4/4 Creeping jenny, tidal power projects, dead beavers, island marble butterfly, clearcuts, BC energy supply, Kitimat LNG, emerging issues papers, first 100 days, week in review

 

Creeping jenny

Creeping jenny
Lysimachia nummularia is a species of flowering plant in the primrose family Primulaceae. Its common names include moneywort, creeping jenny, herb twopence and twopenny grass.

Today's top story in Salish Current: New La Conner paper emerges after long-time weekly shutters

WA pulls funding for Puget Sound tidal energy project
The state Commerce Department cancelled a $1.37 million grant awarded to California company Aquantis which proposed to test a tidal turbine in Skagit Bay this spring. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

Rosario Strait tidal power pilot project
OPALCO (Orcas Power and Light Company) has filed a Draft License Application with the Federal Regulatory Commission for a 10-year pilot project license for OPALCO’s proposed Rosario Strait Tidal Energy Project. (OPALCO)

WA researchers awaiting test results for mysterious deaths of beavers along Salish Sea
Experts with The Whale Museum, located in Friday Harbor, are currently waiting for test results on what killed the beavers. Researchers said their team isn’t sure if the creatures died from toxins, disease, human influence, or climate-related stress. Franque Thompson reports. (Fox 13)

State proposes listing island marble butterfly as endangered
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced last week it is proposing to classify a local San Juan Islands butterfly as an endangered species within the state. The island marble butterfly is a medium-sized green, yellow and white butterfly. It lives now in a small area of southern San Juan Island. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Clearcuts Came. The Martens and Lynx Left
The tree plantations replacing primary forests don’t support fur-bearing species, says this trapper. Ben Parfitt reports. (The Tyee)

Megaprojects could eat up B.C.’s electricity supply. Here’s what you need to know
One LNG project alone is requesting more than half the amount of electricity B.C.’s Site C dam will produce — and other key takeaways from government documents obtained by The Narwhal. Shannon Waters reports. (The Narwhal)

First LNG carrier arrives in Kitimat, B.C., as $40B liquefied natural gas plant prepares to start
LNG Canada is 'largest single private sector investment' in Canadian history, government says. Andrew Kurjata reports. (CBC)

WWU's Salish Sea Institute publishes two new papers as part of its 'Emerging Issues' series
WWU's Salish Sea Institute recently published papers on "Climate Change in the Salish Sea Region: Historical and Projected Future Trends in Temperature and Precipitation" and "Centering Community Values in Marine Planning." (WWU News)

The First 100 Days

• States ordered by U.S. Education Department to certify school DEI ban or lose funds (News From The States)
  
• U.S. Senate confirms Dr. Oz to lead Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (News From The States)
  
• The head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command is ousted. (NY Times)
  
• On top of layoffs, HHS ordered to cut 35% of spending on contracts (NPR)
  

Salish Sea News Week in Review 4/4/25: MLK Memorial Day, wildfire plans, culvert removal, flood prevention, EPA museum, consumer carbon tax, pipeline exemptions, Iona Is wastewater, sea stars saved.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  306 AM PDT Fri Apr 4 2025    
TODAY  E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 2 ft or less. Wave  Detail: W 2 ft at 7 seconds.  
TONIGHT  E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 2 ft or less. Wave  Detail: E 2 ft at 5 seconds.  
SAT  SE wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft  at 6 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: SE  2 ft at 6 seconds and W 5 ft at 15 seconds. Rain likely after  midnight.  
SUN  SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: W 7 ft at  17 seconds. Rain.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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4/3 Yellow tang, ICE arrests, sea stars, BC credit, tariffs, 'Big Red,' tidal beavers, first 100 days

Yellow tang

Yellow tang Zebrasoma flavescens
The yellow tang, also known as the lemon sailfin, yellow sailfin tang or somber surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: YWCA opens new shelter for women and children in Bellingham

ICE arrests 37 in workplace raid at Bellingham roofing company
In an early morning raid Wednesday at Mt. Baker Roofing Company in Bellingham, immigration officials confirm they arrested 37 people who fraudulently represented their immigration status. Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez reports. (KUOW)

