Environment

Ghost Fishing Nets Being Vanquished In Puget Sound

Ashley Ahearn — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:54 +0000

Fishing nets are designed to ensnare fish. But when those nets are lost or abandoned at sea, they don’t stop catching fish. Instead, they become ghost nets – floating death traps for the marine life that continue to get trapped in their mesh.

Crowdfunding Coal Science

Ashley Ahearn — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:40:45 +0000

Crowdfunding and kickstarter campaigns have become popular online tools to raise money for fledgling businesses and independent projects. Scientists are starting to use these sites to fund research as well.

State and federal agencies have begun the environmental review process for the two largest coal export terminals on the West coast. Now there are some scientists who are asking the public to chip in for studies about the impacts of exporting coal. Ashley Ahearn reports for EarthFix.

Study: Aquifers Draining Quickly, Less In Northwest

Courtney Flatt — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:31:16 +0000

A new study says the nation’s aquifers are shrinking at an alarming rate The problem is not as bad in the Northwest, thanks to an abundance of rivers and streams. But even here, aquifers are shrinking. For EarthFix, Courtney Flatt has more.

Japanese Officials Visit Hanford For Nuclear Cleanup Strategies

Anna King — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:26:04 +0000

The people overseeing the cleanup of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster are learning some valuable lessons from the long-running cleanup at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. A Japanese government delegation recently toured some of the southeast Washington site.

In Japan, workers in gloves and masks are grinding down sidewalks and roads, wiping down rooftops and bagging contaminated soil.

Wash. and Ore. Get More Tsunami Debris Cleanup Money

Sara Lerner — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:48:08 +0000

Here on the western coast of the U.S., we have a special connection to Japan. The ocean between us keeps bringing remnants from the massive tsunami there. It left more than 16,000 people dead. The debris is expensive to remove and can carry invasive species with it.

Comment Period Open For Proposed Superfund Clean Up Plan On Seattle's Duwamish River

Ashley Ahearn — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:38:09 +0000

The proposed clean up plan for the Duwamish River super fund site in Seattle is open for final public comment. The 305 million dollar plan would tackle 100 years of industrial pollution that have lead to high levels of contamination in the river. Ashley Ahearn reports the EPA is asking the public to weigh in.

Study Finds Urban Stresses Cause Birds To Abandon Eggs

Jessica Robinson — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:25:57 +0000

A bird of prey can get so stressed out by city noise, it will abandon its nest – with eggs still in it. That's according to a new study by researchers at Boise State University. The study suggests human disturbances affect the American kestrel more than previously thought. Jessica Robinson reports.

Idaho Couple Takes Glass Recycling Into Their Own Hands

Paige Browning — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:29:39 +0000

In Coeur d’Alene, residents can recycle paper, plastic, and aluminum. A new non-profit is chipping away at what they see as a problem: the city doesn’t recycle glass. Spokane Public Radio’s Paige Browning reports.

Study: Cheatgrass Severity Affected By Grazing

Courtney Flatt — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:18:22 +0000

A new study out of Oregon State University suggests that overgrazing could be helping an invasive grass to flourish. That differs from previous studies that have found grazing can better manage that plant -- cheatgrass -- which threatens rangeland habitat. For EarthFix, Courtney Flatt has more.

No New Wind Farm Construction In PNW This Year

Courtney Flatt — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:16:43 +0000

You may have seen wind turbines springing up all over the Pacific Northwest in the past decade. So far this year, the region’s wind industry has faced a different story. For EarthFix, Courtney Flatt has more.