2/18 "New" Elwha, 3 Crabs estuary, Mar Vista fine, Whale Trail presents, ferry work, flood maps

“Old” Glines Canyon Dam (PHOTO: John Gussman/KPLU)

If you like to watch: With Second Dam Nearly Gone, New Era Blossoming On The Elwha River
The slow-motion demolition of two hydroelectric dams on the Elwha River is radically changing the landscape near Port Angeles, but it’s not a scene you can witness on your own.  Just a handful of dedicated photographers and filmmakers have been given permission to place their cameras at key posts near the Glines Canyon Dam to capture the changes as crews of skilled technicians carefully notch into the concrete walls and place dynamite in just the right places. Bellamy Pailthorp reports.

$3.8 million project to provide face-lift for Dungeness’ 3 Crabs estuarine area
Rerouting Sequim-Dungeness Way, removing a century of shoreline armoring and expanding wetland lagoons will soon be done under a plan to restore the beach and estuary at 3 Crabs.  Led by the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, the $3.8 million project’s goal is to protect and restore “some of the most high value coastal lands on the continent,” said Jamie Michel, project manager for the North Olympic Salmon Coalition. When finished, the organizations spearheading the project hopes it will help return Meadowbrook Creek to its natural channel as well as make the beach easier for the public to reach. Joe Smillie reports.

Waterfront clearcut at former Mar Vista Resort draws $3K fine
David Honeywell has paid a $1,000 fine for clearing some 80 trees and several acres of shrubs and other vegetation from waterfront land at their Orca Dreams estate, formerly the Mar Vista resort, near False Bay on the west side of San Juan Island. The fine was imposed as part of a “Notice of Violation” issued on Feb. 6 by the San Juan County Community Development and Planning Department. The violation lists Orca Dreams of Spokane, Wash., as the property owner and Dave Honeywell as the responsible person. The notice also included Allen Benjamin Engle, who did the work on the property through his business, Solid Ground, as an additional responsible person. Engle was fined $2,000; he has reportedly told the county he will pay the fine. Steve Wehrly reports.

The Whale Trail Presents: Salmon Recovery Efforts in Puget Sound
Salmon are the key to the recovery of the endangered southern resident orcas. How are the salmon populations of Puget Sound doing, and what can we do to help? Jeanette Donner, manager of the Puget Sound Partnership's Ecosystem and Salmon Recovery Program, is the featured speaker at the February 27 Orca Talk, 7 pm, held at C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW, Seattle. $5 suggested donation, kids free; tickets at brownpapertickets.com

Out-of-state companies may get chance to bid on ferry work
Simmering frustration with the cost of building state ferries has lawmakers again considering stricter controls on contracts and relaxing a requirement to build vessels only in Washington. The state House approved a bill Monday to allow out-of-state companies to compete if bids from in-state shipbuilders are substantially higher than estimated constructions costs. House Bill 2759 also would require contracts issued in the future to be for a fixed-price, contain a smaller contingency fund than permitted in the past and be overseen by an independent project manager hired by the state. Jerry Cornfield reports.

Why Taxpayers Will Bail Out the Rich When the Next Storm Hits
As homeowners around the nation protest skyrocketing premiums for federal flood insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has quietly moved the lines on its flood maps to benefit hundreds of oceanfront condo buildings and million-dollar homes, according to an analysis of federal records by NBC News. The changes shift the financial burden for the next destructive hurricane, tsunami or tropical storm onto the neighbors of these wealthy beach-dwellers — and ultimately onto all American taxpayers. In more than 500 instances from the Gulf of Alaska to Bar Harbor, Maine, FEMA has remapped waterfront properties from the highest-risk flood zone, saving the owners as much as 97 percent on the premiums they pay into the financially strained National Flood Insurance Program. Bill Dedman reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PST TUE FEB 18 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING W 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 9 TO 12 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13
 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 12 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

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

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2/17 Navy dock, sunk boat, discharge ban, state oyster, sewage, geoduck ban, cheap coal

The "new" Elwha (PHOTO: John Gussman/KPLU)

Navy studies building $15 million dock project in Port Angeles Harbor
The Navy has initiated long-range plans to build an estimated $15 million dock and shoreside facility on Ediz Hook. The 200-foot-long, L-shaped dock for Coast Guard escort and Navy blocking vessels for submarines would be built out from an unused barge landing within Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles at the end of the Hook, Bangor Naval Base spokesman Tom Danaher said Friday. It would mark the Navy's first return to Port Angeles Harbor — except for occasional anchored ship visits that have dwindled since the 1990s — in decades. Paul Gottlieb reports.

