10/31 Mola, orcas, Vic sludge, Puget Sound pollution, big floods, Navy noise

Morning Mirror (Laurie MacBride)

Daybreak at One Boat Bay
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment shares a magical moment while sailing: "Some years ago, we stayed in a bay in BC’s Broughton Archipelago, a spot we’d never tried before and which has no name.  It was a little nook in a small island, offering just enough space to slip safely past the reef at its mouth and set down our anchor inside. It offered privacy, as there was no chance of other boats trying to anchor beside us. And it gave us a marvelous view in every direction – so lovely that we ended up staying for three days. Standing on our foredeck during that charmed time, I shot more photos than I could possibly count, often in exactly the same direction. Yet no two images from that sequence are alike, for the movement of sun, sea, fog and clouds brought a constantly changing panorama of light and colour... I was (and remain) smitten."

Huge fish ‘from Mars’ caught in Elliott Bay
On Tuesday night, Todd LaClair, a Muckleshoot tribal fisherman, got his gill net tangled into something huge in Elliott Bay off Harbor Island.... LaClair soon discovered that it was a giant sunfish — also known as a mola — which he estimated at 325 to 350 pounds. The fish was so large that he asked for assistance from a larger vessel, and with the help of three other people managed to bring the fish aboard... “There have been lots of weird fish showing up in Puget Sound this year,” said Mark Baltzell, a state Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist in Olympia. “There was a sunfish seen by a sport angler at Boston Harbor in Budd Inlet in southern Puget Sound, and a Pacific mackerel caught in Commencement Bay.” Mark Yuasa reports.

Orcas in Puget Sound near Seattle
Whale spotters say dozens of killer whales are still in Puget Sound where they have been seen by ferry passengers as well as people on shore. Howard Garrett of the Orca Network at Freeland says 30 to 35 were spotted again Wednesday from the ferry on the Edmonds-Kingston route. The killer whales had been spotted in the same area at sunset Tuesday after swimming past Seattle. The Orca Network reports members of the J and K pods have been in Puget Sound since Sunday.

CRD directors uphold ban on applying sewage sludge to land
In a move projected to add millions of dollars to the cost of treating Greater Victoria’s sewage, Capital Regional District politicians Wednesday overwhelmingly decided against overturning a 2011 ban on applying sewage sludge to land. The decision came after some six hours of presentations and debate. More than a dozen residents spoke in opposition to the change. CRD staff had recommended that directors reconsider the policy, which would have maintained a ban on applying biosolids on agricultural land used for food production, but would have opened the door for use in applications such as silviculture, mine reclamation, fertilizer soil amendments, landscaping and forage crops. But many directors said changing the policy wasn’t worth the risk. Bill Cleverley reports.

Clean-water advocates release frightening facts about pollution in Puget Sound
On the eve of Halloween, a local environmental advocacy group hopes to add a little fright to the night by releasing its list of scary facts about pollution and the Puget Sound. According to Environment Washington, the state's iconic waterway is haunted by stormwater runoff and toxic dumping, and now is the time for federal environmental leaders to step up and protect the Sound from unchecked pollution. Kiersten Throndsen reports.

National Weather Service Says Big Floods Likely This Winter
November, which marks the start of flood season in the Northwest, is just around the corner. And the National Weather Service says there is high potential for rivers to burst their banks from now through February. This winter will bring what is known as a “neutral” weather pattern; we won't see the milder El Niño nor the wetter, windier La Niña this winter. But that hardly means we get a break. A neutral winter can mean trouble for those who live or work near flood plains in western Washington as it brings the highest number of so-called “Pineapple Express” events during which an atmospheric river forms off the coast. Bellamy Pailthorp reports.

NAS Whidbey resumes practices; Fidalgo noise may increase
Fidalgo Island residents might hear some extra noise in the next few weeks as Naval Air Station Whidbey Island ramps up practices for their Electronic Attack Wing at Ault Field. The Field Carrier Landing Practices will begin on Nov. 4 in Oak Harbor and last for approximately three weeks, said a release from the base. These practices are crucial for pilots training to qualify for aircraft carrier operations. For the trainings, the base will use either runways 7/25 or 14/32, depending on conditions. This will be the first time runway 14/32 has been used for FCLPs since July. Kera Wanielista reports.

Here’s your Hallowe’en tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 915 AM PDT THU OCT 31 2013
TODAY
S WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING W. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 17 SECONDS. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 17 SECONDS.
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"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.

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10/30 PERC, TDCPP, Frank James, Vancouver WA oil, redwood climate, next Big One, eroding bluffs, earthworms

Some B.C. dry cleaners using harmful chemical improperly
An Environment Canada investigation into 48 dry cleaners around B.C. alleges nearly half improperly handled a toxic chemical that has been linked to a number of health problems including liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage. According to search warrant documents obtained by CBC News, federal enforcement officers inspected dozens of businesses in the summer of 2012 and found 21 dry cleaners with "at least one container of PERC, waste water or residue without a secondary containment." One North Vancouver business — Lester's Dry Cleaning — faces two charges under the Environmental Protection Act related to its handling of PERC. PERC, or perchloroethylene, is considered a probable carcinogen and was declared toxic in 1997 under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Also known as tetrachloroethylene, the solvent was also banned in California in 2007, and could soon face an ban in France. Jason Proctor reports.

Flame retardant on list of chemicals of concern to kids
State regulators have added a chemical flame retardant to its list of chemicals of high concern to children. The Department of Ecology said Tuesday that manufacturers of children’s products would be required to report whether their products contain chlorinated Tris, also known as TDCPP. The Washington Toxic Coalition had asked the state to add the chemical, which has been detected in changing pads, car seats and other children’s products. In 2011, the state of California put the chemical on its list of cancer-causing agents.

An American doctor shares his concerns for our health — and our assessment process
Dr. Frank James is an American — his citizenship is significant to this story — and the health officer for Washington state’s San Juan County. He is also a professor of public health at the University of Washington. James is a member of Whatcom Docs, a group of physicians that formed two years ago when they learned of a proposal to ship up to 48 million tons of Wyoming coal through Bellingham. It would mean 50 kilometres of coal train running along the shores of Puget Sound per day. From an initial core of about 140 interested physicians, Whatcom Docs has since grown to 215 members. Initially, the group maintained a neutral position, and was neither for nor against the proposal. Their concerns were health-related, not political, and they wanted to know what health hazards, if any, were associated with shipping coal. Pete McMartin reports.

