8/29 Frog ESA, Lulu & Indigo, transient orcas, Mukilteo terminal, Shell drill, sockeye, GBH

(PHOTO: Vince Patton/OPB)

Oregon Spotted Frog Listed Under Endangered Species Act
The Oregon spotted frog, once abundant in the Northwest, now lives in a few scattered wetlands across the region. Over the years, it’s lost up to 90 percent of its habitat. Now, the frog will receive protection under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species. Courtney Flatt reports. (EarthFix)

From Orca Network: "We're saddened to report that the Center for Whale Research has announced that two Southern Resident orcas, L53 Lulu and L100 Indigo, have not been seen with their families in 2014 and are presumed deceased. 37-year-old female L53 lost her mother, L7, in 2010, and had no siblings. L100, a 13-year-old male, was born to L54 Ino and had two siblings, L108, an 8-year-old brother, and L117, born in 2010, gender still unknown. This brings the Southern Residents' overall population down to 78, the same number that led to their listing as endangered under the ESA. No newborns have been seen since August, 2012."

Transient orca sightings hit all-time high in Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca
It’s been a record summer for whale watching as the “transient” orca’s have been hanging out and putting on quit the show here in the Puget Sound region. “Never in recorded history has there been more sightings of transient orcas in the Sound and Strait,” the Pacific Whale Watch Association reported Thursday. The transient orcas are “marine mammal-eating transient orcas, also known as Bigg’s orcas” the association explains in it news release. And, our resident friends are the “fish-eating Southern Resident orcas of the Salish Sea.” Jake Ellison reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

New Mukilteo ferry terminal clears key hurdle
A key federal agency has given its blessing to the building of a new ferry terminal in Mukilteo. Washington State Ferries announced Thursday it had received a “record of decision” from the Federal Transit Administration that signals completion of the lengthy environmental review process for the $129 million project. The decision, issued Aug. 22, represents the last major bureaucratic hurdle the state needed to clear in order to move ahead with final design and construction of the new terminal roughly one-third mile east of the existing one. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

Warm waters send millions of salmon to Canada, not Wash.
Unusually warm water off the Washington coast is sending the vast majority of the sockeye-salmon run to Canadian waters, leaving Puget Sound fishermen with nearly empty nets. (Associated Press)

Shell submits a plan for new Alaskan Arctic oil exploration
After years of legal and logistical setbacks and dogged opposition from environmentalists, Royal Dutch Shell submitted a plan to the federal government Thursday, Aug. 28, to try once again to explore for oil in the Alaskan Arctic. The company emphasized that it had not made a final decision on whether to drill or not next summer but that the filing with the Interior Department preserved its options. Shell says the program consists of two drilling rigs working simultaneously in the Chukchi Sea, which has the potential to produce more than 400,000 barrels of oil a day. Clifford Krause reports. (NY Times)

Sound Salmon Solutions, a local nonprofit dedicated to salmon recovery efforts, invites you to join in the Citizen Action Training School (CATS) in Everett, a 12-week training program in watershed and Puget Sound ecology. CATS also, focuses on civic engagement in the legal and regulatory  processes that affect resource management. Apply by Sept. 5 at www.pugetsoundcats.org.

Olympia coalition spearheads effort to protect great blue herons and West Bay
A new nonprofit organization was established this month to help protect Olympia’s lone colony of great blue herons. The Olympia Coalition for Ecosystems Preservation also launched an online petition titled Save the West Bay Woods. As of Thursday afternoon, 143 people had signed the petition, which calls on the city to conserve the West Bay woods and Schneider Creek basin. The coalition formed in response to the proposed Wells Townhomes on the city’s west side. The development has attracted opposition Andy Hobbs reports. (Olympian)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 247 AM PDT FRI AUG 29 2014
TODAY
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A
 CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SUN
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SUN NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
MON
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT.

--
"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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8/28 Puffins, breeding ban, Lummi fishing, Kinder Morgan, BNSF tank cars, threatened coral, James Is.

(PHOTO: Alan Berner/Seattle Times)

Puffin chicks at the Seattle Aquarium
It's the first time in 14 years that puffins have given birth at the aquarium, and within 10 days, two chicks were born to two different mated pairs. Courtney Riffkin writes. Alan Berner's photos. (Seattle Times)

Vancouver Aquarium files legal challenge to whale, dolphin breeding ban
The Vancouver Aquarium has filed a legal challenge seeking to overturn a Vancouver Park Board resolution to ban the breeding of whales and dolphins at the popular Stanley Park tourist attraction…. In a petition filed in B.C. Supreme Court, the aquarium claims the board's decision falls outside its jurisdiction as a municipal body. The aquarium says the resolution interferes with its day-to-day operations. (CBC)

Lummi fishing rights south of San Juans remain uncertain
Lummi Nation won a legal battle over fishing rights that have been contested for more than 20 years, but the tribe's right to fish south of the San Juan Islands is still uncertain. A federal court of appeals on Aug. 19 reversed a lower court decision that had barred the Lummis from fishing west of northern Whidbey Island. The court ruled the boundaries of the "usual and accustomed grounds and stations" for fishing, as described in the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, remained unclear. The case could be brought again by the S'Klallam tribes, which were challenging Lummi Nation in the case. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Trans Mountain Pipeline survey work to start today on Burnaby Mountain
Kinder Morgan plans to begin survey work at the foot of Burnaby Mountain today (Wednesday) for its planned expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline. The Texas oil giant wants to triple the existing pipeline's capacity. The proposed $5.4 billion  project would mean an additional 590,000 barrels of oil passing through several Metro Vancouver municipalities each day. (CBC) See also: Give capital region a say on pipeline, says Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin  Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Top BNSF rail executive says safer tanker car can greater lower risk of oil-by-rail disasters
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s executive chairman Matthew Rose says his company wants safer ways to haul volatile oil by rail from the Bakken fields of North Dakota to refineries and terminals in Washington and around the country that have seen rapidly increasing traffic since 2011. BNSF, the nation’s largest railroad and hauler of oil by rail, has pledged to buy 5,000 future oil tank cars, which don’t yet exist. But prototypes of the third-generation tanker have been built, and await federal approval before being mass produced and deployed on a large scale, Rose said in an interview in Seattle this week. Brad Shannon reports. (Olympian)

