10/13 Shell drill, oil sands, marbled murrelet, WOTUS, Ludlow Bay sewage, rain gardens, Brit bags

B.C. Thanksgiving weekend double rainbow (Michele Empey/CBC)

Polar Pioneer oil rig set to make return to Port Angeles Harbor, though arrival date is uncertain
The Polar Pioneer oil rig will once again loom over the waters of Port Angeles Harbor. The 355-foot-tall rig was in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, on Monday for a brief stopover with the Noble Discoverer rig after exiting the Alaskan Arctic and before heading farther south, Shell Oil Co. spokeswoman Megan Baldino said Monday. The Noble Discoverer will make its way to the Port of Everett. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Alberta oil-sands boom dries up, taking thousands of jobs with it
At a camp for oil workers here, a collection of 16 three-story buildings that once housed 2,000 workers sits empty. A parking lot at a neighboring camp is now dotted with abandoned cars. With oil prices falling precipitously, capital-intensive projects rooted in the heavy crude mined from Alberta’s oil sands are losing money, contributing to the loss of about 35,000 energy-industry jobs across the province…. Despite a severe economic downturn in a region whose growth once seemed limitless, many energy companies have too much invested in the oil sands to slow down or turn off the taps. In addition to the continued operation of existing plants, construction persists on projects that began before the price fell, largely because billions of dollars have already been spent on them. Oil-sands projects are based on 40-year investment time frames, so their owners are being forced to wait out slumps. Ian Austen reports. (NY Times)

In the face of timber development, one more chance to save a remarkable seabird
The seabird at the center of the state’s 21st century timber wars manages an astonishing feat during breeding season. The marbled murrelet, its plumage a mix of brown, bisters and umbers, dines in deep coastal waters. It then flies inland, sometimes as much as 50 miles, to feed its young in a tall conifer. When it lands in the nest, says ornithologist Daniel Froelich, it has to “stick” its landing “like a gymnast, aiming for perfection with no wobble or bounce.”…. This week, after years of advocacy, lawsuits and scientific study, the DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold public hearings at a special murrelet board meeting on October 15. Four possible habitat conservation plans will be presented by an out-of-state murrelet expert. The plan adopted later in the year will form the basis for a new long-term conservation strategy. Martha Baskin reports. (Crosscut)

Appeals court puts the brakes on EPA's clean water rule
A US Court has temporarily blocked the a federal water rule that would fold temporary waterways into Clean Water Act protections, Friday. The US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit granted a temporary stay against the Water of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The stay is the latest of several attempts to derail many Obama administration environmental policies. The WOTUS rule was intended to clarify which bodies of water are under the supervision of the Clean Water Act. Corey Fedde reports. (Christian Science Monitor)

Sewage release closes waters of Port Ludlow Bay to recreation until Saturday
A sewage spill into Port Ludlow Bay caused by equipment failure at the wastewater treatment plant is not serious or life-threatening, but the area is now closed to recreation until Saturday. Jefferson County Public Health has issued a “no contact” health advisory that will remain in effect until then. The public is advised to avoid any contact with the water in Port Ludlow Bay, including swimming, kayaking, fishing and harvesting of shellfish and seaweed. (Peninsula Daily News)

Let It Rain
Water is a big topic these days—from droughts across the nation to keeping our oceans, rivers, and lakes clean and cool for fish and other species, there is a lot to think about. Here in the wet and wild Pacific Northwest we have the option of creating rain gardens to help protect our water sources—something the folks the Washington State University know a little something about. (KOMO)

Charge for Plastic Bags in Britain Draws Applause, Anger and Humor
Some warned of “bag rage” by irate shoppers. The Daily Mail predicted, “Plastic Bags Chaos Looms.” Chloe Metzger, a 21-year-old blogger and student, wrote on Twitter: “I understand the whole #plasticbags thing but it couldn’t be more annoying.” Nerves were rattled, jokes were made and the annoyance of it all was duly noted in Britain this week. Nevertheless, shoppers pulled off something that has also occurred in other cities, states and countries: They began weaning themselves off plastic shopping bags. Starting this week, the government introduced a 5 pence charge for plastic bags for most groceries, clothes and other purchased items. And while it did not lead to a nationwide mutiny, as some had warned, it did create some tension in cashier lines. Dan Bilefsky reports. (NY Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE OCT 13 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS SUBSIDING TO 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND BECOMING E TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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7/16 BC drought, octo mom, WA WQ, RainWise, conservation $s, Indian treaties, Elwha ferry, bacon seaweed

Atlantic puffin (BirdNote)

Puffins - Clowns of the Sea
Puffins are icons of the seabird world. With clown-like faces and huge, multicolored bills, they stand upright on sea cliffs along the northern oceans. Tufted Puffins nest on islands and rough coastlines, from the Channel Islands of Southern California across the north Pacific to Siberia. The Atlantic Puffin, like this one, breeds in the North Atlantic. (BirdNote)

Level 4 drought declared for South Coast and Lower Fraser
Conditions are so dry in B.C's Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and Fraser Valley that the provincial government has raised the drought rating to the highest category — Level 4 — and are warning that if things get worse, water shortages could affect people, industry and agriculture. (CBC) See also: See also: Record warm temperatures to have years-long effect on B.C. salmon stocks: scientist  (Canadian Pres)

If you like to watch: VIDEO: Giant Pacific Octopus mom-to-be in West Seattle waters
Diver Laura James shares the story of a mama octopus and her eggs at Cove 2 near Seacrest off the West Seattle shore. (West Seattle Blog)

Without key bill, Inslee to weigh next move on water quality
Gov. Jay Inslee did not get legislation he said was needed to update the state's water quality standards that are partly tied to how much fish people eat. Now, he'll have to decide his next move as federal regulators are preparing to step in and tell Washington what to do in case it fails to finalize a rule by this year. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

RainWise helps Seattle homeowners collect stormwater, prevent pollution
The RainWise program, which previously had cost an average of $4,600 in upfront costs, has become less of a financial burden for homeowners. Ciscoe Morris reports. (Seattle Times)

