2/4 Anacortes growth, coal lawyers, Chico Creek park, Adventuress, ocean acid, net pen ban, Lummi land trust, Kokish River

Snohomish Slew (Geena Martin, The Herald)

The Snohomish River Valley was enshrouded in fog Saturday morning. But Snohomish Slew, the famous bullfrog weather prognosticator, didn't see it as an indicator of things to come. Nope, he thinks spring will come early this year. He's so sure, he predicted it with his croak. Sharon Salyer reports. Early spring, Snohomish Slew predicts 

New blog: “Long before the ‘buy local’ movement got going, environmentalists and labor unions worked together to get legislation passed that would give a leg up to Washington shipbuilders to build new ferries locally. That was the Build Them In Washington campaign....”  Build Them In Washington  

The city (of Anacortes) has made a big step toward changing its long-term growth area and making way for a massive bottling plant after submitting all the materials needed to begin the review of the proposed land-use change. But those materials include a major difference from the earlier application, which called for signing over 14.7 acres of industrial-zoned land to the Samish Indian Nation. Instead of signing over those acres, the new proposal includes turning into public land 16.6 acres of land bordering the south end of Fidalgo Bay that are now zoned for light manufacturing. One City Council member said he’s unhappy with the change, which was made without the council. Mark Stayton reports. Major change to Anacortes growth area application  

Eric de Place and Nick Abraham at Sightline reveal: Several well-known Northwest law firms, including two that cheerfully market themselves as green leaders, have thrown in their lot with the coal industry. They aim to help coal companies avoid a comprehensive public review of plans to export as much as 140 million tons of coal annually from the region. Yet it’s probably fair to say that many of these law firms care deeply about their reputations and would rather not have their work for the coal industry broadcast too widely. Read about the coal work of Gordon Thomas Honeywell; Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt; Stoel Rives; K&L Gates and the PR firm, Smith & Stark. Look Who’s Taking Coal Money, Part 2  Joel Connelly writes: Northwest’s so-called ‘green’ law firms working for Big Coal

With her dad watching closely, 7-year-old Hailey Mullen gripped a pair of pruning shears and clipped a blackberry vine close to the ground near the edge of Chico Creek. Young Hailey joined with more than 100 volunteers who turned out Saturday to attack the weeds at this undeveloped county park on Chico Way, known as Salmon Viewing Park. Organizers hope to transform the weed-infested park into a wonderful place for families to visit — especially during the fall salmon-spawning season.  Chris Dunagan reports. Volunteers begin to shape Chico Creek salmon park  

If you like to watch: About 150 people took an early afternoon break Friday to participate in what was billed as the first-ever “flash chantey.” The event commemorated a date exactly 100 years ago when the schooner Adventuress, which is now based in Port Townsend, first splashed into the water in East Boothbay, Maine, on Feb. 1. 1913. Charlie Bermant reports. 'Flash chantey' marks Adventuress centennial splash  Watch the video.

Last year, Washington came up with a tentative plan to fight the growing acidity of its Puget Sound and coastal waters — a shift that is hurting the state's shellfish harvests. The challenge now faces the state Legislature. Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas island, introduced a bill Friday to create a council to advise the state government on how to tackle ocean acidification. The bill also calls for considering the acidity of water runoff in urban planning efforts. John Stang reports. Legislator hopes to save shellfish  

A bill sponsored by a Sequim Democrat in the state House would allow counties to ban net pen aquaculture. The one-page bill, filed Thursday by state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, a Sequim Democrat, says: “Master programs may include provisions for siting or prohibiting the siting of marine aquaculture net pen facilities.” Charlie Bermant reports. Bill would allow counties to ban fish farming  

Whatcom County and the city of Ferndale have written letters to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs opposing Lummi Nation's move to get trust land designation for an 80-acre site south of Slater Road and west of Interstate 5. The land had been mentioned as a possible site for both a new county jail and a new Costco store before the tribe acquired it from Ralph Black and family for a reported $5.4 million in late 2011. Ten of the 80 acres are inside the Ferndale city limits, while the remainder is within Bellingham's legally designated urban growth area. That means it is earmarked for eventual Bellingham annexation. Tribal trust designation would move the parcel out of city, county and state jurisdiction and take it off property tax rolls. John Stark reports. Lummis move to get trust land status worries local governments

Federal scientists struggled to protect fish in the Kokish River from potential adverse effects of a hydroelectric project, but concerns of on-the-ground staff were watered down by the time a final memo reached the desk of the fisheries minister, documents obtained by the Wilderness Committee show. The progression unfolds through more than 1,000 pages of memos and emails obtained by the wilderness protection group through an access to information request. Fisheries and Oceans staff negotiate to get better conditions and water flows for fish. Then, the tone of memos to senior staff changes, and at least one biologist objects to his name being on a memo. Judith Lavoie reports. Kokish River power project approved by government despite scientists' concerns

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON FEB 4 2013
TODAY
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT BECOMING E 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE
 EVENING...THEN RAIN.
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