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

Monday, April 22, 2024

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…

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 …

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 …

The USDA says pollinators add more than $18 billion in revenue to crop production every year. The major U.S. crops pollinated by honey bees and other pollinators include almonds, non-citrus fruits, berries, melons and squash. (Milan/Adobe Stock)

Bee-Friendly "Pollinator Gardens" Put Food on Oregon Tables

A single bee can help produce more than 125 pounds of food every year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Some Oregon groups are …

The J.H. Baxter Co.'s wood mill was closed earlier this year after complaints that it had dumped cancer-causing toxins into the air and soil in nearby neighborhoods. (Crag Law Center)

Oregon Communities Unite to Force Chronic Polluter to Shut Down

A coalition of community organizations teamed up in Oregon to force a chronic polluter out of business, and bring environmental justice to a nearby …

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 …

Muchos de los trabajadores agr�colas en Oreg�n cerca del Columbia River Gorge trabajan en huertos. (Kirk/Adobe Stock)

Estación de radio comparte noticias bilingües con trabajadores agrícolas del Gorge

Una estación de radio muy única en Columbia River Gorge brinda información en inglés y español sobre temas que van desde el m…

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…

Zenith Energy's facility is in Northwest Portland, with oil coming in by rail through the northern part of the city. (Rick Rappaport)

Blocked Portland Oil-By-Rail Facility Faces One More Test

An effort to block an oil-by-rail facility in Portland could be solidified this week. This summer, the city of Portland decided to deny a land-use …

Forests cover almost 29 million acres in Oregon, nearly half of the state. (Gerry/Adobe Stock)

Groups: OR Forestry Climate Plan Signals Commitment to Curb Climate Change

SALEM, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Forestry recently approved its first Climate Change and Carbon Plan, to embrace climate-smart forest …

Beginning in 2024, manufacturers must increase their zero-emission truck sales to between 30% and 50% by 2030. (Renew Oregon)

Front-Line Communities Applaud OR "Clean Truck" Rules

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Communities on the front lines of climate change are expected to benefit most from new rules in Oregon to move the state toward …

Studies have shown that pesticide exposure in childhood can affect neurological and behavioral development. (Adobe Stock)

Wrongful Pesticide Use on OR School Grounds Worries Public-Health Advocates

HILLSBORO, Ore. -- The Oregon Department of Agriculture recently completed an investigation into a suburban Portland school for the misuse of toxic …

Electricity use is the second-largest source of carbon emissions in Oregon. (Beyond Toxics)

Groups Push for Stronger Action in OR Climate-Protection Program

Corrected 9/28/21, 2 p.m. MDT, to clarify that the Climate Protection Program was not directly created by executive order; and that it is unclear how …

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 …

Climate action groups hope Oregon lawmakers will do more work to electrify transportation this session. (vivalapenler/Adobe Stock)

OR Climate Action Groups Push Multi-Pronged Approach in 2021 Session

SALEM, Ore. -- Climate-action groups are outlining their priorities for the 2021 legislative session in Oregon. In the previous two sessions…

The Climate Crisis Action Plan's goal of cleaning up the electric grid by 2040 could create more than 500,000 jobs a year. (anatoliy_gleb/Adobe Stock)

House Democrats Release 'Bold' Plan to Tackle Carbon Emissions by 2050

PORTLAND, Ore. -- House Democrats in Congress have released a comprehensive plan for getting the United States to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050…

The Sunrise Movement plans to continue climate strikes through the 2020 election. (Sue/Adobe Stock)

Young People in OR, US Strike Again for Climate Action

EUGENE, Ore. – Less than three months after what may have been the biggest climate strike in history, young people again are taking to the …

Some opponents of Oregon's cap-and-trade bill say it could allow the state to pursue a more aggressive approach to fighting climate change. (Portland General Electric/Flickr)

Is Cap-and-Trade Bill's Death a Chance for Stronger Climate Action?

SALEM, Ore. – Could the death of the cap-and-trade bill in the Oregon Senate be an opportunity for the state to design stronger action on …

Oregon lawmakers are considering an ambitious bill to cap greenhouse gas emissions. (Waterkeeper Alliance Inc./Flickr)

Mid-Session, OR Lawmakers Making Climate Action Major Priority

SALEM, Ore. – A little more than halfway through the session, advocates for action on climate change see a lot of potential in the Oregon State …

Oregon and a farmworkers union in the state say a pesticide used on food is harmful, especially for children. (William M. Ciesla/USDA Forest Service)

Oregon Presents Arguments in Court to Ban Dangerous Pesticide

PORTLAND, Ore. — Labor, civil rights and public health groups, as well as seven states, will make their final arguments in court today …

The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for a Moral Revival recalls the campaign Martin Luther King, Jr. started in 1968. (Warren K. Leffler/Library of Congress)

Poor People's Campaign Revival Kicks Off in Salem

SALEM, Ore. — A movement Martin Luther King, Jr., started 50 years ago near the end of his life is getting a revival today. The Poor People's …

Oregon has set a goal of reducing carbon emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050. (RVwithTito.com/Flickr)

Is 2018 the Year Cap and Trade Comes to Oregon?

