1. When working on a story/series of this scope, what are some of the major challeneges you face? Does the research take up most of your time?
2. How exactly did you discover Libby MT? Once you did, what compelled you to write a series about it?
3. Objectivity is a necessity when writing. How did you maintain your objectivity throughout such a long series?
4. When working on the 'Presumed Guilty' series, did you any type of harassment or negativity from local or state agencies?
5. Had you always planned on being a writer or is that the way it just worked out?
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Regional aquifer’s limits are cause for concern
Whether it’s getting a drink or irrigating an entire crop, in most cases, access to water can be as easy as the turn of a handle. Yet despite the ease of access to water here in the Palouse, the fact remains that the aquifers supplying that water are drying up.
Cities like Colfax, Moscow, Pullman and others rely mostly upon the Grand Ronde and Wanapum aquifers for their water needs. These aquifers, made of porous rock surrounded by impermeable layers of soil, clay or other rock, collect water over great periods of time like giant sponges and harvesting the water within them can be as simple as drilling a hole in the ground.
However, these aquifers, like any other natural resource, have their limitations. According to the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee, it is widely agreed that the Grand Ronde is losing anywhere between six to 18 inches a year depending on factors like rain and usage.
The Palouse Basin system, part of the larger Columbia River Basin, covers most of southeast Washington, northeastern Oregon and western Idaho, though their actual sizes is still unknown.
The area’s topography makes it nearly impossible for researchers to determine the true depth of the aquifers as well as other limiting factors.
The Wanapum aquifer first supplied the region up until the 1950s when it began to run dry. As a result deeper drilling tapped into the Grand Ronde which currently supplies water to the majority of residents in Pullman and Moscow, though wells into the Wanapum aquifer are still active. In fact, the abundance of water derived from these aquifers was a major factor in locating Washington State University in Pullman.
Other issues regarding water supply in the Palouse region are those which deal with water usage. Locally, municipalities and the two universities aren’t subjected to water usage within a given time period. They may also gain greater rights based on projected needs in following years.
Many local environmental and water conservation groups have taken legal action against the state and WSU with help from the Center for Environmental Law and Policy over water rights.
One example; the Palouse Ridge Golf Course
Many residents and groups argue that the recently constructed Palouse Ridge Golf Course should not fall under the guidelines of “municipality” with which WSU’s water rights are regarded.
According to a report issued by CELP;
“WSU’s Capital Planning department states that the new golf course is projected to use between 30-55 million gallons per year for irrigation of 110 acres. However, irrigation engineering documents indicate the golf course could use up to 125 million gallons per year – seven times the usage of the old golf course and up to one-sixth of the water usage for the entire campus.”
Until a greater understanding of the sustainability of the water resources can be attained in the Palouse, conservation must be a priority. So whether taking a shower, or watering an 18 hole golf course, remember, less is more.
Online Sources:
Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee
http://wr.civil.uidaho.edu/cwis/palouse/overview.html
Center for Environmental Law & Policy (Columbia Institute)
http://columbia-institute.org/wsu/WSUhome/home.html
Palouse Conservation District
http://www.palousecd.org/?PageTextID=1
*Sources for quotes still needed* (rewrite?)
Cities like Colfax, Moscow, Pullman and others rely mostly upon the Grand Ronde and Wanapum aquifers for their water needs. These aquifers, made of porous rock surrounded by impermeable layers of soil, clay or other rock, collect water over great periods of time like giant sponges and harvesting the water within them can be as simple as drilling a hole in the ground.
However, these aquifers, like any other natural resource, have their limitations. According to the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee, it is widely agreed that the Grand Ronde is losing anywhere between six to 18 inches a year depending on factors like rain and usage.
The Palouse Basin system, part of the larger Columbia River Basin, covers most of southeast Washington, northeastern Oregon and western Idaho, though their actual sizes is still unknown.
The area’s topography makes it nearly impossible for researchers to determine the true depth of the aquifers as well as other limiting factors.
The Wanapum aquifer first supplied the region up until the 1950s when it began to run dry. As a result deeper drilling tapped into the Grand Ronde which currently supplies water to the majority of residents in Pullman and Moscow, though wells into the Wanapum aquifer are still active. In fact, the abundance of water derived from these aquifers was a major factor in locating Washington State University in Pullman.
