12/31 New orca baby, highest pressure, double-hulled tankers, oil trains, Shell Kulluk

New calf J50, mother J16, 12.30.14 (Center for Whale Research)

Baby orca born to endangered population of whales that frequents Puget Sound
The Orca Network says a baby orca has been born to the endangered population of killer whales that frequent Puget Sound. The group's executive director Howard Garrett says the baby was spotted with its mother Tuesday in the waters of Canada north of San Juan Island. The Center for Whale Research also said on its Facebook page that the baby was born to member of the J pod, one of three families of whales that spend time in the inland waters of Washington state and Canada. (Associated Press)

Highest Pressures in Northwest History
Cliff Mass writes: "I am always intrigued by all-time history weather records and it appears we are experiencing one right now: The highest sea level pressure ever recorded at some northwest stations.  For others it is the highest December sea level pressure on record. Some folks are complaining about strange sinus pain and headaches, among other maladies.  I know I am feeling a strange tightness in my head…." (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

25 Years After Exxon Valdez, U.S. Mandates Double-Hulled Oil Tankers
Oil tankers bring about 15 million gallons of oil every day into Washington state. Starting Jan. 1, those ships are required to have double hulls. The oil-spill prevention measure has been in the works for decades, ever since Capt. Joseph Hazelwood ran the Exxon Valdez onto Alaska’s Bligh Reef in 1989. Eleven million gallons of oil spilled into Prince William Sound, killing thousands of seabirds and sea otters, devastating the region’s fisheries and unleashing action in Washington, D.C. A year after what was then the nation’s worst oil spill, the U.S. Congress required oil tankers to have double hulls. A quick fix it was not: The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 gave ship owners 25 years to phase out their single-hull tankers. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Oil Train Safety And Taxes On Lawmakers’ Agenda For 2015
For the past few years, a growing number of trains have been bringing “rolling pipelines” of oil from North Dakota to ports and refineries in the Pacific Northwest. And in that time, the Washington and Oregon legislatures have failed to come up with the money to pay for the cost of responding to the increasing risk of oil spills in their states. That could change in 2015. Both states’ governors and legislators are talking about the need to enhance safety and preparedness in response to the uptick in oil train traffic in the region. But there are some sticking points when it comes to deciding what’s to be done, and more importantly, how to pay for it. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

The Wreck of the Kulluk
In 2005, Royal Dutch Shell, then the fourth-largest company on Earth, bought a drill rig that was both tall, rising almost 250 feet above the waterline, and unusually round. The hull of the Kulluk, as the rig was called, was made of 1.5-inch-thick steel and rounded to better prevent its being crushed. A 12-point anchor system could keep it locked in place above an oil well for a full day in 18-foot seas or in moving sea ice that was four feet thick. Its drill bit, dropped from a 160-foot derrick, could plunge 600 feet into the sea, then bore another 20,000 feet into the seabed, where it could verify the existence of oil deposits that were otherwise a geologist’s best guess. It had a sauna. It could go (in theory) where few other rigs could go, helping Shell find oil that (in theory) few other oil companies could find. McKenzie Funk reports. (NY Times)

Now, your New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 827 PM PST TUE DEC 30 2014
WED AND WED NIGHT
SE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
THU
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
THU NIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 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.

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12/30 Monarch butterflies, Fraser farms & fish, erosion & slides, fish crossings

Monarch butterfly (TexasEagle/Flickr/EarthFix)

Feds Consider Endangered Species Listing For Monarch Butterfly
The monarch butterfly is in line for possible protection under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Monday it is launching a year-long status review of the monarch population in response to a request from conservation groups. The iconic butterflies face threats from pesticide use and habitat loss – particularly from the loss of milkweed plants, which are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars. Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)

Probe prompts some farmland owners to improve fish habitat (with video)
Two farmland owners in the Fraser Valley have conducted wide-ranging remediation work — and a third is under a provincial order to do so — following a lengthy Vancouver Sun investigation into the environmental impact of farming on fish streams. The Sun’s Minding The Farm series, published in June, probed several cases in which farmers had altered important fish habitat, and it also exposed the B.C. government’s lax laws on farm manure runoff into fish streams compared with neighbouring Washington state. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Erosion damages popular Burien park
Erosion is causing a lot of damage at popular Burien park and it keeps getting worse. A large staircase is about to topple over into Puget Sound and now neighbors are wondering if there's anything the city can do to fix the problem. There would ordinarily be dozens of people running the steps at Eagle Landing Park. But lately there have been just a handful and they're not getting very far. Todd Land reports. (KING) See also: Whidbey slide damage could take time to clean up  (KING)

