10/20 Velella, Simushir, CWA, shore restoration, Pt Wells, greenhouse gas, Oly Park, Dunagan, aqua reserve

Velella

If you like to watch: The secret life of Velella: Adrift with the by-the-wind sailor
In the spring, beaches can be covered by thousands or even millions of blue jellyfish relatives called Velella velella, the by-the-wind sailors. Velella typically live on the surface of the open ocean far from shore, propelled by winds pushing on their tiny sails. (MBARI)

Incapacitated Russian cargo ship Simushir towed to Prince Rupert
An incapacitated Russian cargo ship is now in port in Prince Rupert on British Columbia's north coast, ending fears that the vessel, which lost power Thursday night, would drift ashore, hit rocks and spill hundreds of tonnes of fuel…. The Simushir lost power due to a mechanical failure late Thursday off Haida Gwaii, also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, as it made its way from Everett in Washington state to Russia. The Canadian Coast Guard ship Gordon Reid arrived on scene Friday night and started towing the disabled ship away from shore, but three attempts to keep a towline attached failed and the ship was adrift again for six hours Saturday daytime. (CBC)

As Clean Water Act ages, Washington state groups spar over its meaning
The nation’s primary law to keep its waters clean has a birthday Saturday – but any celebration will have to compete with a contentious battle over what the law actually means. At issue is a proposal intended to clarify what waterways are and aren’t covered by the Clean Water Act, which dates to 1972. But that so-called “Waters of the United States” proposed rule has turned contentious, with federal officials receiving more than 200,000 comments from citizens and organizations nationwide. Chris Adams reports. (McClatchy)

Agencies develop plan to restore 5,000 acres of Sound shoreline habitat  
Public comments are being sought on a tentative proposal to restore more than 5,000 acres of central and northern Puget Sound shoreline habitat. A 45-day comment period on the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project draft feasibility report and environmental impact statement will run through Nov. 24. In addition, the proposal will be discussed at a public meeting from 5-8 p.m. Nov. 5, in the council chambers of Burlington City Hall, 833 South Spruce St… The project website is at pugetsoundnearshore.org (Olympian)

Searching for signs of success
During low tide, marine ecologist James “Jamey” Selleck scours the Anacortes shoreline where the Custom Plywood mill once stood, bending to get a closer look at the beach and turning pebbles with a gloved hand. He’s on the hunt for tiny eggs that indicate feeder fish have come to the beach to spawn. It’s been almost a year since the state Department of Ecology removed more than 1,000 creosote-coated pilings that once lifted a dock over the water, along with several thousand tons of contaminated sediment from this section of shoreline. Other pilings, structures and nearly 33,600 tons of contaminated soil were also removed in 2011. The state agency funded the $14.6 million, multiphase cleanup project that restored the beach and built a pocket estuary to improve fish habitat. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) In summary: Port, Ecology clean up Anacortes waterfront

Point Wells developer wants to expedite condo project
A developer seeking to build more than 3,000 condos at Point Wells has offered to pay for extra Snohomish County planning staff to expedite the project. That has some neighbors worried about a potential conflict of interest. Their issue isn't with Blue Square Real Estate's offer to pay for three county staff positions as much as the wording in a draft contract. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

State greenhouse gas pollution rates see spike; power plants lead hike
The state’s major industrial sources released about 6 million more metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2013, a 30 percent jump from the previous year, according to the latest data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The state’s only coal-burning power plant in Centralia topped the list, emitting 7.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and other gases blamed for global warming. Emissions from the plant spiked up about 82 percent from 2012 after experiencing a big drop the previous year. TransAlta spokeswoman Leanne Yohemas said in an email that carbon dioxide emissions at the company’s Centralia plant were substantially below normal levels in 2012, which explains the increase. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Olympic National Park plans overlooks out of parts of old Glines Canyon Dam on Elwha River
The National Park Service plans to transform the site of the former Glines Canyon Dam into a destination where the public can learn about the ongoing efforts to restore the Elwha River…. The removal of Glines Canyon Dam was completed with a final blast Aug. 26, but the abutments on either side of the once-210-foot-tall structure were left in place to eventually serve as observation points. Michael J. Foster reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Taking a moment for reflection, but I’m not saying good-bye
Chris Dunagan at Kitsap Sun's Watching Our Water Ways writes: "After 37 years at the Kitsap Sun, I’m writing one last salmon story today as a member of the newsroom staff. I was offered an early-retirement package, and I decided to take it. But that does not mean I’ll soon be shopping for a rocking chair. For one thing, I plan to continue writing this blog, and I intend to beef it up with even more original reporting. I’m also committed to completing the Kitsap Sun’s 10-part series called ‘Taking the Pulse of Puget Sound.’ The series has examined every corner of our troubled waterway, taking clues from the Puget Sound Partnership’s 'vital signs indicators.' Beyond those projects, I will continue to work for the Sun in a freelance capacity." See: Salmon soon to make a splash in Kitsap waters

Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve focus of Bellingham forum
People can learn about Cherry Point herring and the risks that increased vessel and rail transportation pose to the Salish Sea during a Saturday, Oct. 25, forum about the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve. The event is free and open to the public. It is 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bellingham Technical College, Building G Room 102A/103B, at 3028 Lindbergh Ave. The Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Citizen Stewardship Committee is hosting the event. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Environmental Groups Say Oregon Got It Wrong With Oil Terminal Permit
Local and national environmental groups filed a petition Friday claiming Oregon erred in granting an air quality permit to Oregon’s largest oil train terminal. Their petition claims the Department of Environmental Quality should have considered pollution from the trains and ships that move oil in and out of the terminal, rather than just the terminal itself. Columbia Riverkeeper, the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Neighbors for Clean Air and the Northwest Environmental Defense Center jointly filed the petition challenging the permit for the facility at Port Westward, about 60 miles west of Portland. Tony Schick reports. (EarthFix)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON OCT 20 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 15 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE
 AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
S WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 11 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN
 THE EVENING...THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

11/6 Whatcom vote, oil pipe, CO2 levels, miracle salmon, safe fish, Cathedral Grove, Janine Boire, birdwatching, port zinc

Progressives sweeping Whatcom County races in early returns
If the Whatcom County Council elections were a referendum on a proposed coal export terminal, then the community appears to have taken a stand against it. The four progressive candidates held wide leads over their conservative opponents according to the first ballot count, released late Tuesday, Nov. 5. Incumbents Ken Mann and Carl Weimer, and challengers Rud Browne and Barry Buchanan, were portrayed by Washington Conservation Voters as opposed to a proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point. All four men maintained they were neutral on the issue, which they could help decide in their upcoming term. Ralph Schwartz reports.

