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.

--
"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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9/11 Orca by drone, BC agreement, BC LNG, Beard's Cove, gravel permits, quakes, eagle killer, sea plastics

L91 and calf L122 (NOAA/KOMO)

If you like to watch: Drone gets amazing pics of new baby orca near San Juans
Scientists with NOAA now have even better views of a baby orca that has been born to an endangered group of killer whales off the San Juan Islands, marking the fifth birth among the region's three pods since December. NOAA officials got a special permit from the FAA to use a drone to capture aerial views of the calf, named L122. Members of the Center for Whale Research spotted the calf on Monday. The baby was swimming with its mother, a 20-year-old orca named L91 that's part of the Puget Sound's L-pod. Molly Shen reports. (KOMO)

Kiwi mum to live in bathtub for a month to protest an orca's captivity
A Kiwi animal rights advocate wants to live in a Miami bathtub for four weeks to protest an orca's captivity. Some animal welfare groups have demanded Lolita the orca be freed from Miami Seaquarium. The killer whale was first brought to the oceanarium 45 years ago. Now, Lower Hutt mum Danielle Daals has pledged to live in a bathtub near the Seaquarium to raise attention about Lolita's situation. (New Zealand Herald)

First Nations leaders and province agree on framework for reconciliation
Hundreds of First Nations leaders have given approval in principle to a reconciliation agreement with the province of B.C. — one day after warning that court battles and protest camps loomed if B.C. did not support a meaningful reconciliation proposal. The agreement is viewed as a road map for future economic, social and legal relations between Aboriginal peoples and the provincial government. First Nations Summit Grand Chief Ed John said the road ahead may be bumpy, but all sides are willing to build a path forward. The agreement was approved Thursday morning by about 500 First Nations leaders at a closed-door meeting with Premier Christy Clark and members of her cabinet in Vancouver. (Canadian Press)

Price weakness, construction costs cast B.C. LNG projects into doubt: report
Worries are growing that B.C. liquefied natural gas projects will face delays and cancellations as high construction costs and low LNG prices erode the confidence of international energy players. “The coming 12 months will prove pivotal for LNG development on the Canadian West Coast,” Calgary-based investment dealer Peters & Co. said in a new report. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Beard's Cove estuary restoration nearly complete 
For the past three decades, local land trusts and state agencies have worked hard at restoring and preserving more than 700 acres of estuary habitat in lower Hood Canal's Lynch Cove wetlands. Now, in partnership with the Beard's Cove Community Organization, Great Peninsula Conservancy is completing restoration on the missing link of the greater Lynch Cove estuary. When finished at the end of this year, the roughly 20-acre Beard's Cove estuary restoration project in Belfair will create 1,550 linear feet of shoreline, 1,600 feet of tidal channel for salmon to navigate and more than 7 acres of nearshore habitat, restoring the area to its pre-1884 condition. Arla Shephard Bull reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Ecology proposes sand, gravel permit changes to protect water quality
In an effort to protect the state’s lakes, rivers, groundwater and Puget Sound, updates are proposed for the water quality permit that regulates discharges from sand and gravel operations, the state Department of Ecology announced Wednesday. Untreated discharge water from sand and gravel operations may harm water quality and aquatic life. In the permit update, Ecology proposes new requirements for how to manage water that drains off piles of recycled concrete, which can affect the acidity of water and threaten fish. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Research Digs Into Mechanics Of Subduction Zone Earthquakes
Scientists know a little more about how big earthquakes happen, from research published Thursday in the journal Science. The study from the U.S. Geological Survey looked at a number of subduction zones, but not the Cascadia Subduction Zone, off the Northwest coast. The research doesn't change predictions that there's a one-in-three chance of a big quake in the Northwest in the next 50 years. The research focuses on the physical mechanics of what happens when that kind of fault has an earthquake. The study's author, Jeanne Hardebeck, said subduction zones build up pressure in a way that's different from what was previously thought. Rob Manning reports. (KUOW)

Killer of eagles: ‘It is time for me to grow up’
A Marysville man who broke the skulls of two injured bald eagles before trying to sell their carcasses says it's time for him to "grow up."  Shane Moses was crabbing on Puget Sound when he came upon the injured female eagles. Hoping to make some money selling the birds to a taxidermist, Moses beat them both with a gaff. One died immediately while the other was later euthanized. Turned in to police after landing his boat, Moses, 45, was prosecuted federally in the Dec. 27, 2013, incident. He initially denied clubbing the birds but has since pleaded guilty. Prosecutors and Moses are prepared to ask for a 60-day jail term for the killings when he is sentenced Friday morning at U.S. District Court in Seattle. Writing the court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Wilkinson asserted Moses destroyed two animals treasured by many. levi Pulkkinen reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Listing barge that dumped cars stabilized, sent to shipyard
A listing barge that sent crushed cars and scrap metal toppling into the Selkirk Water last month has been stabilized and moved to the Point Hope shipyard. The barge operator, Schnitzer Steel, said naval architects will continue to assess the vessel’s hull at the yard. Mike Geoghegan, a media representative for the company, said all the cars that fell into the water will be removed. (Times Colonnist)