Coast Guard: 67-foot pleasure boat sinks near Everett
A 67-foot, wooden pleasure boat ran aground near the Everett Marina after its operator miscalculated its position, the Coast Guard said Saturday. The Cape Caution, built in 1939, ran aground in shallow water about 500 feet offshore Friday night. The operator of the vessel managed to get safely to land in a dinghy, but the boat began to list and then was declared to have sunk as the tide came in at about 4 a.m. Saturday.

Meeting to explain proposed boat sewage discharge ban
The state Department of Ecology plans to submit a draft petition to the Environmental Protection Agency requesting Puget Sound be designated a No Discharge Zone, which would prohibit boaters from releasing sewage into the water. The Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Citizen Stewardship Committee, a volunteer group dedicated to the protection of the marine reserve north of Bellingham, will host an information session about the petition on Tuesday, Feb. 18, with support from the Bellingham-based nonprofit RE Sources for Sustainable Communities. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

Bill honoring oysters closer to adoption
The Olympia Oyster moved one step closer to becoming Washington’s official oyster Thursday, with a bill sponsored by Sen. Brian Hatfield passing in the state Senate. The Raymond Democrat introduced the bill in late January in attempt to bring recognition to local oyster growers. This species of oyster is found in many areas of the Washington coast and Puget Sound, including Willapa Bay. Hatfield introduced the measure at the urging of Claire Thompson, a student at Nova Middle School in Olympia, who suggested the bill as part of a school project.

Bellingham, Lake Whatcom water district set to OK new sewer deal
The city and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District appear ready to sign a new 20-year wastewater treatment agreement that recognizes limits to residential growth around the lake. Lake Whatcom is the drinking water source for the city of Bellingham and for approximately 4,000 households in Geneva, Sudden Valley and other areas near the lake. In recent years, the district, the city and Whatcom County have been scrambling to reduce the flow of polluting phosphorus carried into the lake when rain falls on developed areas. John Stark reports. And: Malfunction causes sewage spill at Everett station

US asks China to limit shellfish ban to 2 areas
U.S. officials have asked China to limit its shellfish ban to two localized areas rather than a wider swath of the West Coast. A NOAA Fisheries official, Timothy Hansen, sent a letter dated Monday asking Chinese authorities to consider reducing its shellfish ban to one harvest area near Federal Way and another in southeast Alaska. China imposed a ban in December on the import of shellfish after it found high levels of arsenic in geoducks from Puget Sound.

Don’t sell cheap coal U.S. Coal to Asia
Opponents decry the prospect of the dirty, smelly, noisy trains blocking railroad crossings all across Washington State as they transport coal here from the Powder River Basin in Montana and Wyoming. They also warn that coal dust from the terminal will pollute nearby waters and harm our dwindling populations of herring, threatened Chinook salmon and endangered killer whales. But much larger issues of national and global concern are at stake. The low-sulfur Western coal, strip-mined from federal lands, is valuable public property. The federal government’s leasing of these lands at low cost to strip miners made some sense a few decades ago when the United States needed low-sulfur coal to reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide that was being emitted by coal-burning power plants and causing acid rain. But today, as utilities convert to cheap natural gas and American coal use declines, mining companies are seeking customers in China, Japan and Korea. Shipping this subsidized coal to Asian countries to help them power their factories, which undercut American manufacturers, makes little sense. Yes, this coal will help those countries produce cheap consumer goods for sale in stores across the United States. But it will also promote the continued transfer of industrial work to Asia, especially if the Trans-Pacific Partnership goes through. Is that good for American workers? Physicist Michael Riordan of Orcas Island writes.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON FEB 17 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 14 FT AT 13 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY THIS MORNING...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT AFTER
 MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY...THEN RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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2/14 Puffins, tribes pipe, Hastings, Navy spill, bag ban, Jill Hein, bird count, infected belugas

Tufted puffins (US Fish&Wildlife Service)

Group Seeks Endangered Species Act Protection For Puffins
The Natural Resources Defense Council wants the tufted puffin population in Oregon, Washington and California listed under the Endangered Species Act. The NRDC filed a petition Wednesday, Feb. 12, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to seek protection for the small, penguin-like seabird, known for its distinctive facial coloring and plumage during the breeding season. The NRDC estimates the West Coast population of tufted puffins has declined from more than 30,000 30 years ago to no more than 4,000 today.

