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

Surf smelt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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9/22 Forage fish, greenhouse gas, climate myth, El Nino, Shell train, BC fish farm, BC LNG, old growth logging

Forage fish (Paul Dabill/Pew Trusts)

How to Identify a Forage Fish — and Why We Need To
Forage fish are increasingly being recognized as an important part of the marine ecosystem. By studying and setting catch limits on forage fish, managers can reduce the risk of population crashes for commercially valuable fish. Ted Morton writes. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

New blog: Holy Father the Chemist
"There have been some strange twists and turns in religiosity the past few weeks perhaps foreshadowing Pope Francis’ visit to our country this week. No doubt Kentucky county auditor Kim Davis is both deeply religious and an upstanding civil servant but not to choose one’s religious faith and resign from one’s sworn duties as a civil servant when it comes in conflict makes a mockery of both the faith she holds and the duties of the office she had sworn to perform…."

State moves to limit greenhouse gases
The state Department of Ecology on Monday proposed capping greenhouse gases from the state’s 35 largest emitters, rolling out a new rule-making process months after Gov. Jay Inslee failed to get legislation passed on his ambitious cap-and-trade plan. The agency began writing a rule to limit — and reduce over time — the amount of heat-trapping gases from the state’s largest industrial facilities, including power plants, refineries and landfills. Ecology officials said the rule would apply to facilities emitting 100,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases a year, which would capture about 60 percent of the state’s overall carbon emissions. Those that don’t comply could face penalties like those used to enforce other regulations. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Stephen Hume: Another climate myth debunked  
Mention global warming anywhere in a column and the inbox erupts with angry, condescending and dismissive messages from readers claiming that the planet has been cooling — or, at least, not warming — since 1998. But new research by a team of scientists at Stanford University, just published in the Springer science journal Climatic Change, finds that this so-called “hiatus” in global warming over the last 17 years never happened. (Vancouver Sun)

B.C. coast should brace for ‘monster’ El Nino year: UVic professor
The “monster” El Nino weather system expected to hit Canada’s West Coast later this fall and winter could lead to higher tides, flooding and erosion in low-lying coastal areas, says a professor at the University of Victoria. Ian Walker’s warning comes out of part of a larger study by a group of researchers from five countries bordering the Pacific who looked into El Nino and La Nina weather systems. The study was published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience. Kevin Drews reports. (Canadian Press)

Public comment period opens on EIS for Shell project
Skagit County and the state Department of Ecology are seeking public comment about the scope of the upcoming environmental impact statement on Shell Puget Sound Refinery’s plans to transport crude oil by rail. Shell has proposed building a facility that would unload crude oil from up to six trains per week. The oil would be refined in Anacortes. Comments are being accepted from until Nov. 5, more than double the 21 days required for an EIS. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Protesters threaten to renew blockade in B.C. fish farm dispute
Protesters who had been attempting to block a fish farm on Vancouver Island say they will return to their camp unless the Norwegian company behind the site removes its docks and equipment, as protesters had expected. Protesters who call themselves the Yaakswiis Warriors said representatives from Cermaq, an aquaculture company with operations in Canada, Chile and Norway, recently promised to remove the installation at a site near Ahousaht, B.C., on Monday morning. A small group of opponents had been blockading the site, located north of Tofino, since Sept. 9, citing potential environmental damage that could result from the plant. Wendy Stueck reports. (Globe and Mail)

LNG exports will impede fishing rights: First Nations
The Allied Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams are claiming title to Lelu Island and Flora Bank in the Port of Prince Rupert, arguing in a court filing that a proposal to export liquefied natural gas would interfere with aboriginal fishing rights. Pacific NorthWest LNG, led by Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas, is seeking to build an $11.4-billion export terminal on Lelu Island in northwestern British Columbia. The island is located next to Flora Bank, which contains eelgrass vital for nurturing juvenile salmon in the Skeena River estuary. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Planned logging of old-growth B.C. forest “shameful,” could spark blockades, say environmentalists  
The B.C. government has approved a permit for logging on one of eight planned “cutblock” areas in the central Walbran Valley on Vancouver Island, which an environmental group says could reignite the war in the woods from the 1990s. “This type of old-growth forest is simply too rare to destroy, and the fact the government isn’t responding to this crisis is shameful,” Wilderness Committee campaigner Torrance Coste said in a news release from the group. The area in question was not protected when more than 16,000 hectares of forests were placed off limits to logging in the Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park created in 1993 following protests and blockades. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PDT TUE SEP 22 2015
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/9 Toxic oil, BC pipe redo, Pete Haase, NW glaciers, Seattle hills, counting fish

Purple Martin and meal (Laurie MacBride)

If you like to watch: Here be Dragons Delish!
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "I love dragonflies – and so, apparently, do Purple Martins. But not in quite the same way as me. At each marina we visited this summer we saw and heard Purple Martins, busy raising their next generation. From the early hours until almost dark, we’d hear the melodious voices of these oversized swallows – their lovely, almost metallic song that reminds me of the twang of halyards against aluminum masts (appropriate for birds that spend their summers hanging around boats)….