Pacific’s worst pollution barely visible to the eye
… Captain Charlie Moore is an independent voyager and researcher renowned for his work in the eastern North Pacific Gyre, an area thick with floating plastic debris. Since 1999, Moore and his team have logged 15 voyages to the area known as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” A more accurate definition of it is “Great Pacific Plastic Soup,” he says. Plastic, large and near microscopic alike, permeates the water column from ocean floor to the surface. And the problem is getting much worse, he says. Martha Baskin reports. (Crosscut)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI SEP 11 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SUN
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 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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9/3 Whales, orcas, oil trains, water rules, crab pots, port traffic, spill response, quake, fishing

This you have to watch: How Whales Change Climate
When whales were at their historic populations, before their numbers were reduced, it seems that whales might have been responsible for removing tens of millions of tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere every year. Whales change the climate. The return of the great whales, if they are allowed to recover, could be seen as a benign form of geo-engineering. It could undo some of the damage we have done, both to the living systems of the sea, and to the atmosphere. (Sustainable Human)

B.C. orca calves ‘growing like weeds’ in waters off Vancouver Island
The Class of 2015 — four orcas born since late December — is thriving in the waters of B.C. and Washington state. All are part of the southern resident orca population, which includes the J, K and L pods. Southern resident orcas are listed as endangered, with pollution and lack of food among the contributing factors. Jeff Bell reports. (Times Colonist)

How Harry Styles sent SeaWorld's image diving
One Direction's Harry Styles sent SeaWorld's reputation plunging on social media when he urged concertgoers to boycott the chain of aquatic theme parks, research by the investment bank Credit Suisse suggests. Are young people turning en masse against the idea of animals in captivity? (Vanessa Barford reports. (BBC)

Feds give extension to fix defect causing oil train leaks
Railroad tank cars equipped with defective valves still will be allowed to transport crude oil and other hazardous materials through the end of the year, despite a March directive from federal regulators requiring their replacement within 60 days. The Federal Railroad Administration order followed a Bellingham Herald story about a leaking oil train reported in Washington state in January…. About 6,000 tank cars were affected by the recall, issued on March 13. Curtis Tate and Samantha Wohlfeil report. (McClatchy)

Feds Propose Tougher Clean Water Rule For Washington, Holding Line On Cancer Risk
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making good on its promise to put forward a clean water rule for Washington, in case the state doesn’t come up with its own plan in time. At issue is how much fish the government says is safe to eat, if it’s caught in polluted water.  In early August, Washington was on track to adopt a major rewrite of the state's outdated water standard, known as the "fish consumption rule." It uses the amount of fish we eat as a measure of how clean the water must be to protect human health. But Gov. Jay Inslee put the most recent proposal on hold and directed the state Department of Ecology to reassess its approach. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Crab pots mysteriously vanish in Puget Sound
Since last season, more than 1,000 crab and shrimp pots have been reported stolen or lost to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. "When it's gone, they always think the worst," said Ralph Downes, a fish and wildlife police officer for two decades. "Worst case scenario? I'm thinking 10 percent is the result of theft." As for the other 90 percent, Downes and other wildlife officers think the culprit is the strong current of the sound. Dan Cassuto reports. (KING)

Puget Sound Ports Lose Ground As Mega Ships Grow
The container terminals at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma are running at less than half their capacity, according to a study conducted for the ports. The study by Mercator International of Kirkland – one of several last year – said no other major port complex in North America is so underused. Mercator also says Puget Sound ports have been losing ground, even as competitor ports have been gaining. Carolyn Adolph reports. (KUOW)

WCMRC christens its newest oil spill response vessel
Vancouver, British Columbia, based Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) christened its newest oil spill response vessel yesterday in Burrard Inlet. The $4.5 million G.M. Penman is a 65-foot Ocean Class oil spill response vessel (OSRV) built by Rozema Boat Works, Mount Vernon, WA. It is only the fifth vessel of its kind in the world with sister vessels operating in Santa Barbara servicing the offshore production platforms off the California coast. (Marine Log)

Worst-case scenario Vancouver earthquake could have death toll of 10,000
It’s a typically rainy day in January at 2 p.m. Downtown cores are packed, with businesses in full swing after workers have returned from the holidays. Then the earthquake hits Vancouver. Most people hear it before they feel it — a low, rumbling sound similar to a freight train. Closest to the epicentre, violent shaking, which lasts 10 to 20 seconds, knocks people off their feet. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Washington eases fishing restrictions on some rivers
As conditions improve in some Washington rivers, state officials are easing fishing restrictions and closures put in place earlier this summer because of the drought. The Department of Fish and Wildlife had closed or restricted access on more than 60 rivers and streams to protect fish, which can be harmed by low river flows and warmer water temperatures. On Wednesday, the agency said fishing is now open or no longer restrict to certain hours on more than a dozen rivers, including in north Puget Sound, south-central Washington and on the Olympic Peninsula. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 258 AM PDT THU SEP 3 2015
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS 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.

