7/31 Black mondo grass, WA climate policies, OR offshore wind, Helion fusion, LNG Canada, stream buffering, democracy watch

 Black mondo grass

Black mondo grass Ophiopogon planiscapus 
Ophiopogon planiscapusis a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It is a small evergreen perennial growing to 20 cm tall by 30 cm wide. It grows from short rhizomes, and bears tufts of grasslike leaves, from which purple or white flowers emerge in racemes held on short stems above the leaves. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: People of the pier: walking Little Squalicum

Washington state climate policies face headwinds as Trump aims to ax regulations
Fighting climate change in Washington state could get more difficult if a Trump administration proposal becomes law. Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin announced the proposal to overturn what’s known as the "endangerment finding" — and the anti-pollution laws it enables. John Ryan reports. (KUOW) 

Federal government rescinds Oregon’s offshore wind energy area
The Trump administration is rescinding more than 3.5 million acres of designated wind energy areas nationwide, effectively ending a yearslong effort to generate wind energy off the Southern Oregon Coast — for now. Nearly 195,000 acres off the Southern Oregon coast were previously identified as sites for offshore wind development. Monica Samayoa reports. (OPB) 

Everett-based Helion breaks ground on ‘world’s first fusion power plant’
On the banks of the Columbia River in the small town of Malaga, Washington, Everett-based Helion has broken ground on what it says is “the world’s first fusion power plant.” Helion, a nuclear fusion startup backed by Big Tech, said the facility is prepared to begin delivering electricity generated by nuclear fusion by 2028 — and Microsoft has already purchased all of it. Monica Nickelsburg reports. (KUOW) 

Shell-led LNG Canada faces problems as it ramps up production, sources say
Shell-led LNG Canada is experiencing technical problems as it ramps up production at its liquefied natural gas plant at Kitimat, B.C., with one LNG tanker diverting away from the facility without the super-chilled fuel in recent days, according to four sources who spoke to Reuters and LSEG ship tracking data. Marwa Rashad, Curtis Williams, and Amanda Stephenson report. (Thomson Reuters)  

Hearing set for stream buffering
The Washington Forest Practice Board and the state Department of Ecology will meet next Monday to collect comments on a new proposed forestry rule. which would dictate how much buffering is required around non-fish-bearing streams. Emily Hanson reports. (Peninsula Daily News) 

Democracy Watch

• US Senate confirms Joe Kent to lead a national intelligence agency (Washington State Standard) 
• Decline in belief Black adults face discrimination: AP-NORC poll (AP) 
• Trump administration announces new private health tracking system with Big Tech’s help (AP) 

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  440 AM PDT Thu Jul 31 2025    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late. Seas  around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 7 seconds. Areas of dense fog  this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 6 seconds.

---


"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



savesalishsea@bluesky.social

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told