Feds protect 20 species of coral threatened by climate change
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration looked at listing 66 species of coral but listed only 20 for various reasons. All are called threatened, not endangered. Two coral species were already listed. Seth Borenstein reports. (Associated Press)

James Island's former owner must pay $4.75M for pollution cleanup
The former owner of James Island must pay $4.75 million to the property’s current owner for work done to clean up contamination resulting from its historic use as an explosives manufacturing site. PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc. (previously ICI Canada Inc.) had carried out environmental remediation prior to selling the island. The present owner, J.I. Properties Inc., claimed $5.3 million to cover its 2004-2006 costs to upgrade the property, located off the east side of the Saanich Peninsula. The 780-acre island is for sale at $75 million. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 252 AM PDT THU AUG 28 2014
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 8 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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8/27 Sea star wasting, free Elwha, spill risk study, Vic sewer, no-swim new beach

(PHOTO: Donna Fabian)

Signs of sea-star recovery in California but not in NW
The sea-star population, devastated by a wasting disease, shows signs of resurgence in California but not necessarily in Washington. Caitlin Cruz reports. (Seattle Times)

Only debris left to clean up as Elwha River is free to travel its own path
The Elwha River is free. The final 30-foot section of the Glines Canyon Dam was destroyed by an explosion at 4:12 p.m. Tuesday when crews with Barnard Construction Inc. of Bozeman, Mont., detonated charges at the site. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Kinder Morgan pipeline spill simulation to predict environmental risk
The potential spread of a possible oil spill from the proposed Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline is being assessed today by a simulated spill in the Fraser River and Burrard Inlet. The simulation — created by a team from the City of Vancouver and environmental organizations, Raincoast Conservation Foundation and the Georgia Strait Alliance — drops biodegradable yellow plywood cards in the waters of the Fraser River and tracks their drift on a map, in order to show the potential reach of a pipeline oil spill. (CBC)

Put sewage issue on the ballot, Esquimalt councillor says
Esquimalt Coun. Tim Morrison believes the township’s residents are solidly behind his council’s unanimous rejection of a regional sewage treatment plant at McLoughlin Point, and he wants to give them a chance to prove it. Morrison has called for three questions to be included on Esquimalt’s Nov. 15 municipal ballot, including one asking whether residents support Esquimalt council’s decision to reject the Capital Regional District’s zoning application for a sewage plant. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

New Westminster beach opens - but you can't swim in the water
There is a new sandy beach by the Fraser River in New Westminster, B.C., but visitors cannot swim in the water. The beach on Timber Wharf at Westminster Pier Park is between three and four metres above the water. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 247 AM PDT WED AUG 27 2014
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG THIS
 MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 16 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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8/26 Beach rules, Decker Glacier, dolphin flips, train traffic, Kimberly-Clark, free Elwha

(PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Golden Hour Geese
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: '“Golden Hour” ends early on midsummer mornings, and I’m not the morning person I used to be (especially during vacation). So when we’re off boating, the embarrassing reality is that by the time I’m ready to set out in my kayak or dinghy for a paddling excursion or a walk ashore, I’ve usually missed those glorious opportunities to capture nature in the soft light of early morning….'

Waterfront development: Will new rules harm fish, Puget Sound?
Rewriting rules of the beach, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife is at odds with citizen watchdogs. But the department's "customers" may be happy. Bob Simmons reports. (Crosscut)

Decker Glacier lake at Whistler a sign of melt to come
Anyone hiking in the Coast Mountains off the B.C. coast this summer may have noticed some dramatic changes to the landscape. Last weekend, for instance, B.C. lawyer Jason Krupa hiked back to a spot near Blackcomb Mountain where he snapped a view of the Decker Glacier eight years ago. What was cold white in 2006 is now a stunning blue." (CBC)

If you like to watch: Boaters wowed by dolphin’s backward backflips in Puget Sound
TACOMA, Wash — Some boaters were treated to feats of dolphin acrobatics over the weekend near Point Defiance…. The Puget Sound is home to the Harbor porpoise, Dall’s porpoise and the Pacific white-sided dolphin. (KCPQ)

S-W resists coal train option
Sedro-Woolley officials are not pleased with BNSF Railway’s announcement that more trains may be routed their way as northbound rail transport increases, with or without the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point north of Bellingham. The fact that the trains may be coal trains isn’t the issue, they say. Trains move slowly through the city, which means more traffic delays and emergency response holdups. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: Acme residents: Coal trains expected but not welcome in south fork  Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Everett sues Kimberly-Clark over condition of mill site
The city has filed a lawsuit against Kimberly-Clark Corp. over the company's failure to cover its former waterfront pulp-mill site with topsoil. When the company shut down the mill in 2012 and received a permit to demolish buildings on the site, it was with the stipulation that the rubble be covered with topsoil and that grass be planted to contain pollution on the site, the city says. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald)

Glines Canyon Dam's final blast scheduled for today
The final blast at Glines Canyon Dam is expected to take place today, Olympic National Park has announced. Crews with Barnard Construction Inc. of Bozeman, Mont., will place the explosives today and set off what may be the last blast of the $325 million Elwha River restoration project, Barb Maynes, spokeswoman for the national park, said Monday. (Peninsula Daily News) See also: Rafting The Dam-Free Elwha  Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 254 AM PDT TUE AUG 26 2014
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS. 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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8/25 Quake, Polley spill, BNSF track, sockeye, netted orca, Whatcom shellfish, Edward Curtis, Capitol Lake

(USGS)