Hundreds Attend First State Hearing On Vancouver Oil Terminal
A one-year time clock is ticking in the state permitting process for a controversial oil terminal proposed in Vancouver, Wash. On Tuesday, the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council held its first scoping hearing for the Tesoro-Savage terminal at the Port of Vancouver. About 300 people stood in line to get into the hearing; most of them wore red shirts in protest. Cassandra Profita reports.
Tesoro, Savage officials address concerns
The yearlong regulatory journey to decide the fate of what would become in Vancouver the largest oil-handling operation in the Pacific Northwest officially launched Tuesday evening. Ahead of Tuesday's environmental scoping hearing, convened by the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, the companies proposing the controversial project — Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies — offered to field questions from The Columbian and to explain their joint venture. Aaron Corvin reports.

UW Researcher: Redwoods Reveal Years of Coastal Climate History
Count the rings on a tree trunk to figure out its age. Or, if you’re University of Washington climatologist Jim Johnstone, study the molecules of a redwood trunk and crack the code for natural weather data that could date back more than a thousand years. Johnstone has a keen interest in the interplay of our oceans and the atmosphere near them, which often shows up as fog... Redwoods aren’t the oldest trees on the coast, but they do have a special connection to fog. These trees suck up the moisture in the air during dry summers. Bellamy Pailthorp reports.

Insurance study warns we are unprepared for carnage of next big earthquake
Canada is unprepared for a major earthquake — likely to hit B.C. in the next 50 years — which would cause tens of billions of dollars in damage and have a crippling domino effect on the economy, says a new study released today. A magnitude 9.0 earthquake in B.C. would cause almost $74.7 billion in damage — $62 billion in property damage and $12.7 billion in indirect economic impact, according to the study released by AIR Worldwide, a catastrophe modelling firm. Only $20.4 billion of those losses are insured. The authors of the report said the findings should be a wakeup call to governments, insurance providers and disaster preparedness experts for a national strategy on how to handle a major earthquake. Katie Derosa reports.

Going, going, gone: Workshop tonight to focus on homes on eroding bluffs
Michael Gentry went to sleep March 11, 2011, after spending the night watching footage of the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan.  He woke up the next day to find a disaster had struck his own backyard on a bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Sequim....A 40-foot chunk of the bluff behind his Gehrke Road home had slid into the Strait during the night. It's a problem growing more common for those who live on the bluffs between Sequim and Port Angeles, said Anne Shaffer with the Coastal Watershed Institute....The institute is conducting a workshop tonight to help those who own land on the bluffs manage and reduce erosion and stabilize the ground below their property.  The workshop is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Dungeness Schoolhouse, 2781 Towne Road. Joe Smillie reports.

Earthworms Invade New England
Beavers reshape landscapes with their dams. Wolves control elk populations. Sea otters protect kelp forests by eating sea urchins. These are what ecologists call "keystone" species: critters that control an ecosystem and have a disproportionate impact on other species. And in the forests of New England, what are the keystone species? Put earthworms on the list. Kudzu vines grow madly, covering power lines. Zebra mussels muscle-out native mussels in Lake Champlain. Burmese pythons devastate local wildlife in the Everglades. These are invasive species: non-native animals and plants, carried by people into new locations, that take hold, disrupting and reshaping local ecosystems. And in the forests of New England, what are the invasive species? Put earthworms on that list too. None of the earthworms in New England's forests are native.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED OCT 30 2013
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN.

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"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.

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10/29 Stormy weather, oil trains, Fraser Surrey Docks, B'ham lagoon, Southlands, oil seep, sewer power, Chickamauga

'Wall cloud' near Lakewood (NWS/KIRO-TV)

If you like to watch: Rain storm hits Puget Sound, Aug. 29, 2013
The National Weather Service in Seattle told KIRO 7 Meteorologist Morgan Palmer they were “this close” to issuing a Tornado Warning for this cell near Lakewood. Radar detected rotation within the storm, and this wall cloud was seen by many as the cell passed through. A wall cloud is a lowering of the cloud base that sometimes precedes a tornado. The last time the NWS issued a Tornado Warning in our area? 1997!

More oil trains expected in Washington under proposals
Hundreds of trains carrying crude oil could soon be chugging across the Northwest, bringing potential jobs and revenues but raising concerns about oil spills, increased train and vessel traffic and other issues. With five refineries, Washington has long received crude oil from Alaska and elsewhere by ship, barges or pipelines. But ports and refiners are increasingly turning to trains to take advantage of a boom in oil from North Dakota's Bakken region. Three terminals — in Anacortes, Tacoma and Clatskanie, Ore. — are already receiving crude oil by trains. Other facilities are proposed at the ports of Grays Harbor and Vancouver, and at refineries. Together, the 10 projects would be capable of moving nearly 800,000 barrels per day, said Eric de Place, policy director at Sightline Institute. Phuong  Le reports.

Petitioners want broad human health study at Fraser Surrey Docks
Opponents of a proposal to expand the Fraser Surrey Docks coal terminal presented Surrey city council with a petition on Monday afternoon that calls for broad human health studies to be conducted before a final decision is made on the project. Paula Williams, organizer of a group called Communities and Coal, says that over the past three months, more than 11,000 people signed the anti-expansion petition. Williams says that it’s not necessarily coal dust that her group opposes, but diesel particles from the train engines hauling coal to the terminal on the Fraser River.

Bellingham council open to other uses than marina for wastewater lagoon
A new marina and the fate of old Georgia-Pacific Corp. buildings were among the issues discussed Monday, Oct. 28, as City Council members continued the time-consuming job of fine-tuning waterfront redevelopment plans. Council members have said they hope to complete their review of the plans by the end of 2013. At the urging of council members Jack Weiss and Michael Lilliquist, the council voted 4-1 to change waterfront master plan language to indicate that G-P's wastewater treatment lagoon might be used for something other than the marina that the Port of Bellingham has envisioned there for many years. John Stark reports.

Latest Southlands proposal again divides community
The 30-year-old battle over Delta’s Southlands was reignited Monday as hundreds of residents turned out for the first of three public hearings on the latest development project planned for the former Tsawwassen farmland. More than 96 people registered to speak Monday on the project by Century Group, which calls for 950 townhomes, cottages, small family homes and a farmers market on the 217-hectare former site of the Spetifore Farm. The plan, the latest in a series of eight development applications, has once again split the community, with those in favour wearing orange-and-white YES stickers, and those opposed donning red ball caps that read “No Houses” and waving house-shaped pieces of plastic with NO! on them. Kelly Sinoski and Randy Shore report.

Work begins to contain oil seeping on Bellingham waterfront
Crews are beginning work to contain oil that is intermittently seeping from a waterfront cleanup site near downtown Bellingham, the Washington Department of Ecology said Monday, Oct. 28. The oil, first discovered in December 2012, is seeping from a small area of shoreline at the R.G. Haley cleanup site at the foot of Cornwall Avenue, near Wharf Street. The site is known to be contaminated with wood treatment chemicals from past industrial activities. From the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s the site was used for industries including lumber, coal and wharf operations.

