8/13 Tethys water, BP sale, Navy subs, hummingbird rescue, coal tax, development fees, Irondale cleanup, Gorge Swim

Senator Henry ('Scoop') Jackson's son Peter takes over the Everett Herald editorial page: Obama needs to act, now

New blog: We used to dislike drivers with California license plates. Now we don’t like Canadians buying gas, goods and groceries— at Costco? Locals Only— Costco For Americans

Tethys Enterprises Inc., a beverage bottling company looking to build a $500 million facility in Anacortes, is moving closer to breaking ground south of March Point — pending City Council approval and a county land-use decision.  An application was filed with county planning July 31 to change 11.2 acres of county rural reserve land to the Anacortes Urban Growth Area. If the application is approved and the land is annexed into the city, the company would have enough space to build a 1 million-square-foot facility — the largest of its type in the nation — southwest of the intersection of Stevenson and Reservation roads. Anacortes Mayor Dean Maxwell said a majority vote of the City Council would be needed for the county to consider the application. If the council approves, the proposal would be vetted by county planning, the Board of County Commissioners, a State Environmental Policy Act analysis and public hearings before the UGA amendment could be approved.  Mark Stayton reports. Land sought for bottling plant

Oil company BP says it has agreed to sell its refinery in Carson, California and other West Coast assets to Tesoro Corp. BP said Monday that Tesoro is paying $2.5 billion cash for the refinery, pipelines, storage terminals and Arco-branded retail outlets in southern California, Arizona and Nevada. BP is also selling the Arco brand rights for northern California, Oregon and Washington and will lease them back from Tesoro. BP sells US refinery, Arco retail to Tesoro  

The Navy will host a public meeting Thursday to provide information about a proposed range in Hood Canal to measure electromagnetic signatures of submarines. The range would be north of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Silverdale Community Center, 9729 Silverdale Way. The draft report is available here.  Navy hosts meeting about Hood Canal range

A baby hummingbird, half the size of most people’s pinky fingers, will be released Monday just a month after its rescue from a Sunshine Coast barge. Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. staff were skeptical the creature, which was abandoned with its sibling when the vessel moved location, would survive, but coordinator Yolanda Brooks said Friday the bird’s rescue and survival has shocked the entire care centre. Manori Ravindran reports. Baby hummingbird rescue is a success story that’s for the birds  

Congressman Jim McDermott has served in the House since 1989. His newest bill is called the Managed Carbon Price Act of 2012.  Ashley Ahearn talks with the congressman. EarthFix Conversations: Rep. Jim McDermott Talks About His Coal Tax Bill  

Vancouver got $223-million last year in fees and special charges from developers, an amount equal to about a quarter of the annual city budget. But it got a large chunk of that through a unique system of painstaking negotiations that are done project by project – something that Vancouver’s reigning political team and incoming general manager of planning think needs to be simplified. Debate over Vancouver fee system puts developers and public at odds 

Fencing will go up this week at the southern part of Irondale Beach Park as the state prepares to clean up pollution left by a smelter that closed nearly a century ago. Ecology deemed the area on Port Townsend Bay safe after Jefferson County bought it for a park in 2001, then reversed itself and found that it required cleanup. Contractor Anderson Environmental Contracting of Kelso will remove about 2,300 cubic yards of in-water sediment and 5,600 cubic yards of soil. Irondale Beach Park cleanup to begin in southern portion

Some timidly dipped their toes, others dove and the brave cannonballed — all into the Gorge Waterway Sunday afternoon to take part in the Gorge Swim Fest. Organized by four community associations that surround the narrow inlet between Craigflower bridge and Selkirk bridge, the family-oriented event brought attention to the underappreciated waterfront.  “It’s a great hidden waterway,” said volunteer John Boehme, who has been swimming in the Gorge for the past decade. "The stigma of it being unclean has lifted." Gorge Swim Fest lifts pollution stigma

If you like to watch:  Viewing the Environment: Green Documentaries | Collection Development

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PDT MON AUG 13 2012
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 10 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 7 SECONDS.

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