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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7/8 Forage fish survey, Shell drill, Whytecliff Park E.coli, orcas, Sequim oyster, surf culture

Smelt and Beaches (Ecology)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

--
"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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7/2 Canada Day, orca census, state budget, solar vessel, BC LNG, BP spill, TN train, East Waterway, Leque Is levees, Vancouver poop

Knife juggling in Vancouver ( Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

If you like to watch: Canada Day 2015 on CBC: Fireworks cap nighttime festivities on Parliament Hill
A huge fireworks display capped off Canada Day festivities in Ottawa on Parliament Hill, after acts from pop sensation Kiesza and other musicians entertained the crowd. Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canadians will continue to overcome all threats they face from outside forces, as he praised members of the Armed Forces during the day's celebrations. (CBC) See also: Photos: Canada Day celebrations in Vancouver

Orca census shows increase in Southern Resident population
A census of the killer whales that frequent Puget Sound is due today, and it appears that the total population of the three Southern Resident pods is 82, up from 79 last year at this time. But that’s not the end of the story, because two small groups of orcas have not been seen recently — so a final count must wait, according to Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research, which conducts the annual census. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Waus)

Standoff Creates Big Hole In Washington State's Brand New Operating Budget
Washington state's brand new operating budget was not even hours old Wednesday when it sprung a big hole. A $2 billion hole. That cropped up because the new two-year spending plan was balanced on the assumption that lawmakers would trim back a costly school class size reduction initiative. Tom Banse reports. (Northwest News Network)

Solar vessel sails into Steveston
A solar-powered catamaran, driven by some of B.C.’s most passionate environmentalists and anti-tar sands activists, is sailing into Steveston Harbour on July 7 to draw some attention to the “Save the Salish Sea” movement. “The boat will dock in six communities to speak with people about the threats facing this unique body of water, to share stories and connect with community members interested in taking on the challenge of climate change locally,” said Eoin Madden, climate campaigner for the Wilderness Committee. The event at Imperial Landing starts at 6 p.m. with live music as well. Save the Salish Sea is part of the broader TankerFreeBC campaign and is in conjunction with other groups such as the Georgia Strait Alliance, and Friends of the San Juans. Graeme Wood reports. (Richmond News)

Shifts in energy markets adjust time frame for B.C. LNG proponents
Outside the higher-profile news associated with Malaysian energy firm Petronas’s liquefied natural gas proposal for Prince Rupert and gloomy forecasts for the sector’s prospects in British Columbia, AltaGas Ltd. continues working away under the radar on its own proposals. Calgary-based AltaGas anticipates it will be able to make a final investment decision before the end of the year on the relatively modest Douglas Channel LNG proposal at Kitimat. The bigger Triton project that AltaGas is also involved in remains a bit on the back burner. The choice isn’t necessarily the sign of an impending shakeout in B.C.’s still nascent LNG sector. Of 19 proposals put forward publicly in B.C., none has taken its name off the list so far. Derrick Penner reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Gulf states reach $18.7B settlement with BP over oil  
BP and five Gulf states announced a massive settlement Thursday that resolves years of legal fighting over the environmental and economic damage done by the energy giant’s oil spill in 2010. Roughly $18.7 billion in settlement money will be used to resolve the Clean Water Act penalties; resolve natural resources damage claims; settle economic claims; and resolve economic damage claims of local governments, according to an outline filed in federal court. The settlement involves Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Kevin McGill reports. (Associated Press)

Train derailment, fire prompts evacuation in Tennessee
A car on a CSX train carrying a flammable and toxic substance derailed and caught fire in eastern Tennessee, prompting the evacuation of thousands of people within a 2-mile radius. Blount County Fire Department Lt. Johnny Leatherwood said a call about the train derailment came in Wednesday night at 11:50 p.m. EDT in Maryville. The fire was still burning at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Blount County firefighter Kermit Easterling said. Steve Megargee reports. (Associated Press)

Cleanup Proposed For Everett's East Waterway
A legal agreement is being proposed that will shape a major cleanup project that will address decades-old contamination in Everett’s East Waterway, part of Port Gardner Bay. Historical industrial activities deposited contamination – including various chemicals and metals – into and near the waterway. The public can comment on the legal agreement that includes Kimberly-Clark Corp., which operated a now-closed pulp-and-paper mill adjacent to the East Waterway; the Port of Everett, which owns tidelands in the waterway; the Washington Department of Natural Resources, which also owns tidelands; and the Washington Department of Ecology. A public comment period runs through July 30. (Dredging News)

