Oregon reviews decades-old coastal territorial sea plan
Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Ocean Policy Advisory Council have initiated a comprehensive review of the state's 30-year-old Territorial Sea Plan. Managing the three-nautical-mile ocean ribbon along the coastline, the updated plan aims to strengthen marine ecosystem protections and ensure fair compensation for seafloor usage. The review incorporates modern challenges omitted in 1994, including climate change, ocean acidification, and offshore wind energy developments.
SELCO and Numerica merger will create Oregon's second-largest credit union
Springfield-based SELCO Community Credit Union is merging with Washington’s Numerica Credit Union, creating Oregon's second-largest credit union by asset size. Expected to complete legal integration by 2028, the combined financial institution will operate 38 branch offices across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, managing nearly $8 billion in assets. The unified credit union will adopt the Numerica name under CEO Carla Cicero, with no anticipated employee layoffs or branch consolidations.
Oregon, Washington study passenger rail expansion
Transportation officials in Oregon and Washington are soliciting public feedback on state rail plans to shape regional passenger transit. Key initiatives range from adding layover tracks in Eugene to boost Amtrak Cascades on-time reliability to studying high-speed rail options between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. Planners are also examining the feasibility of restoring Eastern Oregon's Pioneer Line. However, securing long-term state and federal funding remains the major hurdle for all proposed upgrades.
Wild bees assist Klamath River habitat restoration
Following historical dam removals along the Klamath River, restoration firm RES and the Yurok Tribe are deploying wooden "BeeOtels" to support ecological recovery in former reservoir beds. Wildlife biologists monitor solitary wild bees and analyze pollen DNA from nesting tubes. This pollen data reveals specific plant preferences, helping land managers optimize native vegetation planting and replace invasive target species like star thistle to sustain local pollinators.