Other issues regarding water supply in the Palouse region are those which deal with water usage. Locally, municipalities and the two universities aren’t subjected to water usage within a given time period. They may also gain greater rights based on projected needs in following years.
Many local environmental and water conservation groups have taken legal action against the state and WSU with help from the Center for Environmental Law and Policy over water rights.
One example; the Palouse Ridge Golf Course
Many residents and groups argue that the recently constructed Palouse Ridge Golf Course should not fall under the guidelines of “municipality” with which WSU’s water rights are regarded.
According to a report issued by CELP;
“WSU’s Capital Planning department states that the new golf course is projected to use between 30-55 million gallons per year for irrigation of 110 acres. However, irrigation engineering documents indicate the golf course could use up to 125 million gallons per year – seven times the usage of the old golf course and up to one-sixth of the water usage for the entire campus.”
Until a greater understanding of the sustainability of the water resources can be attained in the Palouse, conservation must be a priority. So whether taking a shower, or watering an 18 hole golf course, remember, less is more.
Online Sources:
Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee
http://wr.civil.uidaho.edu/cwis/palouse/overview.html
Center for Environmental Law & Policy (Columbia Institute)
http://columbia-institute.org/wsu/WSUhome/home.html
Palouse Conservation District
http://www.palousecd.org/?PageTextID=1
*Sources for quotes still needed* (rewrite?)
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Story Proposals
1) Columbia River Basin Still Suffering
When summer arrives in Pullman, half of its inhabitants usually leave until the next school year, but for those left behind in the heat, the Snake River offers a place to cool off and relax.
The Snake River is located about 35 minutes outside of Pullman, providing a scenic escape for tourists and residents while supporting major transport for Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon to and from the coast.
According to the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, in 2004, barges on the river kept some 700,000 trucks off the highways. Shipping on the river greatly reduces pollution from other sources, but not without its own costs. The river is part of the Columbia River Watershed, which is suffering from pollution on a major scale as a result of farming and industrial manufacturing.
2) WSU Provides Hazardous Chemical Service
Odds are that most of us have at one time or another, been faced with disposing of some type of harmful chemicals from home.
For the even remotely environmentally conscious, this can be a daunting task. Simply throwing them in the trash won’t suffice. Not only is it detrimental to the environment, but it’s illegal.
If most students at the University don’t recycle because they can’t afford it then how many even consider properly disposing of harmful materials? This is where the University comes in.
Environmental Health & Services is a non-academic program that promotes safe and healthy living both on and off campus. One of its major priorities is the proper disposal of harmful wastes, and this service is extended to students. It can be as simple as going online to fill out some information and within seven days staff will take the materials away.
When summer arrives in Pullman, half of its inhabitants usually leave until the next school year, but for those left behind in the heat, the Snake River offers a place to cool off and relax.
The Snake River is located about 35 minutes outside of Pullman, providing a scenic escape for tourists and residents while supporting major transport for Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon to and from the coast.
According to the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, in 2004, barges on the river kept some 700,000 trucks off the highways. Shipping on the river greatly reduces pollution from other sources, but not without its own costs. The river is part of the Columbia River Watershed, which is suffering from pollution on a major scale as a result of farming and industrial manufacturing.
2) WSU Provides Hazardous Chemical Service
Odds are that most of us have at one time or another, been faced with disposing of some type of harmful chemicals from home.
For the even remotely environmentally conscious, this can be a daunting task. Simply throwing them in the trash won’t suffice. Not only is it detrimental to the environment, but it’s illegal.
If most students at the University don’t recycle because they can’t afford it then how many even consider properly disposing of harmful materials? This is where the University comes in.
Environmental Health & Services is a non-academic program that promotes safe and healthy living both on and off campus. One of its major priorities is the proper disposal of harmful wastes, and this service is extended to students. It can be as simple as going online to fill out some information and within seven days staff will take the materials away.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Environmental Approach
The Environmental Approach
Of the issues we face on a daily basis, both personally and as a community, perhaps the most prevalent involves our environment. For Washingtonians the condition of our environment holds even greater importance given the wide variety of landscapes, climates and wildlife that exist here.
