News Digest:
Thursday, June 5, 2008 10:21 AM PDT
GOOD AFTERNOON
OREGON
EPA agrees to update Oregon water
standards
PORTLAND (AP) — A conservation group says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to update Oregon water quality standards that determine at what levels threatened and endangered species become jeopardized by toxic contaminants.
Northwest Environmental Advocates said the promise settles a two-year old lawsuit the Portland-based conservation group filed in federal court.
Oregon fishing town loses namesake tuna statue
CHARLESTON (AP) — Sorry, Charlie. You’re a crime victim.
The blue, 8-foot wood statue of a tuna stood for two decades at the east end of the bridge, welcoming folks to the Oregon coastal fishing town Charleston.
Now, the tuna named Charlie is missing. Since the chain holding the statue in place was cut, Charlie is presumed stolen.
IDAHO
Idaho company announces plan for depleted-uranium plant
IDAHO FALLS (AP) — An eastern Idaho company announced plans to build a commercial depleted-uranium processing plant just a month after France’s Areva NC Inc. said it would build a $2 billion uranium enrichment facility in the region.
International Isotopes Inc. of Idaho Falls said Wednesday its plant would convert tails from uranium enrichment plants like the one Areva aims to build into easily disposable waste as well as specialty gases needed to make microelectronics.
THE NATION
A look at U.S. airlines’ cutbacks
WASHINGTON — The nation’s biggest airline announced last month it would cut domestic capacity 11 to 12 percent after the peak summer travel season, but already has begun trimming flights. American will end its short-lived service from New York to London’s Stansted Airport and drop a daily nonstop flight from Chicago to Honolulu. The carrier also is pulling out of Oakland, Calif. It plans to retire 45 to 50 planes, most of them gas-guzzling MD-80s, and its American Eagle sister carrier will retire 30 to 35 jets.