New quake map shows Northwest at high risk
A new federal earthquake map dials up the shaking hazard just a bit for about one-third of the United States and lowers it for one-tenth. In July, the U.S. Geological Survey updated its national seismic hazard maps for the first time since 2008, taking into account research from the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami off the Japanese coast and the surprise 2011 Virginia temblor. (KING) See also: Would Seattle’s viaduct survive an earthquake today?  (KCPQ) And also: California quake a reminder to expect B.C.'s 'Big One'  (CBC)

Mount Polley spill: Testing finds elevated selenium in fish
Fish from Quesnel Lake and Polley Lake, downstream from the Mount Polley mine spill, have elevated levels of selenium, arsenic and copper among other elements, but there is no threat to human health, according to the B.C.  government. The fish tissue analyzed shows an elevated level of selenium in the livers and gonads that exceed guidelines for human consumption. But the province says the elevated levels are similar to those found in the lakes before the spill. (CBC) See also: Health officials say blue sheen from Mount Polley tailings pond breach likely organic Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

BNSF plans to add tracks north, south of Ferndale
To relieve congestion that will come with more trains carrying coal and other cargo, BNSF Railway expects to lay four miles of track along existing rail north of Ferndale, a company official said. The work has not yet received state approval, but Gus Melonas, public affairs director for BNSF, said new track from Ferndale High School north to Custer is scheduled to be added in 2015. The second line will be long enough for two full-length coal or oil trains to move aside and allow higher-priority passenger trains to pass. BNSF also is preparing to lay a second track along its line between Bellingham and Ferndale, covering about four miles from near Wynn Road in Marietta, north almost to Main Street in Ferndale. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

'Warm blob' keeps possible record sockeye run away from U.S. waters
In a development that has left local fishermen scratching their heads, it appears an unusually warm section of ocean water is helping send nearly the entire sockeye salmon run into Canadian fishing waters this season. According to data from the Pacific Salmon Commission through Tuesday, Aug. 19, in recent weeks about 99 percent of the sockeye salmon has gone through the Johnstone Strait around the northern part of Vancouver Island into Canadian waters. That's made a big difference in who is catching the fish: Nearly 2.9 million sockeye salmon have been caught in Canadian waters, while the U.S. fishermen had caught around 98,000 through Aug. 19. Dave Gallagher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Killer whale pod rallies around orca trapped in fisherman's net
A young killer whale is trapped in a fisherman's net. A pod of distressed whales cries out frantically as the youngster struggles to get free. Sightseers aboard a whale-watching boat that arrives to help are stunned at what they see. "It's a very rare thing," said Nicole Mackay, co-owner of Port McNeill-based Mackay Whale Watching. "I never want to see it again." While she was out on on the water with customers near Port Hardy Thursday morning, a fisherman radioed Comox coast guard asking for help because a whale had become entangled in his net. Rhiannon Coppin reports. (CBC)

Most northern Whatcom County beaches safe for shellfish harvesting
Beaches in northern Whatcom County have been reopened to recreational shellfish harvesting after the biotoxin that causes diarrhetic shellfish poisoning has dropped to safe levels. The Whatcom County Health Department has lifted the ban on beaches from Point Whitehorn north to the Canadian border, excluding Point Roberts. Point Roberts and all beaches south of Point Whitehorn remain closed to recreational harvest of molluscan shellfish because biotoxin levels remain unsafe. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Oregon Approves Subsidies For Oil Transport, Not For Coal
The Oregon Transportation Commission voted Friday to approve nearly $5 million in subsidies for rail and dock infrastructure tied to controversial coal export and oil-by-rail projects. The subsidies were recommended as part of a $42.3 million package of transportation funding through the ConnectOregon program. The program leverages state lottery dollars to pay for transportation projects such as airport runway upgrades, railroad improvements and dock expansions. Tony Schick and Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)

Our History: Recapturing the glory of a people
The American photographer and ethnologist Edward Curtis spent almost 30 years compiling a 20-volume work documenting the vanishing traditional world of the native people of western North America. In Edward S. Curtis Above the Medicine Line, Victoria author and publisher Rodger Touchie delves into the years Curtis spent from 1909 to 1924 studying the tribes of the British Columbia coast, whom he considered among the most fascinating he encountered. (Times Colonist)

Lake reflects our inability to make hard choices
Invasive species flourish where conditions for reproduction are optimal and no predators discourage them from choking out native species. New Zealand Mud Snails have invaded Capitol Lake and closed it while at the same paralyzing a management process that was already grinding to a halt due to political pressure….. The reflection of the Capitol dome—the original purpose for depriving the Deschutes River of its estuary—becomes increasingly more difficult to see. For a state whose leaders frequently proclaim their desire to restore endangered salmon and return Puget Sound to health, the irony of Capitol Lake in its current condition literally under the noses of those who have power to remedy the situation offers a pungent counterpoint. John Rosenberg writes. (Olympian)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON AUG 25 2014
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS. AREAS OF DENSE FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 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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8/22 Eleanor Stopps, Vancouver coal, Hood Canal tour, Seattle tribal heritage, Everett port, coal economics

Tony Angel (Port Townsend Leader)

Sculpture dedicated in honor of Eleanor Stopps
“Courting Pigeon Guillemots,” a bronze sculpture commissioned to honor Eleanor Stopps’ tireless work to save Protection Island for nesting seabirds, was dedicated in front of Port Townsend's Northwest Maritime Center on Aug. 14. Tony Angell, writer, environmental educator and the sculptor of the piece spoke at the vent. Two Port Townsend women, Robin Ornelas and Jan Halliday spent more than two years raising money to commission and purchase the sculpture of Stopps’ favorite seabirds, and then presented the sculpture to the City of Port Townsend. (from the Port Townsend Leader)