What's up with those fish crossing signs?
Deer Crossing signs alert motorists to be on the lookout for reckless ruminant mammals. But Fish Crossing signs? Andrea Brown reports. (Herald of Everett)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 1134 PM PST MON DEC 29 2014
TUE
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING. W SWELL 2 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
TUE NIGHT
SE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 12 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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12/29 Pinto abalone, Hood Canal geoduck, Partnership, oil route, birds, global warming, ferry reservations

Pinto abalone (Josh Bouma/PS Restoration Fund)

No endangered listing for prized pinto abalone
The National Marine Fisheries Service has declined to list a prized 6-inch Pacific Ocean marine snail as an endangered or threatened species. The federal agency announced this week that its status review found the pinto abalone is not currently in danger of extinction and does not warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act at this time. Pinto abalone, valued for its delicate flavor and mother-of-pearl shell, are found from Alaska to Baja California. Two conservation groups petitioned the agency in July 2013 to conduct a status review for pinto abalone. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Proposal for Hood Canal geoduck farm dropped
A controversial proposal for a geoduck and oyster farm on Hood Canal is being pulled. The Kitsap Sun reported that according to Kitsap County planners, Scott Kimmel, the owner of New Day Fisheries, has decided not to pursue permit applications for the project. The Poulsbo fisherman had been seeking approval for a geoduck farm he installed without permits on private tidelands in 2013. Kimmel said he didn't know he needed permits to plant more than 9,000 geoduck seeds in plastic tubes embedded in the sand just north of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. (Associated Press)

Partnership perspectives on Puget Sound's future
The seven-member Leadership Council is the governing board for the Puget Sound Partnership, which is charged with restoring Puget Sound to health by the year 2020. Members were asked to provide brief written statements about their visions for the future. (Kitsap Sun)

Gulf Islands landowners retain natural sites, reap tax savings
The meadow down the steep side of Mount Elizabeth on Robert and Francis Rose’s North Pender Island property is one of their favourite places to spend time…. That meadow is now protected in perpetuity. In exchange for placing a covenant on their land, the Roses receive an annual 65 per cent property tax exemption through the Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP), administered by the Islands Trust Fund…. The Roses, who are in their mid-70s, are among 23 landowners who have joined the program since its launch in 2005, according to the Islands Trust Fund. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

Race to build on Columbia River could block Pacific oil route
Some environmentalists are pushing a $1.3 billion real estate project along the Columbia River as a way to stop a proposed oil train plan. Kirk Johnson reports. (NY Times)

States, cities brace for global-warming fallout
Eroding beaches and the seawater that laps onto the Embarcadero waterfront during high tide - not to mention severe storm flooding - were sending a clear message to a city surrounded by water on three sides. San Francisco responded in September, when its Capital Planning Committee decreed that in all future construction projects, city and county agencies, including low-lying San Francisco International Airport, must acknowledge the rising sea level and come up with plans to adapt to. The sea level around San Francisco rose nearly 8 inches in the past century, and it is projected to rise by as much as 55 more inches by 2100. Rita Beamish report. (Stateline.org)

Ladner beats Victoria in annual Christmas count of bird species
Greater Victoria lost its title for finding most species in B.C.’s annual Christmas bird count by a single species. Bird watchers in Ladner, Victoria’s traditional rival, counted 141 species this year, compared with Greater Victoria’s 140…. The Christmas bird count is conducted on any one day from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5 within a 24-kilometre diameter area that stays the same from year to year. There were 21 teams out in the radius centering on the Marigold area of Saanich this year, some of which had more than 15 members fanning out for the count. (Times Colonist) See also: A tally of tail feathers  Bob Kuntz and Kraig Kemper stood behind their scopes Saturday morning at the bay shore near Bay View State Park. They were among more than 60 people who participated in the National Audubon Society’s 115th annual Christmas Bird Count at Padilla Bay. (Skagit Valley Herald)

