12/11 Coal export, ship risks, salmon grants, Woodard Bay, pocket gopher, Senate power

Child coal miners-1908 (Wikimedia Commons)

New blog: "Those planning to give verbal comments at Thursday’s public meeting in Seattle on the coal export facility proposed for the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve will get to see a whole different way used to allot the opportunities to speak." When You Go To Seattle, Wear Coal Dust In Your Hair

Climate change from coal-burning emissions should be listed as a concern in a city letter to regulatory agencies reviewing the Gateway Pacific Terminal coal export pier, (Bellingham) City Council members said at their Monday, Dec. 10, meeting. Jack Weiss noted that the city has developed its own climate change action plan to decrease the city's greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. Weiss said it seemed appropriate to mention city concerns about the issue, since any increase in Chinese coal burning caused by Gateway Pacific exports could cancel out the city's efforts. John Stark reports. City Council wants to list climate change as coal port concern

Like many other cities, Seattle, Edmonds and Marysville are alarmed at the prospect of massive coal trains and their effects on communities. Compounding it all, tracks are already reaching capacity or nearing it. Mayors and city officials are scrambling to find ways to deal with an onslaught of new freight-rail traffic in Washington, with new projects seemingly coming online daily. Some of their frustrations are finding voice in public meetings to determine the scope of environmental review of the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point north of Bellingham. Floyd McKay reports. Coal train impacts feared along the Sound

A bulk carrier with a cracked hull provided the backdrop for a rally in Prince Rupert as protesters tried to draw attention to shipping risks associated with the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project. Gillian Glover, a Transport Canada spokeswoman, said on Monday that the Italian registered bulk carrier Giuseppe Lembo had a 1.5-metre crack in its hull just above the waterline when it reached port on Friday. The shipping accident was the third incident in as many weeks involving deep sea freighters on the West Coast. One ship ran aground outside Prince Rupert harbour in late November, and last week, a freighter sliced through a coal conveyor belt at Westshore Terminals in Metro Vancouver. Mark Hume reports. Anti-Gateway rally shines light on marine mishaps

More than $550,000 has been set aside to purchase and conserve lands within the estuaries of the Big Quilcene, Dosewallips and Duckabush rivers, all in Hood Canal. The Hood Canal grants were endorsed by the state's Salmon Recovery Funding Board, which approved $19.2 million for salmon projects throughout the state. Chris Dunagan reports. Salmon grants will help Hood Canal estuaries

The Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area is starting to shape up as the place envisioned some 25 years ago. It’s been that long since the Legislature designated the old Weyerhaeuser log dump at the nexus of Woodard and Chapman bays one of the first such conservation areas in the state, a place where people play second fiddle to the needs of fish and wildlife. One of the last major habitat-restoration projects in a series of several at the 800-acre site is well under way. Once the Weyerhaeuser footprint is all but removed, DNR will turn its attention to making the shoreline more accessible to the public. “This is a great place for people to get an emotional connection to Puget Sound,” said Naki Stevens, a DNR policy adviser who specializes in Puget Sound cleanup and protection. John Dodge reports. Agencies make progress on clearing conservation area

The Northwest may have another species listed as endangered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday (Monday) proposed listing the Mazama pocket gopher as threatened in the South Puget Sound region of western Washington. This is the third time this fall the government has moved to protect a critter that depends on dwindling Northwest prairies or coastal grasslands. Tom Banse reports. Feds Propose New Endangered Species Listing in Northwest

Minority Republicans and two Democratic allies grabbed the steering wheel of the state Senate on Monday, announcing a power-sharing arrangement that would put members of their new coalition in the top leadership positions. Brad Shannon and Jordan Schrader report. Pair of Dems join Republicans to seize control of state Senate

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE DEC 11 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
S WIND 20 TO 30 KT...BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 15 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
NW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 14 SECONDS... BUILDING TO 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE EVENING... THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
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