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8/19 Hazel Wolf, sewage, citizen scientist, tanker ban, coal port, rewilding, Blob-Godzilla, crab closure, quakes, gulls

Brown creeper (Mike Hamilton/BirdNote)

Hazel Wolf
The writer Paul Bowles said, “Nothing just happens. It depends on who comes along.” For the Audubon Society in Washington State, that “who” was Hazel Wolf. She was a labor activist, environmental campaigner, and life-long champion of causes she believed in. From 1969 until 1997, Hazel Wolf organized Audubon chapters throughout the Pacific Northwest. She made a difference for birds including her favorite, the Brown Creeper, because someone had made a difference for her. It was a calling, though, that nearly didn’t happen... (BirdNote)

Department of Ecology honors Vashon wastewater plant
The Vashon Wastewater Treatment Plant is perfect — according to the performance requirements of the State Department of Ecology (DOE), that is. The plant is one of 127 such operations throughout the state recently recognized for perfect performance by the DOE. The plant passed all environmental tests, analyzed all samples, turned in all state-required reports and avoided permit violations during 2014. It is the first time the plant has been recognized for such an award. Craig Groshart reports. (Vashon Beachcomber0

Sewage treatment: Victoria’s constipated political process needs fixing
The Seattle Times editorial board asks: "Despite decades of ridicule and protest, Victoria continues the foul practice of treating the Puget Sound like a toilet bowl. What will it take, Oh Canada, to bring your sewage treatment into the 20th century?"

New blog: Citizen Scientists – Are They For Real?
Guest blogger Pete Haase writes: "Nowadays, in this business of volunteering in the environmental community around Puget Sound, I see citizen scientists behind every tree and on very beach…. I’m one.  I know this because several “real” scientists have told me so and thanked me for being one!…"

Greens push for supertanker ban on B.C. coast, stronger environmental laws
The federal Green party says Canada needs stronger environmental assessment laws to help defend coastal communities from risky pipeline and tanker schemes. The party also wants a legislated ban on supertankers on British Columbia's coast and a moratorium on drilling for oil and gas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. (Canadian Press)

Montana officials praise Cherry Point coal port plan
Congressional and business leaders from Montana shrugged off the concerns of environmentalists and praised a coal terminal proposed for Cherry Point. This was no surprise, as coal is an $80 million a year business in Montana, according to U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican and Montana’s only House member. No state has more coal in the ground than Montana, the officials said. Zinke and representatives of the Montana Farm Bureau and Montana Chamber of Commerce met with reporters on Tuesday, Aug. 18, after touring the site of the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Burrard Inlet restoration boosts Seymour River salmon returns
Salmon numbers in the Burrard Inlet are improving, with the help of a so-called rewilding project put in place following an oil spill in Burnaby, B.C. in 2007, according to a North Shore environmental group. "On the pink salmon I would say the returns are 50 per cent better this year than what we saw two years ago," said Shaun Hollingsworth, president of the Seymour Salmonid Society.  He said he believes the numbers of salmon on the Seymour River have improved in part because of the work being done by the Burrard Inlet Restoration Program. (CBC)

Blob-Godzilla combo to affect B.C. coast weather
What will happen when “the blob” meets “Godzilla” off the coast of the Pacific Northwest this year? The question might sound like science fiction, but B.C. scientists are watching closely. Experts forecast this year could bring one of the most intense El Niño events in recorded history, of such strength that some scientists recently dubbed it the “Godzilla El Niño.” The El Niño is expected to bring another warm, dry winter to southern B.C., and experts are watching to see how it combines with a warm-water phenomenon called “the blob” already being observed off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. John Colebourn and Dan Fumano report. (The Province)

Drought prompts more rule changes for region’s rivers
Drought conditions have prompted changes to rules on 60 rivers and streams in the state. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced changes this week for some dredging and plant removal activities. The changes prohibit or restrict suction dredging for gold and the removing aquatic plants using machinery. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Emergency closure of Dungeness crab fishery in Olympic National Park’s coastal section
To protect people from severe health impacts, fishing for Dungeness crab along the coastal strip of Olympic National Park is closed, effective at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19…. This emergency closure is designed to protect human health, as levels of the marine toxin domoic acid have exceed health standards in Dungeness crabs along the Washington coast. (Peninsula Daily News)

Cascadia fault chatters and pops with little quakes
Initial results from a program to monitor the Cascadia Subduction Zone in unprecedented detail show that the fault off the Northwest coast isn’t as seismically quiet as it has long appeared. Seafloor seismometers deployed as part of the National Science Foundation’s Cascadia Initiative detected nearly 600 small earthquakes off central Oregon during their first year of operation — quakes that didn’t register on any land-based instruments. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

Gull darn it! – Lots of seabirds, lots of guano
The problem with gulls in Port Townsend. John Boone reports. (Port Townsend Leader)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED AUG 19 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 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.