Leque Island levees will be removed in effort to create salmon habitat
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has decided to remove most of the dikes around Leque Island, a slice of former farmland between Stanwood and Camano Island. The 300-acre island is a popular spot for hunting and bird-watching. It's surrounded by levees built more than a century ago to protect crops. Many of the levees are failing. Removing them will let saltwater flood the area during high tides and hopefully create habitat for salmon, according to the department. Officials started looking at options for either removing or repairing Leque Island's levees in the early 2000s, and the Salmon Recovery Funding Board supported the effort with grants in 2004 and 2007. A plan that would have removed levees around half the island and repaired the rest was in the works in 2005 when concerns about saltwater intrusion into a Camano Island aquifer stalled the project. Kari Bray reports. (Everett Herald)

Vancouver dog waste removal urged by city resident
A Vancouver resident is urging the city to install special garbage bins for dog waste to keep it from ending up in landfills. Raymond Greenwood says now that the city has made a push to divert food waste, it's time to start thinking about dog doo…. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, conditions in landfills prevent dog waste from decomposing. The waste can also lead to water contamination and methane gas production…. In Metro Vancouver, a dog waste diversion program is already in place at Pacific Spirit Park, which gets over 360,000 dog visits a year. The waste is collected in special red bins.  Vancouver's head of waste management Albert Shamess said the city has examined the program, but it's not likely to be expanded. "Right the now each bag is cut open and disposed in the sanitary sewer, so each bag has to be opened and I'm not sure that's a long-term sustainable model," said Shamess.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU JUL 2 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 6 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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6/30 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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6/29 Drought, Navy in Hood Canal, geoducks, conservation fund, humpbacks, gas tax, McTaggart Cowan

Don Moyer’s Sketchbook
(moyersketchbook.blogspot.com/2013/07/fish.html)

Running dry: Drought sparks concerns over fish survival
The mountains are bare. The streams are low. The banks of the Skagit River are exposed…. This year’s drought will be worse than the last statewide drought in 2005, and the region’s fisheries are expected to suffer. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: Warming Northwest Rivers Raise Risk Of Fish Kills  Courtney Flatt reports. (EarthFix) And also: B.C. heat wave sparks worries about wildfires, water supplies and fish habitats Gemma Karstens-Smith reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Navy stealthily targets Hood Canal development
The U.S. Navy has quietly restricted development across thousands of acres of water and land near Hood Canal in western Puget Sound. Last year, in the name of national security, the Navy may have gone too far. Will Drabold reports. (Seattle Times)

Harvesting geoducks is lucrative, but it's also brutally hard work
The sound of labored breathing crackles over the radio aboard the fishing boat Rawdeal on an overcast morning in late May. Anchored about 100 yards off the eastern coastline of Whidbey Island, within sight of the Clinton ferry landing, the crew on the 26-foot aluminum fishing boat is after geoduck. The giant clams, which grow wild in the Pacific Northwest, are pound for pound the most-valuable seafood being harvested from Puget Sound today. Ian Terry reports. (Everett Herald)

Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund gets tangled in politics
Two members of the Washington’s congressional delegation — Reps. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and Dave Reichert, R-Auburn — are expressing confidence that the Land and Water Conservation Fund will be reauthorized. But with so many dollars on the line for conservation purposes, many supporters are growing nervous about when it will happen and what the final bill will look like. After all, what could possibly go wrong in a Congress famous for getting nothing done, with less than 100 days left to go before the law expires? Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Humpback whale entanglement an international problem
Four humpback whales have been found entangled in fishing gear in the last two weeks, with one near Powell River effectively "hog-tied" and anchored to the ocean floor, says Fisheries and Oceans Canada. "It was amazing how wrapped up it was. The tail had significant wraps, loose rope and ends all over. Then it was actually up, underneath the body, through the mouth three times," said Paul Cottrell, Marine Mammals Coordinator, and lead whale disentangler for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (CBC)

