3/31 Earth Hour, Oso logging, geoducks, slide risks, March rain, herring fishery, Elwha salmon, Skagit fish, oil trains

Tulip time in the Skagit (Scott Terrell)

B.C.'s Earth Hour leaders live on Vancouver Island
Environmentally-conscious citizens around the world have been switching off their lights today in order to take part in the eighth annual power-down known as Earth Hour. The World Wildlife Fund's annual campaign to have people turn off their lights and other powered devices takes place from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in local time zones. Last year, the city of Vancouver was dubbed the 'Global Earth Hour Capital,' but BC Hydro spokesman Ted Olynyk said it was communities on Vancouver Island that led the way. BC Hydro estimates that last year B.C. saved 136 megawatt hours of electricity — or just about 2 per cent of regular consumption at that time — with Comox, Courtenay, North Saanich, Sidney, Qualicum, Parksville, Campbell River and Sayward leading the way. (CBC)

State used outdated data to allow logging on slope
State regulators have been using outdated boundaries to restrict logging above the Snohomish County slope that collapsed March 22, failing to incorporate newer research that would have protected a swath of land that wound up being clear-cut, according to a Seattle Times analysis of documents and geographical data. Because trees intercept and absorb water, removing them can contribute to the risk or size of a landslide by increasing the soil’s saturation, according to geological reports. The impact can linger for years. In 1997, a report commissioned by the state Department of Ecology used “newly developed computational tools” to map the plateau atop the unstable hill outside Oso. That report was prepared by geologist Daniel J. Miller and hydrologist Joan Sias; Miller’s portion drew boundaries for where groundwater could feed into the slope and increase the risks of landslide. When the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issued logging restrictions later that same year, the agency cited the Miller-Sias report and treated it as state of the art, saying any future study should emulate its methods. But instead of adopting Miller’s map, DNR used boundaries that had been drawn up in 1988. Ken Armstrong, Justin Mayo and Mike Baker report. (Seattle Times)

U.S.-China Talks On Shellfish Ban Lead To New Testing For Contaminants
U.S. officials say will develop a new testing protocol to detect certain contaminants in shellfish, following their meeting with the Chinese government to discuss an end to that country’s ban on importing shellfish from most of the U.S. the West Coast. Representatives of the two countries’ governments met in Beijing last week for their first face-to-face discussion of China’s shellfish ban. China banned shellfish imports in December after officials there said they found high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning in a geoduck clam from Alaska and high levels of inorganic arsenic in a geoduck from southern Puget Sound. U.S. officials said during a briefing with reporters Friday that the Chinese are satisfied with U.S. testing methods for paralytic shellfish poisoning but they’re still concerned about arsenic. High concentrations of inorganic arsenic, a carcinogen, were found in the skin of geoduck harvested near Tacoma, Wash. last fall. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Landslide risk widespread in county; 30,000 in hazard zones
.... The approximately 50 houses east of Oso swept aside by the March 22 landslide were hardly the only ones built near unstable land in Snohomish County. Hazard maps show almost all of the county's coastline and mountain valleys are in landslide danger zones. An estimated 30,000 people live in those places, according to a 2010 study commissioned by the county. By 2035, the county is expected to absorb roughly 200,000 more people. There are about 730,000 today.... The county can't afford to buy out property owners in landslide areas. Plus, people have a right to stay and, under certain conditions, to build. Existing laws and policies governing development in Snohomish County didn't keep people in Oso out of harm's way. Under the county's building regulations, the area where homes were built wasn't even designated high-risk for landslides. Noah Haglund and Dan Catchpole report. (Everett Herald)

The Wettest March in Seattle History and Stillaguamish Precipitation
March goes out like a lamb? Cliff Mass forecasts and comments.

First Nation wants emergency meeting to defuse herring roe row
A central coast First Nation is calling for an emergency meeting with fishermen and officials to defuse an escalating conflict over the imminent opening of a commercial herring roe fishery that’s been closed since 2006. Last week the Heiltsuk First Nation promised to sabotage the commercial fishermen and blamed federal fisheries minister Gail Shea for the rising tension over a forthcoming commercial gillnet fishery that has reportedly resulted in more than 20 RCMP descending on Denny Island near Bella Bella to guard against potential interference. Now, with roughly 20 licenced boats set to enter the area later this week, the Heiltsuk are asking the RCMP, the ministry and an industry group to hold an emergency teleconference today to avert an on-the-water conflict, according to band councillor Reg Moody. Mike Hager reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Federal judge sides with wild-fish advocates on hatchery issue in Elwha River's restoration
Responding to wild-fish advocates, a federal court has ordered federal authorities to revise plans to restore Elwha River fish runs, ruling the government did not fully study how many hatchery fish should be used to bring salmon back to the recently undammed river. Judge Benjamin Settle ruled last week in U.S. District Court in Tacoma that federal agencies did not adequately consider the effects a large-scale release of hatchery-reared salmon and steelhead would have on wild-fish populations. (Peninsula Daily News)

Anglers take to Skagit River to protest fishing regulations
A row of anglers whipped their lines into the waters of the Skagit River at Howard Miller Steelhead Park in Rockport, their dogs wading in behind them. But no fish were being caught because their lines had no hooks. The group was protesting fishing laws they feel are unnecessary and hurt the local economy. They are calling for a return of the spring catch-and-release season, which they believe would not have a negative effect on the recovery of wild winter steelhead. Russell Hixson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Bainbridge council refuses to reopen old debate over Shoreline Master Program
A few city council members refused to reopen an old debate over shoreline property issues Monday during a Shoreline Master Program council discussion. The Bainbridge Island City Council met with city staff and officials from the state Department of Ecology Monday to discuss a list of required changes on aquaculture before the draft ordinance is to be approved. Some council members also took the discussion as an opportunity to revisit two unrelated items on shoreline property regulations. But in a slim 4-3 vote, the attempt was rebuffed. Cecila Garza reports. (Bainbridge Review)

U.S. Government Says Oil Industry Hampering Train Safety
U.S. transportation officials rebuked the oil industry Friday for not giving up information regulators say they need to gauge the danger of moving crude by rail, after several accidents highlighted the explosive properties of fuel from the booming oil shale fields on the Northern Plains. Department of Transportation officials told The Associated Press they have received only limited data on the characteristics of oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota and Montana, despite requests lodged by Secretary Antony Foxx more than two months ago. (Associated Press)

