News items for June 5, 2023

School drinking fountain, by Stacey Newman, all rights reserved.

• 1. Companies reach $1.18 billion deal to resolve PFAS claims

  DuPont de Nemours Inc., The Chemours Co., and Corteva Inc. will compensate water providers for contamination by the “forever chemicals” used widely in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products, and some firefighting foams. PFAS have been linked to a variety of health problems, including liver and immune-system damage and some cancers.

  Seattle Times PFAS

• 2. The 3 proposed maps for Portland’s first-ever City Council districts

  Last week, members of Portland’s citizen-led Independent District Commission proposed a trio of boundary maps for four City Council geographic districts, and they’re seeking community feedback.

  The Oregonian Elections

• 3. For tribes, welcoming salmon to Upper Columbia is ‘lifelong work’

  Each spring, Northwest tribes celebrate the first foods of the season. At a Colville ceremony marking the return of migrating salmon, ecological challenges were top of mind.

  NW News Network Salmon

• 4. What to know about prescribed-burn season

  A Q&A for residents as, across the West, the US Forest Service and state agencies are increasingly turning to prescribed burns to prevent large fires that threaten communities.

  Bend Bulletin Wildfires

• 5. Will California reform ‘spotty’ oversight of water rights?

  California’s complex system of water rights took shape starting in the mid-1800s. Today, those antiquated rules are making it harder for water regulators to manage supplies. Three bills gaining momentum in the state’s legislature are seeking to change that, even as they draw heated opposition from water agencies and agricultural groups.

  LA Times Water

• 6. Podcast: The battle for clean energy in coal country

  Across the US, states are moving to renewable energy—but Montana is doubling down on fossil fuels.

  Montana Free Press Coal

• 7. The truth about ‘local’ food in US supermarkets

  The USDA’s definition of “local,” from the 2008 Farm Bill, is poorly regulated. That’s led to a lack of clarity and consistency in how the term is deployed in supermarkets across the country, with each grocer defining the label for itself.

  The Guardian Food

• 8. Could the Northwest’s basalt rocks help slow climate change?

  Places in the US Midwest and Gulf Coast store carbon underground in sandstone rocks. But basalt, of which the Northwest has some of the best formations, potentially offers a better option.

  OPB Carbon sequestration

• 9. New rankings: Which US cities are best for bicycling?

  PeopleForBikes is out with its latest annual City Ratings, a data-driven program to evaluate, identify, and compare the best cities and towns for bicycling—including a few Pacific Northwest locales.

  PeopleForBikes Bicycling

• 10. Video: “They really did start a buzz”

  The US government has deployed thousands of honeybees on its buildings across the country to assess and promote the health of bees and other pollinators who play a key role in food production.

  USA Today Bees

More News from June 5, 2023

• Allstate no longer offering new policies in California

  Like State Farm, which announced a similar move last week, Allstate cited worsening climate conditions that had made doing business in the Golden State difficult.

  New York Times Climate impacts

• How the global plastics treaty could fight climate change

  The plastic industry’s global carbon footprint in 2020 was 1.3 billion metric tons, twice as big as Canada’s, and it’s expected to grow as fossil fuel companies seek to offset declining demand for oil and gas used in the power and transportation sectors.

  Grist Plastics

• As ocean oxygen levels dip, fish face uncertain future

  Global warming not only increases ocean temperatures; it triggers a cascade of effects that are stripping the seas of oxygen. Fish are already moving to new waters in search of oxygen, and scientists are warning of the long-term threat to fish species and marine ecosystems.

  Yale Environment 360 Oceans

• Does forest diversity better fight climate change?

  Planting trees is often a go-to action for environmental sustainability, but it turns out that it really matters what types of trees you plant—and where.

  CBC Forests

• Gathering a gray brigade for climate action

  An interview with the co-founder of Climate Legacy, which supports seniors to use their time, money, and voices to move Canada steadily towards sustainability.

  National Observer Climate Action

• Oil companies’ great green rush has begun

  The era of greenwashing is ending. Here’s what’s coming next.

  Heatmap Big Oil

• What climate disaster survivors need for healing

  The mental toll disasters take on evacuees and frontline responders can be heavy. But researchers have identified practices that can help the mental well-being of those coping with such shock and loss.

  The Tyee Climate impacts