5/14 Humpback, Shell drill, BC LNG, Vic sewer, geoduck, Orcas Wild, peregrine falcon

(Heather MacIntyre/Nature's Keeper Photography)

If you like to watch: Rare B.C. humpback encounter leaves whale watchers in awe
A group of whale watchers off B.C. Saturna Island were in awe when a humpback whale known to locals as Windy came within reach of their boat last weekend. "In about 20 years of watching these whales, I've never seen anything like this," said Heather MacIntyre of Legacy Charters. MacIntyre captured the encounter, in Haro Strait between San Juan Island and Vancouver Island, and off East Point near Patos Island, Wash... Bal Brach reports. (CBC)

Shell oil rig arriving Thursday is just the start of Arctic drilling fleet
The Polar Pioneer oil rig expected to arrive in Seattle on Thursday afternoon is the biggest piece of a muscular fleet Shell Oil has mustered in the Pacific Northwest to resume its controversial high-stakes oil-exploration effort in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska’s North Slope. The company will have 25 vessels in and out of the Pacific Northwest in preparation for the season, according to spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh, but Shell has been tight-lipped about detailing its plans. The Peninsula Daily News reported the Polar Pioneer began moving out of Port Angeles at about 1:40 a.m. Thursday for the approximate 12-hour trip to Seattle. Coral Garnick and Hal Bernton report. (Seattle Times)

B.C. First Nations group rejects $1-billion offer for LNG venture
Lax Kw’alaams members voting in the final of three meetings have unanimously rejected a $1-billion cash offer from Pacific NorthWest LNG, declining to give aboriginal consent sought by the project while creating uncertainty for plans to export liquefied natural gas from British Columbia’s north coast. The lure of the money, which would be spread over 40 years, is being overshadowed by what the native group views as excessive environmental risks. The Lax Kw’alaams fear the Pacific NorthWest LNG project led by Malaysia’s Petronas will harm juvenile salmon habitat in Flora Bank, located next to the proposed export terminal site on Lelu Island. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

CRD to reconsider advance levy for sewage treatment
The Capital Regional District will take a second look at how much it is collecting in taxes for sewage treatment until it has a better handle on what it plans to build…. Projecting that eventual debt and operating costs for sewage treatment would total about $35 million a year, the CRD decided in February 2013 to begin collecting taxes in advance to soften the blow to taxpayers once it was built. The idea was to have annual increases of $5 million, ramping up to the total projected $35-million annual cost at program completion. But those estimates were for a single regional treatment plant to be built at McLoughlin Point. That plan went off the rails last year, when Esquimalt refused to rezone the site and the province declined to overturn the decision. Now the search is on for one or more sites for treatment that can be approved by June. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Geoduck farming takes off as demand for clams grows in Asia
John King plunges his arm up to his shoulder into the mudflats of Puget Sound, roots around and soon pulls from the muck the world's largest burrowing clam. The mollusk squirts water from its long obscene-looking neck. King dodges the spray, already using a water hose to loosen sand and harvest the next one. Within hours, the geoduck (pronounced gooey duck) is packed live on ice at nearby Taylor Shellfish Farms — on its way to be served raw as sashimi or added to hot-pot dishes to satisfy a growing appetite for the unique Pacific Northwest delicacy…. Last year, the U.S. exported $74 million, or about 11 million pounds, worth of live wild and farmed geoduck, mostly to China and Hong Kong. That's double the volume and value exported in 2008. An average clam weighs about 2 pounds and can fetch up to $100 per pound overseas. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Orcas Wild Interpretative Center opens in Eastsound
Orcas Wild, a new interpretive wildlife center, is opening in Eastsound across from the Episcopal Church on Main Street. Demi Gary, a naturalist, boat captain and executive director of Orcas Wild, said the center is a place for “learning and discovering.” It will be open to the public on May 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Watch the Sounder for information about the grand opening on June 9. Visitors to Orcas Wild will find installments of visual posters by local naturalists. There will also be interactive elements to the center like a video area for screening of films donated by the Center for Whale Research and iPads equipped with whale sounds to show the diversity of each animal’s “voice.” Cali Bagby reports. (Islands Sounder)