A bird’s-eye view of bald eagles
So far this season, wildlife experts say the bald eagle population that winters on the upper Skagit River appears to have returned in even stronger numbers than seen last year. While the birds have been sweeping into the east Skagit Valley for more than a month, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and Eagle Watchers representatives say they expect plenty of people to flock there to see them in January. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

As Canada Goose Populations Recover, Northwest Farmers Pay The Price
Canada Geese have made a significant comeback in the West. But as the population increases, it’s farmers in Oregon and Washington who are paying the price for the recovery. Seven different subspecies of the Canada geese travel along a metaphorical superhighway, called the Pacific Flyway, from summer nesting grounds in Alaska down into Washington, Oregon and California. The cackling Canada goose is one them. In the 1980s there were only about 25,000 left. But now wildlife officials say the population is averaging more than a quarter million. Jes Burns reports. (EarthFix)

Discover Puget Sound’s past during Archeology Day
The history of humans living along Puget Sound during the past 500 years will be the focus of Archaeology Day Jan. 10 at the Burke Museum. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about recent archaeological discoveries, how archaeology is used to study the past and the present and see some of the research being done in local communities. (Bellingham Herald)

San Juan ferry reservations available now
Ferry officials hope a reservation system to begin serving the San Juan Islands will greatly reduce long waits and long lines at the ferry terminals, and encourage travelers to take off-peak runs. The “Save a Spot” system, years in the planning, will make reserved spots available on all westbound sailings from Anacortes, and eastbound sailings from Friday Harbor and Orcas Island. Jack Broom report. (Seattle Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON DEC 29 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
TODAY
E WIND 20 TO 30 KT...RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 14 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NE WIND 25 TO 35 KT...EASING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 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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12/24 Flood, shoreline coalition, species surveys, First Nation consult, quakes, 'no go' zone, bird flu, Navy sonar

Loving That Light (PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Welcoming Back the Light
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "We all crave a bit of extra light at this time of year, especially those of us who live under the often-grey skies of BC’s wet coast. I spotted the seagulls in the photo above, enjoying some winter afternoon sunshine on the sandstone shore of Drumbeg Park on Gabriola Island – and by their relaxed looks I think they were appreciating it every bit as much as I was…."

New blog: Last Minute Shopping Thoughts
"If the 25th is your big day, then you really ought to be done with the shopping. Here’s to hoping you stayed within a reasonable budget in giving gifts that, well, mean something. I think affordable and meaningful over the years has become more and more difficult to achieve…."

Coastal flood advisory for Wednesday morning in Whatcom County
Low-lying coastal areas of Whatcom County could get some flooding Wednesday morning, Dec. 24. The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood advisory in effect from 5 to 10 a.m. Wednesday. Tidal overflow around high tide, which will be at 7:48 a.m. at Cherry Point, could cause some flooding. Areas of Birch Bay and Boulevard Park in Bellingham are among those where flooding is common. (Bellingham Herald)

Land trusts form coalition to protect Puget Sound
Skagit Land Trust has joined 13 other trusts across the state in forming the Shoreline Conservation Collaborative whose goal is to increase shoreline conservation to protect and restore Puget Sound. Over the next decade, the group aims to permanently protect 150 shoreline properties and restore an additional 30 shoreline properties. Of that, they hope to bring a minimum of 5,280 linear feet of shoreline under protection, and restore a minimum of 2,500 feet of marine shoreline in Skagit County specifically, Skagit Land Trust Executive Director Molly Doran said. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Environmentalists disagree over Inslee's agenda
"In yesterday's Fizz, I channelled local environmentalists who were grousing about Gov. Jay Inslee's carbon cap and trade plan; Inslee is proposing a $12 chit per-ton per-year on the state's biggest polluters (factories that emit 25,000 metric tons of GHG per year), gradually ratcheting down the chits from current estimated 94 million metric tons of CO2 until there are only enough chits left for 44 million metric tons total in the statewide system by 2050. About 130 big polluters will be trading the carbon allowances.  The complaint? $400 million of the expected $1 billion in first biennium carbon allowance revenue will go to Gov. Inslee's concomitant transportation plan which is lopsided in spending on new roads and road maintenance vs. multimodal transit dollars. A bit Sisyphean the environmental critics scoffed…." Josh Felt reports. (Seattle Met)