SALEM, Ore. -- Will 2018 be the year Oregon legislators set a cap on carbon emissions? State lawmakers have been working out the details of a cap-and-…

Communities of color want to ensure their communities have a seat at the table as Oregon moves to a renewable energy economy. (OPAL Environmental Justice)

Making Communities of Color Part of Ore.'s Clean-Energy Future

PORTLAND, Ore. – A coalition of organizations of color called the Just Transition Alliance is working to fight for climate justice and holding …

Youth plaintiffs in a federal case are alleging the federal government knew about the drastic effects of climate change, but did not do enough to slow its effects. (Robin Loznak/ZUMAPRESS.com)

Fight Against Ore. Pipeline Has Ties to Youth Climate-Change Case

EUGENE, Ore. – A team of teenagers and young adults is moving closer to a courtroom showdown with the United States government over climate …

Oregon received a mix of grades on an annual report card assessing the state's transition to clean energy. (Karen Murphy/Flickr)

Oregon Grades Mixed on Clean-Energy Report Card

SALEM, Ore. – A new report card on Oregon's transition to clean energy shows a mix of successes and failures. The state received an A-minus …

Native American artist Clay with the Native American Youth and Family Center provides a mural for a side of the Bunk Bus. (Rick Rappaport)

Shelter for Standing Rock Protestors Rolls In from Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Help will be rolling in for oil pipeline protestors at Standing Rock all the way from the Northwest, in the form of a retrofitted …

Farmworkers are calling for suspension of the use of a toxic pesticide called chlorpyrifos. (jetsandzeppelins/flickr)

Farmworkers Want Toxic Pesticide Out of Farms

PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon farmworkers are joining advocates across the nation to petition the Environmental Protection Agency, calling on them to …

Twenty-one young people ages 8 to 19 are arguing that the U.S. government violated their rights by its failure to reduce the effects of climate change. (ItzaFineDay/flickr)

Children Suing U.S. Government Over Climate Change Back in Court

EUGENE, Ore. – A group of young plaintiffs is getting their day in court once again today in Eugene, arguing that the federal government's …

People at a Black Lives Matter gathering in Josephine County on Aug. 9 were met with a counter-protest by members of the Oath Keepers. (Rural Organizing Project)

“Constitutional” Sheriff Backed Malheur Occupation

JOHN DAY, Ore. - The small-town sheriff who made front-page headlines in Oregon this week also tops an investigative report by the Southern Poverty …

Fish from polluted waters accumulate toxins, such as mercury and PCBs. (pixabay)

Federal Judge Moves to Ensure Fish from Wash. is Safe to Eat

PORTLAND, Ore. - A U.S. federal judge has told the EPA it must finalize new water-quality rules aimed at making Washington state waters cleaner…

An EPA investigation into the use of pesticides near a California high school took 12 years to resolve. (Mr_Write/morguefile)

EPA Criticized for Handling of Environmental Discrimination Cases

PORTLAND, Ore. - Despite more than 300 complaints that local environmental regulations have been discriminatory toward minority communities, the …

Crater Lake in central Oregon is one of five National Park Service units in the state. (Epmatsw/Wikimedia Commons)

National Parks' Centennial: Groups Want More Diversity for Next 100 Years

PORTLAND, Ore. - As the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service nears, a coalition of civil rights and conservation groups is calling for …

The Klamath River flows through southern Oregon and northern California. (Tami Heilemann/Dept. of the Interior)

OR, CA Governors Agree to Remove Klamath River Dams

PORTLAND, Ore. - Oregon Governor Kate Brown (D)and California Governor Jerry Brown (D) met at an event along the Klamath River Wednesday to agree to …

In Oregon, the spotted frog's range includes only a half-dozen counties and the species has long been considered a candidate for protection. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Second Lawsuit Filed on Deschutes River Management

BEND, Ore. - A second federal lawsuit has been filed to protect the Oregon spotted frog - but more broadly, to change the way water is being managed …

Three groups are asking that wolves be returned to Oregon's Endangered Species list. (jak/morguefile)

End-of-Year Appeal Demands Protections for Wolves in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. - Wolves could get a fighting chance at a comeback in the New Year in Oregon, after three conservation groups filed a lawsuit this …

Cooperative efforts to preserve sagebrush country in Oregon and across the West are credited with the decision to not list the greater sage-grouse as threatened or endangered. Credit: Michelle Alvaredo