These sea stars were nearly wiped out — but B.C. researchers say fiords provided refuge
Researchers say sea star wasting disease, whose exact cause is unknown, may be affected by water temperatures. Akshay Kulkarni reports. (CBC)

Double blow as S&P and Moody's downgrade B.C.'s credit rating again, citing deficit
S&P Global Ratings cut the province's long-term issuer credit rating to A+ from AA-, while Moody's Ratings has downgraded its key baseline assessment to aa2 from aa1. (Canadian Press)

Trump's tariffs didn't hit B.C. as hard as feared — but add to air of uncertainty
B.C. escaped the brunt of the tariff broadside announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, but businesses say the ongoing uncertainty of the U.S.-Canada trade war is taking its toll... Abbotsford is the B.C. metropolitan area that's set to be most affected by U.S. tariffs, according to a recent Canadian Chamber of Commerce report. Akshay Kulkarni reports. (CBC)

A century-old tree called 'Big Red' comes down in Edmonds
On the day the chainsaws were scheduled to start, neighbors and tree advocates held hands, encircling the California coastal redwood's massive trunk. It took some time, but Edmonds police eventually coaxed them to the side. Joshua McNichols reports. (KUOW)

The secret legacy of tidal beavers
Beavers are typically associated with freshwater environments, but scientists have learned that they also survive and thrive in the shoreline marshes of the Salish Sea. New research is shedding light on the vital connection between tidal beavers and salmon. Bob Friel reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

Environmental groups notch major legal win in Southern Oregon to protect old-growth forests
A number of conservation groups sued the federal Bureau of Land Management two years ago over a new vegetation management plan covering southwest Oregon, called the Integrated Vegetation Management Plan. They argued the plan illegally authorized the logging of old-growth forests. n a ruling Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken in Medford agreed with a previous ruling from a year ago that BLM had failed to adhere to its own resource management plan. Roman Battaglia reports. (Jefferson Public Radio)

The First 100 Days

• Trump Administration Threatens to Withhold Funds From Public Schools (NY Times)
  
• Senate Republicans vote to halt tariffs on Canadian imports (Associated Press)
  
• Trump Administration Demands Additional Cuts at C.D.C. (NY Times)
• Musk’s Task Force Begins Shutting Down Foreign Policy Research Center  (NY Times)
  
• Entire Staff Is Fired at Office That Helps Poorer Americans Pay for Heating (NY Times)
  

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  228 AM PDT Thu Apr 3 2025    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, veering to NW this afternoon. Seas  around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 8 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt, easing to around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 8 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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4/2 Plumeria, health programs, Head Start, carbon tax cut, Amtrak back, pipeline rules, Iona Is wastewater, Tulip Festival, first 100 days

 

Plumeria

Plumeria
Plumeria, also known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. The genus Plumeria is named in honour of 17th-century French botanist and Catholic monk Charles Plumier, who traveled to the New World documenting many plant and animal species. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Under new management: our forests  / The plastic problem is bad; its health effects are worse

These WA health programs and jobs just got cut by the feds
Following the Department of Health and Human Services’ abrupt cancellation of more than $12 billion in federal grants last week, leaders at the Washington state health department have confirmed what work will likely end. The cuts total between $130 and $140 million. Elise Takahama reports. (Seattle Times)

WA Head Start staff locked out and let go due to Trump cuts
The Seattle Office of Head Start has been closed and all employees there have been placed on leave and notified they’ll be terminated, part of a massive wave of layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Seattle is home to the Region 10 Office of Head Start, which oversees the preschool program in Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Oregon. Claire Withycombe reports. (Seattle Times)

What cutting the consumer carbon tax means for Canada's emissions
The federal government has ended its carbon pricing for consumers, and that's expected to lead to savings at the gas pump. But what did the carbon tax and rebate actually do for the climate? And now that it's gone, what impact will that have on emissions? Emily Chung reports. (CBC)

