Alex Baumhardt - Oregon Capital Chronicle
Alex Baumhardt has been a national radio producer focusing on education for American Public Media since 2017. She has reported from the Arctic to the Antarctic for national and international media, and from Minnesota and Oregon for The Washington Post. She previously worked in Iceland and Qatar and was a Fulbright scholar in Spain where she earned a master's degree in digital media. She's been a kayaking guide in Alaska, farmed on four continents and worked the night shift at several bakeries to support her reporting along the way.
Proposal to impose penalties on private utilities delaying wildfire lawsuits quietly moves forward
A bipartisan bill moving through the Oregon Senate would prohibit private utilities from recovering wildfire costs from customers if companies are delaying lawsuits.
Oregon companies suffering under Trump tariffs, business leaders tell governor
At a roundtable hosted by Gov. Tina Kotek, more than a dozen business leaders described a dire situation under President Trump’s tariff wars and said consumers would soon feel the pain.
Oregon governor, congressional delegation urge feds to declare disaster for coast salmon fisheries
It would be the seventh disaster declaration since 2016 for the state’s coastal salmon fisheries, which have been hit by warming waters and drought from climate change.
Oregon senators kill proposal to make fossil fuels industry pay for climate-change driven disasters
Senate Bill 1187 would have made companies responsible for millions of metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution pay into a “climate superfund."
Opposition packs hearing on Gov. Kotek proposal to update critical groundwater area protections
More than 500 letters of testimony were submitted in opposition to Senate Bill 1154, largely from people who fear it will let state agencies take their well water.
EPA withholds $85 million meant to fund environmental justice projects in Oregon
Ten Oregon projects are among more than 470 environmental efforts across the country stuck in limbo, with recipients denied access to millions in funding.
Climate change coupled with migration of non-native species pose threat to Northwest fish
Some already threatened cold-water fish species in the Northwest will not only face shrinking habitat from climate change but will face growing pressure from invasive fish species fleeing their own warming and dwindling waters, according to modeling from researchers at Oregon State University.
State updates hazardous substances list to include harmful forever chemicals, begins rulemaking
Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality will soon regulate the pollution and any cleanup of six PFAS compounds known to be harmful to human health.
Reading advocates want state literacy funds directed to teacher training, ‘most neglected’ schools
Gov. Tina Kotek proposed an additional $100 million to continue the Early Literacy Success Initiative grants across Oregon schools but some want more targeted spending.
Trump officials tell Oregon undocumented college students can no longer access TRIO programs
Colleges and universities in Oregon and California can no longer allow students without permanent legal status access to some federally funded programs meant to help disadvantaged students earn degrees, according to a recent decision from the U.S. Department of Education.…