Northwest tribes challenge Canadian oil pipeline
Tribes on both sides of the border are teaming up to oppose a major expansion of a Canadian oil pipeline. Kinder-Morgan, a Texas company, operates a current pipeline that transports 300,000 barrels of Alberta crude oil per day to Burnaby B.C. near Vancouver. The company has submitted plans to double that capacity to serve tankers ships that will ship the crude to markets in California and Asia. The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Tulalip Tribes, Lummi Nation, and Suquamish Tribe in Washington state, and the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations in British Columbia formally announced Thursday they will oppose that expansion on the grounds that it threatens their way of life. Gary Chittim reports. See also: First Nations sign up for Kinder Morgan pipeline hearing

Doc Hastings to step down after 20 years in Congress
U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings will not run for re-election in November, concluding a 20-year career in Congress marked by zeal for conservative causes ranging from support for more energy development on federal lands to opposition to the Affordable Care Act. The Pasco Republican announced his retirement Thursday, saying it was time for a “new person with new energy” to represent Central Washington’s 4th District. Kyung M. Song reports.

Beaches appear clean after Bangor naval base spill of oil, water mixture; shellfish harvest still suspended
Officials with the Navy, the state Department of Ecology, the Coast Guard and Jefferson County Public Health continued Thursday to monitor the possible effects on wildlife of a 2,000-gallon spill earlier this week of an oil and water mixture at Bangor naval base.  “We haven’t yet seen any oil attached to birds or beaches,” said Lisa Copeland, Ecology spills manager. “But we are watching the situation very carefully and are most concerned with the spill’s effect on wildlife and the environment.” After the spill, the state Department of Health issued a shellfish advisory for Hood Canal from Brown Point on the Toandos Peninsula to the Hood Canal Bridge. Charlie Bermant reports.

Lacey City Council votes to ban plastic bags
The city of Lacey finally adopted its plastic bag ban ordinance Thursday night, the last major jurisdiction in the county to move forward with an ordinance that bans single-use, lightweight plastic bags typically found at grocery stores. The council voted 4-3 to pass the ordinance; the ordinance is set to take effect July 1. Rolf Boone reports.

Whidbey resident wins Coastal Volunteer of the Year award
Jill Hein is the newest recipient of the Jan Holmes Island County Coastal Volunteer of the Year award for 2014. The award honors the work of volunteers who protect and restore marine waters and coastal resources of Island County. She was presented the award Saturday, Feb. 1 at Oak Harbor High School. The namesake of the award, Jan Holmes, was an Island County resident and Washington State University Island County Beach Watcher known for her work as a marine scientist, educator and steward of the marine environment. The award is co-sponsored by the Island County Marine Recourses Committee and WSU Island County Extension. This is the fourth year the award has been given.

Global bird count event this weekend
Whether you are an experienced birder, or someone who prefers to watch through the window of your living room, all can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count. The 17th annual citizen science event runs Friday through Monday. Organizers expect people in more than 100 countries to take part in the count, gathering information that will help track the health of bird populations at a scale possible only with volunteer assistance. Also, participants can view real-time maps and charts on a website that shows what others are reporting during and after the count. Jeffrey P. Mayor reports.

UBC researchers blame infectious parasite found in Arctic belugas on melting ice
Researchers at the University of British Columbia warned scientists Thursday they had found evidence that an infectious form of a cat parasite had spread through Arctic waters and has begun to appear in Beluga whales.Michael Grigg and Stephen Raverty attribute the spread of the parasite to melting ice in the Arctic, according to a UBC news release.

