Investigations New Washington energy chair’s industry ties raise ethics questions Former energy consultant Kurt Beckett now heads the agency tasked with permitting his ex-clients’ wind and solar plants. by Brandon Block / April 30, 2025
Environment Podcast | It's not easy going green A new Northwest Reports series digs into the tensions, backlash and bureaucracy around building wind and solar energy facilities in Washington. by Sara Bernard & Maleeha Syed & Brandon Block / March 26, 2025
Investigations The obscure state agency that referees WA’s green energy battles The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council has power to overrule local zoning laws – putting it at the center of a backlash to renewable energy. by Brandon Block / March 4, 2025
Investigations Washington counties, tribes get more than $110M in federal land aid A small part of the American Rescue Plan provides direct, flexible dollars to compensate for untaxable national parks or other federally owned lands. by Brandon Block / June 13, 2023 / Updated at 12:15 p.m.
News Bisected by highways, a Spokane neighborhood shapes what's left The final stretch of North Spokane Corridor construction reopens old wounds in East Central — and sparks a pilot program to address historical damage. by Brandon Block / August 8, 2022
Environment Growing sprawl in WA woods comes with high wildfire risk Policymakers and homeowners are scrambling to manage so-called 'wildland-urban interface' to mitigate the threat. by Anushuya Thapa InvestigateWest / June 8, 2022
Environment Air quality impacts of PNW wildfires reach as far as New York A new study concludes that climate-boosted wildfires are significantly altering carbon monoxide levels in the region — and the effects reach far beyond the Cascades. by Anushuya Thapa InvestigateWest / May 17, 2022
Environment How climate change stresses sewer systems in King County Storm-related sewage spills dump about 93 million gallons of chemical discharge a year into Puget Sound. by Anushuya Thapa InvestigateWest / May 3, 2022