"Historic" Cooperation Cited in Decision Not to List Sage-Grouse

BEND, Ore. - The greater sage-grouse will not be listed as threatened or endangered, largely because of voluntary efforts across the West to preserve …

A total of 98 new land-management plans across Western states outline multiple priorities, from saving sage-grouse habitat to mitigating wildfire risks. Credit: Bob Wick/BLM.Flickr (non-commercial use only)

BLM Finalizes Management Plans for Sagebrush Country

PORTLAND, Ore. - The sagebrush landscape that makes up much of Oregon and the West is being seen in a new way, with the Bureau of Land Management …

The EPA proposed rules to limit mercury and other dangerous pollutants from power plants that affect air and water quality, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday the agency must weigh the costs of compliance in its rule-making. Credit: Environmental Protection Agency.

Court Asks EPA to Rethink Mercury and Air Toxics Standards

PORTLAND, Ore. – The EPA was handed a setback by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday. The justices voted five to four that before the agency put …

The Columbia River Gorge is known for its scenic views and world-class windsurfing, but it is increasingly becoming a corridor for crude oil shipments by rail. Credit: Wikipedia.

Oil Train Safety Rules Challenged by Groups from Oregon to New York

PORTLAND, Ore. – New federal rules proposed for oil train safety don't do enough to ensure emergency responders know when trains are coming …

A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that Jackson County's Ordinance 635 is legal. It gives farmers of crops from genetically-modified seeds one more harvest in the county, and then prohibits GMO crops from being planted. Credit: Mitesh Take/Morguefile.

Jackson County Prevails in "No GMO Crop" Lawsuit

MEDFORD, Ore. – A Jackson County ordinance prohibiting farming genetically-engineered crops in the county goes into effect as scheduled this …

PHOTO: A giant inflatable coal plant is near the steps of the Capitol today for a rally in support of legislation that would require power companies to eliminate coal-generated electricity from the grid by 2025. Photo courtesy of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign.

Tug-of-War Between Clean Energy, Coal on Capitol Steps

SALEM, Ore. - Renewable energy and coal are in a tug-of-war in Salem today. It's a literal demonstration in front of the Capitol steps to draw …

PHOTO: One acre of wetland can absorb as much as 1 million gallons of water, according to a report from the National Wildlife Federation. Wetlands restoration and preservation is listed as a smart investment to protect lives and property in the face of more extreme weather. Photo of Wood River Wetland courtesy of BLM.

Report: Going 'Natural' May be Best Weather Insurance

PORTLAND, Ore. - Protection that's natural is least expensive and may be best when it comes to threats to life and property in Oregon because of …

PHOTO: Fishermen with a Tillamook Bay Chinook taken on spinners in the middle bay on Tuesday. Fall Chinook are among the most stable wild salmon populations in Oregon, largely because they don't spend as much time in fresh water streams as others. Photo courtesy of Bob Rees.

42nd Birthday: A Watershed Moment for the Clean Water Act

PORTLAND, Ore. - Every Oregonian who turns on a faucet or casts a fishing line has a stake in what happens with the Clean Water Act. The federal law …

PHOTO: Sport, commercial and tribal fishermen all have indicated opposition to the idea of a terminal to fill coal barges at the Port of Morrow. This week, the Oregon Department of State Lands denied a permit request by its developers. Photo credit: visionsofmaine/iStockphoto.com

Does 'No' Mean 'No' for Oregon Coal Terminal?

PORTLAND, Ore. - The state of Oregon has denied a permit to the company proposing a coal terminal at the Port of Morrow in the Columbia River Gorge - …

PHOTO: The Ash Grove Cement plant near Durkee, Ore., says it has spent $20 million in recent years to reduce the amount of mercury and other pollutants released into the air from the cement-making process. Photo credit: Deborah C. Smith

Federal Court Closes Cement Plant "Loophole"

PORTLAND, Ore. - On the eve of Earth Day, a federal appeals court ruled Friday that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can no longer let …

PHOTO: Some of the marbled murrelet's prime Oregon habitat is in the Elliott State Forest, where the State of Oregon is accepting bids to sell off 3,000 acres to allow timber harvest. Photo credit: R. Lowe, USFWS.

OR Coastal Forest Caught Between Chainsaw and Endangered Seabird

COOS COUNTY, Ore. – The State of Oregon has proposed selling off about 3,000 acres of coastal forestland for logging – and three …

PHOTO: ONDA staff and volunteers survey a section of the Oregon Desert Trail in 2011, along the West Little Owyhee River in the Owyhee Canyonlands. Photo credit: Jeremy Fox.

A New Look at Some of Oregon's Wildest Country

BEND, Ore. - It took three years and thousands of volunteer hours, and the result is the closest look yet at some of Oregon's wildest country…

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