6/25 Grey whale, shoreline protection, hot weather, Invasive species

Grey whale display (PHOTO: MarilynAssaf/CBC)

If you like to watch: Grey whale that washed ashore 5 years ago on display on Vancouver Island
The bones of a 10-metre grey whale that was found on a beach on Vancouver Island five years ago is now on display for the public. The journey began back in April 2010 when the whale washed ashore at East Sooke Park, just outside of Victoria. (CBC)

Conservation groups seek increased shoreline protections in Puget Sound
Three conservation groups on Wednesday petitioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to change how it regulates seawalls, bulkheads or other barriers to increase habitat protections along Puget Sound shorelines. Such concrete or rock structures prevent erosion and protect waterfront homes, but they also alter beaches and disrupt habitat for juvenile salmon, forage fish and other species. So Friends of San Juans, the Washington Environmental Council and Sound Action are asking the Corps’ Seattle District to use its authority to regulate so-called “shoreline armoring” projects in tidal areas. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

June plans a final weekend roast
The Puget Sound area is sizzling its way toward its warmest June on record, with weekend temperatures forecast to reach the low 90s. Jack Broom reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Hot weekend expected in Victoria; fire danger high The wildfire danger has hit the “extreme” rating in parts of Greater Victoria, including Saanich, and is high on most of Vancouver Island amid dry, hot weather that’s expected to reach the high 20s by the weekend…. Environment Canada predicts Saturday will be the hottest day. It will be even hotter in Port Alberni, Nanaimo and Campbell River. Katie DeRosa reports. (Times Colonist)

Invasive species a threat in every corner of B.C.
Dozens of non-native invasive plants and animals are established in British Columbia, arriving on the wind, in nursery plants, soil and on improperly cleaned boats. Invasives are more than a nuisance, costing millions in crop losses, ruined infrastructure and threatening natural biodiversity, according to the Invasive Species Council of B.C. The federal government this week passed new regulations in the Aquatic Invasive Species Act granting new powers to border staff and creating a guideline for responding to infestations. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun) See also: Albertans warned not to flush 'invasive' goldfish  (BBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 PM PDT WED JUN 24 2015
THU
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
THU NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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6/8 Oceans Day, WA budget, ship misses, oil spill, Longview, fuel trains, port alliance, glass-sponge reefs, herring, clean streets, Navy pier, Skagit dike, Olympic Park, drought

World Oceans Day is June 8th
This year’s theme is healthy oceans, healthy planet and people all over our blue planet are organizing celebrations throughout the week, from June 6th all the way to June 14th. Jump in.

Budget writers in Olympia have tentative spending agreement
State budget writers have tentatively agreed on a spending level for the state’s 2015-17 operating budget, according to the director of the state Office of Financial Management. Lawmakers are in the second special legislative session after months of a stalemate over how to fund government. If there’s no new budget by the July 1 start of the state’s new fiscal year, parts of the government will shut down. Joseph O'Sullivan reports. (Seattle Times) Meanwhile: Lawmakers claim $120 daily payments during special sessions Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

A year of close calls for ships on B.C. coast
Commercial ocean-going ships reported being involved in at least 14 official occurrences on the B.C. coast last year, including collisions, groundings, mechanical breakdowns at sea and close calls with other vessels, federal transportation safety board reports show. While not all involved accidents, some had the potential to be extremely serious, including the Japanese-owned 200-metre bulk carrier Ultra Saskatoon on July 2 reporting a “close-quarters situation” with the Hong Kong-owned 217-metre bulk carrier Great Loyalty near Race Rocks marine reserve off Victoria. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

In plain sight: How the Marathassa oil spill took hours to find
The sloop Odin set out from False Creek late on the sunny afternoon of April 8 for a pleasure sail, with the two-man crew, Rob O’Dea and Arnt Arntzen, using a steady northwest wind to tack their way around the transport freighters that use English Bay as a parking lot.  Around 4:45 p.m., the pair aboard Mr. Arntzen’s 21-foot sailboat spotted a large slick on the water, accompanied by the smell of fresh asphalt. It took them just 15 minutes of sailing to track the source to the bulk grain carrier MV Marathassa, which was at anchor in the bay after putting in to the Port of Vancouver to begin loading its cargo. By then, the slick was half a kilometre long and 250 meters wide, by Mr. O’Dea’s estimation. Beneath the blue sheen, he could see the water was thick with globules of oil. Mr. O’Dea called 911 at 5:05 p.m. from his cell phone, and a Canadian Coast Guard official called him back three minutes later to assure him they were already aware of the spill and had dispatched a pollution response team. That would have been reassuring, except there was no Coast Guard or any other emergency response vessel in sight. In fact, the clean-up crew would not be authorized to respond until three hours later. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Mike Lowry’s visit to planned coal port upsets environmentalists
On the battlefield of one of the biggest environmental clashes to erupt in the Pacific Northwest in decades, an old soldier for liberal causes and steeped in “green” cred has re-emerged — but this time, he’s fighting for the other side. Or at least that’s how some environmental groups perceive Mike Lowry’s recent visit to the site of a proposed coal-export terminal on the Columbia River, where the former Washington governor and congressman spoke favorably about the controversial project. Lowry’s tour on May 28 of the proposed Millennium Bulk Terminals (MBT) coal-export facilities site in Longview — during which he met with company brass, local elected officials and labor representatives who back the project — quickly generated a story in the hometown newspaper. Lewis Kamb reports. (Seattle Times)

The Clean Energy Governor And The Columbia River Oil Refinery
A new oil refinery is the last thing you might expect Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s administration to be courting. After all, Inslee has developed a national reputation as a champion of curbing the use of fossil fuels. And yet, Inslee’s administration has worked for months to facilitate such a project along the Columbia River. A Texas-based energy company wants to site a combined crude oil and biofuel refinery in Longview, Washington. The company’s goal is to capitalize on low carbon fuel standards championed by West Coast political leaders, including Inslee. Conrad Wilson and Tony Schick report. (KUOW)

