News & Commentary

Washington State Passes Cutting-edge Policies to Reduce Climate Pollution

April 4, 2024 Expert BlogWashingtonGiulia C.S. Good Stefani

These nation-leading improvements will be a large step forward in climate solutions.

Washington State Acts on Snake River Restoration

August 30, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, WashingtonGiulia C.S. Good Stefani

If the federal government proposes a pathway to comprehensive Snake River restoration, we will all benefit from the important planning and progress underway in Washington State.

The Proposed Colorado River Deal: A Short-Term Band-Aid for a Long-Term Problem

May 23, 2023 Expert BlogWest, California, Arizona, Nevada, MexicoDr. Mark Gold

The Colorado River conservation proposal from Arizona, California, and Nevada reduces diversions by 1 million acre feet a year. Is this enough to make river management sustainable?

Six Colorado Basin States Lay Down a Marker for California

January 31, 2023 Expert BlogArizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, WestEd Osann

The "Consensus Based Modeling Alternative" is a positive development in addressing the current water emergency. It’s unfortunate that California did not join in this recommendation.

States Embrace the Transition to Clean Cars

December 14, 2022 Expert BlogCalifornia, Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, WashingtonKathy Harris

The federal government has made strides to help bolster the electric vehicle market, attract manufacturing, and ensure a robust charging network. But in many ways, states led the way.

No Need to be Freightened of Electric Trucks

March 4, 2022 Expert BlogUnited States, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Washington, New JerseyJordan Brinn, Patricio Portillo

We clarify the questions about electric truck availability, cost, and charging infrastructure, as well as concerns such as current supply chain issues.

EPA: It’s Time to Act. We need Clean Trucks Now

March 3, 2022 Expert BlogUnited States, California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, WashingtonPatricio Portillo, Heather Kryczka

Cutting tailpipe emissions and moving to zero emission vehicles can eliminate the diesel fumes causing childhood asthma, emergency room visits, and loss of life.

Saving Salmon—from One Generation of Fisherwomen to the Next

March 1, 2022 DispatchOregon, Washington, WestNicole Greenfield

Keyen Singer, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, carries on a maternal legacy of conserving salmon and preserving culture. Their efforts could soon pay off.

WA & OR Solidify West Coast Vehicle Electrification

November 30, 2021 Expert BlogWashington, OregonPatricio Portillo, Dr. Simon Mui

Adopting the Clean Trucks Program in Oregon and the Advanced Clean Trucks and Zero Emission Vehicle Programs in Washington solidifies the West Coast as one of the world’s biggest markets for electric vehicles.

Senator and WA Governor Join Forces to Tackle Snake Dams

November 1, 2021 Expert BlogWashington, WestGiulia C.S. Good Stefani

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Washington Governor Jay Inslee answered advocates’ calls to energize the decades-long push to save our iconic salmon from extinction.

Setting the Stage for an EV Future in Washington State

May 3, 2021 Expert BlogWashingtonDr. Simon Mui, Noah Long

Washington State has passed two leading laws on electric vehicles as the state moves toward a new goal of all new passenger vehicles being zero-emitting by 2030.

The Kansas Energy Story—and Opportunity

April 22, 2021 Expert BlogKansasGabrielle Habeeb, Ashok Gupta

Kansas may not be the first state that comes to mind when you think “renewable energy powerhouse”—but it has become one.

"We Are the Same as the Salmon": A Story of Suffering and Perseverance

December 17, 2020 DispatchWyoming, Idaho, Oregon, WashingtonNicole Greenfield

Thirty years ago, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes led the effort to save Snake River sockeye salmon from extinction. Today, they’re still fighting for the fish’s survival—along with their own.

This Is the Moment to Reimagine Public Transportation

September 18, 2020 Expert BlogUnited States, Seattle, New York CityAmanda Eaken

COVID-19 has changed many aspects of life, including the way we move through our neighborhoods. The pandemic has forced us to reimagine peoples relationship to streets with many cities launching "healthy streets" or "open streets" to allow for more land…

Mussels Help Keep Watch on Pollution in Puget Sound

August 20, 2020 DispatchWashingtonStarre Vartan

The humble bivalves, which concentrate everything from heavy metals to cancer drugs in their tissues, provide an ideal way for scientists to monitor nearshore water health.

Free Bus Service Is the Hot New Thing in Transit

March 3, 2020 DispatchOlympia, WashingtonStarre Vartan

Olympia, Washington, is the latest city to roll out a fare-free bus system, with traffic congestion, equity, and the climate in mind.

Farmers and Salmon Advocates Agree: It’s Time to Talk about the Snake River Dams

January 2, 2020 DispatchWashington, OregonJodi Helmer

What used to be an idea touted mainly by salmon fishers and environmentalists is bringing around some farmers who’ve long depended on barge shipping to get their crops to market.

Saving a Rare Plant and Rescuing a River

August 1, 2019 DispatchArizonaTim Vanderpool

The fate of southern Arizona’s embattled San Pedro River could hinge on whether the government acts to protect the nearly extinct Arizona eryngo—and in doing so puts the brakes on groundwater pumping that’s draining the landscape.

The Future of Seattle’s Ferries Is Electric

December 26, 2018 DispatchSeattle, WashingtonStarre Vartan

The largest ferry system in the United States prepares to stop using diesel fuel to help Washington achieve its climate action goals.

In the Columbia–Snake River Basin, Salmon Are Losing Their Way

July 18, 2018 DispatchWest, Washington, OregonJodi Helmer

As the fish disappear, native peoples are looking for solutions lest they lose a way of life too.