9/17 Coal poll, Longview coal, Skykomish dam, B'ham waterfront, biggest tidal turbine

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The Power Past Coal group has unveiled a new poll of 1,200 likely voters (600 in Washington, 600 in Oregon) showing a majority in both states are opposed to plans to ship coal by rail to new marine export terminals. Read the poll results here.  John Stark reports. New poll shows majority oppose coal shipments

Scoping hearings begin (today) on a proposed coal export terminal in Longview, near the Columbia River.  It’s one of two Washington terminals that would ship coal from the Powder River Basin in Montana and Wyoming to Asia. Washington’s other proposed coal terminal is in Cherry Point, near Bellingham. Federal and local authorities wrapped up scoping hearings on that project earlier this year and are now working on environmental impact statements, based on more than 100,000 comments they received. For Longview, they’re just starting to gather comments. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. Hearings Begin in Environmental Review of Longview Coal Terminal  See also: Public’s Turn To Speak on Longview Coal Export Plan Comes Amid Market Doubts

The road map for balancing environmental needs with the need to generate power from the Northwest's hydroelectric dams is being revised. And the move has some people worried it could open the door to destructive dam projects on Washington rivers. Every five years, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council reviews its fish and wildlife plan. One of the current plan's programs puts part of certain rivers off-limits for hydropower development. Now, the Snohomish County Public Utility is asking for a provision to allow exemptions to that protected status. That, coupled with the PUD's pondering of a new hydro project on the currently protected Skykomish River near Sunset Falls, has some people worried about how that would impact salmon. Liam Moriarty reports. Dam Dispute Surfaces in Salmon Policy  

City Council member Jack Weiss and Mayor Kelli Linville got into a stew over waterfront redevelopment plans at a Monday, Sept. 16, committee session. The plans are a regulatory framework for development of 237 mostly empty waterfront acres, much of which is owned by the Port of Bellingham. More than half of that acreage was the former site of a Georgia-Pacific Corp. pulp and paper mill. The company handed its real estate over to the port in 2005 as production was phased out. Johnn Stark reports. Waterfront plans on simmer at Bellingham council meeting

Work is to begin on the largest tidal turbine energy project in Europe after the Scottish government approved it. MeyGen is to install the tidal array in stages in the Pentland Firth, between Orkney and the Scottish mainland. It will begin with a 9MW demonstration project of up to six turbines, with construction expected to take place on a phased basis until 2020. When fully operational, the 86MW array could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 42,000 homes. Pentland Firth tidal turbine project given consent

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 250 AM PDT TUE SEP 17 2013
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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