Last October, Amazon announced it had signed an agreement to develop four small-scale modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs, along the Columbia River to power its data centers in Eastern Oregon. Energy Northwest, a consortium of publicly owned utilities, is partnering with Amazon on the development of the SMRs which it says could be scaled up to meet the energy needs of more than 770,000 homes in the region without the use of fossil fuels. 

But opposition to the plan is now ramping up as environmentalists, academics and Native American Tribes in the region raise their concerns over the safety of this novel nuclear technology to human health, wildlife and water quality. OPB rural communities reporter Antonio Sierra joins us to share his recent reporting on the opposition to Amazon’s vision for nuclear energy and the massive data centers it would help power. 

Republican Cliff Bentz represents Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District in Congress. It’s the largest district in Oregon, and represents around two-thirds of the state. It encompasses the Owyhee Canyonlands, one of the state’s most-known but — as of yet — unprotected natural places. Conservationists and others, including Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, have called on President Joe Biden to create a national monument here but so far that hasn’t happened.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden has been working since 2019 on a bill to create a national monument on 1.1 million acres of land. The legislation was co-sponsored by Oregon’s other Democratic U.S. Senator, Jeff Merkley. The bill passed the Senate last year but died in the House. Bentz proposed his own version last fall, but says he’ll work with the senators on a new plan that can pass both chambers. We talk with Bentz about the way forward for Owyhee protection.

At the turn of the 20th century, Vaudeville performances exploded in growth in America, entertaining audiences with a variety of acts from magicians to comedy shows and more. In Astoria, Oregon, the historic Liberty Theatre was home to some of these acts. Melissa Hart is a journalist and author based in Eugene. Her great- grandparents were vaudeville performers themselves and traveled around the world with their act. She wrote about the history of vaudeville both in Astoria and more broadly for the publication Hidden Compass. She joins us to share more on who her great-grandparents were and the impact vaudeville had in the U.S. 

According to the CDC, more than 2 million people in the U.S. are infected with hepatitis C. The bloodborne illness attacks the liver and can lead to cancer or death if left untreated. Injection drug use is the leading risk factor for hepatitis C, which is also more prevalent in rural counties where diagnosis and treatment can be hard to come by, especially for people experiencing homelessness. 

Scientists at Oregon Health and Science University demonstrated a new strategy that could significantly boost the diagnosis and successful treatment of hepatitis C in rural communities. In a recently published study, they showed that peers with lived experience in drug use were able to successfully enroll and facilitate treatment for people who tested positive for hepatitis C in six rural Oregon counties using telemedicine, which was seven times more effective than referrals to clinics for in-person treatment. Joining us to talk about the results and the role peer specialists can play to combat the spread of hepatitis C is Dr. Andrew Seaman, an associate professor of medicine at OHSU, the medical director of HIV and hepatitis C services at Central City Concern and head of substance use disorder programs at Better Life Partners in New England.  

 The largest healthcare strike in Oregon history is on the horizon. About 5,000 Providence doctors and nurses who work at 8 different hospitals around the state could strike at the end of this week. We’ll get an update from OPB healthcare reporter Amelia Templeton.    

Portlander Cameron Booth is mostly known for his blog Transit Maps, which reviews and showcases public transit maps from bygone eras to modern day systems. But for nearly a year now, Booth has been making sure one piece of Portland’s history is not forgotten: street cars. From its beginnings in 1872 to the modern system, Booth has been archiving and cataloging information he finds on his new website, Portland Streetcar History. We hear from Booth to learn more on why he started this project and the importance street cars had in shaping the city. 

Since the mid-1980s, Marion county has been sending its trash to an incinerator, now known as Reworld Marion Inc. It’s the only one in the state, and the county has partnered with it from the beginning. The company recently filed objections with Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality around environmental regulations the state passed aimed at improving human health by reducing toxic emissions from the facility. Several months ago Reworld announced it would be closing its Oregon facility and would not be accepting any more trash as of Dec. 31, 2024. 

The county had to turn instead to the Coffin Butte Landfill in neighboring Benton County. But that landfill is filling up and has applied to expand its capacity. It’s also been under scrutiny for methane leaks that environmental groups, lawmakers and regulators say have not been adequately addressed.

Joining us to discuss the problems inherent in current waste disposal methods are: Lisa Arkin, the executive director of Beyond Toxics, which is part of the state’s Clean Air Coalition; and Oregon State Senator Sara Gelser Blouin, a Democrat whose district covers South Salem and unincorporated parts of Linn, Benton and Marion Counties.

 The city of Bend is exploring how it could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2050. The goals are outlined in the city’s Community Climate Action Plan, which it’s working on updating. 

Officials are examining what strategies to prioritize and how future policies could affect Bend's businesses, affordable housing goals and economy.

Recently, the city has considered how it could construct new  buildings that have electric appliances rather than fossil-fuel power sources like gas. While some climate activists applaud the efforts, others wonder how new regulations could affect the city financially and leave it vulnerable to costly lawsuits.  

Cyrus Mooney is the business advocate for the city of Bend. Cassie Lacy is the senior management analyst for the city. They join us with details of the city’s plans.  

Valerie Jacques Lehman loves the Oregon Ducks. No matter their crushing defeat in the Rose Bowl. She says like many fans, she was devastated by that loss but says a real fan is loyal, win or lose. We talk with her about the big game and how she keeps on the sunny side even after the worst outcome. 

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Washington, has linked exposure to wildfire smoke with a higher risk of developing dementia. The study followed more than 1.2 million Kaiser Permanente Southern California members from 2008 to 2019. It also found that minority communities and those living in higher-poverty census tracts were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than white or higher-income patients.

Joan Casey is an associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at UW. She joins us with more details on how wildfire smoke can affect our brains and bodies.