10/11 Storms, Oso settled, quake, green Bryant, Tacoma LNG, oil train safety, export rules, marsh garden

Belated Hurrah For World Octopus Day, October 8
Octopuses are worthy of appreciation for a number of reasons. First of all, they are one of earth’s great survivors. Indeed, despite their relatively short life span, octopus fossils date back more than 300 million years, meaning that they pre-date even dinosaurs. They are also highly intelligent, with around 500 million neurons located in their brains and arms, allowing them to bypass their instincts, learn lessons and solve problems. (Days of the Year)

Powerful October storms expected to pound B.C. South Coast this week
A series of powerful storms is expected to pound B.C.'s South Coast this week, including Metro Vancouver and Victoria, with heavy rains and strong winds expected to arrive Wednesday night and continue through Sunday.... Rainfall on the west and inland areas of Vancouver Island may exceed 200 mm, while rain in inner coastal regions could top 100 mm, Environment Canada warns. Winds over exposed coastal areas may exceed 80 km/hr. (CBC) See also: Typhoon remnants powering storm heading to NW: What to expect  Morgan Palmer reports. (KIRO)

Day after state settles, timber company agrees to pay $10M in Oso landslide suit
The survivors and families of the 43 people killed in the 2014 Oso landslide have reached settlements totaling $60 million with the state and the timber company that was logging atop the mountain despite its long history of instability. Monday’s $10 million settlement with Grandy Lake Forest Associates came just hours after the state of Washington announced it would pay $50 million to settle the case. Opening statements in the trial, which was expected to last more than three months, were to begin Monday in King County Superior Court. Mike Carter reports. (Seattle Times) See also: State settles Oso mudslide lawsuit for $50 million   Hours before the start of a civil trial to determine whether anyone should be held responsible for the carnage caused by the Oso mudslide, lawyers for those harmed announced they’ve reached a $50 million settlement to dismiss their claims against the state of Washington. The settlement was announced Sunday afternoon in a press release from attorneys for the plaintiffs. Scott North, Noah Haglund and Eric Stevick report. (Everett Herald)

Why the risk of the 'Big One' in B.C. is heightened every 14 months
Roughly every 14 months, for about a two week period, seismologist Alison Bird won't park underground. That's because she knows the chances are higher of a big earthquake striking. Almost like clockwork, thousands of tiny tremors rumble unfelt across the Pacific Northwest indicating a 'slow-slip' event is taking place.   Bird, an earthquake seismologist for the Geological Survey of Canada, says it's something scientists discovered at the office in Victoria when they noticed an unusual pattern on seismograms. "Every 14 months or so there's a sudden reversal of movement [of Vancouver island] for a couple of weeks," she said Johanna Wagstaffe reports. (CBC)

Activists dispute Bryant’s claim that he’s an environmentalist
The Republican candidate for governor sees himself as a conservationist in the mold of Teddy Roosevelt; critics say his record suggests otherwise. Lewis Kamb reports. (Seattle Times)

What experts say about PSE’s secret LNG plant studies
The siting and fire safety studies commissioned by Puget Sound Energy’s proposed liquified natural gas plant on the Tacoma Tideflats were thorough evaluations of the common risks associated with such plant, according to industry experts asked to review the work by The News Tribune. The studies contemplated broken pipes, leaks and other accidental spills of LNG involving potential failure of every pipe larger than two inches. The studies say such leaks would be contained on the site. The documents spend far less time considering the effects of an unlikely but catastrophic failure of the plant’s massive LNG storage tank, according to the two engineering experts who reviewed them. That situation is analyzed only as a breakage of its inner tank or as a top-burning fire that firefighters would have to watch burn itself out. Derrick Nunnally reports. (Tacoma News Tribune) See also: Federal rules bar release of Tacoma LNG documents? Not so, feds say  Derrick Nunnally reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Vancouver [WA] Oil Terminal Project Makes Big Bet On Oil Train Safety
The company behind the oil-by-rail terminal proposed for the Port of Vancouver announced new safety measures Friday. It hopes they will quell fears about the project. Oil company Tesoro says it wants to prove to the community and regulators that it takes safety concerns seriously. The Vancouver Energy terminal project is offering to operate far below maximum capacity for two years. General Manager Jared Larrabee said they would only increase the amount of oil they ship if the terminal – and rail cars and shipping tankers transporting the oil - operate without a public safety or environmental incident. Jes Burns reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Whatcom County to hold town hall on Cherry Point export rules Thursday
The Whatcom County Planning Commission will hold a town hall Thursday, Oct. 13, on changes that would impact fossil fuel exports at Cherry Point. The 6:30 p.m. meeting in the County Council Chambers at 311 Grand Ave. will include a town hall and State Environmental Policy Act public hearing on the proposed amendments to the county’s Comprehensive Plan. In July, Whatcom County Council directed the commission to study amendments to the Cherry Point portion of the land use planning document and give the council a recommendation by mid-January 2017. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

