10/9 Toxic runoff, water rule, climate, water rights, Navy training, carbon capture, grease, Riki Ott

Toxic road runoff kills coho salmon in hours, study finds
A new study shows that stormwater runoff from urban roadways is so toxic to coho salmon that it can kill adult fish in as little as 2½ hours. But the research by Seattle scientists also points to a relatively easy fix: Filtration through a simple, soil-based system. “It’s basically … letting the Earth do what it does so well, what it has done for eons: cleaning things up,” said Julann Spromberg, a toxicologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and co-author of the report published Thursday in the Journal of Applied Ecology. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

Inslee Pushes Tighter Water Quality Rules To Match EPA Proposal
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday the state is pursuing clean water rules that match federal recommendations for protecting human health. Inslee said he would direct the Washington Department of Ecology to draft new rules that reduce pollution enough for people to safely eat more fish from Washington waters. The proposal rules are based on a fish consumption rate of 175 grams per person per day and an allowable cancer risk of one in one million. Those numbers come from a September proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency, which told the state it would issue federal rules on Washington’s water quality if the state did not act. Tony Schick reports. (EarthFix)

Gregor Robertson trashes Canada's record on climate change in Washington
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has trashed the Canadian government's record on climate change in front of a distinguished audience at the U.S. State Department. He is the only Canadian mayor invited to the "Our Cities, Our Climate" summit in Washington, D.C. His comments came during a conference on green cities, organized by former New York mayor and current UN climate envoy Michael Bloomberg and attended by top officials from the department. Robertson says Canada is an embarrassing laggard on climate change under the Harper government and hopes the Oct. 19 election produces a government that plays a more constructive role. (Canadian Press)

High court reverses decision granting water rights to Yelm
The Washington Supreme Court has overturned a decision by the state to grant new water rights to the city of Yelm to serve its growing population. The court on Thursday ruled 6-3 that the Department of Ecology exceeded its authority in approving Yelm’s water rights under a narrow exception in cases where water is limited. In the majority opinion, Justice Charles Johnson wrote that municipal water needs do not rise to the level of overriding public interest…. Ecology officials say the case has statewide implications and it will look at alternative criteria in making future water decisions. (Associated Press)

Petition with 110,000 signed hard copies against U.S. Navy plans delivered to Forest Service office
A petition opposing plans by the U.S. Navy for an $11.5 million expansion of electromagnetic warfare training in Olympic National Park has drawn widespread support. A Navy spokeswoman said the petition repeats “a number of misperceptions.” Hard copies of about 110,000 of the petition signatures were hand-delivered Sept. 23 to the office of Reta Laford, forest supervisor for Olympic National Forest, in Olympia. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Carbon Engineering unveils groundbreaking carbon capture project in Squamish, B.C.
The mountain air in Squamish, B.C., could soon be even fresher with the launch of a groundbreaking carbon capture operation. The pilot project will suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, not from an industrial plant like other such operations, with the goal of turning the gas into fuel. Built and operated by Calgary-based Carbon Engineering, the $9-million plant will capture about one tonne of CO2 per day, which is the equivalent of taking about 100 cars off the road annually. Founded by Harvard climate scientist David Keith and backed by big-name investors including Bill Gates, Carbon Engineering has spent several years turning academic research into technology that could be commercialized. Gemma Karstens-Smith reports. (Canadian Press)

Metro Vancouver partners with Surrey to fight cooking grease buildup in sewer pipes
Metro Vancouver has targeted cooking grease in its latest bid to stop people from clogging up the region’s sewers. The regional district will partner with Surrey to run a pilot project next month that aims to encourage residents to wipe up their cooking grease, such as bacon fat, and toss it in the green bin rather than into the kitchen sink or toilet. Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Oil Spills in Your Backyard
Riki Ott, who has spent the last two decades doing research and front-line community organizing in the wake of major US oil spills, will be in Victoria Oct. 15 to share lessons learned and facilitate a discussion about the need for stronger spill prevention and response in the Salish Sea. 7 pm, First Metropolitan United Church, Victoria. Hosted by Georgia Strait Alliance.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI OCT 9 2015
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS...BUILDING TO SW 10 FT AT 8 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN LIKELY IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 13 FT AT 13 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 13 FT AT 15 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. SW SWELL 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 9 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/11 Orca by drone, Perseid shower, BC water, BC seaweed, quake ready, Unocal cleanup, Shell drill

(PHOTO: NOAA/Vancouver Aquarium)

If you like to watch: Look at These Amazing Photos Taken by Drone of Northern Resident Killer Whales
According to NOAA: "For the first time, scientists have used an unmanned aerial vehicle to study killer whales from above. The device they're using is a remote-controlled hexacopter with a high-resolution camera mounted in its belly, and the photos it produces are beautiful and full of detail. The images offer an entirely new view of this species." Christopher Frizzelle reports. (The Stranger)

Sunshine Coast bans all watering, moves to Stage 4 restrictions  B.C. to enact such a ban. Residential and commercial water users are subject to the new rules, as the district says only commercial food growers with farm status and water meters are exempt from the ban. (CBC)

Perseid meteor shower to light up B.C. skies
There are a lot of good shows happening in Metro Vancouver this summer, but one of the best will be taking place Monday and Tuesday nights this week in the sky. The annual Perseid meteor shower — an event that could bring as many as 100 fire balls every hour — will reach its peak overnight on Tuesday. Johnanna Wagstaffe reports. (CBC)

Increased harvesting of Vancouver Island seaweed unwise: scientist
A decision by the provincial government to allow increased harvesting of seaweed from the central east coast of Vancouver Island has sounded alarm bells in parts of the scientific community there. In addition to allowing three licensed companies to increase their take to 500 tons annually in the Deep Bay and Bowser areas from a previous limit of 300 tons, the department of agriculture has offered two additional licences for 250 tons each for the area fronting the Qualicum First Nation reserve in Qualicum Beach. The licences are for a type of red algae seaweed called Mazzaella japonica that looks like soggy detritus washed up on shore but is more like pure gold, with increasing global demand for its use in everything from toothpaste to ice cream. Yvonne Zacharias reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Did Seattle earthquake report finally trigger an appropriate response?
The fervor over an impending earthquake in Seattle and the greater Pacific Northwest is far from cooled off, after a report from The New Yorker. Cities and agencies on the West Coast and around the Puget Sound region and state are increasing their efforts to prepare for a natural disaster that could devastate the area. The Washington National Guard is developing a new response plan, with a focus on earthquake and tsunamis. The National Guard is holding workshops, which will eventually lead to a four-day exercise called "Cascadia Rising" in June 2016, the Peninsula Daily News reports. Kipp Robertson reports. (MyNorthwest.Com)