Low levels of oil pollution harm herring, salmon, study finds
Federal scientists based in Seattle and Alaska have found that oil — by impairing heart functions — can cause serious harm to herring and pink salmon at far lower concentrations than previously documented. The research, published Tuesday online in Nature’s Scientific Reports, could help unravel the mystery of why herring stocks in Prince William Sound collapsed after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Their work also has implications about the effects of low levels of chronic oil pollution in Puget Sound and elsewhere in the world. “What this study shows is that in very, very low concentration of oil, embryonic fish … get born with a mild heart defect,” said John Incardona, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration toxicologist at a Seattle fisheries science center. He is one of 10 co-authors of the study. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

First Nation, Burnaby seek complete redo on Trans Mountain pipeline review
The Squamish First Nation and the City of Burnaby are urging the federal regulator reviewing Kinder Morgan’s proposed $5.4-billion Trans Mountain pipeline to strike a new panel. They made the request to the National Energy Board last week, shortly after the panel heading up an environmental and economic assessment halted the review because a consultant who prepared evidence in favour of the pipeline had been appointed to work for the regulator. While the consultant’s evidence has been struck from the review and Kinder Morgan will provide new evidence on the project’s economic benefits, that does not erase that evidence from the minds of the panel members or cure the perception that the impartiality of the board has been compromised, said lawyer Aaron Bruce in a letter to the NEB on behalf of the Squamish Nation. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Avid volunteer from Bow gets regional recognition
Avid volunteer and citizen scientist Pete Haase sees himself as just one of many, something like a soldier in an army working for a healthier Puget Sound. The Bow resident wouldn’t call himself a hero, but RE Sources for Sustainable Communities does. The Bellingham-based nonprofit has chosen Haase as one of its five environmental heroes of the year. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

‘Disastrous’: Low snow, heat eat away at Northwest glaciers
Glaciers across the North Cascades could lose 5 to 10 percent of their volume this year, accelerating decades of steady decline. One scientist estimates the region’s glaciers are smaller than they have been in at least 4,000 years. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

‘Too High & Too Steep’: When Seattle’s hills came falling down
David B. Williams’ new book, “Too High & Too Steep,” chronicles the massive changes wrought on the Seattle landscape in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Williams will discuss his book Sept. 9 at the University Book Store, and at other locations around Seattle. Michael Upchurch reviews. (Seattle Times)

In California's Protected Waters, Counting Fish Without Getting Wet
Using divers to monitor whether life is returning to the 100 or so marine protected areas is pricey. Now, advances in DNA sequencing mean scientists just need a seawater sample to do a marine census. (KQED/NPR)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED SEP 9 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...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

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7/13 Eulachon, farm drought, research trawl, BC LNG debate, oil train monitoring, Ketron Is estate

Eulachon (Northword)

‘Salvation Fish’ That Sustained Native People Now Needs Saving
…. This is the last great eulachon fishery on Earth, near the mouth of the Nass River in British Columbia, just at the tip of the Alaska Panhandle. Eulachon are a species of smelt, each fish a bolt of silver-blue not much longer than a ballpoint pen. In lean years the eulachon's arrival meant the difference between life and death…. Today, the fish that used to safeguard native people from starvation is itself in need of a lifeline. J.B. MacKinnon reports. (National Geographic)

Farmers’ profits could sustain a hit reaching the millions
Hot, dry weather and a shortage of water are taking their toll on the county’s agriculture industry. Some crops may never recover. The yield loss in Skagit County this year could be 30 percent, said Don McMoran, director of the Washington State University Skagit County Extension. If that happens, local farmers could lose $6 million in profits. While many county farmers get their water from wells — and the majority can take as much as they need up to their permit amount — others have restricted water rights. Then there are those who have no access to irrigation, making them especially vulnerable to the early warm weather. Shelby Rowe reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

If you like to watch: Studies of bottom fish help fill in key portions of Puget Sound food web
n a new video, Dayv Lowry of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife does a great job explaining how scientific trawling provides information about the kinds of creatures that hang out on the bottom of Puget Sound. The video shows a big net being brought to the surface filled with crabs and all sorts of strange creatures, which are then sorted and measured right on the deck of the Chasina. This research, which has been going on for years, provides information about how populations of marine species are changing over time. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

B.C. legislature to debate law on 25-year LNG deal
The B.C. legislature will hold a rare summer sitting Monday to debate an unprecedented 25-year liquefied natural gas agreement projected to be the cornerstone of the province's financial future. The government plans to pass legislation enabling the $36 billion deal with Pacific NorthWest LNG, a consortium led by Malaysian energy giant Petronas. The consortium wants to build an LNG export terminal near Prince Rupert. The agreement would protect the business from tax increases made specifically to target the LNG industry. (CBC) See also: LNG protest attracts dozens of boaters to Horseshoe Bay  Coalition of citizens groups says Howe Sound wrong place for an LNG plant (CBC)

Whatcom County environmentalists want to monitor oil trains
Whatcom County environmentalists want to step in as watchdogs and keep tabs on the trains rolling through their backyards. For a few months, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities staff members have asked people who are interested in environmental activism if they own property near the tracks, and if they’d be willing to host a camera there to document train movements. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Landmark Ketron Island estate sells to Lacey couple
A 5-acre estate with 1,000 feet of waterfront, commanding views of Puget Sound and the Olympics and a midcentury home built in the style of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright on the northern tip of Ketron Island has sold to a Lacey couple.... The new owners are Thurston County restaurateurs Nicole Pham and her husband Jim Porter, according to Karen Vincent who handled the sale for Morrison House Sotheby’s International Realty. The estate originally was listed for $1.77 million. Then it was reduced to $1.299 million. It sold for $1.1 million. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribume)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON JUL 13 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 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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7/8 Forage fish survey, Shell drill, Whytecliff Park E.coli, orcas, Sequim oyster, surf culture

