Scientists Map Red Tide Algae To Prevent Shellfish Poisoning
"Public health officials have their hands full keeping your clam chowder and raw oysters safe. That's due, in part, to red tides."
Source: NPR, 03/29/2012
Northwest (OR WA)
"Federal Government Sanctions Limited Sea Lion Killings"
"The states of Oregon and Washington can kill sea lions that have feasted on endangered Columbia River salmon, under an authorization given on Thursday by the federal government.
The decision by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) marked the latest reversal in the federal government's position on sanctioned killing of California sea lions. It upset animal rights advocates, who argue the creatures are unfairly blamed for low fish stocks.
Source: Reuters, 03/16/2012
Despite High Court, Navy Keeps WA Town in Dark on Explosion Threat
A landmark Supreme Court decision awarded Port Townsend residents the right to know about the potential location of explosives on the Indian Island Naval Magazine near their town. After losing the case, the Defense Department bolstered its legal grounds for secrecy by asking Congress to slip into the 2012 Defense Authorization an amendment creating a new statutory exemption to FOIA for the DOD.
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"Seattle Officials Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags"
"The Seattle City Council voted Monday to ban single-use plastic bags from groceries and other retail stores, joining a growing trend among cities that embrace green values."
Source: AP, 12/21/2011
Oregon Court Rules That Not All Bloggers Are Journalists
The Portland judge ruled that blogger Crystal Cox, who published allegations against businessman Kevin Padrick and was subsequently sued by Padrick for defamation, was not a journalist as she lacked any conventional journalistic credentials or affiliations, and therefore was not entitled to the protections of the state's shield law.
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"Washington State Scrambles To Fight Massive Tree Die-Offs"
"SEATTLE — So many pine, fir and spruce trees in the Northwest are riddled with bugs and disease that major tree die-offs are expected to rip through a third of Eastern Washington forests - an area covering nearly 3 million acres - in the next 15 years, according to new state projections."
Source: Seattle Times, 11/28/2011
BLM Says 9 Western States Have Worthy Wilderness Areas
Designating lands as wilderness or some other highly protected status always is contentious, but the BLM has identified 24 areas in 9 western states the agency says have significant local support for this idea: CA (9 areas), CO (3), ID (1), MT (1), NM (2), NV (2), OR (2), UT (3), and WA (1).
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"Climate Change, Beetle May Doom Rugged Pine"
"Whitebark pines may be among the earliest victims of a warming climate in the Northwest, as rising temperatures at higher elevations have brought the trees into contact with the destructive mountain pine beetle."
Craig Welch reports for the Seattle Times November 7, 2011.
Source: Seattle Times, 11/07/2011
Federal Judge Backs Rules That Limit Pesticide Use Near Salmon Habitat
"A federal judge [Monday] upheld new rules designed to protect West Coast salmon and steelhead from three widely used farm pesticides."
Source: Portland Oregonian, 11/01/2011
Obama Administration Trying To Speed up Transmission Line Approvals
As part of its push to improve the nation's power system, the Obama administration is trying to expedite construction of 7 transmission lines, in various stages of planning and design, spanning 3,100 miles in 12 states.
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