Coastal Salish Nation steps up opposition to fossil fuel trains
The Coast Salish Nation issued a statement this week that it plans to work collectively against the transport of crude oil by rail and sea through tribal territories. The Coast Salish Nation includes the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and represents the ancestral territory of British Columbia First Nations and Western Washington tribes. The group met on Swimomish land in May and voted unanimously to try to stop all crude oil shipments through tribal territory. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tacoma, Seattle ports approve Northwest Seaport Alliance plan
Two ports that for decades competed fiercely for Puget Sound shipping business toasted a friendly new alliance Friday that will join terminal operations and marketing activities under a single management. Those Champagne toasts came after the governing commissions of the ports of Tacoma and Seattle voted unanimously to seek the blessing of the Federal Maritime Commission for the newly named Northwest Seaport Alliance that will link the two ports’ shipping terminals to form the nation’s third-largest container port. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Bellingham port environmental director retires after 20 years
When Mike Stoner first toured the Port of Bellingham’s properties 20 years ago, he started to make a mental list of contaminated sites that needed work…. Two decades and countless hours of investigating, building partnerships, and environmental planning later, one of the largest cleanup projects on that list is about to break ground and Stoner is set to retire. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Ottawa announces fishing closures to protect glass-sponge reefs in Strait of Georgia
Glass sponges are fragile, long-lived lifeforms that can be damaged by prawn traps…. The federal fisheries department announced Friday commercial and recreational fishing closures to protect nine glass-sponge reefs in the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound. The closures prohibit all "bottom-contact" fisheries, including prawn and crab traps, shrimp trawl, groundfish trawl, and hook-and-line, within a buffer zone of 150 metres around the nine reefs. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

First Nation Heiltsuk calls for extension of herring fishery closure
The Heiltsuk First Nation is calling for a coast-wide closure of the 2016 herring fishery, after it successfully shut down the 2015 fishery on the central coast earlier this spring. On Tuesday, the Bella Bella-based First Nation will issue a declaration that the herring and herring roe fisheries will remain closed until herring stocks have recovered. The Heiltsuk are in talks with the Haida and Nuu-chah-nulth to support a closure for the entire coast. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun)

State public lands commissioner calls for more study on Navy electronic warfare range plan
The Navy should rethink its proposed expansion of activities in its electronic warfare range in light of potential impacts on the threatened marbled murrelet and a deluge of comments against the plan, said Peter Goldmark, state commissioner of public lands. Goldmark, who manages the state Department of Natural Resources, said last week that the Navy's 2010 environmental impact statement on the effects of jet noise on the seabird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act did not go far enough. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Cleaner streets for cleaner Puget Sound planned
Copper, zinc, phosphorous and other pollutants build up on Seattle’s streets before rain washes them into storm drains and waterways that lead to Puget Sound. During heavy rains, the sewer system fills up and the problem can worsen. As a solution, the city plans to double the coverage of its street-cleaning program, hoping to scour at least 40 additional tons of pollutants from roadways each year before they can reach the Sound. The $800,000 street-cleaning expansion — meant to help satisfy a consent agreement with state and federal authorities to rein in combined sewage overflows — also is the frugal way to go, officials said. Miguel Otarola reports. (Seattle Times)

Navy offers new option for proposed Port Angeles submarine escort pier
The Navy has announced the location of a fourth alternative site for a proposed pier at Ediz Hook, where a plethora of activity already is taking place. The new location was offered to mollify concerns expressed by the Puget Sound Pilots and others about the $16.7 million proposal, which would provide a dock for up to seven Navy submarine escort vessels. But the route of the vessels as they proceed to the newest-option pier also places them within 100 feet of Seattle-based Icicle Seafoods Inc.’s Atlantic-salmon fish farm. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Fir Island Farms Reserve closed to public for dike setback
Public access is now closed to the Fir Island Farms Reserve, where heavy machinery will begin moving dirt and materials next week for the start of a two-year tidal marsh restoration project, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday. The project, which is being done on Fish and Wildlife land on Fir Island, will set back the existing mile-long dike about 5,500 feet to reopen 131 acres of tidal marsh in the Skagit River Delta to fish and wildlife. Kimberley Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Whatcom charter review board targets environmental groups
Conservatives on the county Charter Review Commission and their allies have a strategy for fixing what they say is wrong with Whatcom County. In addition to recommending more local representation on the council through district-only voting, a task they finished in February, they seek to de-fund “special interest groups” that support environmental causes. At the May 18 charter review meeting, Michelle Luke, who was endorsed by Republicans during her unsuccessful campaign for council in 2013, said district-only voting was needed to correct the excessive protections placed on rural land by conservation nonprofits…. Commissioners on May 18 didn’t mention by name any of the nonprofits they were targeting, but it appeared they were referring to conservation advocacy groups such as Futurewise and RE Sources for Sustainable Communities. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Olympic National Park's newest attraction is made out of an old dam
The west rim of the Glines Canyon overlook is finished and ready for visitors, just in time for summer. Perched on what was once the spillway of the 210-foot-tall Glines Canyon Dam, the overlook offers expansive views of a wide valley that previously held the Lake Mills reservoir. The Elwha River, released by breaching of the dam that was finished in August, now flows freely through the deep canyon just below the viewpoint. (Peninsula Daily News)

Drought Conditions Reach Unexpected Corners Of Northwest
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows almost all of eastern Oregon and parts of eastern Washington are now in severe drought. But the dry conditions are also reaching into corners of the Northwest that usually remain relatively lush. An example is the south fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. The river feels different and is slower than normal. Jessica Robinson reports. (EarthFix)

Will fake killer whale fool sea lions in Astoria — and what if it does?
Chris Dunagan writes: "I was eager to find out if a 32-foot fiberglass replica of a killer whale could scare off a huge number of sea lions crowded together on the docks in Astoria, Ore. I kept telling my wife Sue, “It’s not going to work” — and I had not the slightest idea that the motorized orca might capsize during its attempt to frighten the persistent sea lions…." (Watching Our Water Ways)

Calls mount for B.C. to take stronger action against invasive mussels
With the start of summer boating season in British Columbia’s freshwater lakes, the annual game of chance begins: The provincial government is gambling that it can prevent any boats contaminated with invasive mussels from launching within its borders. B.C. introduced its new mobile decontamination units on May 29, to check boats coming from other parts of North America for signs of quagga and zebra mussels. The rapidly reproducing invaders can hitchhike on boats, marine trailers and fishing gear. Once they have a foothold they choke out native species, clog infrastructure such as water intakes, and leave beaches littered with piercing shells. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON JUN 8 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

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

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6/2 Snowmelt, spartina, WA budget, eating fish, Shell drill, BC LNG, plant zoo

Red-winged blackbird (PhotoNerd/Birdnote)