Science Fiction Becomes Reality For Species Surveys
On the original “Star Trek” series, landing parties from the starship Enterprise used a versatile device they called the Tricorder to instantly read out what was in their surroundings. So imagine being able to detect rare or invasive species, study biodiversity or to estimate fish abundance with just a scoop of air or a dip of water. It would be like science fiction come true. The Tricorder was dreamed up in the mid-1960s. Now more than 40 years later, environmental researchers and surveyors can match Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock — sort of. Science fiction is indeed becoming reality through a new sampling technology called environmental DNA. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network/EarthFix)

Ottawa should have consulted First Nation over environmental laws  
A Federal Court ruling that found Ottawa should have consulted an Alberta First Nation before passing sweeping changes to environmental laws should be a “wake-up call” to government, says an environmental law group. In 2012, a pair of omnibus bills, C-38 and C-45, made changes to Canada’s environmental, navigable water and fisheries laws in an effort to streamline and expedite approval of resource projects. It sparked widespread criticism from First Nations and environmental groups, who helped launch the Idle No More movement in protest…. Last Friday, Federal Court Judge Roger Hughes ruled the federal government erred when it failed to consult with the Mikisew Cree before introducing the changes to parliament since those changes will clearly affect their right to use their traditional territory, particularly their hunting and fishing rights. The court did not grant an injunction requested by the Mikisew Cree against any new laws. But the ruling does open the door to the “neutron bomb” of overturning future laws if governments continue to fail to consult with First Nations, said Jessica Clogg, senior counsel for West Coast Environmental Law. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Earthquake 'swarm' strikes off B.C. coast, but no sign of the 'Big One'
A 'swarm' of earthquakes struck off the coast of B.C. over the weekend, but there is no evidence that means that a large quake is imminent, says geological researcher Dr. Honn Kao. Earthquakes Canada reported five earthquakes measuring from 4.0 to 5.0 in magnitude, all striking about midway between the northern end of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii on Saturday and Sunday. (CBC)

Push for 'No Go' zone revitalized in attempt to limit stress on whales
In the wake of the death of J32, a pregnant female of the Southern Resident orca whales, a call to action resurfaced last week for a "No-Go" whale protection zone off the westside of San Juan Island. Orca Relief Citizens Alliance is urging the National Marine Fisheries Service to adopt its outline and begin the formal public process of establishing a no-go zone. Emily Greenberg reports. (San Juan Journal)

State seeks help to track bird flu
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks the public’s help in testing waterfowl and other wild birds for a type of avian influenza that has killed thousands of domestic birds in British Columbia and was recently detected in wild Washington and Oregon birds. While the virus poses no apparent threat to human health, it can be deadly to domestic poultry. State wildlife managers ask anyone who sees a sick or dead bird, whether wild or domestic, to report it. They will also seek samples from hunters’ harvest to test for the disease, an effort that will be focused on Skagit and four other counties. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: Avian flu spreads to first backyard coop in Langley

Navy seeks public comment on sonar use in training with supplement to environmental impact statement
The U.S. Navy has completed a supplement to an environmental impact statement that examines the proposed increased use of sonar in the Northwest Training and Testing Area. The Northwest Training and Testing Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement is available for public review and comment online. The Navy is accepting comments through Feb. 2. The draft environmental impact study and supplement for the Northwest Training and Testing Study Area are separate from a controversial electronic warfare training project in the Olympic Military Operations Area for which the Navy is seeking U.S. Forest Service permits.   (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED DEC 24 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 13 FT AT 14 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN THE MORNING...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS IN
 THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
NW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
THU
NW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 10 FT AT 11 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
THU NIGHT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W 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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12/23 Insecticide ban, chinook extinction, Elwha sediment

If you like to listen: Carol of the Birds - With Nancy Rumbel
To celebrate the season, Nancy Rumbel, who composed and played the BirdNote theme music, performs "Carol of the Birds." This version was arranged by Nancy herself, with the accompaniment of Pine Siskins, Black-capped Chickadees, a Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and Mourning Dove. Nancy plays the ocarina, oboe, bell, and harmonium. You can visit her website at nancyrumbel.com. Happy Holidays from all of us at BirdNote!