Smelt and Beaches (Ecology)

Forage fish study gets state's full backing
The largest study of Puget Sound’s smallest fish received full funding in the new state budget….the study will take a close look at the sound’s populations of herring, smelt, sand lance and other forage fish that serve as prey for larger predators, including salmon, sea birds and marine mammals. The final budget put $1.9 million toward the study, allowing for both a nearshore survey of spawning grounds and a trawl survey in open water to gauge the survival rate of adult forage fish. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Shell suffers first mishap as Arctic-bound Polar Pioneer drilling rig arrives in Aleutians
Shell Oil is assembling a 29-ship Arctic drilling fleet in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands,  but has suffered an initial mishap weeks before it is scheduled to head north and drill for oil in the Chukchi Sea. The icebreaker Fennica, en route from Dutch Harbor to the drilling area, has returned to Unalaska Bay in the Aleutians with a 39-inch-long hole in its hull and a leak in its ballast tank. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

E. coli prompts swimming ban at West Vancouver's Whytecliff Park
Metro Vancouver says Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver is closed to swimming because of a high E. coli count. The water at Whytecliff, which is a popular diving location, has 200 E. coli/100 mL of water, the level at which a no swim advisory is issued. The levels are also significantly higher than other West Vancouver beaches such as Ambleside and Dundarave, which both have 23 E. coli/100 mL. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Four ‘missing’ orcas return to San Juans; L-54, where are you?
Chris Dunagan writes: "I reported last week in Water Ways (July 1) that nine Southern Resident killer whales had not yet returned to the San Juan Islands this year. I’d like to update you with the news that four of the nine have now been seen, so we’re just waiting for the final group of five…." (Watching Our Water Ways) See also: B.C. orca baby boom offers hope, but population still fragile  Leading scientist warns that B.C.'s killer whale pods could still 'wink out on us' Chris Brown and Chris Corday report. (CBC)

Project restores 131 acres of marsh
New Fir Island dike will protect farmland, snow goose reserve. Sarah Arney reports. (Stanwood/Camano News)

Return of the oyster
Given the signs of success, county and tribal officials partnering in an ongoing effort to restore Olympia oyster populations within Sequim Bay are shifting their focus to monitoring the growth and survival of their previous work….To allow the Clallam County Marine Resources Committee to continue to collaborate with the tribe on the restoration project, Clallam County commissioners unanimously approved the agreement with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe on June 30. Since 2012 and the initial effort to increase the presence of Olympia oysters in Sequim Bay, an area that historically supported a healthy population, seeded cultch totaling more than 700,000 individuals have been spread within 1.5 acres of tribal tidelands. Alana Linderoth reports. (Sequim Gazette)

Catch a wave: Second Occasional Surf Culture event rolls in July 11
Slip on your flip-flops and slide on down to the Port Townsend Public Library (PTPL) on Saturday evening for the Second Occasional Surf Culture of the Strait of Juan de Fuca & Salish Sea Event. All are welcome for an evening of readings, art and music, 6-9 p.m., July 11 at the library's Carnegie Reading Room. Justin Hocking, author of "The Great Floodgates of the Wonderworld," a 2014 book about surfing, obsession and “Moby Dick,” is to read at the July 11 event, which is cosponsored by Northwind Arts Center…. Also speaking Saturday evening is author and surfing historian Drew Kampion, former editor of Surfer, Surfing, Wind Surf and Wind Tracks magazines. Robin Dudley reports. (Pt Townsend Leader)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 258 AM PDT WED JUL 8 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 8 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 7 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG LATE.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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6/30 Jim Toomey, state budget, BC LNG ships, Colstrip, EPA mercury, plastic bag ban

(Jim Toomey/San Juan Preservation Trust)

If you like to watch: "Islands are Different" and "Shorelines: Connecting Land & Salmon"
The San Juan Preservation Trust enlisted Jim Toomey, a marine conservationist and creator of the internationally-syndicated comic strip “Sherman’s Lagoon”, to help answer the question: what does protecting land have to do with salmon? The result: two short, entertaining videos.

