Could you last a year if you had to forage 100% of your food? Robin Greenfield has sworn off groceries for a year. He’s now in the #PNW, 8 months into a 12-month cross-country journey during which he says he’ll eat only #foragedfoods. columbiainsight.org/forage-king-...

What are fish bubblers and why are they coming to the Snake River? U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to install “fish bubblers” at several dams this summer. The bubbler is meant to lower water temperatures around dams, encouraging salmon to use fish ladders. columbiainsight.org/what-are-fis...

#BPA abruptly pulls funding from #ColumbiaRiverfisheries program. SAFE offsets pressure on native stock. ODFW says the decision leaves 7 million hatchery salmon at risk. columbiainsight.org/bpa-abruptly...

Introducing a deeply researched new podcast that investigates #environmentaldestruction and the many forms it takes in the #PacificNorthwest and beyond. Called “Ecocide,” the podcast by two Pacific Northwesterners and conservationists debuted this month. columbiainsight.org/new-podcast-...

OPINION: Questioning how much #water #AI is actually using. An AI user, concerned about the impacts of #datacenters asks "Where’s the middle ground?". columbiainsight.org/questioning-...

Weakened #BLM ‘reassigns’ PIOs ahead of #fireseason. Action puts public safety and rural communities “at extreme risk” according to a letter of protest. Vital wildland information staff are no longer focused on fire. columbiainsight.org/weakened-blm...

A new #spider species has been discovered in the #PNW. The Trogloraptor tulishpun is a unique species of spider found only in the #ColumbiaRiverGorge. columbiainsight.org/new-spider-s...

Today's species: bitterroot, a beautiful flower and an edible, culturally significant plant for Indigenous Nations from the Rocky Mountains to the Cascades. Missoula County, MT, 2015. I'm highlighting a species every week as a reminder of Earth's fragile, beautiful biodiversity. Photos are mine.

#Cascades #mountaingoat populations are in serious trouble. As conservation revenue dries up, tribal and state leaders are scrambling to reverse a worrisome trend. Even the unflappable mountain goat is unable to avoid the accumulating environmental pressures. columbiainsight.org/cascades-mou...

Issues with NW Metals are testing how #Oregon handles persistent #environmental offenders. The company have faced more than 15 years of repeated environmental violations tied to their #scrapyards at three different locations across #Portland columbiainsight.org/dispute-heat...

There’s been a curious lack of information and know-nothing posturing about this blockbuster deal backed by mega-billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel.

A #uranium enrichment plant is expected to begin operations at #Hanford nuclear reservation in roughly 2 years. However, it appears that either no officials in Washington know much of anything about it, or are willing to talk. columbiainsight.org/the-return-o...

#BLM is tamping down public discourse on a proposal to reopen the DeLamar #Mine in #Idaho. Feds sidestep input while expediting #cyanide heap-leach permit that might impact irrigation for 100,000+ acres of #farmland. columbiainsight.org/blm-limits-p...

How #datacenters pose a unique threat to Pac NW Tribes. Salmon, energy plans and cultural identity are all being impacted by the corporate drive for AI. T columbiainsight.org/how-data-cen...

Coal exports on the Columbia River? A Utah-based coalition and a shadowy port company want it to happen, but they're going to have a fight on their hands. In this story, I dive into it:

#DNA ‘fingerprints’ show #salmon reach #OlympicPeninsula’s uppermost streams. Whether #chinook have always used remote headwaters or are moving higher due to #climatechange isn’t clear. columbiainsight.org/dna-fingerpr...

Thanks for sharing this story @nathangilles.bsky.social.

Opinion: A new Lyme disease vaccine can’t arrive soon enough. May is globally recognized Lyme Disease Awareness Month, dedicated to educational efforts about Lyme disease, its symptoms and the importance of tick bite prevention. columbiainsight.org/a-new-lyme-d...

Coal exports from Longview? Here we go again. An obscure port company is seeking to resurrect an old scheme along the Columbia River. Dale Lewis (of Port of Longview), said he’s heard conversations about a coal export terminal, but the port hasn’t been involved. columbiainsight.org/coal-exports...

My latest for @columbiainsight.bsky.social: A Skamania County commissioner wants mile-wide fuel breaks in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The breaks are being proposed not just for fire safety, but to funnel timber revenue into the county's struggling budget.

Skamania County commissioner wants mile-wide fuel breaks in Gifford Pinchot. The plan to widen cuts along roads in the national forest would redirect federal timber revenue to county coffers. columbiainsight.org/skamania-cou...

Pest prompts emergency for pear growers in #HoodRiverValley. Financially struggling orchardists face an insect that covers trees in goo and ruins fruit. columbiainsight.org/pest-prompts...

Another great story by @andyengelson.bsky.social. Threats to the survival of orchardists already include soaring land costs, an unpredictable labor market, consolidation of the packing, distribution and supermarket industry and climate change.

USFS bans commercial huckleberry picking in Gifford Pinchot for 2026. “The decision reflects the Forest’s commitment to tribal treaty rights and trust responsibility, ecological recovery, and a long-term management approach built on genuine collaboration and long-term sustainability,” said USFS.

Feds could approve new #datacenters even if states don’t want them. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission signals hunger for coming legal fight with local authorities. New proposals have some state regulators bristling. columbiainsight.org/feds-could-a...

