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Stories about the environment focused on the Pacific Northwest, with many from KNKX's Environment reporter, Bellamy Pailthorp.

KNKX Public Radio


    • Jul 28, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 2m AVG DURATION
    • 91 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Environment

    Unanimous county council vote bans new refineries, fossil fuel facilities at Cherry Point

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2021 4:24


    "No one got everything they wanted, but we have a very good compromise on the table. … Please pass this ordinance as amended July 13."

    Murray pushes climate as Senate tackles infrastructure, budget measures

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2021 3:55


    Negotiations continue in the U.S. Senate around massive infrastructure and budget measures. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, is among the Senate Democrats pushing provisions aimed at addressing climate change .

    Makah Tribe remains closed to outsiders while resuming annual Makah Days festival

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2021 1:15


    Every year in late August, the tiny Makah Nation welcomes neighboring tribes and others from all over the state to celebrate its traditions and learn about its unique culture. Many of the protocols on display during Makah Days were developed over millennia in its homelands on the far northwest corner of Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

    J-pod orcas missing from inland waters of Salish Sea for more than 100 days

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2021 1:19


    It's peak season for whale watching in the Salish Sea. But the iconic southern resident killer whales that for decades spent their summers here have been scarce, likely because of a lack of salmon.

    Official death toll from heat wave at 78 in Washington – and it's expected to rise

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2021 0:53


    11:45 a.m.: Updated with new information from the state Department of Health. The Washington state Department of Health has a preliminary tally of heat-related deaths in the past week. At least 78 people died statewide because of the scorching temperatures that began June 26.

    Study: How smoke affects birds in Washington ... and our ability to see them

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2021 2:03


    We know that people suffer when smoke from wildfires fills the air. It's a nuisance and a health hazard. But how does it affect wildlife? Researchers at the University of Washington are tackling that question.

    How Washington state may (finally) be leading on climate action

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2021 7:22


    State lawmakers passed significant legislation this session that takes concrete steps to address climate pollution and the concerns of communities that it has harmed the most in Washington. KNKX environment reporter Bellamy Pailthorp sat down with Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick to talk about the changes that will be taking place in our state.

    Extreme heat came at worst possible time for Washington raspberry growers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2021 1:09


    Cool offshore flow and mild summer heat normally make western Washington an ideal place to grow red raspberries. The state commission for that crop reports growers here provide about 70 percent of the nation's premium flash-frozen raspberries. But the record heat has left immature berries sunburnt, while causing ripe ones to melt and shrivel on the vine.

    Federal court: Puyallup River dam needs permits under Endangered Species Act before it can restart

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2021 1:14


    In another blow to the operators of the Electron Dam on the Puyallup River, a judge in federal District Court has barred its parent company from diverting any water to generate power until it gets permits under the Endangered Species Act.

    Researchers identify shellfish-killing phytoplankton behind massive summer die-offs in Puget Sound

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2021 7:40


    In July of 2018 and 2019, large numbers of oysters, cockles and clams died on beaches all around Puget Sound. No one knew why. It was a particularly bad couple of years, but summer mortality events with mass die-offs of shellfish happen regularly. They've been recorded by researchers in western Washington as far back as the 1930s. The source has remained a mystery.

    Native leader calls him a 'snake,' but Inslee defends veto of tribal consent in cap-and-trade law

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2021 2:02


    Anger lingers among tribal leaders in Washington after a surprise veto from Gov. Jay Inslee last month. As he signed the cap and trade Climate Commitment Act, the governor struck down new powers for tribes.

    Invasive green crabs continue to spread in Washington, especially in coastal estuaries

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2021 1:22


    European green crabs were found in Washington’s inland waters in 2016, prompting extensive monitoring. Now state officials say this destructive invasive species is spreading in several coastal locations. They thrive in shallow water and soft sediment, which Washington’s estuaries provide. And over the past two years it seems the populations of green crab are exploding, especially on the coast.

    Special group of gray whales returns each year for shrimp ‘buffet' around Whidbey Island

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2021 8:08


    Every spring, gray whales migrate up the West Coast on a 12,000-mile round-trip from their calving grounds in Mexico to the Alaskan Arctic, where they feed on tiny crustaceans. Since early 2019, an unusual mortality event has reduced their population by more than 20 percent. Whales wash up severely emaciated or sometimes suffer from ship strikes or entanglements made worse by lack of food. But researchers in Washington have identified a small group of gray whales that returns to Puget Sound every year in what seems to be a survival strategy.