To solve water pollution, Seattle turns to an old solution
The marshy gardens between the sidewalks and curbs in South Lake Union look like a landscaper’s attempt to bring some greenery back into an otherwise gray, urban area. You could walk right past, hardly giving it a moment’s thought. But in fact, the project is the biggest piece of Seattle’s effort to cut back on one of the most pernicious clashes between the Emerald City and its natural surroundings: the the stormwater runoff that pours into Puget Sound, dumping loads of toxic chemicals nasty enough to kill salmon and other aquatic life. Samantha Larson reports. (Crosscut)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  331 AM PDT TUE OCT 11 2016  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON  
TODAY  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 3 TO  4 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3  FT AT 13 SECONDS.

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

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10/10 Geese in V, Moby Doll, dam removal, Whatcom water wells

Geese in a V (Ted Bobosh/BirdNote)

Geese in V-formation
Autumn…and geese fly high overhead in V-formation. But what about that V-formation, angling outward through the sky? This phenomenon — a kind of synchronized, aerial tailgating — marks the flight of flocks of larger birds, like geese or pelicans. Most observers believe that each bird behind the leader is taking advantage of the lift of a corkscrew of air coming off the wingtips of the bird in front. This corkscrew updraft is called a tip vortex, and it enables the geese to save considerable energy during long flights. The V-formation may also enhance birds’ ability to see and hear each other, thus avoiding mid-air collisions. Small birds probably do not create enough of an updraft to help others in the flock and don’t fly in vees. (BirdNote)

How killer whales went from beasts to beloved
Orcas are one of the most beloved animals on the planet, but the creatures were widely perceived as monsters long before activists began chanting "save the whales"…. [The] negative attitudes towards the whales changed in the summer of 1964, when a whaling crew captured the infamous Moby Doll off the coast of Saturna Island, B.C. — one of the first killer whales ever held in captivity. Named after the infamous white whale, Moby Doll was captured on behalf of the Vancouver Aquarium in July 1964. He was meant to be used as an educational fixture showcasing the anatomy of an orca. But the harpoonist botched the kill shot. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Take out the dams? Congressional candidates Jayapal and Walkinshaw wade in a bit unprepared
Does Pramila Jayapal want to demolish the Grand Coulee Dam? Does Brady Walkinshaw know enough about hydroelectric power in Washington state? What were the 7th Congressional District candidates thinking this week when they discussed it? Those were some of the questions audience members may have pondered Tuesday night during a candidates forum on climate change and the environment at a Ballard brewery. The confusion began when moderator Lynda Mapes, a Seattle Times reporter, asked Jayapal to clarify a remark the Democratic state senator had made about getting rid of dams. Daniel Beekman reports. (Seattle Times)

State Supreme Court: Whatcom must restrict rural wells to protect water supply
Whatcom County must make sure there is enough available water before issuing permits for new developments in rural areas, the Washington state Supreme Court ruled Thursday, Oct. 6. The decision overturned a February 2015 state Court of Appeals ruling, which had favored the county by saying, in effect, that the county did not need stricter rules to regulate water wells on rural properties. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  320 AM PDT MON OCT 10 2016  

TODAY  LIGHT WIND, BECOMING SE 10 KT OR LESS. WIND WAVES AN 1  FT, BECOMING 1 FT. W SWELL 3 TO 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT AND TUE  E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W  SWELL 3 FT AT 9 OR 10 SECONDS.