Lawmakers reach deal on gas tax increase, transportation funding
State lawmakers have reached a deal to raise the gas tax to pay for highway improvements, with leaders from both parties saying they’re optimistic lawmakers will approve a package by Tuesday. Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday that he would accept a deal even if it restricts his ability to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from gasoline and diesel fuel — wiping out the biggest point of contention on the highway and mass-transit package. Jordan Schrader and Melissa Santos report. (Olympian)

Ecologist’s archive offers a glimpse of B.C. wilderness
A lifetime of material compiled by Ian McTaggart Cowan — known as the “father of Canadian ecology” — has found a home at the University of Victoria. McTaggart Cowan, who died in 2010 at the age of 99, came to Canada from Scotland with his family at age three and grew up in North Vancouver. He was UVic’s chancellor from 1979 to 1984, taught for 35 years at the University of B.C. and worked at what is now the Royal B.C. Museum. Jeff Bell reports. (Times Colonist)

If you like to watch: First Nations war-canoe races return to Victoria's harbour
The first war-canoe race in more than 100 years took place place Saturday in Victoria's Inner Harbour. Five First nations from across Vancouver Island kicked off the event with traditional dances and ceremonial blessings. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON JUN 29 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT IN THE
 AFTERNOON. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 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
http://salishseanews.blogspot.com/

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6/9 Budget, Shell drill, warm 'blob,' fish barriers, Vic sewer, BC logging, Laura James, Port Susan, oil train, BC LNG, houseboats

Northern Lights from Mukilteo (Liem Bahneman/KOMO)

If you like to watch: Northern Lights come out to play over Western Washington
They're tough to get in the summertime here due to our shorter periods of darkness, but the Northern Lights managed an appearance (Sunday) night! Liem Bahneman captured this time lapse video from the Mukilteo pier. These photos are using time-exposure, but he said they were visible to the naked eye for a solid three hours. Scott Sisek reports. (KOMO)

Senate budget negotiator: No deal on spending level yet
A Senate budget negotiator disputed statements made last week that indicated lawmakers had reached a tentative deal on the size of Washington state's next two-year budget, saying Monday that the announcement was "premature." Talking with reporters before a Monday afternoon meeting with Gov. Jay Inslee, Republican Sen. John Braun of Centralia, said that talks with House Democrats are still ongoing, and that progress was made over the weekend, but that there's still no agreement on the overall spending level of the budget, tentative or otherwise. Rachel La Corte reports. (Associated Press)

Phones, emails deluged in protest of Shell’s oil-fleet lease
Opponents of Shell Oil’s lease of a Port of Seattle terminal to stage the company’s Arctic drilling fleet have employed a new tactic in their battle against the oil giant: deluging phone lines and email accounts of firms supporting the company’s stay in Seattle. Lewis Kamb reports. Seattle Times)

Ocean 'blob' of warm water bringing poor food for B.C. wild salmon
A University of Victoria oceanographer studying the so-called "warm blob" of water off the B.C. coast has observed unusual, "squishy" visitors from the south — and that could be bad news for young salmon. John Dower, who just returned from a research cruise north of Vancouver Island, said he saw remarkably high amounts of tiny animals called zooplankton in the "blob," a huge mass of ocean water about 2 degrees warmer than normal. And the varieties he saw are normally found off northern California — not Canada. (CBC)

Statewide effort takes aim at removing barriers that block fish
A little-known state board has begun sizing up a daunting task: removing the many barriers that block fish across the state's waterways. That's no small undertaking. The Fish Passage Barrier Removal Board cites about 14,000 such impediments in Washington alone. And that's just the known barriers — the estimated total is closer to 35,000 or 40,000, according to officials involved in the effort. Many are culverts built decades ago. Eric Florip reports. (Columbian)

Environment beats cost controls in sewage-treatment survey
Protecting the environment trumps cost in planning sewage treatment for Saanich, Oak Bay and Victoria, according to an Ipsos Reid survey. When respondents were asked the most important criteria for developing sewage treatment, the single-biggest priority at 31 per cent was: “removal of harmful materials from entering water and/or land.” That was followed by minimizing cost to the taxpayer (19 per cent), safety to residents (15 per cent) and no odour (nine per cent). Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Protests will follow if old-growth logging proceeds on Vancouver Island: group
A British Columbia forest company’s plan to log centuries-old cedar trees in southern Vancouver Island’s Walbran Valley cuts into the heart of one of Canada’s most ecologically sensitive forests, says an environmental group. Wilderness Committee spokesman Torrance Coste said that forest company Teal Jones is courting conflict with environmental groups in its bid to harvest almost 500 hectares of old-growth forest in eight separate land parcels. Dirk Meissner reports. (Canadian Press)