What's Different this Year? We Ask Listeners
Changes in habitat mean changes in species. BirdNote asked our Facebook fans about the birds they observed in their yards this spring. Some people say they have more birds. Others say fewer. And why? Changes in habitat mean changes in species. In one person’s yard on San Juan Island, in Washington State, more trees mean more Barred Owls. One gardener said she has “lots more birds,” because she let a lot of plants go to seed last fall. And in the foothills of the Sierras, a fire last summer has made room for Red-winged Blackbirds. (BirdNote)

The Olympic Peninsula Faces A Summer Without Snowmelt
The peaks of the Olympic Mountains are a familiar sight on the western horizon for people in the Puget Sound region. Well into summer, those mountains are usually snowy white. But not this year. The snow is gone and rivers are at flow levels not normally seen until late summer. That has farmers, fish managers and community leaders worried about the season ahead. Ashley Ahearn reports. (KUOW)

Warm weather brings heightened search for spartina
The summer search is beginning for spartina — a plant the state has been targeting for removal for 20 years. “It is an invasive plant that can cause a lot of trouble for coastal communities, and we want to take care of it,” state Department of Agriculture spokesman Mike Louisell said. “It outgrows and out-competes native plants for space.” The amount of the plant found in the state’s coastal counties — including Skagit County — has been reduced from 9,000 acres in 2003 to 8 acres as of 2014. But battling the persistent plant is far from over. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

State lawmakers show signs of movement toward budget deal
Efforts to reach agreement on a state budget seemed to be creating momentum on Monday as Gov. Jay Inslee met with legislative leaders of both parties and House Democrats rolled out a new plan they called a “substantial compromise.” Inslee huddled with House and Senate leaders of both parties Monday morning in the first of what are intended to be daily conversations about the budget.  Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald) But: Washington Democrats Renew Call For Capital Gains Tax, Republicans Steadfast  Washington House Democrats are doubling down on their pitch for a state capital gains tax while Republicans are reiterating their no-new-taxes mantra. The war of ideas played out Monday as budget negotiators returned to the capitol for a second special session.Austin Jenkins reports. (KUOW)

Consumers can see who caught that fish they’re eating
Consumers can scan a QR code on a restaurant menu to get information about how and where the fish on offer was caught. A Vancouver non-profit is rolling out a seafood tracing system that allows consumers and chefs to learn where their food was harvested and exactly who hauled it out of the water. ThisFish also recently launched an artisanal brand of canned salmon with a picture of the fisherman who caught the fish on the label. The sockeye — caught in Barkley Sound — is sold in Maple Ridge at Bruce’s Country Market and in Vancouver at The Fish Counter. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Shell to DNR: We're In Seattle--Legally--Through End Of June
Shell Oil has rejected state officials' position that parking an Arctic oil rig at the Port of Seattle's Terminal 5 violates the state constitution. Shell's Polar Pioneer rig has been at the port since mid-May. Its arrival in environmentally minded Seattle has sparked protest and government scrutiny at various levels. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

TransCanada reaches deals with three more B.C. First Nations for LNG pipeline
TransCanada Corp. says it has reached project agreements with three more First Nations in northern British Columbia as part of efforts to build a pipeline across the province to a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal on the coast. Specifics of the agreements weren't announced but TransCanada said they provide for annual legacy payments over the commercial life of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline plus benefits upon signing and at other milestones. (Canadian Press)

‘Zoo of plants’ grows near Stanwood
You're driving north along I-5 northeast of Stanwood and all of a sudden you see it. An array of big letters on red kiosks with green things growing on the rooftops. What's up with that? It's a botanical garden of dreams come true for David Thomsen, 71, a former high school biology teacher. He's the force behind Bonhoeffer Botanical Gardens, a 9-acre spread with a winding boardwalk path and enchanting pond. “It's a zoo of plants,” Thomsen said. “There are 1,000 native plants in Western Washington and our goal of the garden is to have them all.” Andrea Brown reports. (Everett Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 250 AM PDT TUE JUN 2 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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6//1 David Suzuki, drought, Shell drill, Fred Felleman, halibut, tsunami debris, Kitsap pollution

David Suzuki (Charlie Cho/CBC)

David Suzuki reflects on life and death in 'Letters to My Grandchildren'
Famed environmentalist shared 5 personal reflections with CBC upon the release of his new book: On Family, On Death, On Legacy, On Discrimination, On Naysayers. (CBC)

Washington farmers, wildlife managers prepare for drought
With Washington state experiencing the worst mountain snowpack in decades and a drought emergency declared two weeks ago, farmers, growers and wildlife managers are preparing for a tough summer as conditions are expected to worsen. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press) See also: What drought? Meteorologist Cliff Mass vs. nearly everyone  Drew Atkins reports. (Crosscut)

West Seattle sea scene: Another Shell fleet vessel, Tor Viking II
From the “what’s that vessel?” file: Thanks to Lynn Hall and Don Brubeck for sending photos of this icebreaker/tug seen off West Seattle this morning (May 30).... Online information indicates that the Norway-built Tor Viking II is associated with the Royal Dutch Shell offshore-Arctic-drilling fleet; while most of the information involves its tasks from Shell’s 2012 Arctic efforts, this is one of the more than two dozen vessels listed in the U.S. Coast Guard “rule” for Puget Sound “temporary safety zones” related to Shell’s fleet. (West Seattle Blog) See also: B.C. activists protest Shell oil drilling ship's movement through Inside Passage  (Canadian Press)

Hometown environmental advocate takes plunge into Seattle port commission race
Fred Felleman has spent a career holding the feet of a host of public agencies to the fire. Now, the part-time San Juan Island resident, a renowned maritime industry watchdog and former member of the Whale Museum Board of Directors, is seeking to join one of the many public agencies that he's gone to the mat against in the past, and in a position of oversight, no less. Felleman is one of nine candidates vying for an open seat on the Seattle Port Commission, which oversees the Port of Seattle, a $9 billion a year enterprise. (San Juan Journal)

Dumping of halibut sparks fight among North Pacific fishing fleets
Due to concern about the halibut stock, trawlers are required to toss the millions of pounds they accidentally catch. The fleet says proposals to trim the amount of halibut it catches would be damaging, while other fishermen call for tighter controls on the trawlers’ bycatch. Hal Bernton and Justin Mayo report. (Seattle Times)

