11/9 Keystone, BC unmuzzled, NW tribes, Asarco, port races, Wisconsin derail, bag ban, Navy jets, Elwha

Citing Climate Change, Obama Rejects Construction of Keystone XL Oil Pipeline
President Obama announced on Friday that he had rejected the request from a Canadian company to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, ending a seven-year review that had become a symbol of the debate over his climate policies. Mr. Obama’s denial of the proposed 1,179-mile pipeline, which would have carried 800,000 barrels a day of carbon-heavy petroleum from the Canadian oil sands to the Gulf Coast, comes as he seeks to build an ambitious legacy on climate change. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times) See also: Justin Trudeau 'disappointed' with U.S. rejection of Keystone XL  Kathleen Harris reports. (CBC)

Keystone pipeline rejection means oil tankers could multiply in Strait of Juan de Fuca
President Obama’s decision Friday to reject the Keystone XL pipeline puts a fresh spotlight on other efforts to bring Canadian crude to market, including a $5.4 billion project to boost oil flows to British Columbia. The oil piped from Alberta would be targeted for maritime export, dramatically increasing the number of oil tankers traversing the Strait of Juan de Fuca and raising environmental concerns among Washington state Department of Ecology (DOE) officials.  Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Kristi Miller, muzzled fisheries scientist, felt like a second-class citizen
A federal edict that prevented government scientists from talking publicly about their work turned them into "second-class citizens", a B.C. based molecular geneticist told CBC news Friday. Kristi Miller, a scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, told CBC News Friday that she was excited at news the newly elected federal government had lifted the muzzle from its researchers. Kristi Miller was prevented from talking to media about the results of her study. (CBC) See also: Scientists, ministers get green light to speak under Trudeau  Pauline Dakin reports. (CBC)

Exxon Mobil accused of climate change cover-up
Oil giant Exxon Mobil is being investigated for misleading the public about the impact of climate change. The New York attorney general has sent a request for emails and financial records to the company. Allegations surfaced last month that the company's own scientists raised concerns about global warming decades ago and that Exxon had worked to suppress that information. (BBC) See also: Oil companies and climate change: who should pay?  Environmentalists say an investigation into ExxonMobil may open the door to tobacco-style lawsuitsJason Proctor reports. (CBC)

UW Symposium: Ocean Acidification Pushing Boundaries Of Environmental Law
The University of Washington held its first annual symposium on environmental law last week. The idea is to choose a topic and examine how it fits into current and future regulations. This year’s focus—ocean acidification.  It is sometimes called the evil twin of global warming. Ocean acidification is caused when carbon pollution from fossil fuels dissolves into our waterways. Scientists say it may cause serious harm to life on the planet; some say it is already damaging the local shellfish industry. It is also pushing the envelope of current environmental law. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Northwest tribal leaders fight for government to uphold treaties
A proposed coal terminal and affiliated railway for Cherry Point, Wash., has sparked concern about treaty violations and environmental degradation for many Pacific Northwest tribal leaders, 10 of whom rallied together in Washington, D.C., on Thursday morning against what they said is government disregard for their treaties. Grace Toohey reports. (McClatchy)

Three decades after the Asarco smelter shutdown, its toxic legacy surprises Tacoma newcomers
Tacoma’s industrial history confronted Alex Stillman on a late spring morning while she was up to her wrists in front-yard dirt. A neighbor saw the 27-year-old school nurse, part of the city’s influx of new homeowners, digging to plant a hedge outside her North 40th Street house and walked over to share some friendly insight about the neighborhood. The conversation sent Stillman inside to start learning things no real-estate agent or inspector had explained to Alex or her husband, Bryce, when they bought the place in fall 2014. It fell to Google to tell her about the long-gone Asarco copper smelter that operated less than a mile from where her tidy 1940s bungalow stands, and that the lead and arsenic emitted from its 571-foot-tall smokestack for several decades had polluted her yard and thousands of others with agents linked to cancer and other serious health problems. Derrick Nunnally reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Dangerous, tasty fishery resumes off B.C. coast
One of British Columbia's most unusual and dangerous fisheries is poised for a comeback. Gooseneck barnacles, which grow on the rocks below the high tide line off the west coast of Vancouver Island,.are prized in Spain and served as appetizers by high-end restaurants across North America. With a shell-like top and stubby stalks of rich meat beneath, goosenecks resemble clumps of asparagus. However, the best ones are hard to reach and risky to harvest. Chris Brown reports. (CBC)

Port Commissioner: The Race We Can No Longer Afford To Ignore
As election results continue to filter in, most eyes focus on the big-ticket races—city council members, state ballot measures, and levies. Yet way down near the bottom of the ballot is one of the most important votes that we cast in the Northwest: the races for port commissioner. Historically overlooked by voters and pundits alike, the Northwest’s recent controversies over coal and oil have begun to shift some attention to the leadership of public ports. It’s an entirely appropriate shift, because the elected leaders of the region’s ports play a more important role—for good or for ill—in determining the fate of the thin green line than almost anybody else. (…. Running for an empty seat vacated by outgoing Commissioner Bill Bryant, environmental advocate Fred Felleman, who was an outspoken critic of the Port’s decision to host Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet this summer, defeated Marino Yoshino. Felleman raised $86,000 to Yoshino’s $29,000.) Eric de Place and Nick Abraham report. (Sightline)

2nd Train Derails in Wisconsin in 2 Days, Spills Crude Oil
Canadian Pacific Railway says less than 1,000 gallons of crude oil has spilled after a train derailment that prompted evacuations in southeastern Wisconsin. Thirteen cars derailed around 2 p.m. Sunday in Watertown. Canadian Pacific said in a statement late Sunday night one car was punctured and it leaked some oil. The company says it's working to determine the exact amount, but it's no more than 1,000 gallons…. The derailment Sunday was the second in the state in as many days. On Saturday, a freight train derailed near Alma in western Wisconsin, spilling thousands of gallons of ethanol. (ABC)

California lawmaker plans law to end killer whale captivity
A California congressman announced Friday that he is planning federal legislation that aims to phase out the captivity of killer whales by banning breeding, importing and exporting the animals for public display. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said he will introduce the Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement Act to ensure that orcas now at aquatic parks such as SeaWorld are the last ones and that when they die, no other whales will replace them. The bill also would ban taking any whales from the wild. Although no orca has been captured in U.S. waters since 1976, Schiff says captive killer whales are bred. (Associated Press)

