11/30 Vic sewer, climate summit, orcas, BNSF spill, BC LNG, karst, fishers, water trade, pay-to-read

Mr. Floatie is engaged (KCTS9)

Victoria's Royal Flush: Lack of Sewage Treatment Still Creating a Cross-Border Stink
After three decades of promises, Victoria, British Columbia, is still pumping raw sewage into shared waters and is nowhere near a treatment solution. In November, heavy rains hit Vancouver Island, and the beaches in and around Victoria, British Columbia, became health hazards. Storm water and sewage overflowed, which happens in Seattle, too. But in Victoria, it’s a more urgent situation because the metropolitan area of 340,000 citizens doesn’t treat its sewage. This is not the vision that people have of Victoria, the elegant and proper capital of British Columbia. “Most people, when they visit Victoria and they are told we don’t have sewage treatment, are shocked,” says Jim McIssac, who heads up the T Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation. Jenny Cunningham reports. (KCTS)

Bill Gates to commit billions for clean energy
Bill Gates will announce the creation of a multibillion-dollar clean-energy fund Monday at the opening of a Paris summit intended to forge a global accord to cut planet-warming emissions, according to people with knowledge of the plans. The fund, which one of the sources described as the largest such effort in history, is meant to pay for research and development of new clean-energy technologies. It will include contributions from other billionaires and philanthropies, and a commitment by the United States to double its budget for clean-energy research and development, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times) See also: Gov. Inslee takes climate-change campaign to Paris conference  Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) And: Olympia mayor headed to Paris for climate summit  (Olympian)

Vancouver's Climate March takes over downtown with thousands
British Columbians turned out in the thousands to walk in Vancouver's Global Climate March. The grassroots movement was led by various environmental groups and First Nations. (CBC) See also: Gregor Robertson talks climate change strategy with Justin Trudeau in Paris  (CBC)

Killer whale salmon catches all in the family, B.C. study finds
A single salmon may represent a mere morsel to a killer whale, but it is still worth sharing with the family, according to a federal Fisheries study of B.C.’s northern resident orcas. “We watched these animals take salmon, break them apart and then share them with one another,” said Brianna Wright, a federal fisheries technician with the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. “That increases your overall fitness because your DNA is shared with everyone and is being passed on. You’re helping your relatives to reproduce and survive.” Speaking at a weekend marine mammal symposium at the University of B.C., Wright noted that neither sex of the killer whales leaves the matriarchical line into which they are born. “It’s highly unusual,” she said. “They’re one of the most … stay-with-family groups of animals that exist.” Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Deal cuts BNSF’s potential hazardous spill fines by 90 percent
Burlington Northern Santa Fe would be fined $71,700 for failing to timely report several hazardous materials spills, including two in Everett, under a settlement reached with Utilities and Transportation Commission staff. Under the proposed deal, commissioners would suspend $40,000 of the penalty as long as the company commits no new violations of the statewide accident reporting rules in the next year. A final order accepting the agreement and imposing the penalty could be issued by the commission before the end of the year. The proposed penalty would be a fraction of the $700,000 in potential fines the company originally faced following an investigation of 14 spills which occurred between Nov. 1, 2014 and Feb. 24, 2015. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

Malahat First Nation's new leadership mulls LNG plant
It is still unclear what a new Malahat First Nation chief and council will mean for a contentious floating liquefied natural gas plant proposed for its land on Saanich Inlet. A few weeks after electing Caroline Harry as chief, the First Nation isn’t saying much about any new direction or concern it has about the project that was undertaken in partnership with Steelhead LNG by the previous leadership. Malahat chief executive officer Lawrence Lewis said the new chief and council are being briefed. Andrew Duffy reports. (Times Colonist) See also: B.C. LNG sector opposes fast increase in carbon tax Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Inside a fragile landscape
A network of magnificent canyons of marble and limestone known as karst dot B.C.’s coastline — and advocates worry logging is putting them in danger. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Endangered fisher to be reintroduced into Cascade Mountains
A weasel-like predator that disappeared from Washington state decades ago will soon be reintroduced to the Cascade Mountains. State and federal wildlife officials are preparing to re-establish fishers into Mount Rainier and North Cascades national parks and surrounding areas as part of an effort to restore the state-listed endangered animals to their previous range. The dark brown forest-dwelling mammals historically were found throughout much of the forested areas of the state. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Cantwell measure allows more irrigation in return for fish, land protections
Getting U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s bill through committee was definitely a milestone — but whether it marked progress forward toward a more rational and cooperative future or back toward a discredited past will get you an argument. Either way, S. 1694, the Yakima Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase III Act of 2015, sponsored by Cantwell and co-sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, has been passed by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, a significant step toward enactment. Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut)

Can we be persuaded to pay for online news?
Got any idea of how to make money from news in the online era? Well prepare for the media giants to beat a path to your door, as they struggle with plunging print advertising revenues and an audience that seems to think news should be free. Rory Cellan-Jones reports. (BBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON NOV 30 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 15 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 14 SECONDS BUILDING TO SW 11 FT AT 11 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.

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11/23 Jellies, humpbacks, crabs, Dungeness Bay, climate, coal, LNG, Alaska drill, Gulf dolphins, salty sewer

Lion’s mane jellyfish (Alexander Semenov/Daily Mail)

Pull, not push, propels jellyfish and lampreys, according to new study
Jellyfish suck, but that’s not what most people believe about their method of locomotion. It seems more likely that jellyfish thrust themselves through the water by pushing the water behind them. But complex experiments in fluid dynamics suggest that jellyfish, as well as eel-like lampreys, actually pull themselves forward by creating a low-pressure region ahead…. The new findings were published this month in Nature Communications. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Saving Our Water Ways)

Humpback comeback: They're ‘popping up everywhere’
The influx of whales in waters near Victoria is being hailed as a “humpback comeback,” as it represents one of the biggest upticks in cetacean activity in recent years. Researchers, marine scientists and whale-watching guides who cover the water between Victoria and Seattle have all reported significant humpback activity as the species begins to repopulate the Salish Sea, which includes the Strait of Georgia, Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound. Mike Devlin reports. (Times Colonist)

Oregon and Washington delay crab season because of toxin
Oregon and Washington have joined California in delaying the start of their commercial crab seasons after dangerous toxin levels were found in the crabs. Officials say elevated levels of domoic acid were found in crabs in all three states. The toxin is naturally produced by microscopic algae in the Pacific Ocean, but the massive bloom of algae caused by warming ocean conditions this year has led to more toxins produced and consumed by shellfish. California had already delayed the Nov. 15 start of its season after finding dangerous levels of the toxin. (Associated Press)

