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There are new proposals to bring back grizzly bears in the North Cascades
Grizzly bears could get another chance at returning to Washington’s North Cascades, under a framework two federal agencies unveiled on Thursday. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and National Park Service released a set of options to bring the hulking animals back into the area — a wild expanse of glaciated peaks, dense forests, and […]
Washington senators join Democrats calling for Sen. Bob Menendez to resign
Washington U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell on Wednesday joined more than two dozen Senate Democrats who are calling on their embattled colleague, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey to resign. Menendez and his wife have been indicted on corruption charges. Federal prosecutors, last week, accused him of accepting bribes, including bars of gold […]
Federal shutdown should not immediately threaten food aid for WA mothers and kids
Food aid for mothers and young children in Washington will not be immediately disrupted in the event of a federal shutdown, the state’s Department of Health said on Tuesday. The Biden administration on Monday warned that funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, could run short in many […]
FTC and 17 states sue Amazon over claims of monopolistic conduct with online retail
The Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general are suing Amazon, claiming that the Seattle-headquartered tech and retail giant is engaging in monopolistic and uncompetitive practices. Washington is not among the states joining the lawsuit, which the FTC announced on Tuesday. Amazon’s actions violate the law not because it is a massive enterprise, according […]
India’s tariffs on U.S. apples come to an end, a plus for Washington growers
India lifted retaliatory tariffs Wednesday on imported U.S. apples and other crops that are important to Washington state, according to U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s office. The country was a sizable foreign export market for Washington apples, with $120 million worth of the fruit sent there in 2017. But in 2019, after the Trump administration imposed […]
Washington on track for ‘historically deadly year’ with traffic crashes
Last year was the deadliest on Washington roadways in over three decades. Figures released this week show this year could be worse. Crashes claimed the lives of 417 people through July 31, according to initial data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. During the same time frame last year, 413 people died in vehicle collisions. […]
Why Washington left millions in lead pipe replacement dollars untapped
Washington’s Department of Health said this week that the state secured only a small fraction of more than $60 million in federal funding to get lead pipes out of public water systems. The department cited a lack of interest by local water agencies as the reason so much of it was left untouched. Four future […]
Dozens of structures burn in eastern Washington wildfire, as residents flee
Wildfires near Spokane have burned over 200 structures and left at least one person dead, authorities said Saturday. The Gray Fire, at around 8 a.m. Saturday morning, was 0% contained and roughly 9,500 acres, the state Department of Natural Resources said. A department spokesman said Saturday morning the fire had destroyed at least 185 structures. […]
Tribes call for feds to ban chemical in car tires that is linked to salmon deaths
Two tribes in Washington are asking federal regulators to ban a chemical widely used in car tires that scientists have identified as highly toxic to salmon and other fish. The Port Gamble S’Klallam and Puyallup tribes, along with the Yurok, which is the largest native nation in California, petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on […]
A parched summer is posing difficulties for Washington farmers and fish
The record-warm May that burned off a sizable chunk of the state’s snowpack has left flows in many of Washington’s rivers and streams depleted heading into late summer. It’s not the driest year the state has seen. But it’s still bad news for fish that depend on cool water and ample streamflows for survival and […]
State offers $16.3M to swap trash trucks, street sweepers for cleaner models
Washington will use about $16.3 million from a legal settlement with Volkswagen to help government agencies transition diesel medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, like garbage trucks and street sweepers, to zero-emissions models. The state opened applications for the money on Wednesday. About $9.6 million is for garbage trucks and street sweepers and roughly $6.6 million is […]
Crews make headway battling wildfire in southern Washington
Firefighting crews are making progress containing a nearly 60,000-acre fire burning just north of the Columbia River in central Washington. It’s the biggest fire burning in the state, according to InciWeb, the online clearinghouse for wildfire information. But forecasters warn that more large blazes could be ahead as much of the state deals with dry […]