Laura James wins Emmy Award for 'Solving the mystery of the dying starfish'
West Seattle filmmaker/diver/environmentalist Laura James has won a 2015 Emmy® Award in Environmental Feature/Segment in the Northwest Region of the US. The award was presented on June 6 for her underwater video work on Solving the Mystery of Dying Starfish produced by KCTS9's Katie Campbell and edited by Michael Werner. Laura is a Seattle based videographer. This is Laura’s second Emmy®. She won her first Emmy® in 2014 in the Health/Science Feature/Segment category in the Northwest Region for Sea Otters vs. Climate Change produced by Michael Werner for Quest PBS. (West Seattle Herald)

Port Susan estuary takes a hit from warming, low Stillaguamish River flow
The early summer, with its unusually hot days and low snowpack, offers a window into the future for local scientists. Researchers have turned their attention to Port Susan and the mouth of the Stillaguamish River. Important tidal ecosystems there have been dwindling over the past two decades, and a team is studying how tide marshes and estuaries can adapt to a warming climate. Other researches are investigating how changing river flows affect the way sediment is spread, and how that could harm fish and increase flood risks. Kari Bray reports. (Everett Herald)

Discovery Bay beaches in Jefferson closed to shellfish harvest due to biotoxins; Dabob Bay reopens, but with vibrio warning in place
Discovery Bay area beaches have been closed to recreational shellfish harvesting due elevated levels of marine biotoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Recent shellfish samples from the area showed an increase in biotoxins, prompting the state Department of Health closure, according to a Jefferson County Water Quality Program news release Monday. (Peninsula Daily News)

Ecology joins county in EIS for Shell oil-by-rail project
The state Department of Ecology and Skagit County will together review the Shell Puget Sound Refinery’s proposed rail unloading facility under the state Environmental Policy Act…. Skagit County asked the state agency to serve as a co-lead in the preparation of an environmental impact statement, or EIS, for the proposal to build a crude-by-rail facility at the Shell refinery in Anacortes, according to an Ecology news release. In a letter to the Skagit County Board of Commissioners, Ecology Director Maia Bellon said the agency agreed it was a matter of interest both locally and regionally. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Exxon Mobil selects on-shore LNG system for Prince Rupert site
Exxon Mobil Corp. has selected on-shore terminal plans in its quest to export liquefied natural gas from a site near Prince Rupert, B.C., positioning the project as a serious contender. While Pacific NorthWest LNG leads B.C.’s LNG race, Irving, Tex.-based Exxon Mobil and its Canadian affiliate Imperial Oil Ltd. hope to finish engineering studies in 2017 for their joint venture called WCC LNG Project Ltd. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Everett company accused of muddying water, endangering fish
A global building-materials company faces $21,000 in state fines over allegations that concrete and muddy water flowed from a local facility into city storm drains. The violation involves a sand, gravel and concrete-mixing operation at 6300 Glenwood Ave. that belongs to CEMEX Construction Materials Pacific. The drains there let out into Pigeon Creek Number Two, a tributary of Pigeon Creek. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Living out 'Sleepless in Seattle'-type dreams just got a little more difficult
People living on Seattle's waterfront can sleep a little easier at night. The city's Shoreline Master Program lets all current houseboats meeting the city's requirements stay where they float. The updated shoreline program, which was approved June 1, has been in development about eight years. The Lake Union Liveaboard Association has fought for at least five years to keep houseboats from being booted from the city. Kipp Robertson reports. (MyNorthwest.Com)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE JUN 9 2015
TODAY
W WIND 10 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. NW SWELL 7 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. NW SWELL 6 FT
 AT 9 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/29 WA lege, BC fish farming, sea stars, jellies, Shell drill, water rule, Vic sewer, sea lion shooting, whale ban

Nibblet at work (Laurie MacBride)

