12/19 Elwha dams, Fraser sockeye, Tacoma soil, enviro justice, Derek Hayes, heavy metals

Elwha River (National Park Service)

Saturday’s memorial service for environmental activist and mentor Joan Thomas was touching and heartfelt. Many fine words were spoken by Martha Kongsgaard, Ron Sims, Estella Leopold, and governors Gregoire, Lowry and Evans. Washington Environmental Council executive director Joan Crooks reminded us that Joan Thomas would not have let the occasion of such a group gathering pass without taking the opportunity to organize. So, Joan Crooks said, let’s not let our elected officials use the excuse of hard financial times to roll back our environmental protections. Fight back. Here are ways if you can take a day: Legislative Workshop is Jan. 7,  Environmental Lobby Day is Jan. 25. See Environmental Priorities Coalition

The “fish window,” a time when in-water construction needs to stop due to salmon migration, has ended two weeks early and allows demolition of the two Elwha dams to resume today. Dam demolition to resume as fish window closes early

Today is the last day of B.C.’s Cohen Commission hearings into the declining health of wild Fraser river sockeye salmon. Then what? Last day of hearings on dwindling B.C. salmon stocks to focus on deadly virus

The City of Tacoma is pre-approving nearly 30 million square feet of development in south downtown but cleanup of contaminated soil is one of the leading concerns of property owners.  Soil cleanup will need to precede development downtown Tacoma

Four groups— Beyond Toxics and Josiah Hill III Clinic in Oregon and the Center for Human Services and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition of Washington— have received federal grants to educate and engage non-English speaking and at-risk communities. Bonnie Stewart of EarthFix reports on EPA Selects Four Pacific Northwest Groups For Environmental Justice Grants

Book editor Mary Ann Gwinn of the Seattle Times writes about Derek Hayes’ love of maps and his latest gem, Historical Atlas of Washington and Oregon. Derek Hayes has a passion for mapping our history

Snohomish County Beach Watchers launch free evening lectures featuring “Our Puget Sound, In Depth” on the first Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 4. Free lectures detail wonders of local waters

Industrial and manufacturing practices, from textile factories to metalworking operations, is the release of heavy metals in waterways. Science Daily reports on how Brown University engineers have developed a system that reduced cadmium, copper, and nickel concentrations, returning contaminated water to near or below federally acceptable standards. Novel Device Removes Heavy Metals from Water

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-830 AM PST MON DEC 19 2011
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 10 KT...BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 14 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate
http://salishseanews.blogspot.com/

Follow on Twitter.  http://twitter.com/#!/savepugetsound/

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told
http://salishseacommunications.blogspot.com/2011/10/salish-sea-communications-truth-well.html