9/20 Deer, global climate strike, SRKW in PS, vanishing birds, marbled murrelet plan, Amazon carbon, BC fish farms, Skagit shellfish, Navy exemption, acid and coke, Roundup

Black-tail deer [NPS]

Columbian black-tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
Black-tail deer are the most common deer subspecies. They occur from the crest of the Cascades west to the ocean, preferring brushy, logged lands and coniferous forests. Many of the physical characteristics of black-tailed deer are similar to those of the larger mule deer. The tail is broader and the backside of the tail is covered with dark brown hair that grades to black near the tip. When alarmed or fleeing from danger, the tail may be raised, displaying the broad, white underside. Adult black-tailed deer bucks weigh 140 to 200 pounds and adult does weigh 90 to 130 pounds. (WDFW) See: Hunting seasons and regulations  Find out how and when to hunt legally in Washington State. (WDFW)

'We're Young, But We're Not Dumb': Millions March In Global Climate Strike
Tens of thousands of demonstrators, including many young activists, turned out for rallies across Australia Friday, kicking off what is expected to be a worldwide series of protests to demand action on climate change.More than 800 marches were planned on Friday in the United States, expected to draw on thousands of young people skipping school. Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg, the figurehead of the climate school strike movement, is expected to attend a rally in New York’s Thomas Paine Park. Scott Neuman reports. (NPR) See also: Young people across the Puget Sound region plan climate strikes to spur political action  Ashley Gross reports. (KNKX)

Southern resident orcas, including newest baby, visit Puget Sound 
J and K pod orcas visited local waters Thursday, including the newest baby born to the endangered southern residents. The littlest J pod whale wagged her tiny pectoral fins as her mother playfully pushed her through the waves near the south end of Whidbey Island. The whales spyhopped and leapt, looking playful and sleek, as the last rays of summer sun shone on their dorsal fins. Their puff and blow was primal, powerful, a sound like something from the beginning of time. It was a rare visit this year as the orcas have been spending most of their time on the outer coast of Washington, where the federal government has proposed expanding the whales’ critical habitat. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Southern resident orcas spotted in Puget Sound  Jessie Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Birds Are Vanishing From North America
The skies are emptying out. The number of birds in the United States and Canada has fallen by 29 percent since 1970, scientists reported on Thursday. There are 2.9 billion fewer birds taking wing now than there were 50 years ago. The analysis, published in the journal Science, is the most exhaustive and ambitious attempt yet to learn what is happening to avian populations. The results have shocked researchers and conservation organizations. In a statement on Thursday, David Yarnold, president and chief executive of the National Audubon Society, called the findings “a full-blown crisis.” Carl Zimmer reports. (NY Times)

State's long-awaited conservation strategy for mysterious marbled murrelet moves forward
For more than 20 years, mysteries surrounding an endangered seabird have suspended logging activities on about 170,000 acres of state trust lands in Washington. Now, the state Department of Natural Resources says it’s learned enough about the marbled murrelet to protect its habitat and free up some of the lands that were previously tied up. The agency releases its final environmental impact statement (EIS) for a long-term conservation plan on Friday. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Bezos commits Amazon to rapidly cut fossil fuels, be carbon neutral by 2040 
Jeff Bezos committed his company to cut all its net greenhouse-gas emissions by 2040 — a goal that would appear to put Amazon in the vanguard of corporations reducing carbon pollution ahead of the schedule scientists say is necessary to stave off the worst impacts of global climate change. The company also announced it was ordering 100,000 electric-delivery vehicles, calling it the largest such order of its kind, and establishing a $100 million fund for reforestation projects in an effort to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The reductions described by Bezos will be an enormous challenge for a company whose main businesses are energy intensive – Amazon has fleets of trucks and jets, as well as a global network of data centers — and steadily growing. Amazon said its 2018 greenhouse gas emissions totaled 44.4 million metric tons in 2018, the first time it has disclosed its carbon footprint. Benjamin Romano reports. (Seattle Times)

Salmon farm decommission in B.C.'s Broughton on track, says premier
Premier John Horgan says industry, government and Indigenous nations on northern Vancouver Island are collaborating on a four-year program to transition away from marine-based salmon farms. Horgan says the health of British Columbia's wild salmon stocks depends on the joint work being done in the Broughton Archipelago to improve environmental conditions and move away from open-net farms. Three area First Nations, two aquaculture companies and the government reached an agreement earlier this year to establish Indigenous oversight of salmon farms in their traditional territories as they transition away from the open-net away pens. (Canadian Press)

