12/1 Dolphins, chinook closure, Whale Scout, Salish Sea Studies, clean energy, Gorge spill

Short-beaked common dolphin (Vancouver Sun)

New species of dolphin to B.C. waters shows up alive for the first time
A species of dolphin has been discovered in B.C. waters for the first time — alive. Two small schools of short-beaked common dolphins have been confirmed about 75 kilometres off southwestern Vancouver Island. The only prior record of the species on the west coast of Canada has been three dead animals found over a period of more than 60 years. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Impact of catch-and-release on salmon causes early closure
Fisheries managers are concerned about the impact catch-and-release is having on endangered chinook salmon and have closed salmon fishing two months early in the central Puget Sound. (Associated Press)

Local nonprofit works to spot, and save, orcas
It’s that time of year — the whales are back. Starting in the fall, southern resident killer whales can be spotted in our neck of Puget Sound. Whale watching tours that let customers go out on a boat to see whales up close are popular, but there’s another option. Next time you’re on the beach, keep an eye for a Whale Scout. Whale Scout is a program started by Whitney Neugebauer of Bothell. Whale Scout volunteer naturalists go out to beaches on the Sound to educate people and help them spot whales. Naturalists send alerts to people on social media when they’re going out, and to those who have signed up for text notifications. Emily Hamann reports. (Woodinville Weekly)

Western Establishes New Salish Sea Studies Institute
Western Washington University’s Provost Council in November approved the establishment of the University’s new Salish Sea Studies Institute, an interdisciplinary center for collaboration, education, research and community involvement focused on the health of the Salish Sea and its environs – the body of water encompassing the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca…. The institute will be led initially by a leadership team of retired Western faculty member and “Father of the Salish Sea,” Bert Webber; Wayne Landis, director of Western‘s Institute for Environmental Toxicology and a professor of Environmental Science; and Brian Burton, Western’s associate vice president for Academic Affairs. (Western Today)

Bill Gates lays out vision for clean energy at Paris climate conference
In the kickoff to the historic summit, Bill Gates unveiled a new role as a global recruiter for billionaires willing to push clean-energy ideas out of the lab and into the marketplace. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Columbia Basin breaking records for returning fall chinook salmon
This year has seen the second largest count of salmon returning to the Columbia River in 80 years, which regulators attribute to efforts at restoring fish habitat George Plaven reports. (East Oregonian)

Esquimalt crews try to contain spill in Gorge
Esquimalt workers responded to what was described as a petrochemical spill Monday in the Gorge waterway, near the foot of Sioux Place and Kinsmen Gorge Park. The type and volume of the substance involved are not yet known. Workers noticed the spill at 9:30 a.m. Booms and absorbent tiles are being used to help contain the spill, and efforts are being made to find the source. Jeff Bell reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 310 AM PST TUE DEC 1 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI OCT 9 2015
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS...BUILDING TO SW 10 FT AT 8 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN LIKELY IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 13 FT AT 13 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 13 FT AT 15 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. SW SWELL 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 9 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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10/7 BC pipe, Padilla poop, climate initiative, Neil Young, BP settlement, crows & death

‘Floating Life Forms,’ Ed Kroupa (DavidMontesino/TNT)

Puget Sound creatures inspire new art along Thea Foss in downtown Tacoma
Some of the creatures from Puget Sound have — in an artistic sense — leaped out of the water and onto Thea Foss Esplanade. People strolling down the walkway in downtown Tacoma will now see six hollow bronze spheres decorated with harbor seals, octopus, sea stars and more. The pieces, created by Tacoma artist Ed Kroupa and dubbed “Floating Life Forms,” are part of the city’s efforts to beautify and to help train artists. Stacia Glenn reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Ottawa defends ‘thorough’ Northern Gateway review at Vancouver court hearing
The Canadian government is asking the Federal Court of Appeal to uphold its controversial decision to approve the $7-billion Northern Gateway pipeline project. First Nations, environmental groups and a union are asking the court to quash the decision because of an alleged failure to consider environmental threats or consult with aboriginal bands. But government lawyer Jan Brongers argued Tuesday that the federal review was extensive, and there must be a high bar for a court to overturn a democratically elected cabinet’s decision. Laura Kane reports. (Globe and Mail)

County, state step up efforts to keep waste out of Padilla Bay
The search is on for sources of fecal coliform bacteria in the Padilla Bay watershed. Skagit County and the state Department of Ecology are stepping up efforts to remedy the pollution problem. The presence of the bacteria indicates human sewage and/or livestock manure is getting into the water. “We have a state park where people can’t swim. What’s the deal with that?” Skagit County Water Quality Analyst Rick Haley said at a public meeting last week. “You shouldn’t have to worry about poop in the water when you’re out there recreating.” Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Second group plans state initiative on climate change
Washington voters could see two competing initiatives to fight climate change vying for their support on the 2016 fall ballot. A coalition of environmental, labor, social-justice and other groups announced plans Tuesday for an initiative that would impose fees on carbon emissions from fossil fuels. and spend proceeds on clean-energy investments and other government programs. The initiative’s details were not released during a news conference at a downtown Seattle steam plant…. Meanwhile, backers of a competing measure have been gathering signatures for months on a different carbon-pricing approach. Initiative 732 would tax carbon emissions, but would take a “revenue neutral” approach — offsetting the new tax with cuts in business and sales taxes. Jim Brunner reports. (Seattle Times)