Agencies honored for cleanup of Dungeness Bay, upgrading of shellfish beds
Collaboration among many agencies improved shellfish harvesting in Dungeness Bay, said the director of the Puget Sound Partnership at a ceremony honoring those who worked to clean up the bay. Members of the Sequim-Dungeness Clean Water Work Group were recognized Friday afternoon for their work to upgrade 728 acres of harvestable shellfish beds in Dungeness Bay. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

King County judge denies kids’ petition on climate change
A judge has denied an appeal by eight young activists who petitioned Washington state to adopt stricter science-based regulations to protect them against climate change. King County Superior Court Judge Hollis Hill affirmed some of the children’s arguments, saying the state has a duty to protect natural resources for future generations. But she said the Washington Department of Ecology is already working on meeting that obligation by writing new rules for greenhouse-gas emissions ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Coal export terminals: A source of jobs, or coal dust and climate change?
Two proposed coal export terminals in Washington are now undergoing environmental reviews. During an Oct. 19, 2015, visit to the proposed terminal site in Longview, a local resident explains why she opposes the coal terminal being built. Meanwhile, lawmakers from Washington, Wyoming and Montana told reporters at a press conference at the site that they need the jobs and economic boost the coal terminal would bring. Melissa Santos reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Coal not going away anytime soon despite renewables push
Coal: Can’t live with it and can’t live without it, at least not yet. It is the biggest source of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that negotiators around the world hope to limit in an agreement soon to be thrashed out in Paris. Demand for coal is leveling off, but it will remain a key energy source for decades, no matter how many billions of dollars of investment go into cleaner energy like wind and solar. Too much of the world depends on it for heating and power generation to suddenly live without it. Louise Watt reports. (Associated Press)

Analysis: Pressure to cut climate gases poses challenges for LNG
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new Liberal government and Christy Clark’s B.C. government get more serious about reducing carbon emissions, the nascent liquefied natural gas sector could face new challenges. Trudeau is meeting with premiers Monday to discuss the country’s strategy at climate talks in Paris next month, where countries will set new emissions targets. He has said his government will put a price on carbon, set emission-reduction targets and adopt tougher environmental reviews for energy projects. Gordon Hoekstra writes. (Vancouver Sun)

ConocoPhillips approves $900 million project in National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
ConocoPhillips has approved funding for its Greater Mooses Tooth development on Alaska's North Slope, a $900 million project expected to yield 30,000 barrels of oil daily at its peak. Production is expected to begin in 2018 at the field in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, an Indiana-sized Arctic reserve. Production at the field would be the first time oil has flowed from federal lands on the reserve. Oil also recently began flowing from the oil company's CD5 project within the reserve boundaries, but that was on land owned by Alaska Native corporations. Alex DeMarban reports. (Alaska Dispatch News)

Births Down and Deaths Up in Gulf Dolphins Affected by Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
…. This trend of reproductive failure and death in Gulf dolphins over five years of monitoring after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill is outlined in a November 2015 study led by NOAA and published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the Royal Society. Of the 10 Barataria Bay dolphins confirmed to be pregnant during the 2011 health assessment, only two successfully gave birth to calves that have survived. This unusually low rate of reproductive success—only 20%—stands in contrast to the 83% success rate in the generally healthier dolphins being studied in Florida's Sarasota Bay, an area not affected by Deepwater Horizon oil. (NOAA)

Costco says it won’t sell genetically modified salmon
Costco said Friday it does not intend to sell genetically modified salmon at this time, joining a list of retailers that say they will not sell the fish despite the approval Thursday by the federal Food and Drug Administration of such fish for human consumption. “Although the FDA has approved the sale of GM salmon, Costco has not sold and does not intend to sell GM salmon at this time,” the warehouse store chain said in a statement Friday. (Seattle Times, Associated Press)

Shell fined $77,000 for incident that caused odor
Shell Puget Sound Refinery was fined $77,000 on Nov. 10 for a February incident that brought numerous complaints of an odor. The state Department of Labor & Industries fined the refinery for two violations relating to improper operation of a flare, a gas combustion device that burns off substances that shouldn’t go airborne. The flare also prevents fires or explosions. The more serious violation alleges the refinery skipped decontamination steps when shutting down a flare for maintenance. Skipping those steps exposed workers to toxic substances, according to Labor & Industries. Aaron Weinberg reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Metro composting company seeks permit for higher emissions
Organics composter Harvest Power is seeking an air quality permit to increase its “authorized emissions” after significantly exceeding air and odour emissions for the past two years. The Richmond-based company, which composts most of Metro Vancouver’s food scraps, has asked the regional district to approve a permit based on “characterization studies” over the past two years that show emissions were more significant than expected, in some cases 11 times higher for certain compounds. Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Bremerton: Sewer saltwater coming from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
More saltwater is flowing into city sewers from the Navy’s home base, putting the city’s sewers at risk, the Kitsap Sun reported. While saltwater is not unusual in a sewer system surrounded by Puget Sound, the increased amount of saltwater could increase corrosion, rust and increase odors in the city’s system, the paper reported. The saltwater amounts are double their usual levels, Pat Coxon, the city’s wastewater treatment manager told the Sun. City and Navy officials have not been able to solve the problem, the Sun reported. John White reports. (KCPQ)

Feiro Marine Life Center preparing to say goodbye to Ursula the octopus as time for her release nears
Ursula, a giant Pacific octopus has been living at the Feiro Marine Life Center for over a year and a half, but now it’s time to go. Ursula has been living at the center on City Pier since February 2014 when she was caught at Freshwater Bay. Mark Swanson reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Anacortes fifth-graders help restore Bowman Bay
Bracing against the wind at Deception Pass State Park’s Bowman Bay, 10-year-old EmmaLee Grove put the force of her entire body into digging a hole on the beach’s newly restored shoreline. When the hole was sufficiently deep, EmmaLee and her best friend Kadence Yonkman placed the roots of a small, leafless tree — which they had named Wilbur — into it, then covered the roots with rich, dark gray mud. Kera Wanielista reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 232 AM PST MON NOV 23 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT THIS AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 14 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN
 THE MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 10 FT AT
 11 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT. RAIN LIKELY IN THE EVENING...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY 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.

