A new consent decree made with the EPA and Washington State Department of Ecology ensures that Seattle waterways will finally get the attention they need, echoing an earlier movement, "Forward Thrust," which in part sought to do the same.
The Whatcom County Council approved a measure to take back 8,700 acres of land in order to protect a vital water source for Bellingham-area communities. Still, opposition is just around the corner.
Forterra, a renamed conservancy non-profit, unveils a new program with enterprises as varied as Molly Moon's Ice Cream, the Seattle Sounders, and Pearl Jam.
Three employees have filed complaints against the nuclear waste storage facility in the last seven months, highlighting an alarming trend as Hanford moves forward with a new project to convert nuclear waste into radioactive glass tubes.
Canada's western provinces used to be a sleepy extension of our own agricultural inland. Now a boom has Canada looking for faster ways to bring in skilled immigrants to help with all the work.
With a new contender, on the Columbia River near Boardman, joining the parade, those concerned about widespread impacts are pushing for a comprehensive EIS process that will sweep lots of towns and politicians into an epic debate.
The port of Coos Bay, Ore. admits it's in talks with a company interested in developing the site into a coal terminal, but it won't say who. Critics of the shadowy project say the port is trying to avoid facing the potential health and environmental impacts.
AP reports, "Curt Ebbesmeyer ... (said) he’s expected 100 sneakers with bones in them. He’s advising anyone who discovers human remains to call 9-1-1 and wait for police."
OREGONIAN (PORTLAND)
Seattle City Council to oppose northwest coal ports
A resolution to oppose coal ports passed out of the energy and environment committee with a unanimous vote. Mike O'Brien said he will urge the council to look at other ways to produce jobs.
After lengthy efforts in Portland failed to get an agreement on reducing emissions, activists are launching an efforts statewide to get the governor and state Legislature to lower limits.
THE OREGONIAN
Joel Connelly: EPA's initial take on proposed mine points to dangers for salmon
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/
The draft report points to potentially catastrophic impacts on the world's largest salmon run from a proposed open pit mine near Bristol Bay. Although the Seattle area is home to an estimated 1,000 people who fish commerically in Bristol Bay every year, the EPA curiously failed not to alert local media to the document.
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
Are sea lions or fishermen more responsible for salmon (over) consumption?
The Oregonian reports, "Since 2002, when the government started tracking sea lions at Bonneville, fishermen took a yearly average of about 37,500 spring chinook, the variety sea lions like best. California sea lions at the dam took roughly 3,200 annually."
THE OREGONIAN
The North Pacific's rapidly growing plastic garbage patch
A new research paper states that the mass of plastic waste has grown 100-fold in 40 years. The Vancouver Sun reports, "The plastic particles are being vacuumed up by marine life and birds, and the mix is heavy with toxic chemicals."
VANCOUVER SUN
Columbia River swimming with toxins from pharmaceuticals, shampoo
A study released by the U.S. Geological survey found contaminents from pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the waters of the Columbia River—pollutants from daily life that are not removed during the municipal waste purification process.
EARTHFIX
B.C. green faith movement worships god, environment
The Tyee reports, "the weight of scientific evidence over climate change, and concern over environmental despoliation in general, is leading many faith groups to fuse existing traditions of social activism with environmental concern."
EarthFix reports, "Seattle journalist and author Blaine Harden spent time in Eastern Washington researching the book he wrote about the great river of the West: The Columbia."