11/28 Ocean acid, Trans Mountain pipe, Gateway coal, train tracks, stormwater, snowy owls

New blog: "First of all, the standoff between my granddaughter and the turkey was called a draw before Thanksgiving Day...." Some Things Settled: Thanksgiving Turkey, Black Friday  

To combat ocean acidification in Washington, the state needs to better track the changing chemistry of Puget Sound, reduce stormwater runoff and nutrient pollution that worsen the problem, and counteract souring waters by sprinkling shells in estuaries or growing more carbon-gobbling vegetation. But above all, the state must advocate for regional, national and international policies to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, according to authors of a first-of-its-kind report released Tuesday about the changing chemistry of Washington's marine waters. The group of policymakers and scientists appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire made dozens of recommendations for tackling the rising acidity in Northwest marine waters, which already has upended the West Coast's multimillion-dollar shellfish industry and threatens to wreak havoc on the region's marine food web if chemical changes continue unabated. Craig Welch reports. State panel calls for stronger action to combat ocean acidification See also: Governor calls for action to fight acidification, help shellfish industry  

A National Energy Board report reveals that Trans Mountain Pipeline operators ignored warning alarms for three-and-a-half hours before responding to a gasket failure that resulted in a crude oil spill last January at its Sumas tank farm near Abbotsford. It took six hours after the first warning sounded for Trans Mountain’s Sumas operator to arrive on the scene, where a spill was discovered. The crude oil did not escape from a containment area but noxious fumes were released into the atmosphere, affecting nearby residents. This latest oil spill report comes at a time when pipeline owner Kinder Morgan is applying to expand the pipeline’s capacity from 300,000 barrels a year to 750,000 barrels to feed Asian markets. It has given the company a black eye, said Ben West, of the Wilderness Committee. Trans Mountain Pipeline operators ignored alarms warning of Abbotsford oil spill: report  

Backers of the Gateway Pacific Terminal project brought a stack of about 10,000 petition signatures to the office of Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws Tuesday, Nov. 27, in an attempt to show broad public support for the coal export pier proposed at Cherry Point. Ken Oplinger, president of the Bellingham-Whatcom Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Gateway Pacific's opponents have prejudged the project's environmental impact before all the facts are in. John Stark reports. Coal terminal backers bring petitions to County Courthouse

Some measures to prevent mudslides along railroad tracks between Everett and Seattle have been taken and more are in the works, but they won't be enough to fix the drainage problems on the corridor, according to state officials. The hillsides along the tracks between Everett and Seattle are the worst slide area for trains in Western Washington, said David Smelser, a high-speed rail program manager for the state Department of Transportation. The problem, he said, isn't just the slopes -- it's the runoff from developed areas above the slopes along the route. Bill Sheets reports. No lasting fix likely for slides along railroad

Last week's heavy rainfall reminded a Poulsbo couple of what they see as an inadequate sewage system. Phil and Andrea Holt's house on Ninth Avenue flooded Nov. 19 when rainwater overwhelmed an 18-inch sewer pipe, causing a nearby manhole to malfunction and dump sewage into the couple's basement. Damaged insulation, walls and carpet alongside broken antiques and ruined family photos were among the many items lost as roughly 10 inches of sewage gushed in through a broken window. Amy Phan reports. Bad memories come flooding back with sewage spill during heavy rains   And, in unincorporated Kitsap County: Stormwater fees will increase over five years  

The city of Port Angeles could have to shell out between $57.5 million and $65.2 million over the next 20 years to deal with five environmental projects involving the state Department of Ecology. The projects, all but one of which Ecology is requiring of the city, range in estimated cost to the city from about $500,000 to $42 million. Officials expect the city’s total liability for these projects over the next 20 years to be between $57.5 million and $65.2 million. Jeremy Schwartz reports. Port Angeles faces bill of up to $65 million for state environmental mandates

Half-starved snowy owls are flying 1,500 kilometres or more to Vancouver Island in search of food, says the founder of an avian rescue group in Courtenay. "They're all starving," said Maj Birch, who founded Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society in 1995. "By the time they get down here, they're usually very thin. Starving snowy owls face new threat, desperate search for food on Vancouver Island

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED NOV 28 2012
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING
TODAY
E WIND 25 TO 35 KT...RISING TO 30 TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 5 TO 8 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 12 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
E WIND 20 TO 30 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. SW SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN.

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