Cleanup starts next year on contaminated sites in Edmonds
The owner of a former fuel terminal near the Edmonds waterfront will clean up the site’s last two contaminated areas next year under a work plan being reviewed by the state Department of Ecology. The bulk fuel terminal was operated from 1923 to 1991 by Unocal, now a subsidiary of Chevron Corp. Cleanup work on a related problem, the former tank farm on a nearby hill overlooking Puget Sound, has been completed. The tanks were demolished and the soil beneath them excavated and tested to ensure they were free of petroleum contaminants, said David South, the Department of Ecology’s site manager. The Point Edwards condominiums were built on the site. Sharon Salyer reports. (Everett Herald)

Shell seeks modified permit for Arctic offshore drilling
With a key safety vessel repaired and in northern waters, Royal Dutch Shell PLC has applied to amend its federal exploratory drilling permit to allow drilling into oil-bearing rock in the Arctic Ocean off Alaska's northwest coast. Shell last month received permission to begin some drilling at two sites in the Chukchi Sea but was banned from digging into petroleum zones roughly 8,000 feet below the ocean floor. Dan Joling reports. (Associated Press) See also: Inside Shell’s Extreme Plan to Drill for Oil in the Arctic  Paul Barrett Benjamin Elgin report. (Bloomberg)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PDT TUE AUG 11 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 7 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/4 Obama clean power, BC climate, Inslee carbon cap, BC crops in drought, Pt Townsend water

Purple martin (Mike Hamilton/BirdNote)

How Birds Stay Cool
On a hot summer’s day, watch a bird such as a crow — or this Purple Martin — very carefully. You’ll never see them sweat, because birds don’t have sweat glands. So how do they keep cool? One way is panting. As the bird breathes rapidly, heat is carried out of its body through the lungs and air sacs. Bare skin on the legs, face, and beak also help with cooling. So do puffing out feathers, fluttering wings, or splashing in a puddle or birdbath. And soaring birds like hawks can simply ride the updrafts far above ground to cooler air. (BirdNote)

Washington officials cheer Obama plan to reduce carbon pollution: House Speaker Boehner calls it “nuts”  
Washington state officials cheered on Monday as President Obama unveiled the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction plan in American history.  Allies of Big Oil and Big Coal in the Rust Belt were groaning…. The Obama plan could have immediate impacts in the Northwest, starting with aging, dirty coal plants located about 100 miles southeast of Billings in Montana. Puget Sound Energy should be required to show why it should continue to get electricity from the 1975-vintage Colstrip 1 and 2 power plants, conservation groups told the state Utilities and Transportation Commission on Friday.  They suggested in a brief that Washington and Montana get ready to pull the plug on the old power plants “in the not-too-distant future.” Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com) See also: State already in step with Obama clean-power plan  Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Climate change is a growing concern in B.C., says scientist
Climate change is a growing concern in British Columbia as drought and wildfires continue to parch much of the province. It was the hottest June on record for many places around the world, including here in B.C. where at least 64 temperature records were shattered during an intense heat wave. Climate scientists say we may have to get used to it. (CBC)

Inslee’s carbon cap won’t happen soon
It may take Gov. Jay Inslee longer to circumvent lawmakers and impose a cap on carbon emissions than he’s expecting. The governor directed the Department of Ecology last week to begin developing a hard limit on emissions using his rule-making power under existing state laws. He pledged the process would be open with plenty of opportunity for interested parties to weigh in — and he expected to be finished in about a year. But the man leading the effort says it could take twice as long because of the complexity and controversy enveloping the issue. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

B.C., Alberta farmers fear for crops amid crippling drought
Small-scale growers in British Columbia are scrambling to meet market needs because of a months-long drought that is causing gaps in the growing season. A lasting drought in B.C.’s Lower Mainland and Alberta is leading crops to shoot up weeks before their due dates at rates faster than they can be consumed. And organic farms, of which produce is purchased by half of the province’s consumers and of which land makes up 16.3 per cent of its farms, are feeling the heat. Verity Stevenson reports. (Globe and Mail)

Port Townsend City Council puts water restrictions into effect
The Port Townsend City Council on Monday night unanimously approved Stage 1 water restrictions that include requiring outdoor watering on alternate days. Restrictions came into effect immediately. Stage 1 of the three-stage water conservation plan aims to reach targets of a 10 percent reduction in water use within the city and a 15 percent cutback in consumption for the Port Townsend Paper Corp. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE AUG 4 2015
TODAY
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate
http://salishseanews.blogspot.com/

Follow on Twitter. http://twitter.com/#!/savepugetsound/

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told
http://salishseacommunications.blogspot.com/2011/10/salish-sea-communications-truth-well.html

7/15 Orcas, Navy easement, Shell drill, undersea habitat, WDFW priorities, toilet-to-tap

(PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Protecting our Coastal “Salad Bowl”
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "While our planet’s oceans are clearly facing serious health challenges these days, we’re fortunate that many marine and coastal habitats are still alive and relatively healthy. In our little corner of the world, the Salish Sea teems with life in many places, including some of the shores of Haro Strait at the southeastern end of Vancouver Island…."

Listening To Orcas: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us
If you ever thought of Puget Sound Orcas as some kind of magical being, you’re not alone. A new book by local author and investigative journalist David Neiwert details some of their most impressive qualities. “Of Orcas and Men –What Killerwhales Can Teach Us” weaves personal narratives with the latest science. Neiwert says killer whales also have an advanced underwater culture that demonstrates values he thinks humans could learn a lot from. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Navy easement on hold until lawsuit settled
The Navy has suspended its application for a restrictive easement along Hood Canal’s Kitsap County shoreline until a lawsuit over a similar easement on the Jefferson County side is settled. Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor applied with the state Department of Natural Resources in August 2013 for an easement from the Hood Canal bridge south to the county line near Holly that would prohibit new commercial wharves, piers, docks and floats. It would comprise a strip of state-owned bedlands from 18 feet below the average low tide to 70 feet down. Ed Friedrich reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Groups want Shell's Arctic plans stopped after ship damaged
Ten environmental groups say a missing icebreaker should be a deal-breaker for Arctic offshore drilling by Royal Dutch Shell PLC off Alaska's northwest coast. The groups in a letter Tuesday called on Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to reject permits sought by Shell to drill in the Chukchi Sea because of the absence of the 380-foot icebreaker Fennica while it undergoes repairs…. The groups signing the letter to Jewell are the Alaska Wilderness League, Center for Biological Diversity, League of Conservation Voters, Oceana, Audubon Alaska, Greenpeace USA, Ocean Conservancy, Natural Resource Defense Council, Northern Alaska Environmental Center and Sierra Club. Dan Joling reports. (Associated Press) See also: Key Piece Of Shell's Arctic Drilling Fleet Headed To Portland For Repairs  Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)