B.C.-Alberta deal could clear the way for oil pipelines to our coast
B.C. and Alberta have agreed to endorse each other’s energy strategies in a move that could more easily pave the way for oil pipelines to B.C.’s west coast. B.C. Premier Christy Clark and Alberta Premier Alison Redford jointly announced a new framework agreement that they say will allow energy projects to potentially move product, like oil, across provincial boundaries to the B.C. coast to be shipped to overseas markets. With the deal in place, Alberta accepts B.C.’s five conditions for pipelines, including a fair economic benefit for the province. In return, B.C. agrees not to pursue Alberta’s royalty or tax revenues and will sign on to the Alberta-led Canadian Energy Strategy. Rob Shaw reports.

Greenhouse gas levels hit new record high  
Atmospheric volumes of greenhouse gases blamed for climate change hit a new record in 2012, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Wednesday. "For all these major greenhouse gases the concentrations are reaching once again record levels," WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud told a news conference in Geneva at which he presented the U.N. climate agency's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin. Jarraud said the accelerating trend was driving climate change, making it harder to keep global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius, a target agreed at a Copenhagen summit in 2009.

Salmon make a miraculous reappearance in East Vancouver
Chum salmon are spawning again at an urban creek in the heart of East Vancouver. The salmon returned this week to Still Creek, which sits in a ravine surrounded by warehouses and a nearby Skytrain line. The creek — running into Burnaby and through pipes to the Brunette and Fraser rivers — was once one of the most polluted streams in the province, thanks to urban garbage, sewage and toxic chemicals. According to area resident Carmen Rosen, last year was the first time in 80 years salmon had spawned at Still Creek. She's thrilled they're back now, proving that last fall’s occurrence wasn't a fluke.

State to Lay Out Options for Clean Water, Fish Consumption Updates
Fish consumption is at the heart of the state Department of Ecology's quest for compliance with the federal Clean Water Act, which aims to protect human health. Fish absorb toxins from polluted water. So when people eat it, their health might be at risk. That risk increases with more fish in their diet.  Right now, the state Department of Ecology officially assumes that people eat only about one meal of fish per month—a standard that’s known to be outdated and insufficient to protect human health. As a result, the state is working on proposals that would better reflect reality and force tougher limits on the amount of toxins industries and cities or water districts are allowed to discharge. The state will lay out its options for the first time at a public meeting on Wednesday. Bellamy Pailthorp reports.

Old-growth forest cutblock to be logged, groups fear
A new logging road through a formerly protected old-growth forest near Cathedral Grove has conservation groups, and one area MLA, worried that the area’s habitat is under immediate threat... Island Timberlands, the company that owns the land, also has closed south-ridge access to the Mount Horne trail — a popular hiking and mushroom-picking area. The area of concern is a marked 40-hectare cutblock, 300 metres from MacMillan Provincial Park and directly upstream from Cathedral Grove, an international tourist destination known for its ancient Douglas fir trees. Sarah Petrescu reports.

Sustaining curiosity: Janine Boire takes the helm at Port Townsend Marine Science Center 
“Meaningful change happens at the family level,” said Janine Boire, two months into her new job as executive director of Port Townsend Marine Science Center (PTMSC). “As an adult, it can be easy to fall into that mentality that you always have to be right, but science is more about the questions than the answers,” she told the Leader. “Youth remind us that it’s ok to explore, to take risks and to always remain curious.” Boire added that she sees curiosity as the core solution to the center’s mission to inspire conservation of the Salish Sea. Megan Claflin reports.

9 Rules for the Black Birdwatcher
Rule 3: "Don’t bird in a hoodie. Ever." And 8 more pointed gems by J. Drew Lanham in Orion Magazine.

Snow geese fly far faster than thought
Washington researchers have discovered new information about the migration and regional travel patterns of snow geese using satellite technology. Each year, thousands of snow geese make the flight from Wrangel Island in Russia to winter feeding grounds along North America’s West Coast, where they stay mid-October through early May. Of about 80,000 birds that land in Western Washington, the majority congregate on Skagit County’s Fir Island. Last February, after hunting season and before the birds headed back to the Arctic, researchers collected nine geese at Fir Island and one near Stanwood and gave them satellite transmission tags. The tags remotely monitor each bird’s travel and log data to an online computer program. Results have shown the birds complete their annual migration in a week or less, stopping off the coasts of Alaska and Siberia along the way, Fish and Wildlife’s waterfowl section manager Don Kraege said. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

And, for the birds, the 2013 Christmas Bird Count Regional Summaries for Canada, Central and South America, Mexico/Belize, Pacific Islands, West Indies/Bermuda, and United States
This is where you can peruse counts for British Columbia/Yukon Territory  and Washington/Oregon.

Tracing the source: Port of Port Townsend eyes wastewater solutions
Efforts by the Port of Port Townsend to collect and treat wastewater from the Port Townsend Boat Haven complex are failing to meet benchmarks set by the state pursuant to the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. Despite installing two stormwater Rx treatment Aquip units to treat stormwater in response to findings in 2011 – about a half-million dollar investment – samplings continue to measure higher than permit benchmarks for zinc and copper in stormwater runoff, Al Cairns, port environmental enforcement officer, told the Leader.... The Port of Port Townsend could face a lawsuit this November for failing to comply with requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. On Sept. 18, Seattle-based law firm Smith & Lowney, PLLC delivered a 60-day notice on behalf of Waste Action Project (WAP) to the public port district. The letter addresses port operations in regards to stormwater discharge, according to documents obtained by the Leader through a public records request. Megan Claflin reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED NOV 6 2013
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

9/6 Guillemots, murrelets, Columbia coal, spill damage, BC pipe, red jellies, dead zone, water penalties, Lummi fisher

PHOTO: Govinda Rosling

If you like to listen: Govinda Rosling, co-coordinator of the Pigeon Guillemot Research Group, is one of 60 volunteer citizen scientists who dedicate their time during the summer months to survey birds at 25 breeding colonies. The guillemots are an indicator species -- their health really echoes the overall health of the Salish Sea. Citizen scientists provide detailed information. They help us understand how human activities affect the ebb and flow of wildlife populations. BirdNote: Citizen Scientists Monitor Pigeon Guillemots

