10/6 BC pipe, Lummi quarry, Elwha flick, Duwamish restoration, Orca Talk, Carl Safina

Pacific wren (Julio Mulero/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Three Wrens, Where Once There Was One...
Until about 2010, the Pacific, Winter, and Eurasian Wrens were all considered to be part of the same species — called the “Winter Wren” in North America and simply the “Wren” in Europe. What changed? Well, closer examination revealed that for these three geographically separated populations of wrens, both the birds’ genes and songs had changed since they last shared a common ancestor! (BirdNote)

If you like to watch: An Introduction to Living Shorelines
Restore America's Estuaries sweet new video.

If you like to watch:  Second whale sighting in Vancouver
For the second time in two days, a whale has been spotted in Vancouver. On Sunday, a whale was seen near the Maritime Museum; on Monday, a whale was seen between Sunset Beach and English Bay Beach. (Vancouver Sun)

Northern Gateway pipeline review was flawed, court told
Lawyers representing several environmental groups and a labour union are in court this morning attempting to overturn the federal government's approval of the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline project. The groups plan to argue the Joint Review Panel and the Governor in Council, which approved the project in 2013, failed to consider several factors, including: compliance with the Species at Risk Act with respect to humpback whales; a proper assessment of how bitumen reacts in the marine environment; (and) balancing Northern Gateway's economic benefits with its environment impacts. (CBC)

Land trust buys Lummi Island quarry site for $1.08 million
The Lummi Island Heritage Trust has bought 105 acres of quarry land on the island for $1.08 million for conservation, low-impact recreation and saltwater access. The deal closed Wednesday, Sept. 30. The seller was Resource Transition Consultants, the receiver for Lummi Rock LLC’s quarry and its operator, Aggregates West of Everson. The land opens onto Smugglers Cove and Hale Passage, on the southeast slope of Lummi Mountain, the trust said Monday, Oct. 5, in announcing the purchase. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Elwha River documentary wins 'Oscars of nature film' at Jackson Hole festival
No way could this pair of filmmakers, from two communities on the North Olympic Peninsula, turn away from the story. “I wanted to tell the world about what was happening here . . . to document the whole thing come hell or high water,” John Gussman of Sequim remembers thinking circa 2010.  This month Gussman and colleague Jessica Plumb of Port Townsend have won two “Oscars of nature film,” as he calls them, for their Elwha River restoration documentary “Return of the River.” Diane Urbani de la Paz reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Can we really ‘restore’ Duwamish, Seattle’s industrial river?
…. This is Seattle’s industrial river, the Duwamish, It is soon to be the target of a $342-million Superfund cleanup, which will build on what have already been years of significant efforts to restore the river. Even with a Superfund cleanup, however, there are limits to what can be done, and to understand that, it helps to consider the natural history of the river, and its human history, continuing to the present day. The polluted modern waterway is a far cry from the meandering river that Seattle pioneers found here in 1851, the one from which natives had harvested fish and clams for millennia. If you found a clam near the river mouth now, you’d be well advised to throw it back. The modern Duwamish has been shaped by the pursuit of profit. Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut)

What do orcas and ants have in common? Find out when The Whale Trail’s new Orca Talk series begins
…. If you’re among our area’s many orca fans, you will want to hurry up and get your ticket for the October 13th event that will lead off The Whale Trail‘s new Orca Talk season, with world-renowned author and orca expert Erich Hoyt speaking October 13th at The Hall at Fauntleroy. His talk titled “Ants, Orcas and Creatures of the Deep” is one of three stops in the region on Hoyt’s “Orca Tour 2015.” Wondering what in the world ants and orcas could have in common? Don’t miss the chance to find out – you can get your ticket right now through Brown Paper Tickets. (When Hoyt spoke here two years ago, he filled the house!) (West Seattle Blog)

Carl Safina explores animal culture plus orca-salmon links
Carl Safina — scientist, teacher, author and documentary filmmaker — will speak Wednesday on a topic of interest to many killer whale observers, “Intertwined Fates: The Orca-Salmon Connection in the Pacific Northwest.” The talk, sponsored by the group Orca Salmon Alliance, will be held at the Seattle Aquarium, but it appears the event has been sold out. (Brown Paper Tickets) Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE OCT 6 2015
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN RAIN LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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10/2 Land & Water fund, BC pipe, BC Conservancy, water regs, wetland farm, Snake flotilla, stink beach

Kelp greenling (Joe Tomelleri)