Biotoxin, concern over bacteria impact harvesting of shellfish
While some commercial shellfish harvest restrictions remain in place in Samish Bay due to summer algae blooms, a surge in the flow of the Samish River on Sunday prompted a full closure for about 24 hours. The state Department of Health closes shellfish harvesting in the bay when the river’s flow increases a certain amount following rain. That’s because of a correlation between heavy rain and high concentrations of potentially harmful bacteria associated with human and animal feces. While the Samish River’s flow increased steadily last weekend, water samples did not show an increase in fecal coliform bacteria that would warranting a continued closure. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Navy range exempted from proposed orca protection measures
U.S. protections for the waters that a group of endangered orcas call home could soon expand beyond the Seattle area to encompass much of the West Coast, from the Canadian border to central California.... National security concerns exempt a large area in and around the U.S. Navy’s Quinault Underwater Tracking Range, which conducts underwater testing in western Washington. The potential protection zone also overlaps with tribal fishing rights in Washington state, but that area is not exempted, said [Lynne] Barre of NOAA Fisheries. Sally Ho reports. (Associated Press) [Usually shortened by NAVSEA to just the “Quinault Site,” the rectangle-shaped range lies off the Washington coast near Destruction Island and has been used for Navy testing since 1981. The shallow waters (less than 400 feet) helped researchers test and perfect the reverberation-tolerant SFSK (Space pulsed Frequency Shift Keying) tracking. It lies within the borders of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, but researchers avoid using explosives there. (Navy Times)]

Acid and Coke: A Dangerous Combo for Marine Life
Like the rivers of eastern England and the Mediterranean Sea near Greece, Brazil’s coast is contaminated with cocaine. Proven toxic to shellfish and other sensitive marine animals, the drug imperils species living close to shore where it’s highly concentrated. New research, led by Lorena da Silva Souza, a doctoral candidate in marine and coastal management at Spain’s University of Cadiz, shows for the first time that ocean acidification, another burgeoning coastal danger, threatens to amplify the effects of cocaine. Jess Mackie reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Banish Roundup From the Farm? It’ll Take More Than Lawsuits
From his farm in northwestern Wisconsin, Andy Bensend watched as first one jury, then another and another, delivered staggering multimillion-dollar verdicts to people who argued that their use of a weedkiller sold at nearly every hardware and home-improvement store had caused their cancer. Mr. Bensend has been using that product, Roundup, on his 5,000 acres for 40 years, but he said that those blockbuster awards would not alter his farm practices one whit. Neither would the 20,000 lawsuits still pending. “Roundup is still a fabulous tool,” said Mr. Bensend, who grows corn, soybeans and alfalfa. He relies on Roundup’s key ingredient — glyphosate — to easily kill weeds, helping increase his yields and reduce his costs. Patricia Cohen reports. (NY Times)


Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  301 AM PDT Fri Sep 20 2019   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt becoming N in the afternoon. Wind waves  2 ft or less. NW swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds. 
SAT  SW wind to 10 kt becoming N in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of rain. 
SAT NIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt becoming E 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds. 
SUN  E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming W 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 7 ft at 11 seconds.



--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/19 Japanese eelgrass, orca protection, Thunberg tour, climate health, Trump's emissions, Canada election, ocean fish farms, Anacortes cleanup, mountain goats

Japanese eelgrass [Hyun-tae Kim]

Japanese eelgrass Zostera japonica
This species is occasionally seen in Southern British Columbia and Washington.  Also known as dwarf eelgrass and narrow-bladed eelgrass, Japanese eelgrass belongs to the family Zosteraceae.  It is nonnative to the West Coast of North America.  With a blade length not exceeding 8 inches (20 cm.) and blade width of only 1/8th inch (2-3 mm.), this species is smaller than the native Z. marina.  In addition, it grows in the mid intertidal zone while Z. marina is found in low intertidal and subtidal zones.  Like Zostera marina, it is found on beaches with a soft substrate, i.e. sand or mud.  Zostera japonica has also been known under the scientific names Z. nolti, Z. nana, and Z. americana. (Mary Jo Adams/Sound Water Stewards) See also: Washington Department of Ecology: Update to general permit that helps remove noxious weeds  Removing Zostera japonica from Willapa Bay Commercial Clam Beds (WA Ecology)

Feds seek expanded habitat protection as salmon, orcas battle climate change, habitat degradation
Most of the outer coast of Washington, Oregon and California would become protected habitat for southern resident orcas under a federal proposal released Wednesday. The new designation, if approved would greatly expand the area considered “critical” for the survival of the endangered orcas that frequent Puget Sound. Since 2006, the inland waters of the Salish Sea have been considered critical habitat for the southern residents. The designation requires review of federal actions within the areas that could affect southern resident killer whales, providing additional oversight by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Greta Thunberg, on Tour in America, Offers an Unvarnished View
These are some of the things that Greta Thunberg has learned on her American tour. New York City smells. People talk really loudly here, they blast air conditioning and they argue over whether or not they believe in climate change, while in her country, Sweden, they accept it as fact. Also, American lawmakers would do well to read the latest science on the threats posed by climate change. That’s what Ms. Thunberg, 16, told members of Congress on Wednesday, when she was asked to submit her testimony into the record. She submitted a report issued last October by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, spelling out the threats of global temperature rise. “I don’t want you to listen to me,” she said. “I want you to listen to the scientists.” Somini Sengupta reports. (NY Times)

