The Economic Perspective 10/31/2025

The Latest Trending Economic, Environmental and Infrastructure News Curated for You by The Balmoral Group

The Balmoral Group provides practical, professional and precise Economics, Data Analytics, and Engineering Consulting services and is part of a globally integrated team.

Happy Friday! 

BOO! And welcome back to another Eekonomic Perspective! This week, TBG Seattle Senior Resource Economist Amy Bainbridge had the opportunity to sit in on a University of Maine panel discussing research in private industry and consulting. She shared insights on how projects take shape outside academia, as well as how research objectives are defined, prioritized, and managed in real word settings. We love engaging with students curious about bridging technical research and applied innovation!

Although the United States government shutdown continues with economic and social implications that are reverberating through the country, we are continuing to bring you the latest news and facts. One being that according to the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending this year is expected to break records at $13.1 billion, with spending on candy responsible for $3.9 billion of it! We hope you get the chance to enjoy some!

In this edition of the Economic Perspective, we cover the progress of the Washington State Eatonville Landfill cleanup, continuing conservation efforts of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow, and the clashing of climate change and the 2026 Winter Olympics. We also highlight a new Australian Environmental Protection Act, and the impacts of the recent Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean.

Our data visualization covers the Washington Department of Ecology's efforts to gather information on what geothermal energy harnessing might look like in the state, and who has insights and considerations to offer.

Please feel free to forward this to anyone you think would be interested. If you’d like to view previous editions please click here, or to subscribe please click here!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

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Washington State Landfill Cleanup Efforts Prove Fruitful

Before cleanup efforts began, the Eatonville Landfill in Washington State harbored about 40,000 tons of waste that had been accumulating since the 1950s. Because of the sloped nature of the landfill, household waste, car parts, tires and other discarded items from the town of Eatonville ended up overflowing into the wetland below, just one mile from the Nisqually River. Planning efforts for a cleanup began in 2021 with the help of $7.4 million in funding from Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology). According to the Department, the Nisqually Indian Tribe, with the City of Eatonville and Weyerhaeuser, have been making the cleanup happen at record speed. Now at step seven of nine in the state mandated cleanup process, Ecology prepares for step eight, which entails 10 years of monitoring to ensure that the cleanup was successful with native plants continuing to grow and surface water staying clean. Read more here. (Image credit: Washington Department of Ecology)

Conservation Efforts Continue for the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow

At Archbold laboratory in Florida, efforts continue to conserve and understand the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow (FGSP). The research revolves around protecting FGSP habitat and zooms in on territory size, habitat structure, population and nesting data, and behavioral observations. The researchers recently attended the fall FGSP Working Group meeting where they shared their findings from the Avon Park Air Force Range and DeLuca Preserve sites with local partners in an effort to further conservation progress. The meeting touched a myriad of topics ranging from previous research results to new insights on wetland hydrology. Archbold’s research has been ongoing and evolving since 2003. Read more here.

Chasing the Snow: Climate Change's Effect on the Winter Olympics

In preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, athletes are confronting the reality of warmer winters and less reliable snow conditions. Since the winter months are experiencing shorter and milder periods of snow, athletes must divert their training to new locations, often relying on artificial snow and moving to higher elevations to protect crucial training time. Even in the summer months, as climate change driven wildfires increase, athletes are forced to train indoors to protect their crucial lung strength from dangerous air quality. Some even purposely train on poor or slushy snow to prepare for the similar conditions they will face during competitions. With the frequency of warm temperatures growing, athletes worry that conditions may become more unstable during competitions. These changes are raising concerns, not only for performance and preparation of competitions, but for the future of winter sports. Read more here.

Australian Environmental Protection Act Set to Help Business and Nature

Plans to introduce a new environmental law has been recently shelved for the Australian government. However, this Thursday on October 30^th, the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) has been proposed, which aims to better define what counts “unacceptable impacts” on the environment. The goals of these bills are to better guide government and business decisions on developments to ensure that standards are clear and projects are not stalled by bureaucratic delays. These outlines are hoped to provide consistent regulations on which projects are permissible, and which could cause environmental harm. Faster decisions lead to stronger environmental protection and an increase in economic benefit. Read more here...

Hurricane Melissa Devastates the Caribbean

This week, the Caribbean Islands suffered devastating effects from Hurricane Melissa which was classified as a Category 5, killing at least 29 people and causing catastrophic destruction to the population and homes. Jamaica experienced its strongest hurricane to hit the shores, causing almost $22 billion in damages. As it was a slow-moving storm, Jamaica and Haiti were pummeled with days of rainfall which caused intense flooding, leading to deadly conditions for the displaced population of the area. The storm then moved to a Category 3 in Cuba where it traveled at speeds of 120mph, and later down to a Category 1 in the Bahamas. This record-breaking Atlantic storm caused many casualties, displacing thousands of people and devastating the region, which could take years to rebuild. Read more here

A Community Science Effort Uncovering FL Fungal Insights

Using field observation and community science, Archbold laboratory spearheads the appreciation and documentation of unique fungal species found in Florida. Earlier this month, they held an event called MycoBlitz, where participants scoured the Lake Wales Ridge area in search of specimens. In total, 134 fungal observations were recorded, and 40 new samples were added to the Archbold Fungarium. Archbold’s Plant Ecology Team focuses on the rare flora and fungi species in the state and their unique biodiversity, taking on projects backed by research efforts like this one. Read more here.

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Data Visualization of the Week

WA Department of Ecology to Assess Geothermal Feasibility

In an effort to further boost Washington State’s renewable energy resource initiative, Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has reached out to local and statewide partners for input on the potential of harnessing geothermal energy. Although there are no geothermal energy projects currently under way in the state, three areas have already been identified as potentially feasible: Mount Baker, Mount St. Helens, and Wind River Valley. They will be holding workshops over the next 18 months to gain insights into considerations, risks, and opportunities that should be accounted for with this latest endeavor, inviting Tribes and other stakeholders to contribute. The map below shows in lighter colors the resource potential for harnessing geothermal energy. Read more here. (Image credit: Washington Department of Ecology)