10/4 Bellingham Bay deal, underwater research, Jefferson Co bays, Mazama gopher, LNG, Cowichan drought

UVic research (CSSF/NEPTUNE Canada)

The city and the Port of Bellingham have announced a potential blockbuster real estate swap on the waterfront, a deal that is being touted as a way to speed up both industrial and park development. According to tentative terms announced Wednesday, Oct. 3, the port will receive city-owned industrial land now being used by the Landings at Colony Wharf, on the northwest side of Whatcom Waterway. The city, in turn, would take sole ownership of the Cornwall Beach area. That is an old city landfill site that has been 51 percent port-owned and is now undergoing some environmental cleanup. Mayor Kelli Linville and the port's interim executive director, Rob Fix, said the deal would enable both the port and the city to do what they do best. The port would get marine industrial property from the city, while the city will get land that is mostly envisioned as park and open space.  Port and city of Bellingham propose big waterfront land swap

Underwater research into deep-sea tsunamis and ocean life off Vancouver Island got a big funding boost Wednesday, in a move researchers say provides financial stability for at least another five years. The provincial and federal governments announced $41.7 million for the University of Victoria’s not-for-profit Ocean Networks Canada Observatory. The observatory includes the underwater NEPTUNE and VENUS laboratories, which gather data from the ocean floor off Vancouver Island and send real-time information to scientists around the world. UVic's deep-sea projects get $41.7M boost in government funds  

The Jefferson County commissioners have approved management plans to decrease traffic and accommodate shellfish harvesting in Mystery Bay and South Port Townsend Bay. The two plans, both approved Monday, control boat moorings and accommodate people harvesting shellfish for both commercial and personal ventures.  Charlie Bermant reports. Management plans approved for Mystery, South Port Townsend bays

The decision of whether to list the Mazama pocket gopher on the endangered species list has been delayed by 60 days as requested of the state and Gov. Chris Gregoire, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Lacey. "The state is still collecting information and wanted a little more time to process the information," said Joanne Stellini, USFWS biologist. A decision has been made for the streaked horned lark and the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly, but will not be verified and announced until it is published with the federal registry, according to Stellini. Decision on Pocket gopher's endangered species status delayed

British Columbia’s first major liquefied natural gas export terminal is facing a significant new challenge after a rival U.S. exporter signed a deal undercutting the hoped-for price for selling gas into Asian markets. David Calvert, an Apache Corp. vice-president and manager of the Kitimat LNG terminal said U.S.-based Cheniere Energy Inc. set a dangerous precedent by agreeing to sell gas from its proposed Louisiana export terminal based on heavily discounted North American gas prices. U.S. low-price gas deal shifts landscape for LNG

Fish, drinking water, sewage dilution and jobs in the Cowichan Valley are at risk if substantial rain does not fall by Oct. 27, say worried stewardship groups and politicians watching shrinking flows in the Cowichan River. The drought has already taken its toll on the Cowichan River and it is probably too late to save most of this year's returning chinook, said Gerald Thom, chairman of Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society. "I am not being alarmist. If we don't get rain in the next three weeks, the Cowichan could run dry." Drought threatens Cowichan Valley drinking water, jobs, salmon, sewage treatment

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU OCT 4 2012
TODAY
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 6 SECONDS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to: msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.  

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told