6/23 Elliott Norse, Vic sewer, BC pipe, seastar wasting, climate change, Mukilteo beach

PHOTO: Laurie MacBride

Windswept on the Edge of the Strait
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "The Strait of Georgia is a windy stretch of water, as you can see by the angle of these trees even on a calm day. Their home is an exposed little islet in the Flat Tops, an island chain just south of Gabriola Island, on the western edge of the Strait. The Strait – or “the Gulf”, as mariners have traditionally called it – is not a body of water to take lightly...."

Redmond man behind scenes in push for ocean protections
Elliott Norse, a marine biologist and former official in the Carter White House, was a key force behind the Obama administration’s announcement last week that it plans to preserve more of the south-central Pacific Ocean.... In recent weeks, Norse — founder of a small Northwest nonprofit called the Marine Conservation Institute — helped get more than 350 top ocean scientists to sign a letter urging President Obama to protect more of the sea from fishing and development...  Craig Welch reports. (Seattle Times)

Time to challenge federal government on sewage: group
Rather than trying to push ahead with expensive sewage treatment, the Capital Regional District should challenge the federal government’s “high risk” classification of Greater Victoria’s sewage system, says a local lobby group. The federal government has classified the CRD’s practice of pumping raw, screened sewage through long, deep-water outfalls as high risk even though CRD’s monitoring data proves otherwise, said Brian Burchill, chairman of the Association for Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Sewage Treatment or ARESST.... ARESST has long argued that deep-water outfalls into the frigid, fast-moving waters acts as a type of natural sewage treatment. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist) See also: Health warning issued for Beaver Lake, Cordova Bay swimming areas  Sarah Petrescu reports. (Times Colonist) See also: ‘Astounding’ tax hit for Victoria area lurks in sewage mess Bill Cleverely reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Bellingham wastewater treatment plant dedication set for Tuesday
The public is invited to celebrate the completed expansion of the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant at a dedication ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 24. After a ribbon cutting, cake will be served and public officials and project staff will lead tours of the new facilities, as well as explain the treatment process. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

B.C. oil pipeline: A threat to the whole Northwest?
With the assist of a friendly Conservative government in Canada, Big Energy wins a skirmish. How will it affect the larger battle over coal and oil exports? Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut)

Peninsula volunteers pitching in on sea star wasting disease research
The efforts of volunteers across the North Olympic Peninsula have been vital in recent months as scientists work to uncover the secrets of a mysterious affliction eating its way through sea star populations up and down the West Coast. “Citizen scientists” have braved slippery rocks along the northern coasts of Clallam and Jefferson counties to seek signs of the disease, called sea star wasting syndrome, in the multi-armed creatures that live on the craggy shorelines. Jeremy Schwartz reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Conservation District adds climate change to goals
For the first time, the Skagit Conservation District is including climate change in its annual goals, which the organization sets for its July-to-June fiscal year. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

New Mukilteo beach access trail opens today
A trail providing public access to a park and beach with views of Whidbey Island and Possession Sound opens today in Mukilteo. The gravel trail begins near Sound Transit's Mukilteo station at 920 First St. and continues for about a quarter of a mile, leading to Edgewater Beach. The park will be open from dawn to dusk. The trail will provide interim access to the one-acre park, which is owned by the Port of Everett. Sharon Salyer reports. (Everett Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON JUN 23 2014
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS...THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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