Feds fail whales: Regulators have failed to protect humpback whales from entanglement in sablefish fishing gear off the U.S. West Coast, a federal court ruled. (Center for Biological Diversity)
Drought to ease in Plains: Drought conditions will improve in the wheat-growing northern and central Plains this spring but will persist in western Kansas, western Oklahoma, and the western two-thirds of Texas. (U.S. Drought Monitor)
State limits nuisance suits: A new law in South Dakota, set to take effect on July 1, will make it harder to file a nuisance complaint or lawsuit against an agricultural operation and will limit how much money can be awarded. (South Dakota Searchlight)
‘Clean car’ lawsuit: A coalition of soybean farmers, ethanol makers, service stations, and convenience stores sued Minnesota regulators over the state’s “clean car” rule, which calls for more zero- and low-emission vehicles on sales lots. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
California salmon season nixed: West Coast fishery managers will cancel the salmon fishing season in California this year because of the collapse of Chinook salmon populations following decades of drought and water diversions. (CalMatters)