How climate change threatens our health in the Pacific Northwest
Around this time last year, news outlets blared alarming headlines: Breathing the air outside was as bad as smoking several cigarettes. Wildfire haze blotted out the sun and turned the moon orange. Weather apps simply listed the forecast as “smoke.” Just because this summer has been clear, though, doesn’t mean that the environment is doing just fine. While smoke from wildfires might be climate change’s most obvious impact in Washington, other threats still loom. Ryan Blethen reports. (Seattle Times)

Washington lawmakers, environmental groups criticize Trump's car emissions rule 
Washington is one of 13 states that follow California's fuel economy standards. Clean air and environmental advocates say cars and trucks are a huge source of pollution in our state and we need to reduce that. They’re criticizing the Trump Administration's decision to block states and their ability to regulate more stringent vehicle emissions standards. Governor Jay Inslee responded in a statement saying Washington deserves better: “If the Administration refuses to accept the scientific reality of climate change, they need to get out of the way and let states like Washington lead on this issue. Washingtonians deserve better than Trump’s dangerous anti-environmental policy,” Inslee said. Suzanne Phan reports. (KOMO)

Most Canadians want a change in government: Poll 
If change becomes a driving force in this election, Justin Trudeau could be in trouble. Asked whether it is time for a change, almost twice as many Canadians say it is time to change the government compared to those who feel we should stay the course, according to a DART & Maru/Blue Voice Canada poll. The poll — conducted exclusively for the Toronto Sun — found a full 51% of Canadians said they believe it is time for a change in who leads the federal government, while just 27% say it is not time for a change. Those saying they did not know or were not sure came in at 22%. Brian Lilley reports. (Toronto Sun) See also: Justin Trudeau: Canada PM in 'brownface' 2001 yearbook photo  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologised for wearing "brownface" make-up at a gala at a private school where he taught nearly two decades ago. (BBC)

The Battle Over Fish Farming In The Open Ocean Heats Up, As EPA Permit Looms
Americans eat an average of 16 pounds of fish each year, and that number is growing. But how to meet our demand for fish is a controversial question, one that is entering a new chapter as the Environmental Protection Agency seeks to approve the nation’s only aquaculture pen in federal waters. Fish farming has been positioned by its boosters as a sustainable alternative to wild-caught seafood and an economic driver that would put our oceans to work. So far, restrictions on where aquaculture operations can be located have kept the U.S. industry relatively small. In 2016, domestic aquaculture in state-controlled waters accounted for about $1.6 billion worth of seafood, or about 20 percent of the country’s seafood production...Now the tide could be turning. On Aug. 30, EPA issued a draft permit for a pilot aquaculture project in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida. The project, despite its small scale, would be a watershed moment in the debate surrounding ocean aquaculture, which has divided environmental groups and pitted fishermen who catch wild fish against those who farm. It is also the latest chapter in a long battle about which agency should regulate ocean aquaculture. Leah Douglas reports. (NPR)

Next Anacortes waterfront cleanup being planned
Plans are taking shape for the next waterfront cleanup in Anacortes, at a 0.8-acre property nestled between Commercial Avenue businesses and the waterfront along the northern tip of Fidalgo Island. That property, at 202 O Ave., is called Quiet Cove and has been owned by the Port of Anacortes since 2013. As the port prepares to clean up the site next summer, the state Department of Ecology is taking public comment on the port’s plan. The comment period runs through Oct. 11. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Second year of mountain goat relocations complete
After a second summer of mountain goat relocations, federal, state and tribal partners have successfully moved 275 of the animals from the Olympic Peninsula to the North Cascades. While 51 more didn’t make it to new homes in the North Cascades — some died in capture or transport and some were taken to zoos — wildlife managers are hoping those that did make it will fare better in the naturally saltier Cascades mountain range and help boost populations there. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  259 AM PDT Thu Sep 19 2019   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  4 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of showers after midnight.