Port Metro Vancouver okays controversial coal shipping facility at Fraser Surrey docks (updated)
Port Metro Vancouver has approved a controversial $15-million coal-loading facility at Fraser Surrey Docks despite concerns for human health and the environment. Peter Xotta, the port's vice-president of planning and operations, told a news conference Thursday that a review by Golder Associates concluded "there are no significant adverse environmental effects, including health effects," that cannot be mitigated. But Dr. Paul Van Buynder, chief medical health officer for the Fraser Health Authority, said he and other regional health experts were not consulted. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Natural Resources tour of Hood Canal easement area raises 'pit-to-pier' firm's ire
A tour to tell members of the press about a conservation easement between the state and the Navy came under fire from a representative of a company that has filed a lawsuit asking for the pact to be nullified. Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark led the 90-minute tour of the area aboard the Dawnbreaker, a state Department of Natural Resources vessel, with two print and four television journalists Wednesday. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Seattle’s waterfront park to reflect region’s rich tribal heritage
….[W]ith the Alaskan Way Viaduct slated for demolition and the city planning for a new waterfront park from Pioneer Square to the Olympic Sculpture Park, city officials have begun reaching out to local Indian tribes to involve them in the design and to incorporate their history and culture into the finished park. Lynn Thompson reports. (Seattle Times)

Port clears way for waterfront development
Five docks, 700 creosote-treated pilings and about 11,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. The Port of Everett is launching the final phase of a cleanup of its central waterfront property. This part of the project is expected to cost $6.2 million…. After the cleanup, the Port will be able to move ahead with its ambitious Waterfront Place project, which mixes commercial and residential space and opens up trails and other open space along the water. Jim Davis reports. (Everett Herald)

Coal Opponents Point To Weak Finances Of Company Behind Proposed Terminals
Oregon regulators’ rejection of a proposed coal export terminal on the Columbia River is just the latest hurdle for the energy company behind it, according to anti-coal activists. The activists are asking Washington officials to consider Ambre Energy’s finances before allowing a terminal it’s involved in at Longview, Washington.  Ambre Energy is the main investor in the Morrow-Pacific export terminal proposed in Oregon. It also has a 62 percent stake in the Longview proposal. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU) See also: Do coal exports pencil out? Opponents push the financial case Steve Wilhelm reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 633 AM PDT FRI AUG 22 2014
TODAY
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS. AREAS OF MORNING FOG WITH VISIBILITIES OF 1 NM OR LESS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SAT
VARIABLE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 7 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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8/21 Smelt fishing regs, Everett waterfront, BNSF east county track, Vancouver oil terminal, PSE LNG

Seal, before (Alaska Adventures/CBC)

If you like to watch: Killer whale flips 'sea lion' into air in YouTube video
…. Cetacean expert Paul Spong with OrcaLab said he believes the whale's prey may have been a seal rather than a sea lion, but agrees the video is remarkable, because humans don't often see how whales hunt. (CBC)

New Puget Sound smelt fishing regulations in effect
Anglers are reminded there are new recreational and commercial smelt fishing regulations in effect for Puget Sound. The new rules, adopted by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission in June, will give more protection to smelt populations, which are a key food source for a variety of species in Puget Sound, according to a agency news release. Jeffrey P. Mayor reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Everett waterfront to get massive makeover
The Port of Everett will announce plans Thursday to convert the fading industrial waterfront into a series of new mixed-use communities. Waterfront Place is the name for the centerpiece which will boast four miles of walking a bike paths, five restaurants, and 350 new homes overlooking Puget Sound. Gary Chittim reports. (KING)

BNSF: East county tracks a good alternative to Bellingham for coal trains
Not only are there no current plans to build a 1.6-mile railroad siding in the city to accommodate coal trains for a proposed terminal at Cherry Point, the terminal won't need a siding, a BNSF Railway official said. In a reversal of a statement the company made in 2011, coal-train traffic can be routed to avoid Bellingham and go through Sumas instead, said Courtney Wallace, regional director of public affairs for BNSF. BNSF has spent "several million dollars" on the Sumas route this year, replacing ties and resurfacing the track, Wallace said. The route follows Highway 9 from Sumas through Nooksack, Deming, Van Zandt and Acme. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Oil terminal review process extended
The state panel reviewing a proposal for an oil-by-rail transfer terminal in Vancouver agreed Tuesday to extend to early next year the timeline for completing a review of the proposal and for making a recommendation to Gov. Jay Inslee. The decision by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, which was expected, adds six months to a review process that includes an environmental impact examination, judicial hearings and a recommendation to Inslee. That moves the deadline for a recommendation to March 2, 2015. Aaron Corvin reports. (Vancouver Columbian)

Puget Sound Energy to build Washington’s first LNG fueling station at Port of Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma could become the site of yet another natural gas plant if Port of Tacoma commissioners approve a lease Thursday (Aug. 21) with Puget Sound Energy for a tract on the Hylebos Waterway. The 30-acre site at East 11th Street and Alexander Avenue could become a liquified natural gas conversion and storage site if PSE’s plans pass environmental reviews. The utility estimates the new facility will cost $275 million and create 150 union construction jobs over the three-year construction period. The facility would open in 2018. Once open, the plant would employ 18 workers. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU AUG 21 2014
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 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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8/20 GBH, Fraser sockeye, Kinder Morgan, Clatskanie oil, Oly oyster, Campbell R. Chinook, tree sitter

(PHOTO: Paul Bannick/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Great Blue Heron, Alone Again
Great Blue Herons nest in colonies, in adjoining trees or with several nests in one tree. But by autumn, the adults and gangly young have left the nests to take up solitary lives, a pattern that is the reverse of many other species. After all the "togetherness" of the nesting colonies, the Great Blue Herons spend the off-season by themselves. Frances Wood writes. (BirdNote)