Nelson announces millions more for environmental conservation
As a group gathered last week to celebrate a flurry of recent conservation purchases on Vashon, State Sen. Sharon Nelson (D-Maury Island) announced that she has secured another $2 million for environmental preservation on the island. The state funding will allow King County and Vashon’s land trust to continue purchasing ecologically important forestland and shoreline on Vashon at a quick rate, a project that began two years ago with Nelson’s first allocation of $4 million in state funding. Natalie Martin reports. (Vashon Beachcomber)

Indian Treaties are the new front in the battle against coal exports
The 1865 Treaty of Point Elliot is clear… the Lummi Nation has the right to fish, hunt and gather in their accustomed places in perpetuity - and they can't do that if a gigantic coal terminal is built in the Salish Sea's most productive waters. First Nations' treaty rights are now central to protecting the Pacific Northwest from destruction by fossil fuels. Jan Hasselman writes. (The Ecologist)

Elwha out of service for rest of summer season
The Elwha ferry is out of service for the rest of the summer season for approximately four months according to a Washington State Department of Transportation travel alert bulletin. Ian Sterling, spokesperson for WSDOT Ferry Divisions, says the problem is a complicated electrical issue with the drive motor, but replacement parts are on hand and repairs are being made as quickly as possible in Eagle Harbor. (San Juan Journal)

Scientists In Oregon Discover Bacon-Flavored Seaweed
What grows quickly, is packed with protein, has twice the nutritional value of kale and … tastes like bacon? The answer, according to scientists at Oregon State University, is a new strain of seaweed they recently patented. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 246 AM PDT THU JUL 16 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW 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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6/3 L121, oil train, Shell drill, octopus, herring, poaching, BC mine ponds, rain gardens, septics

L-121 (Marcie Callewaert/Victoria Marine Science Association)

Killer whale baby boom: 4th calf spotted near Tofino
Whale watchers on Canada's West Coast are celebrating the confirmed sighting of a fourth killer whale calf born to the endangered southern resident population this year. The calf, named L-121, was spotted on June 1 with L-Pod near Cox Beach south of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The sighting was welcome news, because L-Pod lost one calf and a three-year-old female in recent years, and L-121, which was first spotted in February, wasn't seen the last time the pod was observed off the coast of Oregon by NOAA Fisheries scientists....  After years of population decline, the recent sighting combined with three other calves born to J-Pod this spring, puts the population of wild southern resident orcas at 81. (CBC) See also: Fake Baby Orca Joins Astoria's Sea Lion Scare Event Thursday  Lizzy Duffy reports. (KUOW)

Shell v. Skagit; Court Rules The Public Is Entitled To More Information About Oil Train Transport
Shell Oil didn’t get far last week in its effort to head off a study of Bakken oil transport in the Skagit Valley. Its lawsuit rolled backward down a legal slope, like the unattended oil train that blew up in Quebec in 2013. Nobody got hurt when the rhetorical brakes failed in Skagit County Superior Court last week. The world’s second-biggest oil company (or biggest, depending on how you measure it) emerged with smudges on its corporate profile. There may have been some gains in people’s right to know the hazards of living in the midst of a frantic rush to extract and sell fossil fuel. A lawsuit filed by Shell over Skagit County’s plans to conduct an environmental impact statement on Shell’s proposed unloading oil facility in Anacortes was dismissed on Thursday by a Skagit County Superior Court judge. Bob Simmons reports. (Cascadia Weekly) Event: Oil Trains in Anacortes. Depot Arts Center, Wednesday, June 3 - 7:00pm  Eric De Place, Sightline Institute, will speak on the costs and consequences of increased oil train traffic for the city of Anacortes and the larger regional picture of the Northwest grappling with an unprecedented influx of coal, oil, and gas export schemes.

Railroad And Oil Refineries Sign Mutual Aid Agreement To Respond To Accidents
BNSF Railway and oil refineries in Washington are teaming up to better respond to accidents.  The railroad and BP Cherry Point, Phillips 66, Shell Oil Products US, Tesoro Companies and U.S. Oil Refining Company have all signed the agreement. But, environmentalists say it doesn't address safety problems with oil trains. Courtney Wallace, spokeswoman for BNSF Railway, says the mutual aid agreement formalizes what the railroads and refineries have already been doing informally. Paula Wissel reports. (KPLU)

New blog: Let’s Talk About Sex For A Change
How about that Bruce Jenner? Makes that trans-sex transformation to female and gets the exclusive and the cover of Vanity Fair which is then picked up by every major and minor news outlet in the world. Reminds me of the time a few years back when the ribbed Mediterranean limpet (Patella ferruginea) was found to be able to change its sex from male to female and back again…

Enviros Suing Shell Over Arctic Drilling Leases, 2015 Exploration Plans
Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic prospecting plans have sparked two new lawsuits. An alliance of environmental and Alaska-based community groups is challenging the sale of leases in the Chukchi Sea. The second suit takes issue with Shell’s exploration plan, which was recently approved by a federal agency. Eric Grafe is with Earthjustice, which filed the suit against Shell’s Arctic exploration plan in Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Grafe is representing ten other groups, including the Alaska Wilderness League, Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Octopus relationship 'expands the moral universe,' says researcher Sy Montgomery
Sy Montgomery spent three years getting to know octopuses at the New England Aquarium. Little did she know her time with the animals would change the way she lives and sees the world. The author and naturalist, who has written about the experience in her new book The Soul of An Octopus, is in Vancouver for a talk at the Vancouver Aquarium. (CBC)

Why Is Herring So Hard to Find?
When Lexi, who owns Old Ballard Liquor Co. and goes by only her first name, was a kid growing up in the 1970s, herring was abundant in Seattle. She remembers when you could pull it out of Puget Sound yourself and grill it over a beach fire. But when she tried to find fresh herring to serve at her Nordic-inspired pop-up restaurant, Tumble Swede, earlier this year, she was surprised to find that it was nearly impossible. "I had to hunt high and low to try to find herring for the restaurant," said Lexi. "It was super frustrating. People assume that it's around, but it's not." Tobias Coughlin-Bogue reports. (The Stranger)

Poach Fish, Get Caught, Keep Your License
Get caught poaching fish one too many times in Northwest waters and you’re likely to lose your sport fishing license. Do the same under a commercial license, on a much larger scale, and you’ll likely avoid the same fate. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has suspended thousands of recreational fishing licenses since 2003 because of rule violations, according to agency data. It has revoked zero licenses for commercial fishing violations since then. They’re almost as uncommon in Oregon. Tony Schick reports. (EarthFix)