Construction site washout kills salmon on Burnaby Mountain
Water thick with sand and sediment has fouled a fish-bearing creek after heavy rain washed out an active construction site on Burnaby Mountain last week. The silty water poured into Stoney Creek from a tributary, killing spawning Chum and Coho salmon and smolts, said John Preissl, a local streamkeeper. Salmon had been absent from the once polluted creek for half a century, but returned about a decade ago, thanks to decades of rehabilitation work by foundations, government agencies and hundreds of volunteers, Preissl said. Before the accident, streamkeepers had counted nearly 200 salmon in the creek. Matthew Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun) See also: Rain causes more problems at Burnaby Mountain construction site  Joanne Lee-Young and Matthew Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Victoria council backs ban on single-use plastic bags, staff to study
The days of plastic bags in Victoria could be numbered. Victoria councillors Thursday took the first steps in developing a bylaw that would ban retailers from providing single-use plastic bags. Several councillors said they support the proposal provided the public is properly consulted and the city works in concert with retailers so that the change, if implemented, is even-handed. Bill Cleverely reports. (Times Colonist)

Navy, National Park Service to work together to monitor jet noise over Olympic National Park
The Navy and National Park Service are coordinating efforts to monitor jet noise over Olympic National Park during training missions. “I'm glad the Park Service — the staff who are charged with protecting the visitor experience at Olympic National Park — and the Navy will work together to monitor noise issues and evaluate any increase in noise from Navy training activities,” said U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer in a news release issued Thursday. A Democrat from Gig Harbor, Kilmer represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula. He had requested that the Park Service and the Navy work together on monitoring jet noise. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Taking the pulse of Puget Sound
The state’s effort to improve the health of Puget Sound is moving slowly, even with a variety of fish-focused projects in motion throughout the Skagit River watershed, from major dike setbacks to minor culvert replacements. In a State of the Sound Report released last week, the Puget Sound Partnership describes the progress to restore this inlet of the Pacific Ocean as largely stagnant. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also:  Puget Sound restoration: two steps forward, one back — or vice versa?  Chris Dunagan blogs. (Watching Our Water Ways)

With dams down, restored Elwha River mouth 'a treasure'
No one, not even among those studying the ecology of the Elwha River mouth, expected the degree of change seen there after the dams came down, according to a woman who has researched it for years. An area that once was little more than large cobbles is now a vast tract of quiet, sandy beach speckled with hundreds of seabirds and brushed by ocean waves. It contains pools constantly dimpled by the jumping of fish. Sometimes, looking at the acres of new beach — and the new life it now supports — she nearly cries, said Anne Shaffer, a marine biologist and the executive director of the Coastal Watershed Institute of Port Angeles. Arwyn Rice and Leah Leach report. (Peninsula Daily News) See also:  Who owns new Elwha River land? Discussions begin about ownership, responsibility  Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 228 AM PST MON NOV 9 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY
NE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 8 FT AT 14 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
NW WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 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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11/4 State of Puget Sound, climate change kids, rising rivers, algae bloom, tangled orca

(Matthew G. Hull/BirdNote)

The Oystercatcher's World
Black Oystercatchers prey on shellfish in the wave zone, especially mussels and limpets. The waves cause mussels to open often, making them easier to eat. The Black Oystercatcher nests on ledges just off shore, and its eggs and young suffer far less predation by mammals. Contrary to their name, oystercatchers rarely eat oysters. (BirdNote)

2015 State of the Sound report: Analysis of ecosystem recovery shows mixed progress
The 2015 State of the Sound, released [Nov. 3] by the Puget Sound Partnership, indicates that while the Puget Sound recovery community is making progress in effectively restoring habitat, measures for Chinook salmon, Southern Resident Killer Whales, herring, and other native species show a decline, and local improvements in water quality still don’t add up to improvements at the regional scale…. The State of the Sound presents the latest findings on Puget Sound recovery by evaluating the progress of several aspects of the ecosystem called Puget Sound Vital Signs. The report also shows how successful regional partners are in implementing Puget Sound Action Agenda, the shared plan for recovering the ecosystem. (Puget Sound Partnership News Release)

Kids Sue Over Climate Change And A Judge In Wash. State Is Listening
Kids packed a courtroom in Seattle on Tuesday to hear oral arguments in a case about their future. Eight young teenagers are the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the state Department of Ecology. They want to force action on climate change. “It just feels like there’s not enough people who care about, like, animals and other things that can’t talk for themselves – babies who haven’t been born yet, people from the future, basically,” said 13-year-old Lara Fain. She’s one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which says the State Department of Ecology isn’t doing enough to limit the carbon pollution that causes global warming. 15-year-old Aji Piper agrees. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Skagit, Samish rivers rise with rain
The rains that dampened the Skagit Valley over the weekend sent the Skagit River surging over Young’s Bar in downtown Mount Vernon and caused a shellfish harvest closure in Samish Bay. The increased water level and river flow, however, did not cause the Skagit River to cross the flooding threshold. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Algae Bloom Off Pacific Coast Blamed For Marine Mammal Poisoning
Scientists have found dozens of poisoned dolphins, whales and sea lions off the coast of Washington, Oregon and California this year. They tested positive for a toxin caused by a massive algae bloom this summer in the Pacific Ocean.  Toxic domoic acid is produced by algae in the ocean, and this year the algae are thriving in the largest bloom ever recorded here. Marine mammals are poisoned when they eat fish that are contaminated. Jes Burns reports. (EarthFix)

Orca may be entangled in rope and buoy near Nanaimo
A killer whale that may be entangled with a rope and buoy has prompted Fisheries and Oceans Canada  to ask whale watchers in the South Salish Sea to alert them if they spot the orca. Transient killer whale 77A was spotted with the gear from the Thetis Island-Chemainus ferry in Stuart Channel near Nanaimo, B.C. on Sunday. Fisheries and Oceans Canada marine mammal coordinator Paul Cotrell told CBC said it has an expert team ready to go to the whale if it's still entangled. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 240 AM PST WED NOV 4 2015
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
E WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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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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10/16 Humpbacks, BC LNG, Columbia coal, train derail, NW drought, disaster prep, Jude Rubin

Humpback (Andrew Lees/KING)

Humpback whales resurging in Salish Sea  
After traveling north for the summer, humpback whales have migrated back to the Salish Sea. The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) said they've resurfaced in record numbers. “We’ve seen more humpbacks this year than ever, and they’re popping up now everywhere, in the San Juan Islands, Georgia Strait, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Haro Strait, Rosario Strait, Saanich Inlet – repopulating the areas where they were once abundant pre-whaling," said Captain Mark Malleson, veteran whale watch captain for Prince of Whales Whale Watching. " Very exciting time out there now.” Kate Clark reports. (KING)

New blog: Wow! “Clean Up Puget Sound— Now”
Hadn’t heard that in a while so it got me excited last Friday when I saw the Seattle Times editorial headline, “Stop political inaction, clean up Puget Sound — now”. The problem, according to its editorial board, is — guess what? -- politics. The solution, according to its editorial board, is — guess what? -- more politics….

