Weekday Wrap: Dungeness delays draw protest on the Oregon coast; Washington state gets new climate programs

By OPB Staff
Jan. 5, 2023 8:49 p.m.

In other news, OHSU hopes to boost the diversity of clinical trials participants and an old dam on the McKenzie River may soon breathe its last.

Something to crab about

Oregon’s Dungeness crab season typically starts on Dec. 1 each year, but coastal crabbers are still sidelined after the third postponement of opening day so far this season. Crabs at some coastal ports are testing low in meat and high in domoic acid, a naturally occuring toxin that can make crabs unsafe to eat. Crabbers are urging the state to open the fishery at ports where crabs have proven healthy to avoid financial hardship. (Ethan Myers/The Astorian)

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Bringing research to the people

Oregon Health and Science University usually relies on people coming to campus to participate in clinical trials, which are tests of medical treatments and their effects on human health. But the old method of asking people to come to researchers has made for less diverse participant pools, so OHSU is trying something different by taking that research on the road. (Sydney Wyatt/Statesman Journal)

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Leaburg Dam’s last days?

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The Leaburg Dam hasn’t generated electricity since 2018. The nearly century-old structure on the McKenzie River east of Springfield has structural deficiencies that would need to be addressed if it were to produce hydropower again, according to the Eugene Water and Electric Board, or EWEB. But the cost of repairing Leaburg Dam may outweigh the benefits of keeping it around, so the board voted this week to decommission it. (Chris M Lehman/KLCC)

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The pipes, the pipes are calling

Irrigation canals have closed for the season, which in Central Oregon means it’s time to pipe. The irrigation districts responsible for delivering water to their patrons have started work this fall and winter on multimillion-dollar projects to convert leaky open-air canals into buried pipes. It’s seen as one of the most viable, albeit controversial, solutions to annual water shut-offs fueled by intense drought. (Michael Kohn/The Bulletin)

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Encouraging Washington businesses to clean up their act

Two major climate policies in Washington state took effect at the start of the new year. The Clean Fuel Standard and the Climate Commitment Act both require businesses to effectively pay for their pollution and shrink how much they pollute over time. The market-based programs are designed so that the state can become carbon neutral by 2050, but they’re not without critics. (Lauren Ellenbecker/The Columbian)

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