Courtney Flatt

Oregon will soon be home to the first large-scale wave research site in the United States. A $4 million grant from the Department of Energy is helping fund the facility.

The project will be connected to the electrical grid on-shore so that researchers can test how much power the buoys convert into electricity. Belinda Batten is with Oregon State University and will direct the facility. She says the project will help developers make wave energy more commercially available with large-scale technology.

Research in the Northwest is finding new evidence that a chemical used to harden plastics can damage female reproductive systems.

A wind tower manufacturer in Richland, Wash. says it’s closing plants in Washington and Nebraska.

A plan to manage central Washington’s water is not sitting well with some cabin owners. The water plan aims to enlarge a lake that would flood a small, shoreline community. Reporting for EarthFix, Courtney Flatt takes a look at how environmental planners balance the wish of some against the need of many.

A wind tower manufacturer says it’s closing plants in Washington and Nebraska. Manufacturing company Katana Summit is looking for a buyer for its operations in the two states. If that doesn’t happen by November 1, the plants will shut down.

Light bulbs that rely on LED technology may soon be the best way to light your home. Courtney Flatt checked into a study that says LED light bulbs are becoming the best environmental choice.

Columbia River Indian tribes are opposing a ballot measure that would ban commercial gillnet fishing in Oregon. Reporting for EarthFix, Courtney Flatt has more.

Upgrading your windows may be one way to significantly lower your energy bill. Researchers in Richland, Washington, are comparing two homes to find out how much you can save. For EarthFix, Courtney Flatt has this report.

A wind company with operations in the Pacific Northwest has announced more layoffs this year as the industry prepares for the expiration of tax credits at the end of the year.

There’s been some speculation over the years as to how wind farms would hold up in the event of a large wildfire. Now, the verdict is in. From EarthFix, Courtney Flatt reports a central Washington wind farm was not damaged.

Scorched earth surrounds wind turbines just outside Cle Elum, Washington. A fire that drove through over the last week and a half destroyed more than 50 houses and has burned an estimated 23,000 acres. It did not burn 48 wind turbines.

Operations manager Eric Melbardis says gravel landscaping protected the turbines from the fire.