Pacific NorthWest planning 2016 LNG start despite legal challenge
The president of Pacific NorthWest LNG says the energy consortium is poised to start construction next year, undaunted by a native group’s legal challenge of the project’s proposed British Columbia site for exporting liquefied natural gas. “We’re shovel ready, and ready to move ahead as soon as we’ve got the final federal government approvals and final permits,” Michael Culbert said in an interview during an international LNG conference in Vancouver. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is expected to rule in early 2016 on the proposal submitted by Pacific NorthWest LNG, a consortium led by Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Review of coal-export project on Columbia River delayed
Local, state and federal regulators have delayed their review of a coal export project along the Columbia River near Longview. The state Department of Ecology said Thursday that a draft environmental impact statement would be out next year, not in November as scheduled. The agency says more time is needed to "ensure reliable and accurate data is used to carry out objective and rigorous" evaluations. Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview wants to build a facility to handle up to 44 million metric tons of coal a year. The coal would arrive on trains from Montana and Wyoming and exported by ships to Asia. (Associated Press)

Nobody injured, nothing spilled in Tacoma train derailment
Nobody was hurt Thursday afternoon when seven cars of a freight train derailed in Tacoma. Gus Melonas with Burlington Northern Sante Fe said the six-engine, 106-car train was heading from Pasco to Seattle when the last seven cars derailed near State Route 509 and Interstate 705 in Tacoma. The train was carrying flour, rock products and ethanol, but the cars that went off the rails were empty, Melonas said. (KOMO)

NOAA: El Nino Means More Drought For Eastern Washington
The latest El Nino forecast report is out from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- and it looks like the drought will continue into next year for most of Washington. NOAA releases regular temperature and precipitation predictions and the latest information confirms what it has been saying for months. El Nino is expected to be very strong in the Pacific at least through January, but the impact on Washington state will be mixed. Lisa Brooks reports. (KUOW) See also: Did the Pacific Northwest Pass the Global Warming Stress Test? Cliff Mass answers. (Weather Blog)

Floods, fires, slides: Experts at Seattle summit bracing for disasters
U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell traveled to Washington Thursday to discuss heightened risk of natural disasters because of climate change. In Oso, Snohomish County, slammed by a mudslide that claimed 43 lives last year, Jewell and U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, watched an earthquake- preparedness drill and walked the disaster site. And later in Seattle, Jewell met with a panel of scientists, environmental and tribal leaders on the topics of fire, floods, earthquakes, landslides, sea-level rise and more. Preparedness was the watchword. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

'Bag Monster' conservation leader recognized with Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award in Port Townsend
Judith “Jude” Rubin, who has worked in support of a variety of environmental causes, is this year's recipient of the Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award.  “On behalf of the many hundreds of people who collaborated on these important projects, I am deeply honored to accept this award,” Rubin, 50, said Thursday. Rubin's selection for the 11th annual award was announced at a Wednesday breakfast at Fort Worden State Park. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 251 AM PDT FRI OCT 16 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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10/12 Oil export, Grays Harbor, diesel, microbead ban, coral bleach, smokers, Gov Pt., Padden Cr.

Elwha 10/9/15 (Tom Roorda and CWI)

House Votes to Lift Oil-Export Ban
The House voted Friday to lift the 40-year-old ban on oil exports, fueling a clash with President Barack Obama and acting on one of the oil industry’s top congressional priorities. Lawmakers voted 261-159 to lift a ban Congress first put in place after the 1970s Arab oil embargo that sent domestic gasoline prices skyrocketing. Debate on the issue now shifts to the Senate, where the measure faces steep hurdles to passage. Amy Harder reports. (Wall Street Journal)

Hundreds testify on Grays Harbor oil terminal plan
A few hundred people testified at a hearing on two proposed oil terminals at the Port of Grays Harbor in Hoquiam. Westway Terminal Co. and Renewable Energy Group want to expand existing facilities to bring crude oil by train from the Bakken region of North Dakota and Montana to send it by tankers or barges to refineries in Puget Sound and Northern California. KXRO-AM reported that protesters from Grays Harbor, Olympia, Vancouver and Portland rallied before Thursday’s public hearing in Aberdeen. Hoquiam City Administrator Brian Shay acknowledged concerns about train traffic, oil spill risk and air quality. (Associated Press)

'Smell Of Money' Polluted This South Seattle Neighborhood
Tugboat captain Dave Stauffer used to reek of diesel. “It’s just the smell of a boat,” Stauffer says. “Just like standing by a fire, you’re going to get some of that smoke on your clothes.” Stauffer’s wife also grew used to the smell. “She’d say, ‘That’s the smell of money,’” he says. The veteran captain no longer smells like fuel because the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency helped Island Tug and Barge buy cleaner engines that don’t emit such strong fumes. Joshua McNichols reports. (KUOW)

California Becomes Latest State to Ban Plastic Microbeads
Gov. Jerry Brown of California signed legislation on Thursday that bans plastic microbeads, giving his state one of the country’s strongest laws against the tiny abrasives used in exfoliators and other products…. The consumer products industry had objected to certain aspects of the bill, arguing that it was overly restrictive and did not allow companies to come up with environmentally friendly alternatives. The California rules include a prohibition against biodegradable microbeads, which other states with similar legislation allow. At least six other states have passed laws restricting microbeads, including Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland and New Jersey. Rachel Abramsoct reports. (NY Times)

Scientists: Major coral bleaching crisis spreads worldwide
The bleaching of colorful coral is spreading into a worldwide, devastating crisis, scientists say, and they predict it will likely get worse. Triggered by global warming and the El Nino, record hot ocean water is causing fragile coral to go white and often die, threatening picturesque reefs that are hotspots of marine life, experts say. The spread of sickly white started more than a year ago in Guam, then devastated Hawaii, infected the rest of the tropical Pacific and the Indian oceans and has now infested Florida and the Caribbean. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and international reef scientists pronounced it a global coral bleaching event, only the third in recorded history. Seth Borenstein reports. Associated Press)

If you like to watch: Smoke Underwater: Exploring B.C.'s Sunken Treasures
They’re one of the planet’s most hostile environments: Towering chimneys pouring out hot, poisonous smoke from cracks in the earth. The valuable metals they spew into the sea could be a literal gold mine, but scientists still have much to learn about the undersea marvels and the teeming life around them. Justine Hunter joined a crew of researchers mapping out the deep. (Globe and Mail)

