1/7 BC pipe, DFO library, snow geese, shellfish harvest, Edgewater Beach

Northern Gateway pipeline route (CBC)

Northern Gateway not a sure thing, Harper says
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says his government’s drive to diversify Canada’s energy markets doesn’t make cabinet approval of the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline project a foregone conclusion. During a 30-minute Q&A session hosted by the Vancouver Board of Trade, Mr. Harper said on Monday that his cabinet will balance economic and environmental interests as it makes a final decision on whether to approve the $6-billion project to link the Alberta oil sands with Kitimat, B.C. Oil would then be shipped to foreign markets by tanker. Ian Bailey reports.

Fisheries and Oceans library closings called loss to science
Irreplaceable science research may be lost when Department of Fisheries and Oceans libraries across the country are closed down, researchers fear. Fisheries and Oceans Canada hopes to close seven of its 11 libraries by 2015. Already, stories have emerged about books and reports thrown into dumpsters and the general public being allowed to rummage through bookshelves.... Fisheries and Oceans Canada told CBC News that all of its copyrighted material has been digitized and that the rest of its collection will be soon. Max Paris reports.

Snow geese visit Bow
Thousands of snow geese dined Monday in a large field just north of the Bow village. The geese made a loud racket as the moved en mass, eating as they waddled in unison. Occasionally, a bald eagle would fly overhead flushing the geese into the air. After a few minutes they regrouped on the ground and resumed filling their bellies. Residents taking photographs and videos seemed not to bother the ravenous birds. Scott Terrill reports.

Most Whatcom County beaches safe for shellfish harvesting
Most Whatcom County beaches have been reopened to shellfish harvesting after levels of the biotoxins that cause paralytic and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning dropped to safe levels, according to the state Department of Health. Beaches in southern parts of the county have been closed to harvesting since mid-September. Northern ones reopened in November after being closed in October. However, Portage Bay remains closed to harvesting of all species. All of Sandy Point south to the Whatcom/Skagit border is open to all harvesting except butter and varnish clams.

Path planned for access to Mukilteo's Edgewater Beach
It's the public beach that no one can reach. The city of Mukilteo is planning to build a path to Edgewater Beach, a small point of sand near the Everett-Mukilteo border. The beach was designated for public use in 2008 by the Port of Everett when it opened the adjacent Mount Baker terminal, a pier that receives aircraft parts for Boeing. Parking spaces for the beach were installed. Bill Sheets reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 851 PM PST MON JAN 6 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON
TUE
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN.
TUE NIGHT
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

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