Washington ferries are going hybrid-electric, but disposal of old ones poses environmental, legal risks
An abandoned ferry in the Puget Sound represents a shared struggle across the West Coast: to sell an old ship or destroy it
Environment
Hundreds of firefighters. 20 bulldozers. Intentional burns: Inside Washington’s $328M push to break cycle of disastrous fires
Legislature unites in support of massive cash infusion to step up firefighting, improve forests and secure communities near the fire lines
Washington’s environmental laws don’t protect communities of color. Will the Legislature fix that?
With strong mandates stripped out, landmark environmental justice legislation approaches passage
Climate-friendly fuels again face a Democrat’s opposition in Olympia
For third time, lawmakers hope to restrict greenhouse gases escaping tailpipes
Fighting British Columbia’s pipelines to the last mile
Indigenous activists spearhead last-ditch effort to short-circuit decades-long greenhouse gas boost
Visualizing Climate-Vulnerable Communities
Mapping programs in Cascadia show how inequities extend to climate, pollution risks
Fix the climate while solving the housing crisis? Olympia’s trying
Since mid-January, Washington legislators have put forward dozens of bills aimed at the climate crisis and runaway housing costs.
Tree justice? Lawmakers look to revive forests in Washington cities with eye on racial environmental disparities
Despite pandemic budget crunch, push is on in Olympia to resurrect urban forestry effort killed in the last recession
After climate-protection drift and despair, a blueprint for success emerges in Cascadia
Washington state’s redoubled climate goals and fresh action plan revive hope to cut emissions. But ongoing fossil fuel development in BC could undercut Cascadia’s progress.
A Thin Green Line with Global Impact
During a decade when Cascadia's governments flouted their carbon emissions goals, activists fighting fossil fuel exports exceeded their wildest expectations.
A Lost Decade: How Climate Action Fizzled in Cascadia
Washington, Oregon and British Columbia pledged to slash greenhouse gas emissions. In a decade full of big talk and some epic battles, they all failed.
Coming Soon: "Getting to Zero: Decarbonizing Cascadia"
A yearlong reporting initiative launched in January 2021, this series explores the path to low-carbon energy for British Columbia, Washington and Oregon.