OPINION: Stop political inaction, clean up Puget Sound — now
Puget Sound is a deceptive wonder. Its haunting beauty obscures the slow-flowing poison of urban runoff and the lowering of pH from ocean acidification. The result imperils shellfish and marine life. The jewel of Western Washington, Puget Sound is at risk. As The Seattle Times’ Sandi Doughton reports, urban stormwater runoff can kill an adult coho salmon in 2 ½ hours. So why does the health of the sound rank lower with the federal government than addressing pollution threats to Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes? In a word: politics. (Seatttle Times)

No takers at Governors Point auction
Conservation group Whatcom Land Trust has renewed interest in preserving Governors Point after the cancellation of a bankruptcy auction where the peninsula’s 125 mostly undeveloped acres were to be sold. Bids were to start at $3.5 million on Thursday, Oct. 8, at an auction intended to raise money for property owner Roger Sahlin’s creditors. Sahlin, whose family has owned the peninsula off of Chuckanut Drive south of Bellingham since the 1960s, sought Chapter 11 protection in May. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

More Clallam County beaches reopened to recreational shellfish harvesting
Beaches along the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Cape Flattery eastward to the Jefferson County line, except for Sequim Bay, are open for the recreational harvest of all species of shellfish. At one point this summer, all beaches in Clallam County were closed for shellfish harvesting because of elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning, known as PSP. In September, beaches from the Lyre River and Low Point east to Dungeness Spit were reopened. On Friday, the state Department of Health reopened the rest of the beaches along the Strait. (Peninsula Daily News)

Padden Creek flows into new channel in ‘daylighting’ project
Neighbors gathered Friday, Oct. 9, to watch a temporary dam being removed from part of Padden Creek off Old Fairhaven Parkway. Crews pulled out the last cofferdam near 22nd Street to allow the creek to flow, marking a milestone in the $2.8 million Padden Creek “daylighting” project, which is expected to wrap up in early November. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON OCT 12 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS BUILDING TO 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT BECOMING NW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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7/31 Warm waters, Shell drill, BC pipe, coal port, fuel cap, salmon plight, tribe fight, BC ferries, tangled whales

(San Juan Journal)

Storm drain mural highlights art and environmental issues
The sea creature glides over the pavement, its red and pink tentacles splayed out and reaching, one of its eight arms curling over the curb. An octopus on the run in Friday Harbor? Close, but not quite. Its a new painting of an octopus in the ocean, painted on a storm drain outside of the Whale Museum to remind passerby’s that the water running through there flows out into the ocean. Anna Smith reports. (San Juan Journal)

Salmon Losing, Jellyfish Winning
When Lewis and Clark were exploring the Pacific Northwest, they talked about salmon running so thick you could cross the river on their backs. You don’t see salmon like that around Puget Sound anymore. What you do see are jellyfish. Joshua McNichols reports. (KUOW)  See also: ‘The Blob’ may warm Puget Sound’s waters, hurt marine life  Scientists say they are concerned about the continued ecological effects of the unusually warm and dry conditions in the Puget Sound region this summer. Paige Cornwell and Sandi Doughton report. (Seattle Times)

Shell icebreaker slips by; authorities force protesters from Portland bridge
After law-enforcement officials removed three of 13 roped Greenpeace activists from a bridge, a Shell icebreaker early Thursday evening was able to begin its journey down the Willamette River en route to the Chukchi Sea. The MSV Fennica passed under the bridge shortly before 6 p.m., capping a tumultuous day of protest here by activists opposed to Shell’s efforts to explore for oil off Alaska’s North Slope. Hal Bernton and Evan Bush report. (Seattle Times)

 Kinder Morgan pipeline opponents furious about ‘chaotic’ review process
The National Energy Board is facing a fresh round of resistance to its embattled review of the proposed Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Three separate parties – British Columbia’s Opposition New Democrats, the City of Burnaby and the Sierra Club – all issued renewed challenges to the process on Thursday…. The strongly-worded letter from B.C.’s opposition party details four major concerns with the NEB process, including that it lacks the public’s confidence, doesn’t consider climate change, hasn’t required Kinder Morgan to disclose its emergency response plans and failed to ensure First Nations were on board. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Montana scrambles, but Corps not close to coal port decision
A U.S. senator and representative from Montana hurriedly circulated petitions in their respective chambers to ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not to kill the proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point. The 16 U.S. senators who signed their letter, including Montana Republican Steve Daines, were appealing to the Corps to not halt Gateway Pacific Terminal as requested in January by Lummi Nation until after a thorough environmental review is completed, with the release of a draft environmental impact statement. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Inslee says cap would hit largest carbon sources, including gas distributors
Not wanting to swallow a “poison pill” provision in the Legislature’s transportation package helped keep Gov. Jay Inslee from creating a clean-fuel standard targeting the tailpipes that are Washington’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions. But Inslee told The News Tribune editorial board Wednesday that the regulations he is now pursuing would cover distributors of vehicle fuel. “Basically what this is about is breaking the monopoly and the stranglehold on Washingtonians of the oil and gas industry,” the Democratic governor said. Jordan Schrader reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

As salmon vanish in the dry Pacific Northwest, so does Native heritage
As a drought tightens its grip on the Pacific Northwest, burning away mountain snow and warming rivers, state officials and Native American tribes are becoming increasingly worried that one of the region’s most precious resources — wild salmon — might disappear. Native Americans, who for centuries have relied on salmon for food and ceremonial rituals, say the area’s five species of salmon have been declining for years, but the current threat is worse than anything they have seen. Darrly Fears reports. (Washington Post)

Lummi, S’Klallam Nations In Court Over 30-year-long Dispute Over Fishing Territory
The Lummi and S’Klallams were among the Indigenous Peoples who fished a vast inland sea off northwest Washington, bounded by Haro Strait to the west, Rosario Strait to the east, Georgia Strait to the north, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound to the south. In the middle are the San Juan Islands, which the Lummi believe is their place of origin. To the south is the Olympic Peninsula, the place of origin of the Elwha, Jamestown and Port Gamble S’Klallam peoples…. Both sides are in U.S. District Court, in their third decade of legal battles to determine who has the treaty right to fish those waters. District and appellate court decisions have seesawed in favor of the S’Klallams and the Lummi Nation. Richard Walker reports. (Indian Country Today)

Willapa Bay plan cuts Chinook production by one-third
The production of hatchery Chinook in Willapa Bay will decrease by more than one-third as a result of a policy adopted recently by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. The policy, adopted in June, also is likely to decrease the number of fish commercial fishermen can catch if the commission’s action survives a legal challenge. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials have said that they needed to adopt the new policy to avoid having the Chinook listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. (Longview Daily News)

The secret scientific life of B.C.’s ferries
B.C. Ferries passengers may not know they’re also aboard a mobile ocean observatory. Three vessels that cross the Strait of Georgia have been outfitted with instruments for collecting ocean and atmospheric information, through a partnership with Ocean Networks Canada. Scientists are using the data to monitor the strait’s habitat health, which has implications for everything from micro-organisms to larger species such as salmon and orcas. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist) See also: Some Google Street View Cars Now Track Pollution Levels  Sam Sanders reports. (NPR)

If you like to watch: Storm on the Deschutes
DERT's Board member and historian Helen Wheatley put this video together after a early fall storm on the Deschutes a few years ago. Its the sentiments of sediment. See here.