“Fishes of the Salish Sea: A compilation and distributional analysis”
(The new report) published online Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, includes a full taxonomic list as well as an analysis of geographic distribution and relative local abundance, along with common and scientific names and key references to learn more about each species. Some of the fishes are depicted in hand-drawn images by artist Joe Tomelleri, so accurate and life-like that they are easily mistaken for photographs. Michelle Ma reports. (UW Today)

Congress lets Land and Water Conservation Fund expire; it has protected Washington places low and high
The U.S. House of Representatives has put it all together this year, finding ways to hurt nature conservation as well as the country’s export industries. It allowed the U.S. Export-Import Bank to expire last summer, leaving hundreds of large and small businesses without export guarantees.  And this week, it has failed to reauthorize the 50-year-old Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has used a small chunk of federal oil leasing revenues to support land conservation projects. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Kinder Morgan pipeline suggestion from Rachel Notley 'completely inappropriate'
Elected officials in British Columbia say they were caught off-guard by a suggestion from Alberta Premier Rachel Notley to shift the Trans Mountain Pipeline terminal to Delta, B.C., instead of Burnaby. ​Notley made the comment at a Bloomberg Live conference in New York on Wednesday. She said Kinder Morgan, the company building the expanded pipeline, may need to move the proposed terminal to win support for the project…. Vicki Huntington, the independent MLA for Delta South, also rejected Notley's suggestion. "I'm sure the Premier of Alberta doesn't understand that the Fraser River delta is probably the most critical habitat in Canada," said Huntington. (CBC)

Land Conservancy transfers properties for $1.5 million
A major transfer of ecologically significant properties from The Land Conservancy — announced in July — has now become official. Twenty-six properties around B.C., including nine on Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island, have been transferred to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, said Nature Conservancy spokesman Tom Swann. Included on the list are Kindwood in the Highlands, Lohbrunner Woods in Langford and the Clare Winnett Copeland property at Shawnigan Lake. The Land Conservancy, which at one point had 51 properties, now has fewer than 10. The organization went into creditor protection in 2013 as it dealt with debt and an array of mortgages. Jeff Bell reports. (Times Colonist)

Gov. Inslee sounds off on federal water regulation
Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday he doesn’t want the federal government writing clean water rules for the state and will offer his own regulatory approach to “improve human health” in the near future. “We would lose control of our pollution control system,” he said. “I am very concerned about that because frankly I don’t think it would be the right thing for the state to lose control of our own fundamental destiny.” But Inslee didn’t elaborate on what he might offer in the way of tougher standards for the discharge of pollutants into the state’s waterways. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

Lynden wetlands cleared for blueberry farm to be restored
The Environmental Protection Agency has settled with the owner of a Lynden blueberry farm who will need to restore wetlands that were cleared on the property. Suellyn Rader Blymyer, on behalf of herself, her late husband Lyle Rader’s estate, and their company Uptrail Group LLC, will pay $210,000 in civil penalties for clearing and grading wetland on their property off Halverstick Road. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Free the Snake: A 150-Boat Flotilla Takes to the River on Oct. 3 to Advocate Against Dams
"People are coming from California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and the San Juan Islands," said Sam Mace, the Inland Northwest Director for Save Our Wild Salmon. "It'll be the biggest gathering of various salmon and orca experts and constituencies that care about the Snake River in more than a decade." For more than a decade, environmental advocates have pushed to get the four lower Snake River dams removed, which would help salmon more easily navigate the river to get to their original spawning grounds. This year, only 45 sockeye salmon survived the 900-mile journey from the ocean to Redfish Lake, due to elevated water temperatures in the river. A news release on the event, called Free the Snake Flotilla, partially blames the dams for the hotter temperatures. When water just sits still instead of moving in a current, it heats up significantly faster.  Jessica Murri reports. (Boise Weekly)

Northern coal project gets B.C. government approval
A Chinese-owned mine in northeastern British Columbia has passed another hurdle toward opening its controversial coal project. British Columbia’s government has granted an environmental assessment certificate to HD Mining International Ltd. for the Murray River Coal project, near Tumbler Ridge. (Canadian Press)

Neighbors plagued by stinky beach have few options
Waterfront living is hard to fully enjoy when a sunny day is marred by a stench that smells nothing like the sea…. Complaints to the King County Wastewater Treatment Division over the past few weeks led to an investigation that just concluded. County experts have determined the odor is not coming from the sewer system. The odor is coming from rotting sea lettuce, a type of seaweed that commonly washes on shore. This year's unusually warm weather is believed to be contributing to much more sea lettuce than usual and the odor when it rots in the hot sun. Mark Miller reports. (KOMO)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 425 AM PDT FRI OCT 2 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SE AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 8 FT AT
 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT
SE WIND TO 10 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SUN
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 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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10/1 Whales, Duwamish swim, refineries, Shell ship, BC pipe, new fish, Van shores, manure no-no

