3/27 Trans Mountain, coal barges, herring, Tethys, Easterbrook, Oly comp plan, harbor toxics

Declining Pacific herring (NOAA)

New blog: “I’ve been eating at several different tables these last few months and paying more attention to how menus have become rather elaborate in their descriptions and highlighting their ‘local’ ingredients...” Eating ‘Local’

A First Nation from British Columbia's southern Interior is taking the federal government and an oil company to court over plans to almost triple the capacity of an oil pipeline that crosses its reserve. Documents filed in Federal Court by the Coldwater Indian Band argue the minister of Indian affairs is ready to consent to a plan that would see Kinder Morgan increase the amount of oil in the Trans Mountain pipeline near Merritt, B.C. The band is requesting a judicial review and wants the court to set aside any approval the minister may give to the company, stating the minister has the legal obligation to act in the best interests of the band. B.C. First Nation takes Trans Mountain expansion to court

The possibility that coal barges will soon be plying the south arm of the Fraser River has raised concerns about the environmental impact it could have on the waterway and Richmond residents. “It’s right up there at the top of the list of incredibly bad projects for the Fraser River Estuary,” said Coun. Harold Steves. Surrey Fraser Docks submitted a project permit application last summer to Port Metro Vancouver to develop a coal transfer facility just off the south eastern tip of Annacis Island that would initially handle up to four million metric tonnes annually from a massive deposit in the western U.S., called the Powder River Basin. Richmond councillor worried about pollution from plan to barge millions of tonnes of fossil fuel

Pacific herring might be the most popular dish in Puget Sound. The small silvery swimmers are called “forage fish” not because they’re rummaging for food, but because just about everything wants to eat them. They fill the bellies of Puget Sound sea life, from giant sea lions to the iconic chinook salmon to tiny jellyfish, which means that they’re key players in the local marine ecosystem. That makes herring fundamentally important – and it makes their shrinking numbers alarming. Lisa Stiffler reports. The mysterious decline of Puget Sound herring

Anacortes’ proposal to change its urban growth area and possibly make way for a large-scale bottling plant took another step forward Monday, as the county’s planning department recommended that the county Board of Commissioners consider the proposal. The next step of the process will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, in the Skagit County Commissioners’ hearing room, when commissioners could decide to review the proposal. Public comment also will be accepted at the meeting. Mark Stayton reports. County planning recommends review for Anacortes UGA change

A new Republican-dominated majority in the state Senate dedicated a rare block of time Tuesday to hear the views of a global warming skeptic who argued that federal scientists have been manipulating climate data to inflate temperatures. The views of retired geology professor Don Easterbrook are considered in the minority. A 2010 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that 97 percent of the most cited and published climate scientists said climate change was a man-made problem. Mike Baker reports. Washington lawmakers hear from global warming skeptic

The Olympia Planning Commission has finished its recommendations on the draft update of the city’s comprehensive plan, an effort that has been years in the making. Planning Commission Chairman Jerry Parker gave the council a peek at some of the proposed regulations Tuesday night, but the full draft isn’t expected to be released until May 20. Amy Buckler, a city planner, said city staff are working to have the plan ready for approval by the end of the year. It’s up to the council to make the final decision on the plan. Parker’s preview for the council indicated that the expected sea-level rise because of global warming is a major focus of the plan. The commission urged the city to “consider all policy options including future retreat” from shoreline areas that could be flooded, he said. Matt Batcheldor reports. Sea-level rise a part of Olympia comprehensive plan

A $1.8 million contract has been awarded to a Seattle consulting firm to complete an investigation of sediment pollution in western Port Angeles Harbor, near Tumwater Creek. Under the contract awarded by the Port of Port Angeles, Floyd Snider Inc. also will conduct a feasibility study on cleaning up the western harbor as part of an agreement under which five public and private entities that are responsible for the pollution will share the the cost of the $1.8 million study, with oversight from the state Department of Ecology. An Ecology open house on three draft documents — the remedial investigation and feasibility study work plan, a public participation plan and the agreed order between the five entities — will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday in Linkletter Hall at Olympic Medical Center, 939 Caroline St. Paul Gottlieb reports. Firm hired to look into Port Angeles Harbor sediment pollution

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 238 AM PDT WED MAR 27 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING E TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 15 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 14 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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