Tsunami debris still washing up in Washington 4 years later
Four years after a tsunami devastated Japan's coast, debris still washes up in Washington — and winds up in the hands of state wildlife officials. The debris comes with an environmental threat — invasive species and parasites that have hitched a ride across the Pacific Ocean. Another barnacle-encrusted Japanese skiff has made its way to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's aquatic invasive species unit. The 25-foot boat was recovered off a remote shore near La Push and arrived in two halves last week at the department's property south of Tumwater. The unit's goal is to remove marine debris and prevent the spread of invasive marine life. Andy Hobbs reports. (Olympian)

Water cleanup program will forego grants, reorganize for efficiency
Chris Dunagan writes: "After much success in cleaning up streams in Kitsap County, pollution investigators for the Kitsap Public Health District plan to turn their backs on most state and federal grants and reorganize their approach to local waterways. I’m talking about the folks who literally wrote the book on pollution identification and correction, or PIC, a strategic approach to tracking down bacterial contamination and eliminating the sources. A 2012 “Protocol Manual” (PDF 10.6 mb) and a 2014 “guidance document” (PDF 4.3 mb) — both developed by Kitsap’s pollution investigators — are now being used by local health departments throughout the state. That’s why I was surprised to hear that the health district plans to change course for its pollution-cleanup program this fall — especially the part about reducing reliance on state and federal grants. For many Puget Sound jurisdictions, these grants provide the major sources of funding, if not the only funding for their PIC projects. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 219 AM PDT MON JUN 1 2015
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
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. W SWELL 3 FT
 AT 13 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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2/4 Rains, Polley spill, Lummi coal, oil trains, salmon climate, Strait book, enviro ed, Pier 4, halibut, more bird flu

More heavy rain coming to Metro Vancouver  And see: Forecast: Heavy rains, mild temps across Washington

Mount Polley spill: Search warrants executed at Imperial Metals
The B.C. Conservation Service executed search warrants at the Mount Polley mine and the Vancouver offices of its owner Imperial Metals Tuesday night, in relation to the spill of 25 million cubic metres of waste from the mine's tailings pond last August. Insp. Chris Doyle with the conservation service said the search warrants were issued to support a joint investigation by the B.C. Conservation Service, the RCMP, Environment Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (CBC) See also: Vaughn Palmer: A ‘dangerous game’ at Mount Polley preceded disaster, according to senior engineer

Lummi Nation rejects coal terminal applicant’s invitation to negotiate
Lummi Nation sent another clear message about a proposed coal terminal on Tuesday, Feb. 3: Under no terms will it accept Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point, an area near the Lummi Reservation with cultural and economic value to the tribe. Lummi Chairman Tim Ballew responded Tuesday to a Friday, Jan. 30, request from terminal proponent SSA Marine to meet face to face and discuss how to “harmonize the facility with the environment.” Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Legislation Would Mandate Bigger Crews On Oil Trains
A growing number of oil trains rolling through Washington has  emergency responders and rail workers calling for bigger crews on board to better protect human health and the environment. A set of  bills, one introduced in the House and one in the Senate, would require all freight trains coming through Washington to have a minimum of two crew members. Trains carrying hazardous materials would be required to have a third crew member at the rear of the train. Oil trains more than 50 cars long would be required to have two crew members at the rear of the train. Oil trains can be more than a mile long, but they are currently only required to have crew members at the front. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix) See also: Should oil trains' schedules be public knowledge?  John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

Puget Sound salmon face more ups and downs in river flows
Many salmon rivers around Puget Sound have experienced increasing fluctuations in flow over the past 60 years, just as climate change projections predict - and that's unfortunate news for threatened Chinook salmon, according to a new analysis of salmon survival and river flow. More pronounced fluctuations in flow can scour away salmon eggs and exhaust young fish, especially when lower flows force adult fish to lay eggs in more exposed areas in the center of the channel. The new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Global Change Biology says such increased flow variability has the most negative effect on salmon populations of several climate factors considered. (Phys.org)

Coffee-table book looks at Georgia Strait
The Sea Among Us (By Richard Beamish and Gordon McFarlane) is the ultimate coffee-table book and reference material for all who live by and love the beauty of the Strait of Georgia.... This is the first book to present a comprehensive study of the Strait of Georgia in all aspects, featuring chapters on geology, oceanography, invertebrates and marine plants, fish, marine mammals, birds, and human history. It was written with the intended purpose of providing sound science and an expansive view of the Strait of Georgia to decision-makers who find themselves responsible for the management of the Strait. Pascale Archibald reports. (Nexus)

Environmentalists stress value of knowledge
Skagit County is a hub for environmental education, from the North Cascades Institute in the mountains to the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on Padilla Bay. As an agricultural center and outdoor recreation destination, the valley is also deeply reliant on the soil, water and wildlife, culturally and economically. But what makes environmental education important? Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tracking Down the Owner of Seattle’s Latest Foot Discovery
Nestled in the snug confines of Elliott Bay, Washington, a quiet stretch of beach called Centennial Park plays host to joggers, fishermen, and other Seattleites who have discovered the area's undisturbed bliss. On any given day, much like other Seattle beaches, trash and garbage of all kinds can be found washed up on the park’s shores. Early on a Tuesday last May, a volunteer group cleaning up trash on the park’s beaches came across something far more gruesome than the usual beer cans and candy wrappers: a tennis shoe filled with the decomposing remains of a human foot. Spencer Davis reports. (Pacific Standard)

Port of Tacoma planning Pier 4 demolition
The Port of Tacoma commission Thursday will consider authorizing demolition of Pier 4 in a project that ultimately will equip the port to handle the new generation of monster-sized container ships. The razing of Pier 4 on the west side of the Blair Waterway north of East 11th Street is the next step in creating a nearly-3000-foot-long pier that could berth two ultra-large containerships at once. The port has already strengthened the adjacent Pier 3 and equipped it with wider gauge rails on which new larger container cranes can operate to load and unload the gigantic new ships. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

State project to pull invasive weeds in Port Townsend
A Puget SoundCorps team plans to work with City staff and volunteers in February 2015 to remove English Ivy and English Holly from Sather Park Woods; and Spurge Laurel, English Ivy, English Holly and Scot's Broom from the forested uplands of Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park. These invasive non-native plants challenge native species for resources, and in some cases even kill trees. Once the invasives are gone, native vegetation is to be planted where warranted. (Port Townsend Leader)

