2/7 Whale job, gold mining, preserving farmlands, derelict gear, Quileute move, Port Gamble, BP profits, driving fees

Demolishing G-P

KUOW Weekday discusses the Bellingham waterfront’s future today beginning at 9 AM.

New blog: Screwed: Komen’s Pooch

Candace Calloway Whiting blogs: “In order to avoid injuries to whales while percussive pile-driving is done on Pier 80 in Seattle, people are needed to help monitor for the presence of whales in Puget Sound during the work. Observers are needed on Bainbridge Island, on certain ferry runs, at Alki Pt. and at Discovery Park, for about a week, beginning Wednesday, Feb. 8.” Call Brad Thiele of NW Environment, at 206-234-2520. Awesome Job/Volunteer Opportunity with Whales in Puget Sound! Don’t Miss This One!

Jody at Surfrider gives a heads up that Washington State Parks is reviewing a rule to allow gold mining on coastal beaches and is holding a public meeting on Feb. 16 at the Montesano City Hall at 6:30 PM. Check out the Surfrider blog site  and the State Parks web site.

There’s only 600,000 acres of farmland remaining in the 12 Puget Sound counties, which have lost 60 percent of its farmland since 1950 mostly to development.  Housing bust has green lining: More farmland preserved

Cetus Research & Conservation Society, a Victoria-based non-profit group aimed at public education, stewardship and marine mammal response, plans to pull up some of the estimated 1,500 unused crab traps in the waters between Sidney and Victoria. Victoria conservation group aims to recover derelict fishing gear

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved land-exchange legislation Monday that would allow the Quileute tribe to move its headquarters, school, day care center and elder center out of a tsunami zone and ensure unfettered public access to popular beaches along Washington’s coast. House OKs bill to give Quileute higher ground, public permanent access to Rialto, other beaches

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe chairman Jeromy Sullivan writes about how the Olympic Property Group proposal to build a dock in Port Gamble Bay large enough to support tour boats and seaplanes would be devastating to marine resources in the bay and, in turn, to the health, food supply, and economic and cultural well-being of many people.  Why gamble with Port Gamble Bay?

“Too often, federal actions and federally funded state programs don't contribute to salmon recovery, and sometimes even make it more difficult. A recent lawsuit filed by environmental groups over floodplain management in Western Washington provides a good example. The environmental groups want the U.S. government to stop issuing flood insurance in some parts of Puget Sound until floodplain management plans are changed to reflect the needs not only of developers, but of endangered salmon and orcas as well. We couldn't agree more.” --Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission chair Billy Frank, Jr.  Being Frank: We need to win the battle for salmon recovery  

Poor oil company: BP PLC has raised its quarterly dividend by 14 percent after posting double-digit gains in profit and revenue in the last three months of 2011 despite further big payments to compensate for the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
BP also said Tuesday that it expects to complete payments to the Gulf of Mexico Trust Fund this year to cover its liability for damage from the massive blowout of the Macondo well in April 2010. BP hikes dividend after strong fourth quarter

Lawmakers have no stomach for imposing a $1.50 fee per barrel of oil refined in Washington but they are pressing ahead with a series of mostly driving-related fee increases, such as an 80 percent increase for driver's licenses, to raise money for road repairs and other transportation needs. Washington lawmakers push driving-related fee hikes  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 241 AM PST TUE FEB 7 2012
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY
E WIND 25 TO 35 KT...BECOMING SE 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 4 TO 7 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 17 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 14 SECONDS...BUILDING TO SW 9 FT AT 13 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT. A CHANCE OF RAIN.

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