8/23 Coal export, big whales, Sound Transit, parks future, Navy wharf, BC oil tankers, Sultan R habitat, BC spiders

Big Whales Near Shore (Associated Press)

Ashley Ahearn boats with Senator Kevin Ranker to Cherry Point, a proposed site of the Gateway Pacific Terminal, one of five possible coal export terminals being considered for construction in Washington and Oregon as American coal companies look to the Northwest as the fastest way to bring their product from the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana to Asian markets: American Coal Companies Look To The Northwest For Export Opportunities   And, at the source: The U.S. produces about a billion tons of coal every year. Almost half of it is mined here in the Powder River Basin in the northeastern corner of the state of Wyoming. Katie Campbell and Ashley Ahearn report. What Wyoming Coal Means For The Northwest - The View From Coal Country  

Tourists from around the world are flocking to the Monterey Bay to catch a glimpse of the massive marine mammals, including impressive numbers of blue whales, the largest animals on earth. Longtime observers say they've seen a sharp increase in endangered blue and humpback whales feeding close to California's shores. What's bringing the whales so close to shore? A bumper harvest of their favorite food: tiny, shrimplike critters known as krill.  Endangered whales invade California coastal waters

The Qwuloolt estuary project south of Marysville aims to restore 380 acres of farmland to its original condition as a saltwater marsh. For its part in helping the project move forward, Sound Transit is being honored with an environmental excellence award at a presentation scheduled for today. The $11 million estuary project aims to re-establish salmon habitat. The idea is to breach several earthen dikes to let saltwater from Possession Sound flow into the marsh north of Ebey Slough. Estuary restoration work earns Sound Transit an award

State legislators have told Washington State Parks to become completely self–sufficient by 2013. But one of the avenues to achieving that goal, the Discover Pass, is struggling. So, what's next for state parks? David Hyde talks with Don Hoch, the head of Washington State Parks. What's The Future Of Washington State Parks?  

The Navy can start building a second explosives handling wharf at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. The Army Corps of Engineers issued the final permit needed for the $715 million project Tuesday, it announced Wednesday. The wharf will be used to load and unload ballistic missiles from Trident submarines. Work is expected to begin in early September and be completed by January 2016.  Corps of Engineers issues final permit for Navy wharf  

Is there or is there not a moratorium on tanker traffic in the coast waters of B.C.? Samantha Garvey reports. Slick Talk: A history of oil tankers and B.C.’s coast  

A helicopter whirred over a patch of woods near the Sultan River on Wednesday morning, dangling a 40-foot log that would soon be plopped expertly into a shallow channel of water to create fish habitat. The bustle in the air and on the ground at Sultan's Osprey Park was part of a $3 million project by the Snohomish County Public Utility District. The work fulfills one of several promises the PUD made last year as part of a new, long-term license to operate a dam and hydropower plant upstream. Noah Haglund reports. PUD creating salmon habitat along Sultan River

A group of B.C researchers are volunteering their time in search of what many people spend their summers trying to avoid — spiders. B.C is home to more than half of Canada's spider species but so many are undiscovered, researchers say it's hard to nail down the numbers. B.C's spider hunters uncovering new high altitude species 

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU AUG 23 2012
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS. A
 CHANCE OF DRIZZLE THIS MORNING...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.

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