(Hakai Magazine/Mark Garrison)

Whales Through a New Lens
Forty years ago, the world’s whale researchers met in Indiana. The now legendary, but nearly forgotten, meeting changed the way scientists and the public see whales—and it all started with a few photographs. Erich Hoyt recounts. (Hakai Magazine) [Erich Hoyt speaks in the Salish Sea Oct 3, 6, 10, 11 & 13, Orca Tour 2015]

Intertwined Fates: The Orca-Salmon Connection In the Pacific Northwest
Dr. Carl Safina and an expert panel discuss the critical connections between Columbia Basin Salmon and Southern Resident Killer Whales. Hosted by the Orca Salmon Alliance which is working to prevent extinction of the Southern Resident Killer Whales by recovering the wild Chinook populations upon which the whales depend for their survival. Oct 7, Seattle Aquarium, Brown Paper Tickets

Bainbridge man swims Duwamish to raise awareness of river
Mark Powell slips on his goggles, adjusts his snorkel and drops away from the industrial wasteland at the mouth of the Duwamish River. The rusty barges, crumbling piers and the screech of freight trains give way to a quiet, green-blue world that is startlingly alive…. Powell, who lives on Bainbridge Island, has spent the last several months swimming the entire length of the Duwamish. He started where the 85-mile river begins as a clear trickle on Blowout Mountain near Mount Rainier. He traveled the river in 3- to 7-mile sections, sometimes crawling or wading through shallows. He finished the swim Wednesday in West Seattle, about a mile from the river’s mouth. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

EPA Sets Tougher Pollution Standards For Oil Refineries
The Environmental Protection Agency released new rules Tuesday requiring better monitoring and control of air emissions from  oil refineries, including  five operating in Washington. Refineries are being targeted by the new rules in part because they emit volatile organic chemicals, greenhouse gases and the carcinogenic compound benzene. Officials behind the new rules said they will improve the health of the 6 million Americans who live within 3 miles of a refinery. The EPA’s assistant administrator, Janet McCabe, said this will be especially beneficial for people of color, who are nearly twice as likely to live near a refinery. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Port of Seattle wins Shell Arctic cargo ruling
In a ruling issued Wednesday morning, deputy hearing examiner Anne Watanabe ruled the activities conducted by Foss at Terminal 5 for the Polar Pioneer and its support vessels are permissible cargo terminal uses. Coral Garnick reports. (Seattle Times)

First Nations’ challenges of Northern Gateway pipeline to be heard in court
Multiple legal challenges aimed at overturning the federal government’s approval of Enbridge Inc. Northern Gateway pipeline plan will be heard starting Thursday. The challenges are expected to bring new scrutiny to Ottawa’s environmental approval process and its responsibility to consult with aboriginal groups. Eight First Nations, four environmental groups and one labour union launched the legal actions, which will be heard at the Federal Court of Appeal over six days in Vancouver. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Known fish species living in the Salish Sea increases in new report
Coho salmon, Pacific halibut and even the dogfish shark are familiar faces to many people in the Salish Sea region. But what about the Pacific viperfish, northern flashlightfish, dwarf wrymouth or the longsnout prickleback? These colorfully named species and others are compiled in a new, 106-page report that documents all of the fishes that live in the Salish Sea, a roughly 6,500-square-mile region that encompasses Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia, the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf Islands. In total, 253 fish species have been recorded in the Salish Sea, and that’s about 14 percent more than in the last count, said Ted Pietsch, co-author of the new report and a University of Washington emeritus professor of aquatic and fishery sciences. Michelle Ma reports. (UW Today)

A healthy future for Vancouver's waterfront
Christianne Wilhelmson comments: "…What if we thought of our shores as a natural resource? With Vancouver’s coastal waters home to 1,200 species, including 119 classified as at-risk within the larger Salish Sea, it isn’t an outrageous idea. After all, our waterfront is a public commodity that allows many of us to work, live, and play in this city. If we see the waterfront as a natural resource and acknowledge that without adequate planning and care it might someday look very different than today, wouldn’t we want to commit to developing a vision for its sustainability in the near and long-term future?" (The Georgia Straight)

Livestock owner near Ferndale fined for manure pollution
The state Department of Ecology has fined a livestock owner $12,000 for polluting waterways with manure north of Bellingham. Ecology officials fined Jim and Victoria Snydar last week for polluting waterways near Ferndale that flow into California Creek in the Drayton Harbor watershed. The penalty cites lack of adequate covered manure storage, improper manure spreading, and accumulations of manure in pastures and areas that slope to water bodies, as factors that led to discharges. (Associated Press)