Halibut fishing in Bering Sea continues despite supply concerns
Halibut fishing will forge ahead in the Bering Sea this year, despite warnings of a closure that could have choked off much of the year-round supply of the fish to consumers and restaurants and put hundreds of fishermen out of work. The Bering Sea accounts for one-sixth of the halibut caught in the United States. The catch includes most of the frozen supply that sustains restaurants, food-service companies and retail stores nationwide, such as Costco and Whole Foods. The crisis affecting the fish stems from a clash between hook-and-line fishers, who reel in the popular halibut, and two classes of trawl boats whose nets inadvertently kill the fish. Lee Van Der Voo reports. (Investigate West)

Another New Case Of Bird Flu Pops Up In Northern Wash. State
Another new case of bird flu has popped up in northern Washington state. This one is a hobby and 4-H program flock in Oroville, Washington, not far from the Canadian border. It’s mostly chickens and waterfowl. Another, larger flock 40 miles south in Riverside, Washington is on the chopping block as early as Tuesday. Anna King reports. (KPLU)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PST WED FEB 4 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT
TODAY
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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1/21 Seabirds, SSA fined, seastars, oil spills, pipeline safety, invasives, bird flu, ELF, FH port, orca close-up

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 

Puget Sound seabird numbers better than expected
More than a dozen species of Puget Sound seabirds thought to be in decline appear to be doing better than expected, according to an ongoing survey by citizen scientists organized by the Seattle Audubon Society. Of the 18 species monitored for seven years at 62 sites near Puget Sound from the north end of Whidbey Island to Olympia, 14 show increased numbers, including cormorants, loons, rhinoceros auklets, bufflehead and harlequin ducks, the new survey analysis shows. The species selected for detailed study are considered good barometers of environmental health because of their relative abundance and their dependence on Puget Sound food and habitat, researchers said. John Dodge reports. (Olympian)

SSA Terminals To Pay $215,000 For Clean Water Act Violations
SSA Terminals will pay $215,000 dollars for violations of the Clean Water Act at its Harbor Island facility in Seattle. After several years of litigation, brought by the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, the company has agreed to reduce their pollution discharges into Elliott Bay. The settlement was announced in a consent decree filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Tuesday. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

If you like to watch: Our Fight 2015
NextGen Climate draws the battle line.

Sea stars may be on path to recovery; summer could provide answers
…. Barb Erickson, Linda Martin and Peg Tillery… have been serving as amateur researchers, monitoring the Lofall beach, like hundreds of other volunteers at various locations along the West Coast. When they started monitoring the beach in February 2014, they observed dozens of healthy sea stars — but conditions changed dramatically by June…. I was not sure what to expect when I accompanied the three women to the Lofall pier on Saturday…. What we saw Saturday was a great many more young sea stars than last year, along with adults that seemed to be healthy. None of the starfish showed signs of disease. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Northwest Ships: Near Misses and Almost-Spills
The Northwest is evaluating more than a dozen major projects that would add oil tankers and other major cargo ships to the region’s waters. Nearly all of these plans would affect Washington’s waters: either on the Columbia River, Grays Harbor, or in the labyrinthine channels of the Salish Sea. In the simplest terms, increasing ship traffic means increasing risk. And as the region is contemplating an astonishing jump in vessel traffic, it’s worth pausing to examine the record. Eric de Place reports. (Sightline)

Kinder Morgan needs to disclose more on safety plans, says B.C. Premier Christy Clark
B.C. Premier Christy Clark is demanding Kinder Morgan disclose more details about its safety plans before the province approves the company's $5.4-billion pipeline expansion project.  The National Energy Board rejected the government's call for more information after the pipeline company submitted an incomplete version of its existing spill-response plans. The energy regulator says it is satisfied with the amount of information Kinder Morgan supplied, though it raised concerns over how clearly the company communicated the reasons for the information it left out. But Clark says Kinder Morgan hasn't met the five conditions set out by the province, and until that happens, it won't be going ahead with the project. (Canadian Press)

B.C. government mulling an Invasive Species Act to fight costly introduction of non-native species
The B.C. government is considering new legislation to coordinate the attack against a costly and ever-growing threat posed by the introduction of non-native plants, animals and diseases. Tim Sheldan, deputy minister of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, said Tuesday that the existing Weed Control Act and regulations have been under internal study and that an “extensive scientific review” of invasive plant species for regulation is nearing completion. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Government Ag Teams Encircle New Washington Bird Flu Case
Three new hot spots of bird flu have been found in wild ducks and domestic birds in Idaho. A second Oregon case was confirmed last week in a wild duck near Eugene. And a flock of 118 birds was euthanized over the weekend in Port Angeles, Washington. Anna King reports. (KPLU)

Rolling Out the Hot New Wheels
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Here on Gabriola Island these days, my father-in-law, Ted, is turning heads, attracting crowds and prompting smiles every time he goes out. It’s not just because he’s well-liked on the island – though he definitely is. The buzz is because of his hot new wheels: an electric-assist ELF tricycle, which arrived on a foggy morning in early January. This is not your ordinary pedal trike. Aside from its smooth, continuously variable transmission and its comfortable ride, it has the added bonus of an electric motor to help get up slopes, powered by a battery that’s recharged by the the ELF’s solar panel or by plugging in to household power…."

$4 million port project complete, ribbon cutting ceremony to follow
The Port of Friday Harbor's multi-million dollar marina reconstruction project is complete. In October 2014 Manson Construction mobilized into the marina with their huge crane and got to work removing old creosote pilings and wooden floats throughout the marina. The Harbormaster relocated vessels to accommodate the major renovations and no vessels were turned away for guest moorage during the holidays. Manson Construction replaced the inner marina with new concrete floats, steel pilings and upgraded utilities. (San Juan Journal)

If you like to watch: Paddle boarders close encounter with Orcas
Rich German on January 14 posted:  "My dream of seeing Orcas (aka killer whales) recently came true. Watch as a friendly pod of 5 orcas interacts with me on my paddle board. This was filmed with my GoPro off the coast of Laguna Beach California last week. You'll see the whales come directly under my board twice. This was an amazing."