Everyone Does Their Part
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "I like to think that everyone who lives here at our place contributes, doing their part of the considerable work needed to keep the homestead running…. And now that Nibblet’s tall enough to reach the Oceanspray, he’s hard at work as well – doing his very best to keep the forest of wild shrubbery that surrounds our yard from crowding out the foxgloves and other cultivated plants…"

Gov. Inslee calls second special session: Legislature confronts budget deadline and U.S. Open
Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday called the Washington Legislature into its second special session, citing lawmakers’ failure to agree on and approve new operating and capital budgets for the upcoming 2015-17 biennium. The latest 30-day special session starts at 12:01 a.m. Friday…. The Legislature faces two deadlines. The official deadline, noted in the governor’s proclamation, is July 1.  It’s the start of the new biennium…. The second deadline is posed by the U.S. Open golf tournament, slated for Chambers Bay the week of June 15-21. The prestigious golf event has booked hundreds of hotel rooms in the south Puget Sound area, creating a question:  Where will the 147 members of the House and Senate sleep if they are called back that week to complete budget deliberations? Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com) See also: Senate GOP releases latest budget offer to spur talks  Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

More than 100,000 sign petition opposed to expansion of B.C. salmon farming
A petition signed by more than 100,000 people opposed to expansion of B.C.'s salmon farming industry has been presented to the legislature in Victoria. More than 100 conservation groups, industry organizations, and business owners also supported the petition. Concerns relate to the potential for disease transfer and lice outbreaks to impact wild salmon. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Researchers cautious about slow sea star recovery on North Olympic Peninsula while hundreds of new juveniles crop up elsewhere
The North Olympic Peninsula's remaining sea stars may be holding their own, but there is no evidence yet of a remarkable recovery of young sea stars seen elsewhere along the Pacific coast, researchers say. With nearly all of the mature sea stars dead and gone, rarely seen juvenile sea stars — popularly known as starfish — have been seen emerging by the hundreds at locations previously devastated by a malady known as sea star wasting syndrome during the past 18 months. Two surveys near Everett found a total of about 600 juvenile ochre stars — one of the hardest-hit species. Five other Puget Sound surveys found hundreds more. However, sea star colonies on rocky outcroppings along North Olympic Peninsula shorelines not are part of that good news, researchers in Clallam and Jefferson counties say. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Kaleidoscopic jellyfish display ready for its Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium debut
Like many other beautiful creatures, jellyfish can be high-maintenance. They need the water temperature just right. Their tanks require creative construction so they don’t get suctioned into the vent or stuck to the bottom. Their behavior changes depending on light and food sources and how many other jellies are swimming nearby. The tiniest scratch on their thin skin can lead to infection or death…. The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium opens its “Jammin’ with Jellies” exhibit Friday, which it claims is the most “flexible” exhibit of its kind worldwide. Stacia Glenn reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Much of Hood Canal closed to shellfish harvesting
Much of Hood Canal and part of Whatcom County’s shoreline have been closed to shellfish harvesting because of high levels of marine toxins. Public health officials say concerns about “red tide,” which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, have led to the closure of Hood Canal from the Bangor naval station to Sisters Point in Mason County. The tip of Hood Canal in the Belfair area remains open. Meanwhile, Whatcom County has closed its shoreline from Birch Point to Sandy Point, northwest of Bellingham. (Associated Press)

NTSB Faults Shell's Risk-Taking in Arctic Oil Rig Wreck
A new report from The National Transportation Safety Board says poor planning and risk assessment by Shell Oil led to the wreck of the Kulluk oil rig off the coast of Alaska in December 2012. The NTSB report comes out as Shell is gearing up to hunt for oil again this summer in the Arctic Ocean. The report says it wasn't a single error or equipment failure that caused the wreck: It was the company's failure to leave a margin of safety when planning a risky midwinter trip across the Gulf of Alaska. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

