Locus Focus

The American strategy to exterminate the indigenous people who lived on this

continent before the European settlement was many pronged. One of its

elements was to entice immigrants from Eastern Europe to come to America with

the offer of receiving free land to farm. This of...

On July 20, a dark plume of smoke rose from the center of Ross Island, a much

abused island in the Willamette River south of downtown Portland. Ash and

smoke blew into the adjoining neighborhoods and the fire burned for several

hours. Neighbors stood along the bluff above t...

A little known fact about oil and gas drilling is that a lot more comes up

from the depths of the earth than just oil or gas. Much of this waste is

toxic and radioactive. And the fracking boom has only worsened the problem.

On this episode of Locus Focus we talk with Justin...

This program aired originally on May 6, 2024

 

The Willamette River Basin once supported tremendous salmon runs. Today, less

than 10,000 wild Chinook salmon return each year to the Upper Willamette

River basin, approximately a 97% reduction of the historic estimates. An...

This program aired originally on July 22, 2024

 

For thousands of years Native peoples made their homes in the Mississippi

watershed, that spans nearly half of what is now the United States. They

respected the “great river” and lived peaceably alongside it. But when

Eu...

This program aired originally on June 10, 2024

 

According to the fossil fuel industry, the Mountain Valley Pipeline is

recognized as a critical infrastructure project, essential for our nation’s

energy security and energy reliability. But for communities from West

Vir...

This program originally aired on May 27, 2024.

 

While Oregonians were fighting to stop the behemoth Pacific Connector Gas

Pipeline and Jordan Cove LNG Terminal in Southern Oregon, communities in

Virginia were facing a similar struggle to stop an even larger and longer ...

This program originally aired on May 13, 2024

 

We are at the precipice of a climate emergency. If we do not seriously begin

to cut our carbon emissions now we will be entering an uncharted territory of

climate chaos. But instead of accelerating the adoption of verified...

There's a lot happening in our forests in the Northwest, even while our

attention may be focused elsewhere (like on the upcoming elections). But now

is a good time to check in with Alex Budd, Alliance Organizer with Pacific

Northwest Forest Climate Alliance, about issues we...

For thousands of years Native peoples made their homes in the Mississippi

watershed, that spans nearly half of what is now the United States. They

respected the “great river” and lived peaceably alongside it. But when

European settlers arrived they upended Native lives and ...