Locals use kayaks to share environmental message
Jeffery Mayor writes: "When I first met Ken Campbell nearly a decade ago, kayaking was his business. He ran Azimuth Expeditions on South Tacoma Way. He sold kayaks and gear, he taught lessons, led trips in local waters and wrote books about his greatest adventures. Today, Campbell uses his kayaking skills to spread his environmental message. The pace of that effort picks up next month as Campbell and partner Steve Weileman premiere their second film on their efforts to track debris on remote beaches, and then they embark on a trip from one end of Puget Sound to the other aboard a kayak made of plastic bottles. The film, “The Secrets of Augustine,” is based on a trip the two made last summer to paddle around Augustine Island at the mouth of Cook Inlet in Alaska..." (Tacoma News Tribune)

Huge Wave in Pacific Ocean About to Hit West Coast Will Have Global Impacts
An enormous wave now centered at 500 feet deep along the equator south of Hawaii is silently moving below the surface towards the west coast of the Americas. This wave, called a Kelvin wave, took four years to build. It has just started to breach the surface. It is so large that it has substantially raised the height of the sea surface for thousands of miles along the equator in the central Pacific ocean. As it pushes towards the west coast it will impact global ocean currents and weather. (Daily Kos)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON MAR 31 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT BECOMING E 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 10 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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3/28 Earth Hour, spill drift study, golden frogs, laser maps, polluting fireplaces, PDN paywall

Watch this and engage: Earth Hour 2014
Earth Hour is this Saturday. Chris Dunagan explains: "I admit it seems kind of quaint, but I look forward to turning out all the lights in my house once a year and sitting in the dark. It’s a time to contemplate all our marvels of technology while considering the needs of many people around the world." Earth Hour arrives this Saturday night  (Kitsap Sun)

If you like to listen: Salish Sea Spill Map Launched Ahead of Anticipated Jump in Tanker Traffic
.... In the Salish Sea, at the northwestern tip of Washington state, a proposed pipeline is expected to increase by 600 percent the number of tankers carrying tar sands oil. Concerned residents of the San Juan Islands have launched a drift card study to simulate the route of a potential oil spill in the Salish Sea... Captain James Slocomb navigates his boat, the Sea Otter, through near shore waters of the San Juan Islands, northwest of Seattle and south of Vancouver, Canada. The Captain and crew are on a unique mission, dropping drift cards into the water to simulate what would happen in the event of an oil spill. Tar sands oil from Canada is on the rise at refineries on the coast, adding to already heavy tanker traffic. If Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain pipeline is approved, the company estimates its tanker traffic would increase from 60 tankers a year to over 400. Martha Baskin reports from the San Juans. (Free Speech Radio News)

Vancouver Aquarium golden frogs get busy in race against extinction
A species of poisonous frog thought to be extinct in the wild is getting a leg up in Vancouver. Scientists at the Vancouver Aquarium say critically endangered Panamanian golden frogs have been bred at the facility for the first time in its history. The brightly-coloured golden toad native to the mountainous, higher-altitude regions of western-central Panama and have a distinct "wave" used in mating, the Aquarium said. (CBC)

Laser maps reveal slide risk with startling clarity, but few citizens know they exist
...Maps created by an aerial scanning technique called lidar (lie-dar) reveal with stunning clarity a series of giant scars and piles of debris left by past landslides up and down the valley, including one more than twice as big as the monster that ripped loose Saturday. Lidar’s ability to peer beneath the region’s thick vegetation and lay bare the landscape has made it the go-to source on a wide range of geologic perils, from earthquake faults to flood zones. But outside the circle of geologists, engineers and land-use experts, few people know the maps exist or how to access them. And though lidar can spot landslides that other surveys miss, counties are inconsistent in the way they incorporate the new information into their hazard planning. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

Beginning Monday, Peninsula Daily News will charge frequent users of its website
The PDN is the last of the daily Puget Sound papers to go behind the paywall. “Beginning Monday, we're joining more than 500 newspapers nationwide — including The Seattle Times and the weekly Port Townsend Leader — that charge for their digital content,” said John Brewer, PDN publisher and editor.

The Puget Sound's most dangerous polluter? Your old fireplace
It's hard to believe a crackling fire and romantic hearth are a major source of carbon pollution in the Puget Sound, but fine particulates released by old non-certified wood burning stoves and fireplaces are the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's biggest worry. “It's about one-thirtieth the size of a human hair and those particles can travel deeply into your lungs and even into your bloodstream," says the agency's Craig Kenworthy. The EPA has found that these particles are likely to cause breathing and respiratory problems, and do cause heart attacks, strokes and early death. The chemical cousins they're bound to, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been linked to cancer, weakened immune systems and reproductive problems. Martha Baskin reports. (Crosscut)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI MAR 28 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN
 THIS MORNING...THEN SHOWERS AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
S WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS. SLIGHT
 CHANCE OF TSTMS. SHOWERS.
SAT
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS. SHOWERS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW 10 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
SUN
SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 13 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

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3/27 Polly Dyer, Alaska quake, Oso slide, BC GBH, BP Lk Michigan spill, Lelu Is. LNG

Polly Dyer (North Cascades Conservation Council)

You have to watch: Environmental hero Polly Dyer receives honorary doctorate
Pauline "Polly" Dyer, a tireless advocate for wilderness preservation, received Western's honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Western's winter Commencement ceremony on Saturday, March 22, 2014 in Carver Gymnasium.