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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

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7/30 Shell drill, anchorage, drought conflict, warm waters, Big One, bull kelp, toxic spills, Polley mine, fish names

St. John’s Bridge, Portland ( Mike Zacchino /Oregonian)

Protesters in Portland dangle from bridge in a bid to block Shell icebreaker
Protests against Shell’s off-shore Arctic drilling took a dramatic turn in the pre-dawn hours Thursday as 13 Greenpeace activists suspended themselves on ropes from a bridge above the Willamette River here in a bid to stop an icebreaker from heading north to the Chukchi Sea. The 380-foot icebreaker, the MSV Fennica, must be on hand in the Chukchi before Shell can drill into oil-bearing zones where the company hopes to make a major new find. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Proposed freighter anchorages anger islanders
The owner of a multi-million dollar home on Gabriola Island says he’ll fight the establishment of five proposed anchorages for freighters less than a kilometre from shore all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada if he has to. “NIMBY? You bet,” said Ted Fullerton, who moved into the view home on the island near Nanaimo four years ago and worries about decreasing property values. “It’s heavy industry in my back yard. I don’t want it here and they can’t get away with it.” Susan Lazaruk reports. (The Province)

In drought, conflict emerges between fish and man
…. Government and the courts now protect “in-stream” flows for salmon, other critters, aesthetics, and more. In Washington, salmon have a special place in the calculations. Endangered Species Act listings and the treaty rights of Indian tribes make it impossible to just forget about the fish. Nevertheless, spurred by the current lack of summer water, some people are trying to forget, while others, for transparent reasons of self-interest, are steadfastly remembering. Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut)

Warm waters bring more restrictions on salmon fishing in Tulalip
The continuing drought in Washington state has led the Department of Fish and Wildlife to put more restrictions on salmon fishing in Tulalip. Significantly fewer summer-run chinook are showing up in tribal and state hatcheries. Any salmon caught by anglers is one less fish that can be used for brood stock, said the Tulalip Tribes' Mike Crewson. Water temperatures in rivers and streams have been high for most of the summer, and now Tulalip Bay has been getting too warm for the fish, providing a barrier to migration for chinook returning to the tribes' hatchery off Tulalip Creek. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald) See also: B.C. drought forces closure of another fishery  Drought conditions in British Columbia have forced the closure of another fishery in the province's southern Interior. The Okanagan Nation Alliance has suspended the commercial and recreational sockeye salmon fishery on Osoyoos Lake after high water temperature led to more fish disease, infection and death.  (Canadian Press)

How To Stay Safe When The Big One Comes
For most of the past three years, I’ve worked as a book critic, which is not a job that affords me many opportunities to scare the living daylights out of my readers. (Authors, occasionally; readers, no.) But earlier this month, when a story I wrote about a dangerous fault line in the Pacific Northwest hit the newsstands, the overwhelming response was alarm. “Terrifying,” the story kept getting called; also “truly terrifying,” “incredibly terrifying,” “horrifying,” and “scary as fuck.” “Don’t read it if you want to go back to sleep,” one reader warned. “It’s hard to overhype how scary it is,” Buzzfeed said. “New Yorker scares the bejesus out of NW,” the Seattle Post-Intelligencer wrote. Kathryn Schuulz reports. (The New Yorker)

Little is known about bull kelp, which nearly all marine life here relies on
When bull kelp washes ashore in the fall, it's almost too tempting for any kid to leave alone. It provides a ready-made whip or, if cut right, a natural wind instrument. The slick, greenish-brown plant with a bulbous end is such a feature of the beach landscape that it's easy to take for granted. Yet little is known about its presence in the waters of north Puget Sound. Where does it grow? Is it growing back in the same places after it dies off each fall? Is it thriving or declining? Bull kelp has disappeared in parts of south and central Puget Sound, but the situation farther north is unclear. With those thoughts in mind, volunteers from Snohomish County's Marine Resources Committee paddled out in kayaks for several days in mid-July. They left from beaches in Edmonds, Meadowdale and Mukilteo to perform a first-of-its-kind survey, in collaboration with other communities around the Sound.  Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Tacoma tideflats recycling company fined again for toxic spills
For the second time in five months, the state has fined a Tacoma recycling company for spilling toxic waste into Commencement Bay. Emerald Services, Inc., a waste-management company on the Tacoma tideflats, was fined $99,000 by the state Department of Ecology for two back-to-back spills on Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 of 2014. A tank overflowed and spilled 100 gallons of “dangerous waste solvent” into the water, the department said. The spill was the result of employee error, officials said, highlighting shortcomings in training. Stacia Glenn reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Mount Polley tailings pond cleanup completes first phase
The first phase of the cleanup operation triggered by the Mount Polley tailings pond collapse has been completed. On Aug. 4, 2014, the massive dam storing tailings from the gold and copper mine gave way, spilling 24 million cubic metres of mine waste and water into nearby lakes and rivers. The phase one cleanup was meant to stabilize a creek and ensure water quality. (CBC)