Dreaming of an undersea habitat off the coast of Vancouver
Phil Nuytten is not the first person to dream of setting up an undersea habitat, but the businessman is in a rare club of people with an adequate supply of diving suits, mini subs and other equipment to possibly get it done. Over a career that began when he set up a Vancouver-area dive shop at age 15, the president of Nuytco Research Limited has accumulated gear that includes Iron Man-style suits that allow diving to depths of 1,000 feet without subsequent decompression…. But he is also dreaming of something much more ambitious: an undersea habitat about 200 feet below the surface near Vancouver that would serve as a pilot project for a deeper outpost to mine undersea vents. Ian Bailey reports. (Globe and Mail)

The Warm Pacific Helps Keep the Northwest Toasty
Climate scientist Cliff Mass writes: "If one looks at the recent temperatures at Northwest stations for the past month,  one is struck by the fact the minimum temperatures have persistently shifted towards warmer temperatures….  One reason is that we have had very warm water off our coast; the air reaching us has to transverse this warm H2O…." (Weather Blog)

Shellfish management, poaching a WDFW priority
Shellfish poaching is an expensive problem. In a two-hour tide, a poacher can make anywhere from $200 to $800 and sell their take at a reduced price, edging out legitimate businesses. Even worse, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) enforcement are in constant pursuit and they can't catch every offender. This and other findings were shared with a group of about 30 people in a presentation by the WDFW's Rich Childers and Mike Cenci at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce member lunch meeting Monday, July 13. Jonathan Glover reports. (Port Townsend Leader)

San Diego's unusual water recycling program
San Diego’s $3.5 billion plan to fight the drought by recycling sewage into drinking water is forcing state regulators to rewrite their water recycling rule book. State rules call for purified sewer water to be pumped into large natural basins under ground before it can enter the local water supply, partly because that’s how it’s done where water recycling essentially began in Orange County. San Diego’s lack of adequate groundwater basins and aquifers, however, will force local officials to pump the recycled water directly into city reservoirs. David Garrick reports. (San Diego Union Tribune)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 248 AM PDT WED JUL 15 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

7/14 Pluto, T46C2, The Big One, water price, drought aid, Polley mine, 3 Crabs, small nukes

Pluto ( NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI )

NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Zips by Pluto
It was like New Year’s Eve in Times Square as the countdown clock ticked down to zero. “We’re going to do our 10-9-8 thing and you can get your flags out,” S. Alan Stern, the principal investigator for NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto told the people gathered at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory here, which is operating the mission. “We’re going to go absolutely ape.” At about 7:50 a.m. Tuesday, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft made it closest pass by Pluto, coming within 7,800 miles of the surface. Kenneth Chang reports. (New York Times)

Rescued juvenile transient whale spotted reunited with family
Researchers studying whales off the coast of B.C. have finally got the good news they've been waiting for two years — Sam, a young transient killer whale rescued in August 2013 has been reunited with his family.  The young whale, T46C2, was two years old when he was stranded in a small cove near remote Aristazabal Island in the summer of 2013 for several weeks. Scientists kept a close eye on the juvenile, hoping he would leave the bay himself. (CBC)

The Really Big One
An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when. Kathryn Schulz reports. (The New Yorker) See also: If you think New Yorker’s earthquake story is scary, better read this  (Seattle Times)

B.C. to review ‘low’ water prices after complaints about Nestlé deal
Premier Christy Clark has ordered a review of the fees charged to bottled-water companies, amid a public backlash that accused her government of being too generous with the province’s water during a summer drought. Clark said the government is rethinking the new groundwater rate structure it plans to charge companies as of Jan. 1. The decision came after more than 200,000 people signed an online petition calling the rates too low, since a company like Nestlé can bottle 265 million litres of water annually for only $596. Rob Shaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

State grants for drought aid available from Ecology
The state Department of Ecology is accepting applications for grants for projects to relieve hardships from drought. The agency received a $16 million appropriation from the Legislature for the grants. The funds can be used over the next two years to help protect public health and safety from effects of the drought, and reduce economic or environmental impacts from water shortages, Ecology said. (Peninsula Daily News)

Mount Polley restart ignores water concerns: First Nations
The T’exelc and Xatsull First Nations say they are extremely disappointed that the B.C. government has allowed Imperial Metals to partly restart the Mount Polley mine. The First Nations contend that allowing the gold and copper mine to reopen is premature, ignores their concerns and could place their and other communities at risk. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Changing face of 3 Crabs: Neighbors object to proposed wetlands restoration project that would change road
A proposed restoration project intended to revitalize wetlands near 3 Crabs Road has angered residents living in the area. “We will be severely impacted by the proposed realignment project,” Julie Smyth, who lives in the 400 block of 3 Crabs Road, said during a public hearing Wednesday night at the Clallam County Courthouse. Smyth, 65, was nominated to speak for the 25 homeowners in her neighborhood, who have signed a letter opposing the project. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Small nuke reactors: Search for site is planned
The Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council will begin searching for a potential manufacturing site for small modular reactors. That information came from a recent Energy Northwest blog entry. Energy Northwest is lined up to operate small modular reactors courts under a Northwest venture allied with the federal Department of Energy. The most likely manufacturing site is a half-built reactor located just north of Richland and near Energy Northwest’s sole existing reactor. John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 224 AM PDT TUE JUL 14 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

4/6 Poop DNA, fake reef, hatcheries, fish farm, sardines, fish slaves, snowpack, protect orcas, train watch, Skagit GI, beaver dams, Octo Ursula, CA water

Dog-poop DNA tests nail non-scoopers
…. Just you and Rex at the park, or maybe by your neighbor’s hedge, in that spot where that neighbor can’t spot you two. But, no, DNA testing for dog droppings — to identify whether it was left by Rex or Fluffy — has finally arrived in this region…. A company called BioPet Vet Lab, out of Knoxville, Tenn., says its PooPrints testing kits are now in 26 apartment and condo complexes and homeowner associations in greater Seattle. Erik Lacitis reports. (Seattle Times)

Former Canadian warship sunk off B.C. coast to create artificial reef
The sound of boat horns and cheering from hundreds of excited onlookers saturated the smoke-filled ocean air as demolition crews sank a former Canadian warship off the B.C. coast on Saturday. After years of legal wrangling, the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia successfully sank the former HMCS Annapolis in the waters of Halkett Bay Marine Provincial Park off Gambier Island northwest of Vancouver. Geordon Omand reports. (Canadian Press)