Peregrine falcon named as Vancouver’s bird of the year
The peregrine falcon doesn’t nest in Vancouver but certainly likes to eat here, according to Rob Butler, one of the experts who chose the bird as Vancouver’s Bird of the Year…. They come to the city to dine out — usually on pigeons. Gerry Bellett reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU MAY 14 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE
 EVENING.
--
"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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5/13 Samish ferry, Shell drill, train rules, oil pipe, Vic sewer, fish cops, oil spill, trail walk, forage fish

(Image: Vigor Industries)

The Samish: Bound for service in the San Juans
Following two months of sea trials and crew training, the Samish, WSF's newest Olympic Class ferry, will begin service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route Sunday, June 14, on the eve of the summer sailing season. It will be christened as part of an open house and unveiling at the Anacortes ferry terminal Wednesday, May 20. (San Juan Journal)

Port says to hit brakes; Shell rig coming anyway
Port of Seattle commissioners asked that Shell’s Arctic drilling rigs delay their arrival at Seattle’s waterfront while the port appeals a city ruling that a new permit is needed. But Foss Maritime expects to move ahead with the planned arrival of the Polar Pioneer on Thursday. Coral Garnick reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Clock ticking on Polar Pioneer's stay in Port Angeles as trip to Seattle nears; Noble Discoverer passes by North Olympic Peninsula  (Peninsula Daily News) And also: Easier for pols to join oil protests than to lead change  Danny Westneat reports. (Seattle Times)

Oil industry sues government over train safety rules
The oil industry went to court Monday over the Obama administration’s new oil train safety rules, challenging the timeline for refitting tens of thousands of tank cars and the requirement for enhanced braking systems on the cars. In its petition for review, filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the American Petroleum Institute called the provisions, unveiled May 1 by the U.S. Department of Transportation, “arbitrary, capricious, (and) an abuse of discretion.” Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Experts warn expansion of Trans Mountain pipeline poses threat to whales
Marine experts in both Canada and the U.S. are raising concerns about the impact of underwater noise on endangered killer whales and other mammals on a shipping route that will become increasingly busy if the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project proceeds. A review of the Trans Mountain proposal by the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, has warned that an increase in tanker traffic associated with the pipeline project “has the potential to result in sensory disturbance to marine mammals from underwater noise, ranging from auditory injury to behavioural disturbance.” Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

Potential sewage-plant sites are all over the map
Beacon Hill Park, Ogden Point and Rock Bay are among 40 potential sites for a sewage-treatment facility on the east side of the capital region. The Eastside Select Committee — a Capital Regional District sewage-treatment subcommittee representing Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich — released a map Tuesday showing public and private properties that have been identified as “technically feasible.” Other potential sites include Banfield Park, Barnard Park, Royal Athletic Park, Windsor Park, Saanich Public Works, Henderson Park and private properties in the Gordon Head-Cadboro Bay and Tillicum south areas…. Each of the member municipalities proposed sites within its boundaries for public consultation. The committee expects to select a site or sites by the end of June. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

Fish & Wildlife: Proposed staff cuts could endanger local seafood eaters
Now more than ever, buying seafood from a local farmers’ market or fancy restaurant could be tainted by toxins or poached from Northwest waters, according to multiple officers from Washington State Fish and Wildlife. State legislators are considering a new budget that could cut eight officers from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Lt. Paul Golden oversees the WDFW’s Statewide Investigative Unit and said, because of staffing cuts over the past two decades and the potential loss of another eight officers, “the state’s economy is at risk, and people’s health is at risk.” Amy Clancy reports. (KIRO)

Feds: Penn Cove boat owner must pay for spill that threatened shellfish
May 12, 2012, was a bad day for Rory Westmoreland, and for Penn Cove’s mussel beds. Westmoreland’s ship Deep Sea – a derelict hulk of a fishing vessel – burned and sank that day while spewing more than 5,500 gallons of oil into waters off Whidbey Island. The spill shut down Penn Cove’s shellfish beds, threatening one of the Puget Sound’s most celebrated harvests. May 12, 2015, can’t have been a whole lot better for Westmoreland – the U.S. Justice Department marked the anniversary with a summons, inviting him to respond to a $2.8 million claim filed against him the day before. Levi Pulkkinen reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Anacortes’ waterfront trail system grows
The community celebrated Saturday the latest addition to the city’s trail system, which opens more of the waterfront to nonmotorized use. Many hit the latest stretch of the paved Guemes Channel Trail this weekend after Saturday’s opening ceremony. The 3,200-foot segment of trail, the second to be completed, extends the Guemes Channel Trail to a total of 5,200 feet (nearly a mile) along the city’s northern waterfront. It was paid for with a $700,000 grant from the state Department of Commerce. Kimberly Cauvel repairs. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Jellyfish Boom As Little Fish Disappear In Puget Sound
Little fish are disappearing from much of Puget Sound, according to a new study. These are the fish that orcas and salmon depend on, and they’re being replaced by ballooning populations of jellyfish, which most fish and seabirds don't eat. That’s why Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill last week to authorize a major study of these "forage fish" in Puget Sound. The study could help provide answers to why herring and other "forage fish" have become so rare and what to do about it. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED MAY 13 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT...THEN 1 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL
 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 7 FT AT
 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING.