B.C. mine tailings ponds pose serious risk to water sources: report
Thousands of kilometres of salmon-rich waterways and the drinking water of hundreds of communities in central and Northern British Columbia are at risk of mining-related environmental disasters, a new report warns. The survey from the BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council is being released just ahead of a decision by the provincial government on the application to restart the Mount Polley gold and copper mine after the catastrophic tailings pond collapse last August that spilled 10 million cubic metres of contaminated water into the waterways below. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

New Fund Will Help More Seattle Residents Build Rain Gardens
Seattle’s RainWise rain garden program is spreading green stormwater solutions across the city, but the rebate program has been out of reach for some homeowners with more modest incomes. While RainWise offers generous reimbursements—$4,600 on average for the installation of rain gardens and cisterns—the homeowner has to pay for the work upfront, then wait up to two months for the program to pay them back. It’s an expense that not everyone can shoulder. A new financial program called the Green Infrastructure Rebate Advance Fund (GIRAF) should remove that hurdle by bridging the payment gap. Lisa Stiffler reports. (Sightline)

County slowly cracks down on septic systems polluting local beaches
When Rhoni Grimshaw and her husband rented a home on outer Quartermaster Harbor a year and a half ago, they were happy to find a place on the water and didn’t think much about the home’s sewage. But now, according to Grimshaw, they’ve moved out because they could no longer handle a septic system they found to be unpermitted and smelly…. Public health officials say the situation at Grimshaw’s rental is not uncommon on Vashon. And though Grimshaw’s main concern was the smell, King County is slowly but surely cracking down on old and ineffective septic systems on Vashon because of the pollution they send into the water. Recently there’s been a special emphasis on the 5-mile stretch of beach where Grimshaw lives, a highly polluted shoreline on southern Vashon Island that the county hopes can be opened to shellfishing if enough homeowners fix their systems. A similar effort is planned next for the Spring Beach neighborhood. Natalie Martin reports. (Vashon Beachcomber)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 243 AM PDT WED JUN 3 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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3/17 Rain, sewage overflow, rain gardens, eulachon, 'humane' fishing, Samish cleanup, Shell fumes, US-CA traffic

L121 and mother L94 (Candice Emmons,
NWFSC, NOAA Research Permit #16163)

2015 Killer Whale Research Survey, presentation by Brad Hanson
Last month NOAA researchers were the first to spot new orca calf L121 during a research cruise on the Northwest coast. Join The Whale Trail at 7 pm on March 26 at C&P Coffee in West Seattle to hear about the cruise from lead researcher Brad Hanson. Get tickets early - this will sell out!

Deluge and Divine Intervention
On Friday, Governor Inslee declared a drought emergency.   He is obviously a favorite of the weather gods...they have answered his plea.   Deluge. You can tell that divine intervention was involved because the actual weather deviated greatly from the consensus of many of our best forecast models.  This is very unusual at such a short range.   A relief to forecasters, such as myself, who had worried that they had missed something. Cliff Mass writes. (Weather Blog) See also: Sunday’s soaking sets rainfall records, stops train service  Lynn Thompson reports. (Seattle Times)

Rainfall pushes 7 million gallons of diluted sewage into Port Angeles Harbor; health officials urge that people stay out of water
Stay out of Port Angeles Harbor for the next week, Clallam County public health officials advised today after heavy rainfall on Sunday pushed 7 million gallons of diluted sewage into the water. The advisory will remain in effect until next Monday, March 23. The environmental health section of county Health and Human Services said that contact with fecal-contaminated water can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. The overflow contained heavily diluted raw sewage but was mostly rainwater, city Engineer Mike Puntenney said Monday. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Seattle helping pay for rain gardens
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and King County on Monday invited 14,000 more Seattle residents to get thousands in rebates for installing rain gardens in their yards. SPU said there are now a total of 55,000 homes eligible for the Rain Wise rebates. Contractors direct roof drains to the gardens, which are holes filled with drainage friendly plants and soils. Many residents use them as colorful features to their yards. SPU said currently there are 600 homes participating; combined they reduce annual runoff by 9 million gallons. Gary Chittim reports. (KING)

Eulachon fish run draws crowds along B.C.'s Skeena River
The eulachon fish —  not totally understood by science or capitalism — is suddenly a star, as spectators gather in droves to watch the oily, shiny fish make their run down B.C.'s Skeena River…. The run is drawing spectators, not fishermen, because of the show that comes with it — when sea lions, eagles and other wildlife chase after the fish. The eulachon — also known as the oolichan, hooligan, ooligan, candlefish or Pacific Smelt — has no market value and isn't eaten widely in Canada by non-aboriginal people. Due to the fact that Fisheries and Oceans Canada doesn't consider it economically viable, it's often ignored by scientific research. (CBC)

Blue North Fisheries CEO works towards a ‘humane harvest’
echnology to stun cod as they are brought out of the water could improve the fish’s last moments as well as its taste and shelf life, says CEO Kenny Down. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Samish River cleanup effort gets a 90-day jolt
In an effort to expedite a shellfish harvest upgrade for Samish Bay, Clean Samish Initiative partners have launched a new 90-day plan with ambitious goals for the watershed…. Due to high river flows Sunday, Samish Bay was closed to shellfish harvest. The Office of Shellfish and Water Protection expects water sampling results Tuesday afternoon, according to Scott Berbells, state Department of Health growing section supervisor. If bacteria levels are high, the bay will remain closed. Clean Samish Initiative partners hope to achieve an upgrade for Samish Bay from the state’s characterization as conditionally approved to approved. Under conditionally approved regulations, harvest is closed whenever river flow exceeds a certain threshold, whether bacteria is confirmed present or not. Under approved status, the bay is only closed if bacteria is actually found in water samples. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Study Finds Some Fish Can Live In Low-Oxygen Dead Zones
Concerned that low-oxygen dead zones in the Pacific off the West Coast are getting more common as the climate changes, scientists are looking at how commercially valuable fish are reacting. A study published in the journal Fisheries Oceanography found overall numbers and diversity of fish declined as oxygen levels dropped in deep waters, but some fish remained, able to ride it out. (Associated Press)