--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/18 Orange jelly 'shroom, Trump's emissions, BC pipe, dead trees, Chinook future, aquaculture future, Denman Is, Pt Hudson, Cokie Roberts

Orange jelly [Gary Emberger]

Orange jelly mushroom Dacrymyces palmatus
This is one of the Pacific Northwest's commonest jelly fungi, usually not appearing in abundance until the weather has become decidedly cool, in late fall. Only young specimens are firm enough to be considered for eating. [The New savory Wild Mushroom]

Trump administration to revoke California’s power to set stricter auto emissions standards The move sets up a major court fight with the nation’s most populous state.
The Trump administration plans this week to revoke California’s long-standing right to set stricter air pollution standards for cars and light trucks, the latest step in a broad campaign to undermine Obama-era policies aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change, two senior administration officials said. The move threatens to set in motion a massive legal battle between California and the federal government, plunge automakers into a prolonged period of uncertainty and create turmoil in the nation’s auto market. Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis report. (Washington Post)

Court of appeal tells B.C. to reconsider Trans Mountain environmental conditions
The B.C. Court of Appeal has instructed the province to reconsider its environmental assessment certificate and conditions issued for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project. In their challenges, the Squamish Nation and the City of Vancouver argued the certificate should be quashed because it was based on a flawed report and approval from the National Energy Board that was later quashed by the Federal Court of Appeal. After the National Energy Board reviewed the project for a second time, the federal government again approved the $7.4-billion expansion of the pipeline that runs from Alberta to the B.C. coast.The B.C. Court of Appeal did not opt to quash the provincial certificate and instead said it's "remitting" it back to the province to reconsider, "in light of the changes in the National Energy Board's report." The court ruled against the parties on the other argument put forward regarding duty to consult. The court found that the province met its duty to consult with the Squamish Nation on the project. The question of consultation is still before the courts at the federal level and the legal actions include several B.C. First Nations. Chantelle Bellrichard reports. (CBC)

'Dead tree after dead tree.' The case of Washington's dying foliage
When Jim and Judy Davis moved to their property in Granite Falls two and a half years ago, the trees in their 25-acre forest were healthy. Then the hemlocks started to turn brown. Now, “if we were to walk this path completely -- it’s about a quarter of a mile -- this is what you would see,” Jim Davis said, “just dead tree after dead tree. “It’s just a feeling of sadness and helplessness." Eilis O'Neill reports. (KUOW)

How Long Before These Salmon Are Gone? ‘Maybe 20 Years’
Warming waters and a series of dams are making the grueling migration of the Chinook salmon even more deadly — and threatening dozens of other species. Jim Robbins reports. (NY Times)

Aquaculture industry is headed for a sea change
Planning a salmon barbecue? Your options will be limited this year. With a complete 2019 closure on Fraser River sockeye, due to dismal returns, your options are to buy Alaska sockeye or farmed Atlantic salmon. And, as the world’s population grows, and wild-capture fisheries either are maxed out or declining, farmed seafood options will become an increasingly important source of animal protein, according to a new Nature Conservancy and Encourage Capital report. Towards a Blue Revolution is largely aimed at the investment community and lays out the opportunities and risks, noting that certain next-generation systems such as land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) or ocean-based fish farms will require impact investors to take the lead before more risk-averse investors follow. Nelson Bennett reports. (Times Colonist)

Annual Denman Island shoreline cleanup set to tackle growing debris
After 15 years of cleaning up the beaches of Denman Island, Liz Johnston knows the amount of plastic in Baynes Sound is not going away. That’s why the co-ordinator of the Association for Denman Island Marine Stewards annual Denman Island Community Beach Cleanup is again looking for volunteers to assist in the annual cleanup from Sept. 21 to 28...Due to local winds and tides, a huge amount of shellfish growers’ gear and equipment is driven onto Denman Island’s western shores. This includes oyster trays, anti-predator netting, plastic fencing, plastic net bags, plastic floats, styrofoam floats for rafts as well as thousands of pieces of rope. Erin Haluschak reports. (Comox Valley Record)

Could Point Hudson be headquarters for Nat’l Heritage Area?
Cities across the Puget Sound are vying to become the headquarters of a new Maritime National Heritage Area, and Port Townsend is gearing up to join the battle. The Maritime Washington National Heritage Area Act was signed into federal law on March 12 as part of a larger public lands package that includes a number of public lands priorities across the nation. The bill, which was fostered by Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-WA, seeks to highlight all maritime landmarks within one-quarter mile of the shoreline around the Puget Sound. The area spans 13 counties, including Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, San Juan, Island, King, Pierce, Thurston, Mason, Kitsap, Jefferson, Clallam and Grays Harbor counties. It will include 19 Native American Tribes, 32 cities and 30 port districts, including the Port of Port Townsend. Lily Haight reports. (Port Townsend Leader)