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11/18 Nooksack dace, Stanley Park seawall, stormwater fees, BC pipe, climate change, BC LNG, Big Oil, El Nino

Nooksack dace (PHOTO: Mike Pearson)

Stoney Creek spill leaves endangered fish either homeless or 'buried alive', biologist fears
Washouts along the banks of a fish-bearing creek in Burnaby may have seriously harmed a rare little fish that's so endangered in Canada it's found in only four streams, says biologist Mike Pearson. The fish is the Nooksack dace, and one of those four streams — Stoney Creek on Burnaby Mountain — recently had a bank cave in at a City of Burnaby construction site, sending sand and silt into the water….. You might not be familiar with the Nooksack dace, but streamkeepers and environmentalists have been working since the 1990s to stop the freshwater fish from going extinct, even taking the federal government to court over its failure to protect it. (CBC)

If you like to watch: Photos: Section of Stanley Park Seawall collapses from wind, waves
 A large section of the seawall — from Third Beach to the Lions Gate Bridge — will be closed for up to a month while crews repair Monday’s damage. Wind and waves are being blamed for the collapse, with climate change a major contributing factor. Here are pictures from Monday's collapse. (Vancouver Sun)

New stormwater fees set to address flooding, drain problems
A new stormwater fee is set to appear on next year's tax statements for about 4,800 property owners in unincorporated Snohomish County. That and other changes to stormwater fees were approved by the County Council on Monday. The county's Surface Water Management Division is expected to receive an extra $1 million per year as a result. The money will pay for projects to lessen problems with drainage and flooding. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Efforts to stop Kinder Morgan review unlikely to succeed
A lobbying campaign calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to stop the federal review of Kinder Morgan’s pipeline expansion is doomed to fail, experts say. There is no clear legislative basis for Ottawa to agree to the suspension requests sent earlier this month from Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan and from a coalition of environmental groups, they say. Peter O'Neil reports. (Vancouver Sun)

State of Knowledge: Climate Change in Puget Sound
A 2015 report from the University of Washington provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of the expected impacts of climate change on the Puget Sound region. (Encyclopedia of Puget Sound)

Climate change stickers mandatory on North Vancouver gas pumps
North Vancouver, B.C. is believed to be the first city in the world to make climate change warning labels mandatory on gas pumps. The city council passed the bylaw unanimously in a vote on Monday night.  Rob Shirkey, the founder of the Our Horizons not-for-profit group championing this cause, called the vote a "historic global first." He said other Canadian and American cities have come close by supporting similar initiatives, but the City of North Vancouver is the first to make it mandatory. Tamara Baluja reports. (CBC)

LNG terminal ‘not likely’ to harm Flora Bank
Flora Bank is a resilient area that would emerge unscathed in the event that liquefied natural gas is produced on Lelu Island, a report commissioned by Pacific NorthWest LNG concludes. Visible at low tide, Flora Bank contains eelgrass that nurtures juvenile salmon in the Skeena River estuary near Prince Rupert. Pacific NorthWest LNG, led by Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas, wants to build an $11.4-billion export terminal on Lelu Island, which is located next to Flora Bank. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Will the "tobacco strategy" work against Big Oil?
According to InsideClimate News, the office of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman had been investigating ExxonMobil for a year before it issued a recent subpoena for “documents on what Exxon knew about climate change and what it told shareholders and the public.” The subpoena compelled ExxonMobil to hand over scientific research and communications about climate change dating back to 1977. (Exxon and Mobil merged to become a single corporation in 1999.) The investigation is based on New York State’s consumer-protection and general-business laws and, crucially, the state’s Martin Act, InsideClimate News reported. That statute prohibits fraud or misrepresentation in the sale of securities and commodities, and gives the Attorney General extraordinary power to fight financial fraud. Lincoln Caplan reports. (The New Yorker)

Pacific Ocean temperatures hint at a record El Niño
Temperatures in a key area of the Pacific Ocean west of Peru rose to 5.4 degrees above average for the week of Nov. 11, exceeding the highest comparable reading for the most powerful El Niño on record, in 1997. Rong-Gong Lin II and Rosanna Xia report. (LA Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 250 AM PST WED NOV 18 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PST THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
NW WIND 15 TO 25 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LESS THAN 1 FT. W
 SWELL 14 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING E TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF 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.

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11/17 Stormin', Hood Canal, microbes, BC LNG, Gates fuels, future floods, Billy Frank, Jr., green audit, VW suit

Surf smelt

If you like to watch: Forage Fish of the Salish Sea
Forage fish are a critical keystone species in the marine food web. This film sponsored by Friends of Skagit Beaches and WA Dept. of Ecology highlights the importance of these small fish to the ecology, economy, and identity of the Pacific Northwest. This is the fourth in a series of student made films featuring the work of promising young filmmakers from Western Washington University and Anacortes High School. The film created by Jesse Nichols (WWU) was premiered as part of the Friends fall film series "Films with Friends" in October 2015.

Severe wind warning issued for Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island  (CBC) and Northwest forecast: 65-mph wind gusts, falling trees, full rivers, mountain snow  (Seattle Times)

Senate hearing to explore DNR easement to Navy that blocks pit-to-pier
A state Senate committee has scheduled a hearing this week to determine whether the state Department of Natural Resources acted properly in determining the amount the Navy would pay for a 55-year easement that restricts development on Hood Canal aquatic land. The easement blocks a project known as “pit-to-pier.” The Accountability and Reform Committee is scheduled to address the topic at 8 a.m. Thursday in Senate Hearing Room 2 in the John A. Cherberg Building, 304 15th Ave. S.W., Olympia. The pact between DNR and the Navy, which went into effect in August 2014, is a barrier to a Thorndyke Resources proposal to build a 998-foot pier on state-owned tidelands 5 miles south of the Hood Canal Bridge. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Microbes that are key indicators of Puget Sound’s health in decline
Paleontologists with the University of Washington’s Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture find that tiny organisms called foraminifera have a big story to tell about the health of Puget Sound. Two recent studies about the health of Bellingham Bay and inlets in the Bremerton area found the diversity and number of foraminifera — single-celled marine organisms that live on the sea floor — deteriorated significantly. The decline of these microscopic organisms is consistent with the deterioration of snails and other larger marine animals, even though analysis showed a reduction of chemical pollutants in Bellingham Bay and Bremerton over the same period of time. Andrea Godinez reports. (UW Today)

B.C. LNG project in Tsawwassen to be voted on by First Nation
The Tsawwassen First Nation will proceed with a vote on plans to build an LNG export facility just north of the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, it announced on Monday. "The preliminary concept looks at a plan somewhere between three million and five million metric tonnes per annum," said Tsawwassen First Nation spokesman Chris Hartman.  "In terms of tanker traffic associated with that, probably somewhere in the range of four to five LNG carriers a month, or about one a week." (CBC)