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

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10/7 Crow power, Shell rail ends, BC pipe con & pro, Canadian media

Phil Wood and Lokei (PHOTO: Phil Wood/CBC)

Terrace student credits pet crow for keeping him sober
Phil Wood first saw Lokei the crow just outside a trail near his dormitory on the Terrace, B.C. campus of Northwest Community College. The month-old crow was injured, so Wood got a friend to help wrap the tiny bird in a towel and bring it back to his dorm room…. Wood, 34, is currently a student in the construction trade and labour program at the school. When he first started, he said, he didn't know if he'd be able to complete the program. "I'm a recovering addict," he explained. "Finding Lokei gave me something to come home to ... being able to take away all the problems in my mind and kind of put all the good will into this bird, it allowed me to stay in my course." Roshini Nair reports. (CBC)

Editorial Note: Helen Engle writes regarding the illustration of the river otter shown in yesterday's posting: "The citation should be 'By Earl. J. Larrison, illustrations by Amy C. Fisher.'  Dr. Larrison was active in Seattle Audubon Society and [presided] over the wonderful field trips at the state’s Audubon campout on Wenas Creek every Memorial Day weekend for decades.  He was always a teacher and wrote many books and articles about our flora and fauna.  Now that it’s SAS 100th Anniversary it was fitting to remind us of Dr. Larrision."

Shell calls off rail unloading facility project l
Puget Sound Refinery announced Thursday it is no longer pursuing the rail unloading facility addressed in the document. Refinery officials say the decision to call off the project is for economic reasons, the only connection to the draft environmental impact statement, or EIS, being a good milestone at which to make the announcement. Refinery general manager Shirley Yap said when Shell started pursuing a rail facility, the price of Bakken crude oil was advantageous compared to other sources. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

B.C. urged to reject Kinder Morgan pipeline for failing key condition
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark is being challenged to reject Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion proposal because it can never meet one of her five conditions to support oil pipeline development. More than 30 environmental, social and aboriginal groups from across Canada have sent a letter to Clark that reminds her that one of B.C.’s conditions for pipeline support includes assurances of a world-leading oil-spill response. The groups say a study from the National Academy of Science concludes that oil containing diluted bitumen acts differently than other types of crude when spilled. The study warns diluted bitumen sinks in water and there is no known way to clean up heavy oils that settle to the bottom of oceans, lakes or rivers. The groups, which include Greenpeace and the Council of Canadians, say Clark must stick to her conditions and reject Kinder Morgan’s proposal, even though it is widely expected to receive federal approval by year’s end. (Canadian Press)

Forty B.C. aboriginal ‘groups’ back pipeline megaprojects
Forty B.C. aboriginal groups have quietly submitted supportive letters as Kinder Morgan and Enbridge tried to overcome controversy while seeking approval for their oilsands pipelines, according to a Postmedia analysis. The letters appear to challenge the recent claim by a coalition of North American native leaders saying there is “unprecedented unity” against the megaproject proposals. Financial statements indicate that a total of more than $9.3 million has already been distributed to some of these supporters in the past two years. That is a fraction of the expected payoff if one or both of the proposals get federal approval. Peter O'Neil reports. (Vancouver Sun)

'No news is bad news': Canadian media is collapsing, says journalist and author
The media landscape is shifting dramatically and Vancouver is one of many cities that are feeling the crunch due to declines in advertising and sales and the rise of digital platforms. Earlier this year, newspaper giant Postmedia cut 90 jobs across the country, merging the Vancouver Sun and the Province newsrooms. And just this week, the 24-Hour newspaper in Vancouver closed its doors, laying off its entire staff. "News poverty, as it's now called in Canada, has reached critical levels," said Ian Gill, former Vancouver Sun and CBC Television reporter. "And if you do not have people paying attention and making sense of complex issues, it's actually really bad for democracy." (CBC)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  300 AM PDT FRI OCT 7 2016  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON  

