4/29 Cutthroat trout, Liberals win, WA budget, Trump's PFAS rule, ESA 'harm,' salmon recovery, electric bacteria, USDA cuts, first 100 days

Cutthroat trout [Stan Gregory]

Coastal cutthroat trout (resident) Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii
Resident coastal cutthroat trout are one of three subspecies of cutthroat trout that occur in Washington and one of the two that are native. The other native is the westslope. There is also an anadromous, or ‘sea-run’ coastal cutthroat. Average 7-9 inches. Coastal cutthroat can grow to 10-18 inches in quality populations. (WDFW)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Harbor porpoise subpopulation may be forming in Burrows Pass / Vaisakhi celebration draws cross-border crowd

Carney's Liberal party wins Canadian election and completes a stunning turnaround fueled by Trump (Associated Press) What Carney’s win means for environment and climate issues in Canada Mark Carney and the Liberals have won the 2025 election. Here’s what that means for the carbon tax, energy, Indigenous Rights and conservation. Fatima Syed and Shannon Waters report. (The Narwhal)

A breakdown of Washington’s new $78B two-year state budget
The deal, awaiting Gov. Ferguson’s signature, includes $4.3B in new taxes on businesses, financial assets and technology, and boosts K-12 funding. Laurel Demkovich reports. (CascadePBS)

Trump administration deciding on PFAS drinking water limits
Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency set the first federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, finding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight. In a decision with consequences for tens of millions of Americans, the Trump administration is expected to soon say whether it intends to stand by those strict standards and defend the limits against a water utility industry challenge in federal court. Michael Phillis reports. (Associated Press)

Proposed change could reshape Endangered Species Act. Here’s how it affects WA
A big change could be coming to U.S. wildlife conservation policy. In mid-April, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal to change how the term “harm” would be defined in the Endangered Species Act. Daniel Schrager reports. (The News Tribune)

State announces $2.4 million for Skagit County salmon recovery projects
The state Recreation and Conservation Office announced Monday it is allocating about $2.4 million to organizations within Skagit County for five salmon recovery projects. The grants are part of a set of 69 throughout the state worth a total of $71 million. The funding comes from a cap and trade system put in place by the 2021 Climate Commitment Act. The system charges large polluters in the state for their carbon emissions. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Scientists discover new electric bacteria in Oregon sediment and name it after Siletz tribe descendants
A newly-discovered species of bacteria, which conducts electricity, was found in a mud flat in the Yaquina Bay estuary. Its conductivity helps optimize its metabolic processes in the muck. Researchers have dubbed it Ca.Electrothrix yaqonensis. That’s in honor of the Yaqona tribal people, whose descendants are now part of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, who helped come up with the name. Brian Bull (KLCC)

USDA set to cut $1B for food programs. WA food banks are worried
Local banks are already struggling to meet demand, and federal cuts could mean empty shelves for the 1 in 4 Washingtonians who visited one last year. Josh Cohen reports. (CascadePBS)

The First 100 Days

• Trump orders list of ‘sanctuary cities’ to target for funding freeze (Washington State Standard)
  
• Trump denies disaster aid, tells states to do more (Washington State Standard)
  
• Trump Recasts Mission of Justice Dept.’s Civil Rights Office, Prompting ‘Exodus’ (NY Times)
  
• DOGE employees gain accounts on classified networks holding nuclear secrets (NPR)
  
• Trump is giving automakers a break on tariffs (NPR)
  
• National Climate Assessment Authors Are Dismissed by Trump Administration (NY Times)
  

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  209 AM PDT Tue Apr 29 2025    
TODAY  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft  at 6 seconds and W 6 ft at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming NW 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 10 seconds.

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