--
"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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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.

--
"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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5/11 Fish shift, clam garden, BC LNG, Pt Ruston, forage fish, BC salmon, Elwha pix, Shell drill, train rules

View from Rescue Bay (Laurie MacBride)

Detours and Delights
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "It was July, and we were heading north from BC’s Central Coast. We had planned to take Mathieson Channel that day, to explore the inlets of the Fiordland Recreational Area, which looked gorgeous in our cruising guidebooks…."

Populated Puget Sound sees stark shifts in marine fish species
The most populated areas of Puget Sound have experienced striking shifts in marine species, with declines in herring and smelt that have long provided food for other marine life and big increases in the catch of jellyfish, which contribute far less to the food chain, according to new research that tracks species over the last 40 years. The parallel trends of rising human population and declining forage fish such as herring and smelt indicate that human influences such as pollution and development may be eroding species that long dominated Puget Sound. In particular, the rise of jellyfish blooms may divert energy away from highly-productive forage species that provide food for larger fish and predators such as salmon, seabirds and marine mammals. The research by scientists from NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Fisheries Science Center, the University of Washington and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was published in April in Marine Ecology Progress Series. (Phys.Org)

Clam gardens call into question hunter-gatherer past of B.C. First Nations
The discovery of an expansive system of historic clam gardens along the Pacific Northwest coast is contributing to a growing body of work that's busting long-held beliefs about First Nations as heedless hunter-gatherers. A team of researchers at Simon Fraser University has revealed that First Nations from Alaska to Washington state were marine farmers using sophisticated cultivation techniques to intensify clam production. In an article published recently in the journal American Antiquity, lead author Dana Lepofsky argued that the findings counter the perception of First Nations living passively as foragers in wild, untended environments. (CBC)

Province racks up LNG pipeline agreements with 28 First Nations
The B.C. government revealed Sunday it has revenue-sharing agreements in place with 28 First Nations for planned pipelines meant to supply proposed billion-dollar LNG plants on the coast of B.C. The province had publicly announced eight pipeline agreements with First Nations on four separate pipeline proposals in northwest B.C. The details of the 20 other agreements and who they are with are being kept under wraps — at the request of the First Nations — because the native groups are in negotiations with companies as well, said Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister John Rustad, who revealed the larger number of agreements that have been signed. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Too tough or not enough? Different approaches by Tacoma, Ruston reflected in progress of Point Ruston
One of the biggest real estate developments in the South Sound is being built on top of one of the most contaminated pieces of land in the country. Adding to the complexity, two cities – one large, one small – share regulatory authority for the 97-acre urban village of Point Ruston. “Share” is a diplomatic description. The reality is closer to a tug of war between Tacoma’s and Ruston’s ways of doing business. To put it another way, the project has a Goldilocks problem: is the oversight from the two cities too hard or too soft? Kathleen Cooper and Kate Martin report. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Governor signs bill for big study of Puget Sound forage fish  [paywall subscription]
Puget Sound’s population of little fish will soon get a big look. A state Senate bill signed into law this week initiates the sound’s most comprehensive study of herring, smelt and other forage fish. These fish serve as prey for larger predators, including salmon, seals and killer whales. Small-scale surveys have indicated forage fish populations may be declining. Proposed by Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, the bill requires the state Department of Fish & Wildlife and state Department of Natural Resources to team up on an ambitious survey of forage fish spawning areas and a mid-water trawl survey at various depths throughout the sound. The survey results will help Fish and Wildlife develop conservation strategies for small fish populations that appear to be declining. Tristan Baurick reports. Kitsap Sun)