How Alaska's quake changed the Northwest's outlook on disaster
Fifty years ago, on March 27, 1964, the Pacific plate scraped under the North American plate beneath Alaska's Prince William Sound, triggering the second-largest earthquake ever recorded. In Anchorage, the Turnagain Heights neighborhood slid into the salt water of Knik Arm. A great wave triggered by landslides destroyed the town of Valdez — after the ground on which the town stood had already liquified — and a tsunami triggered by the quake itself killed 122 people, streteching as far south as Crescent City, California. Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut) Also see: A day to remember 1964 earthquake, N. America’s largest  John Dodge reports. (Olympian)

Concern Over Landslide-Logging Connection Near Oso Is Decades Old
Saturday’s deadly slide was the latest in a long string of landslides to hit an area in the foothills of Washington’s Cascade Mountains. Despite the known hazards, the slopes above the slide area have been clearcut multiple times. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Property owners face double financial hit after Oso mudslide
People who own property in the landslide area near Oso probably didn't have insurance that protects against such a disaster — and, worse, they're still on the hook for their mortgages. Standard homeowner and business policies specifically exclude damage caused by earth movement such as a landslide. A property owner would need to buy a special policy just to protect against landslides. Jim Davis reports. (Everett Herald)

Great blue heron population takes a dive in B.C.'s Tri-Cities
The population of great blue herons appears to be declining in the Tri-Cities area of Metro Vancouver, and the South Coast Conservation Program wants to find out how many remain. Tamsin Baker, the conservation program's stewardship coordinator, is asking the public in and around Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody to record when and where they see herons engaging in nest-building behaviour. (CBC)

BP confirms oil spill into Lake Michigan from Whiting refinery
Less than a year after BP started up a new unit to process Canadian tar sands at its Whiting refinery, the company reported today [Tuesday] that a malfunction allowed a slug of crude oil into Lake Michigan a few miles away from the Chicago city limits. It remains unclear how much oil spilled into the lake or how long the discharge continued. Workers at the refinery reported an oil sheen on the water about 4:30 p.m. Monday, and an official from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the leak was plugged by the time he arrived at 9 p.m. Mike Beslow, the EPA’s emergency response coordinator, said there appeared to be no negative effects on Lake Michigan, the source of drinking water for 7 million people in Chicago and the suburbs. The 68th Street water intake crib is about eight miles northwest of the spill site, but there were no signs of oil drifting in that direction. Michael Hawthorne reports. (Chicago Tribune)

Environmental agency seeks public comments on proposed LNG plant in B.C.
Lelu Island, near Port Edward is the site for proposed $11-billion Pacific Northwest LNG plant. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency announced Wednesday that a 30-day public comment period for the Pacific NorthWest LNG project will begin April 2 and end May 1. Kevin Drews reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU MAR 27 2014
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN...THEN RAIN 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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3/26 Clean Water Act, Orca Tour, gray whales, BC quake, body humor, Exxon Valdez spill

Inside a fly (BBC News)

If you like to watch: 3D insect flight: footage captured from inside a fly
A team of scientists from Oxford University, Imperial College, and the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland have used very intense X-rays to film inside an insect as it flies. (BBC)

Clean Water Act proposal would protect more water sources in West
The Obama administration proposed a long-awaited rule on Tuesday to clarify that the Clean Water Act protects wetlands near rivers and waterways fed by seasonal thaws and rains — a decision that could particularly shield water sources in the West. Proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, the draft Waters of the U.S. rule is aimed at defining the scope of the Clean Water Act after two Supreme Court decisions in the last 15 years led to confusion about which waterways were under federal protection, said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. Neela Banerjee reports. (LA Times) And from Chris Dunagan at the Kitsap Sun: EPA asserts protections under Clean Water Act

News release: Orca Tour 2014 Features Author Erich Hoyt In May Events Along The Range of Southern Resident Orcas
The endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales spend a significant amount of time on the Pacific Coast, from Vancouver Island to Monterey, CA. In May, The Whale Trail and partners are collaborating with noted author and marine conservationist Erich Hoyt on a series of nine presentations throughout the orcas' range.

Celebrate Gray whales at the New Langley Whale Center and Welcome the Whales Day April 19
Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network has followed the travels of the Gray whales, as well as orcas and other whales, and now is opening its new Langley Whale Center. On April 19, Orca Network will celebrate its annual "Welcome the Whales Day Parade and Festival" in Langley.

Catastrophic earthquake: B.C. not prepared, says report
B.C.'s emergency management agency (EMBC) is not adequately prepared for a catastrophic earthquake, according to the province's auditor general Russ Jones. Jones also found that neither the provincial government or Emergency Management BC has made significant progress preparing for a destructive earthquake since the last report 17 years ago. (CBC)

Body humor billboards turn heads, gain attention for septic company FloHawks
A friend of mine almost drove off the road in Pierce County when she sped by a billboard that caught her eye. “Our customers give us crap everyday,” it read. Turns out it is one of 30 billboards around south King, Pierce, Thurston and Kitsap counties, all part of an advertising campaign for FloHawks, a Puyallup-based plumbing and septic company. Some of the other traffic-slowing billboard slogans are, “Your doody. Our duty” and, “You think your job stinks!” Patti Payne reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

25 Years Later, A Look Back At The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill  
At midnight 25 years ago, a ship called Exxon Valdez hit Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound, spilling enough crude oil to fill 17 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The event came as a shock to most people, but not to Kimbal Sundberg. [Sundberg now lives on San Juan Island and is active in water resources issues.] He’d spent the three years leading up to that day mapping out what would happen in the case of just such an event.  As a habitat biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Sundberg had commented on oil spill contingency plans for the state Department of Environmental Conservation. He'd even co-authored an impact analysis report on how an oil spill might affect fish and wildlife in the area. Rae Ellem Bichell reports. (KPLU) And read Shelly Larsen’s account of growing up in Alaska constantly hearing about “the spill”: 25 years later, what have we learned from Exxon Valdez?  And Friday Harbor's David Nash and Lynn Danaher remember--Twenty-five years later; in the wake of Exxon Valdez

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED MAR 26 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A
 CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SHOWERS.

