Stimulu$ Gets After Hanford Groundwater

On July 23, the Department of Energy announced the beginning of construction of a $80 million groundwater treatment system at Hanford.

Dr. Inés Triay, U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, today announced that construction of the largest treatment system for contaminated groundwater to date at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site in southeast Washington State is underway. The $80 million facility is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Fish, Dams, and The Economics of Cap-and-Trade

An interesting article by Kim Murphy, writing in the LA Times, with a particular Washington angle.

Tillage Methods, Soil Erosion, and Air Quality on the Columbia Plateau

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, one of the premier earth- science journals, has just published an article comparing tillage methods for winter wheat-summer fallow rotations on the Columbia Plateau. Quoting:

Undercutter tillage resulted in a 15% to 65% reduction in soil loss and 30% to 70% reduction in PM10 loss as compared with conventional tillage at our field sites. Therefore, based on our results at two sites over two years, undercutter tillage appears to be an effective management practice to reduce dust emissions from agricultural land subject to a winter wheat-summer fallow rotation within the Columbia Plateau.

An economic comparison of these methods can be found in a recent Working Paper from the School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University.

Sockeye Runs Up the Snake Improving

The AP reports in The Olympian. A few interesting comments as well.

Sea Otters in Washington

Tom Bance of OPB News reports on the successful reintroduction of sea otters along the Washington coast.

A Little Good News Regarding Summer-Run Chum In Hood Canal

From Christopher Dunagan in the Kitsap Sun. The report mentions the selective taking of Union River salmon for transplant to Tahuya River. This project will soon be getting underway again. Those wishing to help should contact the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group.