Inslee, Murray say Snake River dam removal possible, but not yet
Breaching the four Lower Snake River dams is not an option yet, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Thursday in a statement outlining the findings of a joint report on dam removal and salmon recovery. Their announcement comes after the Biden administration weighed in on the issue last month, giving proponents hope that a swift resolution was on the horizon. Washington relies heavily on hydroelectric power generated through dams, but the impacts they have on salmon, orcas and tribal fishing grounds have become impossible to ignore, thanks to drought, heat waves, reduced snowpack and other facets of climate change felt in recent years. But dam removal in any capacity would reduce the state’s portfolio of renewable energy amid ambitious efforts to transition away from fossil fuels by 2050. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Steve Ringman)

EPA finally moves to label some ‘forever chemicals’ as hazardous
The long-awaited move from the Environmental Protection Agency is meant to spark the cleanup of scores of sites defiled by industrial compounds and make the public more aware of their presence. Used to make everyday products such as nonstick cookware, cosmetics, fabrics and food packaging, these types of chemicals pervade drinking water used by millions of Americans — and they’ve been linked to an array of illnesses, including cardiovascular problems and low birth weights. “It’s a very significant step,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a phone interview. The proposed rule “requires the polluter to pay for violating the law.” Still, people living near toxic waste and their advocates say the federal government under multiple administrations has been painfully slow to act, even as the health risks of PFAS become ever clearer. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Washington Post Illustration)

Monkeypox is still a ‘maturing outbreak’ in Washington, health officials say
Monkeypox is spreading in Washington although the risk to the general population remains low, state health officials said Thursday during a media briefing. As of Thursday, there have been 392 cases of monkeypox confirmed in Washington. Of those, 318 cases were reported in King County. While the outbreak is a fraction of COVID-19 cases in the state since that pandemic began, it shouldn’t be ignored, said Dr. Scott Lindquist, a state epidemiologist. “But this outbreak of monkeypox in the midst of COVID is a large outbreak by itself,” Lindquist said. “392 people with a new disease is very disturbing.” As of Wednesday, 12 people have been hospitalized with the disease in the state. Continue reading at The Olympian.