Gates Foundation cuts fossil fuel investments — but why?
Almost every day for the past several months, protesters gathered outside the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Seattle headquarters, exhorting the world’s richest philanthropy to fight climate change by pulling its investments from fossil-fuel companies. As usual when it comes to questions about its portfolio, the foundation responded with silence. But tax documents posted Monday show that the foundation has significantly scaled back its holdings in some of the world’s biggest oil, coal and gas companies. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

UW study: Puget Sound area may face more flooding as climate gets warmer
A University of Washington climate-change study for Puget Sound forecasts a temperature rise of 2.9 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit by midcentury, resulting in wide-ranging shifts as more storms bring rain rather than snow. A warming climate is expected to result in an increase in flood risks even as overall precipitation is predicted to remain roughly the same. That’s because the climate models indicate more rain will fall during the winter when rivers already are at higher levels, and intense storms will become more frequent. Sea-level rise also can contribute to flooding as storm surges become a bigger threat. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

The late Billy Frank Jr. and Ruckelshaus to receive Medal of Honor
Two influential figures from Washington state, each with a long record of environmental leadership, were named Monday as recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Billy Frank Jr., the former chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and a treaty-rights leader, and William D. Ruckelshaus, the first administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are receiving the highest civilian honor in the U.S. The two advocated for and worked on environmental issues for decades. Rachel Lerman reports. (Seattle Times)

If you like to watch: Video: Billy Frank Jr. Street Gets First Sign In Bellingham
Bellingham has renamed Indian Street Billy Frank Jr. Street in honor of the late Native American fishing rights activist. A small group gathered Monday morning, Nov. 16, to watch public works' Tom Oberlander post the first sign at Laurel Street. (Bellingham Herald)

Environmental groups no longer under audit threat  
They’re handing out Vancouver Island’s National Philanthropy Day awards at The Empress this afternoon, rewarding those who volunteer for non-profits. Happily, supporters of environmental charities need not wear fake noses and glasses this year. Buried among all the changes announced in Ottawa last week was this: After three years of using tax audits to threaten Canadian green groups, the federal government in changing course. This goes back to 2012, when the Harper government allocated $8 million to audit the political activities of charities — the threat being that those deemed too political could lose their tax status. The Conservatives denied that the audits were politically motivated, but it was hard to ignore that they were introduced at the same time Harperites were muttering about “radical” environmentalists bogging down the Northern Gateway pipeline-approval process. Jack Knox reports. (Times Colonist)

Washington Takes Legal Action Over Volkswagen's Diesel Pollution
Washington is taking legal action against Volkswagen in the wake of a diesel vehicle scandal. Back in September, Volkswagen admitted to installing special software in some of its diesel vehicles, causing them to give false readings during pre-sale air quality tests. Forty-seven states, including Washington and Oregon announced investigations.  Now Washington has given the company formal notice that they violated the state’s Clean Air Act. Jes Burns reports. (EarthFix)

Groundwater is mostly non-renewable, study finds
The water that supplies aquifers and wells that billions of people rely on around the world is mostly a non-renewable resource that could run out, a new Canadian-led study has found. While many people may think groundwater is replenished by rain and melting snow the way lakes and rivers are, underground water is actually renewed much more slowly. In fact, just six per cent of the groundwater around the world is replenished within a "human lifetime" of 50 years, reports University of Victoria hydrogeologist Tom Gleeson and his collaborators in a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience today. Emily Chung reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 246 AM PST TUE NOV 17 2015
STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
SW WIND 30 TO 40 KT...RISING TO 40 TO 50 KT. COMBINED SEAS 14 TO 16 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS...BUILDING
 TO 19 TO 20 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
TONIGHT
W WIND 35 TO 45 KT...EASING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 17 TO 20 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF
 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE EVENING...THEN A CHANCE OF 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.

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11/16 Tanker ban, BC pipe, storm poop, BC CG, Lummi life, toxic crab, KPLU sold, rail bridges, Tacoma LNG

(PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Stone-Faced
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Over time, the sandstone shores of our region have been eroded by the elements, producing all manner of fascinating textures, patterns and visual oddities. I’ve written before about the natural art gallery you can find here and its strange shape-shifting tendency. When the tide is right, you can find some pretty interesting “faces” along many stretches of shoreline in the Gulf Islands. This one, off Portland Island, jumped out at me when I was rowing our dinghy there this summer – though I’m not sure whether its open mouth was welcoming me or warning me off."

Trudeau bans oil tankers on B.C.'s north coast, threatening pipeline plan; But Enbridge says it will proceed with Northern Gateway
Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway plan is, at least for now, dead in the water after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a letter of instruction Friday telling his transport minister to ban oil tanker traffic on British Columbia’s north coast. A ban would prevent hundreds of tankers each year from carrying diluted bitumen extracted from Alberta’s oilsands and piped to northern B.C. from being shipped for export overseas. Brian Morton reports. (Vancouver Sun)

100 groups urge Trudeau to end pipeline reviews
Environmental, community and business groups are pushing for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to shut down a pair of pipeline reviews before heading to Paris for climate talks. The City of Burnaby, the Georgia Strait Alliance, Greenpeace Canada and the Sierra Club B.C. are among 100 groups seeking a halt to National Energy Board reviews of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain expansion and TransCanada’s Energy East proposal. In a joint letter sent Thursday to Trudeau, the groups say the reviews should be put on hold until fundamental flaws in the process are fixed…. Trudeau has voiced his support for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but has also said the approval system is broken and designed to support the previous government’s objectives. The Liberals have pledged to overhaul the federal environmental review process so future projects would have the public trust. Matt Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)

B.C. storm causes sewage overflows in Greater Victoria
The heavy rains that hit B.C. on Thursday have caused the Capital Regional District to advise people to stay away from beaches on southern Vancouver Island, after storm water and sewage combined to create overflows. The waste water is pumped, raw, into the Strait of Juan de Fuca by the CRD municipalities, and now the CRD has advised the public not to wade along the shorelines or allow their pets into the water in the core area of Greater Victoria. (CBC) See also: Sewage flood forces Savary Island Pie Company to lay off 35 staff  Matthew Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Trudeau orders Kitsilano Coast Guard station re-opened
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ordered Vancouver's Kitsilano Coast Guard station re-opened in a mandate letter to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Hunter Tootoo. The move was promised during Trudeau's election campaign, and is included in a list of initiatives the prime minister labeled "top priorities" in his letter. Max Haberstroh reports. (CBC) See also: Justin Trudeau makes Coast Guard fleet refresh 'top priority'  (CBC)