CSIS helped government prepare for expected Northern Gateway protests
Canada's spy agency helped senior federal officials figure out how to deal with protests expected last summer in response to resource and energy development issues — including a pivotal decision on the Northern Gateway pipeline. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service prepared advice and briefing material for two June meetings of the deputy ministers' committee on resources and energy, documents obtained under the Access to Information Act show. Jim Bronskill reports. (Canadian Press)

La Conner files fumes complaint about Shell emission
La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes has filed a complaint with the Northwest Clean Air Agency against Shell Puget Sound Refinery for its Feb. 20 discharge of fumes. Several La Conner residents had headaches, coughs and watery eyes due to the fumes, and Hayes wants to get to the bottom of the cause of the odor, he said. The city wants a detailed investigation into what happened and why, as well as a breakdown of exactly what was released, said Town Administrator John Doyle. Shannen Kuest reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

New U.S., Canada border deal geared to improving traffic flow
A new preclearance agreement between the U.S. and Canada could make it easier for private companies to move people across the border. The agreement, signed Monday, March 16, by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Canadian Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, would allow for some inspections to take place prior to arriving at the border, potentially reducing congestion and delays. Both countries must enact legislation for the agreement to be implemented. This should be good news for ferry, bus and small airplane companies that take people into either country, said Laurie Trautman, associate director at the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University. Dave Gallagher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE MAR 17 2015
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING E IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 14 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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11/20 Coal export, Duwamish cleanup, Burnaby protest, BC LNG, Laura James, WA budget, rain garden, home toxins

Coal forecast: No need for new NW terminals
U.S. coal exports have plummeted from their 2012 peaks, making it more difficult to make the case for building new export terminals in Washington and Oregon, according to a report released Wednesday by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. “There is simply too much port capacity in the United States, and not enough demand,” said Tom Sanzillo, the author of the report. Sanzillo forecasts that total U.S. coal exports this year may not exceed 80 million tons, down from a peak of 125.6 million tons in 2012. At that level, U.S. coal-export terminals this year would be operating at only 34 percent of capacity. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Report questions need for coal export terminal at Fraser Surrey Docks  Wendy Stueck reports. (Globe and Mail) And also: Coal ports' critics question the economics  Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut)

How government and Boeing fought to curtail Duwamish River cleanup
…. The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group, as the foursome of Boeing and the local governments is called, says it already has spent more than $40 million for studies and early cleanups of “hot spots” on the mega-polluted river. The Duwamish is loaded with carcinogenic PCBs and lots of other pollutants—some dumped directly by industry and some arriving via rainwater runoff from the 32-square-mile portion of the Duwamish Valley between Beacon Hill and West Seattle. Those cleanups have hauled away about half of the river bottom’s most-polluted material. Now Boeing and the three local governments want to limit how much more expensive dredging the EPA will require. Robert McClure and Kim Drury report. (Investigate West)

Kinder Morgan pipeline protesters on Burnaby Mountain now 'arrestable', say police
Police have told pipeline protesters camped out on Burnaby Mountain they are now "arrestable" for continuing to defy a court order to remove their camp. On Wednesday morning, two Burnaby RCMP officers arrived at the camp to speak to the protesters around 8 a.m. PT, but they did not arrest anyone or say when any arrests might take place. (CBC)

ExxonMobil is newest member of British Columbia LNG Alliance
An international energy giant has joined an alliance of companies that is promoting the development of a liquefied natural gas industry in northern British Columbia. ExxonMobil Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of U.S.-based energy giant Exxon Mobil Corp., says it has joined the British Columbia LNG Alliance. Current members include key international players like Chevron Canada, Shell Canada Energy, PETRONAS, and PetroleumBRUNEI. (Canadian Press)

Puget Sound diver shares clean-water mission with Skagit committee
For nearly a quarter-century, underwater videographer Laura James has plunged into the depths of Puget Sound every chance she gets to explore the water world. She says the marine life is vibrant and mesmerizing. But it is pummeled too often with litter, pollutants and mysterious disease like sea star wasting. The focal point of James’ freelance film career is to share Puget Sound’s mystique and mayhem with the people who live, work and play in the watershed. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Washington state budget outlook predicts shortfall
Washington state lawmakers are facing a projected budget gap of more than $2 billion for the next two-year budget ending in mid-2017, in large part due to a new voter-approved initiative to shrink class sizes, according to a state budget outlook released Wednesday. That projected shortfall does not include half of the expected financial obligation needed to increase funding for education as directed by the state Supreme Court, nor does it count the additional amount needed if collective bargaining agreements with state workers are approved. Rachel La Corte reports. (Associated Press)

$1.12 million rain garden project in Port Angeles nears completion
A $1.12 million stormwater project in west Port Angeles to relieve flooding and improve stormwater runoff water quality is nearly complete. The city has installed rain gardens at eight intersections on South H, K, L and M streets, as well as a new, larger drain pipe system to relieve flood problems on South H Street. Rain gardens are designed to transfer surface stormwater to groundwater by providing planted “wells” for water to pool and soak into the ground, rather than entering the stormwater system, and to provide a natural filter for surface stormwater. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

New video by SFU prof illustrates the danger of household toxins
A professor at Simon Fraser University has been trying to warn the public about the dangers of even mild exposure to common toxins on children’s brain development, but has largely had his concerns downplayed. So he has created a video he hopes will capture greater attention. Called Little Things Matter, the video makes clear that even a small amount of toxins such as lead or PBDEs (flame retardants) in the blood — at, say, the same level as an effective dose of Ritalin — can affect brain development and negatively impact children’s IQ. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST THU NOV 20 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY
S WIND 15 TO 25 KT EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 8 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
S WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate
Follow on Twitter.

