The excitement of Earth Week is over. But the news rolls on. Here are some interesting and newsworthy events coming up this week.
TUESDAY:
Columbia River Salmon
ODFW holds two public meetings this week on a recovery plan for salmon and steelhead in the Lower Columbia River. According to ODFW…
The “Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Populations of Salmon and Steelhead” outlines steps to rebuild natural populations of salmon and steelhead in the lower Columbia that have experienced drastic declines over the last 100 years. The plan’s goal is to help salmon and steelhead populations grow to levels where they no longer need protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- When: 6:00pm
- Where: Hood River Middle School Library, 1602 May St., Hood River. Thursday’s meeting starts at the same time, but will be held in Portland at City of Portland Water Pollution Control Lab, 6543 N Burlington Ave.
- For more info: ODFW Draft Plan
WEDNESDAY:
DEQ Meeting
The Environmental Quality Commission meets Wednesday through Friday in Coos Bay. I don’t see any huge news on the agenda, but there’s a good opportunity for the public to meet with Commissioners on Wednesday evening. The Commission will also be getting an update on new rules to control “persistent pollutants“. These are chemicals such as PBDEs, a flame retardant, that take a long time to break down in the environment and pose threats to wildlife and human health.
- When: 6:30pm for the public meeting on Wednesday night. The Thursday and Friday sessions begin at 8:00am.
- Where: In South Umpqua room of the Red Lion Hotel, 1313 N. Bayshore Drive in Coos Bay.
- For more info: Meeting Agenda
THURSDAY:
In addition to the second meeting on salmon in Portland, we have…
BPA Power Line Protests
A group of landowners in Southwest Washington will rally outside the offices of Bonneville Power in Vancouver. BPA wants to build a high voltage power line through Clark and Cowlitz counties. The landowners are worried about possible health impacts of living close to the power lines, how it will affect wildlife and scenery, plus the value of their homes and farms. There are at least three landowner groups in area, this rally is sponsored by NoWayBPA.
- When: Starts at 11:00am
- Where: BPA offices at 7600 NE 41st St, Vancouver.
- For more info: NoWayBPA website
Oregon’s Newest State Park
Cottonwood Canyon, Oregon’s newest and possibly largest state park, is expected to open in 2013. The Parks and Recreation Department is holding public meetings to…
Introduce the property’s natural, cultural, historic and scenic values; discuss ways to protect its wild setting and natural resources, and open a dialogue on its potential for recreation, interpretive and educational uses.
This is one big park. Current plans call for about 8,000 acres of camping, hiking, fishing and rafting. But staff is also looking at options that might add another 8,000 acres.
Cottonwood Canyon is along the John Day River in North Central Oregon.
- When: 6:00pm
- Where: Tryon Creek State Park (nature center), 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd., Portland.
- For more info: Cottonwood Canyon blog
FRIDAY:
Climate Change and Crater Lake
Crater Lake has no inlet or outlet streams, making it “the world’s largest rain gauge.” NW Natural and the Crater Lake National Park Trust are hosting this event to explore the current and potential future impacts of global warming on Crater Lake and its natural resources, and steps being taken to mitigate those impacts. If you plan on attending, please register ahead of time.
- When: 5:00pm
- Where: NW Natural, 220 NW 2nd Ave, Portland.
- To register: Visit the Crater Lake Trust website.