Whale entanglements increasing off B.C. coast
Fisheries and Oceans Canada says four whales entangled in fishing gear have been rescued off the B.C. coast in the past five weeks. Entanglement can be a death sentence for whales if netting prevents them from breathing and feeding. But in some cases, whales can go on for months or even years dragging along the gear before someone spots them and calls for help. (CBC)

Illuminating the Plight of Endangered Species, at the Empire State Building
Travis Threlkel was standing on the roof of a building on Fifth Avenue and 27th Street looking uptown at his canvas. It’s hard to miss: It’s the Empire State Building, and on Saturday evening he and his collaborator, the filmmaker and photographer Louie Psihoyos, will project digital light images of endangered species onto the building in an art event meant to draw attention to the creatures’ plight and possibly provide footage for a coming documentary.… On Saturday, using 40 stacked, 20,000-lumen projectors on the roof of a building on West 31st Street, Mr. Threlkel and Mr. Psihoyos, director of the Oscar-winning documentary “The Cove,” will be illuminating the night from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. with a looping reel showing what Mr. Psihoyos calls a “Noah’s ark” of animals. A snow leopard, a golden lion tamarin and manta rays, along with snakes, birds and various mammals and sea creatures will be projected onto a space 375 feet tall and 186 feet wide covering 33 floors of the southern face of the Empire State Building — and beyond, thanks to cellphones and Internet connections. Tom Roston reports. (NYTimes)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI JUL 31 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 15 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT...BECOMING 1 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL 5 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W
 SWELL 5 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 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.

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7/29 BC boats, Inslee acts, warm waters, fish collapse, oil push, Edelman, human measure, Vic sewer, Tesoro, drought

Salish-class ferries (BC Ferries/Times Colonist)

B.C. Ferries announces names of new Salish-class ships
The mid-size ferries joining the B.C. Ferries fleet starting in 2016 will form the new Salish class of vessels. B.C. Ferries announced Tuesday that the Salish class name applies to all three vessels being built at a Polish shipyard for a total cost of $165 million. The three 351-foot vessels will be called Salish Orca, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Inslee: I’ll use my authority to impose cap on emissions
Frustrated by legislative inaction on climate, Gov. Jay Inslee plans to wield his administration’s executive authority to impose a binding cap on carbon emissions in Washington state. Inslee on Tuesday directed the state Department of Ecology to step up enforcement of state pollution laws and develop the emissions cap — aimed at enforcing greenhouse-gas-reduction targets that have been in state law since 2008. Jim Brunner and Hal Bernton report. (Seattle Times)

Puget Sound waters reach record warm temperatures
Puget Sound has reached the highest temperatures on record based on 25 years of data, the state Department of Ecology announced Tuesday. Scientists are seeing unusual conditions in the sound as a result of the statewide drought and the pool of unusually warm water in the northern Pacific Ocean some are calling “the blob.” Warming waters are increasing harmful algae blooms and shellfish closures, lowering the oxygen content of the water and creating unfavorable conditions for salmon and other marine species. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Sockeye face 'catastrophic' collapse in South Okanagan
A potentially catastrophic collapse of the sockeye salmon run is unfolding on the Columbia River system this year. Scientists once predicted that about 100,000 sockeye would return to spawning grounds in the rivers and streams in British Columbia's South Okanagan region. In fact, it was supposed to be one of the largest sockeye runs in recent history, said Okanagan Nation Alliance fish biologist Richard Bussanich. But Bussanich said the latest projection falls short of earlier expectations. Instead, it's now thought that only 18,000 sockeye will return this year. He said higher water temperatures and low water levels are stressing the migrating salmon. (CBC)

Big oil push for crude exports could bring more oil trains through Washington state
Right now, U.S. companies are not allowed to export crude oil. But if some very powerful oil companies get what they want, that could be about to change. If that happens, Washington state could become a major portal for crude exports. Last week, top executives of four leading U.S. oil companies sent a joint letter to the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, pressing for repeal of the 30-year ban on crude oil exports. Steve Wilhelm reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

GPT: Departure of PR firm Edelman ‘won’t impact anything’
News broke late last week in environmentalist social media circles that Edelman, reportedly the world’s largest public relations firm, had dropped Gateway Pacific Terminal as a client. Gateway Pacific Terminal is the coal port proposed on a 1,500-acre site at Cherry Point. At full capacity, it would ship 48 million metric tons of coal annually to overseas markets, primarily in Asia. The story appeared initially in Environment and Energy Publishing, an independent news site that is all but inaccessible to the hoi polloi due to subscription rates that range from $2,000 to $150,000 a year. But some advocacy groups are subscribers, and the news did filter down to Bellingham environmentalists. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

State Agency Adding Human Well-Being To Puget Sound Health Indicators
Humans should be part of any consideration of how well Puget Sound’s ecological recovery is going. How we’re thriving and benefiting are critical parts of the equation, according to new research conducted for the state agency in charge of the cleanup. The agency, called Puget Sound Partnership, is adding indicators of human well-being and quality of life to the “vital signs” it tracks. They’ll be included on the colorful pinwheel “dashboard” that anyone can see online. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Westside sewage committee asks for extension to look at sites
The westside sewage committee wants more time to evaluate site options — and it’s banking on a centralized treatment option in the eastside to keep funding out of jeopardy. The westside committee voted Tuesday to submit a full technical analysis of short-listed sites by the end of October, instead of September, as outlined in its PPP Canada $83-million funding agreement. The core area liquid waste management committee will consider the plan today. Co-chairwoman of the westside Barb Desjardins said the extra time is about getting the right technical information, not delaying the process. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