For Lummis, fishing is more than a living — it’s a way of life
Members of Lummi Nation say that for them, fishing is different. Tribal and nontribal fishers alike must keep to the seasons and mind their catch quotas. Still, for most Washington residents, fishing is a privilege granted by the state government, said Jay Julius, a Lummi member who has a seat on the tribe’s council. The tribe, on the other hand, has been fishing for 150 generations, Julius said. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Calif. boats sit idle as algae threatens Dungeness crab season
San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf typically bustles this time of year as workers prepare to haul millions of pounds of Dungeness crab that are a tradition at Thanksgiving and other holiday meals. But crab pots are sitting empty on docks, boats are idled and fishermen are anxiously waiting for California authorities to open the lucrative Dungeness crab season. California has delayed the Nov. 15 start of its commercial crab season after finding dangerous levels of a toxin in crabs. Officials in Oregon and Washington are testing crab samples and will decide soon whether to open its coastal season by Dec. 1 as planned. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Manchester stormwater project to help clean up Puget Sound
On a rainy day in Manchester Nov. 6, a cluster of people gathered to celebrate completion of Kitsap County’s stormwater retrofit project. The park has been named qaqad, which translated means “a place to dry clams,” and will serve as a stormwater purification area for runoff from more than 80 acres of surrounding land…. The project took shape in 2009 after the Stormwater Advisory Committee was established at the request of the Manchester community. Sara Miller reports. (Port Orchard Independent)

University of Washington will buy KPLU-FM, pull the plug on its news operation
Pacific Lutheran University announced Thursday that it will sell its broadcasting licenses to the University of Washington, in a plan that will turn the current KPLU at 88.5 FM into an all-music, all-jazz station while KUOW at 94.9 FM becomes the Seattle outlet for National Public Radio and Northwest news…. The sale is expected to close in 2016 when FCC approval is received. The purchase price for KPLU and its assets is $8 million, with $7 million in cash and $1 million of “underwriting announcements” over 10 years. Proceeds from the sale will go to Pacific Lutheran’s endowment, which currently totals $85 million. The sale, and change of formats, will deprive the Puget Sound area of a first-rate news operation. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.com)

Study adds 37 species to Salish Sea’s fish list, bringing total to 253
…. A new analysis published this fall puts the region’s total number of fish species at 253. That includes 37 species never before documented in the Salish Sea — the 6,500-square-mile expanse that includes Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands and the Strait of Georgia. And since the report, “Fishes of the Salish Sea: A Compilation and Distributional Analysis,” was finished, scientists have added another five to the list. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

Environment groups' study calls attention to rail bridge safety
Environment groups from throughout the country say government oversight, industry transparency and safety standards fall short when it comes to railroad bridges that in recent years have seen an increase in the number of oil trains that cross them. A study released Tuesday titled “Deadly Crossings: Neglected Bridges and Exploding Oil Trains,” urges government and industry officials to take action to prevent derailments such as the one that killed 47 in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, in July 2013 or the one that spilled burning oil into the James River in Lynchburg, Virginia, earlier this year. The study comes from RE Sources in Bellingham, which collaborated with international environment groups ForestEthics and the Waterkeeper Alliance to develop the report. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tacoma Moves Ahead On Plans For A Liquefied Natural Gas Plant At The Port
Plans for a liquefied natural gas facility at the Port of Tacoma are one step closer to reality, after the Tacoma City Council passed a resolution to move ahead on an agreement with the port about the project. Puget Sound Energy says it needs a place to store natural gas and the way to do that is to chill it to a liquid form. So the company wants to spend $275 million to build the plant which would convert the gas to a liquid and then keep it on port property in a 140-foot-tall storage tank. Ashley Gross reports. (KPLU)

Explosive tanks carried in unmarked cars
Every work day, a small fleet of vehicles travels the roads and highways of Western Washington carrying cargo that, if mishandled or damaged in an accident, can explode. The fleet is not comprised of SUVs or heavy trucks equipped to safely transport cargo that could explode if not handled properly. The cargo is compressed hydrogen gas, and it is transported into neighborhoods and business districts, near schools, playgrounds, coffee shops and senior centers -- in ordinary cars…. The company responsible is Puget Sound Energy, the big utility serving hundreds of thousands of customers. The hydrogen gas, ironically, is used to make sure PSE's network of natural gas pipes running under nearly community are not leaking. Chris Ingalls reports. (KING)

Cadboro Bay threatens to secede over Saanich’s ecological bylaw
The Cadboro Bay Residents Association is threatening to separate its neighbourhood from Saanich if a controversial Environmental Development Permit Area bylaw isn’t changed by next spring. The bylaw, introduced in 2012, affects about 2,000 residents. It kicks in with restrictions and requirements when someone tries to build on land that the bylaw deems to be a rare ecosystem or vital habitat…. In a heated four-hour townhall meeting at the Garth Homer Society on Thursday, the threat was cheered by the more than 300 people who packed the meeting space and spilled into the hallways. The majority of residents were angry and asked councillors to rip up the bylaw or remake it. Cindy Harnett reports. (Times Colonist)

To save the orcas, do we need to demolish dams?
The show is over — at least it’s almost over. SeaWorld has announced that next year, it will phase out its killer whale performances in San Diego. The theme park has been under fire — and, perhaps more importantly, losing visitors — ever since the 2013 movie Blackfish documented its abusive treatment of captive killer whales. But the whales – endangered Puget Sound orcas, if you prefer – need more than just to be freed from captivity. Not surprisingly, they need to eat. Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut)

Have a whale of a time at Langley’s new center dedicated to Puget Sound whales
The Langley Whale Center is drawing an increasing number of visitors to its new location in Langley... The move is next door to the previous location but provides far more visibility and double the space for educational displays, information and a gift shop. They also have a lending library for books and DVD’s relating to Puget Sound whales…. The Langley Whale Center is a project of Orca Network, which is based in Freeland, Washington, and is a non-profit started by Howard Garrett and his wife, Susan Berta, in the 1990’s. The organization is dedicated to raising awareness of the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats. Carolyn Tamler On reports. (Whidbey News Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 259 AM PST MON NOV 16 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
 GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING
TODAY
S WIND 15 TO 25 KT...RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS...
 SUBSIDING TO 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS AFTER
 MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 9 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.