Commissioners pass quiet zone procedures, but some residents unhappy
Skagit County Commissioners approved procedures on creating railroad quiet zones, but some residents of Blanchard are not optimistic. The proposal dictates that a majority of property owners in a half-mile radius of the proposed quiet zone need to sign a petition with a $2,000 application fee. The county then has 180 days to hold a public meeting and present the estimate to the community and negotiate a funding agreement. The community can either create a road improvement district or fund it independently and has 180 days to come forward with the money, the commissioners decided at the meeting. Brandon Stone reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

NOAA reports never-seen-before marine life in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Scientists returned from a 28-day research expedition today aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship Hi‘ialakai to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, reportng marine life never seen before, including a possible new species of seahorse and a sea star not previously found in Hawaii. The scientists used advanced diving technology to survey reefs within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument at depths up to 300 feet, deeper than what conventional scuba gear allows, NOAA said in a news release today. (Star-Advertiser)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU OCT 1 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

9/10 Fraser sockeye, Skagit pinks, reconciliation talks, Orca Tour, Dungeness Spit, WA ESA

Whimbrel (Gregg Thompson/BirdNote)

If you like to watch: Late Summer Shorebirds
In September, all across North America, the southward migration of shorebirds reaches its peak. Millions of shorebirds – the sandpipers and plovers that grace our shorelines – are on the move. And many birders now flock to the mudflats to watch the annual pilgrimage. Gregg Thompson is one of those. (BirdNote)

River temperatures down in B.C., but so are projected sockeye returns: DFO
Late summer can be “sockeye crazy” in British Columbia’s rivers, but one fish expert says this year’s salmon season seems to be non-existent. Low river flows and hot water temperatures likely combined to create poor conditions for the annual sockeye migration, said Ken Ashley, director of the Rivers Institute at the B.C. Institute of Technology. But because the weather has cooled in recent days, warm water that’s often lethal to returning salmon has become more hospitable, said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Wednesday. Tamsyn Burgmann reports. (Canadian Press)

Low pink salmon return prompts Upper Skagit Indian Tribe to close its fishery
Because it saw few returning fish, the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe made the difficult decision Wednesday to close its pink salmon fishery…. The tribe sets its pink salmon fishery based on how many fish it expects to return to the river. The forecasts are based off previous spawner surveys and fish harvests. This year, the tribe expected to see about 500,000 pinks return to the Skagit River to spawn. Based on past catch records, this week should have been the peak of the season. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

B.C. chiefs call reconciliation talks 'strike two'
The chasm separating British Columbia's political and aboriginal leaders could not have been defined more clearly as the second annual all-chiefs meeting got underway in Vancouver Wednesday. B.C.'s Minister for Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, John Rustad, opened the two day gathering by calling advances over the past decade "remarkable."… But for some, it seems, patience is wearing thin. Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip responded that when it comes to reconciliation, B.C. is at "strike two." Dirk Meissner reports. (CBC News)

News Release: Killer Whale Expert and Author Erich Hoyt In October "Orca Tour 2015" Talks in BC, Puget Sound
Internationally-renowned author and killer whale expert Erich Hoyt will speak in October along the Whale Trail at locations in British Columbia and Puget Sound.  “Orca Tour 2015” celebrates the seasonal return of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales to central Puget Sound and builds awareness of the whales throughout their range in the Salish Sea and along the Pacific Coast. This transboundary tour is especially timely with the birth of the fifth calf in the Southern Resident Killer Whale pods since December 2014. (The Whale Trail)

Mother Nature and the Dungeness Spit
How does Mother Nature affect the Dungeness Spit? Let me count the ways, starting at the beginning. Current estimates are that the spit is about 6,000 years old, older than the first pyramids in Egypt. But its origin goes back to the last ice age when the Cordilleran glacier, a mile deep river of ice, came south. This particular glacier bulldozed millions of tons of rocks, sand and clay south out of the mountains of British Columbia and onto our shores. John Maxwell reports. (Sequim Gazette)

State reviews status of spotted owl, snowy plover
The state Department of Fish & Wildlife has released draft status reviews for snowy plovers and Northern spotted owls that recommend keeping the birds on the state’s endangered species list. The agency is taking public comment on the draft recommendations through Dec. 8. The birds are two of 46 species the state has listed as endangered, threatened or sensitive. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU SEP 10 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/1 Naming names, Gorge cleanup, Wild Future, oil terminals review, Fidalgo Bay Days

Koma Kulshan (WikiCommons)