A thirsty atmosphere is amplifying effects of a warm winter leading to new understanding of drought. High temps drove the PNW into one of worst snow droughts in recent memory. Most places were too warm for snow to fall, and where it fell, it melted prematurely. columbiainsight.org/could-summer...

At Columbia Insight every day is Earth Day. But today, Columbia Insight is celebrating the environmental warriors who devote their time, energy, and expertise to protecting our clean air, water, and natural resources.

Washington’s last coal-fired plant still in limbo. The feds want to burn coal, the state doesn’t, the facility’s owners are caught in the middle ... columbiainsight.org/washingtons-...

Study: Wolves return might impact ecosystems less than previously thought. Predator effects on habitat are real but context-dependent. How do they apply in the Columbia River Basin? columbiainsight.org/wolves-retur...

The Trump administration wants to cut $400 million from Hanford’s 2027 cleanup budget. Scrambling to fund military campaigns, Trump proposes slackening eforts to address radiation dangers. columbiainsight.org/feds-want-to...

Thanks @ianrosewrites.bsky.social

Your story for #LocalNewsDay - Houses built on rare wetlands? In Idaho it could happen. A decade-long fight to preserve one of the state’s last pristine wetland habitats is picking up steam. columbiainsight.org/houses-built...

We are excited to share the launch of #LocalNewsDay, a new nationwide day of action happening April 9, 2026, dedicated to connecting communities with trusted local news and information. Visit localnewsday.org to explore the campaign and participating newsrooms. @localnewsday.bsky.social

Friends of the Columbia Gorge names new executive director. It’s a turbulent time for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Now, a new figure is arriving on the scene to address the Gorge’s most pressing issues. columbiainsight.org/friends-of-t...

Trump wants to log old growth. Two brothers are to out stop him. BLM calls Oregon’s Valley of the Giants an “Outstanding Natural Area.” Also an “Area of Critical Environmental Concern.” Now it's being reconsidered to increase sustained yield of timber harvest. columbiainsight.org/trump-wants-...

Amazon to pay $20.5 m settlement over Oregon nitrate pollution. Company officials chose to settle early with plaintiffs to avoid lengthy legal battle and to “focus our time and resources on supporting the community rather than on litigation,” said spokesperson. columbiainsight.org/amazon-to-pa...

New gas pipelines in the Columbia River Gorge could directly supply data centers. An Oklahoma company wants to expand its natural gas network in WA as tech companies turn to fossil fuels to power AI. columbiainsight.org/new-gas-pipe...

New dam could imperil one of Washington’s last unobstructed rivers. The #chinook salmon could be a casualty of a flood-control plan. columbiainsight.org/a-new-dam-co...

Opposition to data centers is growing. How far can it go? As big tech eyes public lands in its quest for power, public opinion is souring. Bill that called for transfering 150 acres from Mt. Hood National Forest to The Dalles City made no mention of data centers. columbiainsight.org/opposition-t...

Oregon DEQ issues largest fine for pollutants in agency history. State finds the owners of Coffin Butte Landfill “failed to monitor, capture and control landfill gas emissions”. columbiainsight.org/oregon-deq-i...

Oregon finds a new way to fund wildlife conservation—tax tourists. The state will increase its lodging tax to support wildlife and pay ranchers for wolf kills. columbiainsight.org/oregon-finds...

A California winemaker is fighting to roll back #ColumbiaRiverGorge protections. And winning. A battle between conservation and commerce is underway in the National Scenic Area. At stake is the Gorge’s future. columbiainsight.org/a-california...

In a challenge to federal withdrawal from cooperative deal, court orders emergency measures to protect #salmon and #steelhead. The decision affects 8 lower Columbia and Snake River dams. columbiainsight.org/court-orders...

OPINION: Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission is being judged by flawed assumptions. The governor’s office and WDFW continue to rely on a flawed and biased narrative that blames the commission—while ignoring the real sources of instability. columbiainsight.org/washingtons-...

Can we engineer a way out of water shortages and a looming agricultural crisis? As drought fears mount, a team in Idaho proposes a subterranean dam. columbiainsight.org/as-drought-f...

President Trump says he’ll deploy “God Squad” to override species protections. OSU prof calls plan “insanity”. More than 10 times current levels. The BLM indicated it could return three-quarters of federal forest acreage in Oregon to 1960s harvest levels. columbiainsight.org/feds-propose...

If you love unspoiled places on the WA side of the Columbia Gorge, you might have Pat Arnold to thank. For more than 3 decades, she has had a voice, if not a hand, in just about every major conservation debate in the region. Watch video to get inspired! columbiainsight.org/the-conscien...

A Forest Service plan to conduct a woodlands burn in a remote corner of Nevada is raising alarm. Bull trout are caught up in a forest thinning row. columbiainsight.org/bull-trout-c...

It’s easy to take Oregon’s natural spaces and spectacular vistas for granted. But a big reason Oregon looks like Oregon is the state’s unique land use laws. Now those laws are under attack. columbiainsight.org/the-law-that...

There's a controversy in the NW corner of Washington where community members are challenging a petroleum export giant over port operations and their impact on local habitat. columbiainsight.org/on-washingto...