9/3 Bottom fish, train blocking, Kinder Morgan, no gas pipe, oil drift cards, Halliburton pays

Canary rockfish (WDFW)

Eat up! These bottom fish make a dramatic recovery on West Coast
The nation’s most influential sustainable-seafood group believes a host of once-troubled West Coast bottom fish are now recovering so well that consumers should seek them out at restaurants and markets. Marine scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium said Tuesday that government regulators and fishermen had made such strides in how they manage and catch 21 species of rockfish, flounder, lingcod and sole that it listed all among the “good” or “best” seafood choices in the new edition of its popular guide. Craig Welch reports. (Seattle Times)

Demonstrators block BNSF train tracks in Everett
Burlington Northern Santa Fe police have moved in to clear oil train protesters clogging tracks at a rail yard in Everett. Spokesman Gus Melonas says eight demonstrators left during the noon hour Tuesday at the request of police. Officers are in the process of arresting five others who refused to move. Doug Esser reports. (Associated Press)

Burnaby tells Kinder Morgan conservation area is off limits
The city of Burnaby has told Kinder Morgan to stop doing work in the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area after staff discovered the transmission company’s crews with chainsaws and other tree-cutting equipment Tuesday. However, Kinder Morgan spokeswoman Lizette Parsons Bell said in an interview that they are legally within their rights after being granted a permit under Section 73 of the National Energy Board (NEB) Act to conduct engineering and environmental studies for the proposed pipeline route in Burnaby — and that includes cutting brush, tree limbs and trees deemed necessary for survey work in the Burnaby Mountain area.

Gitxsan chiefs bar natural-gas projects from territory near Hazelton, B.C.
Three Gitxsan hereditary chiefs have announced the prohibition of all natural-gas pipeline projects on a territory near Hazelton, adding to the chorus of Gitxsan chiefs taking action to defend their land. The Luutkudziiwus, Xsim Wits’iin and Noola hereditary chiefs of the Gitxsan First Nation issued formal notice to the B.C. government last week. They have also made their intentions known to TransCanada Corp., as they say the prohibition pertains specifically to the corporation’s proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline, which would cross the territory, called Madii Lii, for about 32 kilometres from Suskwa Pass to the Shegunia River. Andrea Woo reports. (Globe and Mail)

Summer drift card drop to study oil spill impacts in the Salish Sea
Plywood drift cards stamped with “this could be oil” were released this week in an experiment to simulate the dispersion of an oil spill from Kinder Morgan’s planned $5.4 billion pipeline expansion project that would increase tanker traffic from five ships a day to 35 ships per day through the San Juan Islands.  These wooden cards were put into high current areas as part of a scientific study to effectively model the likely path of oil in the event of a major spill. (San Juan Journal)

Halliburton to pay $1.1bn to settle oil spill claims
US oilfield services firm Halliburton says it has reached a $1.1bn (£660m) settlement to meet the majority of claims against it for its role in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The settlement, which includes legal fees, is still subject to approval from a US court. The firm said the money would be paid into a trust until the deal is finalised. Halliburton was a contractor for BP, which operated the rig that exploded. (BBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 242 AM PDT WED SEP 3 2014
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told