Now, your Valentine weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST FRI FEB 14 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
 GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT
TODAY
SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 7 TO 9 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 11 SECONDS.
 SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SAT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 9 TO 10 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT
SW WIND 30 TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 6 TO 9 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS BUILDING TO 11 TO 13 FT WITH A
 DOMINANT PERIOD OF 10 SECONDS.
SUN
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT BECOMING S 35 TO 45 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 13 TO 16 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS.
SUN NIGHT
SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 15 TO 17 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12
 SECONDS.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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2/13 Pt Gamble shore, oil spill, sewage, coal port study, Skagit flood, B'ham waterfront, Costco stormwater

Winter Wren (Paul Bannick/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: The Savvy Wren  
Because many birds are largely silent in winter, it may seem that they have left us. But many remain, and even the shy and secretive sometimes reveal themselves. A Winter Wren may dart from hiding to grab a meal. The Winter Wren of the East and the Pacific Wren of the West are tiny woodland birds. Their songs are as elaborate as their plumage is drab. This wren is one of the few birds to be heard singing in winter.

Purchase completed: Kitsap County acquires 535 acres of forestland, 1.5 miles from shoreline from Pope Resources
Kitsap County residents are now the owners of 535 acres of forestland and 1.5 miles of shoreline on Port Gamble Bay. Pope Resources President David Nunes and Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder signed the ownership transfer documents Feb. 12, finalizing the first acquisition of Pope’s North Kitsap acreage by the Kitsap Forest & Bay Project. The purchase price was $4.6 million and was funded by several sources: the National Coastal Wetlands Program, the state Department of Ecology, the state Wildlife and Recreation Program, the state Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, and private donors — and even an 11th-hour crowdsource appeal.

‘Drift card’ project shows potential impact of oil spill
A small piece of plywood that washed up in Haida Gwaii shows the potentially massive reach of an oil spill in the Salish Sea, say environmental groups studying the risks associated with Kinder Morgan’s proposed expansion of its Trans Mountain pipeline. In October, the Raincoast Conservation Foundation and the Georgia Strait Alliance dropped more than 1,000 “drift cards” – four-by-six-inch pieces of bright, yellow plywood, each with a unique serial number – along the oil tanker route that runs from Burrard Inlet, through the Gulf and San Juan islands, and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Andrea Woo reports.

State clears way for Longview coal port study
Ambre Energy ran into no red lights on its two Columbia River coal-export projects Wednesday, but the Australia-based company remains far from receiving the green light it hopes to achieve from regulators in Washington and Oregon. The company’s coal-transfer project at Boardman on the Columbia, upriver from Portland, received three permits by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality but the same agency told Ambre it must also apply for a different certification of water quality. Opponents of the project said that requirement could kill the project. On the Washington side of the river at Longview, a joint statement by Cowlitz County and the state Department of Ecology announced plans to begin drafting an environmental impact statement, but warned that it would be broad in its scope and could take into consideration train and vessel traffic from other proposed projects. Ambre is partnered with Arch Coal to develop Millennium Bulk Terminals at Longview. Floyd McKay reports.

Colwood wants out of capital region’s sewage plan
Colwood has officially served notice it wants to go it alone on sewage treatment. Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton told the CRD sewage committee Wednesday her municipality wants the Capital Regional District to amend its core area liquid waste management plan to permit Colwood to build its own small-scale tertiary treatment plant by 2016. The request will be debated by CRD directors next month. Only about 25 per cent of Colwood residents are on the sewage system, with the rest on septic, so they don’t benefit from the current sewage treatment plan but are being forced to pay for it. Bill Cleverley reports.

Olympia beach closed following nearby wastewater overflow
Thurston County officials say the beach at West Bay Park in Olympia has been temporarily closed a precaution due to a possible wastewater contamination. It is expected to reopen by midday Friday. According to a news release: Officials estimate that 22,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed from a manhole at 2100 West Bay Dr. NW after heavy rain showers on Tuesday. Lisa Pemberton reports.

Navy Says Failed Pump Led To Oily Wastewater Spill In Puget Sound
The Navy is blaming a failed pump for its spill of nearly 2,000 gallons of oily wastewater into Puget Sound. Tom Danaher, spokesman for Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, said the Navy was using a pumping system on one of its piers to remove oily bilge water from a ship late Monday. An electrical ground prevented the pump from automatically shutting off when a 4,000 holding tank was filled –- and because the operation was not attended, it took about 20-30 minutes before naval staff realized that oil-contaminated waste-water was pouring into the sound, Danaher said in an interview Wednesday....Mark Toy, a spokesman for the Washington Department of Health, said his agency is continuing to advise against shellfish harvesting in the area affected by the spill... “While at this time there’s not any evidence that shellfish have been affected, we’ve taken the precaution of advising against harvesting from the area,” he said. Ashley Ahearn reports.