Neil Young says political leadership ‘trashed’ Canada
Weighing in on the federal election campaign, Canadian music icon Neil Young says Canada’s “backwards” political leadership has “trashed” the country’s resources and diminished Canada’s image on the world stage….  Mr. Young made the comments at a news conference at which he and David Suzuki announced that $100,000 from Mr. Young’s concert on Monday night would be donated to the Blue Dot campaign. The goal of this Suzuki Foundation movement is to get the right to a healthy environment enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Marsha Lederman reports. (Globe and Mail)

US Settles Claims Against BP Over Deepwater Horizon Spill
Federal and state claims against BP for the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill have been resolved, the Justice Department says, with the oil and gas company agreeing to pay more than $20 billion in penalties. Calling it “a historic resolution,” U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said Monday that the deal is “the largest settlement with a single entity in American history,” with a record environmental penalty. The deal was first announced in July…. According to BP, the settlement announced today “does not reflect a new settlement or any new money.” Instead, the company says, the figure touted by U.S. officials today includes money that was previously spent or announced. (OPB)

Crows may learn lessons from death, UW research shows
In recent years, a peculiar sort of public performance has taken place periodically on the sidewalks of Seattle. It begins with a woman named Kaeli N. Swift sprinkling peanuts and cheese puffs on the ground. Crows swoop in to feed on the snacks. While Swift observes the birds from a distance, notebook in hand, another person walks up to the birds, wearing a latex mask and a sign that reads “UW CROW STUDY.” In the accomplice’s hands is a taxidermied crow, presented like a tray of hors d’oeuvres. This performance is not surreal street theater, but an experiment designed to explore a deep biological question: What do crows understand about death? Carl Zimmer reports. (NY Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED OCT 7 2015
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE EVENING.

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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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9/16 Orca names, ship noise, baby salmon, spill funds, BC fuels, dog poop app, ugh slug, ocean fish

J50 Scarlet (Capt. Simon Pidcock, Ocean EcoVentures/KING)

Four orca calves receive names
Meet Scarlet, Nova, Sonic and Windsong. The four orcas who were born in the past 12 months have finally gotten their names. Over 3,000 people voted in person and online to help give the calves their new monikers. The names were announced Tuesday by The Whale Museum. Known to whale researchers as J50, J51, J52, and L121 respectively, the birth of these Southern Resident Killer Whales has boosted the endangered population…. A fifth calf, L122, made its debut on September 7, 2015, but hasn't yet been named. Elizabeth Wiley reports. (KING) See also: Orca research station sends text messages when killer whales nearby  Tamara Baluja reports. (CBC)

New hydrophones monitor ship noise in Salish Sea
Researchers have installed another underwater listening station in British Columbia’s Salish Sea to better understand how shipping noise impacts at-risk whales. The installation Monday was part of a program run by Port Metro Vancouver, the University of Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada and the hydrophone’s manufacturer. Underwater noise has been identified as a threat to orcas that make their home in the waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland and are listed as at risk by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.(Canadian Press)

Young chum salmon may get biggest nutrition boost from Elliott Bay restored beaches
In the midst of ferry boats, container ships and tourists crowding Seattle’s Elliott Bay, young salmon are just trying to get a decent meal. The fish hatch in the rivers and streams that feed into Puget Sound and almost immediately rely on eating small organisms near the shore, including in the heart of Seattle’s commerce-filled waterfront…. But are concrete seawalls actually affecting what the salmon eat, and by how much? A University of Washington study shows that it depends on the species, with small chum salmon seeming to be most affected. Michelle Ma reports. (UW Today)

Oil Spill Funds Race to Catch Up to Rise in Rail Transportation
…. The oil spill response and prevention programs that originally sprung up around marine tanker traffic are struggling to keep pace with the shift in transportation. As more oil is transported via rail and pipeline, the coastal contingency plans and funding models have lost relevance. Regional contingency plans are now needed inland, though none exist at the state level and few at the federal level. This has left the river systems and inland areas of coastal states exposed, says David Byers, response manager for Washington's Spill Prevention, Preparedness and Response Program. Gloria Dickie reports. (High Country News)

Stephen Hume: Stop ignoring greenhouse gas emissions from exported fuels
Climate change is already having a major impact on British Columbia. Lost revenue from insect and fire-devastated forests and dwindling fisheries is amplified by the ballooning cost of responding to extreme weather events and forest fires. In the past decade wildfires and the mountain pine beetle infestation have cost taxpayers close to $4 billion…. Yet a University of Victoria graduate student's research shows that professed provincial targets to mitigate global warming by curbing greenhouse gas emissions are a sham. Stephen Hume reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Drilling at proposed LNG terminal starts despite First Nation opposition
Petronas-led Pacific NorthWest LNG has started test drilling off of Lelu Island, location of its proposed $11.4-billion liquefied natural gas terminal in northwest B.C., despite First Nation opposition. Members of several First Nations — including the Lax Kw’alaams and the Gitxsan — appeared to stop drilling on the weekend, but the presence of Prince Rupert Port Authority boats has allowed the work to start, Lax Kw’alaams First Nation hereditary chief Don Wesley, also known as Sm’oogyet Yahaan, said Tuesday. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Amakusa Island coal ship grounding near Prince Rupert prompts changes
The Transportation Safety Board says the grounding of a Japanese coal ship off B.C.'s North Coast could have been worse, had the massive vessel been moving more quickly. The Japanese bulk carrier Amakusa Island was hauling 80,000 tonnes of Canadian coal when it hit a shoal about 22 km from Prince Rupert on July 14, 2014. The ship ran aground and visibly listed. No one was injured and no pollution was released, but the 228-metre ship was left with damage to its ballast tanks, which began to take on water, and sustained cracks up to 30 metres long. Betsy Trumpener reports. (CBC)