What’s killing off B.C.’s young salmon?
Hundreds of millions of young salmon are emerging from rivers along the B.C. coast, beginning a perilous journey that will take them north into the Gulf of Alaska. What happens on that remarkable migration, which most of the fish will not survive, remains one of the greatest mysteries of ocean science. Intense research is under way to determine where, why and how young salmon die at sea – particularly over the past few years. One theory is that massive mortality is caused by sea lice and that the infestations come from salmon farms. Gary Taccogna, regional manager of aqua culture environmental operations for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, disputes that. He monitors lice loads in farms and does not see the link that others do. Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

Changing mouth of Elwha River documented in aerial photos
Elwha River, open wide. Well, open your mouth, lengthen your channel and stick out what might become a new spit east of the estuary that's changing daily at the whim of an unshackled river. Aerial photographs of the Elwha — fed by sediment no longer impeded by hydroelectric dams — show it simultaneously elongating its course seaward, widening what one could call a delta, and “smearing” sediment along the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca in what's starting to look like a spit. That's not to say that's what will happen, according to Anne Shaffer of the Coastal Watershed Institute, because everything the unbound Elwha does is unanticipated. James Casey reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Foss Maritime fights to host Shell’s drilling rigs in Seattle
Foss Maritime said Friday it plans to appeal the city’s decision that the Port of Seattle needs a new land-use permit to host Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet at Terminal 5. Mayor Ed Murray said Monday the Port needs a new permit because the current permit allows for cargo loading and unloading — not for maintaining and supplying oil-drilling rigs. Foss argues, however, that the current permit for Terminal 5 allows port customers to tie up vessels so goods and cargo can be stored, loaded and unloaded, “which is precisely what Foss is doing at Terminal 5,” the company said in the statement. Coral Garnick reports. (Seattle Times)

New rules on oil trains draw flak from firefighters, too
Lawmakers and environmental and industry groups criticized the federal government’s new safety measures for oil trains when they were announced earlier this month. Now another group has expressed disappointment in the new rules: Emergency responders. They’re among the first in danger when a fiery derailment happens. After another oil train derailed and caught fire last week, this time in North Dakota and the fifth in North America this year, firefighters renewed their call for more training and information about hazardous rail shipments. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-300 AM PDT MON MAY 11 2015
TODAY
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.

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

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5/8 CO2, Shell drill, BC LNG, WA pipe, BC farm fish, GiveBIG, Billy Frank Jr., Energize Eastside, bluebirds

(PHOTO: BBC)

CO2 levels reach monthly record
The milestone was announced by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). They said it was the first month that the entire globe broke 400ppm, reaching levels that haven't been seen for about two million years. Noaa's Pieter Tans said that reaching the mark was "a significant milestone". Scientists announced that CO2 had passed the 400 ppm level for the first time in the Arctic in 2012, and then at Mauna Loa in Hawaii in 2013. (BBC) See also: Summer 2015: The Northwest's Global Warming Stress Test  Cliff Mass reports. (Weather Blog)

Shell drillship expected to dock in Everett before heading to Seattle
The Noble Discoverer, the drillship that’s part of Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet, will arrive in Everett next week, according to the Port of Everett. Shell confirmed Thursday that the ship will load and unload supplies in Everett before it heads to Seattle. The news comes as Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said Monday that the Port of Seattle needs new permits to host Shell’s drilling fleet at Terminal 5. The port plans to discuss the issue at a public meeting Tuesday. Coral Garnick reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Shell: We have ‘backup plans’ if blocked from Port of Seattle  Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

B.C. First Nations group rejects $1-billion offer from LNG venture
In the second stage of three votes, members of a B.C. First Nations group have again unanimously rejected a $1-billion offer from a liquefied natural gas project. More than 255 eligible Lax Kw’alaams voters at a meeting Thursday night in Prince Rupert stood up to show their opposition, row upon row, two sources close to the aboriginal group said. In the first vote in Lax Kw’alaams on Tuesday night, more than 180 eligible voters also unanimously stood up to signal their opposition to the Pacific NorthWest LNG joint venture led by Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas. Lax Kw’alaams Mayor Garry Reece and 12 elected councillors will make the final decision on behalf of the 3,600-member band, after voting wraps up next Tuesday in Vancouver. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail) See also: Portland Mayor Withdraws Support For Propane Export Terminal  Cassandra Profita reports. KUOW)