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED JAN 21 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TODAY
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5
 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN RAIN
 LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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1/5 Bird die-off, sewage dumping, oil trains, Dungeness water, invasive removal

(PHOTO: Ken and Cathy Denton, EarthFix)

Pacific Coast sea bird die-off puzzles scientists
Scientists are trying to figure out what's behind the deaths of seabirds that have been found by the hundreds along the Pacific Coast since October. Mass die-offs of the small, white-bellied gray birds known as Cassin's aucklets have been reported from British Columbia to San Luis Obispo, California. (Statesman Journal via Seattle Times)

If you like to watch: Time-lapse of New Year’s Day on Puget Sound as seen from Burien
Susan Plecko shot this great time-lapse video from her home in Burien, showing – from sunrise to sunset – the “living” Puget Sound on New Year’s Day 2015. (B-Town Blog)

SRD board worried about raw sewage dumping by pleasure crafts  
The Strathcona Regional District Board pooh-poohed the idea of raw sewage being dumped by pleasure craft vessels any closer than three nautical miles off shore. At the Inaugural meeting of the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) before Christmas the newly elected Board agreed to support sewage dumping restrictions and to ask Transport Canada to abandon plans to amend regulations that would allow these vessels to discharge sewage one nautical mile from shore, and that additional action be taken to reduce raw sewage dumping from vessels in the Salish Sea.  (Campbell River Courier Islander)

Communities work to slow expansion of crude oil moved by rail
Mayor Tom Weisner can’t stop the crude oil trains from moving through his city on two railroads, but he’s doing what he can to make sure they do so as safely as possible. From his downtown office window, every day Weisner can see about four to seven trains with 100 or more cars of Bakken crude from North Dakota on the elevated Burlington Northern Santa Fe line passing through his city of 200,000, about 40 miles west of Chicago. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy) See also: Trains plus crude oil equals trouble down the track

'It shouldn't be a burden . . . to use water' — Dungeness water rule opponents file lawsuit in Thurston County
Opponents of a water management rule in the Dungeness Valley have moved to have it set aside by Thurston County Superior Court. The rule restricts water use — especially by new homes and businesses — in some places between Bagley Creek and Sequim Bay in eastern Clallam County. The suit would have the court declare what the Olympic Resource Protection Council termed “draconian” regulations that would ban outdoor watering in parts of Water Resource Inventory Area 18. The council's petition for declaratory judgment was filed Dec. 31 in Olympia, home to the lawsuit's defendant, the state Department of Ecology. No court hearing had been set as of Friday. James Casey reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Green Team takes on Lower Mainland's invasive species
In the last few years, a team of Lower Mainland residents has yanked 33,800 kilograms of invasive plants out of area parks, planting in their place 7,100 native trees and shrubs. The cost to taxpayers for all that time and effort? Absolutely nothing. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 830 PM PST SUN JAN 4 2015
MON
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SE 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON.
 NW SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.
MON NIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING S 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

9/4 Governors Pt., hatchery plans, radioactivity monitoring, shooting nutria, eelgrass mitigation

Governors Point (Bellingham Herald)

Governors Point on Chuckanut Bay for sale
Governors Point is for sale. The Sahlin family, which has owned most of the peninsula south of Bellingham for the past 50 years, has put the property on the market, as evidenced by a brochure produced by the Land Group of Cushman & Wakefield of San Diego, Inc. “Once in a lifetime opportunity!” the brochure declares, promoting “San Juan Island living, without the ferry” on “125.86 spectacular waterfront acres” between Pleasant Bay and Wildcat Cove. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Agencies review Puget Sound hatchery plans
How Puget Sound fish hatcheries will operate in the future could be determined by an environmental impact statement now being developed. As part of that process, NOAA Fisheries is holding public workshops this week to discuss the draft environmental impact statement that assesses alternative operations of salmon and steelhead hatcheries around the Sound. The proposed action alternative in the draft would operate hatcheries under two state and tribal resource management plans developed jointly by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and Puget Sound treaty tribes, according to a NOAA news release. The proposed action would maintain hatchery production at current levels. Jeffrey P. Mayor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

UVic researcher seeks citizen scientists for radioactivity monitoring program
A University of Victoria researcher is assembling a comprehensive coastal radioactivity monitoring program just as the amount of contaminated debris from the 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster is set to peak in B.C. waters. Chemical oceanographer Jay Cullen is recruiting “citizen scientists” to collect seawater samples monthly from 14 locations between Victoria and Haida Gwaii. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Hands up. Don’t shoot: Federal agents report shooting 4 nutria rodents at lake in ongoing kill
Federal wildlife agents have shot and killed four nutria over the past month around Olympia’s Capitol Lake, part of the ongoing effort to eliminate the nuisance rodents. The work, carried out over three evenings and early mornings so far, is not done, according to the state Department of Enterprise Services, which manages the lake area. Brad Shannon reports. (Olympian)

Mitigation efforts help protect eelgrass, a home to sea life
As the Port of Kingston undertakes its long-planned dredging of the boat launch and dock access areas, you may have heard that they are undertaking some mitigation activities to offset the affect removing bottom sediments has on the biology below. One part of that mitigation program is an eelgrass transplanting and growing project. This is a very cool thing. (Kingston Community News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU SEP 4 2014
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING E TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING E 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 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.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/4 Georgia Strait swim, Saltspring burial site shooting nutria, seastar wasting

Liquid Forest (Laurie MacBride)

Shoreline Impressionism
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "At anchor one quiet evening a couple of summers ago, I noticed how the trees along the shoreline were reflected in the water beside our boat. Although daylight had all but disappeared, I could still see a surprising richness of colour and visible movement of light in the water – reminiscent of an Impressionist painting. I took this photo, which I call “Liquid Forest”, in Shoal Harbour in the Broughton Archipelago...."