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11/10 SeaWorld, BC LNG, tribe climate, winter prep, Vic sewer trees, night tide walk, cruiser trippers

SeaWorld San Diego (John Gastaldo/San Diego Union Bulletin)

Killer Whales to Take Final Bows at SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld said on Monday that it planned to phase out next year its San Diego killer whale performance, a central point for criticism of how its animals are treated. The company, which also has parks in Orlando, Fla., and San Antonio, said in a company document posted on Monday that it would replace its theatrical Shamu show in San Diego with an “informative” experience that has a “conservation message inspiring people to act.” The announcement does not affect shows with orcas at the parks in Texas and Florida, said Fred Jacobs, a company spokesman. Daniel Victor reports. (NY Times) See also: Washington Senator Plans To Reintroduce Orca, Dolphin Captivity Ban  …. Democratic state Senator Kevin Ranker cautiously welcomed the news about SeaWorld phasing out its orca shows in San Diego.Austin Jenkins reports. (NW PUblic Radio)

Activist group urges Trudeau to block LNG project to protect B.C. salmon
A new alliance formed by aboriginal leaders and environmental activists wants the newly elected Liberal government to block a liquefied natural gas project in northwestern British Columbia. Donnie Wesley, a Lax Kw’alaams tribal chief who started a protest camp in August on the site of the proposed LNG terminal, is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna to take action to protect juvenile salmon habitat. Mr. Wesley has enlisted the backing of nearly 80 native groups, environmental organizations, unions and an array of other supporters.  Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Washington Tribe Confronts Climate Change, Sea Level Rise
A big question will confront international leaders in the next round of climate talks in Paris: How do they help poor, island and coastal nations threatened by rising oceans, extreme weather and other climate change-related risks? In the Northwest, sea-level rise is forcing a Native American tribe to consider abandoning lands it has inhabited for thousands of years. Ashley Ahearn reports. (KUOW)

Snow coming to Cascades, storms to Western Washington  Jack Broom reports. (Seattle Times) More rain on the way for Metro Vancouver after record-setting weekend storm  Bethany Lindsay reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Vancouver prepares for winter flooding, 'King Tides'
Vancouver city crews sandbagged a two-block stretch of sidewalk along Locarno Beach on Monday, to guard against the possibility of storm-driven flooding during seasonal high tides later this month. The sandbags have become an annual precaution along the low-lying stretch of Northwest Marine Drive between Tolmie and Trimble streets. But city officials say a more permanent solution is planned in anticipation of a future of increasingly intense and more frequent storms, and higher sea levels due to climate change. Glen Schaefer reports. (Vancouver Sun)

How rejecting a sewage plant led to removing 5,000 trees
The impending cut of nearly 5,000 trees on Watkiss Way to make way for a hay farm complies with Saanich and B.C. regulations, but has raised questions about the unintended consequences of recent council decisions, as well as concerns about climate change…. The vast majority of the fir and cedar trees on 24 acres behind Victoria General Hospital — purchased two years ago by Allen Vandekerkhove — will be taken down…. Given the loss of so many trees, it would have been wiser had council voted last summer to forward the site to Capital Region District directors for consideration for a sewage treatment plant, said Mayor Richard Atwell. That motion was defeated twice, 5-4 and on a 4-4 tie, largely because of opposition voiced by councillors to using a property in B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve for a sewage project, he said. Katherine Dednya reports. (Times Colonist)

Nighttime low tide walk an otherworldly experience
After a hiatus of a few years, a pair of local naturalists are offering a guided tide-pool walk during an extreme low tide next month — an event that occurs at night in winter. Scouring the shallows during an extreme low tide can be an otherworldly experience. Tide pool exploration is even more fascinating at night, said Holly Roger of Wild Whatcom, a local nonprofit dedicated to outdoors education. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

More cruise visitors expected next year on bigger ships
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority marked the end of a record cruise-ship season with the arrival of Princess Cruises’ Star Princess at Ogden Point on Monday. Overall, the harbour authority welcomed 227 ship visits and about 533,000 passengers in 2015 — up from 206 ship visits and about 465,000 passengers the previous year. “It’s a record year,” said Ian Robertson, chief executive officer of the harbour authority…. Robertson said the harbour authority expects the same number of ships in 2016, but even more passengers as cruise lines continue to increase the size of their ships. Lindsay Kines reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE NOV 10 2015
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY
TODAY
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING. CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING W AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 10 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS. RAIN.

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"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.

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11/3 Elwha, Keystone, BC LNG, Qwuloolt Estuary, Still Cr., Snake salmon, pesticide ban, Bowman Bay, Vic bags

Elwha River 11/2/15 (Tom Roorda/CWI)

Elwha River November 2, 2015
Anne Shaffer at Coastal Watershed Institute writes: "The day after the weekend rain event during which the Elwha flows jumped from 2000 to over 12000 cfs in less than 8 hours. Flows then dropped back to pre-storm cfs overnight. Classic Elwha. The high flow combined with fall high tide and the entire Elwha west estuary (not blocked by a dike) was reactivated. The result? Juvenile steelhead, coho, and Chinook were abundant. Also, (for the first time in over a decade of sampling), we caught a number of large, powerful, adult chum in our sets. We’ve said it before: chum are absolutely critical for the restoration of the watershed ecosystem."

TransCanada asks US to suspend pipeline application review
TransCanada, the company behind the controversial Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the U.S Gulf Coast, has asked the U.S. State Department to pause its review of the project. The move comes as the Obama administration increasingly appears likely to reject the pipeline permit application before leaving office in January 2017. TransCanada said Monday it had sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry requesting that the State Department suspend its review of the pipeline application. The pipeline company said such a suspension would be appropriate while it works with Nebraska authorities to secure approval of its preferred route through the state that is facing legal challenges in state courts. TransCanada anticipated it would take seven to 12 months to get route approval from Nebraska authorities. Rob Gillies reports. (Associated Press)

Steelhead LNG must cross the Salish Sea before its proposed facilities can be built
The list of obstacles before liquefied natural gas project proponents in British Columbia is long and daunting. The laundry list includes the need to secure off-take agreements with Asian customers, to sign rights of way for pipelines through First Nations territory and to lock in financing for their multi-billion-dollar facilities in a capital-constrained energy market. But for Nigel Kuzemko, CEO of Steelhead LNG, there’s an additional obstacle: the Salish Sea.... Before Steelhead LNG sanctions the construction of either of its two proposed LNG facilities on the south end of Vancouver Island, which many observers say is an unlikely location for such a project, the company will need to build a pipeline across and under that sea. Geoffrey Morgan reports. (Financial Times)

