BC Water News

 

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017

Water proposal

Washington may expand role of conservation districts

The Washington State Conservation Commission tours farmland Jan. 18 in Snohomish County. The commission is floating a plan to give conservation districts a more prominent and official role in carrying out the state’s primary clean-water law. DON JENKINS

Capital Press

Capital Press

The Washington State Conservation Commission is floating a plan to revise the state’s primary clean-water policy by assigning conservation districts an official role in working with farmers to keep water clean. Environmental groups are attacking the idea, accusing the commission of trying to undercut the Department of Ecology. Conservation commission policy director Ron Shultz said the goal would be to help farmers, not dilute Ecology’s authority.

READ MORE ►
 

Drinking water bill passes committee unanimously

Argus Observer

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, helped move along the Drinking Water System Improvement Act, which passed unanimously in his committee Thursday. It seeks to strengthen the tools used to modernize drinking water infrastructure in Oregon and throughout the country.

READ MORE ►
 

Salmon, tribal interests at stake in treaty update

Water Deeply

The Columbia River Treaty was signed in 1964. A clause allows either nation to pull out of the treaty starting in 2014. That hasn’t happened. But negotiations have begun to modernize the treaty. To help explain the treaty and its future, Water Deeply recently spoke with Aaron Wolf, professor of geography at Oregon State University and director of the school’s program in water conflict management.

READ MORE ►