Here Are Seven Northwest Mountains Named For White Men
North America's highest mountain has a new name. Or rather, an old one. President Obama has announced that Alaska's Mount McKinley will now be called Denali, which is what natives call the peak. Like Denali, mountains in the Pacific Northwest had names before white settlers re-named them. [How many can you name in WA, OR & BC?] Chris Lehman reports. (KUOW)

European settlers renamed many Washington mountains, too
If President Barack Obama starts a trend to change the name of a mountain back to the one used by a region’s original inhabitants, there’s plenty of possibilities in Washington state. European late-comers to the Northwest made it a habit of sticking new names on many of the state’s peaks, from Mount Spokane to Mount Rainier. Jim Camden reports. (Spokesman-Review)

Shoreline focus of cleanup after barge spills flattened cars
A shoreline cleanup specialist started picking debris from the Gorge shoreline on Monday, three days after a listing barge sent dozens of flattened cars into the Gorge Waterway…. The shoreline specialist was contracted by Schnitzer Steel, a scrap-metal recycling company in the Rock Bay area which was operating the barge. Brach said the cleanup effort couldn’t start until the barge was stabilized. (Times Colonist)

State invites comments on fishing, hunting, rec programs and policies
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking the public for help in identifying conservation and recreation priorities for the next several years. Fish and Wildlife is calling the new, multiyear initiative “Washington’s Wild Future: A Partnership for Fish and Wildlife,” according to a news release. The partnership is an effort to strengthen the department’s relationships with communities, increase support for conservation and recreation on public lands, and help ensure the state’s services meet the public’s needs. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Draft Environmental Review Released For Oil Terminals On Washington Coast
The Washington State Department of Ecology has just released its draft environmental review of two proposed oil terminals on the Washington coast. A third proposed terminal has not yet begun the environmental review process. The terminals could be built in Grays Harbor, near Aberdeen, doubling current vessel and train traffic levels there. (KUOW)

Fidalgo Bay Day lets kids play, learn about marine life
A power outage caused by high winds Saturday didn’t dampen spirits at Fidalgo Bay Day. And though the weather forced organizers to move some activities indoors, including educational discovery stations that were to be installed along the Tommy Thompson Trail, visitors interested in the aquatic environment spent the afternoon learning about sea life and marine habitat. Evan Marczynsk reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE SEP 1 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING S TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN
 THE MORNING...THEN RAIN LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. SHOWERS IN THE EVENING...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY AFTER
 MIDNIGHT.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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8/26 Farmed salmon suit, giant squid, A95 hurt, BC LNG sites, Whidbey waterfront donation

(PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Must be the Season of the Frog
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "August is Tree Frog Month around our place. The steady chorus that came from our ponds every night in March and April has, thankfully again this year, resulted in a new generation of Pacific Chorus frogs…."

Group threatens to sue over farmed salmon in Puget Sound
A conservation group says it intends to sue the federal government for allowing farm-raised salmon in Puget Sound. Wild Fish Conservancy sent a letter Tuesday to the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, giving them a required 60-day notice of intent to sue. The organization says the agencies failed to fully assess the danger of floating pens of non-native Atlantic salmon to protected wild salmon runs, including chinook and Hood Canal chum salmon as well as steelhead. Wild Fish Conservancy says that violates the Endangered Species Act. (Associated Press)

Hauling in a real-life kraken: Giant squid snagged by Oak Harbor middle schooler a rare find
The only thing certain in Peyton Horn’s mind was that whatever was on the end of his fishing line wasn’t a salmon. Horn, an eighth grader from Oak Harbor Middle School, reeled in a giant squid while fishing for salmon on a North Whidbey beach Sunday morning. The squid was dead, with missing parts and bites taken out of it. But it was an impressive sight nonetheless, estimated to be five-and-a-half feet long and so heavy Horn couldn’t lift it off the beach. A biology professor who conducts research on marine life off Whidbey shores identified the massive creature as a robust clubhook squid, which is an unusual discovery in Puget Sound waters, and exceptionally rare around this island. Ron Newberry reports. (Whidbey News-Times)

Young killer whale may have been injured by boat propeller
Researchers are closely monitoring a young killer whale with an injury that may have been caused by a boat strike off the coast of Vancouver Island. The whale was spotted with a fresh wound on its flank and dorsal fin on Saturday in Johnstone Strait.  Researchers identified her as A95, a six-year-old killer whale from the northern resident population known as Fern. (CBC)

