 |
| Blue whale (The Olympian) |
For only the third time in 50 years in state, researchers saw the world’s largest mammal off Westport. 6 blue whales spotted off coast
RE Sources in Bellingham filed suit yesterday against SSA Marine for violations of the Clean Water Act associated with grading and tree-clearing at its Gateway Pacific coal export terminal at Cherry Point. SSA says the suit serves no purpose. RE Sources files lawsuit against coal port developer's ground disturbance last summer
Round One: The state faces a $1.4 billion budget deficit; the legislature in special session thus far has come up with some cuts, fund transfers and delayed payments. Legislators unveil $479M in initial budget cuts
Department of Last Resort:
The state Department of Ecology fined two livestock operators in Skagit County $14,000 each for allowing livestock waste to pollute waterways flowing into the Samish River. More than 20 agencies are involved in the Clean Samish Initiative, which aims to remove sources of the fecal coliform bacteria that pollutes Samish Bay. Ecology fines two livestock owners $14,000 each
"The Kyoto Protocol does not represent the path forward for Canada," Canada’s Environment Minister Peter Kent said Monday. Canada to formally withdraw from Kyoto accord
Department of Big Money:
$100,000 to study the feasibility of uncovering Willow Creek, $177,557 to remove Suiattle River rip-rap, $200,000 to install woody materials in the south fork of the Stillaguamish River, $144,502 to restore the lower Skykomish River, $750,000 to restore the Smith Island Marsh, $369,152 to enhance the Middle Pilchuck River habitat, $300,000 to place logjams in the north fork of the Stillaguamish River, $206,280 to protect Tree Farm Hole, and $249,906 to restore Jim Creek Snohomish County gets nearly $2.5 million in state salmon recovery grants
The Nooksack tribe was awarded nearly $1.13 million in three separate grants to improve conditions in the north and south forks of the Nooksack River. The money will pay for artificial log jams designed to improve areas where salmon grow, rest or spawn. The Whatcom Land Trust received $375,000 to help buy 60 acres along the north fork to protect salmon habitat. Nooksack tribe, Whatcom Land Trust get $1.5M for salmon protection in Nooksack River
Restoration of surf smelt spawning grounds, removal of 190 derelict fishing nets and development of materials for a neighborhood salmon conservation easement program in San Juan County are possible with the awarding of $405,830 in grants from the Salmon Recovery Board. SJC receives $405K salmon recovery grant
Skagit County agencies received grants to construct engineered logjams at the south fork of the Nooksack River, purchase 105 acres for salmon protection by Seattle City Light, assess the risks of removing an old bank hardening along Robinson Road and to begin restoring Illabot Creek near Rockport. Skagit salmon restoration efforts net $2.3 million
The Olympian reports on Saturday’s Thurston County public hearing on proposed changes to its critical-areas ordinance. About 30 property owners and representatives of different groups attended. The county has not updated its critical-areas ordinance since 1994 and is proposing changes including increased buffer distances and protections for prairie habitat. Critical-areas meeting draws crowd in Olympia
NPR’s Joe Palca explains why the long-running regulatory saga of AquaBounty's application to sell salmon with a growth hormone gene from one fish plus an antifreeze gene from another — which help it grow twice as fast as typical farmed salmon — does not seem headed toward a conclusion. Safety concerns linger around genetically modified salmon
Ashley Ahearn at EarthFix explains why the amount of seafood people eat may require the state to adjust water quality standards. How Much Seafood Is the NW Eating? The Answer Impacts Water Quality
Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 832 AM PST TUE DEC 13 2011
TODAY
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SW 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service.
Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate
Follow on Twitter.
Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told
Wow. That is a lot of money and a lot of projects for salmon enhancement - and the Skagit chunk isn't listed there yet. I am a big fan of that - I think there is a pretty good process for divvying up the money and the folks I know in that business know their business and work hard at it - but.... the process for establishing measurable goals that talk about "how many salmon" instead of "how many miles" or "how many root wads" or "how many trees" needs to be put in place. It does not seem like we hear much about "more salmon!"
ReplyDeleteOoops - by golly the Skagit chunk is there. Read too fast!
ReplyDelete