New blog: On Wednesday BBC News reported that radiation levels around tanks storing contaminated water at Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant have risen by a fifth to a new high. I don’t know what millisieverts are but Tuesday’s reading near one set of tanks was 2,200 (mSv), a rise from the weekend’s 1,800 mSv reading...  Godzilla’s Revenge  

A federal judge has handed the timber industry another defeat in its effort to expand logging on the habitat of a threatened coastal seabird. U.S. District Court Judge John Bates in Washington, D.C., said marbled murrelets will keep their Endangered Species Act listing, and rejected an argument that central California murrelets, which are doing poorly, should not be lumped in with the populations in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. Bates also ruled old-growth forest habitat will remain protected during a three-year period when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service re-examines what it considers a flawed 1996 critical-habitat designation. Steven Dubois reports. Federal judge rules in favor of threatened seabird  

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reducing the area it will consider in its endangered species review for the Morrow Pacific coal export terminal proposed on the Oregon side of the Columbia River. Instead of considering the project’s impacts to threatened salmon and steelhead along 276 miles of the Columbia River channel, the agency will limit its assessment to less than one mile around the project’s proposed dock at the Port of Morrow in Boardman, Ore. Coal export opponents say the limited review overlooks many of the impacts the project could have on fish, and they’re worried that the Corps will also choose to ignore the project’s broader environmental impacts. Cassandra Profita reports. Army Corps Shrinks Endangered Species Review For Columbia River Coal Export Project

The federal government has pledged close to $300,000 to help rebuild habitats affected by the 2007 oil spill in the Burrard Inlet. Money will go towards rebuilding six estuaries, including the MacKay Creek Watershed. Project organizers say they want to construct a fresh water channel for the fish. While it’s unlikely the estuaries will ever be as pristine as they once were, organizers hope to see more wildlife return to areas damaged by the spill. Federal funds to help restore spill-damaged habitats

A $5-billion pipeline key to Premier Christy Clark’s plan to revitalize British Columbia’s economy through LNG development is facing a tough environmental battle on the north coast. “They can’t be allowed to follow that route,” grizzly bear biologist Wayne McCrory said Thursday of the pipeline corridor proposed for the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project. Mr. McCrory said the pipeline poses a clear threat to bears because it would cut through the Khutzeymateen grizzly bear sanctuary, which became the first protected area of its kind in Canada when it was set aside 19 years ago. It is officially known as Khutzeymateen Provincial Park. Mark Hume reports. Northern B.C. pipeline plan faces environmental battle  

Ocean experts are warning anyone curious about the red jellyfish washing up on Vancouver Island beaches to keep their distance. Aquarist Sarah Friesen said the lion’s mane jellyfish, whose one-year life cycle causes an annual spike in beach sightings in August and September, can still sting even after dying... The lion’s mane jellyfish is a native species. They spend most of their life offshore, within 20 metres of the ocean surface. But the drifters are carried by ocean currents and often end up in shallow, sheltered bays toward the end of their lives. Amy Smart reports. Red jellyfish a beach find that’s better seen than touched  

A team of researchers from the University of Victoria embarks on a voyage (Thursday) to further explore an expanding zone of low-oxygen water off Vancouver Island that threatens coastal fisheries and aquaculture. The Schmidt Ocean Institute, which was created by Google’s chairman Eric Schmidt and his wife, Wendy, has offered the UVic team the use of its $62-million research vessel, Falkor, to further their research. Lindsay Kines reports. Researchers explore low-oxygen waters off Vancouver Island  

Two of the four largest environmental fines in Washington this spring stemmed from water pollution in Snohomish County, including a Bothell-area sewage leak that's accelerated tens of millions of dollars in pipeline upgrades. The sewage leak led to the state fining King County $22,000 -- the highest penalty levied during the second quarter of this year. The state last week released statistics for April through June... The fourth-highest environmental penalty in Washington last spring was a $19,500 fine against Industrial Plating Corp. of Mukilteo. The state said the company failed to protect water quality at a manufacturing facility on Russell Road, near the Mukilteo Speedway. Noah Haglund reports. Ecology issues fines for county water-pollution cases  

Jerry Anderson might not be Native American like the first reefnetters, but that doesn't mean the ancient fishing practice doesn't run in his blood. Alison Krupnick reports. Meet Lummi Island's fishing guru

And, finally, as the rains descend, Our Man in the Skagit writes: “Here is a fun arithmetic problem ... it has been about 75 days since we had any significant rain.  In the Samish Watershed there are at least 300 large livestock animals on various hillsides, pastures near ditches, and pastures by the river or its major streams.  Each one of those animals deposits about 50 lbs. of manure a day.  Let’s see – 50 x 300 x 75 = ... well, about 1.1 million lbs. of manure – all waiting for a nice big rain to ... Mr. Weather keeps saying it it coming.  We’ll see. Can you imagine the uproar if there were 300 dogs all over the Samish watershed, pooping hither and yon?”

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PDT FRI SEP 6 2013
TODAY
W WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT THROUGH SUN
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 OR 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/28 Mega-ships, wastewater fees, steelhead vs chum

RTF (houghtonmifflinbooks.com)

If you like to listen: August 28th is the birth anniversary of Roger Tory Peterson. He was born in 1908 and died in 1996. RTP, as he was known, wrote A Field Guide to the Birds. His favorite bird? The King Penguin. He explains his fascination with birds: "...They are attractive, they sound off with spirit, and they can fly wherever they choose, whenever they choose... The truth is, the birds could very well live without us, but many - perhaps all - of us would find life ... almost intolerable without the birds." Happy Birthday, RTP, and thanks.  BirdNote: Happy Birthday, Roger Tory Peterson  

New blog: President Obama established by executive order the San Juan Islands National Monument last March and this week activists on Lopez Island met Bureau of Land Management Interim Monument Manager Marcia deChandenedes (pronounced, she says, like the white wine we all enjoy.)... Next Steps to the San Juan Islands National Monument  

One of the world’s largest ships arrived at the Port of Tacoma Sunday morning. The Zim Djibouti slipped in at dawn, carrying loads of goods for big box stores. The vessel is 10,000 TEUs in size, meaning it holds 5,000 shipping containers. When the Zim Djibouti appeared on Sunday, fresh from a port in Vancouver, B.C., containers were 18 across on its upper deck. The ship is part of a new wave of cargo ships emerging from Asian shipyards. They’re super-sized to save fuel costs. Carolyn Adolph reports. Mega-Ships Big Opportunity For Northwest Ports  