Tesoro to enter chemical business with new project
n a few years, your polyester jacket could be made, in part, by a chemical extracted from crude oil at the Tesoro Refinery. It’s called xylene and can be found in just about any hardware store. The liquid solvent is already being extracted by other refineries and sold overseas to be made into polyester for plastics and clothing, but the Anacortes refinery will be the first in the Tesoro family to expand its repertoire, entering into the chemical business. Shelby Rowe reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Snoqualmie Valley farmers fight drought with innovation
…. Twenty minutes east of Seattle, (the Snoqualmie Valley) is home to multiple small and organic farmers who feed much of Puget Sound’s insatiable appetite for chemical free fruits, vegetables, eggs and poultry. Like every farm in every county across the state, Local Roots is struggling to access enough water this year. Farm owners Siri Erickson-Brown and Jason Salvo, a 30-something couple with advanced degrees, have farmed in this valley for nine years. They’ve seen 100-year floods wash out fields in consecutive years, and record cold on one Fourth of July. But they’ve never seen a year like this – record heat combined with soil so dry they’ve had to exhaust virtually every water resource available. Martha Baskin reports. (Crosscut)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 255 AM PDT WED JUL 29 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 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.

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2/27 Crow gifts, new orca!, oil trains, BC LNG, sinking ship, Mountain Slough, Samish review, L Whatcom, Tofino salmon, PS Stewrds, Navy pier

Crow gifts (PHOTO: Katy Sewall/BBC)

The girl who gets gifts from birds
Lots of people love the birds in their garden, but it's rare for that affection to be reciprocated. One young girl in Seattle is luckier than most. She feeds the crows in her garden - and they bring her gifts in return. Eight-year-old Gabi Mann sets a bead storage container on the dining room table, and clicks the lid open. This is her most precious collection. "You may take a few close looks," she says, "but don't touch." It's a warning she's most likely practised on her younger brother. She laughs after saying it though. She is happy for the audience. Katy Sewall reports. (BBC)

Feds Spot Third Baby Orca Born Recently to Imperiled Pods
U.S. scientists following endangered killer whales from a research vessel have spotted a newborn orca off the coast of Washington state. A biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says they spotted the calf on Wednesday with other whales in the "L'' pod, one of three families of southern resident killer whales that frequent inland Washington waters. It's the third baby born to the whale pods in recent months, bringing the Puget Sound's endangered population to 80, still dangerously low. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

The oil trains and the cities: How safe?
They gathered at dusk at the King Street Station with the words “No Exploding Oil Trains” projected on the station’s clock tower. Some held signs with four more words, “Not Under Our City.” The crowd wasn’t certain if any 100-car oil trains would enter the tunnel beneath them on the underground route past the Pike Place Market. But after two more oil train explosions this month, one in Ontario and another in West Virginia, the people gathered there Tuesday felt the time was ripe for another protest. Martha Baskin reports. (Crosscut)

Tax break a cash windfall for potential LNG developers in B.C.: UBC professor
The savings to LNG projects from a new federal tax measure introduced last week could be billions of dollars if three major export terminals were to be built on the B.C. coast. University of B.C. accounting professor Kin Lo has calculated that the tax measure would save LNG companies $75 million to $100 million over seven years for every $1 billion invested. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

HMCS Annapolis warship could sink accidentally off Gambier Island if not towed, says lawyer
A deteriorating former warship from the 1960s is on "borrowed time," and could sink accidentally within months, said a lawyer for the Artificial Reef Society of B.C. on Wednesday. Bryan Hicks told a Federal Court that HMCS Annapolis must be towed from Long Bay, also known as Port Graves, on Gambier Island, to nearby Halkett Bay Marine Park, so the society can finally sink it and create an artificial reef. Hicks is in court fighting an application from the Save Halkett Bay Marine Park group to stop the sinking of the ship, which was sold in 2008 to the society for sinking in the marine park for the benefit of divers and marine life. Laurie Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Kent District delays plans to excavate endangered species hot spot in Fraser Valley
The province has granted the District of Kent authorization to dredge within Mountain Slough, habitat for endangered fish and frogs, to reduce the flood risk to local farms. Dredging, including here at the confluence with McCallum Slough, must be completed by March 15. An environmental expert must be present to monitor the flood works. The District of Kent says it is putting on hold a controversial plan to excavate within Mountain Slough — a hot spot for endangered species in the Fraser Valley. The excavation is intended to reduce flood risk for local farmers. Mayor John Van Laerhoven said in an interview Wednesday that farmers agreed to the delay after the Sto:lo First Nation said the work would carry less environmental risk if undertaken in the summer. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

If you like to watch: NASA's historic views of Seattle region (SeattlePI.Com)

Annual Samish water pollution review starts Sunday
Sunday marks the start of March, and a reminder for many that spring is on the horizon. In Samish Bay, Sunday marks the beginning of another four-month pollution evaluation. Last year the watershed failed the state Department of Health assessment within the first three weeks, much to the disappointment of Clean Samish Initiative partners. The initiative has been working since 2009 to reduce the amount of fecal coliform entering the waterway. Fecal coliform bacteria is an indicator that human or animal feces are present, which can cause illness if consumed. Historically, most Samish water pollution events have been documented between March and June. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Homeowner buy-in needed to meet Lake Whatcom cleanup goal
The next time a Lake Whatcom resident hears from the city or county, it may be to commit to some serious and probably expensive yard work. Bellingham and Whatcom County are funding the next phase of a program that pays homeowners up to $6,000 to partially cover the cost of systems that will capture stormwater from the property and filter out the phosphorus. The new program is part of a comprehensive five-year plan to clean up Lake Whatcom, for 2015-19. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Tofino salmon agency faces uncertain future
A small group of volunteers that has been working to restore some Vancouver Island salmon rivers that are so remote they can only be accessed by horseback may have reached the end of the road. Doug Palfrey, the driving force behind the Tofino Salmon Enhancement Society (TSES) for nearly 30 years, sent a short e-mail to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) this week announcing that his group can’t continue saving endangered Chinook stocks in Clayoquot Sound. Mr. Palfrey wrote that $7,000 annual funding under DFO’s Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) simply isn’t enough. Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

EarthCorps and Hazel Miller Foundation support Puget Sound Stewards
EarthCorps is becoming a common sight around town. EarthCorps crews, which are made up of young adult environmental leaders from around the US and the world, have been monitoring and restoring habitat at Edmonds Marsh for the past two years. Now, with support from the Hazel Miller Foundation, EarthCorps and the City of Edmonds are launching a Puget Sound Stewards Program in Edmonds. Puget Sound Stewards are committed volunteers trained in the management of habitat restoration sites and volunteer their time and effort to ensure long-term health of these natural areas. (Edmonds Beacon)

Port of Port Angeles offers alternative to Navy's plan for new pier at Ediz Hook Coast Guard station
The Port of Port Angeles has made a last-ditch, last-minute effort to convince the Navy to use existing port docking facilities instead of building a new pier for submarine-escort vessels at the Coast Guard station on Ediz Hook. Port commissioners approved a draft version of a one-page proposal at their meeting Tuesday. They directed Environmental Manager Jesse Waknitz to revise and send it to the Navy on Wednesday. Wednesday was the deadline for public comments on Naval Base Kitsap's “Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives” for the pier and support facilities. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 236 AM PST FRI FEB 27 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT LATE IN THE MORNING. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING.
SAT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
NE WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SUN
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 2 FT AT 8 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.