Japan: City launches app to report dog poo
A city in Japan is trying to crack down on dog fouling by asking people to take photos of any canine mess they encounter and upload the images to a new app. The authorities in Izumisano, in central Osaka Prefecture, are trying out the new method after years of failed attempts to solve the city's dog mess problem, the Asahi Shimbun website reports. Locals are invited to post comments detailing the scene alongside their photo submissions, and the app uses GPS location data from their smartphones to create an interactive online map. (BBC)

Slug with interesting mating life spotted in Comox Valley
Limax Maximus, literally the biggest slug, is a ferociously speedy nocturnal predator with an interesting sex life according to a local biologist. "They wave their penises in the air and the penises stick together and transfer organs. Now once they finish hours of mating, they are literally stuck together. So one of them cuts off the other's penis and turns it into a female," explained  Comox Valley Nature biologist Loys Maingon, who was given the creature to identify. Like all slugs, Limax Maximus is hermaphroditic. The invasive species is a terror for gardeners says Maingon, because it reproduces twice as fast as other slugs and feeds on anything. (CBC)

Ocean fish numbers on 'brink of collapse,' WWF reports
The amount of fish in the oceans has halved since 1970, in a plunge to the "brink of collapse" caused by over-fishing and other threats, the WWF conservation group said on Wednesday. Populations of some commercial fish stocks, such as a group including tuna, mackerel and bonito, had fallen by almost 75 per cent, according to a study by the WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, told Reuters mismanagement was pushing "the ocean to the brink of collapse". (Thomson Reuters)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED SEP 16 2015
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/3 Whales, orcas, oil trains, water rules, crab pots, port traffic, spill response, quake, fishing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 258 AM PDT THU SEP 3 2015
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE EVENING.
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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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8/21 Fires, floating LNG, safe oil pipe, derailment, bad oysters, hot weather, Rainier glaciers, BC whales

(Steve Spitzer/BirdNote)

The Crow and the Gull
Crows and gulls are opportunists - grabbing a bite wherever, whenever, however they can. Listener Nick Woodiwiss of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, wrote to BirdNote about a funny scene between an American Crow and a Glaucous-winged Gull on the beach. Can you guess who wins? (BirdNote)

Weather service issues ‘red-flag warning’ in North Cascades
The warning foreshadows worsening weather conditions — high winds throughout the Okanogan Valley will make things even more difficult for firefighters. Jack Broom reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Washington Under Siege By Fire: 'We Are Understaffed And Underequipped'   Ross Reynolds and Liz Jones report. (KUOW)

If you like to watch: Remembering 'The Big Burn' That Scorched The West http://www.opb.org/artsandlife/article/remembering-a-big-burn-that-scorched-the-west/
Thursday is the 105th anniversary of what’s been dubbed “The Big Burn,” a devastating wildfire that burned three million acres in Washington, Idaho and Montana, killing 80 people and changing the entire U.S. approach to forest fires. With fires again raging across the west, Idaho Public Broadcasting has shared this video about the 1910 conflagration, originally aired on the program Outdoor Idaho. (OPB)

New blog: Are You An Environmental Racist?
Think about it: The disappearance of the wild and its wildlife is often attributed to too many people. Who do you think “those people” are? Do they look like you, talk like you, share your values? If they don’t, who are “those people?”

Floating LNG plant proposed for Saanich Inlet
The Malahat First Nation and Steelhead LNG are proposing a floating liquefied natural gas processing facility offshore in Saanich Inlet. It would be capable of processing six million tonnes of natural gas annually. Cost of the project, the pipeline that will need to be built to bring gas to the Island for the Malahat LNG plant and Steelhead's other proposed LNG plant near Port Alberni, and the financial consideration paid to the Malahat First Nation as part of a mutual benefits agreement were not disclosed. The project would see a floating LNG facility built on the foreshore at the Bamberton site, which the Malahat First Nation bought last month. Andrew Duffy and Lindsay Kines report. (Times Colonist)

Trans Mountain tells NEB pipeline expansion is ‘safe and viable option’
An expanded Trans Mountain pipeline would add $18.2 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product over 20 years, benefit First Nations and reduce environmental harm, Kinder Morgan says. The energy giant filed its final written submissions to the National Energy Board on Thursday, arguing the $5.4-billion proposal is a safe and viable option to transport diluted bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to British Columbia’s coast. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

BNSF caboose derails near Cherry Point in Whatcom County
The caboose of a BNSF train hauling 20 cars of petroleum coke product partially derailed Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 19, near Cherry Point in Whatcom County. No product spilled, no one was injured, and no hazardous materials were involved, said Gus Melonas, BNSF spokesman. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