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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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3/25 Stilly slide, Texas spill, oil effects, BC pipe protest, DuPont shore, Pt Townsend MSC, fracking sand

Fang tooth and abyssal hatchet fish (Norbert Wu)

A wild ride through the ocean's strangest creatures
From the immortal jellyfish to death-defying icefish, it's a safari out there in the ocean, say Stephen and Anthony Palumbi in The Extreme Life of the Sea. Adrian Barnett reviews. (New Scientist)

Aerial History and LiDAR of the Stilliguamish Blocking Landslide
Well worth reading: Geologist Dan McShane provides a very cogent analysis of what happened and why at the Stilliguamish slide. See also: Landslide that hit Port Alice in 1975: 'All we saw was rock and mud'

Crews clean up oil spill in Texas shipping channel
Cannon booms reverberate across the Houston Ship Channel, a scare tactic to keep birds away from oil-slicked beaches. On a mainland shore near a line of refineries, crews scour the sand for quarter-sized tar balls that have washed ashore. Far on the horizon a few ships floated outside the channel, among the dozens of vessels waiting for the U.S. Coast Guard to reopen one of the nation's busiest seaports after a barge collision dumped as many as 170,000 gallons of heavy oil into the water. Juan A. Lozano and Nomaan Merchant report. (Associated Press)

Seattle scientists show how Deepwater Horizon spill caused heart damage in young tuna
On the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez disaster, Seattle scientists are adding to the evidence that oil spills exact a toll far beyond soiled beaches and seabirds drenched in crude. The latest findings, published Monday, document toxic effects on the hearts of young tuna and other top predator fish from the Gulf of Mexico — where the 2010 explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig killed 11 people and unleashed the biggest marine spill in U.S. history. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C. oil pipeline opponents mark 25 years since Exxon spill
Opponents of any increase in oil tankers off the B.C. coast are marking the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill by launching a renewed campaign against two major pipeline projects. Coastal First Nations are running newspaper and radio ads about the impacts they fear from oil spills at sea from Enbridge's Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipelines. (CBC)

Coalition of partners preserves and protects Puget Sound shoreline area
Mayor Michael Grayum has signed two conservation agreements, significant actions that are part of a collaborative effort to restore the Sequalitchew Creek Watershed in DuPont. The first easement preserves and permanently protects a mile of Puget Sound shoreline as well as a 45-acre bluff of forest land granted to DuPont by CalPortland Company. The second easement establishes a location for a future pedestrian trail, creating public access. The easements are part of a settlement agreement announced Jan. 25, 2012, that was established in partnership with the Department of Ecology, CalPortland, DuPont, and a broad-based environmental coalition. (Dept of Ecology)

Port Townsend marine center focuses on local sea life for Friday season opener
An intimate display of animals that can be found in local waters will be on view to the public this Friday as the Port Townsend Marine Science Center opens its doors for the season... The marine display, which features 14 tanks with thousands of different animals, is located at the end of the pier that extends from Fort Worden State Park. The new season begins Friday with a public feed where visitors are invited to help feed the animals at 2 p.m.. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

25 speakers oppose fracking sand
The Port of Olympia commission voted 2-1 Monday night to seek bids for a new marine terminal warehouse. But before that happened, commission members got an earful from more than 20 residents who testified against it. It wasn’t the warehouse structure they were concerned about, but rather that ceramic proppants — known more commonly as fracking sand — would be stored inside it. The product and the oil extraction process have drawn the ire of environmentalists nationwide.... The proposed 50,000-square-foot new warehouse would handle similar cargo. It would be built between the port’s current warehouse and administrative building. Rolf Boone reports. (Olympian)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE MAR 25 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON PDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 7
 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN THIS MORNING...THEN SHOWERS AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS. SHOWERS AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS...THEN SHOWERS
 LIKELY 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

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

3/24 Galveston spill, spill survey, Duwamish, plastic bottles, stormwater, pipe land, seafood, Salish Sea paddle

Canvasback (Adam Grimm/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Wetland Birds Thrive
While nearly a third of North American bird species are in decline, many birds that depend on wetlands are thriving. Duck breeding populations in 2009 were an estimated 25% above historical averages. Conditions on the breeding grounds have improved since the drought years of the 1980s, but human action has also made a huge difference. You can help by encouraging your elected representatives to protect wetlands - and by purchasing a duck stamp every year. (BirdNote)

Oil Spill Cleanup Impedes Major Texas Ship Channel
The cleanup of an unknown amount of thick, sticky oil that spilled into the Galveston Bay blocked the movement Sunday of about 60 ships, including three cruise ships, between the Gulf of Mexico and one of the world's busiest petrochemical transportation waterways. A barge carrying nearly a million gallons of marine fuel oil sprung a leak after colliding with a ship Saturday afternoon in the Houston Ship Channel. Officials believe only one of the barge's tanks — which holds 168,000 gallons — was breached, though Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Sam Danus said Sunday it wasn't clear how much oil had spilled... The area is home to popular bird habitats, especially during the approaching migratory shorebird season. Michael Graczyk reports. (Associated Press) See also: Texas City oil spill affecting local economy  (USA Today)

New blog: When Bad Things Happen, Who Ya Gonna Call? Thinkin’ ‘Bout the “G”-Word
Last week Alan Durning at Sightline wrote about how a lot of people distrust and don’t like The G-Word, that is, the government. I’ve thought about the “G”-word a lot these last few days as I’ve thought about public health and safety and about some awful disasters...

Stay tuned: International Drift Card Study Highlights Cross-Border Oil Spill Risks
Washington and British Columbia conservation groups today mark the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez spill by launching 650 degradable plywood drift cards along the oil tanker route between the Gulf and San Juan islands. The cards will be uniquely marked and are part of a study of the path an oil spill might take. Each card will carry the message: "This could be oil." The event is organized by Friends of the San Juans in the US and Raincoast Conservation Foundation and Georgia Strait Alliance in Canada.

Decades of toxic waste dredged from the Duwamish
Waste from industry is being dredged up from the Lower Duwamish Waterway, dumped on barges, then onto rail cars, then moved to a disposal site in Klickitat County. By 2015, enough muck will have been hauled away to fill nearly 95 Olympic-size swimming pools. Eric Lacitis reports. (Seattle Times)

Beach Walkers illuminate tidal life at night  
Under the stars at Lighthouse Park, Bernie Busch illuminated much more about the beach than the flashlights people were carrying. Busch, 71, was one of the volunteer Washington State University Extension Beach Watchers helping lead an educational walk during a low tide in late February. It’s a passion he’s indulged since retiring 10 years ago from a career in social work. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

WWU bans plastic water bottle sales starting April 1
Sales of bottled water on Western Washington University's campus will end April 1 - about two years after students overwhelmingly voted for the ban over environmental concerns. Western will be the largest Washington state college or university, public or private, to do so, thanks to an initiative led by Students for Sustainable Water to get people to turn to tap water instead of buying plain water in disposable plastic bottles. Kie Relyea and James Kozanitis report. (Bellingham Herald)