Search on for alternate site for Pacific NorthWest terminal near Prince Rupert
The Lax Kw'alaams First Nation appears to be taking steps to find a new site for the proposed Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal, one that would not affect the salmon-rearing habitat in the Skeena River estuary. In several community votes earlier this year, the Lax Kw'alaams rejected a $1.15-billion benefits package offer from the company and the B.C. government over concerns the liquefied natural gas terminal on Lelu Island near Prince Rupert in northwest B.C. would harm young salmon that rear in eel grass beds on Flora Bank. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun) See also: First Nation asserts right to B.C. island slated for LNG plant  Some members of a north coast First Nation are gathering on a small island near Prince Rupert, B.C., to protest plans for a liquefied natural gas project. Members of the Lax Kw’alaams band are preparing to set up tents and carry out other activities on Lelu Island, which they claim as traditional Tsimshian territory. (Canadian Press)

Couple donates Whidbey waterfront land to EvCC’s marine sciences academy
A Whidbey Island couple has donated 3.8 acres of waterfront property to Everett Community College's Ocean Research College Academy. Gary and Kathi Lang's daughter, Rebekah Woodson, graduated from ORCA in 2013. ORCA is an early college academy for high school students focused on marine sciences and field research. The land on south Whidbey is undevelopable because of steep sliding slopes, Gary Lang said from his home in Arizona. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PDT WED AUG 26 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 15 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/17 Bulkheads, pinks, Vic sewer, shellfish, green fund, oil train, ospreys, sea stars, sunk boat, Marina Beach

(PHOTO: Hugh Shipman/Dept. Of Ecology)

Have we turned the corner on Puget Sound bulkhead construction?
Chris Dunagan blogs: "It’s hard to describe the surprise I felt when I first glanced at a new graph plotting bulkhead construction and removal along Puget Sound’s shoreline since 2005. On the graph was a blue line that showed how new bulkhead construction had declined dramatically the past two years. But what really caught my eye was a green line showing an increase in bulkhead removal. Amazingly, these two lines had crossed each other in 2014, meaning that the total length of bulkheads removed had exceeded the total length of bulkheads built last year. Not only was this the first time this has ever happened, it was totally unexpected. Few people really believed that bulkhead removal could exceed construction anytime soon." (Watching Our Water Ways)

Interest flags in pink salmon fishery at Dungeness River mouth after number of returning fish turns out lower
Interest has waned in a pink salmon fishery at the mouth of the Dungeness River now that the numbers originally expected haven’t developed, said the natural resources director for the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe. The beach seine fishery, in which weighted nets are used to pull fish to shore, was developed by co-managers of the Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam and Point No Point Treaty Council and approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to weed out some of the 1.3 million pinks expected to return this season, said Scott Chitwood on Friday. Leah Leach reports. (Peninsula Daily News) See also: Crews deepen channels to help struggling salmon amid drought Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Technical panel to oversee CRD sewage project
The capital region’s sewage committee has created a technical oversight panel that didn’t exist under the Seaterra program, in hopes of avoiding another failed project. The six-member panel will provide independent vetting of the engineering, business case, lifecycle costing and other project analysis. The committee has also hired a fairness and transparency adviser to handle any complaints about the process. In addition, the committee agreed to pay $250,000 for the next step in technical support, detailed cost analysis and engineering work by Urban Systems and Carollo Associates. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

New sensor system monitors water temperature for shellfish safety
In the ongoing effort to reduce “bad oyster” illnesses, the state Department of Health recently installed 13 sensors along the shoreline. One of the sensors was installed in Samish Bay with the help of Taylor Shellfish Farms. Samish Bay averages at least one case of vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria-related illness each year, according to Department of Health data. As of this week, the sensors are sending real-time water temperature, air temperature and salinity data to nanoos.org, which is run by Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems. The goal is to help commercial and recreational shellfish harvesters, as well as the state, keep a closer eye on water conditions. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Biotoxin infesting part of Hood Canal usually free of it
.... The Department of Health found high levels of the marine biotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning in Hood Canal early this summer, leading the state to close several beaches in Jefferson and Mason counties to shellfish harvest, many for the first time. Aria Shephard Bull reports. (Kitsap Sun) See also: More shellfish harvest closures in effect in Clallam County; shut areas stretch from Cape Flattery to Jefferson line  (Peninsula Daily News)

Federal conservation money for iconic parks in jeopardy
A 50-year-old government fund that’s helped preserve Mount Rainier National Park, historical sites in the San Juan Islands, and the Mountains to Sound Greenway in Washington state is in danger of disappearing because of funding disputes in Congress. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has paid for $637 million in conservation and recreation projects in Washington state, and nearly $17 billion in work across the nation ranging from the Gettysburg civil war battlefield to the Grand Canyon to the Florida Everglades. The money comes from royalties that oil companies pay the government for offshore drilling rights, not with taxpayer dollars. But the fund is set to expire Sept. 30 unless reauthorized by Congress – and with Congress on vacation until Sept. 8 the chances are not looking good. Sean Cockerham reports. (McClatchy)