You Say Striped Bass, I Say Rockfish. What's In A Fish Name?
Order a rockfish at a restaurant in Maryland, and you’ll likely get a striped bass. Place the same order in California, and you could end up with a Vermilion rockfish, a Pacific Ocean perch or one of dozens of other fish species on your plate. This jumble of names is perfectly legal. But it’s confusing to diners — and it can also hamper efforts to combat illegal fishing and seafood fraud, says the ocean conservation group Oceana. Clare Leschin-Hoar reports. (NPR)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU JUL 30 2015
TODAY
VARIABLE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 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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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

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4/30 Toxic tailings, BC spill, quake report, Samish, train count, Shell drill, Skagit ag & fish, tourism $s, sick coral

Vancouver in March (International Space Station/NASA)

If you like to watch: Nearshore Spring 2015
While much attention is paid to herring spawning, kelp habitats are critical for a number of forage fish species and life history stages, including young of the year sand lance. Here's a glimpse of this captivating and beautiful component of our marine ecosystem. (Coastal Watershed Institute)

Canadian, American groups call on B.C. to end underwater storage of mine tailings
Dozens of Canadian and American environmental groups, First Nations and businesses, as well as scientists and individuals, have called on the B.C. government to end the use of storing mine waste under water and behind earth-and-rock dams. But Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said that is not going to happen in British Columbia. “I don’t think that’s in the cards for B.C. — or any other province in Canada — to adopt a policy where all you can use to manage tailings is dry-stack tailings,” Bennett said in an interview. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Vancouver oil spill response 'embarrassing,' says international expert
The response to the bunker fuel spill in Vancouver's English Bay was "very disappointing" says Anita Burke, an international expert in responding to and restoring ecosystems affected by industrial and natural disasters. "We clearly have large gaps in our ability to respond and take care of our coast … it's embarrassing, frankly," said Burke, who worked with Shell and its subsidiaries on corporate responsibility and sustainable development for 17 years. (CBC)

Earthquake would leave hundreds critically hurt or dead, North Vancouver report predicts
If a major earthquake hit the North Shore today, many buildings in several low-lying waterfront areas would likely topple as sandy soils were subject to liquefaction. Landslides would likely be triggered along escarpments of the Capilano, Lynn and Seymour rivers. Older neighbourhoods of Norgate, Pemberton Heights, Highlands, Edgemont, Lower Lynn and Riverside would likely see pockets of extensive residential damage. As many as 15,000 homes would be without water and power and over 4,000 people could be forced out of their homes in the immediate aftermath of a large earthquake. Up to 2,000 people are likely to be injured, several hundred of those seriously, overwhelming Lions Gate Hospital and other local medical facilities. Several hundred would likely be critically injured, or killed. Jane Seyd reports. (North Shore News)

10 Things You Should Know About the Samish Nation
The Samish Nation’s story is nothing short of remarkable. In the 1840s, more than 2,000 Samish people lived on their ancestral islands in the central Salish Sea: Fidalgo, Guemes, Lopez, San Juan, and Samish. But by the time of the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855, which made land available for non-Native settlers, introduced diseases had reduced the Samish population to 200. Richard Walker reports. (Indian Country Today)

Volunteers keep track of trains in annual count
More coal, less oil. That's what a group of volunteers saw last week when they kept a round-the-clock vigil on the railroad tracks running through Snohomish County. They counted 29 coal trains and 12 crude-oil trains. That compares to 24 coal trains and 16 crude-oil trains last year. The new figures are in line with the number of oil-train shipments that BNSF Railway has reported to the state. This was the second straight year that Snohomish County Train Watch has conducted the census. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Judge extends TRO after hearing on Greenpeace injunction
Shell’s court battle to obtain a preliminary injunction against Greenpeace USA continued in U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason’s court in Anchorage April 28. Gleason is considering whether to issue an order that would keep Greenpeace protestors at a certain distance from vessels Shell hopes to use for its 2015 Arctic offshore drilling. After the hearing, Gleason extended the temporary restraining order against Greenpeace covering two drill rigs and a heavy lift vessel; that order issued April 11 expired April 28 and she extended it to May 9 or until she rules on Shell’s request for an injunction that would cover all 27 vessels being mobilized for its Arctic exploration this summer. The company is asking for a court-ordered safety zone of 1,000 meters while vessels are en route, and a 1,500-meter safety zone while drill ships are anchored in the Chukchi Sea and support vessels are maneuvering in the area to move anchors and perform other support tasks. Tim Bradner reports. (Alaska Journal of Commerce)