Amtrak Cascades begins restoring canceled service
Amtrak is moving train cars to the Northwest from other parts of the country to swap in for 26 cars abruptly pulled from service in late March due to corrosion problems. With the arrival of the additional cars, two trains between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, — trains No. 516 and No. 519 — resumed service Tuesday. (Washington State Standard )

Southbound border crossings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland see sharp drop in 2025
Data shows nearly 43 per cent drop in vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south in March. Akshay Kulkarni reports. (CBC)

B.C. quietly allowed an oil and gas giant to sidestep rules for more than 4,300 pipelines
B.C.’s energy regulator has the power to grant exemptions — without notifying the public. Experts are raising the alarm about the process, saying the regulator is playing soft with fossil fuel companies that break rules. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Canada and B.C. finalize agreement to fund Metro Vancouver Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant
The governments of Canada and British Columbia have finalized an agreement for the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF), providing CAD 250 million (about USD 173 million) in federal funding over five years for the first phase of the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade. The funding represents a crucial step toward transforming the 1963-era facility into a state-of-the-art plant capable of serving a growing population — projected to reach 950,000 by 2051 — and meeting modern wastewater treatment standards. (Smart Water Magazine)

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival opens
The 2025 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival opened Tuesday. Ava Ronning reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

The First 100 Days

• HHS layoffs hit Meals on Wheels and other services for seniors and disabled (NPR)
  
• Head Start office closures, HHS layoffs worry preschool leaders (Associated Press)
  
• White House studying cost of Greenland takeover, long in Trump’s sights (Washington Post)
  

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  515 AM PDT Wed Apr 2 2025    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft  at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 8 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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4/1 Goldfinch, culverts, Wild in Seattle, BC flooding, dead dolphins, EPA museum, library agency, BC Ferries, trans flag, WA trans athletes, ants and plants, first 100 days

 

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
Goldfinches are usually easy to find throughout much of North America, except in deep forests. Their po-ta-to-chip flight call is draws attention to them in open country. They’re most abundant in areas with thistle plants, and near feeders. Goldfinch are the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa, and Washington, and often flock with Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls. (All About Birds)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Eminent climate scientist named director of Whale Museum /  A tribute to Ralph Munro, an exemplar of public service

New $5B plan to fund culvert removals unveiled by WA senators
Washington state senators revealed a proposal Monday to raise billions of dollars to pay for the court-ordered removal of culverts blocking the migration of salmon and other fish. The plan included in the Senate’s capital budget would bond up to $5 billion over the next 15 years and repay the debt with revenue from an existing tax on electrical utilities. Jake Goldstein-Street reports. (Washington State Standard)  WA lawmakers’ capital budgets boost housing, school & environment The capital budget proposals released Monday by the House and Senate each allocate about $7 billion in funding. Laura Demkovich reports. (CascadePBS)

Wild in Seattle
David Williams' new book, "Wild in Seattle: Stories at the Crossroads of People and Nature" brings together 48 of his 'Street Smart Naturalist' newsletters focused on the geology, flora, and fauna of Seattle and surroundings. In addition, they are paired with wonderful and whimsical watercolor images by Elizabeth Person. Information.

Lower Mainland flood prevention work must wait, province admits
Three years after one of the costliest disasters in Canadian history, the provincial government now says it doesn’t have the money to fully fund critical flood-prevention work in the Lower Mainland. Tyler Olsen reports. (Fraser Valley Current)

Why Are Dolphins and Sea Lions Washing Up Dead on Southern California Beaches?
In recent weeks, hundreds of sea lions, dolphins and other animals have turned up in the sand dead or seriously ill, alarming rescuers and beachgoers alike. Orlando Mayorquín reports. (NY Times)

Lee Zeldin, E.P.A. Head, Shuts National Environmental Museum
The exhibits were dedicated to the agency’s history. Mr. Zeldin said closing the collection would save $600,000 annually. Lisa Friedman reports. (NY Times)

Entire staff at federal agency that funds libraries and museums put on leave
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has placed its entire staff on administrative leave. The IMLS is a relatively small federal agency, with around 70 employees, that awards grant funding to museums and libraries across the country.  Andrew Limbong reports. (NPR)