Skagit flood groups prepare next move
The long-running Skagit River General Investigation Study’s team could choose next month one of the flood control projects it has been studying to receive expanded analysis. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will meet Feb. 24 to select a “tentatively selected plan” to bring to 35 percent design. The study has been considering four alternatives. The meeting to choose an alternative was scheduled to take place in December, but was pushed back almost three months. The GI study, which has cost more than $11 million, has been ongoing for more than 16 years. It aims to give communities study results that can be used to get federal funding for flood-control projects. Rachel Lerman reports.

Port of Bellingham selects waterfront developer for possible deal
The Port of Bellingham soon may begin negotiations on a waterfront redevelopment contract with Harcourt Developments Limited, a Dublin-based firm best known for a huge Belfast project that includes a Titanic museum on the site of a shipyard where the ill-fated ocean liner was built. The matter will be on port commissioners' agenda for their next meeting at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, at port headquarters, 1801 Roeder Ave. If port commissioners approve, Port Executive Director Rob Fix and his staff will have 120 days to work out a complex development contract with Harcourt that also would be subject to port commissioners' approval when it is completed.... Fix said Harcourt was the consensus choice of an evaluation committee that considered the qualifications of Harcourt and two other groups that expressed interest: Portland, Ore.-based Williams/Dame & Associates and Uniting Creatives/Four Pillars, a team of local activists and visionaries joining forces with The Perfume Foundation. The other contenders need not be shut out of the project, Fix said. All three organizations had good ideas, and Harcourt is being encouraged to work with them to incorporate their best ideas and perhaps get them involved in the project.  John Stark reports.

Whatcom council agrees to $2.5M in Costco stormwater funding
A stormwater control system for 80 acres in northwest Bellingham, including for a 160,000-square-foot Costco proposed for West Bakerview Road, will get $2.5 million from the Whatcom County government after all. The loan-grant combination was initially approved by the county council in October 2013 but was cast in doubt after council members expressed reservations about the award. Council was able to reconsider its offer because it had to vote a second time, to authorize the county executive to sign over the funds from the county Economic Development Incentive program.... About two thirds of the funding, $1.675 million, comes as a loan that would be paid back in part through the fee Costco would pay to use the stormwater system. Ralph Schwartz reports.

Written in saltwater: It's time to stand up for Washington's maritime history
....Professional and amateur historians, historical societies and small museums have spent decades telling the stories of the ships, lighthouses, waterfronts and shorelines of Washington and now they want to take another step toward educating local communities, the state's 6.9 million residents, and tens of thousands of visitors about Washington's maritime past. They have asked the Legislature to enact a law designating the state's saltwater shoreline a “Washington State Maritime Heritage Area.” Without adding any new regulations affecting property owners, a Washington State Maritime Heritage Area enables non-profit organizations such as the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, and the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority in Aberdeen to improve coordination and marketing of the state's maritime heritage resources to neighboring states, the country as a whole, and nearby Canadian provinces. Two bills, HB 2386 and its companion SB 6246, would create the heritage area. The bills are now under consideration at the state capitol. Neither proposal affects the state budget. Joe Follansbee advocates.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST THU FEB 13 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
 GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
TODAY
W WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING SW 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 9 TO 12 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 11
 SECONDS. SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 9 TO 11 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS. RAIN.

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

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2/12 Oil transport, spill, forage fish, BC blasts, Boldt40, stormwater, coal contracts, smarter fish?

If you care to watch: Voices Against Oil Trains  
Columbia Riverkeeper shows why you should care.

Have your say: Public comment deadline on the proposed Shell/Equilon Oil Train Terminal on March Point, Anacortes, is Monday, February 17, 4:30 pm. Go here to comment online.

Upcoming: “Community Engagement in Oil Spill Preparedness and Response” is a free public workshop sponsored by the Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee, Saturday February 22, from 9:00am-3:00pm at the Squalicum Boathouse in Bellingham. Contact: Michelle Lim; 360-733-1725.

Up To 2,000 Gallons Of Oil Spilled In Hood Canal
Officials are responding to an oil spill in Washington’s Puget Sound. The spill occurred at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor and has spread 10 miles north to Hood Canal. State agencies estimate that up to 2,000 gallons of oil was spilled Monday when a ship was pumping out oily discharge at the naval facility. The pier-side transfer system failed and overflowed. Initially the Navy estimated that 150 gallons spilled, but by Tuesday other agencies were disputing that amount. Ashley Ahearn reports.