NOAA plan will speed up review of hatcheries
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has withdrawn its draft environmental impact statement on Puget Sound salmon and steelhead hatcheries. The draft was in preparation of a full review of all 133 hatchery genetic management plans into one EIS. Reviews will now proceed on a smaller scale with individual or watershed-level plans, according to NOAA’s March 26 announcement. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Guest Opinion: Why fish hatcheries remain essential
Daniel Jack Chasan’s recent attack on salmon and steelhead hatcheries failed to provide a view of their importance to the 20 treaty Indian tribes in western Washington. Our treaty rights depend on salmon and steelhead being available for harvest. Hatcheries are essential to fulfilling the harvest rights that the tribes reserved in treaties with the United States government. Without hatcheries there would be no salmon or steelhead fishing at all by anyone in western Washington. Most wild stocks are not healthy enough to support sustainable harvest. Lorraine Loomis opines. (Crosscut)

Tackling a sustainable industry for Atlantic salmon farming
In a clearing near Port McNeill, an experiment is under way. Inside an unassuming steel-clad building, thousands of Atlantic salmon swim in circular tanks. When those fish are big enough – in about 12 months, when they have grown from 100-gram smolts to between three to five kilograms in weight – they will be harvested, having never touched the ocean. Their waste will be processed into garden soil. Water, almost all of which is recirculated, comes from nearby wells and the plant is highly automated…. Kuterra is a front-runner in the quest to prove Atlantic salmon can be raised on land in a way that is more environmentally friendly than the ocean-based systems used to raise the fish, an aquaculture staple worldwide since the 1960s. It reached a milestone last April, when its salmon hit the market. But questions remain, including whether the costs – including equipment, power and food – of raising Atlantic salmon entirely on land outweigh potential profits. Wendy Stueck reports. (Globe and Mail)

Feds likely to shut down sardine fishing on West Coast
West Coast fisheries managers will likely shut down sardine fishing this year as numbers decline, echoing a previous collapse that decimated a thriving industry and increasing worries that other species might be withheld from the commercial market. Fishermen are resigned to not being able to get sardines, but they hope the Pacific Fishery Management Council will not be so concerned that it sets the level for incidental catch of sardines at zero, shutting down other fisheries, such as mackerel, anchovies and market squid, which often swim with sardines. Jeff Barnard reports. (Associated Press)

AP investigation prompts emergency rescue of 300 plus slaves
Hundreds of fishermen raced to be rescued Friday from the isolated Indonesian island where an Associated Press investigation found that many were enslaved to catch seafood that could end up in the United States and elsewhere. Robin McDowell and Margie Mason report. (Associated Press)

Sparse snowpack in Olympics close to worst in America’s West
Despite a dusting of fresh snow on the peaks, the snowpack in the Olympic Mountains looks more like a record snow lack, fueling concerns about a thirsty summer. As of Saturday, the snowpack was at a mere 3 percent of average, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, which monitors snowpack to predict summer water supplies. It’s the second-lowest snowpack by percentage west of the Rocky Mountains, behind only California’s Lake Tahoe region, which measured 2 percent of the mammoth snowfall expected near the lake in the Sierra Nevada range. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Tired of waiting for feds, advocates take own path to protect orcas
A group of orca advocates is making its own plans to protect endangered killer whales, saying a federal action plan is overdue. The group celebrated news of four calves born to the southern resident killer whales since December. But with a 50 per cent mortality rate and a slew of other threats to their survival, members say it’s time to get serious about protecting the species, which was declared endangered 12 years ago. “What we really need is a comprehensive plan,” said Misty MacDuffee, a biologist with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

Snohomish County group tallies oil train shipments, verifies BNSF railway reports
Environmental activists are preparing to head out this month to perform a second annual tally of trains carrying crude oil and coal through Snohomish County. Snohomish County Train Watch sent 29 volunteers out last year to cover around-the-clock shifts during an entire week in Edmonds, Everett and Marysville. They recorded 16 shipments of oil and 20 of coal. Soon after the group released those findings, the federal government ordered railroads to disclose the number of crude-oil shipments of more than 1 million gallons passing through each county in each state. This year, the Train Watch count will be used to verify what BNSF Railway reports to state officials. Volunteers also will keep an eye on the types of tank cars that are in use and the routes the oil trains take. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

County declines Skagit River GI study extension request
More than 20 years and nearly $20 million into the Skagit River General Investigation study, Skagit County has declined a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for more money and time. The corps last month requested a waiver from the county to extend the feasibility phase of the study through 2016 at an additional cost of $810,000. Feasibility is the second of five phases. The county announced Wednesday that it is not willing to adjust the earlier agreement. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Strait of Juan de Fuca beaches in Clallam closed to shellfish harvest
The Strait of Juan de Fuca from Cape Flattery to the Jefferson County line has been closed to recreational harvesting of all species of shellfish because of the danger of potentially deadly PSP, paralytic shellfish poisoning. The state Department of Health extended the closure Friday. (Peninsula Daily News)

Don Cayo: Libel case may have implications for other clashes over the environment
What is a SLAPP suit? SLAPP is a new-ish acronym that stands for “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation” — a slur that critics have coined to sling when a big guy, usually a business, sues a little guy, usually a citizen or a non-profit, for no better reason than to shut them up. Don Cayo opines. (Vancouver Sun)

Beavers Star in Tribes' Fish, Water Conservation Project
Sometimes moving to a new neighborhood is the best choice for everyone. That's the theory behind a research project by the Tulalip Tribes of Washington to relocate beaver families. The critters have become a nuisance in the lowlands but in higher elevations, their hard work can benefit the entire Snohomish watershed. Ben Dittbrenner is a graduate student of University of Washington Environmental and Forestry Sciences and he's working with the Tribes to trap and move beavers and study the effects of their dam-building. When less snow is predicted with a changing climate, he says a beaver dam is just the right type of eco-friendly barrier to moderate spring runoff. Chris Thomas reports. (Public News Service)

Hello, Ursula: Poll-takers name Port Angeles marine life center octopus in vote landslide
Thanks to overwhelming support by online voters, the new moniker for an octopus at the Feiro Marine Life Center is Ursula. The name — inspired by the tentacled villain in Walt Disney Co.’s 1989 movie “The Little Mermaid” — beat three other names in the Peninsula Poll conducted on the Peninsula Daily News’ website Friday and Saturday.  Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Will Turning Seawater Into Drinking Water Help Drought-Hit California?
Last week, Governor Jerry Brown made water conservation mandatory in the drought-stricken state of California. "As Californians, we have to pull together and save water in every way we can," he said. But if the four-year drought continues, conservation alone — at least what's required by the governor's plan — won't fix the problem. Across California, communities are examining all options to avoid running out of water. Some, like the coastal city of Santa Barbara, are looking to the past for inspiration. (NPR)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 304 AM PDT MON APR 6 2015
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE
 EVENING.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

