7/24 Victoria sewage, Cherry Point coal terminal, Enbridge royalties, ocean acid, Costa's hummingbird

Mudflat Banquet (Laurie MacBride)

Thanks for the memories, Ichiro. Now, go play for a team that wins.

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: “I love watching sandpipers on the beach, though they move so fast it’s hard to keep up with them: they rush along on their tiny legs, come to an abrupt stop, dip their beaks down for a moment, then rush on to the next spot, usually just a few feet away....”  Mudflat Riches  

Cliff Mass writes: "There has been a lot of griping about the weather this summer, with a number of you asking whether lousy summers are the new normal. Well, let me try to convince you that this summer is really better than last summer...." Answering the Complaints

Shame, shame: A group of scientists and former medical health officers say they plan to fight a proposal to build a $780 million secondary sewage treatment plant for Greater Victoria. The Association for Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Sewage Treatment (ARESST) claims there is no scientific proof dumping screened and diluted sewage into fast-flowing ocean currents has any negative effects on the environment. Victoria advocacy group fights secondary sewage treatment

Over the objections of Mayor Kelli Linville and Council President Terry Bornemann, City Council has taken a tentative step toward a non-binding citizen advisory vote to gauge public opinion on the shipment of coal by rail through the city. At a Monday, July 23, committee session, council voted 5-2 to ask Linville and city legal staff to prepare a ballot measure for council review at their Aug. 6 meeting - a day before the deadline for measures to be added to the Nov. 6 general election ballot.  Bellingham council moves toward public vote on coal terminal (By 12:30 AM —today— the council had unanimously passed a resolution, according to Matt Krogh, asking for a cumulative impact study of all Oregon and Washington coal terminal proposals and specific studies associated with Gateway Pacific’s Cherry Point coal terminal.)

British Columbia has triggered a showdown with Alberta over energy royalties, saying it won’t support the controversial $6-billion Northern Gateway pipeline project unless it is given a bigger cut of tax revenues. Alberta, however, quickly fired back, saying it won’t be cutting its neighbour a cheque.  B.C.'s Northern Gateway demands trigger showdown with Alberta  

A big question mark stands over Washington's efforts to deal with ocean acidification is money: How much will be needed and where it will come from? A state panel, the first of its kind in the nation, discussed a wide range of draft recommendations Friday (July 20) at the University of Washington. Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed the panel —a collection of scientists, shellfish industry officials, and federal and state government representatives — to recommend how Washington can tackle ocean acidification along its coasts. John Stang reports. Washington shellfish at risk

The first known sighting of a rare hummingbird on the Sunshine Coast is creating some buzz for local bird watchers.  An adult male Costa’s hummingbird — identified by its bright, violet crown and throat patch — has been fluttering around a feeder in the yard of former Gibsons mayor and avid birder Barry Janyk for just over a week now. Rare hummingbird makes appearance on Sunshine Coast  And, for us bird huggers, Northwest Raptor Center raising 14 baby owls  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE JUL 24 2012
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.

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