If you like to watch: Three videos take us upstream, where it all begins
Chris Dunagan in Watching Our Water Ways writes; "John F. Williams of Suquamish, known for his brilliant underwater videos, has worked his way upstream from Puget Sound and into the freshwater streams of the Kitsap Peninsula." (Kitsap Sun)

Rachel Schoeler's 35-km Georgia Strait swim delayed
A Vancouver woman hopes that tomorrow [Monday] she'll become the first woman in 42 years to swim across the Strait of Georgia — a swim three kilometres longer than the 32-kilometre English Channel....Schoeler's plan was to leave Nanaimo's Neck Point at 8 a.m. PT today and swim 35 kilometres to Sechelt on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast, arriving some 11 to 13 hours later. But, due to strong winds, her start has been delayed, her father confirmed just before 8 a.m. Sunday.... Aside from her personal goal, Schoeler is also doing the swim to raise awareness about water quality on the South Coast, and to fundraise for the Fraser Riverkeeper's  programs to educate beachgoers on ways they can improve water quality. (CBC)

Fury grows over house at islet burial site near Saltspring Island
Saltspring Islanders have stepped up their efforts to halt the building of a luxury home over a First Nations burial ground on Grace Islet. About 30 boaters blockaded the main dock on the islet and prevented workers from getting to the job site on Friday morning, prompting a warning from the RCMP.... Grace Islet, at the tip of Ganges Harbour, is part of a well-documented ancient First Nations village site. The residential-zoned islet is about the size of three lots. It was bought by Alberta businessman Barry Slawsky in 1990. His plans to build a home were stalled in 2006 when human remains and 17 burial cairns were discovered. Sara Petrescu reports. (Times Colonist)

Pest rodent known as nutria will soon find itself in gun sights at Capitol Lake
In a bid to control the critters, the Department of Enterprise Services has hired federal wildlife agents to shoot the beaver-like animals during an undisclosed evening this week. (Olympian)

Eyes are on local beaches as scientists study sea star die-off
When Rayna Holtz and Yvonne Kuperberg began monitoring a strip of west-side beach a few years ago, searching for dead sea birds as part of a citizen science project through the University of Washington, they soon realized they likely wouldn’t find any dead birds. So the two women, also Vashon Beach Naturalists, began recording other sea creatures they saw on their monthly walks, thinking it would be interesting to watch how their populations changed over time. Little did they know they would soon see one of the Puget Sound’s most iconic sea creatures — the sea star — nearly disappear from the beach, hit by a mysterious disease that has decimated sea star populations up and down the West Coast. Natalie Martin reports. (Vashon Beachcomber) See also: Seattle Aquarium injecting sea stars in fight against wasting disease Gary Chittim reports. (KING)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON AUG 4 2014
TODAY
W WIND 10 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT. 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 3 FT AT 15 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

7/30 Climate change, aquarium whales, Squalicum cleanup, green diversity, one-crew trains, invasives

(Rich Ross/National Geographic)

Social Octopus Species Shatters Beliefs About Ocean Dwellers
If recent octopus discoveries have taught us anything, it's that these eight-armed ocean dwellers are smart. They can use tools, change color in an instant, and commission their arms to solve problems. But they generally do all this as loners. Now, new research into a surprisingly social octopus is shattering even the most expansive ideas of known octopus behavior. Katherine Harmon Courage reports. (National Geographic)

Gov. Inslee’s Wastewater Plant Tour Highlights Sea Rise Woes
When Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wanted to show the connection between climate change and an unpleasant and costly consequence for his constituents, he decided to tour a sewage treatment plant. Inslee’s visit Tuesday to the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Seattle’s Discovery Park was the latest stop on his statewide tour to raise awareness about the costs of climate change. The problem the governor wanted to highlight: climate change is causing sea levels to rise. And that means homes and buildings that were built a safe distance from the water’s edge are increasingly becoming too close for comfort. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Vancouver Aquarium's whale program provokes more debate
Dozens of speakers voiced their thoughts on the Vancouver Aquarium's controversial captive whales and dolphins program Monday evening, at a second special meeting convened by the Vancouver Park Board.... Staff from the aquarium also spoke at the meeting on Monday, including CEO John Nightingale, who said if the park board votes to not allow whales and dolphins in tanks, the aquarium will take legal action to recover some of the costs of its recent $50 million expansion, which was approved by the board in 2006... A third special meeting will be held Thursday to allow Park Board members to discuss what they heard during the first two days of the public meetings, but the Board has not said when a decision will be made on the issue (CBC)

Ecology plan calls for $610K cleanup of contaminated Squalicum Harbor site
A decade after a $1.4 million interim cleanup was completed at a contaminated waterfront boatyard formerly used by Weldcraft Steel and Marine, the Port of Bellingham could finish the job with a new $610,000 cleanup plan. The Department of Ecology recently released its plan for the upland portion of the site at 2652 Harbor Loop Drive that was contaminated with petroleum-related metals and chemicals from Weldcraft's boat building, repair and maintenance work between 1946 and 2002. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

New report expounds on old problem: Lack of diversity in green groups
A new report, released [Monday], shows that the staffs of mainstream green groups have been overrepresented with white men despite the groups’ intentions to be more colorful. One of its most damning findings is that “the dominant culture of the organizations is alienating to ethnic minorities, the poor, the LGBTQ community, and others outside the mainstream.” The report, called “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations,” is billed as “the most comprehensive report on diversity in the environmental movement.” It was compiled by a working group of thought leaders on environment and race called Green 2.0, led by University of Michigan professor Dorceta Taylor. Brentin Mock reports. (Grist)

BNSF’s Proposal For One-Person Train Crews Concerns Rail Workers
Railroad workers are speaking out against a proposal by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to have single-employee freight train crews. They say the idea is unsafe, especially in light of the increasing transportation of crude oil by rail. The controversy stems from a tentative contract agreement BNSF has reached with one of its unions, the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Union. If union members approve that deal, BNSF could operate freight trains with just an engineer onboard. That engineer would have help from a so-called master conductor who would not be on the train. Ashley Gross reports. (KPLU)

Whistler invasive plants could now get you a ticket
Whistler residents can now be fined $250 a day if they have invasive plants in their yards. "Most invasives are quite pretty. Things like yellow-flag iris has a gorgeous yellow flower, and when you tell people it's invasive, they're sort of shocked," said Claire O'Brien, executive director of the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council.... O'Brien's group has been advocating for the bylaw banning invasive species, which was recently enacted by the Resort Municipality of Whistler. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PDT WED JUL 30 2014
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS. AREAS OF MORNING FOG.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 6 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/30 Mar Vista, landslide risks, extinction, Cornwall cleanup, nat'l energy, invasives app, Kinder Morgan risks

The former Mar Vista Resort site (San Juan Islander)

New blog: What Would You Do With $217 Million?
Buy a big stretch of San Juan Island shoreline, cut down trees along the shoreline, and propose building a 271-foot dock in a pocket beach to moor six boats up to 30 feet long for six single-family residences? You’d still have a lot of change left even after all that. That’s the story thus far about Virginia Powerball winner David Honeywell...