EPA clarifies federal jurisdiction over streams and wetlands of the U.S.
Enforcement of the federal Clean Water Act has been stuck in a state of confusion since 2006, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers was overreaching by requiring permits for all sorts of waterways beyond the agency’s jurisdiction…. The EPA requisitioned a scientific report about hydraulic connectivity, concluding that even small streams can affect downstream waters. The final language in the rule, designed to reduce judgment calls by federal regulators, says tributaries would come under federal jurisdiction only if capable of delivering significant pollution downstream. Such tributaries would need to have flowing water or related features — such as a streambed, bank or high-water mark. The rule has worried farmers, who want to make sure the federal government does not try to regulate ditches designed for irrigation and drainage. Language in the final rule says ditches will not be regulated unless they are shown to be a remnant of a natural stream that has been diverted or altered. Christopher Dunagan explains. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Ontario Killer Whale Ban Passes
Ontario has passed a bill that prohibits the breeding and acquisition of killer whales as well as other animal protection rules. The bill, named the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, also includes rules that require animal welfare committees at any facility that has marine mammals. The bill also includes a requirement for marine parks — there is only one in Ontario — to have qualified veterinarians with marine mammal expertise to oversee preventive and clinical care. (Canadian Press)

Have your say at sewage workshops this weekend
Sites for sewage-treatment facilities are on the agenda this weekend at a pair of workshops covering the eastern part of the region — Oak Bay, Saanich and Victoria. Feedback can also be given by completing an online survey. The survey will be available starting on Monday. The workshops, run by the Eastside Select Committee, are set for Saturday at the University of Victoria’s Cadboro Commons Building and Sunday at the Victoria Conference Centre, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. (Times Colonist)

$5,000 Offered For Info In String Of Sea Lion Shootings
Federal wildlife officials are investigating a string of sea lion shootings on the Oregon Coast. The Humane Society of the U.S. and another group are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of those responsible for the shootings. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says ten California sea lions and one harbor seal were shot and killed during the months of April and May. Killing a sea lion is a federal offense under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. (Associated Press)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 225 AM PDT FRI MAY 29 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW 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

Follow on Twitter.

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5/26 WA lege, Vibrio, 'blob' weather, beach test, Vic sewer, CA spill, Shell drill, BP spill, US Navy, biosolid dump

Barred owls (Paul Bannick/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Strange Sounds
It's a jungle out there! What an amazing array of sounds birds have to offer! The call of a male Yellow Rail sounds like someone tapping two small stones together. And Turkey Vultures hissing at one another over a carcass sound like a snarling lion. The duet between the male and female Barred Owls seen here is especially raucous. (BirdNote)

State Legislature running out of time in special session
As the Washington Legislature heads into the final week of its special session, few are predicting that lawmakers will finish their work by Thursday. But they do have lots of deadlines pressuring them to finish by the end of June, at the latest. Donna Gordon Blankenship reports. (Associated Press)

Tighter rules aim to limit seafood poisoning from raw oysters
…. Starting this month, there’s a new approach — a first-in-the-nation effort by state health officials and shellfish growers — to curb heat-loving Vp [Vibrio parahaemolyticus] long before it hits the plate. It requires quicker cooling of oysters when air and water temperatures get too warm and closing at-risk commercial beds before illnesses occur. The protocol requires real-time monitoring to determine how fast harvested oysters must be cooled to a safe 50 degrees — and when they shouldn’t be gathered at all. The rules aims to reduce the 40 to 45 infections tied to Washington oysters that are confirmed each year and another 6,000 to 7,000 cases that go undiagnosed, health officials said. JoNel Aleccia reports. (Seattle Times)

Ocean 'blob' could be responsible for warmer temperatures
If you're wondering why British Columbia experienced such a mild winter and early spring, you could maybe blame it on a mysterious "blob" of warm water in the Pacific Ocean. The anomaly was first detected in 2013 by University of Washington climate scientist Nicholas Bond, who coined the term "blob." Since the fall of that year, scientists have been tracking a large mass of water in the Pacific Ocean that is 1,000 kilometres long and at least 2 degrees Celsius warmer than usual. Ocean Networks Canada, which has been studying the phenomenon, says the blob may have formed because a weak low pressure system over the ocean is limiting the mixing of warm waters and cool, nutrient-rich water. Heat is being trapped as a result. (CBC) See also: Q&A: Meteorologist expects warmer, drier start to summer than usual, early start to fire season  Alexis Krell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Officials testing water at popular beaches for bacteria
Officials with the Department of Ecology began testing water this week at over 70 popular beaches around the Puget Sound to check for harmful bacteria that can cause serious illnesses. Bacteria is often to blame for several sick swimmers every year in our region. Officials check popular beaches on a weekly basis to ensure the safety of swimmers. Tom Yazwinski reports. (KCPQ)