    Earth Day celebration calls on Port of Seattle for a pollution-free Salish Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 1:13


    A celebration of Earth Day in honor of the Salish Sea took aim at the Port of Seattle Thursday. Representatives of several groups, including 350.org and the Center for Biological Diversity, called attention to the port’s impact on marine life.

    SR3 SeaLife Rescue Center brings critical care closer for Pacific Northwest marine animals

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 2:16


    Even as human impacts cause increasing numbers of animal strandings along beaches in Washington and Oregon, there has been a gap in critical care for them. Till now, there was no marine wildlife hospital in either state dedicated to rehabilitating hurt or sick animals.

    Washington sets ambitious goal: All new cars sold will be electric by 2030

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2021 1:07


    In less than a decade, all cars and light-duty vehicles sold in Washington will be powered by electricity, not fossil fuels. That’s the goal set within legislation that has passed the state House and Senate. The 2030 timeline is now part of a bill that aims to prepare the state for a zero-emissions transportation future. It’s on its way to Gov. Jay Inslee for signing.

    Law to reduce plastic waste, ban Styrofoam statewide passes House floor vote

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2021 1:07


    It looks increasingly likely that Washington will ban Styrofoam, reduce plastic waste and strengthen recycling markets. A bill to that effect is nearly through the Legislature.

    Leafline Trails Coalition working to expand, connect regional network of accessible trails

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2021 4:36


    Throughout the central Puget Sound region, wide trails offer the promise of safe and accessible transportation corridors for people who bike or walk. Many are converted railroad right-of-ways, and some connect to high-speed transit. But many stand alone, limiting their utility.

    State urges spring boaters to take safety courses (and wear a life vest)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2021 1:12


    Spring has sprung, many people are now vaccinated and there’s renewed excitement to get outdoors. The pandemic has again led to a surge in outdoor recreation as people look for safe things to do in the open air.

    A law to reduce plastic waste, ban Styrofoam statewide is advancing in Legislature

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2021 1:02


    A law that would respond to the plastic waste crisis in the U.S. is advancing in the state Legislature. It passed the state Senate earlier this month; a hearing in the House appropriations committee is expected this week.

    NW scientist taps into personalities, diets to help sunflower sea stars shine again

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2021 7:29


    In December, sunflower sea stars were declared critically endangered by an international union of scientists. This species is the largest and hardest hit among the iconic and colorful starfish that have been devastated by a wasting syndrome.

    Washington ‘HEAL’ Act would steer key state agencies toward environmental justice

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2021 1:15


    Environmental justice became part of federal law in 1990. Washington might soon catch up. A proposed state law would infuse the concept into the work of seven key agencies.

    Decoding earthquake history: How geologists find fossilized clues in sediment

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 7:33


    Twenty years ago this Sunday, the Nisqually earthquake rattled the region. It registered 6.8 on the Richter scale and shook for 40 seconds. The damage was significant. Bricks flew. It caused cracks in the Capitol dome in Olympia and sealed the fate of Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct as well as many older buildings in Pioneer Square. But it was nowhere near as drastic as some of the other possible geological scenarios that could lead to truly devastating shaking.

    Makah rollout of vaccines nearly done as the tiny coastal nation maintains strict COVID protocols

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 1:08


    The Makah Tribe was the first community in the state to shut down because of COVID-19. Now they’re more than halfway through a vaccine rollout and are hoping to reopen this summer. The remote nation in Northwest Washington has remained closed to visitors since mid-March , with a checkpoint on the only road in and out.

    We’re way behind in meeting Paris climate goals, but local research shows how to catch up

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2021 1:13


    One of the first actions by President Biden after his inauguration was bringing the U.S. back into the Paris climate agreement . A new study from a researcher at the University of Washington shows people how much more we will have to do, to meet the goals in that accord.

    Whale watch companies say licensing system should be voluntary because of COVID-19

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2021 1:09


    New licensing requirements for whale watch boats working in Washington waters take effect March 1. They’re the result of years of work, both from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and from the governor’s southern resident killer whale task force, which recommended the implementation of a licensing system. But this week, state lawmakers began considering changes that would weaken those rules .

    As climate proposals move through Legislature, offset provisions are causing controversy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2021 1:11


    The pressure is on to pass climate bills in Olympia. Attempts to get policies through that limit carbon pollution by putting a price on it have often failed here – including two statewide voter initiatives with broad or bipartisan support.