Legislature approves budget that cuts tuition, funds state worker raises
State lawmakers have approved a new two-year spending plan that will cut college tuition, give teachers cost-of-living raises and help satisfy a court order that the state fully fund public schools. The state Senate passed the $38.2 billion budget Monday evening on a 38-10 vote, and the state House approved the spending plan shortly afterward, 90-8. Lawmakers were racing to pass the budget to avoid a partial shutdown of state government Wednesday. The measure now goes to the desk of Gov. Jay Inslee, who must sign it by the end of the day Tuesday to avoid lapses in state services and temporary layoffs of state workers. Melissa Santos and Jordan Schrader report. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Trudeau open to LNG ships on northern B.C. coast
Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said Monday his mind is closed to oil tankers plying the waters of northern B.C. but open to shipping of liquefied natural gas as well as increased oil tanker traffic through Port Metro Vancouver — on the condition proper reviews are conducted. In an interview with The Vancouver Sun, Trudeau said that the Harper Conservative government could have saved everyone a lot of time and trouble by nixing the Enbridge Northern Gateway project, emphasizing “the Great Bear Rainforest is not a place for an oil pipeline.” Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Coal plant operator says Colstrip remains profitable for now
The formation of a new company to run Montana's largest power plant has raised questions among analysts and plant detractors about how long it can keep going, as pollution control costs rise and coal's share of the electricity market crumbles. The plant's new operator has an answer: There are no plans to shut down the 2,100-megawatt Colstrip Steam Electric Station. Matthew Brown reports. (Associated Press)

Supreme Court: EPA erred in rule on toxic emissions from power plants
The Supreme Court dealt a major blow Monday to the Obama administration’s efforts to keep toxic mercury out of the nation’s air and waterways, saying U.S. officials failed to properly consider economic costs when they imposed expensive pollution controls on coal-burning power plants. The court, in a 5-to-4 decision, halted further implementation of the 2011 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule, the Environmental Protection Agency’s landmark regulation that required electric utilities to reduce mercury pollution, linked in multiple studies to respiratory illnesses as well as birth defects and developmental problems in children. The decision’s ultimate impact on pollution controls was uncertain. The justices declined to strike down the rule altogether and left open the possibility that the regulation could be altered and reinstated. Moreover, a sizable majority of the country’s coal-burning utilities already have taken steps to meet the EPA’s requirements, muting the decision’s practical effects, at least in the near term. Joby Warrick and Robert Barnes report. (Washington Post)

PAC wants to pay to put plastic bag ban on Lacey ballot
Will Lacey take the money? That’s the question facing Lacey City Council after a local group called on the council last Thursday to support their cause. The group, a political action committee called the Effective Self-Governance Association of Thurston County, is prepared to write a check to the city for $2,500 to pay to get a city plastic bag ban before voters this November. After the representative made her pitch Thursday night, Councilman Jason Hearn made a motion to accept the money and to put the issue on the fall ballot. His motion won support from Councilman Lenny Greenstein, but Mayor Andy Ryder quickly put the brakes on the discussion, saying it would be an unprecedented move for the city to take the money. Rolf Boone reports. (Olympian)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE JUN 30 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 5 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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5/13 Samish ferry, Shell drill, train rules, oil pipe, Vic sewer, fish cops, oil spill, trail walk, forage fish

(Image: Vigor Industries)

The Samish: Bound for service in the San Juans
Following two months of sea trials and crew training, the Samish, WSF's newest Olympic Class ferry, will begin service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route Sunday, June 14, on the eve of the summer sailing season. It will be christened as part of an open house and unveiling at the Anacortes ferry terminal Wednesday, May 20. (San Juan Journal)

Port says to hit brakes; Shell rig coming anyway
Port of Seattle commissioners asked that Shell’s Arctic drilling rigs delay their arrival at Seattle’s waterfront while the port appeals a city ruling that a new permit is needed. But Foss Maritime expects to move ahead with the planned arrival of the Polar Pioneer on Thursday. Coral Garnick reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Clock ticking on Polar Pioneer's stay in Port Angeles as trip to Seattle nears; Noble Discoverer passes by North Olympic Peninsula  (Peninsula Daily News) And also: Easier for pols to join oil protests than to lead change  Danny Westneat reports. (Seattle Times)

Oil industry sues government over train safety rules
The oil industry went to court Monday over the Obama administration’s new oil train safety rules, challenging the timeline for refitting tens of thousands of tank cars and the requirement for enhanced braking systems on the cars. In its petition for review, filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the American Petroleum Institute called the provisions, unveiled May 1 by the U.S. Department of Transportation, “arbitrary, capricious, (and) an abuse of discretion.” Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Experts warn expansion of Trans Mountain pipeline poses threat to whales
Marine experts in both Canada and the U.S. are raising concerns about the impact of underwater noise on endangered killer whales and other mammals on a shipping route that will become increasingly busy if the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project proceeds. A review of the Trans Mountain proposal by the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, has warned that an increase in tanker traffic associated with the pipeline project “has the potential to result in sensory disturbance to marine mammals from underwater noise, ranging from auditory injury to behavioural disturbance.” Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

Potential sewage-plant sites are all over the map
Beacon Hill Park, Ogden Point and Rock Bay are among 40 potential sites for a sewage-treatment facility on the east side of the capital region. The Eastside Select Committee — a Capital Regional District sewage-treatment subcommittee representing Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich — released a map Tuesday showing public and private properties that have been identified as “technically feasible.” Other potential sites include Banfield Park, Barnard Park, Royal Athletic Park, Windsor Park, Saanich Public Works, Henderson Park and private properties in the Gordon Head-Cadboro Bay and Tillicum south areas…. Each of the member municipalities proposed sites within its boundaries for public consultation. The committee expects to select a site or sites by the end of June. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