Cokie Roberts, Pioneering Journalist Who Helped Shape NPR, Dies At 75
Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts, who joined an upstart NPR in 1978 and left an indelible imprint on the growing network with her coverage of Washington politics before later going to ABC News, has died. She was 75. Roberts died Tuesday because of complications from breast cancer, according to a family statement. A bestselling author and Emmy Award winner, Roberts was one of NPR's most recognizable voices and is considered one of a handful of pioneering female journalists — along with Nina Totenberg, Linda Wertheimer and Susan Stamberg — who helped shape the public broadcaster's sound and culture at a time when few women held prominent roles in journalism. Bobby Allyn and Scott Neuman report. (NPR)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  252 AM PDT Wed Sep 18 2019   
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 8 ft  at 11 seconds. A slight chance of tstms. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds.



--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/17 Jaegers, Growlers sued, SnoCo water, Hood Canal pollution, Covering Climate Now, shrub-steppe ecosystem

Jaeger in pursuit [Jeff Poklen]

Jaegers Give Chase in September
A tern or gull plunges headfirst into the water, then bounces aloft grasping a small fish in its bill. But before the bird can swallow its catch, a Parasitic Jaeger swoops in. The jaeger nips the bird's wing, and it drops its hard-won fish. The pirate catches the fish in mid-air and gulps it down. The jaeger (German for hunter) is built for sprinting speed and predatory feats. (BirdNote)

Whidbey Island residents sue over expansion of Navy training flights
When Marge Plecki and her husband built their retirement home on Whidbey Island in 2002, they were aware the Navy conducted training flights at a small airstrip nearby. The noise was bearable, though, and she planned around it by running errands or doing other chores while the jets roared. That changed dramatically in March, when the number of EA-18G Growlers in the skies vastly increased. The noise has sent Plecki and more than three dozen other residents of Whidbey Island's Admiral's Cove neighborhood to court, filing a lawsuit that seeks compensation for what they say is their inability to use their property. The neighborhood is a small enclave less than one mile from the end of the landing strip, just beneath the final approach and take-off path for the jets. Gene Johnson reports. (Associated Press)

Residents asked: Is county water getting better or worse?
Of the 5,700 miles of rivers and streams in Snohomish County flowing to Puget Sound, 73% are in fair to poor condition, according to a new study. Released last week, data from the “State of Our Waters” program showed 27% of river and stream sites and 77% of lakes tested by Snohomish County Public Works are considered in good to excellent health. Some of the poorest water quality was found in Crystal Creek, McGovern Creek and a marshland stream east of Everett. Julia-Grace Sanders reports. (Everett Herald)

As Hood Canal pollution program progresses, leaders look for sustainable funding
A years-long pollution clean-up program around Hood Canal is starting to see the fruits of its labor: restored shellfish harvesting areas, some of which are starting to reopen. The Hood Canal Coordinating Council wrapped up the third phase of its Pollution Identification and Correction program last month. The regional program — started in 2012 — coordinates efforts between Kitsap, Jefferson and Mason counties and the Port Gamble S’Klallam and Skokomish tribes to find and correct fecal pollution sources in the Hood Canal region. In the past five years, the PIC team has surveyed more than 130 miles of shoreline, inspected 1,158 parcels and identified 131 sewage system failures, which can seep bacterial pollutants into surrounding waterways. A recently released report shows nearly 100 failed systems have been repaired. Austen Macalus reports. (Kitsap Sun)

A new beginning for climate reporting
....It is heartening...to report that the press may at last be waking up to the defining story of our time. At the end of April, the Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation launched Covering Climate Now, a project aimed at encouraging news organizations, here and abroad, to raise their game when it comes to climate coverage. We weren’t going to tell people what to write or broadcast; we just wanted them to do more coverage, and to do it better. Close the gap, we urged them, between the size of the story and the ambition of your efforts. Try it for a week, then report back on what you learned...Our week of focused climate coverage began yesterday and will continue through next Monday, September 23, the day of the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York. Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope write. (Columbia Journalism Review) Seattle's Jamie Margolin is 17 and a climate activist. On Wednesday she testifies before Congress.  Jim Brunner reports. (Seattle Times) Greta Thunberg To U.S.: 'You Have A Moral Responsibility' On Climate Change  Bill Chappell reports. (NPR) 'Americans are waking up.' Two-thirds say climate crisis must be addressed  Oliver Milman reports. (KUOW)

Saving the 'missing puzzle piece' to a world of biodiversity, hidden in grass and sagebrush
Once dominant on the landscape, Washington has lost most of its shrub-steppe ecosystem. But a new land acquisition could help the flora and fauna that rely on it survive. Emily McCarty reports. (Crosscut)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  249 AM PDT Tue Sep 17 2019   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 2 ft or less in the  afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds. Rain. Isolated tstms in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  7 ft at 9 seconds. Showers likely and isolated tstms in the  evening then a chance of showers after midnight.