B.C. firm looks at sewers to power sustainable energy shift  
Lynn Mueller, head of International Wastewater Systems, has a keen interest in sewers. More specifically, he is obsessed with the hot water people flush down their drains and figuring out ways to recycle all that heat to be used again as energy for building systems — heating, air conditioning and hot water. “A lot of people probably dream about other things than (sewage heat recovery), but I’ve been thinking about it for a long time,” Mueller told The Sun. Derrick Penner reports.

Raised tug removal is at a standstill in Eagle Harbor
The historic tugboat “Chickamauga,” which sank in its mooring early Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the Eagle Harbor Marina, has been raised to the surface and the pollutants it spilled have been properly cleaned. The salvage company Global Diving & Salvage, under contract to the Coast Guard, did manage to raise the vessel to the surface and stabilize the boat. That’s as far as things have gone... Due to legal issues surrounding the ownership of the boat, the Coast Guard contractor was unable to facilitate the moving of the derelict vessel. Luciano Marano reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE OCT 29 2013
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT THIS MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING S TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
--
"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.

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10/28 Starfish deaths, pipeline safety, carbon reduction, electric vehicles, oil terminal, Vic sewage, creosote, bag ban

(PHOTO: from BirdNote)

If you like to listen: From BirdNote--How Shorebirds Find Their Way
Shorebirds such as these Pacific Golden-Plovers have a built-in map and a built-in compass. Many night-flying migrants use star patterns to orient themselves, and the fact that the sun always sets in the west makes it a compass point for a bird about to take off on a night flight. Perhaps the most amazing thing is birds' ability to use variations in the Earth's magnetic field to mark their approximate position.

Biologists search for cause of sea star deaths
Divers were out in Puget Sound waters Saturday to see if they can help solve a mystery. Scientists are trying to figure out what's causing one species of starfish to die in parts of Puget Sound and the waters off of Canada. Seattle Aquarium biologists Jeff Christiansen and Joel Hollander suited up in scuba gear in their search for answers.  “We're going to look for both healthy and potentially diseased sea stars,” Christiansen explained. “We've got some sea stars that look like they're melting on the bottom.” The same thing is happening in the waters near Canada and nobody’s sure why.  The cause could be environmental or perhaps driven by disease. Amy Moreno reports.

Pipeline safety incident rate doubled in past decade
Pipelines regulated by the federal government — which include some of the longest lines in the country — have experienced a swell in the number of safety-related incidents over the past decade, documents obtained by CBC News suggest. In recent months, a spate of oil and gas spills both from train derailments and pipelines have raised questions about what mode of transport is the safest. The pipeline industry has touted its record as it seeks support for numerous controversial projects across the continent, including TransCanada’s Keystone XL to the U.S. Gulf Coast and Enbridge’s Northern Gateway to the B.C. coast. However, according to figures from a National Energy Board (NEB) data set obtained under access-to-information by CBC, the rate of overall pipeline incidents has doubled since 2000.

West Coast States, B.C., To Align Carbon Reduction Efforts  
Oregon, Washington, California and British Columbia are aligning their efforts to reduce carbon pollution, with an announcement scheduled for Monday. Washington Governor Jay Inslee told EarthFix the new plan will limit CO2 emissions on the regional level, and he didn’t spare any criticism for the lack of definitive action at the federal level. Ashley Ahearn reports.

CA joins 8-state pact to add electric cars
Eight states representing nearly one quarter of America’s auto market have signed a pact to boost the use of electric cars, hoping to add 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles to their roads by 2025. And of course, California is helping lead the charge. The agreement, signed by each state’s governor and announced Thursday, calls for developing joint policies to increase sales of electric cars, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles... In addition to California, the pact includes Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. Each state already has policies in place to encourage the use of zero-emission cars, seeing them as a key weapon against air pollution and global warming. David Baker reports.

Public Scoping Meeting For Vancouver Port Oil Terminal
Washington agencies are holding two public meetings Monday and Tuesday on a controversial oil terminal proposed for the Port of Vancouver. The Tesoro-Savage oil terminal would transport 360,000 barrels of crude oil a day. The oil would come from North Dakota’s Bakken fields by trains, be transferred to vessels on the Columbia River and then shipped to West Coast refineries. It’s the largest oil terminal project of several proposed in the Northwest. Earlier this month, the Port Commission approved a lease for the project, amidst opposition and a lawsuit challenging the legality of an earlier vote. Cassandra Profita reports.

Incinerator could be needed for sludge, adding to cost of sewage project
Greater Victoria will need to look at building an incinerator to burn its sewage sludge if politicians refuse next week to overturn a ban on applying sludge to land, says the chairwoman of the civilian commission overseeing the sewage project. Brenda Eaton has written to Capital Regional District politicians warning that the treatment-project budget might have to be increased by $38 million for an incinerator, unless the region lifts a ban on applying sludge to land. Eaton’s letter, released Friday, said the civilian commission of experts in charge of building the project “strongly supports” using sludge as fertilizer, compost or soil-amendment, and “respectfully requests” politicians reconsider the ban. CRD directors will vote on the issue Wednesday. Rob Shaw reports. And: Alternate sewage proposal for regional plants, gasification rejected by director

Creosote-tainted pilings, docks to be removed in Jefferson County
The state will begin removing hundreds of toxic, creosote-treated pilings in East Jefferson County.  Beginning Nov. 4 and continuing into next year, the state Department of Natural Resources will take out pilings and several thousand square feet of overwater structures at seven sites from Port Townsend Channel southward to Point Whitney in Hood Canal in the $588,000 project. Most of the removal sites provide habitat for forage fish and migrating juvenile salmon that feed on them, DNR said. Creosote, containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), was used historically to prevent wood decay and insect infestations.

Tenino council tables proposed plastic bag ban
The Tenino City Council has tabled indefinitely a county-recommended measure to ban plastic bags — an action that effectively rejects the ban for the foreseeable future. Already adopted by Thurston County and the cities of Olympia and Tumwater, the suggested measure bans single-use plastic bags and adds a 5-cent fee to all paper bags. Over the last several months, these jurisdictions have enjoined Tenino to follow suit. Before making a motion to table the agenda item, Councilman Frank Anderson expressed his frustration with the issue that, he said, has wasted too much of the council’s time. Lisa Broadt reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON OCT 28 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
NE WIND 20 TO 30 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NE WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

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"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

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10/25 BC orca behavior, Victoria sewage, coal money, 'Blackfish,' toxic algae, Bill Taylor

Snow Geese, Skagit Valley (PRISM)

If you like to listen: From BirdNote-- Paying Attention to Climate Change
While watching a flock of Snow Geese, Kurt Hoelting wondered if they were ever going to move; they seemed so content. Then, one by one, their heads began to bob. And after awhile, small groups started to fly away. Then suddenly, the entire flock peeled off the field. Kurt says, “When I think about something like climate change, maybe the whole flock doesn’t have to get it. Maybe just a few us have to notice that it’s time to move and start moving." In response to climate change, Kurt Hoelting gave up car and air travel for a year, relying mostly on his bike, boots, and kayak.
You can read about his experiences in The Circumference of Home: One Man's Yearlong Quest for a Radically Local Life.