Washington officials, Skagit County commissioner talk fish and farms with Gov. Inslee
Skagit County has the largest intact estuary in Puget Sound and is a focal point in the largest pending estuary restoration proposal, officials said during a discussion Tuesday with Gov. Jay Inslee. Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen also said agriculture is an integral part of the county’s culture and needs to be considered alongside fish recovery…. Skagit County is home to the Padilla Bay National Esturine Research Reserve, which has the largest eelgrass beds in the Sound. Also, four of 11 sites proposed for restoration under the Puget Sound Nearshore Estuary Restoration Project are in Skagit County along the Skagit River delta and the county’s shoreline areas. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Report tallies economic benefit from North Cascades tourism
A National Park Service report shows that nearly 770,000 people visited the North Cascades National Park Service Complex last year, spending more than $33.5 million in nearby communities. The park complex includes North Cascades National Park as well as the Lake Chelan and Ross Lake areas. The report says the spending supported more than 400 local jobs and provided a cumulative local economy benefit of more than $40.5 million. (Associated Press)

Most Whatcom beaches reopened to shellfish harvesting
Most beaches in Whatcom County have been reopened to recreational shellfish harvesting because marine biotoxins that could cause illness have dropped to safe levels. The Washington state Health Department has lifted the ban on most beaches, except for Portage Bay, where varnish clams still can't be harvested recreationally. The announcement was made Wednesday, April 29. (Bellingham Herald)

Black band coral disease continues to affect Kauai reefs  
Black band coral disease is affecting nearly half of the reef sites state officials have surveyed in waters off Kauai. That's according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The agency is holding a news conference Wednesday to discuss progress made to combat the disease. Scientists will also share information from a new report on the disease by the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. (Hawaii News Now)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU APR 30 2015
TODAY
SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A SLIGHT 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.

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4/28 Swim the Sound, coast protection, BC CG, BC pipe, quake, otters, Growlers, Vic sewer, owls, hatcheries

Wayne Kinslow swims (Patrick Robinson photo)

Swimming Puget Sound 1000 days in a row, Wayne Kinslow proves he's made of strong stuff
For some people Puget Sound is not a good choice for a swim. At 46 degrees it's very cold and frankly hypothermia will take over if you are in the water too long. But for Wayne Kinslow, it's all part of the fun. Kinslow somehow has willed himself to swim in the chilly waters 1000 days in a row, hitting that milestone on April 27. Normally he swims with a group of equally fearless swimmers but for the big number he chose to go solo. Patrick Robinson reports. (West Seattle Herald)

First Nations, province agree on plans to protect B.C. coast
The provincial government and 18 First Nations have agreed to plans for protecting and managing more than 100,000 square kilometres of B.C.’s coast, from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska. The deal covers issues that fall under provincial jurisdiction, but ignores key federal responsibilities such as fisheries and marine transportation, including tanker traffic. Lindsay Kines reports. (Times Colonist)

U.S. worried about Canada’s ability to respond to oil spills, records reveal
After the MV Marathassa spilled sticky, toxic bunker fuel into Vancouver’s harbour this month, Washington State officials noted in interviews with The Globe and Mail that the state’s oil-spill response regime was far advanced from Canada’s. One former maritime lawyer said if the U.S. Coast Guard ranked an eight or nine out of 10 worldwide, then Canada’s Coast Guard would rank a one or two. But the records obtained by The Globe under U.S. access-to-information laws show that American officials have been worried about Canada’s oil-response capabilities for years, dating back to Canada’s National Energy Board hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and the proposed Kinder Morgan expansion project. Stanley Tromp reports. (Globe and Mail)

NEB launches public review into pipeline emergency response plans
Emergency response plans submitted by companies proposing to build pipelines in Canada are to be the subject of a public consultation overseen by the National Energy Board (NEB). Peter Watson, CEO of the energy board, announced the new review in a speech delivered to business leaders in Vancouver today [Monday] . "Canadians deserve to be consulted on the transparency of emergency management information for NEB-regulated pipelines," Watson said. "There may indeed be some specific information that should be kept confidential, but I believe that we have been too conservative in our approach to this issue to date." (CBC)

Deep part of Cascadia fault so slippery sun, moon trigger tremors
New research shows that the large fault off the Northwest coast is so weak and slippery in places that minuscule tidal forces produced by the sun and moon are enough to cause tremors. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

A Tale of Two Otters: Natural History of River Otters and Sea Otters
The Whale Trail presents naturalist Leo Shaw Leo Shaw who will discuss the natural history of river and sea otters in North America, with a special focus on the river otters of West Seattle! His talk will cover human interactions, population swings, social structure, anatomy and physiology  food preferences, legal status, and current threats. Thursday, April 30th, 7PM. C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW. $5 suggested donation. (Kids get in free!); Brown Paper Tickets.

