Columbia River

U.S. judge to rule on Canadian firm's dumping in Columbia River

Tom Banse — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:42:02 +0000

YAKIMA, Wash. – A case involving cross border pollution of the Columbia River rests in the hands of a federal judge today. A Native American tribe and the state of Washington have sued to hold a Canadian mining giant responsible for smelter waste that washed downriver from British Columbia into Washington.

This story should really start in the small town of Trail, British Columbia. It's home to a big lead and zinc smelter. The industrial complex spreads across a bluff above the Columbia River less than 10 miles upstream from the U.S.

Judge to consider cross-border Columbia River pollution case

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:42:29 +0000

YAKIMA, Wash. - Wednesday, a federal judge in Yakima will consider a long-running case about cross border pollution in the Columbia River. The Colville Tribes and the state of Washington are trying to force cleanup of heavy metals dumped in the river for nearly a hundred years by a Canadian smelter.

Lawyers for Teck Metals, the Colville Tribes and state of Washington have agreed on some basic facts.

Personal care products, pharmaceutical toxics found in Columbia River

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:56:26 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – Giant smoke stacks and industrial dump sites are no longer the only water quality problem on the Columbia River. A recent study has found that our day-to-day life has a major impact as well.

U.S. Geological Survey researchers looked at nine cities along the river, from Wenatchee to Longview, Wash. They detected hundreds of contaminants flowing from wastewater treatment plants and stormwater runoff.

Hydrologist Jennifer Morace says the toxic contaminants included things like shampoo and pharmaceuticals.

“What goes down our drain does eventually get to the river.

U.S., Canada ponder new terms for shared Columbia River

Tom Banse — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:06:50 +0000

Your power bill could be cheaper if the U.S. didn't send so much electricity north of the border every year. Canada lays claim to around $300 million worth of hydropower annually under the terms of a 50-year-old treaty.

In return, the Canadians manage the upper Columbia River to prevent downstream flooding and to optimize power production. The Columbia River Treaty can be renegotiated soon and there are voices on both sides of the border clamoring for a better deal.

Judge: Salmon plan falls short

Aaron Kunz — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:05:20 +0000

Federal Judge James Redden this afternoon struck down the federal government’s plan for managing salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake rivers.

Snake, Columbia dams to open after long closure

Anna King — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:07:13 +0000

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-957409.mp3

The dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers will open for barge traffic soon. Locks were closed for several months during repairs.

Hanford tank waste retrieval resumes

Anna King — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:40:45 +0000

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-951461.mp3

Crews at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation are once again pumping radioactive waste from a World War II era tank. Work had been stopped on the unstable tank buried near the Columbia River.

New site proposed for Hanford Reach Interpretive Center

Anna King and KPLU News Staff — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:07:37 +0000

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-948187.mp3

Supporters of a proposed interpretive center for the Hanford Reach have identified a new location for the star-crossed project. They're hoping the fresh site will breathe new life into a project that's been mired in controversy and divisiveness.

Highly radioactive soil found near Columbia River

Anna King — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:36:19 +0000

Hanford Nuclear Reservation officials say they don’t know how much radioactive contaminated soil they’re dealing with yet. What they do know is that newly discovered radioactive dirt exceeds lethal limits and is not far from the Columbia River and the city of Richland.