Proposed sewer bylaw could mean big costs for Victoria-area homeowners
Homeowners could be forced to make thousands of dollars in repairs or replace cracked or blocked sewer lines on their own properties under a model bylaw being circulated by the Capital Regional District. CRD staff estimate the average cost to repair or replace what’s known as a lateral — the sewer pipe connecting a house to a municipal sewer line — if it’s found to be defective could be between $5,000 and $10,000. The bylaw now being circulated to the municipalities would require homeowners to maintain the sewer pipes on their properties, making sure they are not cracked or broken and that they’re clear of obstructions such as roots or debris and not cross-connected to a storm drain. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Protesters warn against using chemicals in Santa Barbara County oil spill clean-up
Dozens of protesters chanted "End Oil Now!" and hoisted signs alongside an inflatable mock pipeline on a Santa Barbara beach on Sunday, demanding an end to fracking and other forms of "extreme oil extraction" days after a spill sent thousands of gallons of oil into the ocean and onto beaches. Environmental groups such as Food and Water Watch are also pressing for authorities to publicly rule out the use of chemicals called dispersants in the cleanup of the spill near Refugio State Beach. Christina House reports. (LA Times) See also: Paul Allen was investor in pipeline company behind Calif. spill  Angel Gonalez reports. (Seattle Times)

State To Shell: Long-Term Moorage Of Arctic Drill Rig Unconstitutional
State officials said Friday that it's unconstitutional for Shell Oil to store its Arctic drilling rig at the Port of Seattle's Terminal 5. The Washington Department of Natural Resources sent a letter to Shell Friday, informing the energy giant that short-term mooring of Shell's Polar Pioneer rig at the Port is fine.  But the state constitution prohibits long-term mooring outside of harbors. The Polar Pioneer, a massive floating platform 400 feet long and 292 feet wide, is more than twice as wide as the official harbor area at Terminal 5, where it arrived last week. And for most of Terminal 5's length, its 130-foot-wide harbor area is completely covered by a dock that extends over the water and the state-owned land beneath it. John Ryan reports. (KUOW) See also: Last protester leaves Shell ship after hanging on since Friday   (Associated Press)

Shell chief insists Seattle is best offseason home for drilling rig http://www.seattletimes.com/business/chief-of-shells-arctic-drilling-program-searches-for-the-prize/
Shell’s Ann Pickard says an offshore oil find in the remote Chukchi Sea could eventually yield 1 million barrels of oil daily, and she insists the company has learned from its messy Arctic exploration effort in 2012. Hal Bernton and Coral Garnick report. (Seattle Times)

Once vilified, BP now getting credit for gulf tourism boom
With the Memorial Day holiday here, fallout from the oil spill that left Gulf Coast beaches smeared with gooey tar balls and scared away visitors in 2010 is being credited, oddly, with something no one imagined back then: An increase in tourism in the region. Five years after the BP disaster, the petroleum giant that was vilified during heated town hall meetings for killing a way of life is now being praised by some along the coast for spending more than $230 million to help lure visitors back to an area that some feared would die because of the spill. (Associated Press)

The U.S. Navy’s brutal new war on the Arctic
…. The U.S. Navy already has plans to conduct electromagnetic warfare training in an area close to where I moved to once again seek solace in the mountains: Olympic National Forest and nearby Olympic National Park. And this June, it’s scheduling massive war games in the Gulf of Alaska, including live bombing runs that will mean the detonation of tens of thousands of pounds of toxic munitions, as well as the use of active sonar in the most pristine, economically valuable, and sustainable salmon fishery in the country (arguably in the world).  And all of this is to happen right in the middle of fishing season. Dahr Jamail writes. (Tomdispatch.com) See also: Bombing the Gulf of Alaska  Connie Gallant writes. (Daily Kos)

Navy considering fourth site possibility for submarine escort dock in Port Angeles
The Navy is exploring a fourth alternative for its $16.7 million submarine-escort vessel dock project on Ediz Hook. The site of the fourth alternative will not be released until this fall, according to Navy spokeswoman Liane Nakahara, who said it will be part of the project’s environmental assessment. She said it will be within the area of the Port Angeles Coast Guard station on Ediz Hook. The alternative will be added in light of public comments critical of the existing proposal. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Nicola Valley chiefs protest biosolid shipment
The five First Nations chiefs of the Nicola Valley took their fight against biosolids on their land to the B.C. legislature on Monday.  The group is calling on the government to stop importing sewage sludge shipped from the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan into their ancestral lands…. For the last three months, Nicola Valley residents have been maintaining a blockade to prevent trucks transporting sewage sludge from entering the area. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE MAY 26 2015
TODAY
W WIND 10 KT BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 17 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 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