After levee breach, marine life returns to Qwuloolt Estuary
It's been two months since the levee at the Qwuloolt Estuary was breached, letting the tides return to the lowlands for the first time in a century. There are early signs that the action is having its intended effect. “We're already seeing marine species like smelt come in,” said Morgan Ruff, the Snohomish Basin Capital Program Coordinator for the Tulalip Tribes. Biologists monitoring the changes to the landscape have also caught an adult coho salmon in the new estuary. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald)

Vancouver's Still Creek sees salmon for fourth year running
Chum salmon have returned to spawn in an urban creek in East Vancouver for the fourth year in a row, leaving biologists feeling "pretty excited" about the potential to return city landscapes to their natural states.  "It really indicates that if we can improve these systems more, if we can work on the watershed, if we can open up stream channels that are buried now, we can get these kinds of fish back into our city," said Vancouver Park Board biologist Nick Page. The city has been working since 2002 to restore the Still Creek corridor to its natural habitat, a process sometimes referred to as "rewilding." (CBC)

Feds Release Plan For Recovering Snake River Salmon
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a draft plan Monday for recovering threatened Snake River fall chinook salmon – fish that have to pass eight Columbia and Snake River dams to reach their spawning grounds. In the past, nearly a half million of these fish returned to the Snake River each year. But with overfishing, dam construction and habitat loss, those numbers dropped to just a few hundred by 1992, when the fish were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The construction of the three Hells Canyon Complex dams wiped out one of only two populations of the species and blocked the fish from reaching about 80 percent of their historic spawning grounds in Idaho and Eastern Oregon. Cassandra Proffita reports. (EarthFix)

EPA may ban common pesticide used on fruits and vegetables
A common pesticide used on citrus fruits, almonds and other crops would be banned under a proposal announced Friday by the Environmental Protection Agency. The proposal would prohibit use of chlorpyrifos, a widely used insecticide that is sprayed on a variety of crops including oranges, apples, cherries, grapes, broccoli and asparagus. The pesticide, in use since 1965, has sickened dozens of farmworkers in recent years. Traces have been found in waterways, threatening fish, and regulators say overuse could make targeted insects immune to the pesticide. Matthew Daly reports. (Associated Press)

Bowman Bay project personal for park manager
 As Bowman Bay glittered under the sun Monday, massive orange machinery dug, dumped and distributed dirt along the shoreline. Trimaxx Construction Inc. of Sedro-Woolley is in the midst of a Northwest Straits Foundation beach restoration project, where about 1,300 cubic yards of rocks are being removed to improve fish habitat and open up the area to more recreation. The beach at Bowman Bay is part of Deception Pass State Park. It is on the south end of Fidalgo Island. For Deception Pass State Park Manager Jack Hartt, the project is something he dreamed up 40 years ago, and at a place he has known since he was 4 years old. Kimberley Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Victoria eyes ban on single-use plastic bags
Victoria councillors are considering whether to bring in a bylaw banning city retailers from providing single-use plastic bags. Councillors Ben Isitt and Jeremy Loveday are sponsoring a motion that calls on the city to implement the ban and on Mayor Lisa Helps to write to all the other municipalities and electoral areas in the Capital Regional District urging them to follow suit. If the city gave first reading to such a bylaw, it would be the first city on Vancouver Island and the first Canadian capital city to do so.  Bill Cleverely reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PST TUE NOV 3 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
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"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.

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10/29 Bull trout, warm water, farm fish, BC LNG, precipitation, Shell drill, whale watch boat

Salvelinus confluentus ("grizzly bear of the fish world") USFWS

Skagit River a 'stronghold' for threatened bull trout
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released a recovery plan for bull trout that highlights the Skagit River as a major player in existing populations of the fish on the Washington coast. According to the recovery plan, the upper and lower portions of the Skagit River are two of five places in the Coastal Recovery Unit that are “current population strongholds” for the fish, which have been listed as threatened since 1999 under the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service estimates it may spend $380 million on bull trout recovery in the coastal unit over the next 25 years. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Federal Fish Managers Brace For Another Warm Year In The Northwest
The summer’s early snowmelt, record temperatures and drought in the Northwest killed young hatchery fish and adult fish returning to spawn. And federal experts are expecting 2016 to be even worse for fish. Seventy U.S. Fish & Wildlife managers passed around a microphone this week in a hotel conference room. They told scary stories about warm Northwest water. The Columbia River heated up this summer, and nearly the entire run of returning sockeye was lost. Anna King reports. (KPLU)

Atlantic farmed salmon routinely mislabeled as ‘wild,’ study finds
An Oceana investigation of salmon marketed during the winter months in the Midwest and East Coast found 43 percent of this fish mislabeled. Most often, Atlantic farmed salmon was falsely marketed as wild salmon, and restaurants mislabeled this fish much more frequently than grocery stores and retail markets. The investigation was based on  82 samples collected in Chicago, New York, Washington and Virginia, and all were analyzed to determine their salmon species. An earlier, and broader, Oceana survey of 384 salmon collected during the peak of the 2012 summer salmon season found that only 7 percent of the sampled fish was mislabeled. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Squamish Nation wants more input on proposed B.C. LNG plant given initial OK
The Squamish Nation says the B.C. government's conditional approval of a proposed liquefied natural gas export facility did not fully assess how the project would impact its aboriginal rights. Chief Ian Campbell says the province granted an environmental assessment certificate for the Woodfibre LNG plant this week without full consultation with the First Nation. Campbell says the Squamish Nation is looking forward to further discussions with the government because many of its own conditions for approving the facility are different than those set out in the certificate. (Canadian Press)

Finally! Significant Snowfall and Heavy Precipitation in Northwest Mountains
Cliff Mass writes: "We have waited a long time for this and finally it is close at hand:  significant mountain precipitation and snowfall over the Pacific Northwest…." (Weather Blog)

Towering Polar Pioneer oil rig returns to Port Angeles Harbor for month-long visit
The looming Polar Pioneer oil rig floated back into Port Angeles Harbor on Wednesday, escorted by a small flotilla as it concluded its two-week journey to the city from the Arctic waters of Alaska's Chukchi Sea. The 355-foot-tall Transocean Ltd. rig was accompanied by an 87-foot U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat, three 25-foot response boats and four tugboats before dropping anchor, Coast Guard spokesman Dana Warr said. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News) See also: Shell Reports $7.4 Billion Loss, Blaming Low Oil And Gas Prices (KPLU/NPR)

Tofino whale-watching boat modifications raise concerns
The whale-watching boat that capsized near Tofino, B.C., had undergone major modifications that may have caused it to become less stable, CBC News has learned. Last Sunday, six people were killed when the MV Leviathan II tipped over. The Transportation Safety Board said most of the passengers were crowded on one side of the outside deck, which may have destabilized the vessel when it was hit by a wave from the opposite side. The Leviathan II was originally built by Vancouver-based RivTow Industries in 1981 as a tug boat, and was named the Crown Forest 72-112. In 1996, it was converted into a whale-watching vessel and renamed. The major change to its design was a new deck added to the top of the vessel. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU OCT 29 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR FRIDAY
TODAY
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
S WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING... THEN RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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"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.