B.C. oysters sold for eating raw are recalled
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced a recall of B.C. oysters harvested for eating raw, because of possible contamination by food-poisoning bacterium. The Canada-wide federal recall applies to oysters harvested for the raw market before Tuesday because they may contain the bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The recall follows a move Monday by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority to ban restaurants in its area (most of the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast) from selling raw oysters, also because of possible Vibrio contamination. Richard Watts reports. (Times Colonist)

July Was Earth's Hottest Month On Record
Earth just keeps getting hotter. July was the planet’s warmest month on record, smashing old marks, U.S. weather officials said. And it’s almost a dead certain lock that this year will beat last year as the warmest year on record, they said. (Associated Press)

Mt Rainier's Glaciers Retreating, Likely At Fastest Rate Ever Seen In Summer's Heat
Mount Rainier is famous as the most glaciated peak in all of the United States. But the massive flows of ice and snow that cover the mountain are retreating rapidly, likely more rapidly than ever in the record warmth of this summer…. Park scientists have been measuring the glaciers’ retreat and have found they’re now melting six times faster than the historic rate. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

What's killing whales off B.C.-Alaska coast?
The large number of dead whales appearing along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska since May is raising alarms among scientists. Thirty dead whales have been detected in the Gulf of Alaska since May, representing a die-off more than three times the normal rate, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Another six dead stranded whales have been reported along B.C.'s north coast over the same time period, also a significant increase above annual seasonal numbers. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC) See also: Finding needles in a haystack on the B.C. coast It wasn’t your average whale-watch trip. The science crew aboard the Canadian Coast Guard ship John P. Tully documented almost 5,000 cetaceans during 483 sightings along about 1,600 nautical miles of the remote B.C. coast. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 249 AM PDT FRI AUG 21 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
NW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 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.

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8/20 Fires, sea sanctuary, Mukilteo stink, bad oysters, green Latinos, oil spills, salmon marsh

(8/16/15 NASA/KUOW)

Northwest Wildfires Photographed From Space
From space, the West looks like it’s on fire. In Washington state, brown smoke obscures the Cascades in these photos taken by a NASA  satellite. Most of the fires across the West have been triggered by lightning strikes, but years of drought have turned the forests bone dry. Anna King and Isolde Raftery report.(KUOW)

Could Vancouver be home to the first sea sanctuary for cetaceans?
Vancouver could be the site of the world’s first sea pen sanctuary for cetaceans, says a internationally prominent animal advocate. Dr. Lori Marino raised the idea during her visit to the city last month, and Whale Lab researcher from the University of Victoria, Dave Duffus, agrees…. Marino, the Utah-based executive director of the Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy, says a sanctuary site should be chosen not only for its geographical location but for the local public's attitude…. Marino spoke about an orca sanctuary in Vancouver at the Compassionate Conservation Conference in July. Cheryl Rossi reports. (Vancouver Observer)

State to use mist to stem the smell from pier work in Mukilteo
Following complaints from neighbors that removing creosote-soaked pilings from a former tank farm pier is creating headache-inducing fumes, the state Department of Ecology has approved a plan to mist the pilings with water to try to reduce the smell. The state ferry system’s request to use the misting machine was approved Tuesday, said Larry Altose, a Department of Ecology spokesman…. The pier is being demolished as part of a project to build a new $129 million ferry terminal, replacing the current 60-year-old terminal for the Mukilteo-Clinton route. Sharon Salyer reports. (Everett Herald)

B.C. oyster industry says recall too broad
B.C. oysters are popular in fine-dining circles, with varieties like the Kusshi and Stellar Bay garnering raves for their taste and texture. But thanks to a recall from Canada’s federal food safety agency, fewer of those B.C. oysters are likely to make it to diners’ plates and down their gullets – resulting in disappointment from sellers and producers who say the recall is too broad and doesn’t recognize that some oysters may be safer than others. Wendy Steuck reports. (Globe and Mail)

For Latinos, Environment Seems Just As Important As Immigration
An increasing amount of research suggests the environment — an issue that has long been seen within the purview of progressive, white liberals — is now increasingly important to Latinos. A new poll conducted by Latino Decisions (a polling firm focusing on Hispanics in America) on behalf of two environmental nonprofit groups — Earthjustice and GreenLatinos — finds that Latinos are deeply concerned about the environment and its potential impact on their families. Asma Khalid reports. (NPR)

UBCM to debate emergency response plan, compensation for oil spills
B.C. politicians will press for better emergency response and protection of wildlife from oil spills at the Union of B.C. Municipalities this fall, with Vancouver upping the ante by calling for compensation for communities affected by a spill. Vancouver, Sechelt and Port Moody have all put resolutions forward to the UBCM calling for more action from the provincial and federal governments, following an oil spill in April that saw 2,700 litres of bunker fuel foul English Bay. Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Wildlife biologist urges salt marsh for salmon in Vancouver harbour
Nick Page watches glistening fingerlings swim among the massive bull kelp at the New Brighton pier and hopes for a friendlier fish habitat in future. “We want to recreate the link between Hastings Park and New Brighton Park,” said the City of Vancouver wildlife biologist. Ian Austin reports. (Post Media News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU AUG 20 2015
TODAY
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS. PATCHY DRIZZLE AND FOG THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS. 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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8/7 Ugly fish, WA oil terminal, BC LNG, White River, fish die-off, BC spill averted, pier removal, tsunami debris