TODAY  SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT...BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT IN THE  AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. SW SWELL 11 FT AT 9 SECONDS...  BECOMING W 9 FT AT 9 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS  IN THE MORNING...THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT  SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SE AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND  WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF  RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 4 FT  AT 8 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.
SAT NIGHT  W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT  AT 13 SECONDS.
SUN  LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT  17 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 at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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10/6 Why L95 died, orcas not OK, Great Bear award, crow feeding, Cherry Pt. reserve, bag ban

(from Larisson, Mammals of the Pacific NW)

River Otter (Lutra canadensis)
People who see otters in saltwater areas, such as the Puget Sound, often think they’ve seen a sea otter when in fact they’ve seen a river otter.  Sea otters can be seen along rocky coves at the ocean, but not in inland waters such as Puget Sound.  River otters are long and slender, with pointed tails, and never swim on their back, while sea otters are much stockier and spend most of their time floating on their backs.  The river otter is almost entirely aquatic, but, unlike the sea otter, it dens on land and sometimes forages along the shore. (West Sound Wildlife Shelter)

Experts: Dirty tracking tag likely caused orca's death
An endangered orca was likely killed by tagging when a scientist failed to adequately sterilize the tag that was shot into its body, a panel of experts has found. The killer whale, L-95, was found dead in Canadian waters off Vancouver Island in March. It was a member of the endangered southern resident killer whale population that frequents Puget Sound. There are only 82 whales in the J, K, and L pods today. NOAA Fisheries was dismayed that the work of one of its scientists with the Northwest Fisheries Science Center may have been at the root of the whale’s death, said Richard Merrick, NOAA Fisheries chief scientist in a telephone news conference Wednesday. The tag that may have killed the whale was shot at it unsuccessfully once and dropped into the sea. It was shot again at the whale, sticking in this time, after it fell in the water without being cleaned with bleach first, Merrick said.  Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Editorial Note: Several readers took strong exception to the article, "PNWWA reports Southern Resident calves still surviving" and one reader shared the following comment: "PWWA [Pacific Whale Watch Association] does not have the expertise to evaluate or assess the health of whales, and it is not their role. For news about SRKW [Southern Resident Killer Whale] health reporters should go to the Center for Whale Research or NOAA Fisheries. The reality is that the long term trends are dire for So. Residents. The deficit of salmon has fractured the social cohesion of the community, impaired their reproductive capacity and killed many orcas. J28 Polaris is near death, meaning her 8-month old calf J54 likely won't survive. L95 Nigel died from an infection from a satellite tag, and J14 Samish died this year at just over 40 years old."

Great Bear Rainforest project earns environmental group $100,000 U.S. Award
Three groups that were once labelled enemies of the province by a British Columbia premier have been given an international award for their work in helping to protect the Great Bear Rainforest. The Rainforest Solutions project, a collective effort of Greenpeace, the Sierra Club and Stand.earth, has received the $100,000 Buckminster Fuller Design Award for a decades-long effort to safeguard the forest. In 1996, during the peak of the so-called War in the Woods to save B.C.'s old-growth forest, then-premier Glen Clark called the environmental groups enemies of British Columbia. (Canadian Press)

DNR to consider adding former Gateway Pacific site to aquatic reserve
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is considering a change to the boundaries of the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve. It would incorporate a “cutout” area left for the then-proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal into the reserve in response to a request from the Lummi Nation. Earlier this year, DNR denied a lease application from SSA Marine to build the terminal. That decision followed a determination by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that construction of the terminal would negatively impact the treaty-protected fishing rights of the Lummi Nation, and the Corps denied the project its permits…. DNR will convene a committee of technical experts to review and evaluate the boundary change. Such a change would then have to undergo public review through the State Environmental Policy Act, or SEPA. Commissioner Goldmark has the final decision on formalizing any boundary change. (Lynden Tribune)