Taking Sound!Action
Sound Action in its February alert asks that, "Before February 17, we need you to contact the members of the Senate Rules Committee...and ask them to send SSB 6072 for a vote on the Senate floor.  SSB 6072 makes it possible to know how healthy the forage fish population is in Puget Sound. Forage fish (surf smelt, sand lance and herring) are not glamorous, but they are THE essential link in the food web in Puget Sound. Forage fish are eaten by marine birds and by salmon which are eaten by orca whales. More science about the health of forage fish is key to saving the Sound!"

CFB Esquimalt says booming sounds no reason for alarm
Officials at CFB Esquimalt say that perpetual booming sound you may be hearing today is nothing to be alarmed about. One resident of Victoria's James Bay neighbourhood says she's been hearing the sound all day. "I heard booming sounds. It sounded like it was coming from under the water. It was quite loud, and it's been frequent. It's been happening... oh, easily every five to ten minutes today." CFB Esquimalt says the sounds are likely due to firing exercises being held at the Whirl Bay Underwater Demolition Range, on the south shore of Rocky Point. The exercises will continue every day -- from 8am to 5pm -- through February 27. Kyle Reynolds reports.

Landmark salmon decision left a legacy of science
Before the landmark Boldt decision in 1974, tribal anglers had fished alongside non-Indian fishermen for years. Tulalip tribal leader Stan Jones said he counted many of those fishermen among his friends. “Once we started lobbying for the tribal fishing rights, they turned against us,” Jones wrote in his 2010 book, “Our Way: Hoy yud dud.” Bill Sheets reports.

What Ever Happened to the Stormwater Rules?
Remember the Puget Sound stormwater permits? Washington state was ready at last to get serious about cleaning up polluted runoff through the use of rain gardens, permeable pavement, and other green strategies. The new rules went into effect in August, but were socked with a downpour of legal challenges. So while cities and counties are working to meet the new regulations, a mist of uncertainty hangs over the process. But that could be cleared up soon. The Pollution Control Hearings Board, the legal entity weighing the challenges, announced it will rule on the case before the end of February. Lisa Stiffler reports.

Whatcom council shies away from coal terminal contract
The Whatcom County Council appears unwilling to take over the review of a contract with a consultant writing the environmental impact statement for a proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point. Several council members said at a committee meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that they feared this would put them on shaky legal ground. Dan Gibson, a deputy prosecuting attorney advising the council at the committee meeting, didn't say anything to dispute that. An ordinance written by council member Carl Weimer would require contracts that involve "pass through" money, not the county government's own money, to be approved by the council. Currently, the executive can approve such "pass through" contract amendments without consulting the council. The council only approves contracts in which the county's money would be spent. Ralph Schwartz reports.

If you like to watch: Group genius: Why fish are smarter in swarms
You really think so?

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED FEB 12 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TODAY
 GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
TODAY
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT EASING TO 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 OR 2 FT. SW SWELL 9 FT AT 10
 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
S WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING SW 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT. SW SWELL 8 FT AT 11
 SECONDS. RAIN.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

2/11 Bog fight, BC pipe, BC coal, train safety, climate, shellfish health risk, steelhead, Glines Canyon Dam

Randy Whalen in Hooven Bog (Mark Harrison/Seattle Times)

Bog a battlefield for developer, neighbor in Snohomish County
To Randy Whalen and environmental consultants who’ve seen the property, Hooven Bog and wetlands are a rare wonderland of unique plants and lofty trees and likely the last remaining sphagnum-moss bog of its kind in the Everett-to-Olympia corridor. To Rod Loveless and Robert Dillon, who own 90 percent of the 30-acre site, the property is an investment that could bring $1.4 million if they put five homes on it and logged the wetlands. Hooven Bog and wetlands, just north of Woodinville in Snohomish County, will be before the state Court of Appeals on Friday when that court will decide whether or not to take the case of Loveless & Dillon v. Snohomish County — which ultimately pits property-owner rights against environmental preservation. What it comes down to is this: Can Loveless & Dillon legally build a road through the wetlands so they can develop or log their property — and in the process irreparably damage the headwaters to Bear Creek, which meanders through King County. Nancy Bartley reports.

