Posts
Initiative poses extra hurdle for merging of Washington, California carbon markets
Gov. Jay Inslee and Democratic legislators see linking Washington’s cap-and-trade program with carbon markets in California and Quebec as a critical next step for the signature climate policy and are pushing ahead to make it happen. But a ballot measure to repeal the Climate Commitment Act may slow their pursuit – unless they are willing […]
‘Forever chemicals’ in thousands of private wells near military sites, study finds
Water tests show nearly 3,000 private wells located near 63 active and former U.S. military bases are contaminated with “forever chemicals” at levels higher than what federal regulators consider safe for drinking. According to the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that analyzed Department of Defense testing data, 2,805 wells spread across 29 states […]
Looking for child care in Washington? A new online marketplace aims to help
Parents across Washington may soon be able to search in one place online for child care openings in their neighborhoods. Kinside, a Seattle-based startup, has launched a website where families can find real-time prices and openings at child care centers. Currently, the program only allows people to search for openings in the Seattle area, but […]
We can’t keep falling for the myth of ‘billionaire tax flight’
“Did you hear? Jeff Bezos is moving from Seattle to Miami!” Yes, I heard. And as someone who advocates for a more just tax system in Washington state, I braced for what I would hear from progressives and conservatives alike. Bezos himself said that he decided to move to Florida because he grew up in […]
Federally funded project will search for rare earth elements in Southeast Alaska seaweed
What if prized rare earth elements could be extracted from seaweed, avoiding the need to dig into the ground for the materials used in technology and renewable-energy equipment? That question will be addressed by a new project to examine whether those elements can be found in seaweed growing in the waters of Southeast Alaska. The […]
Federal judge issues preliminary injunction blocking effective date of Montana’s TikTok ban
Saying Montana’s law banning TikTok in the state oversteps the state’s powers and infringes on people’s constitutional rights, a federal judge in Missoula on Thursday granted a preliminary injunction temporarily prohibiting the state from enforcing the law set to take effect Jan. 1. U.S. District of Montana Judge Donald Molloy found the law banning TikTok […]
U.S. House votes to bar use of public lands for housing migrants
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Thursday passed a bill to bar the use of public lands for temporary housing for migrants applying for asylum. The bill, H.R. 5283, passed with a majority of Republicans in support, 224-203. Six Democrats voted with Republicans: Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente […]
Farmers and growers seek leeway under new agriculture overtime law
Agricultural workers in Washington will attain a historic milestone next month when, for the first time in state history, they will earn overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours in a week. The achievement is the result of 2021 legislation negotiated by labor advocates, agricultural producers and lawmakers that erased language in state […]
Washington lawmakers look at shielding people from surprise ambulance costs
People in Washington often face high costs for ambulance rides, despite not having a choice about the service, an October state Office of the Insurance Commissioner report found. State lawmakers and health officials are now looking at ways to change that, including by prohibiting ambulance operators from billing consumers for costs their insurance doesn’t cover […]
Feds consider removing Snake River dams in leaked agreement with plaintiffs in lawsuit
The Biden administration and federal agencies are prepared to remove four lower Snake River dams to save imperiled salmon species, according to a leaked proposal among parties in a federal lawsuit and the administration’s environmental council. Republican representatives in the Northwest, as well as some electric utilities, are not pleased about the proposed agreement. The […]
Democrats split on placing conditions on military aid to Israel
WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress are divided on whether to set guardrails on additional military aid to Israel as that country responds to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks with airstrikes and a ground war in Gaza. It’s not yet clear what those conditions would be or how they would affect congressional support for […]
Native and state leaders push for K-12 schools to fully implement tribal history curriculum
Miranda Lopez remembers when she first learned about local Indigenous activist and athlete Rosalie Fish. Fish, a University of Washington runner from the Cowlitz Tribe, is nationally known for dedicating her races to Indigenous women who are missing or murdered, including her aunt. Lopez is from the same part of eastern Washington where Fish’s aunt […]