The state Department of Ecology has proposed a fee increase for some types of wastewater discharge permits and is accepting public comment on the proposal through Oct. 1. Permits for dairies, concentrated animal feeding operations, aquatic pest control, boatyards, stormwater and large municipal wastewater treatment plants would see an increase of 4.55 percent in 2014 and 4.63 in 2015. Kimberly Cauvel reports. Public comment period for wasterwater permit fee increase  

Billy Blewett runs one of the most famous fishing lodges in the world on British Columbia’s Dean River, where the steelhead are renowned for being big and plentiful. But he has been apologizing to his clients at the Lower Dean River Lodge lately because so few fish are being caught – and many of those are scarred from being entangled in nets. Mr. Blewett and others are blaming the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans because it allowed a commercial chum fishery that has concentrated more than 150 fishing boats in the area of the Dean Channel, near Bella Coola. Mark Hume reports. Steelhead stocks on Dean River ‘hammered’ by chum fishery

Now, your tug weather-
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 755 AM PDT WED AUG 28 2013
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. AREAS OF DENSE FOG THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
VARIABLE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 2 FT AT 7 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/1 Coal EIS, SSA pays up, Salish Sea Village, crab area pollution, Victoria sewer, Kitsault LNG

The state Department of Ecology on Wednesday announced it was launching an environmental review, unprecedented in scope, of a proposed coal-export terminal near Bellingham. The scope of the review will range from other Western states that would see increased numbers of coal trains, to Asia, where coal combustion will create greenhouse gases. The state review of the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point in Northwest Washington is expected to take some two years to complete. It will be coordinated with more limited reviews conducted by Whatcom County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Hal Bernton and Brian M. Rosenthal report. State to undertake sweeping review of coal-terminal plan   See also: Climate Change & Rail Transport Will Be Included When Measuring Coal Export Project’s Impact  

Pacific International Terminals, the SSA Marine subsidiary pursuing the Gateway Pacific coal export terminal at Cherry Point, has agreed to pay $1.65 million to settle a lawsuit stemming from the company's unauthorized land-clearing work on the property in 2011. RE Sources for Sustainable Communities had filed the suit, alleging that the land-clearing work was a violation of the federal Clean Water Act. That act allows citizens and environmental groups to file lawsuits to enforce the federal law. John Stark reports. SSA Marine pays $1.65 million to settle lawsuit over land clearing

New blog: “One of the reasons to return to Hawaii this time of year was to attend the annual O-bon celebration at the Haleiwa Buddhist Church and participate in the toro-nagashi. The annual celebration is in memory of one’s ancestors and the Haleiwa ceremony features in addition to the prayers and dancing the floating of paper lanterns lighted with candles on the waters near the church...” Returning to Their Heaven: Haleiwa O-bon and Toro-nagashi

Long before Europeans arrived, civilization flourished on the shores of what is now modern Vancouver. It produced a sophisticated society made up of distinct cultures, says Bruce Macdonald. At a time when many in England lived in little huts, the Musqueam built multifamily homes of 90 feet by 200 feet, the Vancouver historian, heritage advocate, and author reminds us..... He’s part of a troika that has started discussions about the Salish Sea Village. The two others are Scott Clark and Hendrik Hoekema, executive directors of the Aboriginal Life in Vancouver Enhancement Society and the Vancouver Eastside Educational Enrichment Society, respectively. Carlito Pablo reports. Trio contemplates Salish Sea Village on Vancouver's waterfront  

Clallam County should strengthen an existing program to operate and maintain individual on-site septic systems in the Dungeness/3 Crabs area, a new study concludes. Staying the course was one of four alternatives being considered in a feasibility study for wastewater management in an unincorporated area where failing septic systems were said to be polluting Dungeness Bay with fecal coliform and nitrogen. Damon McAlister, a senior engineer with Parametrix, and county Environmental Health Director Andy Brastad presented the final study to the Clallam County commissioners Tuesday. Rob Ollikainen reports. Feasibility study addresses Dungeness/3 Crabs-area pollution  

The Town of View Royal will not allow a sewage treatment plant to be built on undeveloped waterfront property at Thetis Cove, says Mayor Graham Hill... The property, at the end of Hallowell Road, is zoned residential, part of View Royal’s official community plan and currently before town staff as a potential residential development, Hill wrote. “It would be folly for the Capital Regional District to purchase another site only to learn that their investment is sown on infertile ground.” Rob Shaw reports.  View Royal adamant: No sewage plant  

An entrepreneur is trying to breathe new life into the B.C. ghost town of Kitsault by making it a major hub in the province`s growing liquid natural gas infrastructure. Krishnan Suthanthiran, an Indo-Canadian businessman who made his fortune selling medical supplies throughout North America, bought Kitsault in 2004 for $5 million in cash.... The town, which is located north of Prince Rupert on Alice Arm, was constructed nearly overnight in the early 1980s by U.S. mining conglomerate Phelps Dodge.  B.C. ghost town could become major natural gas hub   

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 PM PDT WED JUL 31 2013
THU
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 2 FT AT 7 SECONDS. CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING.
THU NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 2 FT AT 7 SECONDS. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/30 Herring, Kitsap shores, Powell R. aquaculture, Ecology, Cap Sante cleanup, Oly isthmus, Weed Watchers

PHOTO: DFO/VENUS Project

Once one of the most abundant fishes in coastal waters, many populations of Pacific herring, a cornerstone of the marine food web, have been on a downward spiral. A new population spawning in Elliot Bay may show the tide is turning. Marine ecologists are diving into near shore waters to determine their genetic identity. It’s not yet clear if the population will take up permanent residence. Martha Baskin reports. A New Phenomenon: Diving for Spawning Herring in Elliot Bay  

Forterra and Pope Resources signed a purchase and sale agreement Wednesday for 535 acres of forestland and 1.5 miles of shoreline along Port Gamble Bay and State Route 104. The Kitsap Forest and Bay Project is a longtime effort to conserve 6,700 acres and 1.8 miles of shoreline in north Kitsap County. The forests and shorelines have cultural significance to local Tribes and communities; draw thousands of outdoor recreationists annually; and support fish and wildlife in the integrated ecological and watershed systems of Port Gamble Bay, Hood Canal and Central Puget Sound. Forterra signs purchase agreement for Port Gamble shoreline block  

City of Powell River officials are continuing to explore the possibility of establishing an aquatic industries park in conjunction with Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation. The proposal centres on about 40 hectares (100 acres) of undeveloped waterfront land owned by PRSC Partnership Ltd. next to Catalyst Paper Corporation’s Powell River division. The site has a number of infrastructure advantages for aquaculture, according to a brochure produced by PRREDS (Powell River Regional Economic Development Society), including both salt and fresh water supplies, electricity and thermal energy. Laura Walz reports. Officials explore closed containment facility

One potentially divisive piece of the Washington Senate-House budget talks is whether the Washington Department of Ecology faces significant cuts, including the potential closure of its Bellingham office. As with much of the rest of the state's operating budget, the Republican-oriented Senate wants to trim part of Ecology's budget for 2013-2015. The Senate's Majority Coalition Caucus — an alliance of 23 Republicans and two Democrats — believes the ecology department has become too fat and should be trimmed to become more cost-effective. The ecology department disagrees. The Bellingham office plays a variety of roles, ranging from helping out in the response to the recent I-5 bridge collapse to working on the review of a proposed coal port north of the city. John Stang reports. Ecology budget squeeze: Efficiency or neglect?