5/12 Shell drill, BC LNG, carbon tax, Navy noise, fin whale, Burrard wetland, drought

Polar Pioneer ((Vincenzo Floramo/Greenpeace)

Obama administration approves Shell drilling in Arctic Ocean  
The Obama administration gave conditional approval on Monday to allow Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc. to start drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic Ocean this summer. The approval is a major victory for Shell and the rest of the petroleum industry, which has sought for years to drill in the remote waters of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, which are believed to hold vast reserves of oil and gas. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times)

Oil rig Polar Pioneer to exit Port Angeles this week despite Seattle mayor’s objections, waiting protesters
The Polar Pioneer — the giant floating oil rig anchored in Port Angeles Harbor since April 17 — will be towed by tug to Seattle this week, Shell Oil Co. announced Monday. The 400-foot-long apparatus will be brought to Seattle despite a code interpretation by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and a city planning agency that a Port of Seattle terminal is not permitted to host such a rig. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News) See also:  'Kayaktivists' plan protest of Shell’s oil spill response vessel in Bellingham Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

B.C. First Nations likely to reject Petronas LNG project
A hereditary chief says Lax Kw’alaams members are poised in the final round of voting to reject a $1-billion cash offer dangled by a major liquefied natural gas project, posing a setback for the venture led by Malaysia’s Petronas. Donnie Wesley of the Gitwilgyoots, one of nine allied tribes of the Lax Kw’alaams, said the tribes are united in their opposition to the Pacific NorthWest LNG project near Prince Rupert, B.C. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Democrats revise cap and trade bill in hopes of passage
Public schools would continue to receive the largest chunk of $1.2 billion generated from a cap and trade program in Washington under a revised proposal released Monday by House Democrats. But oil refiners and lumber mill operators also stand to receive hundreds of millions dollars as well and no money would be spent on transportation as desired by Gov. Jay Inslee. On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on the proposed substitute to House Bill 1314. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate Monday. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

Is noise from Navy jets a threat to Olympic National Park? Rep. Derek Kilmer wants soundings
The joys of Washington’s Olympic National Park include being put to sleep by the sound of surf, the whistle of winds at high places like Bogachiel Peak, and the swift, purposeful, near silent movement of a Roosevelt Elk herd across a meadow. U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., who represents the Olympic Peninsula, wants to know if these sounds — and silences — are threatened by the U.S. Navy’s interest in using areas of the Peninsula for electronic warfare range testing, with an increased number of jets flying over pristine places. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Dead fin whale hit by cruise ship spotted in Vancouver's harbour
The carcass of a dead fin whale has washed up in Burrard Inlet next to downtown Vancouver, and officials inspecting the young male whale said it was struck by a cruise ship. The whale was likely hit north of Vancouver Island, according to a veteran whale biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This is the third time since the 1990s that a fin whale has been found near Vancouver after being hit by a cruise ship, said John Ford, a research scientist with the department. (CBC)

Park board proposal would restore long-lost Burrard Inlet wetland
Vancouver park board is considering turning part of the New Brighton Park foreshore into a marsh in an effort to restore wetland habitat for shorebirds, waterfowl and fish that has been lost for 50 years. Much of the Burrard Inlet wetlands vanished during the industrialization of the shoreline. New Brighton Park was developed in the 1960s and its intertidal habitat was covered over with fill. Gerry Bellett reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Water outlook worsens following fewer April showers
Through April, the state’s water supply outlook continued on a downward trend. The Skagit River, however, seems to be maintaining adequate streamflow, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service. The conservation service’s most recent report indicates about 67 percent of the agency’s snowpack monitoring sites had no snow as of May 1. Of sites monitored for 23 years or more, 77 percent of them set record lows. Snowpack across the state is at 17 percent of normal, which is a record low. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: Drought Help  Cliff Mass reports. (Weather Blog)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE MAY 12 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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