Researcher: High death rate, 'puzzling' behavior in B.C. orcas
A Vancouver Aquarium researcher is sounding the alarm over "puzzling" changes he's observed in the killer whale pods that live off the southern British Columbia coast. Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard says he fears changes in the ocean environment are prompting odd behaviour and an unusually high mortality rate. Barrett-Lennard says the southern resident orca pod, which is found in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland, has lost seven matriarchs over the past two years, and he's noticed a lack of vocalizations from the normally chatty mammals. The Vancouver Aquarium's cetacean research team says the whales were also seen the past two summers travelling in small groups, further offshore to find food - behaviour more typical in winter than summer. At the same time, the researcher says the number of normally transient killer whales has been increasing over the past 25 years.

Opponents of CRD sewage plan offer a proposal of their own
Opponents of Greater Victoria’s sewage treatment plan have pitched yet another alternative, this time involving a system of 15 smaller plants with a higher level of treatment, and gasification technology that could also handle the region’s garbage and kitchen scraps. The proposal, which advocates say could save the region millions over the long term, would replace the Capital Regional District’s current plan for a single treatment facility at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt and a biosolid sludge centre at Hartland landfill in Saanich. However, it would also need the backing of politicians on the CRD’s sewage committee, where a majority of directors have consistently voted to reject delays and proceed with the current plan. Rob Shaw reports.

Coal issue dominates Whatcom County election, but nobody’s talking about it
More than $1 million has flowed into races for four Whatcom County Council seats that could help determine whether a controversial coal-export terminal is built near Bellingham. Brian Rosenthal reports.

"Deplorable" condition of captive Puget Sound orcas in renewed spotlight
When a killer whale killed its trainer at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida back in 2010, it sent shockwaves through an industry dependent on the regal mammals. But orca expert Howard Garrett tells the Ron and Don Show it shouldn't have been a surprise. "Tilikum hit the peak of frustration at that point and you can see it ," says Garrett, the co-founder of the Whidbey Island-based Orca Network. "He's been isolated and kicked around his whole life. It's no wonder. At some point he just cracked." The attack is the focus of "Blackfish," a new CNN documentary that traces the 39-year history of killer whales in captivity leading up to the 2010 killing of Sea World trainer Dawn Brancheau by the 12,000-pound. Josh Kerns reports.

NW Researcher Says Toxic Algae Have A Competitive Edge
Pollution and climate change may be making freshwater algae blooms more toxic, according to a Northwest scientist’s newly published analysis. Oregon State University researcher Tim Otten’s article in the journal Science concludes that fertilizer pollution, wastewater, and a warming climate are fueling the growth of huge mats of green scum in lakes and reservoirs... Algae can pose a risk to drinking water because some species, notably cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, release powerful liver toxins and nerve toxins. A toxin called microsystin is particularly common. Amelia Templeton reports.

Bill Taylor of Taylor Shellfish enters Hall of Fame
Taylor Shellfish's Bill Taylor was inducted into the Hall of Fame this month -- Shaw's Crab House Oyster Hall of Fame in Chicago. Every year Shaw's Crab House honors an individual who has made a "significant or enduring contribution to Chicago's or America's oyster culture," according to a news release. Taylor was recognized during a multi-course induction dinner on Oct. 17, a dinner which featured Taylor Shellfish. Rolf Boone reports.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI OCT 25 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. AREAS OF DRIZZLE THIS MORNING. AREAS OF FOG THIS
 MORNING...THEN PATCHY FOG IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG...THEN  FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS. FOG IN THE MORNING...THEN PATCHY FOG IN THE AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SUN
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
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"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

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10/24 Elwha fish, orca health, whale noise, Steller ESA, Donkey Cr., climate hearing, coal money, Kennedy Cr., Antarctic preserve

Elwha Chinook (USFWS/Dan Cook)

If you like to watch: Going Home
John Gussman shares: "With the lower Elwha Dam gone, and the Glines Canyon Dam scheduled to be gone in early 2014, the chinook salmon are coming back to their ancestral spawning grounds unreachable for the last 100 years. I spent a week in early September filming them in the Elwha River and one of its tributaries, Indian Creek."

Research shows Orca population in Puget Sound is dwindling  
New research reveals the number of the Orca population in Puget Sound is dwindling -- especially among reproductive age males. "That's clear, they're not recovering," said Bruce Stedman, who heads-up the Orca Relief Citizens' Alliance. He points to numbers from the Center for Whale Research and NOAA, which Stedman claims since 2009, the number of reproductive-age males is down 26 percent, and there are only 14 reproductive age male Orca left. And he worries if those numbers don't get better soon, the result could be devastating. Luke Duecy reports.

Whales in B.C. bombarded by constant shipping noise
A bombardment of constant shipping noise and increased tanker traffic is putting whales along the B.C. coast at ever-greater risk, a new international study concludes. Endangered killer whales are suffering the highest levels of noise in their designated critical habitat while threatened fin and humpback whales living in some of the quietest waters are at risk from increased tanker traffic associated with planned LNG and pipeline projects.... The study, published Tuesday in the journal Animal Conservation, notes that shipping noise is considered a serious threat by inhibiting the ability of whales to communicate, search for prey, navigate and select mates. Military sonar and seismic surveys are other forms of underground noise that can damage or even kill whales, other cetaceans and fish. Larry Pynn reports.

Steller sea lions taken off threatened species list by NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is taking the eastern population of Steller sea lion off the threatened species list. Spokeswoman Julie Speegle said the eastern population has met recovery criteria the agency set out in 2008. In 1979, the federal agency estimated about 18,000 sea lions were in the eastern population, which stretches from Alaska's Panhandle to California's Channel Islands. That number rose to more than 70,000 by 2010, the most recent year a count was available. The western population of Steller sea lions, stretching from Cape Suckling, Alaska, west to Russian waters, remains listed as endangered.