Fish & Wildlife: Proposed staff cuts could endanger local seafood eaters
Now more than ever, buying seafood from a local farmers’ market or fancy restaurant could be tainted by toxins or poached from Northwest waters, according to multiple officers from Washington State Fish and Wildlife. State legislators are considering a new budget that could cut eight officers from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Lt. Paul Golden oversees the WDFW’s Statewide Investigative Unit and said, because of staffing cuts over the past two decades and the potential loss of another eight officers, “the state’s economy is at risk, and people’s health is at risk.” Amy Clancy reports. (KIRO)

Feds: Penn Cove boat owner must pay for spill that threatened shellfish
May 12, 2012, was a bad day for Rory Westmoreland, and for Penn Cove’s mussel beds. Westmoreland’s ship Deep Sea – a derelict hulk of a fishing vessel – burned and sank that day while spewing more than 5,500 gallons of oil into waters off Whidbey Island. The spill shut down Penn Cove’s shellfish beds, threatening one of the Puget Sound’s most celebrated harvests. May 12, 2015, can’t have been a whole lot better for Westmoreland – the U.S. Justice Department marked the anniversary with a summons, inviting him to respond to a $2.8 million claim filed against him the day before. Levi Pulkkinen reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Anacortes’ waterfront trail system grows
The community celebrated Saturday the latest addition to the city’s trail system, which opens more of the waterfront to nonmotorized use. Many hit the latest stretch of the paved Guemes Channel Trail this weekend after Saturday’s opening ceremony. The 3,200-foot segment of trail, the second to be completed, extends the Guemes Channel Trail to a total of 5,200 feet (nearly a mile) along the city’s northern waterfront. It was paid for with a $700,000 grant from the state Department of Commerce. Kimberly Cauvel repairs. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Jellyfish Boom As Little Fish Disappear In Puget Sound
Little fish are disappearing from much of Puget Sound, according to a new study. These are the fish that orcas and salmon depend on, and they’re being replaced by ballooning populations of jellyfish, which most fish and seabirds don't eat. That’s why Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill last week to authorize a major study of these "forage fish" in Puget Sound. The study could help provide answers to why herring and other "forage fish" have become so rare and what to do about it. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED MAY 13 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT...THEN 1 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL
 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 7 FT AT
 12 SECONDS. A 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

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5/11 Fish shift, clam garden, BC LNG, Pt Ruston, forage fish, BC salmon, Elwha pix, Shell drill, train rules

View from Rescue Bay (Laurie MacBride)

Detours and Delights
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "It was July, and we were heading north from BC’s Central Coast. We had planned to take Mathieson Channel that day, to explore the inlets of the Fiordland Recreational Area, which looked gorgeous in our cruising guidebooks…."

Populated Puget Sound sees stark shifts in marine fish species
The most populated areas of Puget Sound have experienced striking shifts in marine species, with declines in herring and smelt that have long provided food for other marine life and big increases in the catch of jellyfish, which contribute far less to the food chain, according to new research that tracks species over the last 40 years. The parallel trends of rising human population and declining forage fish such as herring and smelt indicate that human influences such as pollution and development may be eroding species that long dominated Puget Sound. In particular, the rise of jellyfish blooms may divert energy away from highly-productive forage species that provide food for larger fish and predators such as salmon, seabirds and marine mammals. The research by scientists from NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Fisheries Science Center, the University of Washington and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was published in April in Marine Ecology Progress Series. (Phys.Org)

Clam gardens call into question hunter-gatherer past of B.C. First Nations
The discovery of an expansive system of historic clam gardens along the Pacific Northwest coast is contributing to a growing body of work that's busting long-held beliefs about First Nations as heedless hunter-gatherers. A team of researchers at Simon Fraser University has revealed that First Nations from Alaska to Washington state were marine farmers using sophisticated cultivation techniques to intensify clam production. In an article published recently in the journal American Antiquity, lead author Dana Lepofsky argued that the findings counter the perception of First Nations living passively as foragers in wild, untended environments. (CBC)

Province racks up LNG pipeline agreements with 28 First Nations
The B.C. government revealed Sunday it has revenue-sharing agreements in place with 28 First Nations for planned pipelines meant to supply proposed billion-dollar LNG plants on the coast of B.C. The province had publicly announced eight pipeline agreements with First Nations on four separate pipeline proposals in northwest B.C. The details of the 20 other agreements and who they are with are being kept under wraps — at the request of the First Nations — because the native groups are in negotiations with companies as well, said Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister John Rustad, who revealed the larger number of agreements that have been signed. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Too tough or not enough? Different approaches by Tacoma, Ruston reflected in progress of Point Ruston
One of the biggest real estate developments in the South Sound is being built on top of one of the most contaminated pieces of land in the country. Adding to the complexity, two cities – one large, one small – share regulatory authority for the 97-acre urban village of Point Ruston. “Share” is a diplomatic description. The reality is closer to a tug of war between Tacoma’s and Ruston’s ways of doing business. To put it another way, the project has a Goldilocks problem: is the oversight from the two cities too hard or too soft? Kathleen Cooper and Kate Martin report. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Governor signs bill for big study of Puget Sound forage fish  [paywall subscription]
Puget Sound’s population of little fish will soon get a big look. A state Senate bill signed into law this week initiates the sound’s most comprehensive study of herring, smelt and other forage fish. These fish serve as prey for larger predators, including salmon, seals and killer whales. Small-scale surveys have indicated forage fish populations may be declining. Proposed by Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, the bill requires the state Department of Fish & Wildlife and state Department of Natural Resources to team up on an ambitious survey of forage fish spawning areas and a mid-water trawl survey at various depths throughout the sound. The survey results will help Fish and Wildlife develop conservation strategies for small fish populations that appear to be declining. Tristan Baurick reports. Kitsap Sun)