Lawsuit against Seattle's famous crow-feeding family dismissed
At age 8, Gabi Mann became known the world over for forging a friendship with the crows in Seattle’s well-heeled Portage Bay neighborhood. The crows she fed brought Gabi “gifts” – bits of trash mostly – in thanks for the food she and her mother Lisa Mann gave them. A report by Seattle journalist Katy Sewall sent the internet swooning. Then, in August 2015, Gabi’s neighbors sued. In their lawsuit, two neighbors – Matt Ashbach and Christine Yokan – claimed the Manns’ bird feeders were drawing rats and flocks of birds to the East Shelby Street home. They demanded $200,000 in compensation for damage they claimed had been done by the birds, and a court order preventing the Manns from setting out more than a quarter-pound of animal food each day. Attorney Anna Johnsen said Tuesday that the Manns agreed to pay her clients "a sum of money" … to restrict the bird feeding for eight years. Levi Pulkkinen reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Seattle, can you tell the difference between these bags? (Apparently not)
Seattle will be the first city in the nation to take a citywide plastic ban ban to another level, and ban plastic bags in the produce aisle. Seattle leaders want to help people who are composting wrong to finally get it right. People have been throwing plastic produce bags in their compost, since they resemble the green/brown biodegradable bags meant for compost bins. Plastic bags jam up the city's composting machines, which are costly for the city to fix. To prevent the problem, the City Council has unanimously approved a plan that requires grocery stores to replace their plastic produce bags with biodegradable ones. It also makes the five-cent fee for paper bags permanent. Paige Browning reports. (KUOW)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  245 AM PDT THU OCT 6 2016  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON  THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON  

TODAY  S WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES  2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT  E WIND 20 TO 30 KT...BECOMING SE 15 TO 25 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS...  BUILDING TO SW 6 FT AT 7 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 at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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10/5 Orca kids, boat spills, San Juan land use, Schroeder wins Stopps Award, cable ferry

 J50 and J16 (Renee Beitzel, Puget Sound Express Whale Watching)

PNWWA reports Southern Resident calves still surviving
After more than 14,000 whale watch trips and numerous encounters this summer and early fall with the Southern Resident Community of orcas, Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) crews are reporting that the kids are alright – the "Class of 2015," as the fleet has dubbed eight killer whale calves born into the endangered population last year, appear to be healthy, active and thriving. (PWWA)

Owners of boat that leaked into Sinclair Inlet must pay almost $70K
The owners of a boat that spilled fuel last year in Sinclair Inlet have been hit with nearly $70,000 in damages and fines from the state Department of Ecology. The 69-foot Tango sank at its dock at the Port Orchard Railway Marina in early September 2015, releasing about 750 gallons of oil and diesel. The spill sent an oily sheen about a mile into the inlet. Ecology, the Coast Guard and local response crews spent days cleaning up the spill and hauling out the sunken boat. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun) See also: Owner fined for tug that sank off Bainbridge  A Kitsap County Superior Court judge Monday ordered the former owner of a 98-year-old tugboat that sank off Bainbridge Island to pay more than $44,000 in restitution. (Kitsap Sun)

U.S. Supreme Court says no to CSA
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request from a local property rights group October 3, 2016. The Common Sense Alliance was seeking a hearing on its appeal of the San Juan County Critical Area regulations. The denial ends the long, arduous process of updating the county's Critical Area ordinance…. Common Sense Alliance is governed by Ed Kilduff, Alexandra Gavora, Shari Harrison, and Sam Buck. The group, which was involved at every stage of the update process, lost its appeals at all five levels - the Growth Board, the Superior Court, the Court of Appeals, the Washington Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court…. The issue was whether the legislative action of the county council, which was a science-based approach to regulations to protect wetlands and shorelines, was a “taking” of land without compensation. The Courts below said “no” and that decision was not changed on appeal. (San Juan Islander)

Schroeder wins Eleanor Stopps award
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center has awarded Dr. Pete Schroeder of the National Marine Mammal Foundation with the 12th annual Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award…. Throughout his 50-year career of studying marine mammals, Schroeder has applied his learning to improve the lives of these animals, through direct veterinary care, advocacy and education. He has worked as a veterinarian for the U.S. Navy, as the lead veterinarian for the 2003 rehabilitation of Springer the orca calf — the only successful capture, translocation and reintroduction of an orca calf ever achieved — and worked as a consultant and contributor to NOAA Fisheries' Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery Plan. He was nominated for the Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award by [Anne] Murphy and Chrissy McLean. (Port Townsend Leader)