Gig Harbor's Donkey Creek project opens with ceremony, blessing from Puyallup Tribe
It was a blessing for both the past and the future at Donkey Creek in downtown Gig Harbor. Up to 5,000 years ago, the spot where people gathered to see the opening of the Donkey Creek project was filled with the Puyallup Tribe’s ancestors, said Brandon Reynon, archaeologist for the Puyallup Tribe. As they hunted, fished and lived, they enjoyed the land in the same ways many in Gig Harbor do today....Beginning in March, the project started to restore the stream and estuary in the space between Donkey Creek Park and Gig Harbor Bay. The project also included road improvements that widened sidewalks and built a bridge on North Harborview Drive. Notably, the bridge removed a 300-foot pipe that salmon previously had to swim through in order to reach spawning grounds. Karen Miller reports.

Governor Inslee’s Climate Hearing In Seattle Draws Large Environmental Crowd
More than 500 people packed into a waterfront convention center on a foggy Wednesday night to tell Governor Inslee and other lawmakers what they think the state needs to do to reduce green house gas emissions. Ideas ranged from improving public transportation to instituting policies and incentives fostering clean technology companies and alternative energy sources.... Again and again, people took the microphone and asked the politicians before them to “stay strong” and put a price on carbon by putting a carbon tax or a cap and trade system in place... The other theme that ran throughout the evening was the issue of fossil fuel exports in the Northwest.  Ashley Ahearn reports.

Coal terminal, outside money at issue in Whatcom County Council races
Candidates for Whatcom County Council aren't talking about it, and a decision on a proposed coal export terminal at Cherry Point is more than two years away - if it comes at all. But if you follow the money entering the four council races in the Nov. 5 election, most of it leads to coal - either people in the industry who want to see the terminal built, or a conservation group that is waging a campaign to see the terminal proposal fail. Ralph Schwartz reports.

Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail opens soon
The Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail between Olympia and Shelton is set to open to the public Nov. 2, providing birds-eye viewing of the creek's fall chum salmon run. The half-mile trail, which has been open each salmon spawning season for 14 years, is sponsored by the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, and plays host to some 5,000 people each year. Visitors are welcome 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends through Dec. 1, as well as Veteran's Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Delegates To Debate Watered-Down Plan For Antarctic Marine Preserve
Less than 1 percent of the world's oceans are set aside as protected areas, but diplomats meeting now in Australia could substantially increase that figure. Delegates from 24 nations and the European Union have convened to consider proposals to create vast new marine protected areas around Antarctica. This same group met over the summer and didn't reach consensus, so it's now considering a scaled-back proposal. Richard Harris reports.

And, if you truly like to watch: Mauna Kea Heavens Timelapse
Sean Goebel shares: Timelapse of the observatories atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The summit is at an altitude of nearly 14,000 ft and is the premiere site for astronomy in the Northern Hemisphere. And furthermore, Astronomers Discover the Most Distant Known Galaxy: Galaxy Seen as It Was Just 700 Million Years After Big Bang

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU OCT 24 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 13 SECONDS. DENSE FOG WITH
 VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/4 NM THIS MORNING...THEN PATCHY FOG IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG...THEN AREAS OF FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT.

--
"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.

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10/23 Whales!, airport fog, quakes, 'Blackfish,' Cathedral Grove, Vancouver WA oil, Gulf oil, shot sea otter, Victoria stormwater

Killer whales (PHOTO: Carl Safina)

Killer Whale Calls
Shh, listen: Carl Safina invites you to listen to 20 or so whales in Haro Strait off San Juan Island. "(I)f you close your eyes, you can picture the backdrop of a jungle just as easily as the ocean. A hydrophone was used to capture the sounds, and although it may sound like birds, the recording is only of whale calls." And, from Orca Watcher Monika Wieland: End of Season Superpod

How can planes land at Sea-Tac in the dense fog? Holograms!
It is a marvel of human technology that in fog so dense that driving just 35 mph on a local Seattle street still has you straining to see that traffic light just a half-block away, a plane traveling well over 100 mph on final approach can not only find, but land with pinpoint accuracy on an invisible airport runway -- and still find its way back to the terminal.... Now Sea-Tac Airport, as many others across the globe, has an Instrument Landing System that helps transmit signals to help incoming planes find their way. Scott Sistek reports.

Study: Quake-triggered landslides a significant hazard in Seattle
The next big earthquake on the Seattle fault could trigger destructive landslides in the city, potentially affecting a much larger area than previously thought, and in areas outside those currently considered to be landslide prone, a new University of Washington-led study shows. “A major quake along the Seattle fault is among the worst-case scenarios for the area, since the fault runs just south of downtown.” said Kate Allstadt, a UW doctoral student in Earth and space sciences. “Our study shows the need for dedicated studies on seismically induced landsliding.”

‘Blackfish’ premieres on television Thursday
Chris Dunagan at Watching Our Water Ways blogs: '“Blackfish,” a documentary film about killer whales in captivity, will be shown on television Thursday at both 6 and 9 p.m. on CNN, the cable news network... I’ve been looking forward to viewing this film, which has generated a great deal of controversy for its criticism of SeaWorld and its practices — including the public-relations surrounding the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau. Brancheau was killed in 2010 at SeaWorld Orlando by an orca named Tillikum, who dragged her into his pool and kept her under water."

Protesters target old-growth logging on Island
About 50 protesters from half a dozen conservation groups gathered Tuesday at Cathedral Grove, west of Parksville, to protest Island Timberlands’ expansion of logging operations into old-growth forests on Vancouver Island. Protesters from the Ancient Forest Alliance, the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance and several other groups unfurled a banner reading “Hands off old growth” and handed leaflets to visitors stopping at Cathedral Grove on Highway 4. Conservationists are calling on Island Timberlands to suspend plans to log old-growth forests while asking the provincial government to restore a park acquisition fund, and earmark $40 million a year for a decade to go into the fund. Sandra McCulloch reports.

Port Of Vancouver Votes Again To Approve Controversial Oil Terminal Lease
Even with two recent oil-transport accidents to point to, opponents of a controversial oil terminal weren’t able to persuade port commissioners Tuesday to reverse their July approval of a lease for the project. Opponents raised new safety concerns in light of Saturday’s oil train derailment and explosion in Alberta. They also pointed to a 20,000-barrel oil spill in North Dakota from a pipeline owned by Vancouver oil terminal project backer Tesoro Corp. Cassandra Profita reports.

Three million pounds of oil found on Louisiana shore three years after BP spill
The amount of oil found on Louisiana’s coast has surged this year, three years after BP PLC’s Macondo spill in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the state’s Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority said. In the first eight months of this year, about three million pounds of “oily material” were cleaned up on Louisiana’s coast, up from 119,894 pounds in the same period last year, according to a report posted on the website of the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Jemima Kelly reports.

