Citing declining snowpack and increased winter recreation, 10 environmental groups are planning to force the government to protect these elusive carnivores.
The faults under Eastern Washington aren't as famous as the feared Cascadia Subduction Zone, but they still pose a threat to communities like Walla Walla, Tri-Cities and Yakima.
Despite calls to remove the dams to save salmon and orcas, federal agencies say the risks to hydropower, navigation and electricity costs are too high.
A new study concludes that climate-boosted wildfires are significantly altering carbon monoxide levels in the region — and the effects reach far beyond the Cascades.