Fire at Hanford nuclear reservation now 100% contained
Crews have contained a wildfire that sparked on the Hanford nuclear reservation in Eastern Washington this weekend. Lightning started the wildfire in the central part of the Hanford nuclear reservation, burning about 1,000 acres. The fire was first reported at 11:40 Sunday morning. Fire crews started small fires, which are called back burns, to help contain the fire. A Department of Energy spokesperson said the fire is now 100% contained and no facilities were near the fire. Fire crews will continue to monitor the area. From World War II through the Cold War, reactors at Hanford produced plutonium for nuclear weapons. Now, Hanford is one of the most contaminated nuclear sites in the world. Cleanup efforts are underway for the millions of gallons of radioactive waste in underground tanks and other facilities (Courtney Flatt/Northwest News Network)
Port of Morrow seeks federal loan for improvements
The Port of Morrow announced recently that it would be receiving a loan from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help upgrade its wastewater system. The loan would help pay for hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrades needed to better manage wastewater in the Lower Umatilla River Basin, according to the East Oregonian. Contaminated groundwater in the region has contributed to nitrate pollution in many people’s drinking water. Nitrates often make their way into the groundwater through the use of fertilizers. The Port of Morrow is in the process of a wastewater system upgrade. It’s expected to be completed in 2025. (East Oregonian)
Biologists recommend removing wolves from Washington’s endangered list
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists have recommended removing wolves from the state’s endangered species list, and reclassifying them as a state sensitive species. That move came in response to the department’s most recent review of the wolf population, which found that the wolf population is robust, growing and dispersing across the state. Wolves in the western two-thirds of Washington are federally protected and would be unaffected by a change in state status. As a state sensitive species, wolves in the eastern third of the state would still be protected. The change would be minimal, Fish and Wildlife Wolf Policy coordinator Julia Smith said. (Don Jenkins/Capital Press)
Grand Ronde tribal government approves purchase of Sheridan Inn
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde recently approved the purchase of the Sheridan Inn, with plans to convert the site into a mental health facility. The tribal council will use grant money for the $1.8 million purchase of the 3.5-acre site at 1330 W. Main St. in Sheridan. The inn, which has 20 rooms and a common area with a kitchen, will be used for programs and to house tribal members who have behavioral health diagnoses. “This project, specifically, I know that I’ve said this before, but it is so essential to meet the needs of our membership [who] are caught in the web of addictions and the lifestyle that they’ve been trying to deal with and overcome,” said Cheryle A. Kennedy, chairwoman of the tribal council. “This is a step in the recovery.” (Danielle Harrison/Smoke Signals)
Willamette Valley cities’ new laws on homeless camping called into question
Nearly 15,000 people in Oregon are experiencing homelessness, leaving many cities struggling to balance upholding the rights of those living unsheltered while also responding to other residents’ concerns about public health and safety. In the Willamette Valley, Eugene, Salem and Springfield have proposed trading broad camping bans for ordinances that specifically detail where people cannot sleep. Then those communities could issue costly citations. Critics say those laws fail to comply with a new state law that goes into effect July 1, and with legal precedent. “Criminalizing homelessness is inhumane, and it doesn’t work,” said Becky Straus, a staff attorney with Oregon Law Center who helped develop the new state law. (Whitney Woodworth and Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick/Statesman Journal)
Douglas County sheriff’s deputy shoots man in Idleyld Park
A Douglas County sheriff’s office deputy shot a man on Friday at a disturbance in Idleyld Park. The sheriff’s office reports the man was taken to Mercy Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, and later taken into custody. Officials say the man had been carrying two firearms and a brick. The Douglas County Major Crimes Team is investigating the incident, along with the Oregon State Police. (OPB Staff)