State Pipeline Rights Under Siege? Wash. Citizens’ Oversight Panel Sounding Alarm
A new report from a statewide citizens’ committee on pipeline safety is calling foul on a federal proposal. The 13-member panel says the interstate agreements that authorize local response to pipeline issues could be rescinded…. The latest annual report from the Citizens’ Oversight Committee says the federal government is threatening to take away states’ authority over interstate pipelines. Their concern is that inspectors would have to come from too far away, slowing response times and loosening enforcement. There are nine interstate transmission pipelines in Washington. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Court orders new safeguards to prevent fish farm disease spreading to ocean
The federal government must shield the Pacific Ocean from the potential spread of diseases by infected fish being farmed along the British Columbia coast, a Federal Court has ruled. The Department of Fisheries has been ordered to shore up its regulations to prevent infections from being transferred from dozens of fish farms to the open marine environment. The legal action was prompted by elevated concerns about one particular illness that attacks the heart and muscles of salmon, which the court heard could imperil the Fraser River sockeye. (Canadian Press)

Seattle Foundation's GiveBig fundraiser blows past 2014 totals
In its annual 24-hour online fundraising event, the Seattle Foundation raised $16.3 million for area nonprofits on Tuesday, surpassing the 2014 total raised by 12 percent…. The 2015 GiveBig event generated $14.3 million in online contributions, $850,000 in challenge grants and $1.1 million in stretch dollars. Becky Monk reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Nisqually Wildlife Refuge would be renamed for civil rights hero Billy Frank Jr. http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2015/05/07/nisqually-wildlife-refuge-would-be-renamed-for-civil-rights-hero-billy-frank-jr/
The state’s congressional delegation, showing rare bipartisan unity, plans next week to introduce legislation that would rename the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge in honor of Billy Frank  Jr., champion of native fishing rights and a Washington civil rights hero. The bill would create a National Historic Site to mark the 1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek, which took land from natives but did guarantee them the right to take fish “at all usual and accustomed stations . . . in common with the citizens of the territory.” Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Environmental review begins for PSE’s Energize Eastside project
The City of Bellevue has begun the environmental review process for Puget Sound Energy's Energize Eastside project. It will include five scoping meetings for the public to weigh in on details they want to see included when preparing the Environmental Impact Statement for the project, as required by the Washington State Environmental Policy Act. The project will run 18 miles of 230kV transmission lines from Renton to Redmond and add another transformer to the system in an effort to prevent capacity issues projected as soon as winter 2017-18. The scoping period for Phase 1 of the EIS closes June 15. The city is leading the environmental process, with partnering cities Kirkland, Newcastle, Redmond and Renton. (Mercer Island Reporter)

Bluebirds back on Island after almost two decades
After disappearing from Vancouver Island in the mid-1990s, the western bluebird is back and hatching in the Cowichan Valley. At least 20 birds are nesting and breeding on the Island after successfully re-establishing themselves via breeding pairs brought from southern Washington state — one of the few enclaves with enough of the songbirds to spare, said Jemma Green, Victoria-based co-ordinator of the Bring Back the Bluebirds Project. Last week, six of the 2015 nestlings hatched and so far they’re doing well, Green said. “They are really sweet, one of the gentlest of the native birds we have in B.C., and they really need our help.” Katherine Dedyna reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 250 AM PDT FRI MAY 8 2015
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 2 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
N WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SAT
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SUN
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE
 AFTERNOON. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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5/7 Oil train, refinery fire, Alberta vote, BC marine traffic, 520 bridge, sea lice, sound surfing, geese cull

(PHOTO: Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)

Officials talk oil trains in Anacortes
Government leaders and emergency response officials met Wednesday night to discuss oil train safety and emergency preparedness in Skagit County, and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen addressed a key question county residents have been asking: Can the rail transport of Bakken crude oil in Skagit County be stopped? The short answer is no. Shannen Kuest reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Train hauling crude from ND oil patch derails, catches fire
A train that derailed and caught fire early Wednesday in rural North Dakota was hauling crude from the state’s oil patch, raising questions about whether new state standards intended to reduce the volatility of such shipments are sufficient. The six tank cars that exploded into flames were a model slated to be phased out or retrofitted by 2020 under a federal rule announced last week. It’s the fifth fiery accident since February involving that type of tank car, and industry critics responded to the latest with calls for them to be taken off the tracks immediately to prevent further fires. Blake Nicholson and Matthew Brown report. (Associated Press)