Salmon, streams and stormwater compatible
The town of Eatonville, with financial backing from the Nisqually Indian Tribe, has a new and improved stormwater management plan that officials say will reduce pollution and protect salmon in nearby rivers. The plan, in its updated form, was formally approved March 10 by the Town Council. The Nisqually Tribe funded the update as part of a broader project to protect salmon habitat by managing the stormwater that flows out of the town and finds its way into salmon-bearing streams. David Troutt, the tribe’s director of natural resources, noted Eatonville is between the Mashel River and Ohop Creek, which are considered vital salmon tributaries to the Nisqually River. Pat Jenkins reports. (Eatonville Dispatch)

This land is your land, this land is Kinder Morgan’s land
If Kinder Morgan knocks on your door and wants to run a pipeline through your backyard, there’s not much a resident can do besides negotiate reasonable compensation, according to an expropriation lawyer. Ted Hanman, a lawyer with Victoria firm Cox Taylor, says once the planning has been done and the alignment chosen for a particular infrastructure project, residents are usually at a loss to keep their land intact if they sit on a proposed right of way. Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Why 500 Million U.S. Seafood Meals Get Dumped In The Sea
Seafood often travels huge distances over many days to reach the people who eat it. And it's often impossible to know where a fillet of fish or a few frozen shrimp came from — and, perhaps more importantly, just how they were caught. Fortunately, activists are doing the homework for us, and what they're telling us could make your next fish dinner a little less tasty. According to a report released Thursday by the environmental group Oceana, commercial fishermen in the U.S. annually throw overboard as much as 2 billion pounds of so-called bycatch, much of which is edible fish equivalent to at least a half-billion seafood meals. Incredibly, much of this waste includes some of the most valuable — and delectable — seafood species in the world, like bluefin tuna, swordfish and Pacific halibut. From National Public Radio. (KPLU)

An adventure close to home: What it’s like to paddle from Vancouver to Victoria
The haunting cry of a bald eagle followed my stand-up paddleboard across still waters. Beside me, sandstone shores – fractured and orange – rose sharply from the ocean, occasionally giving way to the arid headlands of Mayne Island, dotted with saxifrage, Garry oak and even cactus. Waves washed over my toes, and in the waters below, fish darted through emerald forests of kelp. Bruce Kirkby writes. (Globe and Mail)

GREEN Congress classes at TESC make water-wise kids
About 400 students in grades 3-12 gathered Friday at The Evergreen State College in Olympia for the South Sound Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (GREEN) Congress. The event hosted students from several school districts, including Olympia, North Thurston, Griffin, Tumwater, Yelm, Clover Park, Steilacoom and Eatonville. “It’s really local,” said Rebecca Chamberlain, a member of the faculty at The Evergreen State College and one of the workshop presenters. “It’s based on understanding our South Puget Sound watersheds, habitats and ecosystems.” Lisa Pemberton reports. (Olympian)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON MAR 24 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN...THEN RAIN 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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3/21 Orca attack, Exxon Valdez, tidal power, Tokitae, Futurewise in Whatcom, no oil terminal, coal risks, Fukushima

Daffodils (Nick Gonzales/Skagit Valley Herald)

If you like to watch: Killer whales attacking sea lions
Dramatic video of a pod of killer whales hunting sea lions Wednesday near Prince Rupert, B.C., posted by Travis Twizell.

25 Years Later, Exxon Valdez Spill Effects Linger
Before the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, there was the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska, at the time the nation's largest oil spill.... Twenty five years later, most of the species have recovered, said Robert Spies, a chief science adviser to governments on the oil spill restoration program from 1989 to 2002. But some wildlife, as well as the people who live in the region, are still struggling. Dan Joling reports. (Associated Press)

New blog: Oil And Water Don’t Mix— Never Have
“I learned about the Exxon Valdez going aground 25 years ago while working in corporate communications for the investor-owned utility, Hawaiian Electric Company. We sadly watched the national news for days as 11 million gallons of oil spread and coated the pristine shorelines...”

Feds OK Snohomish County PUD's Tidal Power Project In Admiralty Inlet
Federal regulators have given unanimous approval for an underwater energy project powered by the tides in Washington’s Admiralty Inlet. Two turbines will take advantage of the fast-moving currents and daily tidal movements in the busy passage west of Whidbey Island, at a depth of about 200 feet. Snohomish County PUD says the turbines will be connected to the electrical grid with cables that emerge on leased land south of the ferry dock in Coupeville. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

State welcomes new ferry to Puget Sound
Washington transportation leaders christened a new ferry Thursday. It will provide service between Mukilteo and Clinton for the next six decades... Tokitae is the first of three new vessels that can carry 144 vehicles. They will replace aging and smaller ferries. Maria Guerrero reports. (KIRO) See also: New ferry Tokitae will serve Mukilteo-Clinton route  (Everett Herald)

Under new leadership in Whatcom, Futurewise to try cooperation
Futurewise, the organization that makes sure communities in Washington are following growth management law, has changed its tactics, its state director said. The organization known for litigating growth disputes has been partnering with local governments to help them protect resource lands and prevent urban sprawl before legal action is needed, Executive Director Hilary Franz said in an interview Thursday, March 20. A new hire at Futurewise, Whatcom Chapter Director Ryan Ericson, has the skills needed to work side by side with government planners, Franz said. He was a shoreline planner for the city of Bainbridge Island before starting with Futurewise on Monday, March 17. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Vancouver [WA] City Council Comes Out Against Oil Terminal
A majority of the Vancouver City Council now publicly opposes plans to build the Northwest’s largest oil-handling facility at the Port of Vancouver. Councilor Jack Burkman made his opposition known at the end of Monday’s council meeting. Councilors Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Bart Hansen and Larry Smith all confirmed to The Columbian on Wednesday that they, too, oppose the $110 million project proposed by Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies. While the city council doesn’t have direct control over the project — Tesoro-Savage signed the lease with the Port of Vancouver’s Board of Commissioners, and the facility will have to be approved by Gov. Jay Inslee — having a majority of the seven-member council in opposition means the city can actively fight it. Aaron Corvin and Stephanie Rice report. (Columbian)

Study Tallies Economic Risks Of Oregon Coal Export Project
A study released Thursday by coal export opponents tallies the economic risks of barging coal down the Columbia River –- from the cost of killing salmon and emitting air pollution to increased accidents and impacts to recreation in the Columbia River Gorge. The report’s author, Ecotrust economist Noah Enelow, suggests that the project’s benefits might not be worth the risks of building the Morrow Pacific project. “The Morrow Pacific project places over $2 billion in natural and cultural assets at risk, including salmon habitat, recreational values and water quality,” he said in a statement. “These risks to livelihood, natural resources and economies must be studied further before an informed decision can be made.” Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)

Fukushima Crisis
Georgia Strait Alliance has put up a web page to update the crisis: "The devastating explosions in 2011 at the Fukushima nuclear reactors in Japan released huge quantities of radioactive isotopes into the ocean and our atmosphere...."