High water temperatures in Fraser River a concern for migrating sockeye
The Pacific Salmon Commission raised concerns Tuesday about the impact of high water temperatures on sockeye salmon migrating up the Fraser River to spawn. In a news release, the commission's Fraser River Panel stated that the water temperature at Qualark Creek, just south of Yale in the Fraser Canyon, was 20.7 degrees Celsius on Monday — 3.1 degrees higher than average for the date. The temperatures are predicted to decline to about 18.9 degrees by Wednesday. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Kinder Morgan doesn't need permission to study Burnaby Mountain route, energy board says
The National Energy Board has sided with Kinder Morgan in a dispute with the City of Burnaby over access to Burnaby Mountain. The company can proceed with necessary studies of its preferred pipeline route through the mountain without the city's consent. In a decision released Tuesday, the National Energy Board confirmed that under federal legislation the company doesn't need permission to access the land that is home to Simon Fraser University and a vast nature preserve. Dene Moore reports. (Canadian Press)

Local Concerns And A New Permit For Oregon’s Largest Oil By Rail Terminal  
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality approved a new air quality permit Tuesday for Oregon’s largest oil train terminal in Clatskanie and received roughly 1,400 comments in the process. Tony Schick reports. (EarthFix)

New Olympia oyster habitat created in Discovery Bay
Volunteers with the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee have created a new half-acre of native Olympia oyster habitat at the south end of Discovery Bay. The group's goal is to jump-start an expansion of the small but thriving Olympia oyster population near the project site.  (Peninsula Daily News)

The mighty chinook is back
CAMPBELL RIVER — The Boston Whalers come slapping across the turbulent eddies of Seymour Narrows to the floats below historic Painter’s Lodge at precisely 10 a.m. and the excitement in marine operations manager Dwayne Mustard’s voice is irrepressible. The truth is, he doesn’t really want me chatting over coffee with the lodge’s general manager Christine Fleming. She started tending bar and now runs the Vancouver Island fishing lodge that started with a few tents strung along the beach — a way for Ned Painter to market his classic clinker-built rowboats — and is now an internationally-recognized symbol of sports fishing for B.C.’s trophy-sized salmon. Stephen Hume reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Bainbridge protester comes down from tree after sit-in
The Bainbridge Island teen who has staged a sit-in at the top of a tree since Monday morning to protest the construction of a planned retail complex has until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to come down without facing trespassing charges, officials said. Paige Cornwall reports. (Seattle Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 221 AM PDT WED AUG 20 2014
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 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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8/19 Spirit, OR coal, Smith Island salmon, tree-top protest, oil trains

Spirit (PHOTO: Vancouver Aquarium/CBC)

Springer the killer whale's first calf named Spirit
The first calf of Springer the orphaned killer whale, the only orca ever successfully rescued and reunited with its pod, finally has a name — Spirit. Springer, a member of B.C.'s A-4 pod of northern resident killer whales, made a name for herself in 2002 after she was spotted sick and alone near Seattle. (CBC)

Oregon Denies Permit For Controversial Coal Export Dock
Oregon regulators announced Monday they will not issue a permit for a controversial coal export dock in Boardman. The announcement follows a fight between the Morrow Pacific coal export project developer Ambre Energy and Columbia River tribes over tribal fishing at the proposed dock site…. In a news release Monday, the [Oregon Department of State Lands] announced it determined that the Morrow Pacific project “is not consistent with the protection, conservation and best use of the state’s water resources, and that the applicant did not provide sufficient analysis of alternatives that would avoid construction of a new dock and impacts on tribal fisheries.” Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)  See also: Coal export plan suffers setback in Oregon  Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut) And also: Environmentalists vow to continue fight in Whatcom after Oregon coal terminal is rejected  Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Salmon and Smith Island
Count Naeem Iqbal among the skeptics of an ambitious project to revive salmon habitat in the Snohomish River at the expense of farmland. The organic farmer worries that Snohomish County could ruin his nascent business of growing pesticide-free produce. Iqbal believes saltwater could infiltrate his soil, among other problems, if the county floods some 350 acres of agricultural ground it owns next door to him on Smith Island. Despite his misgivings, Iqbal’s Hima Nursery and two other businesses are preparing to drop a legal fight against the county’s Smith Island project. In exchange, they’re getting a string of guarantees that the $19.2 million dike removal won’t harm their businesses. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Bainbridge teen staging tree sit-in to protest planned development
A Bainbridge Island teen is staging a sit-in on a platform 70 feet up in a tree to protest the planned development of a commercial complex on the island. Chiara D’Angelo, 19, climbed the tree Monday morning at the future construction site of the 62,000 square foot mixed-use development. Opponents say the tree is one of 830 that will be clear-cut to make way for the complex being built by Ohio-based developer Visconsi Companies. The development, planned for Highway 305 and High School Road, will likely include a Key Bank, Bartell Drugs and a medical office facility. Paige Cornwell reports. (Seattle Times)

Oregon Senators, Fire Chiefs See Gaps In Proposed Oil Train Rules
Local fire chiefs joined Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley on Monday in their push to expand proposed federal safety rules for oil trains. For months, the senators have been arguing the federal Department of Transportation’s safety efforts shortchange emergency responders on information about what hazardous materials are moving through their community. Fire chiefs from the Eugene area shared these concerns and more at a roundtable discussion with railroads, elected officials and the deputy administrator of the DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Tony Schick reports. (EarthFix)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE AUG 19 2014
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 7 SECONDS. AREAS OF DRIZZLE
 OR FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 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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8/18 Elwha, Cowichan, toxic sediment, sea birds, BC sharks, sea otter, sewer fix, Tesoro, OR coal, SeaWorld

Reid Island (Laurie MacBride)

Mother Nature’s Art Gallery
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "The shoreline can be mesmerizing for paddlers here in the Gulf Islands. Everywhere you look, there’s a fascinating new canvas of layered and eroded sandstone decorated with mosses, lichens and – as the tide drops – endless permutations of kelp, barnacles and other intertidal life. And if you let your imagination drift, you can often conjure up strange human or animal faces, like the grimacing pirate I saw on Reid Island, in the photo above. Maybe you can see him too – or maybe you’ll see something else entirely!…."

