White House, tribal leaders hail 'historic' deal to restore salmon runs in Pacific Northwest
The Biden administration, leaders of four Columbia River Basin tribes and the governors of Oregon and Washington have signed papers formally launching a $1 billion plan to help recover depleted salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest.
A chaotic US House is losing three Republican committee chairs to retirement in the span of a week
In a single week, the Republican chairs of three U.S. House committees announced they would not be seeking reelection, raising questions about whether the chaos that has reigned this Congress is driving out some of the GOP’s top talent.
Leaked document says US is willing to build energy projects in case Snake River dams are breached
In a strong sign that the U.S. will consider breaching four controversial dams on the Snake River, a leaked Biden administration document says the government is prepared to help build clean energy projects to replace the power generated by the dams.
Rep. Herrera Beutler in middle of impeachment trial turmoil
(Al Drago/Pool via AP, File)VANCOUVER, Wash. – Jaime Herrera Beutler has spent a decade in Congress as a low-key moderate Republican who largely avoided heated partisan battles. Herrera Beutler has worked to help other families facing long-term medical crises and has pushed legislation to make child care more affordable. Like other Republicans who broke with Trump, Herrera Beutler was condemned by her local and state party. Herrera Beutler said people should not be surprised by her recent statements surrounding impeachment and her conversation with McCarthy. ___This story has been corrected to reflect that Herrera Beutler represents Washington's 3rd Congressional District.
Biden: 'We can't wait any longer' to address climate crisis
President Joe Biden signs an executive order on climate change, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington. “We can’t wait any longer'' to address the climate crisis, Biden said Wednesday at the White House. “When I think of climate change and the answers to it, I think of jobs,'' Biden said. Former Secretary of State John Kerry, now Biden's climate envoy, said oil, gas and coal workers “have been fed a false narrative'' that ”somehow, dealing with climate is coming at their expense. Biden also directed U.S. agencies to use science and evidence-based decision-making in federal rules and announced a U.S.-hosted climate leaders summit on Earth Day, April 22.
US: Snake River dams will not be removed to save salmon
SPOKANE, Wash. The U.S. government announced Friday that four huge dams on the Snake River in Washington state will not be removed to help endangered salmon migrate to the ocean. The federal failure to remove the dams despite clear supporting science is a disaster for our endangered salmon and orcas, said Sophia Ressler of the Center for Biological Diversity. The Pacific Northwest population of orcas also called killer whales was placed on the endangered species list in 2005. Snake River sockeye were the first species in the Columbia River Basin listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1991. On the way to the ocean, juvenile salmon can get chewed up in the dams turbines.