Lasiognathus dinema (UW)

Scientist discovers ugly new species of fish in Gulf of Mexico
By conventional standards, the new species of fish discovered deep in the Gulf of Mexico is not beautiful. Actually, by almost any standard, it’s hideous. But this spiky, snaggle-toothed fish, a sea creature from somebody’s nightmares, is adapted to the harsh world below 3,000 feet, where it was co-discovered by a scientist at Nova Southeastern University. Deep-sea expert Tracey Sutton identified the species while studying sea life at extreme ocean depths in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, the university announced Wednesday. David Fleshler reports. (Sun Sentinel)

New blog: Sitting on The “Big One.” This Is Your Northwest
“How do you think about your own death and destruction? Maybe you’ve seen the disaster movies. Are you in the masses that die or the few that survive? Here’s why I have a hard time thinking about this...”

If you like to watch: Swimming with the Partnership
As people who encouraged me on Swim Duwamish, I thought you might enjoy this Swim Duwamish video featuring Martha Kongsgaard and Sheida Sahandy, leaders of the Puget Sound Partnership. Mark Powell shares.

Settlement Reveals New Details Of Vancouver Oil Terminal Deal
A largely unredacted lease between the Port of Vancouver, Washington state and companies looking to build the largest oil-by-rail terminal in the country has been released as the result of a legal settlement. The proposal, called the Vancouver Energy Project, is a joint-venturbacked by oil company Tesoro and logistics company Savage Industries. The lease, turned over Wednesday, contains only three redactions, which cover proprietary information about pricing between the Port of Vancouver and Tesoro-Savage. In May, a Clark County-based environmental group sued the port over a 2014 public records request for an unredacted version of the lease. Conrad Wilson reports. (EarthFix)

B.C.’s LNG project poses threat to salmon habitat: study
A new study co-authored by six British Columbia First Nations warns that a proposed terminal for exporting liquefied natural gas on the province’s northern coast poses a threat to salmon habitat in the Skeena River estuary. The research argues Pacific NorthWest LNG’s planned terminal on Lelu Island will harm Flora Bank, where juvenile salmon are nurtured by eelgrass beds. Flora Bank, a sandy area that is visible at low tide, is next to the proposed LNG site near Prince Rupert. Brent Jang reorts. (Globe and Mail)

Parties restoring key habitat for salmon on White River
More than 56 parties have agreed to restore key salmon habitat on the White River, which flows through King and Pierce Counties in Washington State, to resolve their liability for natural resource damages caused by hazardous substances released into the Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways in Tacoma’s Commencement Bay, the Justice Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Department of the Interior announced today. The habitat project will reopen 121 acres of historic floodplain for salmon, and reduces future flood risk to nearby homes and businesses. The project results from the collaborative efforts of settling parties and natural resource trustees: NOAA, the Department of the Interior, the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. (Enumclaw Courier-Herald)

Heat causes massive fish die-off at Whatcom Falls hatchery
Water that was too warm killed about 5,400 rainbow trout — nearly all of them — at the Whatcom Falls Park hatchery during a summer marked by drought and high temperatures. Most of the fish were in two large shallow ponds at the hatchery, which belongs to the Washington state Department of Fish & Wildlife but is operated by Bellingham Technical College’s fisheries program. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

B.C. coast guard, tug crew avert major diesel and gas spill
Coast guard officials and the crew of a tug had to work fast to prevent what could have been a major spill off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. A barge loaded with 60,000 litres of diesel and gasoline hit rocks Wednesday afternoon and began taking on water in Surge Narrows near Campbell River, B.C. (Canadian Press)

Pier Demolition Makes Way for Ferry Terminal
Demolition of the Mukilteo tank farm pier has begun. The work makes way for a new terminal to replace Washington State Ferries’ existing, 60-year-old facility in Mukilteo. The project will result in a cleaner Puget Sound by removing 7,000 tons of toxic creosote-soaked timber piles, about 4 percent of the remaining creosote in the sound. Ric Haun reports. (MarineLink.Com)

Massive barge carrying tsunami debris arrives in Seattle
A barge the size of a football field carrying debris from the massive Japanese earthquake and tsunami is now in Puget Sound. Seattle is one of the final stops in a two-year shoreline cleanup. The barge is carrying thousands of bags of marine debris that washed up on Alaska shores, some presumably from the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Now that it’s in Seattle, recyclable material will be sorted out. (KIRO)

Hollywood Beach closed again by mysterious bacterial contamination
High levels of bacteria have closed Hollywood Beach again, just a month after it was closed over the Fourth of July weekend. Sue Waldrip, Clallam County Environmental Health division specialist, said testing Thursday morning revealed the possible presence of human fecal matter. The Clallam County Health and Human Services Department says people should not swim or wade in the water or get it into their mouths, noses or eyes. James Casey reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 253 AM PDT FRI AUG 7 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. CHANCE OF RAIN.
SAT NIGHT
NW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SUN
SE WIND TO 10 KT. 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

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8/3 Toxin rule, Vibrio, drought, Navy deal, BC spill, Shell drill, BC derailment, North Cr., Kayak Pt., Duwamish

(PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Summer School for Seals
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Perhaps we resembled kindly grandparents. Or perhaps the distance around our boat was just right to safely challenge a young harbour seal. Whatever the reason, we were delighted that out of half a dozen boats anchored in the bay that day, Momma Seal chose ours for her pup’s swimming lesson…."