First cable ferry in fleet performing well, BC Ferries says
Nearly a year into providing service, BC Ferries says it's pleased with the performance of its first cable ferry. The Baynes Sound Connector was installed on the Buckley Bay to Denman Island route last fall. It started taking cars and passengers in February…. The first months of operation did come with some hiccups. In May, the cable ferry was left dead in the water mid-run by a hydraulic failure. There was a second breakdown in July. Megan Thomas reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  255 AM PDT WED OCT 5 2016  

TODAY  SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 7  FT AT 11 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE MORNING...THEN A CHANCE  OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

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

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10/4 Bee ESA, orca kids, Jordan R., BC LNG, coal port, Shell rail, oil port, DNR plan, I-732, lost gear, bluefin tuna

Yellow-faced bee (Karl Magnacca, U of Hawaii)

Bees Added To U.S. Endangered Species List For 1st Time
Finally — some good news for the bees of Hawaii. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has given endangered status to seven species of yellow-faced bees native to the islands. These are "the first bees in the country to be protected under the Endangered Species Act," according to the Xerces Society, which advocated for the new designation. The new rule designating protections for the bees, published Friday in the Federal Register, states that yellow-faced bees are known "for their yellow-to-white facial markings." They look like small wasps, according to the rule, except for their "plumose [branched] hairs on the body that are longest on the sides of the thorax, which readily distinguish them from wasps." The yellow-faced bee is the only bee native to Hawaii, meaning that it was able to reach the Hawaiian Islands on its own… Merrit Kennedy reports. (NPR)

New photos released of 8 calves born to our local, endangered orca population since December 2014
Recent photos were released Monday of eight calves born to our Southern Resident orca population since December 2014. The Pacific Whale Watch Association said that crews in the Puget Sound are reporting that “the kids” from the “Class of 2015” appear to be healthy, active and thriving. (KCPQ)

Vancouver Island’s Jordan River salmon wiped out by copper tailings
The site where the Pacheedaht people originated — their Garden of Eden — is stunning. The Jordan River exits a 500-metre-deep canyon, then tumbles toward the sea through a jumble of immense boulders polished as smooth as beach pebbles. It was here, about 70 kilometres west of Victoria, in a past so ancient it predates legends of a great flood that inundated the world, that the Pacheedaht took their name from foam on the river. Today, there’s still foam on the river. It signals not the birth of a people, but the death of their river. Stephan Hume reports. (Vancouver Sun)

LNG approval shows Trudeau failing Indigenous campaign promises, critics say
At this time last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was campaigning on promises of a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's Indigenous peoples, but the federal government's recent approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project has critics questioning his commitment to those promises. For Don Wesley — also known as Chief Yahaan of the Gitwilgyoots, part of the Tsimshian Nation — news of the project's approval was disappointing, though not entirely unexpected. "We had a feeling this might come," he told CBC Radio One's The Early Edition. "[But] my feelings as a First Nations person were that we were really slapped in the face by the announcement." Matt Meuse reports. (CBC)

