Think Out Loud

DOE overhauls the longtime Hanford Nuclear Reservation advisory board

For decades, a wide array of groups have had representatives on the Hanford Advisory Board [https://www.hanford.gov/page.cfm/hab]. They’ve provided input on a variety of issues around the cleanup of waste and contamination from the nuclear reservation in central-southeast Washington. Now, the Department of Energy under President Trump is curtailing the board [https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-08-14/us-department-of-energy-whittles-down-hanford-board-that-gives-feds-state-advice-on-cleanup]. The advisory board is going from 70 members, including alternates, to 20. The new members will be selected by the government, and any group members or representatives of tribal nations will no longer speak for a constituency but only for themselves. Critics say these changes will reduce representation and accountability, while the DOE says [https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/doe-strengthens-hanford-advisory-board-empowers-local-community] the changes standardize the board and “enhance engagement with those that live closest to Hanford.”   We talk with Senior Correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting Anna King [https://www.nwpb.org/people/anna-king], who’s covered the Hanford Nuclear Reservation cleanup for the last 20 years, to learn more about the impact of this change.

What nitrate water pollution means for residents in Eastern Oregon

For three decades, many residents in Eastern Oregon's Umatilla basin have been drinking nitrate-polluted [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/19/lower-umatilla-nitrate-monitoring-rules/] drinking water. Some residents blame nearby food-processors and farms that use nitrogen-rich fertilizers for the issue.   Last week, a $6.2 million settlement [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/12/oregon-farm-madison-ranches-settlement-lower-umatilla-basin-nitrate-pollution/] was reached between Madison Ranches and the people living in Morrow and Umatilla Counties who filed the suit. Kaleb Lay, director of policy and research at Oregon Rural Action [https://www.oregonrural.org/], took OPB’s Think Out Loud on a tour of affected areas, along with Jim Doherty, a rancher and former Morrow County Commissioner. We’ll also hear from Paulo Lopez whose well is polluted.

Regional orchestra has brought classical music to northeast Oregon and southeast Washington for nearly 30 years

The Inland Northwest Musicians [https://inlandnorthwestmusicians.com/] have been performing across nine counties in northeast Oregon and southeast Washington for nearly three decades.    The group formed in 1999 to bring classical music to communities that may otherwise not have access to it. It consists of three ensembles [https://inlandnorthwestmusicians.com/ensembles]: the Inland Northwest Orchestra, the Inland Northwest Chorale and the Willow Creek Symphony, a preparatory ensemble for new musicians of all ages.    Lee Friese is the music director and conductor for all three ensembles. Alice Massey is a founding member of the group and serves as concert master of the orchestra. Payton Baxter has performed with the Willow Creek Symphony since she was 12 years old and now manages the group.   They all join us to talk more about bringing classical music to remote corners of the state.

California company tests cloudseeding in Pendleton, Oregon

More than 2 million Oregonians [https://www.drought.gov/states/oregon]live in drought stricken areas. Dry summers in the Pacific Northwest affect various industries including agriculture, water supply, fisheries and hydropower. But could science change that? Cloudseeding is an 80-year-old technology where tiny particles, often of silver iodide, are added to clouds via aircraft to help trigger rain or snow. Rainmaker [https://www.rainmaker.com/], based in California, has been testing this technology using drones in areas across the country, including in Pendleton. Parker Cardwell is the chief operating officer for the company. He joins us to share more on what cloud seeding is and what the company has learned in Oregon.

CTUIR emergency management coordinator on managing drought, wildfires and smoky air

The Hagen Fire, which started a month ago, continues to burn [https://www.underscore.news/land/wildfire/hagen-fire-grows-paradise-fire-remains-uncontained-on-umatilla-reservation/] on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The tribes have declared a public health emergency [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/23/hagen-fire-tribes-state-emergency/] because of the poor air quality from wildfire smoke. On top of that, much of the area is in a severe drought [https://www.drought.gov/states/oregon/county/Umatilla].    Kimberly Hughes is the emergency management coordinator [https://ctuir.org/departments/public-safety/emergency-management/] for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. She joins us to talk about how the tribes prepare for and manage these crises.