Vancouver seeks intervener status in Trans Mountain Pipeline
The City of Vancouver is the latest local government body to file for intervener status at the National Energy Board hearings into the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline. Several other municipalities including, Surrey, White Rock, Langley and the District of North Vancouver have already applied. Last week the provincial government also applied for intervener status at the upcoming hearings. Wednesday is the final day to register. Kinder Morgan has applied to triple the capacity of the existing 60-year-old pipeline, which runs from near Edmonton, Alberta to Vancouver Harbour in Burnaby. To register citizen comment, go to: The clock is ticking- apply to take part in the Kinder Morgan hearings today

B.C. coal export plan faces resistance
As Canada’s efforts to send oil abroad encounter thorny opposition, critics are increasingly targeting another resource export: Coal. Plans to export thermal coal from the West Coast to Asia are being put under the microscope as North American miners jockey to ship abundant domestic supplies overseas. Demand for thermal coal, a commodity used by power plants to generate electricity, has weakened in recent years in North America due to the boom in U.S. shale gas production. With many U.S. power plants switching to natural gas, a coal glut has forced miners to look to Asia for new markets. Fraser Surrey Docks LP, a marine terminal located on the Fraser River in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, wants to serve as a new staging ground for exports of thermal coal originating from Wyoming’s Powder River basin. Fraser Surrey Docks is owned by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, an investment fund managed by Australia’s Macquarie Group. Brent Jang reports.

Freezing out the bigger picture: Arctic blasts tied to climate change
....If the world is really warming up, how come it is so darned cold? The question might say more about how humans perceive the world than it does about the climate. After all, in principle, we are all supposed to know that climate and weather are not the same thing. But we have a strange tendency to think that whatever is happening to us right now must be happening everywhere. Scientists refer to global warming because it is about, well, the globe. It is also about the long run. It is really not about what happened yesterday in New York. Justin Gillis reports.

Competing bills to address safety of oil transport
Washington lawmakers on Monday considered competing measures that try to address potential risks as more crude oil is shipped by rail into the state. The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard testimony on a mostly Republican-backed bill that would study the safety of transporting oil and hazardous materials by train, including reviewing gaps in local, state and federal oil-spill response. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee took testimony on a competing Democratic-sponsored bill that is favored by environmental groups who say it provides more transparency and calls for more immediate action. Phuong Le reports.

Health risks estimated for Port Gamble Bay shellfish  (subscription)
People who consume significant quantities of contaminated shellfish from Port Gamble Bay face a higher risk of getting cancer than people who eat foods without cancer-causing chemicals, according to a new health assessment. Out of every 1,000 people who eat 1.1 pounds of clams, oysters and crabs every day over a lifetime, two people could be expected to get cancer because of those shellfish, according to the analysis, which focuses on shellfish taken from the upper portion of Port Gamble Bay.... According to a study of shellfish consumption by the Suquamish Tribe, an average tribal member eats about a half-pound of shellfish a day. If those shellfish were taken from Port Gamble Bay, the increased risk of cancer over a lifetime would be three additional cases of cancer in 10,000 people. The 1.1 pounds is consumed by about 5 percent of tribal members. As a comparison, recreational shellfish harvesters consume about 0.13 pounds of shellfish a day, according to King County statistics. If taken from Port Gamble Bay, the health risk for recreational harvesters would not be significant, according to the report. Chris Dunagan reports.

Stalking Puget Sound Steelhead With Science
You might call Barry Berejikian a steelhead stalker. The government scientist’s pursuit of these anodramous trout has brought him to the deck of the Chasina, a research vessel that’s motoring through choppy gray waters of southern Puget Sound near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. He’s here to lay the groundwork for an experiment that could explain why so few steelhead are completing their journey through Puget Sound and on to the Pacific Ocean. Ashley Ahearn reports.