Whidbey citizens group in court over Navy Growlers noise
A Whidbey Island citizens group has revived the legal battle over noise from Navy Growler planes, filing a motion in federal court to block use of an off-base strip near Coupeville. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Public asked for input on Victoria-area sewage-plant sites
Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay will launch an intensive public process Wednesday looking for input on where to build a sewage-treatment plant. It’s an ambitious agenda. The hope is to get public buy-in on where a sewage-treatment plant or plants should be sited by the end of June. It took four years for the Capital Regional District to settle on Esquimalt’s McLoughlin Point as a site for a regional sewage-treatment plant. That plan went off the rails last year, when Esquimalt refused to rezone the site and the province declined to overturn the decision. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Wise Guys
…. Tony Angell writes (and draws) with the absolute authority of one who has studied, rehabilitated, lived with and loved the animals his whole life. Watching owls simply being owls is his calling. Julie Zickefoose reviews Tony Angell's new book, The House of Owls. (Wall Street Journal)

Return of the fish wars: Hatchery pits environmentalists against tribe
Can anything wild still exist in a Washington river that has been plugged for 100 years? E. Tammy Kim reports. (Al Jazeera America)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE APR 28 2015
TODAY
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT BECOMING W LATE MORNING. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. NW SWELL 8 FT
 AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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4/24 GBH, WA lege, drought, oil spill ship, BC pipe, ship pilot, BC dives, WA quake, E-Day, SeaWorld

GBH (Steve Bloom/Olympian)

Coalition saves Olympia’s only great blue heron colony
…. “These have been our herons for decades,” said resident Dan Einstein as a handful of herons squawked in the treetops where they nest. “Who knows why they picked our neighborhood, but they did.” Last summer, Einstein helped launch the nonprofit Olympia Coalition for Ecosystems Preservation in response to a proposed townhome development in the woods at the end of Dickinson Avenue. An access road was slated to pass through the heronry. Some people were concerned that the extra human disturbances would cause the birds to leave. The coalition has since led a successful effort to protect the heronry and the land surrounding it. Volunteers have spent countless hours pulling ivy and planting trees. The coalition has installed signs and enclosed the site’s entrance on Dickinson Avenue with split-rail fencing. Andy Hobbs reports. (Olympian)

Inslee sets Wednesday for special session to finish budget
With no budget deal even close, Washington state lawmakers will adjourn Friday, but Gov. Jay Inslee has called them back for a special session, to start Wednesday. Rachel La Corte reports. (Associated Press)

Wetter weather ahead for Friday and Saturday
…. "I believe the media and some local politicians have gotten a bit too worried about our "drought."   We have not had a precipitation drought at all....we are in a snow drought due to warm temperatures.  The situation is unique and I suspect we will weather this summer far better than expected.  And for those looking for outdoor activities this weekend:  Sunday morning and early afternoon look the best." Cliff Mass writes. (Weather Blog)

Ship involved in Vancouver fuel spill posts $300,000 bond
The cargo vessel that leaked bunker fuel into English Bay earlier this month has returned to anchorage in English Bay, but won’t leave until final environmental inspections are complete, Transport Canada officials said Thursday. “The vessel will not depart until Transport Canada has determined that the vessel is in compliance with Transport Canada regulations and is environmentally safe for voyage,” spokeswoman Jillian Glover said in an email. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

B.C. First Nation signs benefit deal over natural gas pipeline
The company planning to build a 900 kilometre natural gas pipeline across northern B.C. has signed a benefit agreement with the Kitselas (KIT'-sell-us) First Nation. TransCanada (TSX:TRP) announced the deal, when signed, will provide financial and other benefits related to the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project. (Canadian Press)

If you like to watch: Daily Life: Puget Sound Ship Pilot
Over 7,500 HUGE ships come and go from the Puget Sound each year. In this edition of Daily Life we find out what it takes to bring those ships to dock. (Daily UW)

If you like to watch: B.C. scuba video highlights province's best diving locations
British Columbia's diving community has just released a slick new video showcasing the province's beautiful waters in the hopes of attracting local residents and tourists to the sport. (CBC)

Washington Earthquake's Mysterious Source Discovered
Geologists have finally solved a 142-year-old earthquake mystery in central Washington state. Until now, no one knew the source of a powerful earthquake that rattled windows from Washington to Montana on Dec. 14, 1872. The quake's size, based on historical accounts, was magnitude 6.8. At the time, newspapers put the epicenter in several areas, from underneath the Puget Sound north to Vancouver, British Columbia. But Washington's eyewitness reports, slower to arrive in the sparsely populated state, centered the most intense damage east of the Cascades, near Wenatchee, where a giant landslide temporarily dammed the Columbia River. Becky Oskin reports. (Live Science)