Global warming is affecting us all, whether you believe it’s man-made or not, and nations all over the globe are struggling to reduce their carbon footprint in efforts to reduce the rate at which this phenomena is occurring. As a result, new fields of research and development have been created both in the commercial and educational sectors.
Ultimately, I hope to look more closely into what Washington State University and the state itself are doing in terms creating new ways to address the issue of climate change and other topics related to preserving the environment. One example of reducing our carbon footprint here in the Palouse is research being conducted with no-till farming. When farmers till the soil in preparation for the next season’s crops, the decomposing plant material is then exposed and releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. No-till farming works by keeping the decomposing material intact and thus retaining the carbon dioxide within it.
Environmental sciences, whether they are preventative or other, are constantly evolving and revealing more efficient methods with which to practice cleaner and smarter living. This beat has great relevance both locally and nationally as Washington helps set new standards of environmentally friendly practices, many of which can be seen right here in the Palouse. What better place to create environmental sciences beat than at a university that has a nationally acclaimed agricultural and biological engineering program?
Three Possible Stories
University of Idaho Biodiesel: What is biodiesel doing for our communities?
Snake River: What are the biggest issues facing the river today?
Washington State University Carbon Footprint: How much greenhouse gas(s) does the university produce annually? What is the university doing to ‘go green’?
Possible Sources
Dr. Jon Van Gerpen, University of Idaho Biodiesel Education Project Director
208-885-7891 jonvg@uidaho.edu
Washington State Conservation Commission
Whitman Conservation District
Dana Sanchez, Information, Education and Outreach Secretary
(509) 397-4636 ext. 101
dana-sanchez@wa.nacdnet.org
David Bezdicek, Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
(509) 335-3644
bezdicek@wsu.edu
Three Relevant Stories
“EPA finds toxins throughout Columbia Basin”
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/updates/story/596540.html
“Seattle biotech Kineta funds research step by step”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/biotech/2008550870_kineta23.html
“WSU Research Center Will Aid Hops Crop -- 77% Of U.S. Harvest From Yakima Valley “
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930530&slug=1704013
Of the issues we face on a daily basis, both personally and as a community, perhaps the most prevalent involves our environment. For Washingtonians the condition of our environment holds even greater importance given the wide variety of landscapes, climates and wildlife that exist here.
Global warming is affecting us all, whether you believe it’s man-made or not, and nations all over the globe are struggling to reduce their carbon footprint in efforts to reduce the rate at which this phenomena is occurring. As a result, new fields of research and development have been created both in the commercial and educational sectors.
Ultimately, I hope to look more closely into what Washington State University and the state itself are doing in terms creating new ways to address the issue of climate change and other topics related to preserving the environment. One example of reducing our carbon footprint here in the Palouse is research being conducted with no-till farming. When farmers till the soil in preparation for the next season’s crops, the decomposing plant material is then exposed and releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. No-till farming works by keeping the decomposing material intact and thus retaining the carbon dioxide within it.
Environmental sciences, whether they are preventative or other, are constantly evolving and revealing more efficient methods with which to practice cleaner and smarter living. This beat has great relevance both locally and nationally as Washington helps set new standards of environmentally friendly practices, many of which can be seen right here in the Palouse. What better place to create environmental sciences beat than at a university that has a nationally acclaimed agricultural and biological engineering program?
Three Possible Stories
University of Idaho Biodiesel: What is biodiesel doing for our communities?
Snake River: What are the biggest issues facing the river today?
Washington State University Carbon Footprint: How much greenhouse gas(s) does the university produce annually? What is the university doing to ‘go green’?
Possible Sources
Dr. Jon Van Gerpen, University of Idaho Biodiesel Education Project Director
208-885-7891 jonvg@uidaho.edu
Washington State Conservation Commission
Whitman Conservation District
Dana Sanchez, Information, Education and Outreach Secretary
(509) 397-4636 ext. 101
dana-sanchez@wa.nacdnet.org
David Bezdicek, Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
(509) 335-3644
bezdicek@wsu.edu
Three Relevant Stories
“EPA finds toxins throughout Columbia Basin”
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/updates/story/596540.html
“Seattle biotech Kineta funds research step by step”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/biotech/2008550870_kineta23.html
“WSU Research Center Will Aid Hops Crop -- 77% Of U.S. Harvest From Yakima Valley “
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930530&slug=1704013
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