Category Archives: OPB – Oregon Public Broadcasting

Trump Administration Says It Won’t Sell Off BPA Transmission Lines

The Trump administration has abandoned its bid to sell off the Pacific Northwest’s publicly owned utility transmission lines, according to Republican members of Congress who were briefed on the decision. The plan to privatize the Bonneville Power Administration’s lines had been decried by critics as a move that could also have raised rates for customers. […]
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BLM Working To Stop Flow Of Contaminants From SW Oregon Mine

This summer, the Roseburg Bureau of Land Management is working to stop the flow of heavy metal contaminants from the Formosa Mine southwest of Riddle into nearby creeks. Source: BLM Working To Stop Flow Of Contaminants From SW Oregon Mine

Farm Bill Failure Worries Northwest Farmers With Crop Insurance

The U.S. House of Representatives recently failed to pass a farm bill and Northwest farmers are worried that the process is not plowing ahead. The farm bill is a massive piece of federal policy that guides everything from food stamps to land conservation to agricultural research. One of the top things the farm bill does is […]
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US, Canada Exclude Tribes From Renegotiation Of Columbia River Treaty

A spokesperson said the State Department will consult with Northwest tribes as negotiations proceed, but the department has “no plans to change the composition of the team.” Source: US, Canada Exclude Tribes From Renegotiation Of Columbia River Treaty

Kicker Coming? Oregon Tax Revenues Might Exceed Estimates

A forecast released Wednesday shows Oregon taxpayers might have $555.3 million coming back to them. Source: Kicker Coming? Oregon Tax Revenues Might Exceed Estimates

A Warming Planet Could Turn Streams Into Carbon Polluters

A new study has found that if the climate warms as projected, warmer streams could compound the effects of global warming by adding more heat-trapping carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Scientists tested the carbon output of streams at seven locations across the globe, including watersheds in Oregon, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Australia. Source: A Warming Planet Could […]
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Ride-Hailing Company Regulations – OPB’s Think Out Loud

The Portland City Council is considering creating a board to regulate Uber and Lyft drivers. The drivers, along with labor unions, are pushing for this as a way to hold the companies accountable for things like rate changes. We hear from Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish, Owen Christofferson, an Uber and Lyft driver who has been working with […]
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Eagle Creek Fire Perpetrator Ordered To Pay $36.6 Million

The judge in the Eagle Creek Fire case has ordered the 15-year-old boy who admitted starting the blaze to pay $36.6 million in restitution. Source: Eagle Creek Fire Perpetrator Ordered To Pay $36.6 Million

Oregon Legislature Approves Gov. Kate Brown’s Tax Break For Business

The Oregon Legislature approved expanding a tax break for small businesses on Monday afternoon, despite many lawmakers expressing misgivings. Source: Oregon Legislature Approves Gov. Kate Brown’s Tax Break For Business

Southern Oregon School District Settles Over LGBTQ Discrimination

The North Bend School District will remove a high school principal over discrimination against LGBTQ students. Source: Southern Oregon School District Settles Over LGBTQ Discrimination