June is National Rivers Month and a proposal in Congress would protect more of Oregon s rivers. Currently about 2% of Oregon s 110,000 miles of river are protected under the federal Wild and Scenic River Act. The River Democracy Act would add wild and scenic protections to 4,700 miles. .
Environmental groups say removing the Albright Dam on the Cheat River will help restore fish populations, improve water quality and expand outdoor recreation for West Virginians. The U.S. Interior Department recently announced $1 millions in funding toward removing the defunct Albright Dam as part of an effort to improve water quality and restore free-flowing waterways nationwide. .
Montana is considering a purchase of land in the central part of the state that could open up access to more than 100,000 acres of public land. Educational flights are taking place starting today to tour the Big Snowy Mountains, which could see more visitors with the purchase of a ranch in the southern foothills. The 5,600-acre ranch was gifted to Shodair Children s Hospital when its owner died. .
A campaign this month is challenging Pennsylvanians to learn about the health of their soil and neighborhood microbes by planting underwear in their farms or gardens. The Soil Your Undies campaign invites residents to bury a pair of 100% cotton underwear, which can help visualize soil quality over time. Kelly O Neill, Pennsylvania agriculture policy analyst for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, which is helping organize the event, said residents can dig up the underwear after 60 days and report their findings. .
June is National Rivers Month, and conservation groups are pressing the U.S. Senate to vote on the PUBLIC Lands Act, a bill that would add protections to 500 miles of rivers and more than a million acres in California. The bill already has passed the U.S. .