Salem-News.com Environment articles Page 26

Parts of Oregon Inundated by Western Tent Caterpillars

Western tent caterpillars produce one generation per year.

(SCAPPOOSE, Ore. ) - Oregon State University Extension offices in Columbia County are being inundated with calls by concerned members of the public about localized, often severe, defoliation of hardwoods in the northern portion of the county.

The defoliation has been most noticeable on red alders, cottonwoods, willows and fruit trees; however, other broadleaf trees and shrubs are also being affected. The damage is caused by an outbreak of western tent caterpillars (Malacosoma californicum), a moth native to the Pacific Northwest.

Conservationists Seek to Halt Logging Near Crater Lake National Park

The Bybee Timber Sale is located on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, adjacent to Crater Lake National Park.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - As Oregonians celebrate the recent discovery that wolf OR-7 has found a mate and sired pups in southwest Oregon, conservationists on Wednesday took legal action to halt a reckless logging project that would destroy a potential wilderness area near Crater Lake National Park and may harm the new wolf family.

With the Bybee sale, the U.S. Forest Service proposes to build roads and log more than 2,000 acres, much of it pristine forest that has never been logged.

Marine Families: Victims Of Toxic Wells

Government Moves to Dismiss Lawsuits and Make the Problem Go Away

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The US Supreme Court this week decided a case in favor of an environmental polluter in North Carolina that affects family members of Marine veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune and injured by the base’s toxic water wells.

It’s no coincidence that the Obama Administration formally sided with CTS Corporation in CTS Corp. v. Waldburger by submitting a friend of the court briefing, which made it clear where the government stands on injuries and deaths to Marine family members.

Animal Trapping Records Reveal Strong Wolf Effect Across North America

As coyotes have expanded in North America, they have become a major cause of concern for the livestock industry.

(CORVALLIS, Ore. ) - Scientists have used coyote and red fox fur trapping records across North America to document how the presence of wolves influences the balance of smaller predators further down the food chain.

From Alaska and Yukon to Nova Scotia and Maine, the researchers have demonstrated that a “wolf effect” exists, favoring red foxes where wolves are present and coyotes where wolves are absent.

Films of Early Years of Hydroelectric Power in The Northwest Recovered

So far, the BPA Library has mailed more than 1,800 copies to people all over the region.

(PORTLAND, Ore. ) - The Bonneville Power Administration Library has released a new collection of six BPA produced films from the 1930s, '40s and '50s that takes viewers on a cinematic journey into the early years of the Northwest hydroelectric power and transmission systems.

The DVD set, titled "BPA Film Collection Volume 1, 1939-1954," is the first compilation of films from the agency's archives ever made available.

Iron and Steel in Hatcheries Alters Young Steelheads Ability to Navigate Once Released

The new findings follow earlier research by Putman and others that confirmed the connection between salmon and the Earth’s magnetic field.

(CORVALLIS, Ore. ) - Exposure to iron pipes and steel rebar, such as the materials found in most hatcheries, affects the navigation ability of young steelhead trout by altering the important magnetic “map sense” they need for migration, according to new research from Oregon State University.

Oregon Braces for Active Summer Wildfire Season

Hundreds of firefighters have been hired in Oregon to suppress wildfires here and in other parts of the country.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - In preparation for this year’s fire season, fire management officials are encouraging people to think about the preparations they can make to help prevent wildfires, and lessen the potential impacts of what could be an active fire season.

The fire danger for the Willamette Valley including forestland in the foothills of the Coastal and Cascade Ranges, is currently low, however, conditions are currently drier than normal. The National Interagency Fire Center expects the potential for large fires to rise to above normal in June, and remain above normal through August.

Eight U.S. States Plan to Put 3.3 Million Zero Emission Vehicles on the Roads

The ultimate goal is to reduce greenhouse gas and smog-causing emissions by transforming the transportation sector over the next 11 years.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - Eight U.S. states; Oregon, California, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont, have announced a collaborative effort to put 3.3 million zero emission vehicles on the roads by 2025.

Oregon Asthma Suffers to Benefit From New Carbon Cutting Pollution Plan

In 2012, 7 million metric tons of carbon pollution were emitted from power plants in Oregon - equal to the yearly pollution from over 1 million cars.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - We know climate change will put vulnerable populations at greater risk – including the elderly, our kids, and people already suffering from burdensome allergies, asthma, and other illnesses.

According to the most recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10.6 percent of Oregon’s adult population and 9.5 percent of children in the state suffer from asthma.

Oregon Governor Declares More Drought Emergencies

The Governor's drought declaration allows increased flexibility in how water is managed to ensure that limited supplies are used as efficiently as possible.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - Oregon Governor Kitzhaber has declared drought emergencies in Grant, Josephine, and Wheeler counties. Commissioners from the respective counties requested emergency declarations this spring, and the Governor issued the declarations on May 29, 2014.

The State Drought Council considered each county's request by weighing current water conditions, future climatic forecasts, and agricultural impacts.