10/1 Chinook threat, tidal power, fish consumption rules, state budget, water fights, ocean literacy, Shawn Yanity, Chesapeake

Ballard Locks (PHOTO: Eric Warner/KPLU)

Ballard Locks Poses Triple Threat To Returning Chinook
At the heart of Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood is one of the most unique parks in the region. The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks attracts tourists and locals alike. People line up to watch boats move up and down between Puget Sound and Lake Washington in a narrow concrete and metal channel that is, in effect, a kind of marine elevator. It was built with the Ship Canal that replumbed the region at the turn of the last century. The Locks opened in 1917. Along the south side is a fish ladder that has windows where you can see salmon as they migrate through. In the late summer and fall, especially when the tide is coming in, dozens of giant chinook salmon might be visible, along with sockeye and coho swimming upstream on their way to spawning grounds in Issaquah to the north, or the Cedar River to the south. But sometimes the ladder is eerily empty, as was the case one recent afternoon. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Tidal Power Project In Puget Sound Abandoned By Utility
A long-awaited tidal energy project in Puget Sound has come to halt. The project was set to generate electricity and connect it to the grid – the first project of its kind in the world. But it just got too expensive. The Snohomish County Public Utility District had hoped to install two underwater turbines in Admiralty Inlet near Puget Sound’s Whidbey Island. The pilot turbines would have generated enough power for about 200 homes and stayed in the water up to five years. The U.S. Department of Energy had said it would pay for half the project, but the department recently said it couldn’t keep paying after eight years of permitting and testing. Courtney Flatt reports. (EarthFix)

Draft of water rules released; tied to fish consumption
The state Department of Ecology on Tuesday released a draft rule that updates contentious water quality standards partly tied to how much fish people eat. Under the federal Clean Water Act, rivers and other water bodies must be clean enough so people can safely eat fish from those waters. The proposal dramatically raises the current fish-consumption rate to 175 grams a day, which would protect people who eat about a serving of fish a day. The draft rule, expected to be finalized next year, is tied to legislation Gov. Jay Inslee plans to propose in 2015 that would seek to reduce toxic chemicals from everyday sources. Tribes and conservation groups have criticized the governor's proposal as not protective enough. Meanwhile, businesses have worried too-strict rules will hurt economic development. The draft rules released Tuesday provide greater detail of the plan Inslee announced in July. It comes nearly two years after the state began an often-heated process of updating the clean-water standards. (Associated Press)

Inslee: Carbon regulation could fund education, flood control
Which sounds more unlikely: a bipartisan coalition raising revenue through carbon regulation or Republican lawmakers putting together a big-dollar water-projects bill in a cash-strapped budget year? Both were talked about Tuesday at the Chehalis Tribe Community Center, as Gov. Jay Inslee stopped by on his tour across the state to discuss climate change. Joseph O'Sullivan reports. (Seattle Times)

Can we escape water fights in Puget Sound?
Chris Dunagan in Watching Our Water Ways blogs: "It seems from my interviews that we should have enough water in the Puget Sound region to serve the needs of people while maintaining streamflows for fish and other aquatic organisms. It’s all about managing the resource... What isn’t so clear to me is what we need to do about water rights, and this is where the real hangup can come in. People, governments and developers are allowed to reserve vast amounts of water for various uses, then they simply need to “use it or lose it.” That does not encourage conservation. Water rights are considered a property right…. Christopher Dunagan blogs.

Interactive dives will promote ocean literacy
The Fish Eye Project, a non-profit group of diving enthusiasts, researchers and educators, will co-ordinate an interactive live-stream video feed for a dive exploring a shipwreck off the coast of Vancouver Island on Thursday. The Robert Bateman Centre, in the CPR Steamship Terminal at 470 Belleville St., will host the interactive public viewing from 9 a.m. to noon as part of its first Explore the Ocean Day. The dive can also be watched online. (Times Colonist)

Stillaguamish Tribe chairman named to Indian fisheries post
Shawn Yanity, chairman of the Stillaguamish Tribe, has been elected vice chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. “I'm there for the commission to help carry the voice of the 20 tribes in their interests,” Yanity said. “It's a huge honor, and it's a huge responsibility.” The commission, based in Olympia, represents 20 tribes in the state, with a member from each tribe serving in the group. A chair, vice chair and treasurer are elected from among the commissioners. Kari Bray reports. (Everett Herald)

Good: sturgeon return. Bad: rockfish fall. Ugly: a killer plant comes back to the bay Darly Fears reports about Chesapeake Bay (Washington Post)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 1220 AM PDT WED OCT 1 2014
WED
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
WED NIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

4/9 ESA gophers, Vic sewage, Lk Whatcom, whale watching

Mazama pocket gopher (Wikipedia)

Gophers found in Thurston and Pierce counties to be added to endangered species list
After more than a decade of debate, environmental studies and lawsuits, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials plan Wednesday to list four subspecies of Mazama pocket gophers as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A threatened species is one that’s likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future if steps aren’t taken to protect it. The critters, known as the Olympia, the Roy Prairie, the Tenino and Yelm pocket gophers, are found only in Pierce and Thurston counties. Along with the listing rule, Fish and Wildlife officials say they’ve also designated 1,607 acres in Thurston County as critical habitat for the Olympia, Tenino and Yelm pocket gophers. A special rule will allow continued agricultural activities on farming and ranch lands, according to the agency’s new release. (Olympian)

Capital Regional District wants province to help with sewage impasse
Capital Regional District staff are recommending directors ask the province to intervene in its impasse with Esquimalt over building a sewage treatment plant at McLoughlin Point. Esquimalt council on Monday voted against rezoning height and buffer zone encroachments necessary to accommodate a plant, and asked staff to prepare a zoning amendment that would remove a sewage treatment plant as an acceptable use of the waterfront property. The decisions leave the CRD’s core area liquid waste management committee, which meets today, with few options, said chairman Geoff Young on Tuesday. Staff are recommending the CRD ask the province to overturn sections of Esquimalt’s amended bylaws. Sandra McCulloch reports. (Times Colonist)

Scientist: Lake Whatcom's problems persist, but are not getting worse
The quality of Lake Whatcom water may have stabilized, but it will likely take decades to get the city's drinking water source back to near-pristine levels. So says Robin Matthews, lead scientist on the team that conducts an annual study of the lake's water commissioned by the city. Tests of 2013 water samples show that levels of most-watched pollutants have been holding relatively steady for several years.... Matthews is director of the Institute for Watershed Studies at Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University. Like most research scientists, she is cautious drawing conclusions from the data she collects. But she acknowledged that stabilization in the lake's pollution levels may reflect efforts by the city, Whatcom County and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District to reverse years of damage caused by phosphorus-laden runoff. John Stark reports. (Bellingham Herald)

