Intro: Salmon – and anything else swimming in waterways around Vancouver – could have a better new year after a court decision this week. On Wednesday, a District Court judge ruled that Clark County has to comply with federal clean water laws – and that means doing more to prevent polluted stormwater runoff into creeks and rivers. The county has faced-off with a neighborhood association and environmental groups for several years over the issue. That battle isn't over, but the groups' attorney – Janette Brimmer with Earthjustice – says in the meantime, the judge is ordering Clark County to meet the same stormwater permit requirements as other counties.

Tag:  Clark County created its own plan for managing stormwater runoff, an alternative that critics have said is weak because it exempts some developments and focuses on cleaning up pollution instead of preventing it. That plan is the subject of a separate court case.