--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/16 Cauliflower 'shroom, saving salmon, Samish kelp, oil spill plan, Carpenter Cr, SF6, climate landscape, Franzen's climate, teen climate, Dan Pauly

Cauliflower mushroom [Daniel Winkler]

Cauliflower mushroom Sparassis crisps
This large, remarkable-looking mushroom growth is one of the best of the edible species. Cut the mushroom off at ground level; do not pull up. Cauliflower mushrooms will fruit for several years from the same base if the base is left in the ground. Found in the fall, in conifer forests, base often attached to the room of a tree. The western cauliflower mushroom has also been called Sparassis radicata. (The New Savory Wild Mushroom) See also: It's been the 'mushroom season of the century' in northern B.C.  Andrew Kurjata reports. (CBC)

To save endangered salmon, scientists use 20-year-old frozen sperm
In an effort to restore dwindling salmon stock, the Spruce City Wildlife Association has partnered with the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council in Prince George to use 20-year-old cryogenically frozen salmon sperm to fertilize salmon eggs. To ensure it gets a wide range of genetic diversity, the wildlife association's hatchery is using a mix of the decades-old sperm, also called milt, and combining it with more recently collected milt, in hopes of bolstering the number of chinook in the Endako River...his is the first time that 20 year-old cryogenically frozen salmon sperm has been used in B.C., Maureen Ritter, managing director at Canada Cryogenetics Services, told CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton. It's quite common for cryopreservation to be used with new technology, but it's extremely rare for it to be used with 20-year-old materials, she added. Dominika Lirette reports. (CBC)

Samish tribe helping to study local kelp forests
From the water’s surface, bull kelp looks like strands of other-worldly hair swaying in the water. From below, it looks like a palm tree — or dense forest of palm trees. These underwater forests are important to many marine species and critical to endangered species such as Puget Sound rockfish and Southern Resident orca whales. These forests are also declining throughout the Salish Sea, prompting efforts to save them....The Samish Indian Nation is among those working to determine the cause of the decline of bull kelp and helping to plan how to restore these kelp forests. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Help shape state emergency plan for oil spills
The Department of Ecology will take comments on the Oil Spill Contingency Plan Tuesday in Everett...Ecology’s new Oil Spill Contingency Plan will require large commercial vessels, oil-handling facilities and pipelines to have detailed mandates for appropriate equipment and trained personnel to respond to spills, according to a council news release. Oil transported by train is addressed in another plan. A law passed in 2018 called for the update with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2019...The Department of Ecology will hold a hearing at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Courtyard by Marriott in Everett at 3003 Colby Ave. There will be a presentation and Q&A session followed by the hearing. Julia-Grace Sanders reports. (Everett Herald)

Fish project underway on Carpenter Creek
Work is being done to improve fish passage in a creek that runs underneath a private gravel driveway just east of Mount Vernon’s Little Mountain Park. This is one of the latest fish passage improvement projects in Skagit County aimed at eliminating barriers for salmon. Here, an undersized culvert is being replaced with a bridge to restore Carpenter Creek’s natural flow. The work is expected to allow threatened coho salmon, threatened steelhead trout and cutthroat trout to make it upstream to spawn. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Climate change: Electrical industry's 'dirty secret' boosts warming
t's the most powerful greenhouse gas known to humanity, and emissions have risen rapidly in recent years, the BBC has learned. Sulphur hexafluoride, or SF6, is widely used in the electrical industry to prevent short circuits and accidents. But leaks of the little-known gas in the UK and the rest of the EU in 2017 were the equivalent of putting an extra 1.3 million cars on the road. Levels are rising as an unintended consequence of the green energy boom. Matt McGrath reports. (BBC) See: Overview of SF6 Emissions Sources and Reduction Options in Electric Power Systems The SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership for Electric Power Systems is an innovative voluntary program developed jointly by the EPA and the electric power industry to improve equipment reliability while reducing emissions of SF6, a potent greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere for thousands of years. (US EPA)

Short winters, wildfires, altered landscapes: 
.... In Washington state, outdoor recreation is a way of life, a high-profile industry, and a major economic contributor. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Forest Service collected in a 2014 report, 1,038,229 people visited Mount Rainier in 2011 and spent more than $33 million within 100 kilometers of the park. “Access to national forests also provides significant economic benefit to the region,” states the report. “In the past decade, half of visitors live within 80 km, and average visitor spending is $13 billion per year in and near national forests nationwide.” This prominence and popularity make the industry’s vulnerabilities to climate change especially visible. Megan Burbank reports. (Seattle Times)

On Jonathan Franzen’s latest climate change piece in the New Yorker (and its pushback)
Carl Safina writes: "On September 8, the New Yorker published an article by Jonathan Franzen titled, “What if we stopped pretending?”  By September 11, various instant criticisms and rebuttals had been published including a Scientific American piece by Columbia University climate scientist Dr. Kate Marvel, titled, “Shut up, Franzen.” Basically, Franzen believes there is almost no chance that enough will be done to avert massive climate changes and consequent disruptions in coming decades. The critics find this defeatist, and they object. Thing is, I thought Franzen’s piece was the best thing I’ve ever read about climate change...."