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI MAR 21 2014
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SAT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 17 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY BY AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
SUN
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 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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3/20 Clam secrets, tribal water, Skagit shores, SJI Monument, Quadra Is park

Spotted Towhee (Steve Ting/All About Birds)

Vernal Equinox - West
If you like to listen: Ahhh, the first day of spring . . . at last! And the birds know somethin' is up. Both science and folklore tie Spring to the renewal of nature, as the world awakens from the long cold winter. Here's a Virginia Rail, usually unseen but hardly unheard, ringing in the new season. Spring has sprung. The birds declare it official. (BirdNote)

B.C. clams reveal an ancient secret (with video)
First Nations “clam gardens” dramatically increase the survival, growth rate and size of shellfish using materials as simple as boulders and crushed shells, according to a new study by researchers at Simon Fraser University and the University of Washington. A collaborative project by marine ecologists and archeologists studied clam growth in ancient stone-walled beach terraces created over the last few thousand years. The team recorded four times as many butter clams and twice as many littlenecks in clam gardens compared with unaltered beaches. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Lummi, Nooksack dispute local water rights
Litigation from local tribes could have serious consequences for farmers and many others in Whatcom County. When the U.S. government signed its treaties with the Washington tribes in the mid-1800s, some of the finer details were left a bit ambiguous. In the past few decades, those tribes, along with state and federal governments, have been trying to sort it all out.... 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the Boldt decision, and Whatcom County is the arena for the most recent litigation. This time, it’s about water rights.  In 2011, the Nooksack and Lummi tribes filed a petition with the U.S. Department of the Interior to seek a legal declaration of their water rights, a move that may have wide-ranging impacts both locally and throughout the region. Nathan Dalla Santa reports. (Northern Light)

Plan update generates concern over shoreline access
The Skagit County Planning Commission spent the majority of its Tuesday meeting debating public access requirements in the county’s shoreline master program update. “The definition of public access needs to be worked on, in my opinion,” Commissioner Jason Easton said. He described it as a very controversial issue in Skagit County, “at the front of (shoreline) owners’ minds” from the beach in Anacortes to the dikes along the Skagit River. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Monument: premium placed on partnerships
The amount of acreage in the newly created San Juan Islands national monument totals just about 1,000. But that number itself does little justice to the character or landscape of the monument–the only one in Washington state, by the way. That’s because the monument is comprised of no fewer than 31 small islands and 40 different groups of rocks and reefs, some of which nearly disappear at high tide. It stretches from the northernmost corner of San Juan County (Patos Island) to one of the southernmost (Iceberg Point), as well as from its westernmost (Turn Point) to beyond the county’s eastern border to include low-lying rocky features and the tip of several islands in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Scott Rasmussen reports. (Journal of the San Juans)

Years of talk finally yield new park on Quadra Island
After years of negotiation, collapsed deals and local fundraising campaigns, the B.C. government has signed an agreement to save waterfront land on Quadra Island from logging and turn it into a provincial park. Rob Shaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU MAR 20 2014
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 14 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 14 SECONDS. A
 CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
--
"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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3/19 David Mosley, BC pipe, oil trains, BC LNG, tsunami debris, herring, mill site sale, G-Word, TED

Robot writes LA Times breaking news
The Los Angeles Times was the first newspaper to publish a story about an earthquake on Monday - thanks to a robot writer. [Hey, what do you think is collecting and posting these news clips?] (BBC)

Head of state’s ferry system to resign April 15
David Moseley, the head of Washington State Ferries since 2008, is stepping down effective April 15. Moseley made the announcement Tuesday, saying he’ll leave the ferry system in a stronger position than it was six years ago when he took the job. He cited progress on building new, safer boats, but warned the system needs a sustainable funding source in the near future. Jim Brunner reports. (Seattle Times)

Trans Mountain Pipeline plans need amendment, says Burnaby
The City of Burnaby, B.C., is coming out swinging at plans to twin the Trans Mountain Pipeline, saying Kinder Morgan's expansion plan lacks critical details, including a safety plan and a clear route through the city. Greg McDade, the city's legal counsel, has sent a letter to the National Energy Board, which is reviewing the project, asking for the application to be rejected. The pipeline company has applied for approval to triple the capacity of the 60-year-old pipeline, which carries crude oil from Alberta, under the City of Burnaby and several other Lower Mainland municipalities, to a tanker terminal on the shore of Burrard Inlet. (CBC)

Groups raise new challenge to Tesoro-Savage oil project  
Environmental groups are leveling a new challenge against a proposal to build the Northwest’s largest oil-by-rail transfer terminal at the Port of Vancouver, arguing that a 1977 federal law prohibits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from issuing a permit for the proposal’s dock reconstruction project. In a March 11 letter to the Corps, Kristen Boyles, an attorney for Earthjustice who is representing several other environmental groups, argues the law — known as the Magnuson amendment — forbids the federal agency from issuing the permit requested by Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies. The amendment, in part, bans the federal government from granting permits to build or modify a terminal or dock in Puget Sound — or any other of the state’s navigable waters east of Port Angeles — to increase the amount of oil such facilities could handle. Citing the amendment’s language in her letter, Boyles argues, in part, that the “Columbia River at the Port of Vancouver is a ‘navigable water in the state of Washington east of Port Angeles.’” Aaron Corvin reports. (Columbian)