May 1 finish sought for Glines Canyon Dam removal project as work continues
Workers were on schedule to blast away at the last upright section of Glines Canyon Dam early Monday evening, and hopes are to finish the removal project by May 1, according to Olympic National Park spokeswoman Barb Maynes. Officials from contractor Barnard Construction Inc. of Bozeman, Mont., hope to have the edifice completely demolished by May 1, she said. The contract with Bozeman calls for completion by Sept. 30. Paul Gottlieb reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE FEB 11 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
 GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
TODAY
S WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 10
 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
S WIND 25 TO 35 KT. COMBINED SEAS 7 TO 10 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 11 SECONDS. RAIN.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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2/10 Glines Canyon, Boldt40, BC fake reef, Lyme tick, coal port, derelict boats, geoducks, Tarboo Cr., porpoise

Glines Canyon Dam, 2/8/14 (National Park Service photo)

'We're getting close to the bottom': Blast at Glines Canyon Dam expected today
Another chunk of Glines Canyon Dam will be blown away sometime today as work on Elwha River dam removals nears an end. Olympic National Park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said Saturday that crews had drilled 35-foot-deep holes in the concrete over the past week that have been stuffed with explosives to blow out one of the few remaining sections of the once-210-foot-tall dam. Joe Smillie reports.

Boldt40: John Dodge reports: Fish Wars victory still a success for South Sound tribes 40 years later  Rob Carson reports: Boldt decision has rippling effects 40 years later  Ron Judd reports: 40 years after Boldt, the fight goes on over fewer and fewer fish

Sunken Canadian warship could grow artificial reef in B.C.
The rich plant life that once sat at the bottom of Halkett Bay, north of Vancouver at the mouth of Howe Sound, became suffocated when a booming logging industry moved into the area, littering the sea floor. Once the plants were gone, so was the marine life, explains Howard Robins, the president of a group with an ambitious plan to sink a 111-metre decommissioned Canadian warship as an artificial reef. It's hoped once the ship reaches the bottom of the cove, it will become home to plant life and eventually aquatic animals such as cod and anemones.

Island hawk is first to be found with ticks carrying Lyme bug  
A Vancouver Island hawk is the first raptor to join the list of species believed to spread Lyme disease. Research scientist John Scott said the Cooper’s hawk was found with 22 ticks on it, four of which were infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. It’s the first raptor, or bird of prey, known to host the bacteria. Amy Smart reports.

Whatcom council member seeks more oversight of coal terminal
A Whatcom County Council member wants the council to have authority to approve changes to the environmental review of a proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point. Chairman Carl Weimer has introduced an ordinance for the council to consider Tuesday, Feb. 11, that takes the authority to approve contract amendments from the county executive and gives it to the council. An attorney representing the terminal's proponent wrote a letter to the council on Friday, Feb. 7, saying this change would be illegal. Ralph Schwartz reports.

State stuck with bill when people ditch boats
State law requires owners of abandoned or derelict vessels to pay the full costs of removing or disposing of the problem boats, but owners rarely do. Since the Department of Natural Resources began a program to rid state waters of potentially dangerous vessels in 2003, vessel owners have only repaid about $28,000 — or less than 1 percent — of the total $8.3 million owed in the past decade, according to agency records. Phuong Le reports.

Geoduck market expands to Chinese neighbors
The market for geoducks harvested in Washington state has shifted from China to other Asian countries, primarily Hong Kong and Vietnam, according to certificates issued by the Washington State Department of Health. Chris Dunagan reports.

Volunteers, new and old, plant 3,000 trees at Tarboo Creek
Volunteers from five schools jumped out of bed and into their mud boots last weekend to plant 3,000 native trees and shrubs along Tarboo Creek during the ninth annual Plant-A-Thon.  The 150 children, parents, grandparents and teachers planted the trees during a daylong work party Feb. 1, said Jude Rubin, director of stewardship at the Port Townsend-based Northwest Watershed Institute, which coordinates the annual event. More than 133,000 trees have been planted in the Tarboo Valley since 2004 to improve conditions for salmon and wildlife.

Harbor porpoise population research expands
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center has joined the Pacific Biodiversity Institute’s Harbor Porpoise Monitoring Network, expanding the reach of harbor porpoise population research in the Salish Sea. The Network recently deployed an underwater acoustic monitoring device, called a C-POD, to record the presence of harbor porpoises in the waters near the Port Townsend science center. The bulk of the network’s research is currently based in Burrows Pass along Washington Park near Anacortes, where underwater monitoring and on-land observation have been used to collect data since 2011, harbor porpoise project director Aileen Jeffries said. Kimberly Cauvel reports. See also: Strange marine mammals of ancient North Pacific revealed

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 315 AM PST MON FEB 10 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING SW 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 15 TO 20 KT...BECOMING W 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS. RAIN.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told