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5/8 Frank, Jr., oil trains, BC train reroute, Petrogas, BC geoduck, hatcheries, rain gardens, sea stars, El Nino

The Perfect Nestbox (http://birdnote.org/show/perfect-nestbox)

More fine words: Soundings: Thoughts on Billy Frank Jr. while weeding and planting
John Dodge writes, "Gardening is often a form of catharsis for me. The garden is a place I go to purge my soul, ease a worried mind and lighten a heavy heart. I was drawn to the garden like a magnet Tuesday, working through the grief of the past 24 hours, the grief that descended on me and countless others with the sudden death of tribal leader Billy Frank Jr. The iconic Nisqually Indian whose life was stuff of legend left the rest of us behind Monday morning. Right before he took his last breath, he mentioned that he was tired. I don’t blame him for feeling worn out. After all, he was 83 and had worked nonstop for 70 years to secure tribal treaty fishing rights, to keep salmon from going extinct and to turn off the spigots of pollution — he called them “poisons” — discharged with reckless abandon into the rivers and Puget Sound...." (The Olympian)

Feds issue emergency order on crude oil trains
The Transportation Department issued an emergency order Wednesday requiring that railroads inform state emergency management officials about the movement of large shipments of crude oil through their states and urged shippers not to use older model tanks cars that are easily ruptured in accidents, even at slow speeds. The emergency order requires that each railroad operating trains containing more than 1 million gallons of crude oil – the equivalent of about 35 tank cars – from the booming Bakken region of North Dakota, Montana and parts of Canada provide information on the trains’ expected movement, including frequency and county-by-county routes, to the states they traverse. The order also requires that railroads disclose the volume of oil being transported and how emergency responders can contact “at least one responsible party” at the railroad. Joan Lowy reports. (Associated Press)

White Rock, B.C., urges Ottawa to reroute oil tank cars
White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin is heading to a national conference of municipal leaders later this month with rebellion on his agenda. Mr. Baldwin is pushing Ottawa to reroute the growing number of rail shipments of dangerous goods that run through his densely populated seaside community. But he hasn’t received a response to his request last month for a meeting with federal Transportation Minister Lisa Raitt, and now he is searching for allies among similarly frustrated municipal leaders when the Federation of Canadian Municipalities soon meets in Niagara Falls. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Calgary firm purchases gas export terminal near Ferndale
A butane/propane export terminal near Ferndale that has remained under the radar for decades has been purchased for $242 million, an indication of significant changes taking place in global energy markets. Last week Petrogas Energy Corp. closed a deal to purchase the storage and distribution facility at the end of Unick Road from Chevron. According to documents filed at the Whatcom County Treasurer's Office, the sale of about 42 acres of property equates to slightly more than $4.1 million in local and state excise taxes. It is one of the largest taxable transactions ever filed in this area, said Whatcom County Treasurer Steve Oliver. The sales price includes a large set of intangibles beyond the property itself, including ancillary assets, inventories, contracts and other considerations, said Stan Owerko, president and CEO of Petrogas Inc., which is based in Calgary, Canada. Petrogas Inc., along with Calgary-based AltaGas Ltd. and Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, are the companies that hold a majority stake in Petrogas Energy Corp. Dave Gallagher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Geoduck fishery dispute prompts First Nation blockade threat
A Vancouver Island First Nation is threatening to blockade a large section of the Strait of Georgia because of a major dispute with Fisheries and Oceans over the lucrative geoduck harvest. The geoduck is a species of very large, edible, saltwater clam - one of the largest in the world. Its name is derived from a Coast Salish word meaning "dig deep". The sought-after clams have a very high value on the international market. Stz'uminus Chief John Elliott says his First Nation has been seeking a larger share of the geoduck fishery for years. Elliott says the band applied to Fisheries and Oceans Canada to harvest the clams in a 100-hectare area in the waters near its reserve, but were only granted rights to harvest just five hectares of sea floor. (CBC)

Hatcheries on hold
Steelhead hatchery operations in Puget Sound are on hold until the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gives the state Department of Fish and Wildlife the green light — except for the Marblemount hatchery on the Skagit River. “The early winter program that we have historically run at the Marblemount hatchery we will not operate for 12 years, so we will not be asking NOAA to review that Hatchery Genetic Management Plan,” Fish and Wildlife Assistant Director Jim Scott said. The state and federal fisheries managers will meet Friday to discuss management plans for the state’s eight other Chambers Creek steelhead hatchery programs, which came under fire in a lawsuit centered on the U.S. Endangered Species Act this spring. How long the review process will take from there is hard to say. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tacoma rain gardens cleaning contaminants in Thea Foss Waterway
Deemed a Superfund site in 1983, the City of Tacoma is now making headway to clean up the contaminated Thea Foss Waterway.
The city has been monitoring high levels of chemicals like arsenic and pesticides for 12 years, and recent tests show a decrease in 90 percent of contaminants. Better known for its lights and sounds inside, Dorky's Arcade in Tacoma is now getting attention for its efforts outside. Owner Les Vorosbond sponsors one of the city's rain gardens. The City of Tacoma has 14 rain gardens, but sponsors only four. Coordinators hope businesses and organizations will chip in and help. Janet Kim reports. (KING) See also: Works begins on rain gardens in downtown Bellingham

Environment minister passes on sewage meeting
Environment Minister Mary Polak has said thanks but no thanks to an invitation to attend a Capital Regional District board meeting to outline whether the province will intervene in the impasse in rezoning Esquimalt’s McLoughlin Point for a sewage treatment plant. Saying a “pivotal juncture” had been reached in the CRD’s sewage treatment plans and that “significant financial implications [were] associated with further delays,” CRD chairman Alastair Bryson wrote to Polak on April 30, extending an invitation to her to attend the May 14 board meeting to discuss the CRD’s earlier appeal for provincial assistance. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Mystery starfish plague extends to Canada and Mexico, but the answer is within our grasp
Starfish along much of the North American Pacific coast are dying in great numbers from a mysterious starfish wasting syndrome. As yet the cause of the syndrome is unidentified, and it’s not clear whether it’s a due to an environmental change, disease or or something else. The early signs vary by species affected and include a deflated appearance, unnatural twisting of the body, and small lesions on the surface that increase in size and number. The wasting often progresses rapidly, leading to the softening of the starfish’s hard body, loss of arms, and eventually complete disintegration and death, sometimes over a period as short as few days. Similar die-offs have occurred before in the 1970s and the 1990s, but never before at this magnitude and over such a wide geographic area. Pete Raimondi reports. (The Conversation)