How Industry Specs And A Federal Loophole Allow Railroads to Avoid Response Planning Oversight
Neither states nor the federal government have oversight over how railroads plan for responding to spills from trains carrying crude oil, meaning environmental regulators cannot identify gaps in the plans or verify a railroad’s abilities to carry them out.... Unlike the marine tankers, pipelines and facilities that also haul or store large quantities of oil, railroads are not required to file comprehensive response plans that meet federal standards, nor are their plans subject to review by any government agency. Tony Schick reports. (EarthFix)

Vancouver upstart wades into B.C.’s crowded LNG race
The competition is heating up to export B.C. liquefied natural gas as a new proponent tries to find a niche in an increasingly crowded field. Vancouver-based Steelhead LNG Corp. hopes to file an LNG export licence application to the National Energy Board within eight weeks, Steelhead chief executive officer Nigel Kuzemko said in an interview Tuesday. If the upstart does forge ahead with its plans, it will become the 14th entrant in the race to export LNG from Canada’s West Coast to energy-thirsty Asian customers. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Tsunami cleanup project finding less debris than predicted
Three years after Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, washing millions of tonnes of debris into the Pacific Ocean, officials in B.C. say far less of that debris has reached our shores than expected. Despite that finding, Environment Minister Mary Polak on Tuesday announced $270,000 in funding for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. The group, led by the Vancouver Aquarium and World Wildlife Fund, has launched a tsunami cleanup project and the funding will cover supplies and transport volunteers and debris along remote areas. Sunny Dhillon reports. (Globe and Mail)

Herring Country Safari
Puget Sound Institute lead ecosystem ecologist Tessa Francis writes: "Hood Canal never disappoints me. We’re in year 2 of our herring habitat study, asking whether Puget Sound herring populations are limited by the availability of spawning habitat.... Substrate type doesn’t matter. What does matter, we found, is where that substrate occurs. We found greater differences in egg mortality among spawning sites — Elliott Bay versus, say, Hood Canal — than among spawning habitat within sites. This year, we’re looking closely at why herring egg survival varies among spawning sites...."

Soil stability and other issues could derail sale of mill site
Sale of the Kimberly-Clark Corp. waterfront mill site is not a done deal. The prospective buyer, a Seattle-based company called Saltchuk, has concerns about the land, including soil stability, and it’s taking more time to study the site. Saltchuk hopes those concerns can be resolved through negotiations with seller Kimberly-Clark, but the issues could derail the deal, company spokeswoman Emily Reiter said. Dan Catchpole reports. (Everett Herald)

The G-Word
From a Frameworks Institute messaging memo: 'The word “government” poses an obstacle to productive thinking. The word “government” is so freighted with pejorative baggage that it should be used with caution and is best used only after other terms that establish its public mission. Without this redirection, government is universally greeted with derision—and that response is socially expected across Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Deep-seated ridicule, learned and conditioned over time, remains a major impediment to engaging citizens in a discussion about government as us, and government as problem-solver. If government is allowed to be identified as a “joke,” the rest of the conversation hardly matters.' Alan Durning discusses. (Sightline)

Marine Shoreline Design Guidelines
Here's the final version of the state's Marine Shoreline Design Guidelines prepared for the Aquatic Habitat Guidelines Program. "The Marine Shoreline Design Guidelines (MSDG) were developed to provide a comprehensive framework for site assessment and alternatives analysis to determine the need for shore protection and identify the technique that best suits the conditions at a given site." 59MB

TED Notes: Fascinating talks Tuesday at the conference in Vancouver
New mammoths for modern issue? It may not be too long before woolly mammoths begin to repopulate the Canadian Arctic, Stewart Brand, the “de-extinction” pioneer and advocate told TED attendees. New research is being done by scientists all over the world looking into taking the DNA of extinct or threatened animals to recreate, or in some cases bolster, the populations of animals. From the elephant-like mammoth to the passenger pigeon, to a “genetic rescue” mission for the endangered black-footed ferret, there is promising research for why these animals should be preserved, he said. “You could some day see vast herds of new Canadians or returned Canadians in the arctic. We may need them back,” Brand said, arguing mammoths may help reverse global warming. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED MAR 19 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE
 AFTERNOON. W SWELL 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT AFTER
 MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY 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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3/18 Samish Bay Lake Serene, oil spills, oil trains, radiation, Big Bang, best bee, SJ Monument

Samish Bay fails state evaluation
Samish Bay closed to shellfish harvest for the fourth time this month Sunday, due to high river flow. But it was the second time fecal coliform bacteria was confirmed to exceed state standards in water samples, which means it failed the state’s annual evaluation that had Clean Samish Initiative members holding their breath.... During this year’s testing period, the first closure occurred just four days in. The two times fecal coliform bacteria was found to exceed the state’s limit of 4.7 trillion units it was between 6 and 6.4 trillion. Skagit County water quality analyst Rick Haley said that’s a significant improvement compared to the shocking spike of 170 times the state standard that triggered the Clean Samish movement in 2008. “In 2008 we routinely got loadings over 50 and sometimes 100 trillion,” Haley said. “So we’re down below 6 and we need to be down below 4.7.” (Skagit Valley Herald)

Rains turn Lake Serene drainage woes into headache for county
Homeowners on the shores of Lake Serene have watched nervously this month as water covered entire back yards and inundated crawl spaces. It’s not just the heavy rains contributing to the problems at this lake north of Lynnwood, in unincorporated Snohomish County. A major factor, county officials concede, is a blocked drainage system. The county over the weekend started emergency efforts to pump water out of the lake and around some blockages, as planners look into long-term fixes. Some homeowners are worried it may be too late. They’re critical of what they see as the county’s inaction over both the short and long term. Private ownership of some of the drainage areas, however, could complicate any solution. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

You need to watch: Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez
See the award-winning documentary at the San Juan Island Grange, 7 pm, 3/18; Orcas Island Senior Center, 3 pm, 3/23; and Lopez Library, 7 pm, 3/24.

Washington Legislature Fails To Pass Any Oil Train Legislation
The Washington Legislature’s Republicans and Democrats couldn’t get together to pass a single piece of legislation specifically relating to oil trains or vessels, despite the introduction of several bills from both sides of the aisle. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Concerns Over Measurement of Fukushima Fallout
University researchers in Japan say that even now, three years after the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, they feel under pressure to play down the impact of the disaster. Some say they cannot get funds or university support for their work. In several cases, the professors say, they have been obstructed or told to steer clear of data that might cause public “concern.” David McNeill reports. (NY Times)

The San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee (RAC) Application Period Ends March 24
The Bureau of Land Management seeks applicants for its advisory committee to provide information and advice regarding the development of the San Juan Islands National Monument's resource management plan. Information and application form are found here.

