Ashley Ahearn

Underwater Earthquake Recordings Reveal Mysterious Whale Calls

Ashley Ahearn — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:35:04 +0000

The Blue whale is believed to be the largest animal ever to exist. But nobody remembers number two. Fin whales are the second largest animals on the planet, weighing in at around 80 tons. And they’re very mysterious creatures. Now scientists have gained better access to the giant whale’s secret lives – almost accidentally.

Plans Scrapped For Coal Export Terminal In St. Helens, OR

Ashley Ahearn and Ashley — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:37:36 +0000

The number of coal export terminals under consideration in the Northwest has dropped to three, that’s from a high of six last year.

Environmental Groups Announce Plan To Sue Rail And Coal Companies Under Clean Water Act

Ashley Ahearn — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:31:40 +0000

A coalition of environmental groups that oppose exporting coal through terminals in the Northwest have announced plans to file a lawsuit against BNSF Railway and several coal companies. The groups say coal that escapes from trains is polluting the water and should be regulated under the Clean Water Act.

Washington State Passes Legislation To Tackle Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ashley Ahearn — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 23:18:01 +0000

The Washington state legislature has just passed a bill that will come up with a strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The bill was introduced by request of Gov. Jay Inslee.

EPA Releases $305M Draft Clean Up Plan For Seattle's Duwamish River

Ashley Ahearn — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:36:01 +0000

For over a decade, state and federal agencies have been trying to figure out how to clean up Seattle’s Duwamish River. The Duwamish was declared a superfund site in 2001. It’s contaminated with dioxins, PCBs and other hazardous chemicals left over from years of industrial use. The Environmental Protection Agency has just released their proposed plan for public review.

Governor Inslee: "No Immediate Plans" For A Price On Carbon Emissions

Ashley Ahearn — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:54:38 +0000

Governor Jay Inslee made one of his first public appearances since his inauguration at a breakfast for the Capitol Land Trust in Olympia on Tuesday. Several hundred people gathered for the conservation group’s annual breakfast.

Washington To Consider Ocean Acidification Legislation

Ashley Ahearn — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 23:58:48 +0000

In recent years, millions of larval oysters in Northwest hatcheries have died because the water has become too corrosive for them to form their shells. Washington could be the first state in the country to introduce legislation to deal with the economic and environmental threats posed by ocean acidification.

To Catch A Marten: Seeking Clues In Olympic National Forest

Ashley Ahearn — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:07:00 +0000

It's about 25 degrees on a clear Saturday morning when Gregg Treinish — executive director of Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, a nonprofit that puts volunteers to work gathering data for scientists around the world — gathers a small group of outdoor adventurers around him near the Duckabush River in the Olympic National Forest in Washington state.

The mission for this group: help biologists figure out whether there are any martens left

What Climate Change Means For Seattle's Waterfront

Ashley Ahearn — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:47:55 +0000

On Monday the Seattle City Council announced a new plan to take action on climate change. As global temperatures rise, so does sea level, and some reports predict that by the year 2050 key parts of Seattle could be underwater at high tide.

Taxing Carbon To Pay For Transportation Infrastructure

Ashley Ahearn — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 01:43:22 +0000

Keeping up with transportation infrastructure isn’t cheap. The Washington State Transportation Commission estimates that in the next 20 years around $200 billion needs to be put towards the maintenance of roads, ferries and more.