Back to nature: Last chunk of Elwha dams out in September
The last dam will be blasted out of the Elwha River sometime next month, cementing the hopes of generations of advocates and tribal leaders who fought to make it happen. With the concrete out, the long-term revival of a legendary wilderness valley in the Olympics can now unfold unfettered after 100 years dammed. The watershed already is springing back to life from the mountains to the sea: ... Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times

B.C.'s Lower Cowichan River closed to recreational use
The lower part of the Cowichan River, one of only three rivers in B.C. with Canadian heritage status, has been closed to recreational use as bacteria counts spike. And if river levels drop much further, the Crofton pulp mill, the area’s largest employer, could be forced to shut down. Stephen Hume reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Mount Polley mine: sediment near spill may harm fish
The latest test results from a tailings pond that spilled waste from the Mount Polley mine in the Cariboo show that while the discharged sediment is still not toxic for humans, it may harm aquatic life. The province says sediment samples collected Aug. 10 from the mouth of Hazeltine Creek and near Raft Creek in Quesnel Lake exceed guidelines and contaminated sites regulation standards for copper and iron. (CBC)

Guest: How to reverse decline of marine birds
Marine birds face a number of threats, and the region is already witnessing the ways that climate change exacerbates their plight. It’s time to reverse the course of dwindling marine life in Puget Sound. Trina Bayard writes. (Seattle Times)

SHARK WEEK: 14 sharks, including the Great White, swim in B.C. waters
For most Vancouverites, despite our ocean setting, Jaws is about close as we ever been to a shark — and it was mechanical. We’ve spotted seals near the docks at Granville Island, and whales and dolphins while saling on B.C. Ferries, but sharks — big ones anyway — are something you only see while diving in the tropics, right? Wrong. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has documented 14 species of sharks — from the tiny two-foot Brown Cat shark to the mammoth, but harmless, 33-foot Basking shark — lurking in the coastal waters of British Columbia.

If you like to watch: Sea otter caught on camera in rare sighting in B.C.'s Georgia Strait
Cheryl Alexander almost couldn't believe her eyes when she spotted a sea otter frolicking and feeding in a cove off Ten Mile Point in Victoria, B.C., Thursday morning. "We ended up having this interaction with him, which was really amazing," she told CBC News. (CBC)

Everett plan aims to prevent repeat sewer backups
As the anniversary of last summer's torrential rainstorms approaches, the city has unveiled a plan to prevent future flooding in 1,800 homes and businesses that are especially vulnerable. The city wants to install backwater valves in those buildings, and is offering to pick up most of the cost, while at the same time putting a cap on future insurance claims stemming from flood damage. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald)

No criminal charges in 2010 Tesoro refinery fire that killed 7
There will be no federal criminal charges in connection with the April 2010 explosion at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes that killed seven employees. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said a lengthy investigation into possible violations of federal environmental and worker-safety laws concluded no crime had occurred. Mike Carter reports. (Seattle Times)

Oregon To Decide On Controversial Coal Export Dock Permit Monday
Oregon regulators plan to decide Monday whether to deny a permit for a coal export dock in Boardman to preserve tribal fishing on the Columbia River. The Morrow Pacific coal export project needs a permit from the Oregon Department of State Lands to build a dock for coal barges. The project would ship nearly 9 million tons of coal from Wyoming and Montana to Asia. It would transfer coal shipments from trains to barges in Boardman, and load the coal onto ships at a dock in Clatskanie, Oregon. Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)

Promise of a ‘clean coal’ future far from reality
In 2003, President George W. Bush unveiled plans for the world’s first zero-emissions coal plant, a project that would serve as a global showcase of America’s ability to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels. This FutureGen plant would be “one of the boldest steps our nation takes toward a pollution-free future,” declared Spencer Abraham, Bush’s energy secretary…. More than a decade later, there has yet to be a groundbreaking for FutureGen 2.0. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

BNSF: Coal terminal needs wouldn't block Bellingham waterfront access
BNSF Railway says it is committed to keeping Boulevard Park and the waterfront accessible if a proposed export terminal at Cherry Point brings up to 18 more coal trains a day through the city. What remains unanswered is who is going to pay what could be tens of millions of dollars to connect the two sides of the main rail line in Bellingham. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

SeaWorld park to redesign controversial whale tank
US marine theme park SeaWorld has announced it is to build a bigger tank for its killer whales, amid criticism of its treatment of the animals. But the Florida company said that the plans were not in response to last year's documentary film "Blackfish". The film suggested that captivity and SeaWorld's treatment provoked violent behaviour in the killer whales. (BBC)

New rules might recognize more tribes
New rules proposed by the Obama administration would give more tribes a faster track at joining the ranks of the recognized by making it easier for them to prove their legitimacy. Rob Hotakainen reports. (McClatchy)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON AUG 18 2014
TODAY
SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS. AREAS OF DRIZZLE 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.

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8/15 Vic sewer, election money, oil train resolution, Gina McCarthy, marina dredge, Boardman papers

Western gull (Alex Kerfoot/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: How Birds Drink
How do birds drink? A robin takes a mouthful of water and then tips its head way back to send the water down its gullet. Pigeons are among the few birds that can suck in water with their heads down. Swallows and swifts skim a beakful of water on the wing. Gulls like this Western Gull can even drink salt water. (BirdNote)

Is McLoughlin sewage plant dead? Politicians all over the map
Esquimalt has spurned a sewage plant at McLoughlin Point, the provincial government has refused to overrule Esquimalt, and the Capital Regional District has rejected going directly to Esquimalt voters to get them to change their minds. So is the sewage plant at McLoughlin Point officially dead? Maybe. Maybe not. It depends whom you ask. Lindsay Kines (Times Colonist)