Landmark find: Scientists detect waves from Big Bang
On Monday, radio astronomers reported that they had seen the beginning of the Big Bang, and that physicist Alan Guth’s hypothesis that the universe had swelled faster than the speed of light for a prodigiously violent instant, known undramatically as inflation, was right. Dennis Overbye reports. (NY Times)

If you like to listen and watch: Fight of the Bumblebee
On the 170th anniversary of composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's birth, CBC Music presents this track and video of flutist Mark McGregor and rapper Kia Kadiri battling the bumble — may the best bee win. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE MAR 18 2014
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 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

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3/17 BC fracking, Shell spill, Oly Park plan, lege post-mortem, Everett cleanup, Tla'amin treaty, salmon quotas

Hellebore (Laurie MacBride)

If you like to watch: Under Hellebore Skirts
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "I have two types of hellebore plants in the border garden beside our house, and I’ve blogged about them once before. But that was in late spring, when their colours were more subdued and their carpels (ovaries) were huge with seed. This year I caught them much earlier, before the seeds had started to form...."

Take some time to watch: Forage fish populations as an indicator of Puget Sound recovery  
March 13 legislative forum. (1.12:17/TVW)

More to watch: 'Tides of Change' explores the health of ocean waters off North Olympic Peninsula  
"Tides of Change" is a new Science Minute Movie by the North Coast and Cascades Science Learning Network that takes viewers behind-the-scenes of Olympic National Park with coastal ecologist Steve Fradkin as he traverses “one of the most wild, scenic coastlines in North America” to monitor the health of the park's rocky intertidal community. (Peninsula Daily News)

B.C. environmental groups in court to argue against water use for fracking
A coalition of environmental groups will be in a Vancouver court Monday arguing against the use of river and lake water for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for natural gas. The Western Canada Wilderness Committee and the Sierra Club of B.C. have taken court action against B.C.’s Oil and Gas Commission and energy company Encana Corp. (TSX:ECA). The coalition alleges the commission has allowed up to millions of litres of fresh water annually to be drained from lakes, streams and rivers, where it’s then mixed with chemicals and sand and injected under high pressure into the ground to release natural gas. Steven Chua reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Shell reports crude-oil spill at Anacortes refinery
About 6,300 gallons of crude oil spilled this morning (Saturday) at the Shell Puget Sound Refinery in Anacortes. Shell spokeswoman Destin Singleton said the leak was entirely contained to the site. A Coast Guard flyover confirmed that no oil spilled into local waters, said Lisa Copeland, spokeswoman with the state Department of Ecology. Copeland said the refinery was transferring crude oil from a storage tank to a pipeline when a hose burst. The company has begun cleaning up the spill. Jay Greene reports. (Seattle Times)

Olympic National Park seeks comments on wilderness stewardship plan options
The public is invited to mix and match elements of four preliminary alternatives outlined for managing wilderness in Olympic National Park. Park staff are seeking public input on preliminary alternatives for the park’s first Wilderness Stewardship Plan before it puts together its draft environmental impact statement. The final plan, expected to be put into effect in late 2015, will guide management of most of the 922,650-acre park for the next 15 to 20 years. Comment can be made in person at meetings in Port Angeles and Forks this week and in Port Townsend next week. Comments also can be made in writing by mail or online by May 17. Arwyn Rice and Leah Leach report. (Peninsula Daily News)

Legislature met its expectations (very low ones)
"...The official state oyster is the Olympia – not the Stellar Bay or the Pacific. The official state waterfall is Palouse Falls, not Snoqualmie Falls or Wallace Falls. But the colors on the official state seal? Any dang thing you want them to be. I hear House Democrats are considering plaid." Peter Callaghan recounts the legislative session. (Tacoma News Tribune)

If you like to watch: Dolphins, orcas delight watchers in Vancouver, Squamish
If you kept a close eye on the waters near Vancouver and Squamish this weekend, you may have seen the dolphins and even some orcas. At least two pods of Pacific white-sided dolphins were spotted by paddlers, boaters and seawall walkers off Vancouver's West End, in the False Creek area and off Kitsilano on Sunday, though many more visited Howe Sound the previous three days. (CBC)

Grant allows Everett to make list of which polluted areas to clean
There are more than 1,000 places in Everett where gas stations, dry cleaners, auto repair shops or other small industries operated in the years when environmental rules were not as strict as they are today. Oil, gasoline and chemicals at such businesses were not handled as carefully as they are now, Everett planning director Allan Giffen said. Most of those parcels are believed to contain some level of pollution. Everett now has a federal grant to determine which of the parcels should be the first to be cleaned up. Bill Sheets reports. (Everett Herald)

Self-determination for Tla’amin First Nation one step closer
The B.C. government says it’s one step closer to ratifying a treaty that would grant self-determination to the Tla’amin First Nation. The government says it has signed an agreement that would spell out the band’s ownership and management of minerals, forestry and other resources on treaty lands as well as fishing and gathering rights. The government says the treaty will provide the band with a $29.7 million capital transfer, $6.9 million in economic development funding and a $250,000 fishing vessel fund. It also grants the band more than 8,000 hectares of land, which includes 1,900 hectares of former Tla’amin reserve land and 6,405 hectares of former provincial land. (Vancouver Sun)

Ocean salmon quota options reflect strong runs
Under options approved this week, recreation anglers fishing off the Washington coast this year could see a higher catch quota for chinook salmon and certainly higher coho quotas. The three alternatives for ocean fishing, approved late Thursday by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, are in response to projections of a higher abundance of hatchery chinook and a significant increase in the number of coho bound for the Columbia River. The council establishes fishing seasons in ocean waters three to 200 miles off the Pacific coast. Chinook options range from 47,500 to 60,000 fish, while the coho options range from 159,600 to 193,200 fish. Jeffery Mayor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON MAR 17 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
NW WIND 20 TO 30 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 5 TO 7 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE
 AFTERNOON. W SWELL 10 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 6 FT AT 13
 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
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