Oil refinery fire sends plume of smoke over Tacoma
A big refinery fire near the Port of Tacoma made for a smoky commute for drivers on I-5 Wednesday morning. The fire broke out at the U.S. Oil & Refining Company facility around 7:30 a.m., sending black smoke into the air that could be seen for miles. The Tacoma Fire Department said crude oil was burning inside the stack. Firefighters cut off the flow off the crude oil; it took about 45 minutes for the crude oil to burn out. Glenn Farley and Liza Javier report. (KING)

Northern Gateway pipeline loses ally in Alberta election upset
The relationship between Alberta’s NDP premier-designate, Rachel Notley, and B.C. Premier Christy Clark may turn on energy, a critical file that affects finances, environmental protection and the future of pipelines in both provinces. Clark said she looks forward to working productively with Notley, who struck a bridge-building tone during the extraordinary Alberta election that wiped out a Conservative empire. But environmentalists and other critics who had hoped an NDP win in Alberta would put an end to new pipelines may be disappointed, as Notley has expressed tentative support for some projects, such as Kinder Morgan and Energy East. Lori Culbert, Rob Shaw and Tiffany Crawford report. (Vancouver Sun)

Vancouver rally hears of dangers of closing federal marine traffic centres
The closing of three of five federal centres responsible for directing commercial marine traffic on the West Coast, including one in Vancouver, will make it more difficult to respond to disasters, those opposed to the closures told a rally on Wednesday. "Without a monitoring station in Canada's busiest port, our ability to respond to future oil spills become that much more difficult," said Gerry Diaz, president of the large, recently consolidated union called Unifor. He said Ottawa's move to consolidate its Marine Communications and Traffic Services centres means "tens and tens of thousands of British Columbians" who live along the coast could be endangered. Susan Lazaruk reports. (Vancouver Sun)

520 bridge work adds trees but cuts open space for shorebirds
Bird fanciers along Lake Washington say the Highway 520 project will force out the area’s tiny migrating shorebirds by planting trees as environmental “mitigation” — providing hiding places for predators. Mike Lindblom reports. (Seattle Times)

Sea lice infestation could kill up to ‘millions’ of wild salmon
Independent researcher Alexandra Morton claims a sea-lice infestation in the Broughton Archipelago will kill “hundreds of thousands if not millions” of wild salmon this spring. And the controversial biologist, who in 2001 sounded the alarm about sea-lice infestations on the B.C. coast, is once again blaming fish farms for the outbreak, saying densely packed farm pens serve as reservoirs for the lice, which drift with the tide, infecting passing wild salmon. The BC Salmon Farmers Association says the charge is without scientific merit, because there has been no outbreak of lice in farms and when lice are detected, fish are promptly treated with SLICE, a pesticide that is 95 per cent effective. Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

Surfing Puget Sound
Surfing isn't really supposed to exist here. But that hasn't stopped some Seattle surfers from figuring out how to hang ten in a most unusual way. "A lot of people don't believe us," said instructor Rob Casey, the owner of Salmon Bay Paddle in Ballard. Jim Dever believes. And, responding to a DareDever dare from Casey, he's suiting-up to join an exclusive group of Puget Sound surfers. For ride-worthy swells on the inland sea, Mother Nature needs a little help from the shipping industry. Casey and his friends have figured out the best times and places to drop in and hitch a ride with their standup paddleboards on the wakes left behind by fast-moving freighters and tugboats. Jim Dever reports. (KING) See also: Tug Wake Surfing on the Puget Sound  Rob Casey reports. (Canoe & Kayak)

Geese cull proposed in Central Saanich over destroyed crops
A geese cull is being proposed in the District of Central Saanich in B.C. as farmers become more and more aggravated by birds feasting on their crops. Long-time farmer Bryce Rashleigh says many crops have begun sprouting, but flocks of nesting Canada geese are scooping them up before farmers can get to them. Having thousands of dollars worth of crops being destroyed by geese isn't something new in Central Saanich, and efforts like egg addling and cannons have had some success. However, the problem persists, and a cull may be necessary, said Rashleigh. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU MAY 7 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT
 8 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.