Bay View students help restore trail, wetlands in celebration of Earth Day
Students wearing work gloves were armed with shovels and rakes Wednesday along the perimeter of a field at Bay View Elementary School. Some were up to their elbows in mud, some were raking dry blackberry brambles and some were placing seedlings in new homes. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) And:  Volunteers to pull trash off beaches Saturday as annual Washington Coast Cleanup gets underway  (Peninsula Daily News)

SeaWorld Tanks – Why Bigger Will Never Be Big Enough
No matter how big SeaWorld builds their tanks they will always be hopelessly tiny compared to the environment where orcas live. Yet room to swim and dive are only part of why the orcas’ natural environment can never be duplicated in captivity – those crystal clear tanks of chlorinated water where the whales swim in circles or bob endlessly at the surface are not even remotely representative of the ocean. Whales are uniquely adapted to live in a complex, dynamic, sensory rich environment – below you can see how the saltiness of the Salish Sea (where the Southern Resident orcas live) varies over the course of a single day, and observe what happens as the salty ocean water meets the fresh water from rivers.  Candace Calloway Whiting reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI APR 24 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 10 FT AT 13 SECONDS. SHOWERS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE
 EVENING. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT
S WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SUN
SE WIND TO 10 KT. 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

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1/27 Oil trains, oil spill, Arctic drill, coal future, sea lion rescue, Polley mine, big quake, Sultan coho

(PHOTO: Skagit Valley Herald)

Hearing examiner to consider Shell refinery permits this week
The Skagit County Hearing Examiner will review permits and appeals of Shell Puget Sound Refinery’s oil-by-rail proposal Wednesday and Thursday. Shell’s project proposal has been at least two years in the making, following the lead of Tesoro — the first refinery in the region to accept North Dakota’s Bakken crude oil by train — as well as BP and Phillips 66 refineries in Whatcom County in developing oil-by-rail infrastructure. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

State, local officials not notified of oil spill
State and federal officials are investigating an oil spill from a railroad tank car at Washington’s largest refinery last November, after a key agency was kept in the dark for nearly a month — and emergency spill responders were not notified at all. The delayed notification of the spill highlights gaps in communication and enforcement as more crude oil shipments travel by rail. According to reports reviewed by McClatchy, when the tank car arrived Nov. 5 at the BP Cherry Point refinery, Federal Railroad Administration inspectors discovered oil stains on its sides and wheels. A closer inspection revealed an open valve and a missing plug. The car was also 1,611 gallons short. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

5 things about Obama's move to protect refuge from drilling
President Barack Obama waded into a decades-long fight over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge over the weekend, announcing that his administration would pursue a wilderness designation for 12.28 million acres, barring drilling in most of the South Carolina-sized refuge. Dina Cappiello reports. (Associated Press)

Goldman Sachs: Coal hits ‘retirement age;’ IEA disagrees
…. When Goldman Sachs talks, people listen. Goldman said in a “research note,” the specifics of which were shared today — Monday, Jan. 26 — by Thomson Reuters, that coal was hitting “retirement age.” This from Reuters’ newsletter “Inside Dry Freight,” dated today:… “The use of coal for power generation is nearing its peak as the world turns to cleaner burning fuels and demand in top consumer China slows, analysts at Goldman Sachs said in a research note. Coal prices have fallen over the last four years and 2015 may make it five, with many now asking whether the fuel is in a cyclical slump or permanent decline....” Ralph Schwarz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Vancouver Aquarium staff rescue sea lion from ocean debris
A Steller sea lion in danger of death after it became entangled in ocean debris was rescued by a team from the Vancouver Aquarium on Monday, but two others are still in trouble. The rescue team spotted the three animals in Fanny Bay a few weeks ago amid a group of sea lions. The one rescued Monday was freed from a packing strap. Olivia Zauli Fellows reports. (Globe and Mail)

Mount Polley rating won’t be released
An industry rating for Imperial Metals’ management of the water and potentially toxic finely-ground rock from its Mount Polley mine will not be released. The Mining Association of Canada made the decision as a result of the collapse of the earth-and-rock dam that had held back millions of cubic metres of water and fine-rock tailings at Mount Polley. (Vancouver Sun)

Jan. 26, 1700: How Scientists Know When The Last Big Earthquake Happened Here
At approximately 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Jan. 26, 1700, a magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake occurred on the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 600-mile stretch between Vancouver Island, British Columbia and Cape Mendocino, California. What evidence points to an earthquake 1700? Tullan Spitz reports. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Sultan High students operate their own hatchery on campus
Biology students at Sultan High School are raising salmon in a hatchery on campus and expect to release them into the wild later this year. The school's hatchery apparently is unique in the state. Students also visit nearby spawning streams to learn about the life cycle of salmon. Amy Nile reports. (Everett Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE JAN 27 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 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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