Oso Highlights A Policy Challenge: Development Pressure Vs. Landslide Risk
In the wake of the Oso landslide, Snohomish County struggles to find a balance between the demands of a rising population, and the risks associated with building in landslide-prone areas. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

World On Brink Of Sixth Great Extinction, Species Disappearing Faster Than Ever Before
Species of plants and animals are becoming extinct at least 1,000 times faster than they did before humans arrived on the scene, and the world is on the brink of a sixth great extinction, a new study says. The study looks at past and present rates of extinction and finds a lower rate in the past than scientists had thought. Species are now disappearing from Earth about 10 times faster than biologists had believed, said study lead author noted biologist Stuart Pimm of Duke University.... The work, published Thursday by the journal Science, was hailed as a landmark study by outside experts. Seth Borenstein reports. (Associated Press)

Cornwall landfill cleanup is one step closer to a city park
The plan to turn an old city dump site into a waterfront park is nearing the end of the regulatory process, and the Washington Department of Ecology is taking public comment on final plans for dealing with contamination there. Ecology prepared the plan as part of a legal agreement with the city of Bellingham, the Port of Bellingham, and the Washington Department of Natural Resources. The public is invited to comment on the plan from June 2 to July 2. John Stark reports. (Bellingham Herald)

White House energy report omits Keystone, other controversial issues
A White House report on its energy policy Thursday stressed good news but omitted any discussion of controversial issues such as lifting a ban on oil exports, the long-delayed Keystone pipeline or growing concern about crude oil in railroad tank cars. Coming days before a signature White House proposal to crack down on carbon emissions at power plants, the administration’s report card touting its “all of the above” energy strategy was sharply criticized by green groups. They complained that President Barack Obama tries to look tough on pollution while eroding that very effort by touting the record U.S. production of oil and natural gas. Kevin G. Hall reports. (McClatchy)

There's Now An App To Report Sightings Of Invasive Species
Sightings of invasive thistles, moths and wild pigs can now be reported using a smartphone app launched this week by the Washington Invasive Species Council. The idea is to get more eyes and ears on certain plants and animals that are considered destructive to the local environment. Users of the Washington Invasives App will be able to take a photo of plants and animals that they think might not belong here. Experts will then identify the species before uploading the photos to a statewide map. Rae Ellen Bichell reports. (KPLU)

Plan to add oil tanks at Kinder Morgan terminal causes concern
The Burnaby Fire Department warned of a terrifying scenario Wednesday involving a potential explosion at Kinder Morgan Canada’s Burnaby Mountain tank farm that could result in toxic fumes and a tide of molten crude rolling down toward nearby residents and an elementary school. But the company shot back that the scenario is unrealistically based on a worst-case event in which the company, which has had no tank farm fires in 60 years of operation, has taken no steps to contain the fire at the storage facility. Deputy Fire Chief Chris Bowcock said in an interview he’s concerned about the company’s plan to add 14 larger storage tanks to the 13 already located on the side of the mountain. Peter O'Neil reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI MAY 30 2014
TODAY
W WIND 10 KT THIS MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SAT
SW WIND 10 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SUN
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W 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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5/27 Geoduck ban, San Juan Monument, Southlands OK'd, fish consumption, invasives

Spring harvest (Laurie MacBride)

Of Rhubarb and Time Travel
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Marcel Proust found his time machine in that little sponge cake called a Madeleine. For me, time travel comes from a nibble of fresh, uncooked rhubarb. Steamed rhubarb is nice, especially with yogurt, and I adore rhubarb crumble. But neither holds the power of rhubarb eaten raw: one tiny bite, and I’m instantly transported to the back porch of our old house on Musgrave Avenue. There I sit, a stick of fresh rhubarb in one hand, and in the other, a small cup of white sugar for dipping the rhubarb. Ah, bliss!..."

China To Lift Ban On West Coast Shellfish
China will lift its ban on imports of geoduck clams and other shellfish from the West Coast, according to a statement from Washington Congressman Derek Kilmer... Chinese officials sent a letter Friday to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration advising the federal agency the ban would be lifted. The letter stated Chinese officials were satisfied with NOAA’s proposed plans for new monitoring and testing requirements for paralytic shellfish poisoning and inorganic arsenic, which would meet China’s food safety requirements. Tony Schick reports. (EarthFix)

If you like to watch: Puget Sound in the Spring...
Laura James shares her underwater sights and sounds. Enjoy.

The Bureau of Land Management is hosting a series of gatherings this week to discuss the management of the San Juan Islands National Monument. Lopez - Tuesday, May 27, 6-9pm at Lopez Center; San Juan - Wednesday, May 28, 6-9pm at the Grange; and Orcas - Thursday, May 29, 6-9pm at Eastsound Firehall. The meetings will be hosted by local BLM staff along with District Manager Daniel Picard, District Planner Chris Carlton and Planning Assistant Anjolene Price. Read the Draft Interim Management Policy and make your views known.

Tsawwassen farmland development plan gets okay in Metro Vancouver vote
Metro Vancouver has approved a controversial development on a piece of Tsawwassen farmland, despite reservations from some directors that the move could set a dangerous precedent and lead to similar deals by land speculators in other parts of the region. Directors voted 93-31 Friday to amend the regional growth strategy to allow Delta to change the agricultural land-use designation to urban and conservation to allow construction of 950 homes and community gardens on the site known as Southlands. The move, which required a two-thirds majority vote, ends a decades-old battle over the Southlands site, which is not in the Agricultural Land Reserve but is considered to be largely unproductive farmland. Under the deal, 80 per cent of the land would be handed over to Delta for public ownership along with a $9 million contribution from Century Holdings' Sean Hodgins for improved drainage. Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

State’s appetite for fish stirs battle over industry, environment
A bitter fight over how much fish people eat — and thus how clean Washington waters should be — has pitted tribes, commercial fishermen and environmental groups against Boeing, business groups and municipalities. The state Department of Ecology appears ready to boost the current fish-consumption rate, an obscure number that has huge ramifications for the state because it drives water-quality standards. A higher number means that fewer toxic pollutants would be allowed in waters. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Can US eliminate invasive species by eating them?
It seems like a simple proposition: American lakes, rivers and offshore waters are filling up with destructive fish and crustaceans originally from other parts of the world, many of them potential sources of food. So why not control these invasive populations by getting people to eat them? Ramit Plushnick-Masti reports. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 243 AM PDT TUE MAY 27 2014
TODAY
W WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER
 MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS... THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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