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5/6 Shellfish closures, biz climate, Vic sewer, dog poop, NW drought, Polly spill, free Lolita

Elwha roll on, 5/2/15 (Tom Roorda & CWI)

Bacteria force state officials to restrict shellfish in 3 commercial areas
State health officials are restricting shellfish harvesting in sections of three commercial growing areas due to high levels of bacteria. The state Department of Health announced the restrictions on Tuesday for Hood Canal 6, Pickering Passage and Vaughn Bay. Officials also said another 17 areas are considered “threatened” due to declining water quality. The announcement came after the agency conducted its annual evaluation of the state’s 102 commercial shellfish growing areas. (Associated Press)

Big business gets behind combating climate change
Big business is gradually advocating for action on climate change, as it becomes clearer to executives that a warmer planet will adversely impact them. That was the message from Mindy Lubber, keynote speaker for the annual Climate Solutions breakfast Monday…. Lubber is president of CERES, a Boston organization that works with companies in investing in efforts to counter climate change. Steve Wilhelm reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Potential west-side sewage-treatment sites identified
At least 20 potential sewage-treatment sites in the West Shore communities of Colwood, Langford, View Royal and Esquimalt have been identified. Compiled by the Westside Solutions technical committee, the sites were selected based on their size and proximity to trunk lines, potential outfalls, neighbourhoods and developments that could take advantage of resource-recovery opportunities. The next step will be to determine which sites are truly feasible through a series of public roundtables today, May 9 and May 13, said Esquimalt Mayor and Westside Solutions co-chair Barb Desjardins. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Burnaby apartment tenants ordered to submit dog poop to management
A landlord at a Burnaby apartment complex is demanding tenants submit samples of their dogs’ feces in order to catch the canine that made a mess in the building’s stairwell. A memo delivered to dog owners at Waldorf  Manor Apartments (7466 14 Avenue, Burnaby) stated that since an unknown tenant had “let his dog poop on the stairs, twice, and did not have the decency to clean after his dog” management needed to collect samples of feces from all the dogs in the complex so they could be analyzed in a lab and compared with the offending feces found on the stairs. “The technology exists and the dog can be identified,” the memo said. A plastic baggy was included with the order. Failure to provide a poop sample, the memo said, would be viewed by management as an “admission of guilt, and reason for immediate eviction.” Waldorf residents intend to fight the order. Scott Brown reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Deepening Northwest Drought Poses Challenges For Farmers
A drive across the Northwest quickly reveals things look really dry everywhere.  In Oregon’s dramatic Gorge, the normally spring-green cheatgrass has already cured to a rusty hue. On Washington’s White Pass there are just traces of snow clinging under the shade. In Idaho, vast forests are drying out quickly from lack of snow. And the consequences could be severe in Washington’s Yakima Valley. The Yakima Valley is one of the entire Northwest’s highest-value agricultural zones. Think sweet cherries, apples, mint and wine grapes. But many of those crops' farmers will have a hard time getting the water they need this summer. Anna King reports. (KUOW)

Mount Polley spill shows increase in temperature, sediment levels: UNBC report
A study on the impacts of a tailings pond spill at the Mount Polley mine last summer shows a number of changes to the Quesnel Lake ecosystem, but researchers say it's still too early to determine the long term impacts on fish and drinking water. The report, authored by five researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia, documented the findings of samples taken in the two months immediately following the spill, between Aug 4 and Oct 4, 2014. It found the levels of the lake rose 7.7 centimetres in that time, and the temperature at the bottom of the lake increased from 1 to 2.5 degrees Celsius. It also found higher levels of sediment — associated with an increase in turbidity in the lake. (CBC)

Advocates Will Hold Protest In Support Of Lolita At Miami Seaquarium This Saturday
If the name Palace Entertainment doesn't ring a bell, it should soon. They're getting plenty of attention, and not the kind anyone wants. Last year, the company purchased the Miami Seaquarium, and with it, a killer whale named Lolita, which means they've become a major target for animal activists…. The newest effort to draw attention to her plight is a series of protests starting this Saturday, May 9, at all Palace Entertainment locations nationwide — including the Miami Seaquarium. Dubbed the Shut Down Palace Campaign, this effort is being spearheaded by advocates Wendy King and Robin Jewell Roberts (Miracle March to Protect the Captive founder and President). Roberts led a massive Seaquarium protest this January that earned international media attention. Hannah Sentenac reports. (Miami New Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-230 AM PDT WED MAY 6 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
 TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 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

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told