What’s killing off B.C.’s young salmon?
Hundreds of millions of young salmon are emerging from rivers along the B.C. coast, beginning a perilous journey that will take them north into the Gulf of Alaska. What happens on that remarkable migration, which most of the fish will not survive, remains one of the greatest mysteries of ocean science. Intense research is under way to determine where, why and how young salmon die at sea – particularly over the past few years. One theory is that massive mortality is caused by sea lice and that the infestations come from salmon farms. Gary Taccogna, regional manager of aqua culture environmental operations for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, disputes that. He monitors lice loads in farms and does not see the link that others do. Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

Changing mouth of Elwha River documented in aerial photos
Elwha River, open wide. Well, open your mouth, lengthen your channel and stick out what might become a new spit east of the estuary that's changing daily at the whim of an unshackled river. Aerial photographs of the Elwha — fed by sediment no longer impeded by hydroelectric dams — show it simultaneously elongating its course seaward, widening what one could call a delta, and “smearing” sediment along the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca in what's starting to look like a spit. That's not to say that's what will happen, according to Anne Shaffer of the Coastal Watershed Institute, because everything the unbound Elwha does is unanticipated. James Casey reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Foss Maritime fights to host Shell’s drilling rigs in Seattle
Foss Maritime said Friday it plans to appeal the city’s decision that the Port of Seattle needs a new land-use permit to host Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet at Terminal 5. Mayor Ed Murray said Monday the Port needs a new permit because the current permit allows for cargo loading and unloading — not for maintaining and supplying oil-drilling rigs. Foss argues, however, that the current permit for Terminal 5 allows port customers to tie up vessels so goods and cargo can be stored, loaded and unloaded, “which is precisely what Foss is doing at Terminal 5,” the company said in the statement. Coral Garnick reports. (Seattle Times)

New rules on oil trains draw flak from firefighters, too
Lawmakers and environmental and industry groups criticized the federal government’s new safety measures for oil trains when they were announced earlier this month. Now another group has expressed disappointment in the new rules: Emergency responders. They’re among the first in danger when a fiery derailment happens. After another oil train derailed and caught fire last week, this time in North Dakota and the fifth in North America this year, firefighters renewed their call for more training and information about hazardous rail shipments. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-300 AM PDT MON MAY 11 2015
TODAY
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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5/4 Jelly blooms, shellfish spray, sea star babies, Simpson exit, oil train rules, Shell protest, BC LNG, sea lab

Moon jellyfish (Dept of Ecology/Seattle Times)

Prime fish give way to hordes of jellyfish in Puget Sound
Correigh Greene hauled the dripping, black net over the stern of the RV Orca and dumped its meager contents into a blue plastic tub: Five fingerling surf smelt, one juvenile herring, a few nickel-sized jellyfish and a handful of assorted larvae. Paltry catches aren’t unusual on cool, April days, explained Greene, a fisheries biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle…. Late last May, in this same spot near Deception Pass State Park, Greene and his crew hauled up a net so heavy they couldn’t winch it up on deck. But the contents didn’t speak well for the health of the ecosystem. Instead of the plump herring and smelt that used to be the dominant forage fish in Puget Sound, the net was bristling with 40,000 sticklebacks — bony, armored fish that seem to be on the upswing. In some parts of the Sound, the researchers’ nets are often crammed with jellyfish — another sign of a shift toward a less-productive environment. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

Washington State Officials Withdraw Shellfish Spray Permit
Washington's Department of Ecology has canceled a permit to spray pesticides over shellfish beds in two areas, officials said Sunday. The decision to halt the practice in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor is part of an agreement between the local oyster growers association and the state. The growers association submitted a letter to the Department of Ecology on Sunday, after environmental concerns were raised in news coverage. The department reported hearing from residents across Washington state that the practice did not meet their expectations. (ABC News) See also:  Shellfish producer backs away from pesticide spraying
After receiving calls, emails and social-media comments from customers all day Friday, Washington’s largest shellfish producer has announced it will not treat its oyster beds with a controversial pesticide. “Our customers spoke loud and clear today, and that speaks volumes to us,” Bill Dewey, spokesman for Taylor Shellfish, said Friday.  Carol Garnick reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Oyster pesticide battle shows who really wields power   A couple of chefs accomplished in a few days what two powerful federal agencies couldn’t do in more than a year: head off the plan to spray pesticides on oyster beds. Danny Westneat reports. (Seattle Times)

