County leaders in Crook County are bringing in a third-party to look into groundwater concerns related to Knife River operations, as neighbors and land-use advocates have raised alarms for years about potential contamination.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Outdoor debris burning in the Bend area will close at midnight on Thursday, April 30. Bend Fire & Rescue, in conjunction with the Central Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, announced the restriction. This closure applies to outdoor debris burning across the Bend area. While such burning will remain open in the rural
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WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing today on H.R. 8259, the Federal Water Projects Consultation Improvement Act of 2026. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, aims to enhance the Endangered Species Act consultation process by requiring federal agencies to engage with local water users. The legislation mandates that agencies,
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) In what President Donald Trump called “the single largest deregulatory action in American history, by far.” his administration revoked the 2009 Environmental Protection Agency Endangerment Finding. Essentially pulling the federal rug out from under states and their emission standards. It limits states powers to regulate emissions and puts Oregon off track for
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Gov. Tina Kotek has declared a drought emergency in six Oregon counties, citing record-low snowpack and ongoing dry conditions. The declaration, issued through Executive Order 26-07, affects Crook, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson, Morrow and Wallowa counties. This marks the second drought declaration for Oregon in 2026. A total of nine of Oregon’s
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As Bend continues to expand, city park officials are working to stay ahead of environmental damage in a lesser-used area of Shevlin Park that’s seeing a surge in visitors. Bend Park and Recreation District staff are presenting an updated trail plan for North Shevlin Park during a board meeting Tuesday evening,
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SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State University-Cascades, and Sisters High School are teaming up this month to conduct a “bioblitz” at four proposed wildlife crossing structure locations along US Highway 20. A bioblitz is a communal effort to record as many species within a designated location and time
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(Update: adding comments from district ranger and forest official) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The closure of the Cabin Butte area, commonly known as China Hat Road, south of Bend has been extended for a reduced area as crews continue large-scale forest restoration work. The area has been closed to the public since last year to
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(Update: Adding video, assistant manager comments) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Elks recently completed a major upgrade to the stadium lighting at Vince Genna Stadium, sparing neighbors the glare from unshielded lights – and now, the new system has officially earned DarkSky certification. The recognition from DarkSky International highlights the significant improvements made to
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTVZ) — The U.S. Forest Service announced it will issue $248 million in Secure Rural Schools payments for 2025. This critical funding will be delivered to eligible states and counties with National Forest System lands. These payments are designed to sustain public schools, maintain local roads, strengthen wildfire preparedness and support other essential
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WASCO COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help in identifying the individual or individuals suspected of contaminating a pond with spray foam near the White River Wildlife Area in Tygh Valley. On March 26, several cans of spray foam were located in a small
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon is facing a historic snowpack collapse this spring, as record-low snow water equivalent (SWE) levels across the West signal a potentially dire water supply situation. Snowpack depth and water content typically peak around April 1, making SWE on this date a key indicator of spring runoff. This year, Oregon,
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THE DALLES, Ore. (KTVZ) —The lower Deschutes River will be open for spring Chinook salmon from May 5-20, the first such season in eight years, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday. “This is exciting news for anglers as the last spring Chinook season on the Deschutes was in 2018,” said Jason Seals,
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By Robin Linares, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — While the Pacific Northwest west of the Cascades is known for its seemingly constant rain, much of Oregon is preparing for drought conditions and increased wildfire risk for the summer. This comes after Oregon’s uncharacteristically mild winter. Much of winter saw warmer temperatures, tied with 1934
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Two tiny Humboldt penguin chicks just came out of their shells at the Oregon Zoo. “We’ve been keeping an eye on these eggs since they were laid earlier this winter,” said Nicole LaGreco, who oversees the penguin area at the zoo. “Both sets of parents nested wonderfully, and the chicks hatched
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Zoo bid a sad farewell Thursday to Zawadi Mungu, elder statesman of the African lion pride and one of the oldest male lions in North America. “He had paws the size of dinner plates and a roar so loud you could feel it in your chest,” said Kelly Gomez,
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Forestry is inviting public comment starting April 3rd on planned timber sales, recreation projects, and forest management activities. The feedback period for the draft Annual Operations Plans for state-owned forests runs through May 18th. These plans outline on-the-ground activities expected to occur during the coming fiscal year.
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REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Redmond Library has formally received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification for its commitment to sustainability, Deschutes Public Library officials said Thursday. As a framework, LEED is the world’s most widely used green building rating system and provides a framework for assessing everything from energy and water use to materials selection and indoor air quality, the library district said in Thursday’s announcement,
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County is encouraging residents to get their homes ready for wildfire season and take advantage of the free yard debris drop-off events offered each year through the FireFree program. The county noted that during a wildfire, most homes are lost when falling embers smolder and ignite dry, vulnerable areas around
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By Alixel Carbera, Utah News Dispatch SALT LAKE CITY — The headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service will move from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday, a move the agency described as a “common-sense approach to improve mission delivery.” Noting that the lands, partners and operational challenges it
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