How whale watching can boost Olympic Peninsula tourism
Diane Schostak of the North Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau writes: “Amazing.  I just checked the North Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau Facebook page, and there it is: The reach from a recent post of orca whales jumping out of the water was nearly 130,000.  Nearly 3,000 “likes” and 1,400 “shares” brings the numbers up because so many see the photo in their news feeds and in their friends' activity.  I had a chance recently to visit with a local whale enthusiast who enlightened me on just how amazing the Olympic Peninsula is for whale watching....” See also: Where to see the gray whales — good viewing sites along North Olympic Peninsula's Pacific coast  (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 243 AM PDT WED APR 9 2014
TODAY
NW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

3/12 Quakes, tsunami debris, BC water, BP tax, Everett mill site

Pacific chorus frog (Gregg Thompson/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Pacific Chorus Frogs: Harbingers of Spring
On the West Coast, the sound of Pacific Chorus Frogs - also known as Pacific Tree Frogs - signals the arrival of spring. To send their calls into the night, the males swell their throat sacs to three times the size of their heads. Those who hear this chorus can be sure that Rufous Hummingbirds, Tree Swallows, and Violet-green Swallows will soon be arriving on the scene! (BirdNote)

New blog: Where Were You When...?
It’s a simple question I like to ask to place people quickly on the continuum of time and space. Nothing fancy, like, where were you three years ago when you heard about the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami?

Professor: Infrastructure here not prepared for massive quake
One local seismology professor says we are still far from being ready for when the next big quake hits our area. Seattle’s oldest buildings, including the Alaskan Way Viaduct, are just some of the structures that are a cause for concern when the Big One hits. The Alaskan Way Viaduct has a slew of instruments and engineers paying close attention to its stability. But the professor from Central Washington University said Washington communities are behind the ball when it comes to surveying and upgrading older structures. Just thirteen years ago, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake rocked the Puget Sound. Steve Kiggins reports. (KCPQ)

Three Years Later, Where Did Japanese Tsunami Debris Go?
Exactly three years have passed since a huge tsunami in March 2011 took thousands of lives in Japan and washed whole villages out to sea. Suspected tsunami debris started arriving on our shores the following December, but it's been less than feared. Nir Barnea, federal coordinator for marine debris in the Pacific Northwest, says we may never know for sure where the majority of the tsunami debris went. “A lot of the debris was made of wood. If you look at the photos from early after the tsunami, you see a lot of wood out there. Some of it — maybe even most of it — has sunk. Other debris may not have reached us. It has dispersed and may never reach us,” Barnea said. Tom Banse reports. (KPLU)

Where Are We Now? Tsunami Debris Three Years Later
Last month, six high school students from California visited Rikuzentakata, a city in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture that was nearly destroyed three years ago today by a massive earthquake and tsunami. On the agenda was a visit to Takata High School and its 20-foot boat, now home again after several years and a long voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The boat, which Takata High School used for marine science lessons, washed away during the tsunami and landed in Crescent City, California in April 2013. The Del Norte High School students, with the help of their teachers, restored the boat and worked alongside Del Norte County and various groups to return it to Japan. This tremendous story – a bright spot in an on-going human tragedy – is about friendship, cooperation, and bonds across an enormous ocean. Nancy Wallace blogs. (NOAA Marine Debris Blog)

Critics condemn B.C.’s new ‘watered-down water act’
A new law to protect and manage fresh water in B.C., four years in the making, still leaves the thorny question of pricing for a future date. The Water Sustainability Act, introduced Tuesday by Environment Minister Mary Polak, promises to regulate groundwater, to manage water use during droughts, and to measure large-scale water use. But Ms. Polak has launched another round of public consultation before she’ll ink in fees for water use by major industrial users, including natural-gas companies that use large volumes of water for fracking. This year, Nestlé Waters Canada will draw an estimated 300 million litres of groundwater for its bottling plant in Hope, producing truckloads of 500-millilitre plastic bottles of “pure, natural spring water.” Like other water-bottling companies using B.C. groundwater, it pays nothing for the resource. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Whatcom County Council not happy about BP tax dispute  
Whatcom County Council members expressed irritation over the property tax appeal filed by BP Cherry Point refinery - an appeal that could reduce property tax revenues by millions of dollars for as long as two years even if the appeal is ultimately rejected. "It is a significant appeal, like nothing I've ever seen in 26 years being an assessor," County Assessor Keith Willnauer told council members during their Tuesday, March 11, meeting, Council member Pete Kremen said he thought BP was asking for far too big a tax cut. John Stark reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Foss owner seeks more time to evaluate Everett mill site
Saltchuk, the Seattle-based company in talks to buy the Kimberly-Clark Corp. waterfront mill site, has asked for more time to finish due diligence on the land. Saltchuk still aims to close the deal before July, said Emily Reiter, a spokeswoman for the transportation and petroleum distribution company. And Kimberly-Clark spokesman Bob Brand said the Dallas-based company is willing to grant more time and is working with Saltchuk on the terms. Dan Catchpole reports. (Everett Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED MAR 12 2014
TODAY
SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. NW SWELL BUILDING TO 9 FT AT 18 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 11 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

3/11 Elwha, oil trains, Vic sewage, drinking B'ham water, Point Wells condo, 'megathrust, Enbridge

Elwha Reborn. (PHOTO: Katie Campell/EarthFix)

An Undammed River’s Sediment Brings New Life Downstream
Anne Shaffer sits on the sandy shoreline of the Elwha River and looks around in amazement. Just two years ago, this area would have been under about 20 feet of water. So far about 3 million cubic yards of sediment — enough to fill about 300,000 dump trucks — has been released from the giant bathtubs of sediment that formed behind the two hydroelectric dams upstream. And that’s only 16 percent of what’s expected to be delivered downstream in the next five years. All of that sediment is already reshaping the mouth of the Elwha, which empties into the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the northern shore of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Katie Campbell reports. (EarthFix)

Seattle City Council Urges Gov To Stop Issuing Permits For Oil Trains
Seattle has joined Spokane and Bellingham in passing a resolution to restrict oil shipments by rail until further review. The Seattle City Council unanimously passed the resolution co-sponsored by council member Mike O’Brien and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. The resolution urges Gov. Jay Inslee and other state regulators to refrain from issuing permits for projects that would increase oil transport in the state until concerns over safety as well as environmental and economic impacts are addressed. Martha Kang reports. (KPLU)

