11/18 Seastar virus, Burnaby protest, Murray CSO, Inslee climate, BC boozed birds

Elwha, Nov. 14, 2014 (Tom Roorda/Coastal Watershed Institute)

Virus may be cause of epidemic killing millions of sea stars
Grisly sea star deaths are continuing to litter the tidelands with decaying, ghostly goo, but scientists now believe they, at least, may have identified the culprit. New evidence suggests a mysterious wasting disease killing sea stars by the millions may be the result of a virus that has been found in starfish since at least the 1940s, according to new research published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. But it remains unclear if the pathogen’s current deadly spread is part of a complex natural cycle — or whether blame for this massive die-off is linked in some way to climate change, souring seas or other harm humans have inflicted on the ocean. Craig Welch reports. (Seattle Times)

Kinder Morgan pipeline protesters defy court order on Burnaby Mountain
It remains unclear when police might move in to arrest protesters on Burnaby Mountain who have defied a court order to take down their camp by yesterday afternoon…. Around 2:30 p.m. representatives of the company arrived with police and read out the court order. But police also announced they would not be moving in to make arrests immediately. Instead they planned to give the protesters time to remove their camp. But instead of removing the camp, hundreds of protesters staged a rally at the site, with some vowing to risk arrest rather than comply with the court order. (CBC)

King County just about ready to pour the 17 foot thick base for the Murray Basin CSO: Expect traffic disruptions near Lowman Beach
King County contractors finished digging out the tank area at the Murray CSO Control Project site on Thursday, November 13. The resulting hole is 60 feet deep – big enough to house the facility’s one million gallon underground storage tank. The tank will help keep sewage and stormwater out of Puget Sound. Before the tank can be built, crews must install a 17-foot thick concrete base below the tank. The base will keep the tank from being pushed out of the ground by groundwater. Rebar will be installed in the next 10 days. Then nearly 5,000 cubic yards of concrete will be poured into the hole over three days to build the base. (West Seattle Herald)

Inslee climate agenda to go beyond carbon pricing
Gov. Jay Inslee wants to put a price on Washington carbon emissions to combat climate change, but other efforts also will be needed to comply with a state law that requires emission reductions of more than 25 percent over the next 20 years. In the weeks ahead, Inslee is expected to propose legislation to price carbon, as well as propose other steps to boost public transportation, energy efficiency, solar power and the use of electric cars. Inslee also is considering an executive order to create a standard for low-carbon transportation fuels, such as some forms of biodiesel. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C. birds getting boozed up from frost-fermented berries
As the long winter freeze begins in northern British Columbia, some species of birds are getting boozed up from berries fermented by frost. During almost 40 years of running a wildlife refuge outside Dawson Creek, Leona Green has seen many cases where small berry-eating birds like the Bohemian waxwing slip off their perches like drunks on a bar stool at closing time. Mike Hager reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE NOV 18 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

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