Most American teens are frightened by climate change, poll finds, and about 1 in 4 are taking action
....A solid majority of American teenagers are convinced that humans are changing the Earth’s climate and believe that it will cause harm to them personally and to other members of their generation, according to a new Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Roughly 1 in 4 have participated in a walkout, attended a rally or written to a public official to express their views on global warming — remarkable levels of activism for a group that has not yet reached voting age. Sarah Kaplan and
Emily Guskin report. (Washington Post)

The Odyssey of Daniel Pauly
The world’s top fishery scientist is no ‘gloomie.’ But his life and career taught him we won’t save our stocks without a fight. Andrew Nikiforuk writes. (The Tree)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  303 AM PDT Mon Sep 16 2019   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft  at 11 seconds. A slight chance of showers in the morning then a  chance of showers and isolated tstms in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft after midnight. W  swell 5 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of showers in the evening then  rain after midnight.



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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/13 Cougar, Kalama methanol, Commencement Bay, Sound kelp

Cougar [Rich Beausoleil]

Cougar Puma concolor
Cougars (aka mountain lions) are the largest members of the cat family in Washington. Adult males average approximately 140 pounds but in rare cases may weigh 180 pounds and measure 7-8 feet long from nose to tip of tail. Adult males stand about 30 inches tall at the shoulder. Adult female cougars rarely exceed 110 pounds. Cougars vary in color from reddish-brown to tawny (deerlike) to gray, with a black tip on their long tail. Cougar kittens are spotted until they are 4-5 months old; after that, barring patterns may remain up to 14 months of age. (WDFW)

Cowlitz County Affirms Methanol Plant Following Environmental Study
Cowlitz County officials sent a letter Wednesday affirming their decision to approve permits for what would be the nation’s largest natural gas-to-methanol refinery. The decision followed an Aug. 30 environmental impact study by the Port of Kalama that determined the proposed southwest Washington facility would help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10 million metric tons per year. The company behind the project has said that’s roughly the equivalent of taking more than 2 million cars off the road... The Washington State Department of Ecology has 30 days to approve or deny those permits, or request additional information from the company. Ryan Haas and Molly Solomon report. (OPB)

Health of Commencement Bay has come a long way, but Tacoma still has more work to do
David Bean remembers when his family didn’t have enough room for all the salmon in their boat...The waters in and around Tacoma have changed since then. Still, efforts made in recent years have spurred progress. Melissa Malott, executive director of Citizens for a Healthy Bay, says there are currently 108 species of fish in the Foss Waterway, whales are coming by more regularly and a recent group of campers exploring tidepools even discovered oysters...Like many port cities on the West Coast, Tacoma is rethinking its relationship to the water, cleaning up decades of pollution to create an environment that’s healthy for marine life and inviting for people. Bellamy Pailthorp and Kari Plog report. (KNKX)

Another vital forest at risk: Scientists fear warming water could be killing off Puget Sound’s kelp beds 
Dozens of healthy bull kelp off Owen Beach stretched to the surface, trailing a moppish tangle of algae. It looked like overgrown clumps of pad thai had gone out to sunbathe. Each kelp featured a grenade-shaped bulb, filled with gas to keep it straining toward the sun for photosynthesis. Translucent ribbons that felt like a film negative covered in frog skin dangled with the current...Small fish, likely perch, darted through the underwater thicket. Several starfish curled up on the sea floor. Crabs clung to bull kelp stipes — stems — like sloths to a jungle vine. But, as the climate warms, this scene is becoming more rare. In portions of Puget Sound, these sunken canopies are vanishing, and scientists fear the consequences to local ecosystems. Evan Bush reports. (Seattle Times)


Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  243 AM PDT Fri Sep 13 2019   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft  at 10 seconds. A chance of showers. 
TONIGHT  W wind to 10 kt becoming S 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening then a chance of rain after midnight. 
SAT  SE wind 10 to 20 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. Rain  in the morning then rain likely in the afternoon. 
SAT NIGHT  S wind 15 to 25 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 6 ft at 9 seconds. 
SUN  SW wind to 10 kt becoming N in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds.



