juvenile salmon. (Patrick McCully/Flickr)

Dry Year, Court Decision Disappoint OR Salmon Advocates

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- With the Klamath Basin expected to see one of the driest years on record, struggles for salmon in southern Oregon are piling …

The John C. Boyle Dam, southwest of Klamath Falls, is one of four dams slated for removal as early as 2022. (Bobjgalindo/Wikimedia Commons)

Salmon Advocates See Hope in Planned Removal of Klamath Dams

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- Advocates for salmon hope the timeline holds for dam removal on the Klamath River, saying it's a race against time to make …

The low numbers of salmon returning to Northwest rivers are raising concerns about a future without these fish. (Bureau of Land Management/Flickr)

Energy, Environmental Groups: Collaboration Possible on Snake River Dams

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Energy companies and conservation groups want to bridge the divide on a contentious issue in the Northwest: the future of four …

A measure in Congress would ban mining in 100,000 acres of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area in southwestern Oregon. (Zach Collier/Northwest Rafting Co.)

Bill in Congress Would Protect Ore. Landscape 'Unique to World'

PORTLAND, Ore. — A hearing is scheduled in Congress today on a bill that would expand public-lands protections in Oregon. Sen. Ron Wyden and …

Coho salmon numbers in Oregon dropped below 30,000 in the 1990s from historic averages above 1 million. (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife/Flickr)

Groups Urge Greater Protections for Salmon from Logging

PORTLAND, Ore. – Conservation and fishing groups are calling on Oregon to enact stronger protections for salmon from the effects of logging…

The Oregon Wildlands Act would add 250 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers protections to the state. (Bob Wick/U.S. Bureau of Land Management)

Ore. Brewers Call for Protection of Public Lands

PORTLAND, Ore. — More than 50 Oregon brewers say protecting the state's public lands and watersheds keeps craft beer flowing. They're asking …

A bill in the U.S. Senate would add about 30,000 acres to the Devil's Staircase Wilderness. (Mike Putnam)

Oregon Wildlands Protection Bill Moves Ahead in Senate

PORTLAND, Ore. - A bill to protect thousands of acres and miles of river in Oregon has passed out of a key U.S. Senate committee. The Oregon …

More than 80 miles of the Rogue River are protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. (Scott Cordner)

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Turns 50, Protects Ore. Rivers

ROGUE RIVER, Ore. — The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act turns 50 this year. Conservation groups are praising the law and want to see more of the …

Many of the EPA regulations that Scott Pruitt scrapped or delayed as EPA administrator had not yet taken effect before his resignation. (Wikimedia Commons)

Government Watchdog Groups: Pruitt's EPA Exit "Long Overdue"

WASHINGTON – After allegedly overspending on everything from pens to lavish trips and accepting questionable deals from lobbyists, government …

Last week, Gov. Kate Brown activated the National Guard after toxins from an algae bloom were detected in Salem's drinking water supply. (bugwugsmom/Twenty20)

Will Climate Change Cause More Water Crises for Oregon?

SALEM, Ore. – Salem residents are facing a crisis as the second drinking water advisory in two weeks went into effect this week due to a toxic …

Researchers analyzed carbon dioxide levels in Lookout Creek east of Eugene to study the effects of rising global temperatures. (Theresa Hogue/Oregon State University)

Study: Streams to Compound Climate Change as Temperatures Warm

EUGENE, Ore. — Streams and rivers will emit increasing amounts of carbon dioxide as temperatures rise from climate change, according to a new …

There are 13 endangered populations of salmon in the Columbia River Basin. (Bureau of Land Management/Flickr)

Decision to Help Salmon at Columbia River Dams Upheld in Court

PORTLAND, Ore. – A U.S. appeals court on Monday upheld a decision to allow Northwest dams to release more water over their spillways to help …

An Oregon fishing guide says fishers worry about the effects of ethanol on their outboard motors. (Michelle B./Flickr)

Reforming Ethanol Mandate Could be Win for Environment

PORTLAND, Ore. – A bill to reform the biofuels mandate could reverse a decade of destruction to America's grasslands, according to …

Nearly 64 percent of bottled water comes from municipal taps, according to a new report. (Steven Depolo/Flickr)

Report: Bottled Water Companies Rely on "Predatory" Tactics for Sales

PORTLAND, Ore. – Sales are skyrocketing for the bottled water industry, but what are companies actually selling to customers? In its new …

Even low levels of three commonly used pesticides can cause abnormal development of salmon. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

NW Salmon, Fishing Endangered by Pesticides

PORTLAND, Ore. – A trio of widely-used pesticides threatens Northwest salmon and the orca that rely on them, even with these species on the …

As many as 47 leases could be sold if the Trump administration's proposal to allow offshore drilling is approved.(Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement/Flickr)

Could Offshore Drilling be Coming to Oregon's Waters?

SALEM, Ore. – Conservation groups are raising alarms over the Trump administration's decision to allow drilling off U.S. coasts. The Interior …

Bonneville Dam is one of many in the Columbia River basin. (Colleen Benelli/Flickr)

Negotiations on Columbia River Treaty to Start in 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – Columbia River Treaty negotiations between the United States and Canada are set to begin in 2018, and advocates for the …

The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument was created in 2000 and expanded in 2017. (Bureau of Land Management/Flickr)

Businesses, Chambers of Commerce Stand Up for Nat'l. Monuments

ASHLAND, Ore. – Chambers of Commerce and businesses in Oregon and across the country are telling the director of the National Economic Council …

Much of the land in the Green River Valley was purchased with federal money for conservation after the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. (Michael Sulis)

Report: OR, WA Public Lands in Crosshairs for Development

BEND, Ore. – The Green River Valley on the north side of Mount St. Helens is being called Too Wild to Drill, and according to a report by that …

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OR: Water