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2/10 Bird count, Puget Sound pollution, stormwater, nature at work, coal terminal, SO2

Northern cardinal (Jeff Rogerson/BirdNote)

Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
The annual Great Backyard Bird Count, February 13 - 15, 2015, is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Birdwatchers across the country count birds and then report the numbers on-line. Although it may seem that crows are everywhere, the Northern Cardinal is reported on the most lists nearly every year, far above the crow. Well, if there's a male cardinal at your feeder, it is pretty hard to miss! Birds reported in the highest numbers in 2012 were the European Starling and the American Robin, and more recently Tree Swallows and Snow Geese! There's no cost, and you don't need to register. Learn more and sign up. (BirdNote)

Loving the Puget Sound to Death
Four decades after the passage of the Clean Water Act, regulators haven’t kept up with the pollution pressure that growing populations put on America’s shorelines. Madeline Ostrander reports. (The Nation)

Company developing way to filter out stormwater pollution upstream
Researchers at the Center for Urban Waters at the University of Washington Tacoma are working to “understand and quantify the sources, pathways and impacts of chemical pollutants in urban waterways.” Part of that research — which is funded by the federal Environmental Protection Agency — is analyzing new technologies, and one of the first options to be tested at the center is a “stormwater interceptor mechanism” developed by a new company in Kitsap County…. A growing awareness of the problem is spurring more work on finding solutions, and Buzz Holmes and Ken Perry, principals in Pure Stormwater, are developing a line of storm drain filtration basins they think will be highly effective. Tim Kelly reports. (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal)

If you like to watch: Seal and octopus battle off Victoria's Ogden Point
A harbour seal wrestling a large octopus in its mouth treated a handful of Victorians to a rare glimpse of wildlife survival skills in the city on Family Day. Bob Ianson and his family were out for a stroll along the Ogden Point breakwater around 2 p.m. Monday when they spotted a seal with something in its mouth. “It was incredible. It looked like he was bringing it up to show it off,” said Ianson, a hobby nature photographer who started snapping as soon as he saw the seal. Sarah Petrescu reports. (Times Colonist) See also: Sea lion flash mobs prey on fishermen’s catch (with video) Sea lions feast on fishers' catch of herring. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Coal applicant’s latest statement doesn’t jibe with Corps’ position
There has been a lot of back-and-forth over the past five weeks among Lummi Nation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Gateway Pacific Terminal as the tribe asserts its rights to stop the coal terminal from being built…. The latest volley came today, Monday, Feb. 9, from Gateway Pacific Terminal, which made a curious statement about the subject of the most recent of the above stories, the one about a Corps letter asking the Lummis for more information…. Gateway Pacific Terminal spokesman Craig Cole wrote (that) the Corps won’t consider Lummis’ request to “take immediate action and deny the permit” until an environmental impact statement is finished. That could be a year from now…. “Our treaty trust responsibility (to protect tribal fishing rights) is distinct from our documentation requirement under NEPA (to prepare an EIS). To assess our trust responsibility, we needn’t have concluded NEPA documentation,” Corps spokeswoman Patricia Graesser said. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

International law dramatically reduces sulphur dioxide emissions in Metro Vancouver
A new international law requiring virtual elimination of sulphur from bunker shipping fuel is having a dramatic impact on air pollution in Metro Vancouver. The amount of sulphur dioxide released into the atmosphere in the region in 2015 is expected to drop 79 per cent from a decade ago due in large part to new restrictions on shipping fuel within 200 nautical miles of the Canadian and U.S. coastlines. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE FEB 10 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 13 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.

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1/2 Orca birth update, Puget Sound recovery

Elwha River, 12.31.14 (Tom Roorda and Coastal Watershed Institute)

Update: Newborn joins J-pod; mother may be missing
The excitement of spotting a newborn orca calf in J-pod became shrouded in mystery after further study revealed uncertainty surrounding its birth. The Center for Whale Research confirmed seeing and photographing 42-year-old J-16 with, presumably, her newborn baby, off the south shores of North Pender Island in Canadian waters on Dec. 30. The baby, known as J-50, is the second calf to be born in 2014, after a two-year lull of no births among the Southern Resident killer whales. Although researchers initially recognized the peculiarity of 42-year-old J-16 giving birth (no other female has given birth at that age in four decades of demographic field studies of the Southern Resident orcas), the calf appeared to be healthy and energetic, swimming alongside its presumed mother…. While studying the photos of the calf it appeared to [Ken] Balcomb and his team that newborn J-50 had teeth marks on its dorsal fin, which could indicate a difficult birth, where another whale had to use its mouth to help pull the baby out of its mother's uterus…. Perhaps the most important missing link to the story is J-36, the 16-year-old daughter of J-16, who wasn't seen when the baby was discovered amidst the clan. Under normal circumstances, J-36 would be traveling with or near her family. Having strung all the pieces together, Balcomb speculates that J-36, who is of prime breeding age, is the mother of J-50, and could have died during a complicated birth--meaning that J-16 is the calf's grandmother and will not be able to provide milk. "Worst case scenario is we have another example where a female died giving birth," Balcomb said. "Best case  is that grandma (J-16) is mom, and J-36 missing is coincidence." Emily Greenberg reports. (San Juan Journal)

Puget Sound: Hopeful signs shine through complex cleanup effort
Chris Dunagan writes: "While putting the final touches on a two-year, 10-part series about the Puget Sound ecosystem, I couldn’t help but wonder about the true character of Washington state and its citizens. How much do people really care about salmon and rockfish, eagles and herons, killer whales, cougars, and many lesser-known species in and around Puget Sound? Do we have a political system capable of supporting the needed efforts — financially and legally — to correct the problems? After interviewing hundreds of people over the past few years, I have a pretty good feeling about this state, especially when considering other parts of the country. There is hope that we can save some of the remaining gems of the Puget Sound ecosystem while restoring functioning conditions in other places…." (Kitsap Sun)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 842 PM PST THU JAN 1 2015
FRI
W WIND RISING TO 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN.
FRI NIGHT
NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SAT
SE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
SE WIND RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SUN
E WIND RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT...THEN EASING LATE. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 11 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.