New sea star babies offer hope amid mass deaths in Pacific
In scattered sites along the Pacific Coast, researchers and others have reported seeing hundreds of juvenile sea stars, buoying hopes for a potential comeback from sea star wasting disease that has caused millions of purple, red and orange sea stars to curl up, grow lesions, lose limbs and disintegrate into a pile of goo. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Simpson pulling up stakes is painful
Shelton was always a company town. For most of the 20th century, Simpson Timber Co.’s logging and mill operations were synonymous with the city’s industrial waterfront and the forest economy of rural Mason County. That era is over now, and this week Mason County’s struggling economy got another clear, urgent message. It needs to diversify, or reinvent its economic identity, and its workforce needs retraining opportunities. Some 270 jobs at Simpson’s mills in Shelton and Dayton are going away by June 30 as Simpson sells those operations to a Northern California firm, Sierra Pacific Industries. (Olympian)

Fish biologist piggy backs on other research as he seeks answers on coastal cutthroat trout
Most days this time of year, James Losee is working on salmon or steelhead projects for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. But when he can, the state fish biologist slips on his waders and life jacket, and joins the crew using a beach seine net to capture smelt along South Sound beaches. Losee’s interest is not the forage fish that are the focus of a Fish and Wildlife research project. It’s the larger fish also caught as the net is brought to shore. Jeffrey P. Mayor reports. (News Tribune of Tacoma)

New oil-train rules leave a lot of questions unanswered
The U.S. and Canadian governments on Friday unveiled a long-awaited new standard for the tank cars used to transport crude oil and ethanol that includes numerous safety improvements. But it is far from the final word on efforts to reduce the risk of catastrophic derailments, such as the one that killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, nearly two years ago. And industry and environmental groups are bracing for a court fight over portions of the new regulations that they don’t like. Most of the current tank car fleet that doesn’t meet the new requirements will be allowed to carry ethanol and some types of crude oil for eight more years. Environmental groups and some lawmakers objected Friday to the extended timeline. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Did You Like Knowing Where Oil Trains Moved In the Northwest? Too Bad.
Northwest emergency responders have complained about receiving little information about oil train movement through their community. They’re about to get even less. A set of new rules for oil train safety announced Friday includes mandates for tank car design, upgraded brakes and lower speed limits. The federal Department of Transportation also used it to rescind a requirement it issued last year requiring railroads notify states about shipments of flammable crude. Tony Schick reports. (KUOW) See also: State lawmakers call newly released rail-safety rules inadequate  Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald) See also: Washington Fire Chiefs seek BNSF info for disaster planning   Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Kayakers prep for oil-drilling protests in West Seattle  
Judging from the water-safety preparations and drills off Seacrest Park in West Seattle, kayakers are ready for their upcoming mission to protest Shell oil rigs drilling in the Arctic. On Sunday, approximately 19 advanced kayakers learned self-rescue techniques and how to assist when a kayak capsizes in anticipation of the upcoming flotilla protest May 16 in Elliott Bay. Through the Shell No! Action Council, hundreds of kayakers will join forces to oppose the Port of Seattle’s decision to allow Terminal 5 to be used as a staging area for Arctic drilling. (Seattle Times)

'Game changer': Gas company offers $1-billion to First Nations band in B.C.
The proponent of a liquefied natural gas plant on British Columbia’s north coast is offering more than $1-billion to obtain the consent of a First Nations community, a groundbreaking proposal that could establish the new price for natural resource development in traditional aboriginal territories. In a province where resource projects have stalled and sometimes foundered over aboriginal opposition, the tentative deal between the Prince Rupert-based Lax Kw’alaams band and a joint venture led by Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas sets a new benchmark for sharing the wealth from energy extraction. Justine Hunter and Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Underwater observatory to share data with those on land
Imagine if elementary school students took an interest in volcanoes and were able to track volcanic activity in the Pacific Ocean over the next 20 years, carrying what they witnessed into later college studies and maybe eventually their careers. That vision is part of what has driven researcher Deborah Kelley to bring to the rest of the world what she has experienced as one of the few deep-sea divers who have spent a significant amount of time along the seafloor. Kelley is part of a network of researchers across the country who have been involved in a decades-long National Science Foundation effort to bring underwater data and observations to people bound to the land…. Kelley, who teaches oceanography at the University of Washington and has been involved with the observatory project for years, said it’s a development that is going to change education across the globe. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Quilcene, Dabob bays closed to recreational shellfish harvesting because of biotoxin fears
Dabob Bay and Quilcene Bay beaches have been closed to the recreational harvest of shellfish because of high levels of a potentially deadly biotoxin. Shellfish samples taken Wednesday were found to contain dangerous amounts of the biotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), said Michael Dawson, lead environmental health specialist for the Jefferson County Water Quality Program. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-300 AM PDT MON MAY 4 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 13 SECONDS. CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT BUILDING TO 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

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.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

4/7 Radiation, Shell drill, oil train, fuel exports, WA budget, carbon tax, forage fish, toxics law, glacier melt

Turkey Vulture (Brian Zeiler/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Turkey Vulture, A Poem  
Vultures are an avian clean-up crew, removing carrion from the landscape. When Turkey Vultures circle low, you can see their naked red heads and deeply slotted black primary feathers. With their wings canted in a dihedral "V," they tilt upwind from side to side. The Turkey Vulture's keen sense of smell enables it, even high aloft, to locate dead animals on the ground. (BirdNote)

Fukushima radiation measured on B.C. shore for 1st time
Trace amounts of radiation from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan have been detected on North American shores for the first time, but researchers say the amount of radiation is not a concern.  Radioactive forms of the element cesium that could only have come from Fukushima were detected in samples collected on Feb. 19 in Ucluelet, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, with the help of the Ucluelet Aquarium, scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution reported today. (CBC)