Experts say best plan for oil train fire is evacuation and containment
Each oil tanker car that passes through Snohomish County carries about 33,000 gallons. Multiply that by 100 to 110 cars per train. Often, it's Bakken crude oil, which is easier to refine but far more volatile. The Pacific Northwest now is averaging 2.5 loaded oil trains per day, most headed toward refineries in Skagit and Whatcom counties. Local firefighters have been talking about how they can be prepared if one turns into a fireball. The message from experts is that, most likely, local firefighters won't be able to extinguish the flames. Instead, their focus will be evacuating the area and keeping the fire from spreading into buildings, said Brad Reading, an assistant chief at Snohomish County Fire District 1. In his district, the railroad tracks run through downtown Edmonds and along steep waterfront bluffs toward Everett. Rikki King reports. (Everett Herald)

Anti-pipeline campaigners grab onlookers’ attention with environmental street theatre
Anti-pipeline campaigners with the Sierra Club spent Sunday morning at English Bay, trying to grab the attention of selfie-snapping tourists with a little environmental street theatre. The performance was an attempt to dramatize the some of the predicted health impacts of an oil spill if Kinder Morgan is allowed to go through with its planned expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. Bethany Lindsay reports. (Vancouver Sun)

If you like to watch: Birdwatching 2.0: Webcam keeps an eye on UVic ospreys
A University of Victoria webcam documenting the round-the-clock activity of a family of ospreys has become a hit on campus and online, drawing viewers from around the world. Video of the ospreys has been streaming live since early July, netting as many as 1,000 views a day. Thanks to a webcam placed in view of the nest, which is located atop a soccer field light standard near the school’s Centennial Stadium, followers are being given a rare glimpse into the daily activities of the birds of prey…. The webcam can be viewed by visiting uvic.ca/osprey. Mike Devlin reports. (Times Colonist)

Volunteers provide crucial surveys of sea stars to monitor a mysterious, devastating disease
Michael Kyte and his team were more than an hour into their search when they spotted their first dying sea star. The orange mottled sea star had two detached arms and exposed white flesh — telltale signs of sea star wasting syndrome. A semi-retired biology consultant from Seattle, Kyte has been leading volunteer groups to track signs of sea star wasting at Camano Island State Park since the spring of 2014. This was the first diseased specimen they had found in more than a year…. Kyte's group is one of seven citizen-science groups monitoring sea star populations in Washington's intertidal zones. Other observers contribute data from points stretching from Anchorage, Alaska, down to Baja California. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald) See also: Will the sea stars ever be able to recover?  Anna Meyer reports. (Islands' Weekly)

State fines Brinnon boat owner more than $16,000 for spill after sinking; DNR presents $123,446 bill for vessel’s recovery
The state Department of Ecology has fined the owner of Avalon, a 1929 wooden purse seiner, $16,244 after it sank and spilled diesel near Brinnon on Sept. 14. The owner, Randall Schleich, 56, of Brinnon, said he plans to partially contest the ruling, although he said he doesn’t have the resources to hire legal counsel and accepts responsibility for the spill. “I am going to contest it because I can’t afford to pay it,” he said. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Whale Watcher: Orca Network volunteer passionate about tracking whales from Whidbey’s shores
Rachel Haight admits that her passion for orca whales borders on obsession. Even her 6-year-old daughter Lily will shake her head at the suggestion of another car trip to catch a whale sighting…. Haight, who lives in Oak Harbor, is a sighting volunteer with the Langley-based Orca Network who’s been very busy lately. Ron Newberry reports. (Whidbey News-Times)

Marina Beach Master Plan public hearing on Edmonds City Council agenda for Tuesday
After taking a week off to celebrate Edmonds’ 125th anniversary, the Edmonds City Council will hold both a business meeting and study session this Tuesday, including a public hearing on the draft master plan for redesigning Marina Beach to accommodate the daylighting of Willow Creek through the Edmonds Marsh and into Puget Sound. (My Edmonds News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON AUG 17 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 6 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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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

Follow on Twitter.

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

(Jim Toomey/San Juan Preservation Trust)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE JUN 30 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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

Grey whale display (PHOTO: MarilynAssaf/CBC)

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

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

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

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

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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6/18 Pope's revolution, seastars, Shell drill, geoducks, killer whales, Orca Network, restore Shannon Pt.