Four new major ships green-lit for B.C. Ferries
Commissioner Eva Hage says the four vessels were in the public interest, but the fifth — intended to serve as a relief ship — was not essential in the first phase. Andrew A. Duffy reports. (Times Colonist)

‘We affirm you.’ Transgender pride flag flies over Tacoma Dome for first time
In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, for the first time a blue, pink and white trans pride flag was flown over the Tacoma Dome on Monday. Similar flags were raised above the Tacoma Municipal Building, Tacoma Police Department headquarters and the Tacoma Fire Department, according to the city. Becca Most reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Proposal to limit transgender athletes' participation in sports blocked in Washington state
Washington state’s governing body for middle and high school athletics has determined that its proposed rule changes for transgender student athletes would violate state law. Sean Bessette, director of communications for WIAA, said Monday that a “legal review” has found the proposed rule changes conflict with state law — and unless the law changes, they can’t be implemented. Sami West reports. (KUOW)

As the Forest Fries, Brazil’s Formidable Formicidae May Falter
An age-old relationship between ants and plants may unravel in a warming world. Jason Bittel reports. (bioGraphic)

The First 100 Days

• DOGE Accesses Federal Payroll System Over Objections of Career Staff (NY Times)
  
• Trump White House abruptly fires career Justice Department prosecutors (AP News)
  
• Trump Takes Aim at Smithsonian, Wading Into Race and Biology (NY Times)
  
• Mass Layoffs of Federal Health Workers Begin (NY Times)
  
• Supreme Court to weigh whether states can stop Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood  (Associated Press)
  

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  221 AM PDT Tue Apr 1 2025    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to  5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 5 seconds and SW 3 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  5 ft at 9 seconds and SW 2 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of showers  after midnight.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/31 Forsythia, weather service, health cuts, gas tax, Tesla protests, WA wildfire season, Skagit Queer, first 100 days

 

Forsythia

Forsythia
Forsythia is a genus of flowering plants in the olive family Oleaceae. There are about 11 species, mostly native to eastern Asia, but one native to southeastern Europe. Forsythia – also one of the plant's common names – is named after the botanist William Forsyth. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Corrosion problem knocks most Amtrak Cascades trains out of service

More cuts coming to the National Weather Service
Weather balloon flights—and the forecasts they inform—would become less frequent nationwide under a plan revealed internally on Thursday. (John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Vaccine clinics canceled, health jobs cut as feds rescind grants to WA
Federal cuts are beginning to be felt in Washington state clinics, hospitals and public health departments. The Centers for Disease Control immediately ended $130 million “pandemic-related” grants this week, terminating jobs for over 200 employees at the state Department of Health, and potentially more at local health authorities, tribal clinics and community organizations. Scott Greenstone reports. (KUOW)

WA state Senate OKs gas tax hike and budget built on billions of new taxes
Senators want to raise the tax 6 cents per gallon. The House has a 9-cent tax that could be voted on this week. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)

Growing Tesla protests put pressure on Musk at showrooms in Seattle, U.S.
Protesters gathered at Tesla dealerships throughout Washington and dozens of other locations across the U.S. on Saturday in a coordinated protest against CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in the federal government. At the Tesla showroom in Seattle’s University Village, hundreds of people were chanting shortly after 10 a.m. Police had blocked vehicle traffic near the showroom, which is in the popular outdoor shopping mall.  Caitlyn Freeman reports. (Seattle Times)

Budget woes, federal cuts puts WA plans at risk as wildfire season nears
Budget woes, combined with cuts to the federal wildfire-fighting workforce and President Donald Trump’s tariff and sovereignty threats against Canada, have made it more difficult for state officials to plan for the upcoming wildfire season. In Washington, a $12 billion budget shortfall prompted majority Democrats in the Legislature last week to propose slicing spending on wildfire prevention and fighting by one-third to two-thirds.  Martha Bellisle reports. (Associated Press)

