1/30 San Juan monument, coal export, Port Gamble Bay, Grays Harbor oil

New blog: "Some found amusing the proposal by State Representative Jan Angel (R-Port Orchard) to let state and local agencies raise revenue by charging for the right to rename public buildings and infrastructure. She said the idea came to her while brainstorming how to curb tolls on the Tacoma Narrows bridge...." Naming Rights: Chuck E. Cheese’s Bridge, Tokitae, and Joe Spike Dog

President Obama should act now, using his presidential powers, to designate a national monument to protect “cherished lands” owned by the federal government in the San Juan Islands, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and two House colleagues urged Obama in a letter sent Monday. The lawmakers noted wide local support, and visits by outgoing U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar dating back to April 2011.  “Before Secretary Salazar leaves office, we urge you to consider designating a National Monument in the San Juan Islands, bring his and our efforts to fruition,” they wrote. The letter’s urgency underscores a frustration, locally and nationally,  at the Obama administration’s glacial pace at protecting public lands, even in places like the San Juans where local government leaders and businesses are on board. Joel Connelly reports. Murray, Cantwell tell Obama: We want San Juans monument NOW  

Mark Lowry has driven a bus for almost 20 years in Bellingham, Wash. He takes pride in his job. He also worries blue-collar jobs like his are getting harder to come by. Lowry is the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council president. It represents 19,000 union-member households in Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan counties. The council supports construction of the Gateway Pacific Terminal near Bellingham. Katie Campbell and Ashley Ahearn report.  Washington Labor Leader Counts Jobs As Coal’s Big Benefit  And, Daniel Person writes: "To truly grasp the local environmental brouhaha of the moment, one must start in Wyoming." Seattle's Coal Training  

The Kitsap Forest & Bay Project has been awarded $1 million from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, for acquisition of the Port Gamble Bay shoreline. The grant came from the National Coastal Wetland Conservation program, which recently awarded a total of $20 million in funding to 24 critical coastal wetland projects in 13 states and territories, to conserve and restore coastal wetlands and their fish and wildlife habitat. That brings the fundraising total to approximately $12 million to purchase nearly 7,000 acres of forest land outside of Port Gamble, owned by Pope Resources. Pope agreed in fall 2011 to keep the land off the market while the Kitsap Forest & Bay Coalition raises money to purchase the land for conservation, public open space, trails and non-motorized access to the water. Kitsap Forest & Bay Project awarded $1 million  

The Port of Grays Harbor is holding a public workshop Wednesday in Aberdeen on proposals for trains to deliver crude oil to an export terminal.  Three companies have proposed "crude by rail" projects: Imperium Terminal Services, LLC, Westway Terminal Company, and U.S. Development Group, LLC. The crude oil would likely come from shale formations in North Dakota, Montana and Alberta, Canada. Oil would be loaded on tankers or barges for West Coast refineries. Hearing on Grays Harbor oil export terminal

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 852 AM PST WED JAN 30 2013
TODAY
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS. 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told