1/18 Snow, whale rescue, bag ban vote, Navy fined, studded tires, NOAA, gubernatorial poll

Stay home, stay safe, stay warm. Got some time? Check out Snow and Other Weathers -- Seattle and King County

If you like to watch: Before today’s snowfall, Dale Ireland in Silverdale captured a time-lapse video from his weather cam.  “Watch the stark wind shear at the end with low level clouds moving north to south while clouds just above moved south to north!” KOMO’s Scott Sistek exclaims in Time lapse videos shows Convergence Zone chaos

If you like to watch: On New Year’s Eve, the crew of the Wendaway freed a mother humpback whale trapped with her baby calf in an illegal drift net off the Pacific coast of Mexico. Crew member Mary Campbell shares On the back of a whale: a rescue

Craig Keller, who organized a petition drive to place Seattle's recently adopted plastic bag ban before voters on the August ballot, said he collected between 2,000 and 3,000 signatures, far short of the needed 16,000. Effort to repeal plastic bag ban falls short

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined the Navy $161,000 for failing to properly monitor pipes and underground fuel storage tanks for leaks at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. The Navy has 53 underground tanks on the base for storing diesel, used oil and gas, ranging from 170 gallons to 45,000 gallons. EPA fines Navy for problem in monitoring underground fuel tanks  

Studded snow tires cause an estimated $24.7 million in damage to the state’s roads every year. Senate Bill 6032, cosponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island, would collect a $5 fee on each new studded snow tire sold in the state to help pay for the damage they do to Washington’s streets and highways. Proposal includes $5 fee on new studded tires sold  

The Obama Administration proposes to streamline the Commerce Department by consolidating trade and business agencies and moving the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the Department of the Interior. Ashley Ahearn of EarthFix talks with Chris Mann, director of the program for healthy oceans with the Pew Environment Group, about what that might mean for NOAA’s functions. NOAA The Red-Headed Step Child Among Gov. Agencies? Not Really

KING 5 News polled 617 registered voters statewide and 46% said they would vote for Rob McKenna for governor, while 43% said they would support Jay Inslee. The poll has a margin of +/- 4%.  Voters like McKenna for budget, Inslee on environment  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 730 AM PST WED JAN 18 2012...UPDATED
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
E WIND 35 TO 45 KT. COMBINED SEAS 10 TO 12 FT. A CHANCE OF SNOW.
TONIGHT
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW.

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