A public comment period on draft documents related to the final cleanup work in the west basin of the Cap Sante Marina opens Thursday. Most cleanup work is already done at the site between 11th and 13th streets east of Q Avenue on the Fidalgo Bay shore. Ecology and the Port of Anacortes, which owns the site, are working to finish and maintain cleanup efforts. That includes long-term monitoring and protecting people and the environment from two remaining small pockets of low-level contamination. The site known as the Cap Sante Marine site was formerly occupied by that company’s chandlery from the late 1970s to 2007. Joan Pringle reports. Ecology seeks comments on final cleanup plans for Cap Sante Marine site

The Olympia City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to scrap a requirement that the city secure $1 million in state funding to purchase property on the downtown isthmus for a park. While the city still is pursuing the state money, council members also expressed their willingness to take money from several other parks projects — including developing a park at Ward Lake — to pay for the isthmus project if the state money doesn’t come through. The council in April approved a purchase and sale agreement to pay an estimated $3.3 million to Capital Shores Investments to acquire the parcels at 505 and 529 Fourth Ave. W., which total 2.3 acres. The council previously committed $1.7 million to the park, plus $600,000 in Conservation Futures funding from Thurston County. Matt Batcheldor reports.  Olympia council prepared to use parks money to buy isthmus

Oxeye daisy can take over meadows. English ivy can crawl up trees and choke the life out of them. Japanese knotweed can push out other plants at creeks. These weeds and others cause major problems in forests. That's why the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Washington Department of Natural Resources have teamed up with the Mountaineers and King County Noxious Weed Program to train volunteers to find invasive plants on trails. Jim Davis reports. Weed Watchers on alert for noxious and obnoxious

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU MAY 30 2013
TODAY
S WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SW 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/24 Skagit bridge, Ecology 'eyes,' Tzeporah Berman, Sally Jewell, Moby Doll, Haida iron sulfate dump

PHOTO: Frank Varga, Skagit Valley Herald

In case you missed this: No one is known to have died, but vehicles plunged into the water and three people were taken to the hospital after the Skagit River Bridge on Interstate 5 collapsed Thursday evening. The state Department of Transportation said its engineers are looking into an oversized, overheight vehicle striking a critical portion of the bridge span, spokesman Travis Phelps said. A large flatbed truck passed under the bridge, hitting several of the steel trusses on its way, Trooper Mark Francis of the State Patrol said. The truck came to a stop about 100 yards away from the structure on its south side, he said. Beverly Crichfield, Kate Martin, Lynsi Burton and Gina Cole report. Bridge collapse disaster, but no tragedy

Alas, Skagit Valley traffic using alternate routes to cross the river will feel like Tulip Time on steroids. Skagit County Sherriff Chief Will Reichert urged patience from Skagit County citizens unused to having I-5 traffic re-routed through small country roads. "We have some very small county roads that will be packed with traffic they're not used to seeing," Reichert said. No immediate fix for I-5 traffic woes  And former state Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond says, "I know the department is ready to respond.... The first order of business is to establish a detour for the over 70,000 vehicles that use I-5 in this area daily. This will require close coordination with the city and county on appropriate local roads that can accommodate a long-term diversion of freeway traffic..." How WSDOT will manage the I-5 collapse  

And more: Depending on its cause, Thursday night’s Skagit River bridge collapse might figure into discussions in Olympia about whether to raise gas taxes and fees to pay for transportation work. State transportation officials were unsure late Thursday why the bridge collapsed after it was struck by a truck carrying an oversize load. Lawmakers were unable to say what, if anything, the Legislature should do. Jordan Schrader reports. Lawmakers lack answers on bridge  

If you like to watch: The Washington Department of Ecology's Marine Monitoring Unit distributes a monthly report combining high resolution aerial photographs with satellite and ground-truthed monitoring data for Puget Sound surface conditions. Eyes Over Puget Sound: surface conditions report from May 20th, 2013

Tzeporah Berman, the eco-activist who gained notoriety a generation ago as a “whacked-out nature worshipper” for blockading logging roads during British Columbia’s divisive War in the Woods, was honoured Thursday at the University of B.C. with a doctorate. Berman’s evolution, from tree hugger to joining forest industry icons H.R. MacMillan and Peter Bentley, who have also received honorary doctorates from the university, marks the maturation not only of the B.C. environmental movement but of the ideals the university recognizes.... Berman was arrested and jailed in the summer of 1993 for organizing logging road blockades at Clayoquot Sound, at the time the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history. At that time, she was referred to on national TV as a “whacked-out nature worshipper.” A few years later, former B.C. premier Glen Clark called her an enemy of the state when she was leading the fight to restrict clearcut logging in the Great Bear Rainforest. Gordon Hamilton reports. UBC bestows doctorate on 'whacked-out nature worshipper' Tzeporah Berman

Interior Secretary Sally Jewel made her first public stop in the Northwest in Portland Thursday, six weeks into the job. The Seattleite and former REI chief executive‘s official business in Portland was to announce roughly $4 million in grants to give young people summer jobs in conservation and trail work. During her visit, she pitched in digging up invasive grasses on the edge of a wildlife refuge. Amelia Templeton reports. Jewell Makes First NW Return As Interior Secretary

A conference this weekend on Saturna Island will highlight changes in the attitude toward and treatment of orcas. The Moby Doll Symposium, which begins today and continues through Sunday in East Point Regional Park, will bring nine researchers to the island. The symposium is named after an orca, dubbed Moby Doll, that was captured in 1964 off the coast of Saturna and died in captivity three months later at the Vancouver Aquarium. The whale was the world’s first orca to be displayed in a public aquarium. Orcas the topic of Saturna conference