Water quality rules might be up to feds after Inslee drops rewrite
Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday scrapped a major rewrite of the state's clean water rules, opening the door for the federal government to impose its standard on the state. Inslee, in a much- anticipated decision, directed the state Department of Ecology to not proceed with a stricter water quality standard based in part on how much fish people consume. He explained in a press release that updating this standard was part of his two-prong approach to cleaning up the state's water ways. The other prong — a bill aimed at keeping toxins from being released into rivers by regulating the source of the pollutants — failed to pass in the Legislature this year. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald) See also: Inslee backs off water-quality standards; his next move is unclear  Christopher Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

B.C. weather linked to 'unprecedented' rates of illness from raw oysters
n unprecedented number of people in British Columbia reported raw shellfish-related illnesses in June and July, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) said Friday. The majority of the 35 cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus-related infections reported were traced to B.C. oysters served raw in restaurants, the BCCDC said…. Warmer ocean temperatures in the summer mean higher concentrations of the naturally-occurring bacteria are generally found at this time, and this year's unseasonably high temperatures could be contributing to the rise in contamination levels, the BCCDC notes. (CBC)

B.C. drought restrictions expanded for fishing, agriculture
Drought conditions are forcing the provincial government to ban fishing and impose water restrictions for farms in parts of southern British Columbia in a bid to help fish stocks through a hot, dry summer. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is suspending fishing in streams for most of Vancouver Island because of low flows and high water temperatures. Beginning on Aug. 4, the only rivers or streams where people will be allowed to fish are the Campbell, Qualicum and Quinsam rivers. The ministry has also restricted water use on farms in B.C.'s Interior in a bid to help salmon that are expected to begin spawning soon on the Coldwater River south of Merritt, where water levels are low because of dry weather. (Canadian Press)

State senators want investigation of Commissioner Goldmark over ‘low’ lease deal
Two Washington state senators have asked the acting state auditor to investigate Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark for an “artificially low” deal with the Navy restricting shoreline development in the Hood Canal. State Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, in a letter to Acting State Auditor Jan Jutte Thursday, wrote: “As reported by The Times, Commissioner Goldmark agreed to an artificially low price on a lease of state aquatic bedlands in the Hood Canal.” State Sen. Mark Miloscia, R-Federal Way, also signed the letter. Will Drabold reports. (Seattle Times)

'Confusion', 'miscommunication' slowed Vancouver fuel spill response: report
Misunderstandings, uncertainty and technical difficulties slowed the emergency response to a toxic fuel spill in Vancouver's English Bay by nearly two hours, a review has found. The review released Friday also found that Canadian Coast Guard staff were unsure of their roles and a faulty provincial alert system meant the city was not notified until 12 hours later. "The MV Marathassa incident was an operational discharge of a persistent fuel oil with high consequences," said report author John Butler. "The response was delayed by one hour and 49 minutes due to confusion of roles and responsibilities, miscommunications and technology issues." Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Judge says Port of Seattle free to host Shell rigs
The much-disputed lease of Port of Seattle property as a base for Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet was affirmed Friday by a King County Superior Court judge who ruled that the Port didn’t need to conduct an environmental review to use Terminal 5 for that purpose. Coral Garnick reports. (Seattle Times)

Refineries face more liability for wastewater permit violations
A Court of Appeals decision filed at the end of July will increase liability for refineries that fail a wastewater discharge test. In 2012, three environmental organizations appealed language in state Department of Ecology permits for the BP oil refinery at Cherry Point that allowed the refinery to fail whole effluent toxicity tests (WET) without it being a permit violation. WET tests measure the impact of all pollutants in a sample of wastewater on living aquatic animals and are an important component of water quality standards, according to a news release. Shelby Rowe reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Greenhouse gas: Obama to order steeper cuts for power plants
 President Barack Obama will impose even steeper cuts on greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants than previously expected, senior administration officials said Sunday, in what the president called the most significant step the U.S. has ever taken to fight global warming. A year after proposing unprecedented carbon dioxide limits, Obama was poised to finalize the rule at a White House event on Monday…. Opponents vowed to sue immediately, and planned to ask the courts to put the rule on hold while legal challenges play out. Many states have threatened not to comply. (Associated Press)

CP crews dealing with coal train derailment near Sparwood, B.C.
A Canadian Pacific Railway freight train carrying coal has derailed near the southeastern British Columbia community of Sparwood. Eighteen cars went off the tracks in the accident at about 3:30 p.m. Friday. (Canadian Press)

Environmental concerns void Bothell development ordinance
A Bothell ordinance to allow increased residential development in the environmentally sensitive North Creek watershed has been rejected by a state Growth Management Hearings Board…. Longtime environmental activists in the city challenged the council’s approval of a November 2014 ordinance that reduced standards for preserving forest cover, eliminated limits on impervious surfaces and allowed for more extensive site excavation. They argued the new ordinance would irreparably harm the watershed, about 220 acres that include streams as well as North Creek, which support spawning runs of coho salmon and steelhead. Lynn Thompson reports. (Seattle Times)

$2.6M Skagit River levee repair project starts Monday
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will start work Monday to repair 4,050 feet of the Skagit River levee system at nine sites. The $2.6 million project, which includes levees within four diking districts, is expected to be complete in mid-September. The corps and dike districts cost-share the project, paying 80 and 20 percent respectively. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