World is unprepared for major El Niño later this year
THE weather is preparing to go wild, and will wreak havoc and death around the globe later this year. An El Niño, a splurge of warm water in the Pacific Ocean, is coming. It will unleash floods in the Americas, while South-East Asia and Australia face drought. Yet little is being done to address these consequences. Michael Slezak reports. (New Scientist)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU MAY 8 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON PDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 9
 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS. RAIN...THEN SHOWERS
 AFTER MIDNIGHT.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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11/20 ISON, rain gardens, clogged culverts, fishery wisdom, spill response, Land Conservancy

PHOTO: Aron Kingery/NASA

Look to the Sky before Dawn This Week to Catch Comet ISON
If you wake up early and the skies are clear, you could be in for a treat this week. A comet named ISON should be visible through binoculars over the southeastern horizon. Astronomy websites have hyped the passage of this comet as the best in more than a decade. But a lot depends on a close encounter with the sun next week. A nice bright comet comes by about once per decade on average says Chris Anderson, the observatory coordinator at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. We're overdue; the last appearance of an easily visible comet around here was Hale-Bopp in 1997. Tom Banse reports.

Flood prone Everett neighborhood dry thanks to new program
.... the City of Everett is returning to nature to alleviate perennial flood problems. They're building "rain gardens" around town on people's properties. A rain garden is essentially a ditch dug in your yard and then filled in with soil and plants like a forest. The vegetation filters and soaks up stormwater from downspouts and roads and diverts it into the watershed. Less water runs into gutters and storm drains, keeping cellars dry and plumbing from backing up. Everett's Public Works Department is promoting the projects, even paying for them. Hoping interest in thegardens will grow, the city will subsidize up to $2500 per home. Eric Wilkinson reports.

Agency wants culverts unclogged
A mixed agricultural and estuarine environment on an island in the South Fork Skagit River is a lot soggier than it’s supposed to be. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife owns the 273-acre Island Unit in the delta, south of Conway and off of Wylie Road, and has proposed a $30,000 project to clear partially blocked culverts and drainage ditches that aren’t letting water out. Dikes separate the land from the Skagit River and Skagit Bay tidal zones, but it lies in the Skagit River’s 100-year flood plain and seasonally floods in late winter, according to Fish and Wildlife’s Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application with Skagit County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

What can the Philippines teach us about our fisheries?
A Burke Museum cultural exchange brings Filipinos here to the Suquamish reservation to learn about culture and ethnography. But they've got their own tricks up their sleeve. University of Washington Professor of Marine and Environmental Affairs Patrick Christie has done a lot of research in the Philippines — for which he is currently trying to marshall typhoon relief — and he has noticed one thing among many: People seem to feel a strong connection to Pacific Northwest fisheries. That might reflect the large number of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who have worked in salmon canneries. Dan Chasan reports. See also Carl Safina's blog: Fishermen In Palau Take On Role of Scientist To Save Their Fishery

Emergency Responders Prepare For Higher Risk Of Oil Spills In The Northwest
Northwest emergency responders are meeting in Portland Tuesday to discuss the increased potential for oil spills in the region. Several oil-by-rail projects have been proposed in Washington state. The largest of those would be built at the Port of Vancouver if it is approved... Tuesday’s meeting includes emergency responders from the Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon, Washington and Idaho environmental agencies, railroads and oil companies. The agenda features an in-depth discussion of how to respond to an oil train derailment. Cassandra Profita reports.

Ian Mulgrew: Land Conservancy’s asset sale mired in legal proceedings
The creditor protection proceedings involving TLC — The Land Conservancy — have become a legal donnybrook over the proposed sale of heritage properties. Although the non-profit charity beset by debt planned to sell assets to ease its financial burden, the B.C. Supreme Court has blocked the Nov. 29 closing date on an offer to purchase historic B.C. Binning House in West Vancouver.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 252 AM PST WED NOV 20 2013
TODAY
E WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/23 Climate rally, BC oil & LNG, Hood Canal fish kill, Anacortes, Coleman Dock, B'ham rain gardens

Jason Taylor art at MUSA (Eric Vance)

On this first fall workday, take a look at Eric Vance's report in The Last Word On Nothing about the backstory on art and marine resource protection in Cancun's underwater museum, Museo Subacuatico de Arte. Birth Of The World’s First Underwater Museum

New blog: I wondered if it was tougher last week to be Pope Francis or to be Congressman John Boehner. The Road to Heaven, the Road to Hell

Climate activists gathered on the Seattle waterfront Saturday and vowed to fight any increase in coal and oil exports through ports in Washington and other states. In one of more than 200 such demonstrations across the nation, about 600 people lined the edge of Elliott Bay in Myrtle Edwards Park to form a symbolic barrier to coal shipments. Although the nationwide “Draw the Line” demonstrations were aimed primarily at persuading President Obama not to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, the Seattle crowd also protested proposed new West Coast coal ports they said would accelerate global warming. Keith Ervin reports. Hundreds gather in Seattle in opposition to coal, oil exports  

CN Rail, at the urging of Chinese-owned Nexen Inc., is considering shipping Alberta bitumen to Prince Rupert, B.C., by rail in quantities matching the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, documents shared with The Canadian Press show. Internal memos obtained by Greenpeace under the Access to Information Act show the rail carrier raised the proposal last March with Natural Resources Canada.  CN, feds eyeing oil by rail to Prince Rupert, B.C.   See also: Feds bring pipelines pitch to B.C. First Nations  

The pledge has come from the highest levels of a province determined to see a giant new industry ship away natural gas and leave billions of new dollars in its wake. British Columbia, its Premier and her lieutenants have repeatedly said, will build the cleanest liquefied natural gas industry on the face of the earth. But if B.C. is to keep that pledge it will need to impose a series of strict, and likely costly, rules to reshape how powerful oil and gas companies proceed in the province. Without those measures, a sober new assessment warns, each tonne of LNG produced in Canada could produce up to a tonne of carbon dioxide, nearly triple the best projects in Norway and Australia. Nathan Vanderklippe reports. B.C.’s pledge to keep LNG sector clean faces steep hurdles, report warns  

Chris Dunagan blogs: Are we about to see one of the infamous fish kills that we have observed in Southern Hood Canal in past years? I am unable to sound any alarms at this time, but if you live in the Hoodsport-Potlatch area or are scuba diving nearby, you might want to watch for dead fish on the surface, rockfish or shrimp swimming in shallow water, or wolf eels and octopuses acting strangely. Will Hood Canal experience a fish kill this year?