The Haida Salmon Restoration Corp., the group responsible for releasing 100 tonnes of iron sulphate in the international waters off Haida Gwaii, says it has also dumped its lead scientist Russ George. In a statement Thursday, the company’s board of directors announced George was removed as a director on the board and an officer of the corporation.... The group caused an international firestorm and came under intense scrutiny last October following the dump of 100 tonnes of iron sulphate and 20 tonnes of iron oxide some 350 kilometres off the Haida Gwaii archipelago in what would become known as the world’s largest — and unsanctioned — iron fertilization project. Zoe McKnight reports. Haida Salmon Restoration Corp. drops lead scientist ahead of second experiment

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI MAY 24 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING W TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
NW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

4/25 'Lolita,' marine education, state budget, special session, Ecology office, GBH, Burien shores

Tokitae (Piotr Domaradzki/Wikimedia)

Animal-rights activists Wednesday won a round in the long-running fight over the fate of Lolita, a killer whale captured in Puget Sound and kept in the Miami Seaquarium for more than four decades. The federal government accepted a petition that calls for the captive orca to be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The move means the government will consider the activists’ arguments over the next nine months, before making a decision early next year, said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Seattle. Sandi Doughton reports. In the battle to free an orca, activists secure a small victory

If you like to watch: Salmon Confidential is a new film on the government cover up of what is killing BC’s wild salmon. When biologist Alexandra Morton discovers BC’s wild salmon are testing positive for dangerous European salmon viruses associated with salmon farming worldwide, a chain of events is set off by government to suppress the findings. Tracking viruses, Morton moves from courtrooms, into British Columbia’s most remote rivers, Vancouver grocery stores and sushi restaurants. The film documents Morton’s journey as she attempts to overcome government and industry roadblocks thrown in her path and works to bring critical information to the public in time to save BC’s wild salmon. (1 hr 10 minutes) Salmon Confidential- the Documentary

A plan embraced by the Port Townsend School Board to use the area's seaside environment in public education was described to an audience of business and community members Wednesday.  School Superintendent David Engle and Northwest Maritime Center Executive Director Jake Beattie talked to about 70 people, tracing the path of the proposal from a theoretical discussion between the two directors to a point where it could change the scope of local education.... Students would learn subjects in the context of the sea and how knowledge is put into perspective by proximity to the water. Charlie Bermant reports. Maritime curriculum outlined for Port Townsend schools

Democrats in the Washington state House are moving ahead with a tax plan valued at $900 million over the next two years. The House narrowly approved a variety of tax changes Wednesday, including the permanent extension of business taxes to raise more than half a billion dollars. The plan would also repeal tax breaks for travel agents, bottled water and fuel. The House is now engaged in budget negotiations with the Senate, which approved a budget without the tax changes.  House Democrats approve Wash. tax package  

The Senate version of a proposed state budget for the next two years would eliminate funding for the Washington Department of Ecology's local field office, but Democrats and agency officials say shutting that office would cost more than it would save. The possible shutdown of Ecology's office in Fairhaven also attracted a protest letter from Merle Jefferson, executive director of natural resources at Lummi Nation.... But State Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, contends that Ecology is paying far too much for its office, and the budget proposal from the Republican-controlled Senate would fix that by deleting two years of rent, amounting to about $650,000 or $25,000 per month plus incidental costs..... "They (Republicans) are just sending a message that they don't like the Department of Ecology," (State Rep. Jeff) Morris, (D-Mount Vernon) said. "I think there were a lot of cuts in the Senate budget that weren't rational from a fiscal perspective, and this was one of them." John Stark reports.  Ecology Department's office in Bellingham threatened with closure

The Olympia City Council’s vote to buy private land on the city isthmus for a future park depends on $1 million in state funding. But with time running out on the legislative session Sunday, the funding request must get over a high hurdle – and only the House capital budget has any money for the land at this point.  But the City Council’s vote drew a chuckle – and no pledge of money – from the House capital budget writer Wednesday. “They voted for that deal assuming they’ll get $1 million from the state,” House Capital Budget chair Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, said in the House wings, noting he had read The Olympian news report about the vote. “That was amusing to me.” Brad Shannon and Matt Batcheldor report. State funding for isthmus not assured

No one walking the halls of Olympia is surprised Washington's 147 lawmakers and governor will need a special session to finish their work. When it will begin and how long it will run is anyone's guess. It's a good bet once the overtime period begins it will last for most or all of the 30 days allowed by law. Twenty-two times since 1980 legislators could not finish without at least one extra session and, on average, those ran 18 days.  Jerry Cornfield reports. Duration of special session is anyone's guess

NOTHING INVOKES PRIMEVAL times like the call of a great blue heron. The giant bird’s cry—a rasping, croaky wonk—is a haunting echo from an age when its dinosaur ancestors ruled the skies. “You’ll definitely hear them before you see them,” Dylan Schroeder, a seasonal guide at Chilliwack’s Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve, advised the Georgia Straight during a visit. “Herons emit a prehistoric sound, clucking and squealing like a stuck pig.” Jack Christie reports. Great blue herons nest and beguile in B.C.  

After five often-tortuous years, the Burien City Council is set to approve this month a shoreline master plan that will likely be approved by the state. The council will hold a public hearing May 6 on a compromise plan worked out by an ad hoc committee. The hearing will be held as part of the regular 7 p.m. council meeting in the City Hall/Library multipurpose room, 400 S.W. 152nd St. The largest controversy concerned setback requirements along the city’s Puget Sound shoreline. (Read the ‘compromise’ in the article.)  Eric Mathison reports.  Burien shoreline plan  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU APR 25 2013
TODAY
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

2/11 Maia Bellon, BC CG, Enbridge, Bainbridge shores, Oly shores, Dungeness septics, ocean acid, shore birds

Dunlins at Port Susan Bay (Mike Siegel, Seattle Times)

Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday promoted from within and appointed Maia Bellon as the new director of the state Department of Ecology. Bellon has headed the Water Resources Program at the Department of Ecology, where she’s worked since 2010. Inslee appoints new director of state Department of Ecology  

Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed today that his government would not be reversing its decision to shut down the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station. The move to close the station has drawn criticism from Premier Christy Clark, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Roberton and local boaters, who all claim the closure will put lives at risk. The government is replacing the year-round, 24-hour Kitsilano station with a three-person inshore rescue team based in Stanley Park during the summer months and increased service from a new hovercraft station at the Sea Island station in Richmond. Harper confirms Kitsilano coast guard station will close

