5/31 Painted turtle, PFAS makers sued, BC marine restoration, Poor Farm, BC biosolids, pteropod shells, Orca Action Month

 

Painted turtle [Susan Elliot/iNaturalist]

Painted turtle Chrysemys picta
The painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They have been shown to prefer large wetlands with long periods of inundation and emergent vegetation. (Wikipedia)

B.C. woman fined after caught trying to sell at-risk turtle
A Kelowna woman whose nickname is “Turtle” was fined Friday morning after she was caught in a B.C. Conservation Officer Service sting operation trying to sell an “at-risk” Western Painted Turtle on the Castanet classifieds. Nicholas Johansen reports. (Castanet)

WA AG sues PFAS manufacturers, seeks money for cleanup of drinking water
The state attorney general’s office has filed a lawsuit against nearly two dozen manufacturers of so-called “forever chemicals,” asserting the companies knew about their risks to the environment and humans for decades but lied and kept that knowledge hidden from the government and public to protect their businesses. The chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been found in fish tissue, human breast milk and about 200 of the state’s water sources so far as new statewide drinking-water testing requirements roll out. PFAS have been linked to several health problems, including cancer, and are emerging as one of the most pervasive sources of pollution on the planet. sabella Breda and Manuel Villa report. (Seattle Times)

B.C. government to provide additional $25M for marine restoration projects
British Columbia's Environment Ministry has announced another $25 million in funding for coastal cleanup and restoration of the marine environment. This brings its total investment for the Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative Fund to about $50 million. (Canadian Press)

Office stack planned to replace historic building on onetime Poor Farm site
Whatcom County’s process to demolish a past work farm and nursing home site to build government offices is underway. Matt Benoit reports. (Salish Current)

Biosolids could be sent to Richmond and Nanaimo quarry
LaFarge Canada says it may be ready to resume taking biosolids as fuel for its cement manufacturing facility in Richmond, while a new site has turned up at an old quarry near Nanaimo. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

UVic sea butterfly study challenges their ocean acidification indicator role
Pteropod shells could be more resilient to, but still face risks from, increasingly acidic waters. Jake Romphf reports. (Vancouver Island Free Daily)

Orca Action Month
Orca Action Month kicks off June 4 with events in Seattle from 1 to 4 pm, San Juan Island from 1 to 5 pm, Whidbey Island from 3 to 5 pm, and Sidney, British Columbia from 11 am to 3 pm.

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  256 AM PDT Wed May 31 2023   TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 3 ft at 12 seconds. Patchy drizzle  in the morning. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 2 ft at 14 seconds.

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