Army Corps of Engineers gives coal terminal favorable review
A proposal to ship coal from Montana and Wyoming out of a port in Washington has received a favorable review from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps on Friday released a draft environmental impact statement for the Millennium Bulk Terminal port in Longview, Washington, the Billings Gazette reported. The document raised concerns about train noise and rail traffic causing problems for nearby low-income neighborhoods, but it said the effects on Native American fishing areas and the proliferation of coal dust were less significant. Coal companies say they are optimistic after reading the environmental impact statement. (Associated Press) See also: More Rail Congestion And Noise Among Impacts Of Longview Coal Terminal  Cassandra Profita reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Draft environmental review for Shell rail project open for comment
The draft environmental review of Shell Puget Sound Refinery’s proposal to build a rail unloading facility is open for public comment. Skagit County Planning & Development Services is taking input on the draft environmental impact statement, or EIS, until 4:30 p.m. Dec. 2. Public hearings are scheduled for mid-November in Anacortes, Mount Vernon and Seattle. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Environmental Risks Identified For Grays Harbor Oil Terminal
Regulators say an oil terminal proposed for a coastal Washington state harbor poses several environmental problems. The state Department of Ecology identified those problems in its  final environmental review released Friday for the Westway oil terminal proposed at the Port of Grays Harbor in Hoquiam, Washington. The project would expand an existing methanol facility so it can handle around 750 million gallons of crude oil a year. The oil would be delivered by train, stored on site and transported by barge to refineries. Cassandra Profita reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Department of Natural Resources issues plan to guide West End forest management
The state Department of Natural Resources has released a blueprint for forest management in western Clallam and Jefferson counties. The Olympic Experimental State Forest, or OESF, Forest Land Plan will help guide DNR management of more than 270,000 acres of forested trust lands on the West End of the Olympic Peninsula, officials said. The 171-page document is available on the DNR website, www.dnr.wa.gov. Rob Ollikainen reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Initiative 732: A 'Carbon Tax Swap' To Address Climate Change
It’s often said that one of the most pressing issues of our time is climate change. Yet, even after years of discussion, Washington state still lacks a policy to limit the pollution that causes it. A recent clean air rule announced by the state Department of Ecology is not yet in effect and is already the subject of multiple lawsuits. So, despite its reputation as an environmentally progressive Ecotopia, the Evergreen State is left without a mechanism to reign in carbon emissions. Voters have a chance to change that with a measure on the November ballot. Washington’s Initiative 732 would impose a state tax on carbon emissions – the first of its kind in the nation. The measure comes from a grassroots group called Carbon Washington that designed it to attract bipartisan support. Perhaps ironically, the proposal is under attack, not from big business interests, but from social justice and labor groups who say the measure fails to provide enough for the state to successfully transition to a greener future. Bellamy Paithorp reports. (KNKX)

Cleaning the Sound to 105 feet
…. Fenn Enterprises has been hired by Northwest Straits Foundation to retrieve derelict fishing gear — gill nets and crab pots, primarily — as part of Northwest Straits Initiative’s Derelict Fishing Gear Removal Project. “Northwest Straits Initiative was authorized by Congress in response to depleted marine resources,” said Jason Morgan, with Northwest Straits. The foundation, based in Bellingham, is on a three-year mission to address the derelict fishing gear that clots the bottom of Puget Sound. Its advisers are seven marine resource committees (MRCs) covering waters from Snohomish County to the Canadian border. The foundation also converses with stakeholders that include Native American tribes, commercial fishing companies, NOAA and recreational fishermen. Jeremiah O'Hagan reports. (Stanwood-Camano News)

Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacted bluefin tuna spawning habitat in Gulf of Mexico, Stanford and NOAA researchers find
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was one of the largest environmental disasters in history, releasing roughly 4 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. For Atlantic bluefin tuna, it occurred at the worst time of year, during peak spawning season, when eggs and larval fish that are particularly vulnerable to environmental stressors exist in mass quantity. In a study published in Nature: Scientific Reports, scientists from Stanford and NOAA provide the best yet analysis of how the 2010 breeding season might have been impacted by the oil spill. Although the spill encompassed a relatively small proportion of the bluefin tuna spawning grounds, which extend throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico, the authors showed the cumulative oiled tuna habitat was roughly 3.1 million square miles, representing the potential for a significant impact on eggs and larval bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico. (Stanford News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  255 AM PDT TUE OCT 4 2016  

TODAY  SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING E 10 TO 20 KT IN THE  AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS.  SHOWERS LIKELY.
TONIGHT  E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT  AT 11 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 10 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 at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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10/3 More green crabs, First Nations & royalty, Petronas, I-732, new flood maps, oil activist sued

(PHOTO: Jeff Polken/BirdNote)

Gull Identification
Relatively few gull species are common nesters in the Lower 48. But in October, both the variety and number of gulls increase dramatically. Gulls that nested in Alaska or Canada fly south to spend winter in more temperate climates. Western Gulls are present in the West all year, mostly near the coast. Mew Gulls turn up in the winter along the West Coast, and Herring Gulls can be seen in the East. October is an ideal time to learn which gull is which. Seen here, top to bottom, are Western, Thayer's, and Glaucous-wing Gulls. (BirdNote)