Commissioners ban insecticide from Thurston County properties
Thurston County is the first county government in Washington state to ban the use of neonicotinoid insecticides on the property that it manages and owns. The chemical is highly toxic to honey bees and bumblebees, and is found in a variety of gardening products designed to keep insects away from plants. The Board of County Commissioner’s decision came as good news for beekeepers who believe the chemical has contributed to the loss of bee populations and the collapse of bee colonies. Lisa Pemberton reports. (Olympian)

Chinook salmon could be wiped out by 2100, new study claims
New climate-change research involving a University of British Columbia scientist predicts that one of the West Coast's most prized salmon stocks could be wiped out over the next 85 years. A study has concluded that there is a five per cent chance of a catastrophic loss of the chinook salmon by 2075, and a 98 per cent chance the population will suffer catastrophic losses by 2100, if climate change warms the water. An international research team looked at the ability by the chinook to adapt to warming water temperatures caused by climate change. (Canadian Press)

Storms bring massive amounts of Elwha River sediment downstream
The series of storms that drenched the North Olympic Peninsula earlier this month changed the course of the Elwha River, carried away entire sections of sediment islands and moved the river closer to its original channel in some places, said Andy Ritchie, Elwha restoration project hydrologist…. In a set of three storms that drenched the area from Dec. 9 through Dec. 11, about 1.5 million to 2 million cubic yards of sediment were removed from the former Lake Mills and Lake Aldwell lakebeds, and the river uprooted huge swaths of young trees, he said. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE DEC 23 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING SW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 17 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 16 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 12 FT AT 15 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
 RAIN LIKELY.
--
"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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Follow on Twitter.

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12/22 Rainier, killer whales, vessel traffic, avian flu, stormwater, Slocan fuel spill, bird counts, fish spy

(PHOTO: Dean J. Kloepfler/News Tribune of Tacoma)

Losing Paradise: Climate Change is Changing Mount Rainier
If the scientists are right, the end is near for a Northwest treasure — at least as we know it. Global warming is melting Mount Rainier’s glaciers at six times the historic rate. For years now, the melting has sent floods of water and rock pounding down the mountain, filling up rivers, killing old-growth forests and endangering historic national park buildings. Rob Carson reports. (News Tribune of Tacoma)

Ten years after ESA listing, killer whale numbers falling
Puget Sound’s already small killer-whale population has declined in the decade since it was protected under the Endangered Species Act. Some experts view the death this month of a pregnant female orca as an alarm bell for the region’s southern residents. Craig Welch reports. (Seattle Times)

Study: Vessel traffic for proposed Whatcom coal port would increase spill risk, disrupt tribal fishing
A new study of ship traffic that would come with a proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point indicates a higher probability of oil and cargo spills. But state officials say the study, dated Nov. 4 and posted to the state Department of Ecology website on Thursday, Dec. 18, is not the definitive word on the hazards posed by ships headed to Gateway Pacific Terminal. The median number of oil spills in north Puget Sound in 2019 would increase 26 percent with the terminal in full operation, compared to traffic without the terminal, according to the study. That’s a change from about 10 spills a year to about 13. The quantity of oil spilled into the sound would increase 28 percent, according to the study — from 656 gallons to 857 gallons. The statistical analysis was done conservatively, in that it assumed more risk when available data was insufficient. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

B.C. avian flu virus has Asian origin; first such outbreak in North America
The avian flu virus involved in an outbreak in B.C. is related to a deadly strain that has spread through Asia and is now affecting North American poultry for the first time, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says. Experts say the presence of an avian flu virus with Asian lineage does not increase the danger to humans - which remains very low - but it could pose a significant risk to the poultry industry. Nearly 250,000 chickens and turkeys are either dead or set to be euthanized due to avian flu, which has infected 11 sites in B.C.'s Fraser Valley since the beginning of the month. James Keller reports. (Canadian Press)