Skagit Queer holds human rights protest in Mount Vernon
Rainbow flags and signs in support of LGBTQ+ rights were on display Saturday during Skagit Queer's human rights protest in front of the Skagit County Courthouse. Cameron Martinez reports (Skagit Valley Herald)


The First 100 Days

• As Trump Tariffs Loom, White House Eyes Costly Farmer Bailouts (NY Times)
  
• Musk hands out $1M payments after Wisconsin court declines to stop him (Associated Press)
  
• Trump says he’s considering ways to serve a third term as president (Associated Press)
  
• RFK Jr. forces out Peter Marks, FDA’s top vaccine scientist (Washington Post)
  
• Trump says military force not off the table for Greenland after Danish FM scolds his administration (Associated Press)
  
• Trump's FCC commissioner opens investigation into Walt Disney Co. and ABC for diversity policies (Associated Press)
  
• Trump says he won’t ‘fire people’ over Signal messages, reiterates support of national security team  (Associated Press)
  
• DOGE fires nearly all of staff at U.S. Institute of Peace headquarters  (Washington Post)
  

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  215 AM PDT Mon Mar 31 2025    
TODAY  SE wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt late this  morning and early afternoon, veering to S late. Seas 3 to 4 ft.  Wave Detail: SE 2 ft at 3 seconds and W 2 ft at 9 seconds. A  chance of showers.  TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft  at 8 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/28 Grass spider, toxic tire dust, Great Bear MPA, McBarge sinks, coyote, first 100 days, week in review

 

Grass spider

Grass spider Agelenidae
The funnel-weavers, house spiders, and grass spiders represent one of the most common spider families encountered in the Pacific Northwest. Perhaps the easiest recognizable
features of this family are the sheet-like webs they spin with a landing in the front and a conspicuous funnel-shaped entrance in the back.. The spider often hides in the funnel
until an insect lands or crawls over the non-sticky sheet-like web. (WSU)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Community stands in solidarity with immigration advocate detained by ICE

Scientists discover ‘potential breakthrough’ in protecting salmon from urban killer
For decades, toxic tire dust has choked coho salmon before they can spawn in their natal streams...Preliminary results from a recently completed study show certain soil mixes can effectively filter a toxic chemical out of stormwater, boosting coho salmon’s survival rates significantly. The key may be in special soil mixes containing sand, coconut fiber and biochar, a charcoal-like organic fertilizer, King County scientists said this week. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

BC Conservative Candidate Targets Great Bear Marine Protection Plan
North Island-Powell River Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn has proposed killing plans for a network of Indigenous-led marine protected areas on the West Coast. Advocates say Indigenous protected areas will increase economic opportunities. Rochelle Baker reports. (The Tyee)

Transport Canada called in as McBarge quietly sinks into Fraser River
The end is near for McDonald's Expo 86 floating restaurant that never quite found a home after global event. David Carrigg reports. (Vancouver Sun)

The Coyote Next Door
What urban wildlife can teach us about cognition, survival, and how to be good neighbors. Betsy Mason reports. (bioGraphic)

The First 100 Days

• Trump executive order on Smithsonian targets funding for programs with ‘improper ideology’ (Associated Press)
  
• Internal White House document details layoff plans across U.S. agencies (Washington Post)
  
• Trump signs executive order to end collective bargaining at agencies involved with national security (Associated Press)
  
• Trump officials working to strip FEMA’s role in disaster recovery by Oct. 1 (Washington Post)
  

Salish Sea News Week in Review 3/28/25: Piano Day, WA natural gas, mineral mining, David Suzuki, kids climate suit, metal mining, Growlers, pink salmon, BC consumer carbon tax, BC hydrogen, Columbia R treaty, Fraser geese.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  234 AM PDT Fri Mar 28 2025    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT    
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to 10 to 15 kt late this  morning and afternoon. Seas 8 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft at 4  seconds and W 2 ft at 11 seconds. Showers. Patchy fog late.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: SE  2 ft at 3 seconds and W 3 ft at 11 seconds. Showers.  
SAT  S wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: SE 2 ft at  3 seconds and W 4 ft at 10 seconds. Showers.  
SAT NIGHT  SW wind around 5 kt, backing to E after midnight.  Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening.  
SUN  E wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft at