A lawyer representing environmental groups wants to know what guarantees the public has that the promises Northern Gateway is making on its pipeline plan will endure for the 50-year lifespan of the project. The latest set of hearings in Prince Rupert wrapped up Friday. Karen Campbell, who represents ForestEthics, Raincoast Conservation and Living Oceans, asked a panel of company experts at federal review hearings Friday if promises of a marine spill response and wildlife recovery studies will survive the 50-year life of the project.  Northern Gateway's 50-year viability questioned

A room full of disgruntled shoreline homeowners couldn’t quite sway the City Council on Wednesday night. The council narrowly voted to maintain “nonconforming” status for shoreline structures that don’t meet regulations under the new Shorelines Master Program update, despite vehement opposition from waterfront property owners. The vote was preliminary, as the draft shorelines plan is still two months away from final approval. The council also gave informal approval to special provisions for properties on the Point Monroe sand spit. Tad Scoter reports. Bainbridge council passes 'nonconforming' language in shorelines plan

A majority of Olympia City Council members favor spending $16,250 to add a computer visualization to the Shoreline Master Program process, a move Mayor Stephen Buxbaum warned will mean more time spent on process. Councilman Steve Langer proposed the city move forward with the visualization process late into Tuesday’s City Council meeting, saying it will help people understand changes in the shoreline plan. The plan, which the council is updating, restricts development along major city shorelines, notably Budd Inlet. Matt Batcheldor reports. Olympia seems to back shoreline visualization

With many of the decades-old septic systems that handle waste from homes in the Dungeness and Three Crabs neighborhoods leaking into the waters that feed Dungeness Bay, officials are looking into the need for a new community sewer system.  Options for replacing the current septic systems range in cost from $13 million to $25 million, Damon McAlister with the Parametrix engineering firm of Bremerton — which has developed a draft Dungeness Wastewater Treatment Feasibility Study — told landowners at a meeting at the Dungeness Schoolhouse on Saturday morning. Joe Smillie reports. Officials outline Dungeness septic options, costs 

Before leaving office, former Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire convened a panel to come up with recommendations for dealing with the threats of ocean acidification. Now, Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Islands, has introduced a bill to put those recommendations into action. The first step would be to create an advisory council that would include representatives from tribes, governmental agencies and officials from coastal counties and cities in Washington state. Ranker’s bill is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday. Ashley Ahearn reports. Washington To Consider Ocean Acidification Legislation  

Thousands of shorebirds swished and swooped over the hammered silver of Puget Sound, their bellies flashing white against wintry gray skies. So important is Port Susan Bay as habitat for these shorebirds, that the Greater Stillaguamish Delta, of which it is a part, and the Greater Skagit Delta next door to the north, have just been named a site of regional importance in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The only one in Puget Sound, the designation recognizes that the Greater Stilly and Skagit Delta — which the birds use as one connected habitat — is an important stopover and wintering ground for more than 20,000 shorebirds a year. Lynda Mapes reports. Deltas are prized spot for shorebirds

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 153 AM PST MON FEB 11 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING S TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 16 SECONDS. OCCASIONAL DRIZZLE IN THE MORNING...
 THEN A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 15 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

1/7 Treaty rights, culverts, tanker study, bay cleanup, SEPA, Shell drill, quake, orca tag, Idle No More, Great Bear

Red-breasted nuthatch (Laurie MacBride)

Laurie MacBride in Eye On Environment writes: "Though it’s cold and dreary much of the time these days, it turns out that even in January, there’s good reason to be outdoors here on Gabriola Island right now. The light is lasting a tiny bit longer with each passing day, crocus and daffodils are starting to push up, and birds like this Red-breasted nuthatch can easily be found for the looking..." Savoring Quiet Stretches

Despite all the good intentions, hundreds of millions of dollars spent, lawsuits won and treaty rights affirmed in the highest courts, the battle to save the salmon and the habitat that supports them is being lost — not only here, but all over Western Washington. In a blistering State of Our Watersheds report issued recently, the 20 treaty tribes across Western Washington, through the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, which (Billy) Frank Jr. chairs, documented habitat loss destroying salmon runs all over the region. The tribes' reports affirm findings by both state and federal agencies. NOAA Fisheries is charged with protecting salmon and steelhead in Puget Sound under the Endangered Species Act. A report for that agency found that habitat protection is the single most important step to restoring Puget Sound chinook — and that from tree cover to eel grass, the basics that salmon need to survive are still being lost. Lynda Mapes reports. Tribes: Hard-won fishing rights here worthless without fish

Washington state officials could be required to hasten replacement of nearly 1,000 salmon-blocking culverts under a federal court ruling that has been stalled for more than three years. U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez ruled five years ago that Washington state was violating tribal treaty rights by operating culverts that block or hinder the passage of salmon. The blocking culverts diminish the number of salmon available to the tribes, thus violating their right to take fish, Martinez ruled. Martinez pressed state and tribal officials to work out a fair schedule for repairing or replacing culverts on state highways. But after two years, the negotiations fell apart, and Martinez was asked to impose a remedy to meet his order. Christopher Dunagan reports. Culvert case remains unresolved after three years

Concerns south of the border over oil tanker traffic from British Columbia have spurred a U.S. Coast Guard review of proposed increases in Canadian oil exports. A legislative amendment proposed by Washington state Sen. Maria Cantwell and signed into law by President Barack Obama a couple of weeks ago gives the U.S. marine safety agency six months to conduct a risk assessment of the planned expansion of oil pipeline capacity to the West Coast. While several proposed projects would see oil from the Alberta oil sands brought to the B.C. coast for export primarily to China, the legislation deals specifically with tanker traffic out of the Vancouver area. Dene Moore reports. BC Tanker Traffic Prompts US Coast Guard Review

Cleanup will start Monday night, Jan. 7, on a small section of shoreline near downtown Bellingham contaminated with petroleum, according to the Washington Department of Ecology. Crews from Bellingham's Ram Construction will dig out about 80 truckloads of petroleum-contaminated soil and sediment from a 5,000-square-foot portion of beach at the Central Waterfront cleanup site, near the west end of C Street. Zoe Fraley reports.  Nighttime cleanup starts on portion of contaminated Bellingham shoreline