Oil, railroad, coal port money gushes into races for Legislature
Oil refiners, railroads and would-be coal port developers have quietly poured thousands of dollars into Republicans’ coffers in this year’s mid-election battle for control of the Washington Legislature. The biggest giver is Tesoro, which operates a refinery in Anacortes and is proposing to locate a large oil-train terminal and shipment facility at Vancouver along the Columbia River. The oil company has given $22,500 contributions to a pair of committees doing soft money and independent expenditures on behalf of Republican candidates — the Leadership Council and Enterprise Washington — plus $1,900 contributions to GOP candidates in five hotly contested Washington State Senate races. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Bainbridge city council passes oil train resolution
The city of Bainbridge Island joined 11 Washington jurisdictions Monday after the council passed an anti-oil train resolution. During Monday’s meeting, the Bainbridge city council voted unanimously to approve a resolution that calls for stronger regulations, more impact studies and a request that federal and state officials prevent the expansion of oil shipments by railroads. Cecilia Garza reports. (Bainbridge Review)

Head Of EPA Tours Puget Sound, Supports Congressional Cleanup Caucus
She’s been called President Obama’s “green quarterback.” Gina McCarthy is the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and she's known for tackling sources of climate change. And now she’s shining a light on efforts to clean up Puget Sound. McCarthy met with government officials and community groups in Tacoma on Wednesday and toured Commencement Bay by boat to learn more about what still needs to be done. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Kingston marina dredge project begins
The sediment dredge project that was put on hold and delayed for years will begin Aug. 18. The Port of Kingston will close its marina to all vessels during select hours Aug. 18-22. The closure will allow divers to swim safely in the water as work on the marina dredging project begins. The first step is transplanting eelgrass from the sediment near the marina, to an eelgrass nursery immediately outside of the breakwater. The nursery will be between the Washington State Ferry dock and the entrance to the marina, on the south side of the breakwater. Kipp Robertson reports. (North Kitsap Herald)

Judge orders release of Oregon coal terminal documents
A federal judge has ordered the Corps of Engineers to release documents about a planned coal terminal on the Columbia River at Boardman. Columbia Riverkeeper wanted to know why the corps agreed to an easier environmental review for Ambre Energy’s terminal than two others in Washington state. The Oregonian reports the corps withheld more than 300 pages and Riverkeeper sued to get them. (Associated Press)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 242 AM PDT FRI AUG 15 2014
  TODAY
 LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
 TONIGHT
 W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
 SAT
 LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
 SAT NIGHT
 W WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
 SUN
 LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 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.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/14 Stormy weather, stream buffers, stormwater, Vic sewer, Bainbridge sewer, fault lines, Polley mine, 'street view'

Factoria Blvd., Bellevue WA (KOMO)

Heavy August rains wreak havoc across Puget Sound region
Heavy rainfall swamped much of the Puget Sound region overnight, flooding many streets and homes and triggering crashes during the early morning commute. In the 24-hour period ending at 5 a.m. Wednesday, Sea-Tac Airport received a whopping 1.33 inches of rain - most of it falling in a six-hour period from 11 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday. The 0.86" that had fallen officially on Wednesday was already more than double the record amount for Aug. 13 (0.33"). (KOMO) See also: Severe thunderstorm alert issued for Fraser Canyon, southern B.C.  Kim Pemberton reports. (Vancouver Sun)

New blog: Beating The Oil and Tanker Combine By Eating Chocolate (Ship) Brownies
Good folks at the San Juan County Fair Safe Shipping booth are selling brownies in four flavors, including Bakken Shale Brownies with Caramel Crude.  Funds raised this week and weekend go to spreading the message of Safe Shipping in the Salish Sea….

County adds conditions for Shell rail project permits
Skagit County planners announced Wednesday that they will require Shell Puget Sound Refinery to meet some conditions to bolster public and environmental safety as part of its quest to move forward on a proposed rail offloading facility. Planners modified an earlier mitigated determination of non-significance under the State Environmental Policy Act, according to a news release. The changes come after the county reviewed public input and obtained additional information from the refinery in Anacortes. But Skagit County Planning and Development Services said it still will not require a full environmental review. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

News release: Obama Administration Finalizes Stronger Steam Buffers to Protect Imperiled Salmon from Pesticides  
The Environmental Protection Agency today finalized an agreement to restore no-spray buffer zones around waterways to protect imperiled salmon and steelhead from five toxic pesticides. A coalition of conservation organizations, advocates for alternatives to pesticides, and fishing groups cheered the victory. These groups brought a lawsuit to demand reasonable fish protections from the insecticides, some of which are derived from nerve toxins developed during World War II…. The buffers apply to salmon habitat throughout California, Oregon, and Washington to prohibit aerial spraying of broad-spectrum pesticides diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion, carbaryl, and methomyl within 300 feet of salmon habitat and prohibit ground-based applications within 60 feet. The agreement provides detailed notice to state regulators, pesticide applicators, farmers, and the public about the required no-spray buffer zones. These buffers will remain in place until the National Marine Fisheries Service completes analyses of the impacts of these five pesticides on the fish. Then, the EPA must implement permanent protections grounded in the Fisheries Service’s findings. (Indymedia)

Bellingham, Sumas businesses fined for failing to file pollution reports
The state fined two Whatcom County businesses $3,000 each for failing to file routine reports on possible pollution in the stormwater that runs off their sites. EPL Feed in Sumas and Hunnicutt's Inc. of Bellingham failed to provide stormwater reports for at least three straight quarters as required by a state permit, according to the Department of Ecology. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald) See also: News release: 14 firms fined for failing to submit stormwater reports

CRD trashes sewage flyer campaign targeting Esquimalt residents
The Capital Regional District has abandoned a controversial plan to send a flyer directly to Esquimalt residents offering them $19 million in exchange for putting a sewage treatment plant at McLoughlin Point. The strategy has been denounced by critics as a “bribe” and an attempt to undercut Esquimalt council’s decision to reject the proposed plant. CRD directors approved the mail-out last month, but backed down Wednesday after several municipalities indicated they were unlikely to support it. Lindsay Kines reports. (Times Colonist)