Oil-by-rail bill still alive but caught in partisan fight
Legislation that could provide more state study or disclosure of rail shipments of potentially explosive Bakken oil along Washington railways and waterways is caught up in a partisan dispute over how far to go, and rival measures are in danger of dying.  The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on Thursday, leaving little time for the Republicans calling shots in the Senate to work out an agreement with the Democrat-controlled House. Senate Democrats said Monday a shipping-disclosure measure originating in the House has died. But a proposal to add a 5 cent per barrel fee or tax on crude oil entering the state by rail may keep both chambers’ oil-by-rail measures alive for the waning days of the 60-day session. In the Senate, Democratic Sen. John McCoy of Tulalip and Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen of Ferndale have been negotiating in the Senate with counterparts in the House. Brad Shannon reports. (Olympian)  See also: Study a window into coal train air pollution

Seaterra sees ‘irreconcilable gulf’ in plan for sewage plant
After months of delays, officials are increasingly looking toward the legislature for help in getting Esquimalt’s McLoughlin Point rezoned for a sewage treatment plant. “Given there seems to be an irreconcilable gulf between the parties, and that timely conclusion is appearing more and more remote, we respectfully suggest the CRD consider moving this issue to a forum where a resolution can be reached,” Brenda Eaton, chairwoman of the Seaterra commission, said in a letter to Capital Regional District board chairman Alastair Bryson. “We completely understand that this is a decision for the CRD and not the Seaterra commission, so wish only to highlight that we will not be able to achieve the mandate the CRD board has given us with these ongoing delays,” the letter says. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Bellingham takes step toward improved water treatment
The city is taking the first steps toward construction of a multimillion-dollar pre-treatment plant that will help prevent Lake Whatcom algae blooms from affecting the quality and quantity of the city's water supply. Partly because of phosphorus-laden runoff from developed areas, the lake has had elevated levels of algae in recent years. In 2009, during an unusually warm summer, the algae concentrations became so high that they clogged the city's drinking water filtration system and reduced the water supply. That caused the city to impose mandatory watering restrictions to cope with a potential water shortage. John Stark reports. (Bellingham Herald)

New organization joins fight of proposed Point Wells project
A newly formed organization will join others in fighting the proposed condominium project, which would be built on an abandoned industrial site at Point Wells on the shore of Puget Sound in unincorporated southwest Snohomish County. The only access to the project is on a two-lane road in the Richmond Beach area of Shoreline in King County.  The new organization is called "Richmond Beach Advocates," formed with seed money from the Richmond Beach Community Association, a century-old neighborhood organization in Shoreline whose charter doesn't allow political advocacy.  Richmond Beach Advocates will join the Town of Woodway and a residents' group called "Save Richmond Beach" in opposing the project. Evan Smith reports. (Everett Herald)

'Orphan Tsunami' Of 1,700 Showed What A 'Megathrust' Could Do To Northwest Coast
Three years ago today, a massive earthquake ripped through Japan, and the resulting tsunami sent thousands of tons of debris floating toward North America. But a tsunami could also happen right along the Northwest coast, on the Cascadia subduction zone, which stretches from northern Vancouver Island to California’s Cape Mendocino. Right now, two tectonic plates there are grinding together. The Juan de Fuca plate is getting shoved underneath the plate that we sit on [the North American plate], at the speed that human fingernails grow.  But instead of sliding past each other, the plates are jammed by friction. When they finally unstick, we will be the first to feel the resulting earthquake and the tsunami that could follow within hours. Rae Ellen Bichell reports. (KPLU)

Enbridge buys $20-million land parcel in northwest B.C.
Enbridge has purchased a $20-million parcel of land on the northwest B.C. coast, a signal it may intend to join the push to export liquefied natural gas to Asia. More than a dozen LNG plants have been proposed on the coast, including several major pipeline projects from TransCanada, Spectra Energy and Pacific Northern Gas. The 64 hectares of land purchased by Enbridge Western Access Inc. on Dec. 19, 2013 is at Grassy Point, adjacent to larger parcels of land where Australia’s Woodside and China-owned Nexen have inked purchase agreements with the B.C. government for the Crown land. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE MAR 11 2014
TODAY
S WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND BECOMING SE 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

10/11 Oil recovery, snow geese, ocean acid, Skagit H2O, Cornwall park, OR LNG, lark and butterfly ESA

Totem Morning (Laurie MacBride)

Totem Morning: A Sneak Preview  
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "There’s nothing quite like daybreak in a quiet cove on the BC coast, especially when it coincides with low tide. In the still of early morning, before the water is rippled by breezes, the reflections can be stunning, and you can spot horizontal “totem poles” in the natural shapes mirrored all around the shoreline. The closer you look, the more details you see: creatures, faces and other symmetric shapes typical of – and likely having inspired – West Coast aboriginal art...." (great photos!)

Tanker spill would leave majority of oil in water after clean-up, B.C. study suggests
A study on oil spill preparedness commissioned by the B.C. government suggests efforts to clean up tanker spills would leave most of the oil on the ocean. In six of seven live spill exercises done on the waters of the Dixon Entrance and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, more than 65 per cent of the spill remained on the water at the end of the five-day simulation, according to the $106,000 study by Nuka Research released Thursday. In the seventh exercise, 49 per cent of the oil remained in the water. Ian Bailey reports.

'Blizzard of white' descends on Metro Vancouver
Tens of thousands of snow geese have begun their descent to Metro Vancouver, part of their annual migration every winter from the Arctic to the Fraser Estuary.   "It's a blizzard of white," says Jasper Lament, chief executive officer of the Nature Trust of British Columbia... But not everyone is as enthusiastic as Lament about their new feathered neighbours.  "It does create some issues for us, particularly if they land on some of our sports fields and school fields and defecate," says Tom Townsend, a spokesman with the City of Richmond. Catherine Rolfsen reports.

Ocean Acidification and Northwest Shellfish: Did the Seattle Times Get the Story Right?  
Climate scientist Cliff Mass takes exception to Craig Welch's reporting about the effects of ocean acidification in the recent Seattle Times big news feature. "My conclusion is that this series has some serious problems and draws several unwarranted conclusions.   Particularly that recent shellfish problems are the result of past or current CO2 levels in the atmosphere..."

Ecology, Swinomish working on deal to allow water use for current landowners  
The state Department of Ecology is working with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community to find relief for nearly 500 landowners whose water supplies could be at risk after a court decision last week. Ecology lost a lawsuit that overturned a 2006 rule amendment that gave water access exceptions to some landowners seeking well water use. The state Supreme Court ruled that Ecology overstepped its authority in establishing the exceptions and reinstated a 2001 Skagit Instream Flow Rule. That rule says water use will be curtailed when the senior minimum instream flow rights are unmet. However, Ecology Director Maia Bellon has decided to not to stop water use of 475 homes and eight businesses that have relied on the 2006 reservations to get water, according to a joint press release from Ecology and the Swinomish on Thursday. The Swinomish supports Ecology’s decision if the impacts of the 483 water uses are fully mitigated, according to the press release.

