12/17 Flood watch, soot, coal comments, Enbridge, BC gas, stormwater, Is. Co. CAO suit, Kimberly-Clark, Peninsula grants

December Lights (Laurie MacBride)

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "The rain is pounding down as I write, and the shortest day of the year is coming this Friday – not to mention, the end of the world, if you’re a believer in the purported ancient Mayan prediction. (I’m not!) So I figure we can all use a bit of extra light to help lift our spirits through these dark days..." Through a Glass Brightly

Salish Sea Communications blog: "I don’t know how many of you said a prayer when you heard the horrific news last Friday from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown or said a prayer on Sunday if you went to church. I felt a huge tear in the moral fiber of our society on Friday and had to stop watching, reading and listening to the news..." God and Guns

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood watch for Western Washington on Monday. A strong, low-pressure system is expected to move through the area Monday, which could produce tidal overflow and possible flooding near beaches. The high tide is expected to be around 8 or 9 a.m., with the weather accounting for a possible 1-or 2-foot increase in the tide level, said Jay Albrecht, meteorologist with the weather service. The weather service specifically names the Seattle/Bremerton area and Hood Canal, along with counties from the northern border of the state to Tacoma. Monday morning tides could exceed normal highs   Also: The Corporation of Delta issued a flood warning for early Monday morning at Tsawwassen Beach and Westham Island. Waterfront areas along the Tsawwassen First Nation may also have been at risk.  Delta prepared for floods from high tides, winds this morning  

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that it will set new limits for the airborne microscopic particles known as soot, one of the most deadly forms of air pollution. The widely watched decision, which was expected to signal how the Obama administration will approach environmental issues in its second term, should curtail the amount of soot released from diesel exhaust, coal-fired power plants, refineries and other emitters by requiring costly pollution controls. The minute particles of soot – smaller than the diameter of a strand of human hair – are considered particularly dangerous for children because they lodge deep in their lungs.  Erika Bolstad reports. New soot rules should reduce disease, health costs, EPA says

The city of Mount Vernon has officially weighed in on the scoping process for the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal in Whatcom County. In a letter dated Dec. 12, Mayor Jill Boudreau and all seven city council members asked lead agencies working on the EIS to examine six key impacts to Mount Vernon. It also requested that Skagit County residents not be forced to bear the cost of addressing those impacts — handling increased wear and tear at rail crossings, for example. Gina Cole reports. Mount Vernon weighs in on coal terminal scoping

Thousands of people turned out for seven regional meetings about plans to export coal for burning in China. Officials must now decide whether to tackle the concerns about train traffic and global warming. Floyd McKay writes. Growing coal-port opposition creates tough choices for regulators

Spectators will not be allowed to attend Victoria hearings into the Enbridge Northern Gateway project in January, to avoid the risk of demonstrations. Instead, people interested in watching the proceedings will be sent about three kilometres away to the Ramada Hotel on Gorge Road, where they can watch a live video feed. The hearings are being held at the Delta Ocean Pointe. Judith Lavoie reports. Spectators to be barred from Enbridge hearings in Victoria

British Columbia could emerge as the world's second largest exporter of liquid natural gas if all its proposed LNG projects are developed, a Conference Board of Canada report suggests. In the short term, Canadian gas production is expected to decline due to low market prices and a glut of cheap United States gas. This is deterring drilling activity all over North America- which is bad news for B.C.'s treasury because it means less royalty revenue to be collected by the province. B.C. poised for global prominence as liquid natural gas exporter

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control is warning people not to eat clams, salmon and other seafood sold by a private distributor in Port Hardy because of the risk of shellfish poisoning and botulism. Health officials say the clams and other products were sold online through a Buy and Sell ad, but may have also been sold through means. Clams, salmon bought online could kill  

King County will fund three water-quality improvement projects, complete stormwater monitoring and pay a state penalty under an agreed order with the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology). Ecology and the county have finalized the agreement to correct the county’s violation earlier this year of its municipal stormwater permit, issued by Ecology.  The permit requires King County – and other local governments – to maintain a program to control pollution carried into streams, lakes and marine waters by stormwater runoff.  This program includes stormwater monitoring.  Ecology agreement resolves King County stormwater permit violation  http://www.courierherald.com/news/183675771.html

A state-required update to a section of Island County’s critical areas ordinances is seven years past due and a South Whidbey-based environmental watchdog group says that’s too long. Officials with Whidbey Environmental Action Network, or WEAN, have confirmed that they will be filing a failure to act petition this week with the state’s Growth Management Hearings board for the county’s lack of action to update its policies and regulations for fish and wildlife conservation areas. Justin Burnett reports. Environmental group set to file petition against Island County

The future of a big piece of Everett's waterfront rests on the shoulders of the City Council, whose members are weighing crucial decisions in the coming weeks. Should they zone the shoreline near the former Kimberly-Clark mill for water-dependent industries, to take advantage of the property's rare access to deep water and rail lines? Or should they reserve the 90-plus acres for office parks and light manufacturing, which some believe promise more jobs and higher wages? Noah Haglund reports. Everett must soon decide future of Kimberly-Clark site

Clallam County tribes and groups received $1.2 million — and Jefferson groups got $1.2 million — in salmon recovery money from the state Salmon Recovery Funding Board. In total, $19.2 million in grants to 28 counties were announced. Rob Ollikainen reports. Peninsula counties get $2.3 million for salmon recovery

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 235 AM PST MON DEC 17 2012
STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TODAY
TODAY
W WIND 35 TO 45 KT WITH GUSTS NEAR 55 KT...EASING TO 30 TO 35 KT WITH GUSTS NEAR 50 KT. COMBINED SEAS 18 TO 20 FT WITH A
 DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13 SECONDS. NUMEROUS SHOWERS IN THE MORNING... THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 25 TO 35 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT. COMBINED SEAS 18 TO 20 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 17
 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE EVENING. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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