April Ehrlich

Trump says the military's supersonic flights are in the paramount interest to the country, even if they pollute rivers and threaten fish.

His declaration comes nearly two months into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

For years, the military has been flying jets at the speed of sound over the Oahe Desert in Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada.

These supersonic jets release flares and clouds of aluminum-coated fibers called chaff, which can throw off missiles.

Three years ago, environmental groups sued the Air Force, saying it was polluting rivers with toxic metals.

Trump's declaration allows the military to continue training in this high desert, even if it violates federal and local water pollution laws.

For NPR News, I'm April Ehrlich in Portland.

In 2023, a jury found Pacific Corp.

grossly negligent for keeping its lines charged during a windstorm, potentially sparking four different wildfires across Oregon in 2020.

Since this was a class-action lawsuit, the verdict meant thousands could claim damages against the Berkshire Hathaway-owned utility.

But an appeals court now says the jury in that lawsuit received bad instructions.

as jury members were told to assume that all evidence applied to all class members, but these were separate wildfires in different parts of the state.

This decision could ultimately shrink how much Pacific Corp pays to people harmed in the 2020 Oregon wildfires.

So far, that price tag has soared past $1 billion.

For NPR News, I'm April Ehrlich in Portland.