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9/22 Puget Sound health, climate action, geoduck poacher, train oil spill

Kiwi time (Laurie MacBride)

Race for the Kiwis
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "It’s kiwi time, and the race is on. Each September as our Hardy kiwis (Actinidia arguta) start to ripen, we begin a delicate balancing act, deciding exactly when to harvest. We want them soft, ripe and sweet, but if we wait too long, many will vanish in the night…."

Better measurements needed to track the health of Puget Sound  (paywall)
The ongoing restoration of Puget Sound has scored some successes and probably some failures, according to Sheida Sahandy, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership. But if people really want to know how well things are going, better measurements are needed. That is the message Sahandy says she will take to the Legislature next year, as she seeks funding for more complete monitoring of the Puget Sound ecosystem. Sahandy said she will ignore political advisers who tell her that requesting money for monitoring is the last thing she should do in a tight budget year like 2015. Basic scientific measurements are essential to understanding how fish and wildlife populations are changing and whether restoration projects are working, she told a group of scientists during a conference Thursday in Shelton. Chris Dunagan reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Worldwide rallies call for action now on climate change
In Seattle, New York and around the world, people took to the streets Sunday, urging policymakers to address conditions they say threaten the survival of future generations. The grass-roots demonstrations came just before the start of the U.N. Climate Summit. (Seattle Times) See also: Protesters march against climate change in Vancouver (Vancouver Sun)

Geoduck poacher sentenced to jail time
A Port Orchard man received a four-month sentence after illegally harvesting 300 pounds of geoduck clams from the Olympia area and dumping them near Port Orchard. Matthew R. Petersen, 27, pleaded guilty to first-degree unlawful shellfish trafficking and two counts of second-degree theft in Kitsap County Superior Court on Sept. 8. He was sentenced to 4 months with credit for time served by Judge Leila Mills. Deputy Chief Mike Cenci, of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife Police, said Petersen’s case was long and complicated — as is common for many poaching cases. He called the case a “rare win” for the department. Amelia Dickson reports. (Olympian)

Train Spills 2,000 Gallons Of Diesel In Washington
A rock punctured a BNSF train engine Friday outside Pasco, Washington, causing about 2,000 gallons of diesel to spill along the tracks. The engine held about 3,000 gallons of diesel. None of the fuel has leaked into the Columbia River, a BNSF spokesman said. The boulder tumbled early Friday morning from nearby cliffs and onto the track, where the train ran atop it. The 108-car train was carrying freight to Seattle. Courtney Flatt reports. (EarthFix)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON SEP 22 2014
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SE 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING...THEN RAIN 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

9/19 Mussel test, starfish wasting, Salish Sea pledge, oil protest, creosote removal, Gabriola Is. bridge

Year of Light Photo Contest
Your photo of light in your life could win you fame and fortune – really. The United Nations has declared 2015 the “International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies” to help raise awareness of how important applications of light-based science and engineering are in our lives. Think  of the internet, those buoys off Sequim using lasers to gather information about the wind, the aurora borealis. Think of your camera! And bring that all together in the form of your entry in the photo contest sponsored by the optics and photonics association SPIE. The society is offered a total of $4,500 in cash prizes and placement on its website and in its print magazine, SPIE Professional, to winners of the SPIE International Year of Light 2015 Photo Contest. Don’t delay – the contest closes at the end of September.

Shellfish Tell Puget Sound’s Polluted Tale
Scientists used shellfish to conduct the broadest study to date of pollution levels along the shore of Puget Sound. And in some places, it’s pretty contaminated. This past winter the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife put mussels at more than 100 sites up and down Puget Sound. After a few months, volunteers and WDFW employees gathered the shellfish and analyzed them for metals, fossil fuel pollution, flame-retardants and other chemicals. The WDFW just released the results. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Proposed Emergency Legislation Aims To Address Starfish Wasting Syndrome
Most people who've grown up in the Northwest can remember walking on the beach as a kid, enjoying tide pools full of brightly-colored starfish. But beachcombing has become less joyful over the past year. An epidemic known as sea star wasting syndrome has devastated huge populations of starfish, especially on the West Coast. U.S. Rep. Denny Heck, D-Olympia, has introduced an emergency act in Congress to respond to the outbreak. The syndrome was first noticed in Washington waters last summer and has spread rapidly since. White lesions appear on the skin of affected starfish which then curl up, contort and disintegrate. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Sign the Pledge to Save the Salish Sea
Here's the pledge: "We are concerned about the export of fossil fuels through our shared waters. Tar sands pipelines, oil and LNG terminals and new coal ports proposed on both sides of the Canada/US border would have significant impacts on the air, ocean and wildlife, and would put community health and safety, our economy and our climate at risk. I  demand that new oil, coal and LNG export projects proposed for the Salish Sea be rejected, and I hereby pledge to take cross-border action to protect the Salish Sea and our climate from the threats of fossil fuel expansion." Sign the pledge. And: Rally for Salish Sea health Saturday at Peace Arch park  (Tacoma News Tribune)

Activists block tracks near oil terminal at Port Westward  (Longview Daily News) Comment period begins today for Grays Harbor terminal  (Dept. of Ecology) Councilman plans anti-crude-by-rail resolution   (Aberdeen Daily World)

Dilapidated docks, creosote piles to be removed from Chambers Creek, Steilacoom waterfronts
Work began Thursday to clean up the shoreline at Sunnyside Beach Park in Steilacoom and will start next month at Pierce County’s Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place. On the Steilacoom waterfront, the cleanup effort will remove 32 creosote piles. In University Place, it will take out two docks, including almost 800 creosote piles. The dilapidated docks and piles date to a time when gravel mining dominated the waterfront. Brynn Grimley reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Gabriola Island bridge could replace BC Ferries service
The B.C. government is going to study the idea of building a bridge to Gabriola Island to replace BC Ferries service to the Southern Gulf Island. The study, which is expected to be completed by an independent consultant this spring, will examine potential locations, provide a cost estimate, and make a cost comparison with the existing ferry service. The government says the study is a response to a petition by local residents, but the study is not intended to assess public support for the idea. (CBC) See also: Map: Where would a fixed link from Nanaimo to Gabriola Island go?

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI SEP 19 2014
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NE TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS...BECOMING W AT 9 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
NW WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 7 FT AT
 12 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING.
SAT
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING 10 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON. W
 SWELL 5 FT AT 11 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told