From Anacortes, Wash., you get the classic, gorgeous views of the San Juan Islands.  But tourists mostly breeze by this city, thinking of it as just the gateway to greater places. Anacortes does have its own thing going, though. It’s an unusual mix of a real working city with super lovely landscape. Now, Anacortes has to figure out how to maintain that mix of beauty and industry. Sarah Lerner reports. Anacortes: One Town Debates Its Future

The makeover of Seattle's downtown waterfront is picking up steam as the seawall replacement, the viaduct removal, and other major projects gear up for action. Into this mix will come another ambitious renovation—a near-total rebuild of the Washington State Ferries' flagship terminal, the historic Colman Dock. Liam Moriarty reports. Rebuilding Plan for Seattle's Aging Colman Ferry Dock

The city of Bellingham is promising some rain gardens in the downtown area, and is looking for business people to keep an eye on them once they're planted. With help from a state grant, the city plans to install 36 curbside rain gardens in the eastern part of downtown to cleanse runoff from 90 urban acres that drain into Whatcom Creek... A $600,000 grant from the Washington Department of Ecology is paying for the stormwater portion of the project. In recent years, the agency has shifted its focus for dealing with runoff from expensive treatment facilities to so-called "low-impact development" methods, including rain gardens, green roofs, swales and pervious paving. Dean Kahn reports. Downtown Bellingham to sprout rain gardens

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 259 AM PDT MON SEP 23 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 13 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SHOWERS. ISOLATED TSTMS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SE. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 10 TO 12 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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7/26 Orca fishing, Namu, Halliburton guilt, oil train regs, Obama's climate, rain gardens, BC Ferries, bluff science

PHOTO: Kevin Klein

If you’ve ever gone fishing, then you probably know what it feels like to catch a big one only to lose it as you reel it in. A Friday Harbor man recently had this experience, but there’s much more to this whale of a tale. Jennifer Wing reports. Orca Snags Angler's Big Catch Right Off the Line 

The story begins north of Vancouver Island in June 1965, near the tiny fishing village of Namu, British Columbia. Fishermen retrieving gear that had snagged on rocks made a surprising discovery. A giant orca was trapped in a cove by a runaway net. Word of the captive orca reached Seattle and a man named Ted Griffin. Griffin owned an aquarium on the waterfront and had long been fascinated with whales. In short order, Griffin bought the whale — now called Namu — for $8,000. Then, he made arrangements to bring Namu home to Seattle using a floating cage pulled behind a tugboat. Feliks Banel reports.  Killer Whale Makes Big Splash In Seattle

Halliburton Energy Services agreed Thursday to plead guilty to destroying evidence during the Deepwater Horizon oil-spill disaster in 2010, admitting one count of criminal conduct and agreeing to pay the $200,000 maximum statutory fine, according to the Justice Department. In a startling turn in the three-year criminal investigation, the oil-field services company said that twice during the oil spill, it directed employees to destroy or “get rid of” simulations that would have helped clarify how to assign blame for the blowout — and possibly focused more attention on Halliburton’s role. The plea is subject to court approval. Steven Mufson reports. Feds: Halliburton agrees to plead guilty in spill

The Pacific Northwest Energy Boom rolled into Vancouver, Wash., in a big way Tuesday, sparking more debate about how the region can handle demands from oil and coal companies for export terminals shipping to markets in the U.S. and Asia. Port commissioners in Vancouver unanimously endorsed a huge oil terminal that would bring up to 360,000 barrels a day from the Bakken Oil Field in North Dakota, by rail, to the Columbia River port. That decision would add eight long unit, or mile-and-a-half-long trains daily to the already heavy traffic through the scenic Columbia River Gorge. Gorge protectors protested. (The extra rail traffic would include both full and empty return trains.) Floyd McKay reports. Coming soon: Oil trains. All the risk, fewer regulations

Environmental experts who remain unimpressed with President Barack Obama's war-on-carbon rhetoric point to one key reason for concern that's off most Americans' radar: U.S. coal exports. A push to expand coal mining operations in the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming, and to build three ports in Oregon and Washington to ship the fuel to Asia, could create more national and global environmental impact than a Canadian company's proposal to ferry Albertan tar sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast via the Keystone XL pipeline. Yet these remote projects are not getting the attention they deserve, critics suggest, and they fear Obama may be overlooking, apathetic to, or even supportive of them. Lynn Peeples writes. Coal Exports Contradict Obama's Climate Pledge, Critics Say   

Rain garden maintenance has emerged as one of the big hurdles to expanding the use of green stormwater solutions. You build it. The rain comes. Then what? Lisa Stiffler reports. Checklist for a Healthy Rain Garden  

B.C. Ferries has won approval to buy three new vessels and will seek to bring more standardization to its fleet with the purchase... In a ruling released Tuesday, the B.C. Ferries Commissioner approved the three new vessels, which will replace the aging Queen of Burnaby and Queen of Nanaimo. Jeff Bell reports.  B.C. Ferries given OK to build three new vessels at a cost of hundreds of millions  

Dana Hunter writes about the first day at Discovery Park: What an experience that day was! A walk through a forest greener than any I’d ever seen, across a sandy trail with signs saying “UNSTABLE BLUFF” all over the place, and then down and down and down until beach and sea and seal. Hundreds of clear jellyfish washed ashore gleamed like diamonds on that stony beach. And this amazing bluff, which would, nearly a decade later, put a match to the kindling laid by my physical geography professor and the great state of Arizona. So. Seven years spent trying to get back there, and then a glorious May day, and a discovery at Discovery: this bluff was like nothing I’d ever seen.  So What’s a Coastal Bluff Got To Do With Mount St. Helens?