Invasive green crabs found in Padilla Bay
An invasion has begun in Padilla Bay, with European green crabs infiltrating the mudflats and settling in among native shore crabs. Green crabs are an invasive species that flourishes in a variety of habitats, enabling it to crowd out other wildlife. Four green crabs have been found and removed from the area. The first was found by chance, and this week three others were lured out through a trapping effort. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)  See also: More invasive crabs found; wider search will resume next spring Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

First Nations use royal visit as platform to talk reconciliation, environment
As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toured British Columbia and the Yukon over the past week, they heard impassioned speeches on reconciliation and saw protest T-shirts emblazoned with slogans opposing oil and liquefied natural gas. The focus on First Nations issues was already built into Prince William and Kate's itinerary, with stops in Bella Bella, the home of the Great Bear Rainforest, and Haida Gwaii, a remote and stunning archipelago sacred to some aboriginal people. Some indigenous leaders embraced the opportunity to criticize their federal and provincial governments in front of the duke and duchess. But there's a long tradition of aboriginal people appealing directly to the Royal Family, experts say. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Petronas not considering sale of interest in Pacific NorthWest LNG
Malaysian state-owned oil firm Petronas says it's not considering selling its stake in a proposed multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas export terminal in B.C. The company issued a statement yesterday saying it "categorically denies" allegations made in a news report that selling its stake in the Pacific NorthWest LNG project was up for consideration. The federal government gave conditional approval earlier this week to the $36-billion venture, which is located on Lelu Island near Prince Rupert on B.C.'s northern coast. Petronas says it will continue working with its partners including the B.C. government to study those conditions before making any decisions on how to move forward with the project. (Canadian Press)

You'd think the Sierra Club would back carbon-cutting I-732 -- but you'd be wrong
The Sierra Club has faced an internal backlash in Washington state over a decision to withhold support for a fall ballot measure that would impose a carbon tax on fossil fuels. Initiative 732 would gradually ramp up the price of coal, oil and natural gas — while reducing other taxes — in an attempt to lower emissions that spur climate change. Some executive committee members of the Washington state chapter — defying instructions from national staff — conducted a disputed August vote to try to shift the club to a neutral position on the ballot measure. But their motion was never recognized by the national Sierra Club, which found that any vote would violate Robert’s Rules of Order and the group’s political endorsement guidelines, according to club emails obtained by The Seattle Times. The turmoil within the Sierra Club over the carbon tax reflects a broader fault line in the state environmental and social-justice community about how to tackle climate change. The Sierra Club has lined up with a host of other groups that are talking about an alternate proposal — possibly for a future state ballot — that would raise surplus revenue to invest in clean-energy and other pollution-reducing projects. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

New Maps Label Much Of New Orleans Out Of Flood Hazard Area
On Friday, New Orleans received new flood maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Overnight, more than half the population moved out of the so-called high-risk zone. But with half the city at or below sea level and memories of massive flooding after Hurricane Katrina 11 years ago, some residents are worried these new maps send the wrong message…. The new maps are like a bureaucratic magic trick. At the stroke of midnight, the federal government waved its wand, and Friday morning more than half of New Orleans woke up in a land safe from storms and flooding. Statistically. For insurance purposes. Ryan Kailath (NPR)

Court to hear suit against Deepwater Horizon spill activists
When Karen Savage and Cherri Foytlin wrote an article about the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill of 2010, they thought it might get a few moments of attention and then fade away. More than three years later, Savage and Foytlin are still defending their article after being sued by a scientific consulting company. The battle is headed to the highest court in Massachusetts. Arguments are scheduled for Friday, a week after “Deepwater Horizon,” a film starring Mark Wahlberg, opens in theaters. Their 2013 article, which appeared in The Huffington Post, questioned the independence of ChemRisk, a firm that published a study that found that the Gulf disaster did not expose cleanup workers to harmful levels of several airborne chemical compounds released by the explosion…. The case is expected to explore the scope of a Massachusetts law aimed at discouraging lawsuits intended to silence people who speak out on issues of public interest. Savage and Foytlin claim ChemRisk’s lawsuit falls into that category of litigation, known as Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  852 PM PDT SUN OCT 2 2016  

MON  E WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SE IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF  SHOWERS.
MON NIGHT  E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL  4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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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 at 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