State regulators break precedent with OK of Island County net pen ban
Washington’s Department of Ecology is willing to let Island County ban fish farming from its waters, but only temporarily. In a reversal of position, the Ecology Department said in June that the county’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) can continue its ban on so-called net pen aquaculture, but added that the prohibition will likely not be permanent. Dan Richman reports. (South Whidbey Record)

Study at Kayak Point Park will determine if clamming can return
Biologists and volunteers took to the beach last week to dig up, identify, measure and weigh clams at Kayak Point Park. The Pacific Shellfish Institute and Stillaguamish River Clean Water District have partnered to study clam populations along that stretch of shoreline. Research biologists with the shellfish institute are investigating whether Kayak Point could be seeded with clam larvae and eventually reopened for public digging. They plan to have a feasibility study done by the end of the year. Kari Bray reports. (Everett Herald)

$500,000 send-off for Greater Victoria sewage program boss  
The head of the Seaterra sewage program will walk away with almost $500,000 in severance pay at the end of September. Despite the payout, the decision to terminate Seaterra’s remaining project staff — including Albert Sweetnam — was made to cut losses, said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps…. Sweetnam was hired on a five-year contract in 2013 to manage a staff of more than 20 people. His $290,000 annual salary put him at the top of the Capital Regional District’s salary list for 2014. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

‘Duwamish Revealed’ project means to inspire river’s revitalization
An eclectic series of public-art installations and performances along Seattle’s Duwamish River this summer is meant to draw attention to clean up efforts and the value of the city’s waterway. Andie Waterman reports. (Seattle Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON AUG 3 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 6 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 6 SECONDS...BUILDING TO W
 5 FT AT 6 SECONDS 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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7/27 Salmon stress, Shell drill, oil port, divestment, disaster class, spill kits, boat racetrack, Bowker Cr, Squaxin park, Western Flyer

The rains came... (Nick Procaylo/Vancouver Sun)

Stillaguamish River, threatened fish species weather silt, slides and drought
....The Stillaguamish is home to three species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act: Chinook salmon, steelhead trout and bull trout. In recent years, however, the river suffered two blows that have threatened the survival of those species. First came the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. In addition to killing 43 people and cutting off Darrington from the rest of the county, the slide dumped tons of sediment into the river, turning the north fork opaque gray…. Then came the second blow: record low winter snowpack combined with high temperatures and drought caused record low water levels this summer just as the salmon started to return. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald) See also: Snowpack drought has salmon dying in overheated rivers   Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Kayactivists Paddle In Protest As Shell Prepares For Arctic Drill
Portland's Swan Island basin was still and remarkably quiet Saturday as a flotilla of kayakers dipped their paddles in and out of the water, pulling themselves north toward the Vigorous, the largest dry dock in America. Then, with a cry, a drumbeat began. One hundred paddles smacked the water, and people yelled, "Shell no!" It was a moment of spontaneous drama in an otherwise meticulously planned floating protest of Shell's imminent plan to drill exploratory wells for oil in the Chukchi Sea in the Arctic, and the Obama administration's decision to issue Shell the environmental permits to proceed. (KUOW)

Judge Rules In Favor Of Vancouver Port On Oil Terminal Lease
Clark County Judge David Gregerson ruled Friday that port leaders in Vancouver, Washington didn’t violate state laws in 2013 when they negotiated a lease for an oil terminal. The lease between Tesoro-Savage companies and the port remains in place. If built, the terminal project could ship 360,000 barrels of oil daily from the port to refineries along the West Coast. Conrad Wilson reports. (EarthFix)

Victoria seeks powers to divest from fossil fuels
Victoria council wants local governments to be able to divest themselves of investments in fossil fuels. After hearing from several speakers Thursday, councillors passed a resolution calling for several actions relating to socially responsible investments, including…. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Crude Oil Spill Disaster Classes Offered As Communities See Increased Oil Train Use
A year ago Friday, an oil train from North Dakota derailed under Seattle’s busy Magnolia Bridge during the height of the morning commute. No one was hurt and nothing burned in that accident but the scare has prompted changes to the emergency response to a similar accident should one occur. The reason? As many as two thousand black oil tanker cars now roll through Seattle each week, carrying crude from North Dakota’s Bakken region…. “Everybody that makes up the city - believe  it or not - is going to have a role to play," said John Malool, who teaches occupational safety at Rutgers University in New Jersey Malool  also is the fire chief in his hometown of Ridgefield Park, outside New York City. He’ll be teaching classes next week in Seattle and  Everett on how communities can prepare for oil train accidents. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Free oil spill kits can help curb Puget Sound boating pollution
In an effort to curb pollution from recreational boats, a partnership of agencies will be giving away oil spill kits in Western Washington. The free kits will be handed out by U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas during free vessel examinations. During the last 10 years, more than 19,000 gallons of pollution has been spilled into Puget Sound. Of that, 75 percent came from recreational boaters and commercial fishing vessels, according to a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard. (The Olympian)