    See the Treaty of Point Elliott, exhibit on 'The Power of Words' at Tulalip Cultural Center

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2021 7:44


    166 years ago this past Friday, on Jan. 22, 1855, the Treaty of Point Elliott was signed in what is now Mukilteo, Washington. The document is the source of much power for many local tribes today, but it wasn’t always that way. It’s celebrated every year in tribal ceremonies that are open to outsiders.

    Orcas return to British Columbia spot where they haven't been seen since 1995

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2021 0:57


    A pod of orcas has returned to a part of British Columbia where they have not been seen for years.

    Settlement agreement says state must protect endangered species from polluted runoff

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2021 1:25


    Endangered species in Washington will get a much-needed boost following the settlement of a major lawsuit about runoff and water quality.

    Seattle photographer's 'Snowy Owl' book transports readers to the Arctic tundra

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2020 7:36


    For about a month now, a snowy owl has been spending its daytime hours on several rooftops in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. Prior to that, there were sightings of the iconic bird in West Seattle and Burien .

    In wake of wasting disease, scientists on San Juan Island rear sunflower sea stars in captivity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2020 1:03


    Seven years ago, a wasting disease began killing sea stars all along the West Coast. The largest and hardest-hit species, the sunflower sea star ( Pycnopodia helianthoides), is now critically endangered, reduced in numbers by some 90 percent. Scientists with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) put it on their “red list” last week. But researchers at Friday Harbor Labs on San Juan Island say there’s reason for hope.

    Task force says reparations may be needed as state works toward environmental justice

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2020 1:11


    As they prepare for the next legislative session, state lawmakers are reviewing a report that calls for laws to ensure environmental justice. It comes from a new entity, created in 2019 and charged with developing strategies to address findings in the Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map.

    Whale watch operators insist their presence helps protect southern resident orcas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 1:09


    Operators of commercial whale-watching vessels are pushing back against proposed new regulations from the state. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is implementing a mandatory licensing system for the vessels , after the Washington Legislature passed a directive last year that also instructed the department to develop rules for viewing endangered southern resident killer whales.

    Economy, traditions suffer as toxic algae shuts down clamming on Washington coast

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2020 7:42


    Wind and rain hammer the coast in the early morning hours at Copalis Beach in Ocean City. But Dawn Radonski is already out in her waders, waiting for the perfect moment to pull a five-gallon bucket of saltwater from the waves. She’s a harmful algal bloom specialist with the Quinault Indian Nation, and she’s sampling for a certain kind of especially toxic algae. “The pseudo-nitzschia,” Radonski says. “I look underneath the microscope, and I count all the pseudo-nitzschia that are in there. And if there's a lot of them, we run them through a toxin filter to see if they're producing toxins in the water.” She does this every week, taking the samples back to her lab from four beaches. The Quinault tribe monitors this section of the coast as part of the Olympic Region Harmful Algal Blooms partnership, or ORHAB . It was created in June 1999 in response to seemingly random closures of shellfish harvest due to outbreaks of marine biotoxins. Its data helps predict the outbreaks, to protect

    Washington Food and Farm Finder makes it easier to shop with local producers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2020 1:03


    Demand for fresh food from local farms has surged in recent months, even as the pandemic has sometimes made it harder to get. Many people are looking for healthy ways to avoid grocery store shopping and support local small businesses.

    Environmental groups appeal lower court’s decision on Cooke Aquaculture’s net pen plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2020 1:19


    A controversial plan to raise domesticated steelhead in net pens in Puget Sound faces a new legal challenge. Cooke Aquaculture wants to use its remaining leases with the state, despite the ban on net pen farming of non-native fish. So, it proposed switching from Atlantic salmon to sterilized native steelhead.

    Quiet Sound underwater noise reduction program could soon slow ships, protect orcas

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2020 1:17


    Underwater noise from ship traffic is one of the major threats to Puget Sound’s endangered Southern Resident orcas. It can interfere with the whales’ ability to communicate, navigate by echolocation and find the increasingly scarce salmon they prefer. A recommendation from the orca recovery task force convened by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2018-19 is to reduce noise and disturbance from large vessels. Work is underway to develop a program called "Quiet Sound," which will alert ships to the presence of whales so they can re-route or slow down.

    Advocates say election outcome means more ‘climate champions’ headed to Olympia

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2020 1:09


    Climate action advocates say they’re hopeful they’ll see more success in Olympia, when lawmakers return to session. A recent webinar with several environmental groups provided an overview of the election outcome, and its implications for climate policies.