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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/12 Vine maple, Trump's clean water, BC pipe, ALL IN climate, electric ferry, Marblemount mine, Asian hornets

Vine maple [Dana Bressette]

Vine Maple Acer circinatum
“Vine” Maple, although not really a vine, has very slender, often sprawling, branches. These branches often root to produce new trees, creating dense thickets underneath the shade of taller conifers.  It is a small, usually multi-stemmed tree or shrub.  Circinatum refers to the “rounded,” regularly lobed leaves. (Dana Bressette/Native Plants PNW)

Trump Administration to Finalize Rollback of Clean Water Protections
The Trump administration on Thursday is expected to complete the legal repeal of a major Obama-era clean water regulation, which had placed limits on polluting chemicals that could be used near streams, wetlands and water bodies. The rollback of the 2015 measure, known as the Waters of the United States rule, has been widely expected since the early days of the Trump administration, when President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to begin the work of repealing and replacing it. Weakening the Obama-era water rule had been a central campaign pledge for Mr. Trump, who characterized it as a federal land-grab that impinged on the rights of farmers, rural landowners and real estate developers to use their property as they see fit. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times) See also: Administration finalizes repeal of 2015 water rule Trump called ‘destructive and horrible’  Thursday’s move will revert the nation to 1986 water pollution rule governing wetlands and small streams. Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis report. (Washington Post)

B.C. landowners dig in heels over Trans Mountain pipeline construction
....Trans Mountain Corp. has not signed agreements with 33 per cent of landowners, no part of the detailed route has been approved, about half of the necessary permits are outstanding and it must meet dozens of conditions with the Canada Energy Regulator, formerly the National Energy Board. Further, it faces resistance in southwest B.C., where landowners are digging in their heels, Indigenous groups are filing legal challenges and protesters are planning to ramp up activity. The federal Liberal government bought the pipeline for $4.5 billion last year. The parliamentary budget officer has said that if the expansion is not complete by the end of 2021, it would be fair to conclude the government overpaid for the asset. The government now says the expanded pipeline will be operational by mid-2022. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

ALL IN for Climate Action Week
What is Bellingham's ALL IN for Climate Action Week?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ALL IN for Climate Action Week is a celebration of all the knowledge, progress and resources our community has to offer when looking for solutions to address global climate change at the local level. The week is scheduled to align with the United Nations (UN) Climate Action Summit and Climate Week NYC, September 23-29, 2019. Click here for a list of events. See also: COP26: Glasgow to host UN climate change summit in 2020 Up to 30,000 delegates are expected to attend the event at Glasgow's Scottish Events Campus (SEC) at the end of next year. (BBC)

Washington state officially launches first new construction in effort to electrify ferries 
Washington’s ferry system runs on diesel fuel that causes more air pollution than anything else the state transportation department operates. That’s changing as the state Department of Transportation works to convert two of its Jumbo Mark 2 ferries to hybrid-electric propulsion. And now it has officially launched the first new construction of a hybrid ferry, amid much fanfare...The Legislature has so far authorized funding for only one new hybrid electric ferry, but transportation officials say they have up to five more in the pipeline. The cost will be roughly the same as for a traditional diesel Olympic Class vessel: $160 million dollars.  Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Marblemount mine project called off
The company seeking to establish a rock mine in the Marblemount area has called off the project. In a Sept. 6 letter to Skagit County Planning and Development Services, Kiewit Infrastructure Co. said it is withdrawing its applications for permits to establish a 79-acre mine to supply large rock for jetty stabilization at the mouth of the Columbia River. Kiewit’s withdrawal of permit applications follows a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Aug. 30 decision to hire J.E. McAmis, Inc., of Chico, California, to supply the jetty rock for its project planned for 2019-2023. The withdrawal comes before Skagit County completed its evaluation of the project under the state Environmental Policy Act, or SEPA, including a review of hundreds of public comments and deciding whether to require an environmental impact statement, or EIS, to review potential impacts of the project. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Honeybee-eating invasive hornets found in B.C. But they're still asleep — for now
An invasive species of hornets known to feed on honeybees has been found in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Tthree dead Asian giant hornets have been identified, marking the first time they've ever been seen on Vancouver Island. Asian giant hornets — the largest of all hornets — are currently dormant and aren't expected to make an appearance until spring, giving the Ministry of Agriculture time to develop surveillance and trapping equipment to help local beekeepers. Joel Ballard reports.


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  206 AM PDT Thu Sep 12 2019   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt becoming NE 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft at 17 seconds  building to W 6 ft at 11 seconds in the afternoon. Showers likely  in the morning then showers in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  S wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  8 ft at 12 seconds. Showers likely.



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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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