Sewage woes crimp Bainbridge businesses
Winslow’s routine fouling of its most vaunted waterway is hurting business and tarnishing Bainbridge Island’s reputation for outdoor recreation. The town’s ailing sewer system has dumped untreated human waste into Eagle Harbor nine times over the past decade. Four of the sewage spills occurred this year. The latest, which spewed 67,000 gallons of effluent Sunday, closed the harbor to swimming, shut down two popular park beaches, forced the cancellation of several kayaking and sailing camps and cut deeply into the bottom lines of boat rental shops that depend on summer business to get them through the year. Tristan Barrick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Geologist details fault lines' possible impacts on North Olympic Peninsula
The Cascadia Subduction Zone's huge fault isn't the only mover and shaker residents need to worry about, according to geologist Dann May. The North Olympic Peninsula is riddled with earthquake faults, he said. May, who spends summers in Port Angeles, told about 30 people at the Port Angeles Business Association on Tuesday morning that he began studying the Peninsula's geology after he purchased property in Port Angeles, where he eventually hopes to live, and wanted to know more about its stability. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

First Nation set to evict mining company at centre of B.C. tailings pond breach
A British Columbia First Nation plans to issue an eviction notice to Imperial Metals Corp., the company behind a massive tailings pond breach at a gold and copper mine last week – over a separate project in the band’s territory. The declaration from the Neskonlith Indian Band is the latest sign that last week’s tailings spill at the Mount Polley Mine in central B.C. could ripple across the company’s other projects and possibly the province’s entire mining industry. James Keller reports. (Globe and Mail)

'Street View' Goes Undersea to Map Reefs, Wonders
It's easy to go online and get a 360-degree, ground-level view of almost any street in the United States and throughout the world. Soon, scientists hope people will be able to do the same with coral reefs and other underwater wonders. U.S. government scientists are learning to use specialized fisheye lenses underwater in the Florida Keys this week in hopes of applying "street view" mapping to research and management plans in marine sanctuaries nationwide. Some of the rotating and panoramic images will be available online this week, including a selection on Google Maps, giving the public a window into ecosystems still difficult and costly to explore for long stretches of time. It will be like scuba diving from your computer. Jennifer Kay reports. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 254 AM PDT THU AUG 14 2014
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 TO 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG WITH
 VISIBILITIES OF 1 NM OR LESS THIS MORNING. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A SLIGHT 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
Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

8/13 Local shark, hydraulic code, Pit-to-pier, BC sockeye, Polley mine, CN train derail

Big basking shark (PHOTO: Gracie Coale/Seattle Times)

Local Shark Week: 25-foot rare shark seen in Puget Sound
...On Saturday, (Gracie) Coale and her father were fishing near Meadowdale Wharf when they saw a 3-foot fin heading toward them. When she realized the large animal approaching her boat was a basking shark, Coale said she had to take pictures. Dr. Heidi Dewar, fishery research biologist with National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, confirmed that Coale’s photos were of a basking shark. Zahra Farah reports. (Seattle Times)

News release: State Extends Comment Period For Changes To Nearshore Fish Protection Rule
After repeated refusals to extend a 30-day comment period, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reversed itself after last Friday’s public hearing by extending its comment period to September 15 on major revisions to the primary state regulations specifically protecting critical nearshore habitats and at-risk fish species. The decision followed public testimony before the state Fish and Wildlife Commission on the department’s proposed rulemaking for the state Hydraulic Code which is intended to protect fish and fish habitat from in-water development impacts of bulkheads, groins, piers and marinas. The Code was established to ensure no net-loss of the state’s critical nearshore habitats... (Sound Action)

Pit-to-pier draft environmental impact statement draws some 260 comments
The state and the Navy are among those who criticized a draft environmental impact statement for a project nicknamed “pit-to-pier.” The Jefferson County Department of Community Development received about 260 public comments in response to the draft statement for a proposal to build a 4-mile-long conveyor belt and a 998-foot pier on the Hood Canal to move gravel from a quarry to ships. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Rough waters ahead for B.C.’s sockeye salmon season
Four years after the largest salmon run in a century to swim the Fraser River, one of the hundreds of fishermen who set out earlier this week is optimistic that 2014 will be a good year despite warnings that high water temperatures could pose a risk to many of the 23 million sockeye expected to return. Roy Jantunen and his daughter Kirsten caught 280 sockeye on Monday afternoon during the three hours they were allowed to keep their nets in the water. Justin Giovannetti reports. (Globe and Mail)

Mount Polley mine spill: fish safe to eat, water ban mostly lifted
A drinking water ban that followed a mine tailings spill in British Columbia was mostly lifted Tuesday and fish from the area were declared safe to eat — the latest signs that health officials believe the spill won't have a significant impact on people or aquatic life. The tailings dam at the Mount Polley gold and copper mine failed last Monday, sending millions of cubic metres of water and silt spilling into lakes and rivers in a remote area about 600 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. (CBC)

US senators: Lax Canadian mine regulation endangers our salmon
Salmon runs and spawning streams shared by the U.S. and Canada could be threatened by big Canadian mining developments and the lax regulatory climate that led to British Columbia’s Mount Polley environmental disaster, two U.S. senators warned Monday. “We have to show these people that salmon know no boundaries,” Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said while touring facilities at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

CN Rail train derails in northern B.C.
A CN Rail train derailed Tuesday morning approximately 145 kilometres northeast of Prince George. Operations on the line were suspended at around 6:15 a.m. PT, after 11 out of 127 cars on the train came off the tracks. No injuries were reported. A company spokesperson said the cars were empty, but that they would typically be carrying sulphur and centre beams. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 243 AM PDT WED AUG 13 2014
TODAY
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 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

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told