The state Department of Ecology has adopted a new rule that increases the thresholds local governments may adopt to exempt minor new construction projects from the state's environmental review. The State Environmental Policy Act, enacted in 1971, was set up to help state and local agencies identify possible environmental impacts that could result from government decisions, such as issuing permits for private projects, constructing public facilities or adopting regulations or plans. To comply with the new law passed by the 2012 state Legislature, Ecology's new rule increases the size and scale of thresholds for building projects local governments can choose to exempt from the SEPA review. Ecology adopts rule for environmental review exemptions

Responders say a main tow line has been attached to a Shell oil-drilling ship that grounded on rocks near a remote Alaska island. Unified Command spokesman Ignacio Gonzalez says the Royal Dutch Shell's Kulluk was attached to the towing vessel about 4 p.m. Sunday. Gonzalez, a Shell employee, says the tow line's tension is being tested on the drill ship grounded off Sitkalidak Island. Tow line attached to grounded drilling ship in Alaska

What becomes of the shuttered Kimberly-Clark mill and surrounding parts of the city's central waterfront hinges on crucial City Council votes expected Wednesday night. The council is weighing two potential visions for the waterfront. One option would continue to set aside the shoreline for water-dependent industry, taking advantage of the property's rare and valuable access to a deep water port and rail lines. The other option would step away from the industrial past. Under that scenario, the 90-plus acres would become home to office parks, light manufacturing and increased public access to the water. Noah Haglund reports. Fate of old Kimberly-Clark mill site up for vote  

A powerful earthquake sparked a tsunami warning along the coastlines of southern Alaska and British Columbia, but the alert was cancelled when no damaging waves were generated. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary reading of 7.5 and struck at 12:50 a.m. PT (11:50 p.m. local time Friday), about 102 kilometres west of Craig, Alaska and some 300 kilometres west-northwest of Prince Rupert, B.C. The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center had issued a tsunami warning for the southern coast of Alaska, stretching for 765 kilometres to the northern tip of Vancouver Island — but the centre cancelled the warning a few hours later.  B.C. tsunami warning cancelled after strong quake  

Federal biologists have attached a small satellite transmitter to one of Puget Sound's killer whales, and a week of tracking may have revealed some important information, they say. The tag was attached to a K-25, a 21-year-old male orca named Scoter, as the orcas passed through Colvos Passage off South Kitsap on Saturday, Dec. 29. Within two days, the male orca — presumably swimming with the rest of K pod — was on his way into the open ocean, according to an online map posted by NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. By Saturday morning, the whales were 25 miles south of Newport, Ore., according to NOAA researcher Brad Hanson. Christopher Dunagan reports. Satellite tags helping track killer whale pod down the coast

The Idle No More movement is gaining support from south of the border as Americans met with Canadians at several border points Saturday, including the Peace Arch crossing south of Vancouver. Idle No More protesters stage Peace Arch demonstration   And: Several hundred protesters blocked the Coho ferry terminal in downtown Victoria Saturday, stranding motorists and adding fuel to the growing Idle No More movement across Canada. Idle No More protesters block Coho ferry traffic

 Environmentalists are ready to give up on the acclaimed Great Bear Rainforest conservation agreement, saying the forest industry is not moving quickly enough to achieve ecological and economic goals in the world’s largest temperate rainforest. The forest industry says a final agreement is achievable and that the industry has come a long way toward getting there. It’s proving difficult, but not impossible, to develop models that reach the conservation goals, given the restraints logging is now under. Gordon Hamilton reports. Environmentalists, forest industry struggle to complete Great Bear Rainforest conservation plan

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 856 AM PST MON JAN 7 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE
 EVENING...THEN RAIN LIKELY.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

12/6 Pollution consumption, coal place holding, Vancouver coal port, Haisla withdrawal, brown pelicans

(NASA)

Marry well, good people. Smoke well, good people. Thanks and rest in peace, Dave Brubeck.

If you like to watch: New NASA images show the Earth's electric light show

As part of setting new limits on water pollution based in part on how much fish people eat, state government is convening meetings of interested parties. But the state’s Indian tribes are refusing to participate. Discouraged by lack of progress, and asserting their rights as sovereign nations, tribes are trying to bypass the state’s process. “We want action, not further discussion,” Andy Whitener of the Squaxin Island Tribe wrote to Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant in a letter turning down an invitation to join a group providing advice. Jordan Schrader reports. As water-quality rules are hatched, tribes sit out

An organization that wants the West Coast’s largest coal export terminal built near Bellingham, Wash., has been hiring temp workers to queue up for hours in advance of public hearings. The tactic has ensured that export terminal backers get to testify while others are turned away from the microphones. But a federal agency insists it won’t be the same story next week in Seattle and Vancouver, Wash., where hearings continue on the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal. Patricia Graesser, a spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing the public meetings, confirmed that the Corps had heard that people were being paid to stand in line. “It has been brought to our attention and our intent for the next two meetings is to ensure that the people who are standing in line are the people who are speaking,” she said. So, the message to both supporters and opponents of the coal export project is clear: no more place-holding at the upcoming meetings – paid or not. Ashley Ahearn reports. Paid Temps Do the Waiting So Coal Backers Don’t Have To    See also:  NW coal port hearing draws 800 at fairgrounds

Plans to build new and expand existing coal-port facilities in Metro Vancouver should not go ahead until the public gets a better chance to discuss the proposed developments, Mayor Gregor Robertson says. In a letter released Wednesday, Mr. Robertson told Robin Silvester, the president and CEO of Port Metro Vancouver, that there has not been adequate opportunity for people to comment on the coal projects. Mark Hume reports. Vancouver mayor urges more public input ahead of coal-port expansion

The Haisla First Nation has pulled out of an organization that has ardently fought the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and called for greener practices in the export of natural gas. The Haisla said they have withdrawn from Coastal First Nations, amid a debate among aboriginal groups about the environmental impact of West Coast industrial development that has now blown out into the open. The move comes as the Haisla shift their position on oil exports from their traditional territory, which some see as evidence that opposition to Gateway is beginning to wane. Nathan Venderklippe reports. Haisla First Nation withdraws from anti-Northern Gateway group  

A large contingent of brown pelicans has dropped into Victoria harbour for what's expected to be a short stay. About two dozen pelicans, including at least two adults, are hanging out on rocky outcroppings - from Ogden Point and Fishermen's Wharf to the small island in the harbour where a wind sock assists the takeoff and landing of float planes. It's not the first time brown pelicans have been spotted in Greater Victoria, but there are more of them than Victoria birder Ann Nightingale has seen at one time. Flock of brown pelicans make rare appearance in Victoria's Inner Harbour  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST THU DEC 6 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
 SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT...BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
 SHOWERS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to: msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.  

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told