Sea otter shot in face fighting for life  
A sea otter with gunshot wounds to his head and body is struggling to survive, as a team of veterinarians from the Vancouver Aquarium desperately tries to save him. The adult male otter was found on the shoreline in Tofino, B.C., in obvious distress and with significant injuries to his flippers, and was delivered to the aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre on Oct. 18 in critical condition. "He's in extremely rough shape and I'm very concerned about him. X-rays show that he has been shot with a shot gun and there are pellets in his face and body," said Martin Haulena, a veterinarian with the Vancouver Aquarium.

Victoria offers tips ahead of 2014 stormwater bills
There’s no stopping the rain, but Victoria hopes to help you manage it better. Homeowners won’t get their first stormwater utility bills from the City of Victoria until next September but in the meantime, using videos, open houses, media releases, a phone hotline and even a stormwater garden gnome, the city is about to launch a program to explain the ins and outs of rainwater management. Essentially, the more you can do to slow the rate of runoff from your property into city storm drains, the better. Bill Cleverley reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PDT WED OCT 23 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PDT TODAY
TODAY
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT BECOMING SE TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON. W
 SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG.
TONIGHT AND THU
LIGHT WIND. W SWELL 4 OR 5 FT AT 13 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG.
--
"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

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10/22 Oly oil, BC shipwreck oil, Brian Cladoosby, Canadian scientists, Vancouver air, Allen Cr. planting

(PHOTO: Pacific Northwest Seasons)

Great Northwest Fall Hikes: A Few Favorites
There's been a true wealth of great blog posts these last few days and Jill at Pacific Northwest Seasons (Everyday adventures in and around the Pacific Northwest) shared some of her pre-winter hikes and pictures. Lucky to live here.

Sunken boat leaking oil at Olympia's West Bay Marina
The state Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard worked together to contain an oil spill at the West Bay Marina in Olympia after an 80-foot wooden-hulled vessel, the Ruth Louise, sank there Sunday night. As of Monday morning, officials with the Nisqually Indian Tribe Marine Division had deployed an oil-containment boom around the sunken boat, as well as absorbent materials. Leaking oil was visible in the water in and around the marina. Jeremy Pawloski reports.

B.C. shipwreck's oil cleanup makes waves
The Canadian Coast Guard has launched what it's calling one of its largest operations ever to clean up a Second World War-era wreck that's leaking oil off the coast of B.C. But some say the rusting hulk of the U.S. army transport ship that sank nearly 70 years ago may have unwittingly sailed right into the middle of B.C.'s pipeline controversy Lying in about 30 metres of water, 100 kilometres south of Prince Rupert, the fuel tanks of the Brig.-Gen. M.G. Zalinski are rusting away. Any week, month or year now, the bulkheads inside could collapse, releasing up to 600 tonnes of bunker oil into the waters of the Grenville Channel, part of B.C.'s famous Inside Passage route.

Coal port foe heads national American Indian group
LaConner fisherman Brian Cladoosby has been elected president of the executive committee of the National Congress of American Indians, a 69-year-old organization that describes itself as the “oldest, largest, most representative” voice of Native Americans. Cladoosby has served as chairman of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community for the past 16 years, and has been a member of the Swinomish Tribal Senate for 28 years. He has been a highly respected, longtime ally of environmentalists fighting to preserve and restore Puget Sound.  Earlier this year, Cladoosby became part of the Leadership Alliance Against Coal, a group of municipal officials and tribal leaders organized by Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn to oppose a giant coal export terminal proposed for Cherry Point north of Bellingham. Joel Connelly reports. Also see: Coal trains shake, rattle and roll | OPINION

Scientists live in a ‘climate of fear’; poll suggests federal researchers can’t speak freely
Ninety per cent of Canadian government scientists feel they can't speak freely to the media and half say they have seen the health and safety of Canadians or environmental sustainability compromised because of political interference with scientific work, says a national survey of federal scientists. "Science is increasingly being frozen out of policy decisions and scientists themselves are not able to provide timely, vital scientific information to Canadians," said Gary Corbett, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada union, which represents 60,000 government workers. PIPSC commissioned the Environics Research Group to conduct an online survey of the union's 15,000 federal scientists in 40 government departments this summer, amid mounting complaints of "muzzling" of scientists by the government and an ongoing investigation into the matter by federal information watchdog Suzanne Legault. Andrea Hill reports.

Expanding road network just increases air pollution, Metro Vancouver environment chair says
Metro Vancouver’s air quality has improved slightly in recent years but there’s still tremendous work ahead to reduce air pollution and make the region a healthier place to live, Metro Vancouver environment and parks committee chair Heather Deal said Monday. Deal’s comments came after a University of B.C. report said nine times more Canadians die each year from chronic exposure to air pollution than in traffic crashes — about 21,000 compared with 2,400. Bruce Constantineau reports.

Students plant trees at Allen Creek
The Allen Creek area adjacent to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Marysville received yet another ecological enhancement on Wednesday, Oct. 16, as roughly 100 third-grade students from Kellogg Marsh Elementary, just across the street, were joined by more than two dozen third- and fourth-graders from Marshall Elementary, as well as nearly 20 National Honor Society students from Grace Academy, in planting 360 trees at the site. Roger Kelly, of the Snohomish Conservation District, explained that his agency has partnered with the Adopt-A-Stream Foundation and Snohomish County Public Works Surface Water Management in restoring the site over the years, with volunteer contributions including the 10 yards of mulch that they received from the city of Marysville that day, as well as labor and supplies from members of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, who have promised to make the site open to the public for environmental education and awareness. Kirk Boxleitner reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PDT TUE OCT 22 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON
TODAY
E WIND 25 KT EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 OR 2 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL 7 FT AT
 15 SECONDS. FOG THIS MORNING...PATCHY FOG IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT AND WED
SE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 14 SECONDS. NIGHT AND MORNING FOG.

--
"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

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10/21 More oarfish, coal money, fog, Willapa oysters, tidal turbines, quake, sewage man, light pollution, Samish hatchery, loons

Textures of Time (Laurie MacBride)

Textures of Time
Laurie MacBride at eye on environment this week shows us West Beach, on the exposed outer coast of Calvert Island. "I love what seems like a mix of hard and soft textures in the weathered granite walls, that rise up at the edge of the long stretch of sand. With their creases and rounded contours, they almost look alive..."

Top this, Salish Sea!-- Second giant "sea serpent" oarfish found in California
For the second time in less than a week, a "sea serpent" has attracted gawkers on a Southern California beach. This time the rare, snakelike oarfish washed up Friday afternoon in Oceanside. The newspaper U-T San Diego reported that it measured nearly 14 feet long and attracted a crowd of up to 75 people. New blog: News From The Deep— Two Oarfish

Coal interests give more than $100K to 'Save Whatcom' for local elections
Save Whatcom, a local conservative political group that says it works to protect "jobs and business growth," is poised to spend up to $160,000 to support the campaigns of four Whatcom County Council candidates and two Port of Bellingham candidates. Save Whatcom was able to raise this much money after only two months in existence. Most of the money comes from coal companies, according to the Public Disclosure Commission's website. The top two donors are Cloud Peak Energy, which mines Powder River Basin in Wyoming, and Global Coal Sales, which -- well, I think the name speaks for itself. They gave $50,000 each. Ralph Schwartz reports.

