2/24 Millennium coal, Enbridge supertankers, PO closures, snow geese, Lake Padden, Illahee video, urban restoration, Orca-Stra

Lake Padden (Photo: Phil Humphries)

Cliff Mass writes: “A lot of action coming up, including a good chance that some lowland folks will spot a few snowflakes. (Note to TV stations:  no big lowland snowstorms!!)”  Lowland Snow Showers, Cold Air, and Strong Winds  

New blog: “Community-led Protection of Bellingham’s Lake Padden,” a Bellingham Herald guest editorial by People for Lake Padden director Betsy Gross.

Millennium Bulk Terminals, which last year planned to ship 5.7 million tons of coal a year to Asia from Longview on the Columbia River, now plans a $600 million terminal at Longview to ship 44 million tons a year. SSA Marine has proposed a bulk coal and cargo terminal at Cherry Point in Whatcom County to ship up to 54 million tons. Currently, the largest West Coast coal terminal is at Westshore at Roberts Bank in British Columbia and has an annual export capacity of 29 million tons. Sort of like mine’s bigger than yours, no? Company submits new plans for huge coal terminal in Longview

Transport Canada has examined the marine passages that would allow the proposed Enbridge Inc. Northern Gateway pipeline to export Alberta oil to China and California and determined that supertankers can safely carry huge volumes of oil sands crude through the winding waterways that connect Kitimat, B.C., to the open Pacific. Enbridge gets supertanker nod for Northern Gateway exports

There has been a 25 percent decline in first-class mail processed by the US Postal Service since 2006. Now, more than 300 jobs will be cut by the Postal Service in Washington as it consolidates eight mail processing centers into two. Processing and distribution centers are closing in Everett, Olympia and Tacoma as operations are transferred to Seattle. Processing operations in Yakima, Wenatchee and Pasco are being transferred to Spokane.  Postal Service cutting 300 jobs in Washington  

The annual Port Susan Snow Goose and Birding Festival is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday in several locations in the Stanwood-Camano area. A highlight of this year's Festival is a lecture by Vasily Baranyuk, a senior scientist with Russia's Wrangel Island Nature Preserve where the local snow geese spend their summers. Snow geese fans can learn about the birds' Russian summer home at Stanwood festival

Marilyn Boysen of Bellingham will be speaking on "A Tour of Lake Padden," from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, at the Fairhaven Library. Boysen will discuss some of the history, plants and animals of the area, highlighting spring wildflowers and "hidden" trails, including the luscious Padden Creek Gorge at the lake's west side. 'Wonders of Whatcom' focuses on Lake Padden

A new video by Leaping Frog Films, "Illahee: Saving Puget Sound One Watershed At a Time," will be shown Saturday during the Puget Sound Film and Shellfish Festival in East Bremerton, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at 3243 Perry Ave. The video shows the history and people involved in land and water conservation efforts in the Illahee area. Illahee film festival is Saturday

Theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku is a great man. He’s speaking tonight at Seattle Town Hall, 7:30 PM, $5. Michio Kaku: Physics of the Future

Part one of Martha Baskin's report on urban habitat restoration takes us to Seattle's Seward Park. "You might call it 'old growth occupation.' ... Bring as many volunteers as possible. Cut away invasive ivy and blackberry. Mulch the soil and plant natives. What do you get? The likely probability old growth trees like Doug fir, hemlock and Pacific Madrone will survive another hundred years." Green ‘Infrastructure’ aka Tree Canopy and the Critical Role of the Volunteer

Ron McDonough of Courtenay says his Orca-Stra invention is a simple, non-lethal way to prevent seals from ripping hooked salmon off fishermen's lines before they have a chance to reel in their catch. It uses the sound of a pod of hunting killer whales to scare off seal. Vancouver Island fisherman invents seal repellent

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PST FRI FEB 24 2012
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING
TODAY
S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. COMBINED SEAS 10 TO 13 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING W 30 TO 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 11 TO 14 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 11 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT
W WIND 30 TO 35 KT. COMBINED SEAS 16 TO 18 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 11 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY EARLY...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 25 TO 35 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 16 TO 18 FT.
SUN
NW SWELL 14 FT. NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT.

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