Northwest (OR WA)

June 2, 2009

DEADLINE: The Puget Sound Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources [1]

The Institutes for Journalism & Natural Resources is inviting applications for its Puget Sound Institute, a nine-day journey in July 2009 through parts of northwest Washington that will examine a variety of newsworthy topics.

Workshops and Fellowships [2]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Topics on the Beat:

Biodiversity [4]

Climate Change [5]

Journalism & Media [6]

People & Population [7]

Policy [8]

Science [9]

Water & Oceans [10]

Region:

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Chase for Wind Power Turns to Public Lands [12]

"Rows of tall turbines have already remade the landscape on wheat farms and ridgelines on private land around the region. But so far there have been no wind farms built on public land in the Northwest. That's about to change."

Energy & Fuel [13]

Public [3]

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Source: Portland Oregonian [14], 05/25/2009

Read more about Chase for Wind Power Turns to Public Lands [12]

Gov. Orders Wash. Agencies To Cut Greenhouse Emissions [15]

"Gov. Chris Gregoire on Thursday ordered [Washington] state to reach agreement with its single largest polluter to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by half over the next 15 years."

Climate Change [5]

Public [3]

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Source: Seattle Times [16], 05/22/2009

Read more about Gov. Orders Wash. Agencies To Cut Greenhouse Emissions [15]

Judge Mulls Breaching Snake River Dams [17]

"Federal officials, who have spent much of the last decade 'avoiding their obligations under the Endangered Species Act,' need a contingency plan to save the endangered fish, the judge says."

Fish & Fisheries [18]

Public [3]

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Source: LA Times [19], 05/20/2009

Read more about Judge Mulls Breaching Snake River Dams [17]

June 22, 2009 to June 25, 2009

AMA Conference on Broadcast Meteorology [20]

Topics include regional challenges in forecasting, including tropical, severe weather, lake effect, mountain and winter weather. Also planned: a day trip to the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, WA.

Professional Meetings [21]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Topics on the Beat:

Climate Change [5]

Disasters [22]

Science [9]

Region:

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

"A Mountain of Trouble" [23]

An "eco-friendly" developer in Sweet Home, Oregon, has brought "a nightmare of garbage-dumping fines from state environmental regulators, an asbestos investigation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an investigation by Oregon charities regulators, and numerous civil lawsuits from angry creditors."

Pollution [24]

Public [3]

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Source: Eugene Register-Guard [25], 05/11/2009

Read more about "A Mountain of Trouble" [23]

WA State Secret Deal on Coal-Plant Emissions Raises Ire [26]

Seattle Times lets the cat out of the bag with an April 7, 2009, story describing the secret agreement between the administration of Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Canada-based TransAlta.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [27]

Topics on the Beat:

Climate Change [5]

Energy & Fuel [13]

Laws & Regulations [28]

Region:

National (U.S.) [29]

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Read more about WA State Secret Deal on Coal-Plant Emissions Raises Ire [26]

Public Comment Open for Renewable Energy Zones [30]

The Western Governors' Association and the US DOE begin Phase 1 of a 4-phase process, with initial designation of suitable zones for renewable power generation in the western US, Canada, and Mexico.

SEJ Publication Types:

TipSheet [31]

Topics on the Beat:

Planning & Growth [32]

Energy & Fuel [13]

Region:

International [33]

National (U.S.) [29]

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [34]

Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [35]

California [36]

Mexico [37]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Read more about Public Comment Open for Renewable Energy Zones [30]

Wild vs. Hatchery Issue Clouds Salmon's Fate [38]

A federal judge in Oregon told the National Marine Fisheries Service on Sept. 10, 2001, to either define a genetic difference between wild and hatchery fish or reconsider protecting the wild fish under the Endangered Species Act.

SEJ Publication Types:

TipSheet [31]

Topics on the Beat:

Fish & Fisheries [18]

Region:

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Read more about Wild vs. Hatchery Issue Clouds Salmon's Fate [38]

Artist Sues Local Cops Over Right To Photograph Power Lines [39]

Shirley E. Scheier, a University of Washington fine-arts professor, was handcuffed, frisked, and detained for 44 minutes when she took some art photos of powerlines against the sky in Snohomish County, Washington.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [27]

Topics on the Beat:

Laws & Regulations [28]

Region:

Northwest (OR WA) [11]

Visibility:

Public [3]