Northwest getting hit by virtual ''anti-wind storm''
Missing: Isobars. Last seen about a week ago... The last part of October is the traditional start of the stormy season in the Pacific Northwest.  But Mother Nature is going in the totally opposite direction, bringing what you might call an "anti-wind storm" -- a wide swath of area that will not have *any* wind. Wind is caused by differences in pressure -- air flows from higher pressure toward lower pressure. On weather charts, the pressure is noted by isobars, and around this time of year, we are eagerly counting the of isobars around because the more there are and the closer together they are, the windier it'll be... Scott Sistek reports. And from Cliff Mass: Fogmageddon

If you like to watch: Sunrise Season http://www.orcawatcher.com/2013/10/sunrise-season.html
Orca Watcher Monika Wieland shares her early morning photos and her keen eye for mushrooms, birds and insects-- and whales-- as fall descends in the San Juans.

If you like to watch: Oyster harvest numbers drop in Washington state  
Oysters have been dying by the billions off the west coast. Scientists suspect a polluted Pacific Ocean is to blame. Harvesters in Washington State are turning to expensive tactics to save their industry. Allen Schauffler reports.

Ruling on tidal turbines delayed; sparring continues
While a decision on whether tidal power turbines may be installed in Admiralty Inlet has been delayed in part by the federal government shutdown, sparring between the proponent and opponents has continued. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission had planned to decide whether to approve the Snohomish County Public Utility District's $20 million tidal power pilot project as early as this past summer, but now it will likely wait at least until December, according to the utility. The federal energy agency has been awaiting a report on the project from the National Marine Fisheries Service. Completion of that report came later than expected and has been further delayed by the government shutdown, PUD officials said. Bill Sheets reports.

Report: 'The big one' could kill 10,000 in Western WA
The Cascadia Subduction Zone located off the Pacific coast has long been identified as the biggest earthquake threat in Western Washington. A new report gives insight into the impacts if it ruptures, causing a 9.0-magnitude earthquake that could shake the Seattle area for more than 6 minutes. The fault line is 700 miles long from Vancouver Island to Northern California and is located 70 miles off the coast.  According to the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup, a Cascadia quake could cause more than 10,000 deaths, more than 30,000 injuries and cause around $49 billion in damages in Washington State. Jake Whittenberg reports.

Sewage treatment is a dirty job, and Albert Sweetnam is in charge
When Albert Sweetnam built one of Greater Toronto’s first private tolled highways, he faced off against protesters who chained themselves to trees and hurled tomatoes and dead fish at him. So, he’s apt to feel right at home in Victoria as the new head of an equally controversial sewage treatment project, where a man in a giant turd costume is the unofficial mascot and a steady stream of protesters picket virtually every meeting. Rob Shaw reports.

Rules to Curb Light Pollution Advance One City, Park at a Time
Even though this week brought clear skies, chances are you can't see the Milky Way at night. That's because the glare from city lights washes out all but the brightest stars where most people live. A smattering of Northwest cities and counties are taking action by passing new rules for outdoor lighting. It's not all about the stars; some people take a dim view of light regulation. Tom Banse reports.

Outdoor learning
The students in Brian Raupp’s animal science class at Burlington-Edison High School have spent a lot of time this school year learning about salmon — through lectures, notes and power points — but a field trip really drove the lesson home. A trip last week to the Samish hatchery holding ponds on the Samish River provided a close look at the fish’s life cycle when students helped state Department of Fish and Wildlife employees work to preserve the local salmon supply. Kera Wanielista reports.

Get to know the fascinating loons that live around here
Steve Ellis knows loons: common, red-throated, Pacific and yellow-billed, the last rarely sighted. He and his wife "lead field trips for the Whidbey Audubon Society and give talks on several natural history topics. They developed the Birds of Whidbey class. They've also created a series featuring birds that fish for Sound Waters, the education event put on by Island County's Beach Watchers program..." Sharon Wootton reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON OCT 21 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING
TODAY
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL 5 FT AT 18 SECONDS. AREAS OF DRIZZLE THIS MORNING. FOG THIS MORNING...THEN PATCHY FOG IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
E WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SE 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 16 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG...THEN FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT.

--
"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

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10/18 Snow geese, salmon death, Longview coal, coal money, Hood Canal easements, Vancouver oilport

PHOTO: The (Everett) Herald 

If you like to watch: Snow geese arrive near Stanwood (photos)

$5-million study hopes to study mortality of B.C. salmon
Salmon are dying young in the Salish Sea — and now a $5-million international study hopes to find out why. The Pacific Salmon Commission and the Southern Fund Committee announced Thursday that the funding over five years will support the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, an effort by Canada and the U.S. “to improve understanding of the causes of salmon and steelhead mortality” in the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound and Juan de Fuca Strait. Equal recipients of the funding are the Vancouver-based Pacific Salmon Foundation and Seattle-based Long Live the Kings. Larry Pynn reports

Coal opponents more focused on climate at Tacoma hearing
Hundreds of coal opponents demanded that regulators consider the harmful environmental effects of increased worldwide coal burning before granting building permits for a proposed coal export dock west of Longview... Supporters of Millennium Bulk Terminals wore blue shirts at a rally on the sidewalk outside before the hearing and waved clocks, signaling “It’s time for more jobs.” They’re calling for regulators to speed up the permit process.... Only about 885 people showed up, according to regulators, and the crowd dwindled to a few hundred by the end of the three-hour hearing. Last month, a crowd three times larger crammed into the Cowlitz Expo Center for the first meeting in Longview... Once again, opponents outnumbered Millennium supporters by at least 2-to-1, similar to the ratio at previous hearings in Longview, Vancouver, Pasco and Spokane. They wore red and waved signs that said, “Red Herring designed to distract from the real issue.” They said the potential for job growth at the terminal is not worth the potential environmental damage. Eric Olsen reports.

How the big money ended up opposing coal ports
They worried from the start about big money from deep corporate pockets, the four progressives running to tip the balance on the Whatcom County Council on Nov. 5. It was all about the coal-export terminal proposed at Cherry Point north of Bellingham, a contentious issue in Washington’s far northwest corner. Rumors of large checks from deep corporate pockets permeated the mist from Bellingham Bay. “It was the big gorilla in the room, and it caused us to raise more money,” says two-term Council member Carl Weimer, one of a slate of four progressives. “We raised lots of money and the other side never showed up.” With ballots in the mail Friday and limitations on last-minute cash drops in place, the early rumors about corporate money pouring into an election that could determine the fate of the coal port have been proved groundless thus far. Floyd McKay reports.

