By Mike Petersen
Wildfires are still burning throughout the West, especially California. Smoke is again creeping into Eastern Washington - although high in the atmosphere so far. There are differences of opinion of what to do and what the future will bring. We do know that on average the fire season is over a month longer and our summers are predicted to be dryer in the Northwest. Our climate is changing and we can expect more summers like this one.
The Washington Department of Ecology is formally proposing amendments to Chapter 173-185 WAC, Oil Movement by Rail and Pipeline Notification and opening the public comment period. This chapter establishes reporting standards for facilities that receive crude oil by rail and pipelines that transport crude oil through the state. The rule also describes reporting standards for Ecology to share information with tribes, emergency responders, local governments, and the public.
Although this year’s annual Spokane River Clean-Up looked a bit different this year, we still made a significant impact for our beautiful Spokane River.
On Saturday, September 26th, 450 volunteers collected 4,620 pounds of trash! That’s 2.31 tons of garbage, litter, and rubbish that could have ended up in our river.
By Monica Nickelsburg
When the worst wildfire season on record in the West finally subsides, it will give way to another potentially devastating environmental crisis: toxins from charred and melted plastics, electronics, and other household materials leaching into watersheds, endangering residents, agriculture, and ecosystems.
Local artist, Vanessa Swenson, is a Spokane native and her artwork is shaped by her love of the outdoors and her experiences in the Northwest. Her artwork features original paintings and sketches, art prints, and letterpress prints. For the month of September, Vanessa is generously donating 15% of her art sales to TLC.