Greenpeace boards Seattle-bound Shell drilling platform in mid-Pacific
A half-dozen Greenpeace activists have boarded Shell Oil’s Seattle-bound drilling platform as it crosses the eastern Pacific, but say they will make no effort to interfere with the navigation of the ship. The Shell drilling platform “Polar Pioneer.” Six Greenpeace activists, equipped with supplies, are now aboard the Seattle-bound rig.  They are protesting  Shell’s plans to drill in the Arctic…. And, Greenpeace being Greenpeace, the “Polar Pioneer Six” intend to unfurl a large banner denouncing Shell’s proposed drilling. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

NTSB: Equip oil trains with fire protection within 5 years
The National Transportation Safety Board on Monday called for the nation’s fleet of railroad tank cars hauling crude oil and ethanol to be equipped with fire protection within five years, half the time some industry groups would prefer. The NTSB cited the performance of tank cars in four recent oil train derailments, two in the U.S. and two in Canada, where fire exposure weakened the bare steel tanks and increased the pressure inside the cars beyond what they were designed to sustain. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Guest Opinion: Dirty fuel exports darken NW’s Earth Day
Some hailed President Barack Obama’s recent veto of the Keystone pipeline authorization legislation as an early Earth Day gift, spelling the project’s death knell. However, his decision was actually based on process, not policy. While Obama has articulated the science behind climate change better than any predecessor, his all-of-the-above energy strategy has opened the floodgates to unprecedented levels of domestic fossil fuel extraction with lax oversight. Fred Felleman opines. (Crosscut)

Washington Senate passes two-year state budget plan
The Senate on Monday passed a budget plan that relies, in part, on modifying a class size ballot measure and asking voters if they agree with the decision. The $38 billion, two-year budget passed the Republican-controlled chamber on a 26-23 vote. It doesn't include any new taxes, mostly relying on existing revenue, fund transfers and redirecting tax income from recreational marijuana. Rachel La Corte reports. (Associated Press) See also: Stand-Off In Olympia Before Budget Negotiations Even Begin  Austin Jenkins reports. (KUOW)

Climate Group Launches Initiative For A Carbon Tax In Washington
…. The circulation of petitions to put Initiative 732 on the 2016 ballot signals a new strategy that may come into play if Gov. Jay Inslee and fellow Democrats in the Legislature are unable to pass their own carbon cap-and-trade proposal. The Initiative would phase in a $25-per-ton tax on carbon dioxide emissions from certain fossil fuels and fossil fuel-generated electricity, starting in July, 2017. The proceeds would go into the general fund and be directed to offset reductions in the state sales tax and the business and occupation tax on manufacturing. Gas prices would eventually go up by 25 cents per gallon but rebates of up to $1,500 per year would be provided to 400,000 families in Washington to make the tax "revenue neutral." Ashley Ahearn reports. (KUOW)

Fishing amplifies forage fish collapses
A new study shows for the first time that fishing likely worsens population collapses in species of forage fish, including herring, anchovies and sardines. Some of the largest fisheries in the world target these species, and these “baitfish” are also a key source of food for larger marine animals, including salmon, tuna, seabirds and whales. Scientists have long known about wide fluctuations in the abundance of forage fish, including the occasional population collapse. But they had not figured out whether collapses were entirely natural or related to fishing. The study, published April 6 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, implicates fishing in the collapse of forage fish stocks and recommends risk-based management tools that would track a fishery’s numbers and suspend fishing when necessary. Michelle Ma reports. (UW Today)

Senate Committee Guts Inslee Plan to Clean Up Toxics in Fish
With the feds pressing Gov. Jay Inslee to better protect consumers from toxic chemicals in fish, a Senate committee gutted a potentially pivotal bill to allow the state to set up a new toxic-cleanup program. Inslee now opposes the legislation, saying it would leave him without tools he needs to head off federal intervention in Washington’s water-pollution-control system…. Originally, the governor’s legislation would have required the Department of Ecology to develop these so-called “chemical action plans,” including ideas for removing toxic substances from the environment. The agency could also order chemical manufacturers to consider safer alternatives and even ban chemicals when safer ones are available. But the Senate Committee on Energy, Environment and Telecommunications on Tuesday voted to take away Ecology’s ability to ban chemicals and limited the number of toxic substances Ecology could study. Chris Dunagan reports. (Investigate West)

How Western Canada glaciers will melt away
Wonder what your favourite glacier to ski or hike will look like in 20 or 40 years? A new study makes detailed predictions about how the glaciers in B.C. and Alberta will melt and shrink between now and 2100. Glaciers are melting rapidly around the world, including in Canada, and human-caused climate change is now considered to be the main driver. Thousands of glaciers in B.C. and Alberta are expected to lose 60 to 80 per cent of their combined volume compared to 2005, depending on how much CO2 gets added to the atmosphere between now and the end of the century. Emily Chung reports. (CBC) See also: Skiing, salmon spawning may be casualties of glacial melt: report  Tamsyn Burgmann reports. (Globe and Mail)

Now, your tug weather---
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 258 AM PDT TUE APR 7 2015
TODAY
NE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
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