May 4—KENNEWICK, Benton County — Back in March, Chris Wiley passed a long day in his tractor sowing winter wheat. He had the controls set to automatic steering and scanned social media. He did not like what he found. In post after post, people raged about a renewable energy project that would put wind turbines and solar development in the Horse Heaven Hills where he farms. Critics from Pasco, ... Read More

Apr. 27—Washington state lawmakers entered the 2021 session exploring proposals to erect new bridges, subsidize electric cars and collect fuel taxes as high as $1 per gallon. Instead, their awkward virtual session ended on cruise control, as members simply renewed construction money for freeway expansions planned years ago. These include one new lane each direction of clogged Interstate 405 ... Read More

Portland Public Schools is going to court after the contractor rebuilding a high school sought to pass along $1.2 million in costs triggered by Oregon’s new corporate activity tax. The Oregon Legislature approved the business tax in 2019 to raise $1 billion a year for public schools, preschools and other educational programs. Businesses must pay a 0.57% tax on most sales in Oregon above $1 ... Read More

Apr. 18—Despite challenges thrown at it with the pandemic, job shutdowns and now higher lumber prices, the Spokane metro area increased the number of construction jobs this past year while 236 metro areas across the nation saw construction employment decline. Based on analysis done by Associated General Contractors of America, which represents commercial builders, the number of construction ... Read More

Apr. 4—After several days of tense meetings in January and February and submitting hundreds of pages in feedback in early March, the government agencies, tribes and nonprofits that are considered license participants are awaiting Seattle City Light's next official move in the relicensing process for its Skagit River dams. The next step for the utility is filing a revised study plan for the ... Read More

Apr. 1—RICHLAND, Wa. — What could be the nation's first commercial advanced nuclear power reactor would be built and operated near Richland under a partnership agreement signed Thursday. X-energy, of Rockville, Md., will work with Energy Northwest of Richland and Grant County PUD to develop, build and operate an 80-megawatt reactor, the Xe-100, on land already leased by Energy Northwest at the ... Read More

Mar. 24—OLYMPIA — The state's transportation budget for the next two years will be tight, despite federal money potentially filling a revenue hole left by the COVID-19 pandemic. The House and Senate released separate transportation budget proposals this week, outlining their spending priorities for the next two-year cycle starting July 1. The House proposal, authored by House Transportation ... Read More

Mar. 24—JUNEAU — An Alaska Senate committee has approved a plan by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to borrow more than $300 million for construction projects across the state, but several members of the committee said they doubt the proposal has the support needed to pass the full Senate. "I'm very skeptical that it will make it out of the Senate," said Sen. Robert Myers, R-North Pole and chairman of the ... Read More