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 PM PDT THU JUL 25 2013
FRI
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING.
FRI NIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. 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

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7/23 Don Santiford, sockeye cam, rain gardens, Vic sewage, free Capitol Lake

An outspoken critic of B.C.'s salmon farming industry has been ordered to pay a major industry player $75,000 for claims he made online about the safety of farmed salmon. Last year Mainstream Canada, which operates 27 farms off B.C.'s coast, sued Don Staniford for defamation after he claimed online that "salmon farming kills" and "salmon farming is poison". While the trial judge found Staniford's statements were defamatory, she ruled they were also protected by the defence of fair comment, because readers could make up their make up their own minds about what Staniford was saying. However on Monday, B.C.'s Appeal Court disagreed, and ruled the facts Staniford relied on weren't sufficiently referenced on his website.  Salmon farming company wins defamation lawsuit

If you like to watch: A salmon cam in Alaska’s Steep Creek is showing fair numbers of sockeye swimming upstream near the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau.  Live webcam shows return of sockeye

Foodies get to drool over countless images online and in print of perfectly posed burgers, mouth-watering slices of pies, and other culinary treats. Now rain garden junkies and the bioretention-curious can indulge in inspiring photos and illustrations of green stormwater solutions in the newly released “Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington: A Guide for Design, Installation, and Maintenance.” Lisa Stiffler reports. Rain Gardens, the Glamour Issue

B.C.’s environment minister remains unwilling to get involved in Greater Victoria’s sewage treatment dispute, after meeting with the Capital Regional District and Esquimalt on Monday. Both sides argued their case to the minister at the legislature but left without persuading her to wade into the disagreement over a treatment plant at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt.  Environment minister avoids taking role in sewage dispute

The Olympian editorializes: South Sounders can complain all they want about a do-nothing Congress, or partisan deadlock in the state Legislature, but that and a couple of candidates’ campaign yard signs won’t get us very far. There is one log jam right in front of our noses, however, on which local citizens can have a significant impact: Capitol Lake. As Olympian columnist John Dodge reminded us in a recent Soundings column, it’s been decades since the annual Lakefair festival had any connection to Capitol Lake. More to the point, its been four years since the nine-member Capitol Lake Adaptive Management Plan (CLAMP) issued its split-vote recommendation to revert the 250-acre lake into a tideflat mixing salt and fresh water from the Deschutes River. Yet nothing has changed. Well, nothing except another 140,000 cubic yards of sediment has flowed down the river and continues to clog the lake and Budd Inlet at the rate of 35,000 cubic yards per year. Capitol Lake can’t wait for us to get our act together

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE JUL 23 2013
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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6/25 BC pipe, tsunami debris, elephant seal, no drip, rain garden soil, BC midden, Cedar Grove odor

Red-breasted nuthatch (Laurie MacBride)

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "We’ve added a number of trellises, tripods and other supports to our garden this year. They’re functional rather than glamorous, and some are on the rustic side, made from scrap wood. But they seem to have made the birds pretty happy. The nuthatch in the photo...tried out the new pea trellis one recent afternoon, along with the frames for the netting that will soon surround the blueberry and raspberry beds. All seemed to pass muster..." Perches Aplenty

Check out Dan McShane's blogs on the Salish Sea landscape: Notes on Salish Sea Landscape 20,000 Years Ago and Notes on Salish Sea Landscape:18,000 to 16,900 Years Ago

The proposed Northern Gateway project has reached a major milestone with the end of public hearings on the pipeline, and now the company will focus on resolving lingering questions, says president John Carruthers. Mr. Carruthers said the focus that has been on the joint review process for several years will move to building public support and working with the British Columbia government, aboriginal groups and others who brought their concerns to the panel. Robin Rowland reports. Northern Gateway hearings wind up in B.C.  

At least eight vessels suspected to be from the 2011 tsunami have now drifted into B.C. waters, everywhere from the northern tip of Haida Gwaii to Aristazabal Island and Klemtu, on the north and central coast, and to the west coast of Vancouver Island. Large amounts of debris — not even officially being tracked by the province — are also making their way to the central coast to be converted into floats by local residents. Larry Pynn reports. Japanese tsunami vessels arrive in B.C. waters

For the third time this year, a juvenile elephant seal has landed on a Port Townsend beach as part of his annual molting process. And downtown is preparing for what could be a two-week visit.  He's already received a violin serenade. “We don't know why we are getting so many seals this year,” said Chrissy McLean, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center's marine program coordinator who is monitoring the seal's progress. Charlie Bermant reports. Third elephant seal of year in Port Townsend given town hospitality

Every year 7 million quarts of oil and other auto fluids wash into Puget Sound contaminating water and harming marine life. Looking for a way to address the issue the Department of Ecology and Seattle Public Utilities are teaming up with community colleges to offer free workshops to help you not "drip and drive." They’re drawing eager participants. Inspecting cars, Green Acre Radio learned, is serious fun. Martha Baskin reports. Don’t Drip & Drive. Fix That Leak!

The recent dust up over troublesome amounts of pollutants leaching out of a Redmond rain garden got me thinking about soil. That’s because the soil in a rain garden has to meet a lot of needs, some of which are in conflict with each other. It needs to soak up potentially large volumes of stormwater quickly, filter and capture pollutants, keep plants alive through sodden winters as well as summer droughts, and avoid leaching nutrients. Plus, the ingredients for the soil need to be locally, readily, and affordably available. We’re asking a lot of this dirt. Lisa Stiffler reports. It’s the Soil, Stupid  

A rare inland midden has been unearthed on Prevost Island, off the east coast of Saltspring Island, more than 30 years after archeologists first recorded the location of the site. Midden comes from the Danish word “køkkenmøddinger,” which means kitchen waste or compost. “They’ve come into view in the last 30 years,” said Eric McLay, who led the excavation. “No one’s taken a good look at what they are and studied them.” Inland shell middens are unique to the Salish Sea region and are slowly emerging into public view. Nick Wells reports. Rare midden near Saltspring Island a gem for research  

In the hot summer months, neighbors say they can smell it a mile away. They close their windows because they don’t want a whiff of what’s outside. The Cedar Grove composting facility on Smith Island has long prompted complaints from neighbors about its facility, which processes tons of rotting compost each year. Cedar Grove has racked up 12 Clean Air Act violations in the past five years at its Everett plant. The company received its latest two clean air violations at the Everett plant earlier this month, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) spokeswoman Joanne Todd said. But no one seems to know what to do. Michael Whitney reports. Cedar Grove odor issues persist, but no easy answers to control smell

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE JUN 25 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT BECOMING S 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 16 SECONDS. SHOWERS THIS MORNING...TAPERING IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 14 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

Follow on Twitter.

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