Buzzy the hummingbird (Laurie MacBride)

Time for Buzzing Off
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "It seems quieter around our house than usual, and I think I know the reason: in the last day or two, Buzzy and the other adult male Rufous hummingbirds appear to have taken off on their southern journey. They’ll be heading over to the Rockies, where they’ll tank up on wildflower nectar, then on to Mexico – completing a 4000+ mile-long, clockwise circuit of the continent…"

Pope urges revolution to save Earth, fix ‘perverse’ economy
Pope Francis called Thursday for a bold cultural revolution to correct what he calls the “structurally perverse” economic system of the rich exploiting the poor that is turning Earth into an “immense pile of filth.” In a sweeping manifesto aimed at spurring action in U.N. climate negotiations, domestic politics and everyday life, Francis explains the science of global warming, which he blames on an unfair, fossil fuel-based industrial model that he says harms the poor most. Citing Scripture and past popes’ and bishops’ appeals, he urges people of all faiths and no faith to undergo an awakening to save God’s creation for future generations. It’s an indictment of big business and climate doubters alike. Nicole Winfield, Rachel Zoll and Seth Borenstein report. (Associated Press)

Starfish Are Still Disappearing From Northwest Waters
A couple of years ago, divers in Puget Sound began to notice something odd: Starfish were disappearing. The sea creatures would get sores and then melt into piles of mush. Sea star wasting syndrome is a gruesome disease and it spread to starfish all along the West Coast. Scientists still don’t know a lot about it. Katie Campbell, a reporter for EarthFix and KCTS9, says that although scientists have isolated the cause, the creatures continue to die.  Katie Campbell and Isolde Raftery report. (EarthFix)

Greenpeace protesters confront Shell Arctic drilling rig off B.C. coast
Protests against Royal Dutch Shell's Arctic drilling program continued Wednesday, with Greenpeace activists confronting the drilling rig off the coast of B.C. on its trip north from Seattle, Wash. First Nations activist Audrey Siegl, who lives in Vancouver, wore traditional Musqueam regalia while drumming in front of the 90-metre tall rig, according to photos and video provided by Greenpeace. (CBC)


Washington state auctions deepwater quotas amid wider geoduck farming push
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources this month has auctioned 14 quotas for geoduck farming, the Seattle Globalist reported. The deepwater plots are on privately owned areas around Central Puget Sound, the Hood Canal and Hood Head East, the news outlet reported. The industry has also been attempting to increase harvests on private tidelands, and this year is the first time that state-owned lands will be leased for aquaculture, the news outlet reported. (Undercurrent News)

'Of Orcas and Men' review: Killer whales could teach us a few things
If you live in Seattle, you may be peripherally aware that a fellow form of intelligent life is somewhere out on Puget Sound, communicating away while dodging the ferries, freight ships and other maritime traffic. But you probably won't know much more about Orcinus orca than that. David Neiwert's passionate, informative "Of Orcas and Men: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us" fills some of the gaps. Michael Upchurch reviews. (Oregonian)

Whidbey Audubon honors orca protectors
Howard Garrett and Susan Berta received Whidbey Audubon’s Excellence Award at the group’s biennial recognition dinner June 11 in Coupeville. Garrett and Berta founded Orca Network to raise awareness and promote conservation of Pacific Northwest whales. Orca Network programs include the increasingly popular Whale Sighting Network and Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network. (Whidbey News Times)

Orcas in Thurston County’s Eld Inlet getting hassled by boaters
Over the last few months, Kim Merriman has seen orcas frequently from her Eld Inlet home — and she’s also seen plenty of people crowding them. “People are excited to see the orcas, and when there’s one or two boats that’s a different story,” said Merriman, who’s lived on the inlet for 20 years. “But then there’s 10 or 15 or 20, and it gets hard for the (killer whales).” Boaters, kayakers and paddle boarders are effectively trapping the orcas in the inlet at times, or separating them. Merriman said this problem occurs nearly every weekend when the killer whales come to visit, since many people are out on the water. Natalie Deford reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Group documents intertidal life in preparation for Shannon Point restoration project
What is left exposed when the tide rolls out may not look like much more than damp sand and slimy rocks, but an abundance of sea life can be found there. Within about 2 1/2-square-feet of beach at Shannon Point on Wednesday, Michael Kyte and Pattie Hutchins found various types of marine life, including a sea star no more than 2 1/2 inches wide…. The Skagit Marine Resources Committee, under the Northwest Straits Foundation, plans to remove the riprap from along the beach. Made of large, granite boulders, the shoreline armoring stands out from the rest of the scenery. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU JUN 18 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT RISING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 2 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 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.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told