    Neurotoxin that shut down razor clamming threatens Dungeness crab season

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2020 1:12


    UPDATE, Nov. 12: The state Department of Health says Dungeness crab from the Washington coast is safe to eat. The agency's tests for domoic acid came in well below the threshold that would trigger a delay or total shutdown of the crab season. Officials will run another set of tests before the season opener, which happens after the crabs get big enough for harvest, normally sometime in December.

    Toxins from harmful algal bloom shut down razor clamming on Washington beaches

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2020 1:16


    A potentially record-setting season f or razor clam digging in Washington has come to a screeching halt. Warm water off the coast has helped toxic algae thrive, rendering the clams unsafe to eat.

    Big money in politics — now greener than ever

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2020 1:11


    Environmental groups have become some of the biggest spenders in U.S. politics this election. Washington state is no exception. The Washington Conservation Voters political action committee (WCV PAC) has poured some $425,000 into about 10 state legislative races. In each case, fossil fuel interests have funded campaigns on the other side.

    Contrasting views on climate action in the race for Washington's 10th Congressional District

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2020 2:10


    Two Democrats are vying to fill the open seat in Washington’s 10 th Congressional District. State representative Beth Doglio is running against former Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland. The race has been called a microcosm of the recent split in the Democratic Party between establishment liberals and left-leaning progressives. One issue that clearly displays their differences is how they would address climate change.

    Washington state developing safety rules to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2020 1:22


    The state department of Labor and Industries has begun a rule-making process to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke. It will make Washington the second state after California to do so.

    Group pushes for clean-energy stimulus, as fast-growing industry is hit hard by pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2020 1:15


    The clean energy sector was one of the fastest growing parts of the economy before the pandemic, and it’s been one of the hardest hit. But researchers say jobs in energy efficiency or solar or wind power are still some of the best paid .

    USGS pressing for expansion of lahar detection sites around Mount Rainier

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2020 1:10


    Officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior and United States Geological Survey have been touring sites in Mount Rainier National Park this week. They’re looking at five new locations where upgraded monitoring stations will soon enhance detection of lahars. There’s also a proposal to add another 12 lahar monitoring stations in the park, to complete an expansion they say will put detection at Rainier on par with other high-threat volcanoes in the region, such as Mount St. Helens.

    Salish Sea Shared Waters forum wraps up third and final year of work to reduce risks of oil spills

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 2:19


    Washington has been stepping up systems to prevent and reduce the risk of oil spills, due in part to the looming expansion of Canada’s Trans Mountain Pipeline. It could result in as much as a sevenfold increase in the number of oil tankers traveling from Vancouver, B.C., through Puget Sound. In 2018, the state Legislature passed the Strengthening Oil Transportation Safety Act. Among its requirements, along with a barrel tax on crude oil and updates to contingency plans for oil spills, was the establishment of the Salish Sea Shared Waters forum.

    New whale watch licensing system will reduce noise, disturbance of endangered orcas

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 1:25


    Despite the happy news that Puget Sound’s Southern Resident killer whales welcomed two new babies to the J-pod last month, their population remains at risk, with just 74 left in the wild. A new licensing requirement for commercial whale watch boats is expected to start next year . It aims to reduce noise and other stress that could be impacting them, by regulating the numbers of boats allowed in proximity of the Southern Residents as well as when and how long the whales can be watched.

    Puyallup Tribe plans to sue Pierce County dam owner over AstroTurf, impacts on fish

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2020 1:14


    The Puyallup Tribe intends to sue Electron Hydro and its backers over violations of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. The tribe’s 60-day notice, filed in federal court, comes after a whistleblower working at the Pierce County dam site this summer revealed that the company was using artificial turf in the Puyallup River.

    Washington officials deploy new tools in race to eradicate invasive Asian giant hornet

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2020 1:29


    It’s been a busy week for Washington state agriculture officials tracking the potential spread of the Asian giant hornet. Scientists say they found evidence of six new hornets near Blaine, indicating the likelihood that a nest is in the area. The invasive species, sometimes called murder hornets, can decimate honeybees and other pollinators, threatening ecosystems and agriculture. Fifteen of them have now been found in Washington since they were first seen here last year.

    Public scoring ends tonight in Port of Seattle’s renaming campaign for 6 Duwamish River parks

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2020 1:27


    The Port of Seattle owns and operates six public parks along the Duwamish River that many people don’t even know exist. That’s changing as the port engages community in a renaming process meant to help residents reclaim the properties and their heritage.

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