1. FOOD SECURITY:
Sockeye salmon populations in Pacific Northwest declining due to higher temperatures, scientists say
Sockeye salmon populations have diminished due to changes in climate, a decrease that could affect food security throughout the Pacific Northwest and threaten native fishing communities, experts say. "Climate change is causing coastal oceans to be warmer in the summers," said researcher Randall Peterman. "The decline in [sockeye salmon] productivity is more pervasive, and it's much more pervasive than we expected."
2. COAL:
Peabody to boost exports from Gulf Coast as Pacific Northwest terminal plans stall
Peabody Energy Corp., the world's largest private coal company, tipped the U.S. coal export scales southward yesterday by selecting Houston and New Orleans as primary ports for shipping Colorado, Powder River Basin and Illinois Basin coal to international markets. Under new agreements with Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, Peabody said it would gain additional coal export capacity from Kinder Morgan's Deepwater Terminal and Houston Bulk Terminal in Texas, as well as increased access to the International Marine Terminal at Myrtle Grove, La., south of New Orleans.