First meeting on Cornwall Beach Park - and boardwalk - is Oct. 16
Bellingham parks officials will hold the first of three public meetings on their plans for Cornwall Beach Park - and a second boardwalk over Bellingham Bay - on Wednesday, Oct. 16. The meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in City Council chambers at Bellingham City Hall, 210 Lottie St. Residents will get their first look at city plans for the area, currently an old city dump. Port of Bellingham and state officials are looking at alternative cleanup strategies for making the property suitable for a new life as a city park. Jim Donaldson reports.

Clatsop County Board Votes Unanimously To Deny LNG Permit
After reconsidering impacts and county development codes, Clatsop County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to deny an application for a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline and terminal on 41 miles of county land. The Board of Clatsop County Commissioners’ decision marks the end of more than two years of legal challenges to a preliminary denial by the board in 2011. However, Oregon LNG and the Oregon Pipeline Company, two affiliated companies seeking to construct the pipeline, say federal regulators will have the ultimate say.

Butterfly and Lark Win and Lose Protections  
A recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service action was a mixed bag for the Pacific Northwest's streaked horned lark and Taylor's checkerspot butterfly. The lark was granted threatened status and the butterfly was granted endangered status under the Endangered Species Act, but the agency slashed the proposed critical habitat for both species and added special exemptions from prohibitions against harming the lark. The listing action is the result of a 2011 settlement agreement between the USFWS and its most frequent litigant, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), which engendered a five-year workplan to expedite listing decisions for well over 700 species across the country. Ramona Young-Grindle reports.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 301 AM PDT FRI OCT 11 2013
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

9/18 Longview coal, Columbia Chinook, rat war, Shell drill, B'ham Bay, Everett sewage, Tethys pullout

Making Plum Syrup (Laurie MacBride)

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "For several weeks I’ve found it impossible to get a post written, and difficult to even to download my camera. The reason? I’ve been enslaved by TOTH. Perhaps you’re familiar with this mighty force, which strikes in late summer and fall. It’s full name is “Tyranny of The Harvest”, and when it takes hold, It keeps me trapped in the kitchen for long hours and days at a stretch. By late afternoon, I have barely enough energy to cook a simple (and I do mean simple!) dinner, let alone get creative on the computer. I know what you’ll likely say: it’s a good problem to have. I agree. So I’m not exactly complaining…just explaining..." When Tyranny Reigns

About 2,000 people jammed into the Cowlitz Expo Center on Tuesday evening, capping six hours of hearings on a proposed Longview coal terminal in which both sides rallied vigorously but without the incivility law enforcement officials had feared. With opponents dressed in red and supporters donning blue, the Expo Center resembled a mixed-party political convention, with the reds, many bused in from outside the area, having a decided majority. Outside, a sign on a 12-foot-tall inflatable globe declared “Coal is poison,” and a majority of people shared those sentiments when they urged state, federal and Cowlitz County regulators to conduct a broad environmental review of a $643 million Millennium Bulk Terminals proposal to export 44 million tons of coal annually at the old Reynolds Metals site. Erik Olson and Barbara LaBoe report. Longview coal hearing draws foes, backers

Take a listen: Chinook salmon returns are setting records on the Columbia this year. But 80% are hatchery fish. 13 wild salmon populations in the region are listed as endangered and 11 are threatened. It’s illegal to catch wild salmon, as any fisherman knows. Martha Baskin reports on our salmon’s latest threat, warming waters. What Will It Take for Wild Salmon to Return in Record Numbers? Warming Waters Present New Threat with Dams an Ever Present Danger

If you like to watch: Nisqually Tribe tracking historic pink run

Parks Canada staff are waging war against an army of rats on two remote northern islands in Gwaii Haanas national park, in the Haida Gwaii archipelago, with an aerial drop of poison pellets they hope will eradicate the rodents and restore ecological balance. The aerial drop is the second phase of project Night Birds Returning, a five-year, $2.5-million plan that experts hope will eradicate the rats first introduced more than century ago by visiting ships and that now number possibly in the hundreds of thousands on Murchison and Faraday islands. Dene Moore reports. Parks Canada declares war on rats in Haida Gwaii  

Rapidly thawing sea ice in the Arctic Circle has threatened polar wildlife and contributed to global changes in weather and climate. It has also opened the polar region for industrialization and resulted in new shipping lanes and a chance to drill for precious offshore oil reserves. As the NewsHour reports this week on climate change and its impact on the people and businesses along Alaska's Arctic border, we take a look at how operations in the Arctic by Royal Dutch Shell Oil, the first to drill for oil in the waters near Barrow, Alaska, have been fraught with accidents and controversy. Rebecca Jacobson reports. Controversy Over Shell's Oil Exploration in Arctic Continues

"We're doing a little myth-busting here," Port Environmental Director Mike Stoner told Port of Bellingham commissioners Tuesday, Sept. 17, as he delivered an update on the waterfront planning process. Stoner said he has heard what he believes are misconceptions about waterfront redevelopment plans that are now getting final review by both port commissioners and the Bellingham City Council... Stoner took pains to rebut two key criticisms of waterfront plans that have been heard in recent weeks: Not enough attention is being paid to habitat restoration for wildlife, and the port has never studied alternatives to plans for eventual installation of a marina inside the old G-P water treatment lagoon's massive trapezoidal breakwater. John Stark reports. Port of Bellingham's Stoner defends waterfront plans for wildlife, lagoon

The city (of Everett) is weathering a surge in new damage claims for recent storm-related sewer overflows, pushing the total to 73 as of Tuesday. That's about 30 more than last week. More claims are expected as a result of separate storms that flooded Everett homes and businesses in late August and early September. The city's latest claim tally, for example, doesn't include an estimated $700,000 in damage to the basements of two Snohomish County Public Utility District buildings. Noah Haglund reports. Everett sewage overflow damage claims keep pouring in

Reactions are mixed to the announcement last week that Tethys Enterprises backed out of its plans for a bottling facility on the island. Some residents were pleased the proposed 1-million-square-foot plant is off the table while others are lamenting the potential jobs lost. But all are looking to the future and how Anacortes could plan to best utilize the property — and how to attract a business that more people can get behind and support. Kimberly Jacobson reports. Tethys’ pullout draws mixed response

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 304 AM PDT WED SEP 18 2013
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
NW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told