EPA settlement imposes $14,000 fine, wetlands restoration order on sprint boat racetrack in Port Angeles; track will stay
An agreement has been reached between Extreme Sports Park co-owner Dan Morrison and the federal Environmental Protection Agency that will keep Morrison’s sprint boat racetrack intact. But Morrison’s A2Z Enterprises will have to pay a $14,000 fine and restore 1.3 acres of wetlands that were filled when the track was built, the EPA announced Friday. A final restoration plan has not been released, EPA spokeswoman Brianna Stoutenburgh said. (Peninsula Daily News)

Bowker Creek restoration a textbook example of environmental healing
A revitalized Bowker Creek will be an added touch to the new Oak Bay High School, set to open in September. The creek is a prominent feature at the south end of the school grounds, where it cuts a swath, then flows a few more kilometres to the ocean near Willows Beach. Work began this month on a restoration along 120 metres of the creek, where much of the growth was invasive and not conducive to a healthy environment. Jeff Bell reports. (Times Colonist)

State to sell former island park to Squaxin Island tribe
Washington State Parks will sell a former state park to the Squaxin Island Tribe, which forced the park’s closure more than two decades ago. The Kitsap Sun reported that the parks commission on Thursday unanimously approved the sale of the former Squaxin Island State Park in Mason County to the tribe for $45,000. (Associated Press)

Boat associated with John Steinbeck getting $2 million renovation in Port Townsend
The Western Flyer is about to be uncloaked.  Three months after the beginning of a $2 million renovation to transform the battered hulk of a boat once used by author John Steinbeck into a floating science center, those working on the project are lifting the shroud of secrecy and allowing the public to look but not touch.  Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON JUL 27 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW 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

Follow on Twitter.

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7/24 Orca rescue, Blue rockfish, spill response, port alliance, closures, discharge fee, barred owl

The original Blue Marble, left, and the new image, right. (NASA/NYTimes)

Comparing Two 'Blue Marble' Photos of Earth  (New York Times)

If you like to watch: Stranded orca saved by volunteers who kept it cool for hours until high tide
An orca that was stranded on some rocks was kept alive for eight hours by a dedicated team of whale researchers and volunteers on the North Coast of B.C.  (CBC)

On the subject of orcas in captivity living as long as those in the wild, a reader wrote: “What a ridiculous argument to make on behalf of Orcas in captivity.  It's also possible to make the argument that some people in prison live longer than those outside of the walls.  The longevity records for captive species almost always suggests that they have longer life spans than their wild relatives.  I can think of half a dozen reasons why this may be a fact, but the greater consideration is comparing QUALITY of life with QUANTITY  of life.  Your news report [ SeaWorld orcas live as long as whales in the wild, new study says ] is just one more example of an organization skewing the content to sustain their ill conceived practices. Good news in the Orca birth dept eh?  How many births does Seaworld have recorded for these species?  Not that even one birth would be a good argument for captivity and what that means to truncating a wild animals range of learning and activity.”

Researchers conclude popular rockfish is actually two distinct species
A new analysis confirms that the Blue Rockfish (Sebastes mystinus), a popular and commercially significant rockfish sought by anglers primarily off the California and Oregon coasts, is actually two separate and distinct species. Previous studies had discovered some genetic differences between two groups of Blue Rockfishes, but their status as distinct species had never been proven until researchers at Oregon State University, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California State University, Los Angeles, demonstrated distinguishing differences in anatomy, coloration, geographic distribution and genetics. (Phys.Org)

Feds step up efforts to improve Vancouver’s oil spill response time
Following a fuel spill in April that drew widespread criticism of the coast guard’s response time, the federal government has announced it will set up a new office dedicated to pollution risks in the harbour. Office space for a new environmental response office will be set aside in the HMCS Discovery at Coal Harbour, headquarters for the Canadian Coast Guard inshore rescue boat station. Yvonne Zacharias reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Federal Maritime Commission gives its blessing to Northwest Seaport Alliance
An alliance designed to bolster the competitive stance of Puget Sound’s two largest ports has won the blessing from the Federal Maritime Commission in a unanimous vote. Under the alliance proposal approved Wednesday, the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, historic rivals for the business of major shipping lines, will merge the management, operations and marketing of their largest container terminals under a joint operating agency known as the Northwest Seaport Alliance. Implementation of that alliance plan now only awaits formal approval from both ports at an Aug. 4 meeting. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Vashon’s Quartermaster Harbor closed to recreational shellfish harvesting
Vashon-Maury Island’s Quartermaster Harbor has been closed to recreational shellfish harvesting because of unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP). (Seattle Times) See also: Swimmers advised to avoid Owen Beach water after sewage spill Alexis Krell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

State may increase fees for water discharge permits
The state Department of Ecology is considering increasing annual fees for stormwater and wastewater discharge permits and is accepting public comment through Sept. 9. Local governments and some industries are required to have the permits, which limit how much pollution can be released into the environment, Ecology said in a news release. The fees for the permits help the state recoup the costs of running the program. The agency oversees about 6,000 discharge permits. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Judge Clears Barred Owl Removal Study
Killing barred owls to study the potential effects on threatened spotted owls does not violate federal environmental laws, according to a federal judge. Populations of the northern spotted owl, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act, have continued to decline in recent decades despite strict limits on logging. Federal scientists believe the problem is partly due to the barred owl, a rival species that’s more adaptable, occupies similar habitats and competes for food. Mateusz Perkowski reports. (Capital Press)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI JUL 24 2015
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING S IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN THE
 MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 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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