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/27 Grasshopper, missing hooligans,BC hydrogen, forest protection, BC flood strategy, Columbia R treaty, dissolved oxygen, fed health funding, lithium mining, goose problem, right whale, first 100 days

 

Grasshopper

Grasshopper
Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are amongst what are possibly the most ancient living groups of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Islanders hone emergency strategy after earthquake

The case of the missing hooligans: a Cowlitz River mystery
Thousands of Northwesterners were disappointed when they failed to meet up with some hooligans in March...They’re a species of fish with many names, including hooligan, oolichan, eulachon, savior fish, salvation fish, candlefish, Columbia River smelt, and Thaleichthys pacificus. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Documents suggest B.C.'s hydrogen plans under threat as uncertainty halts 'large-scale' projects
Documents released through a freedom of information request reveal that B.C.'s former energy minister was told last September that at least seven "large-scale hydrogen projects" were being cancelled or paused because of issues including electricity supply, high cost and transportation.  Jason Proctor reports. (CBC)

Activists answer call to protect forests
For some people, the auctioning of a timber parcel might seem like the end of the road: no refunds, no returns, no exchanges. Not so for local environmental activists, however, whose cries to save the trees echo well past a parcel’s sale. Emma Maple reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

BC Flood Strategy advisor 'unimpressed' by lack of funding to reduce risk
Sto:lo Tribal Council President Tyrone McNeil says he and his colleagues have seen “little to no” action on BC’s new flood strategy. Tyler Olsen reports. (Fraser Valley Current)

Trump tariffs, ‘attacks’ over water complicate Columbia River Treaty negotiations
Attacks by President Donald Trump on Canada’s water and sovereignty, and a full-on trade war, have not only upended relations between the countries but have also threatened negotiations over a crucial treaty that governs use of the Columbia River. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

'Natural conditions' are at the center of disputes over dissolved oxygen standards
Oxygen is indisputably essential to aquatic life, but conflicts are brewing over water quality standards mandated in state regulations. This article is part of a series of reports funded by King County about the quest to define healthy oxygen levels in Puget Sound. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

WA is losing $160M in federal health funding. Here’s what to know
Washington state is losing more than $160 million in federal funding designated for public health, mental health and substance use treatment as the Trump administration slashes federal agencies’ budgets. The state Department of Health was notified Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was immediately terminating multiple pandemic-related grants, totaling at least $130 million. Taylor Blatchford reports. (Seattle Times) 

BLM rushes review of Oregon lithium mine following Trump’s executive order
A proposed Southeast Oregon lithium project has been under review for three years. Now the Trump administration is giving people until Sunday to comment before proceeding. April Errlich report. (OPB)

The Fraser Valley's supersized goose problem
As communities spend money to addle goose eggs, they're paying the price for a previous breeding experiment gone wrong. Grace Giesbrecht reports. (Fraser Valley Current)

To Discover the World’s First Intersex Southern Right Whale, the Third Test Was the Charm
What you think you know about the world depends on how you’re looking. In 2022, Carla Crossman was analyzing the genes of southern right whales when she came across something unexpected. Vanessa Minke-Martin reports. (bioGraphic)

The First 100 Days

• President Trump announces 25% tariffs on auto imports (Associated Press)
  
• DOGE staffer 'Big Balls' provided tech support to cybercrime ring, records show (Reuters)
  
• H.H.S. Scraps Studies of Vaccines and Treatments for Future Pandemics (NY Times)
  
• Trump Administration Abruptly Cuts Billions From State Health Services (NY Times)
  
• 10,000 Federal Health Dept. Workers to Be Laid Off (NY Times)
  

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  240 AM PDT Thu Mar 27 2025   TODAY  SE wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft  at 4 seconds and W 3 ft at 11 seconds. Rain.  
TONIGHT  E wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Rain.

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