Navy extends easement plans to Kitsap County
The Navy is continuing its efforts to control commercial over-water structures in Hood Canal. The idea is to buy subtidal conservation easements from the Washington Department of Natural Resources, which owns these deep-water areas. The first easement was proposed for the Jefferson County side of Hood Canal. The easement application is now working its way through a formal review process.... After that initial announcement, I was surprised that the Navy and DNR seemed reluctant to talk about the next phase, which turned out to be a second easement along the Kitsap County shoreline from the Hood Canal bridge to the county line near Holly. Christopher Dunagan blogs.

Port of Vancouver to reopen oil lease for new discussion and vote
The Port of Vancouver said Thursday it will reopen its lease for a controversial oil terminal to a new discussion and vote next week in light of concerns that it violated the state’s open public meetings law when it originally approved the $45 million deal in July. The port’s commissioners will meet Oct. 22 to review the lease they unanimously approved on July 23 — despite public testimony overwhelmingly against it — with Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies. The companies want to build an oil-by-rail terminal handling as much as 380,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Aaron Corvin reports.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 839 AM PDT FRI OCT 18 2013
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 10 SECONDS. AREAS OF DENSE FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
VARIABLE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
SUN
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
--
"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.

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10/17 Hydraulic code, ocean acid, Longview & Whatcom coal, shipping boom, Undersea Gardens, dead seastars, gas pipelines

(PHOTO: Kitsap Sun)

Watchdog Group Concerned about Hydraulic Code Update
Proposals to streamline permitting for development in and around state waters have some environmental groups worried. The groups are concerned the changes could weaken crucial protections for fish and their habitat.  At issue is the state’s Hydraulic Code, which dictates how permits are issued for any project that touches a waterway—things like docks, culverts, and bulkheads. The law’s main aim is to protect fish and their habitat. “It is what sets the standards, and it’s really the gatekeeper for environmental protection in the face of development and construction projects," said Amy Carey, executive director of Sound Action, an environmental watchdog group which aims to enforce the law. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (WDFW holds a public meeting on the update tonight 6-8 pm at  its Mill Creek Office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd.)

Environmentalists sue EPA over ocean acidification
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a federal lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday over the threat it says ocean acidification poses to oysters and other sea life off the coasts of Oregon and Washington. It's the second time in four years the environmental nonprofit has sued the EPA over ocean acidification. The previous lawsuit filed in 2009 was settled out of court in 2010 after the EPA agreed that ocean acidification should be addressed through the federal Clean Water Act. Donna Gordon Blankenship reports.

If you like to watch: Port Townsend bluff collapse caught on video  

Millennium Backers In Dire Straits
The last public “scoping hearing” on the proposed Millennium coal export terminal is (today) in Tacoma. But there’s a fascinating story that’s unfolded as these hearings have progressed: the companies promoting the Millennium project have found themselves in increasingly dire financial straits. Let’s start with Arch Coal, which owns 38 percent of the Millennium project. Just last week, Moody’s, a bond rating agency, downgraded Arch’s debt—a move that is likely to increase Arch’s borrowing costs.... And (Tuesday), Morgan Stanley piled on, downgrading Arch stock on concerns about the domestic coal market. Clark Williams-Derry reports.

The County Council Election That Could Mean Big Things For Coal Exports
Whatcom County could one day be the home of the largest coal export facility on the west coast –- which would transfer up to 54 million tons of coal from trains onto ships bound for Asia. The Whatcom County Council could cast the deciding votes in the permitting of the dock for the Gateway Pacific Terminal. That’s landed this election in the spotlight and it’s drawing a lot of outside money. There are four open seats on the 7-member council.  Ashley Ahearn reports.

Line of ships on Puget Sound hints at rebound
There's a backup of cargo ships on Puget Sound, and port officials are happy about it. Over the past couple of weeks, a queue of two or three cargo ships has formed at Seattle's Pier 86 as they wait to be loaded with soybeans and corn headed to Japan and China. Port of Seattle officials say the backup is an early good sign that grain exports from the Midwest are rebounding after a drought cut production last year. Officials in Tacoma echoed their Seattle counterparts and are also seeing queues form.

Fraser port facility pushes for deeper dredging if bridge replaces Massey Tunnel
Surrey Fraser Docks is pushing for more shipping up the Fraser River once the Massey Tunnel is replaced by a new bridge, but the company estimates it would take approximately $200 million in a one-time capital cost to dredge an additional two metres of river depth to enable ships to load fully. Last month, Premier Christy Clark announced the province will begin construction in 2017 on a new bridge over the south arm of the Fraser between Richmond and Delta, at an estimated cost of around $3 billion. Kim Pemberton reports.

Film gets group talking on ocean health
What are the challenges facing Puget Sound and the waters of Skagit County, and what can the community do about them? A group gathered at the Northwest Educational Services District in Anacortes Friday to begin that conversation, sparked by the film “Ocean Frontiers: The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship” and localized with a panel of area scientists, educators, farmers and tribal representatives. Kimberly Cauvel reports. Film gets group talking on ocean health

Undersea Gardens closing after 50 years in Victoria area
Pacific Undersea Gardens in Victoria’s Inner Harbour is closing today after 50 years of operations, first in Oak Bay and then downtown... Every year, about 83,000 people have been stepping onto the floating exhibit and going 15 feet below the ocean surface for a close-up look at sea life... But the 150-foot-long vessel is getting old. Upkeep is expensive. Carla Wilson reports.

Saanich Inlet divers to check on sea stars after mystery die-off near Vancouver
Local divers will check on the health of sunflower sea stars in Saanich Inlet in the wake of a devastating die-off of the sea life near Vancouver and Howe Sound. The disease thought to be responsible has yet to be identified, but it is worrying marine biologists because it’s moving so rapidly.... The dead sea stars were first detected in September at Whytecliff Park off West Vancouver and the die-off has spread to sea stars off Bowen Island and Indian Arm. Sandrea McCulloch reports.

Natural gas pipeline expansion plans include Skagit County
The public is invited to tour sites included in Northwest Pipeline LLC’s proposed natural gas pipeline expansion project in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties Thursday, Oct. 24, with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects. Office staff will review project sites by both car and flight this week. Points of interest are residential areas and water-body crossings, spokeswoman Pat Terhaar said. The exact tour route is not set, but it will begin at 9 a.m. at Lord Hill Regional Park in Snohomish. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU OCT 17 2013
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

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