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10/28 Whale watch, BC oil, WA coal, Friends, BC LNG, Shell drill, port upgrades, viaducts

(PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Thirty Shades of Yellow
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "November tends to be damp, gray and dreary here on the west coast, so it’s a month I never anticipate with pleasure. Right now, with the darkness closing in earlier each day and that dreaded month fast approaching, I’m starting to crave a bit of extra light and colour. Thankfully, our Hardy kiwis and Bigleaf maples are managing to brighten up their respective corners of our yard – along with my spirits…."

This you need to see: This Is Your Century
Eric Becker's latest. Beautiful inspiration in 2:47. (weareshouting.com)

Tofino whale-watching boat capsized after wave struck, says TSB
Most of the passengers and crew on the whale-watching boat that capsized near Tofino, B.C., on Sunday appear to have been on one side of the vessel's top deck when it was hit by a wave, the Transportation Safety Board said at a news conference in Tofino.  "This would have raised the centre of gravity, affecting the vessel's stability," said Marc-André Poisson, the TSB's director of marine investigations. He said the vessel then rolled and capsized.  (CBC) See also: 1998 Tofino whale-watching accident sparked call for regulation  Coroner says earlier incident that left 2 whale watchers dead will be reviewed as part of latest tragedy. Jason Proctor reports. (CBC)

Tsleil-Waututh Nation take NEB to court to stop Kinder Morgan hearing
Tsleil-Waututh Nation says the outgoing Harper government failed in its constitutional legal duty to adequately consult with their community when it began the NEB review of Kinder Morgan's proposed $5.4-billion Edmonton-to-Burnaby pipeline expansion more than a year ago. The band is now seeking a court order to stop the hearing. The band believes the case will also add political pressure for the incoming Trudeau Liberals to act quickly on their election promise to overhaul the review of oil pipeline proposals. Oral hearings for citizens to speak up about the pipeline are set to begin in January 18-29 at a Burnaby casino and conference centre. Mychaylo Prystupa reports. (National Observer)

Coal, environmentalists spend $100K each on Whatcom charter measures
The company behind a proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point is the biggest donor in a campaign fight over obscure ballot propositions in Whatcom County. The $101,089 spent by Pacific International Terminals was matched by environmentalists, who contributed at least $102,738, according to the Public Disclosure Commission. Both sides seek to amend the county charter in ways that would determine the political makeup of the County Council. The charter is essentially the county’s constitution, with rules for how the government is run and how officials are elected. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Small Non-Profit Leading Charge For International Protection Of Salish Sea
A small non-profit in the San Juan Islands has taken the lead in an international campaign to protect the Salish Sea from adverse effects of shipping. Currently, proposals for 14 new or upgraded export facilities for fossil fuels in British Columbia and five in northwestern Washington could dramatically increase shipping traffic through local waters. “We’ve found ourselves having to speak up time and time again for these fossil fuel projects that are coming through our waters,” said Stephanie Buffum, the executive director of Friends of the San Juans, a non-profit based in Friday Harbor that has worked to protect quality of life in the area for the past 35 years. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

LNG plant near Squamish clears first hurdle in environmental assessment
The Woodfibre LNG planted proposed for Squamish has cleared its first regulatory hurdle after being granted an environmental assessment certificate by the B.C. government. The certificate includes 25 conditions meant to mitigate the negative impacts construction and operation of the plant will have on things like marine life and water quality.  Squamish mayor Patricia Heintzman opposes the Woodfibre project and says she has questions about the certificate, including the conclusion the plant will generate $21-million per year in municipal taxes. (CBC)

TransCanada gets final regulatory approval for Prince Rupert natural gas pipeline
A proposed 900-kilometre gas pipeline in northern B.C. that would supply a liquefied natural gas terminal in Prince Rupert has final approval. TransCanada said Tuesday it has received 11 permits for its $6-billion Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission. The permits cover the length of the pipeline that starts in Hudson’s Hope in northeast B.C., as well as compressors at the Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal at Lelu Island near Prince Rupert. They are the final approval step for the pipeline that earlier received approval from the B.C. government following an environmental assessment. The pipeline is dependent on the LNG terminal being approved by the federal government and a final decision by Petronas to proceed. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Oil platform headed for Port Angeles near mouth of Strait
The Polar Pioneer oil rig, which is headed for Port Angeles Harbor, was near the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Tuesday afternoon. The 355-foot-tall oil drilling platform was headed east at over 6 knots. The floating platform's tugs, Ocean Wind and Ocean Wave, were expected to arrive with the platform sometime after 2 a.m. today, according to a vessel tracking website, www.marinetraffic.com. (Peninsula Daily News)

Ports may need up to $1 billion to update terminals
Port commissioners from Tacoma and Seattle on Tuesday adopted their first budget for a new cargo alliance while warning they’ll have to spend hundreds of millions more to make the port facilities competitive with rivals. The $174.5 million included in the Northwest Seaport Alliance’s 5-year capital budget is “woefully inadequate to our needs,” asserted Tacoma Port Commissioner Don Meyer as the two commissions were preparing to accept the budget. Meyer predicted the alliance and the two ports will have to spend $800 million to $1 billion over the near future to equip the two ports to handle the new generation of mega-sized container ships. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Vancouver viaducts to be removed, votes council
Vancouver city councillors have voted 5-4 to remove the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts, which connect the downtown core to neighbourhoods on the city's east side. "This is a once-in-a-generation city-building opportunity," said Mayor Gregor Robertson in a written statement. "There is no decision at the city that has been more scrutinized, studied, deliberated or consulted on than whether or not to remove the viaducts, and after four years, it is time to move forward." (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED OCT 28 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM PDT THIS MORNING
TODAY
S WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS BY LATE MORNING. W SWELL BUILDING TO 8 FT AT 15 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE MORNING... THEN SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SHOWERS IN THE
 EVENING...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT.
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