Stormwater runoff is killing Puget Sound
Taking in the view from the pier on the city’s waterfront, it’s hard to sense anything could be wrong with Puget Sound. The water is clear. It’s a popular place for people to cast their fishing lines or to toss metal-mesh crab pots into the water. Seals occasionally bob up among the rows of boats in the nearby marina. In winter, rafts of goldeneye ducks float on the waves near the ferry dock. For all this, Puget Sound, with 2,500 miles of shoreline, isn’t nearly as healthy as it looks. And that’s one of the biggest challenges facing the Puget Sound Partnership, the state organization charged with improving the Sound’s health. Sharon Salyer reports. (The Herald of Everett)

Marilyn Burgoon gets private charge approved following Slocan fuel spill
A B.C. provincial court judge has approved a charge under the Fisheries Act against the B.C. government and Executive Flight Fuel Services brought by a local resident. Judge Mayland McKimm has approved a charge under Section 36 of the Fisheries Act stemming from a massive discharge of jet fuel into Lemon Creek last year. The charge, filed by longtime Kootenay resident Marilyn Burgoon is under a section of the federal Fisheries Act that prohibits "the deposit of deleterious substances in rivers...or water where fishing is carried on." A tanker truck was transporting fuel for helicopters fighting a nearby forest fire on July 25, 2013, when it rolled into Lemon Creek after heading up an unmaintained forestry road that couldn't support its weight. (CBC)

Port: Bellingham waterfront negotiations will continue into new year
Negotiations with an Irish development group that hopes to rebuild part of the city’s waterfront will push into next year as the Port of Bellingham finalizes details of an agreement. The Port Commission first approved negotiating with Dublin-based Harcourt Developments in February this year. The negotiations involve the northwestern corner of a contaminated section of Bellingham’s waterfront that was formerly home to a Georgia-Pacific Corp. pulp and tissue mill. The site includes the Granary Building. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Bird season in Skagit
Even in urban parts of Skagit County, birds are a common sight. It doesn’t take an expert to spot common crows and pigeons, or even the region’s iconic great blue herons and bald eagles. But something special happens in the fall and winter, when large swaths of birds flock to the Skagit Valley, a prime wintering destination for birds traveling the Pacific Flyway. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Turkey vultures soar, skylarks missing in annual bird count
Large turkey vultures normally in Mexico by now were sighted in record numbers soaring around Greater Victoria but little brown skylarks were nowhere to be seen during Saturday’s Christmas Bird Count around Greater Victoria. Despite rain and dreary weather, as many as 200 bird lovers took part in the annual citizens’ science project, sighting 139 species from 7:30 until 6:14 p.m., Christmas Bird Count coordinator Ann Nightingale said. Katherine Dedyna reports. (Times Colonist)

How can a fish be a spy? - in 15 secs
The US Navy has developed a surveillance robot disguised as a tuna fish. The GhostSwimmer could be used to sneak up on enemy vessels, or deliver supplies to friendly operatives. (BBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON DEC 22 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
NW WIND TO 10 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 11 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING E 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT AFTER
 MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 16 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF 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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12/19 King tides, WA taxes, radiation test, oil & coal trains & pipes, Vic sewer, seawall, Polley mine

(PHOTO: J. Custer_12/17/12_Flickr)

Snap the Shore, See the Future: Capture Washington’s King Tide
Higher than normal "king tides" will arrive in the Salish Sea December 21-27. Get outside and use a little imagination to see what climate change and rising sea levels might bring to your shoreline. Take a picture and share it, too. Washington King Tide Photo Initiative

‘Buck up,’ Inslee says, as he makes his case for new taxes
Gov. Jay Inslee laid out an aggressive tax-and-spending proposal Thursday unlike anything that has come out of the governor’s office in recent years, staking out a solidly liberal agenda likely to be a hard sell in a closely divided Legislature. In response to what his budget office estimates is a $2.35 billion budget shortfall, the Democratic governor proposed a new capital-gains tax on profits from sales of stocks and bonds affecting 1 percent of Washingtonians. That new tax, plus a proposal to charge major polluters for carbon emissions, forms the core of Inslee’s proposal to raise more than $1.4 billion in new revenue for the state over the next two years. He also seeks to raise taxes on cigarettes, bottled water and oil refineries. Jim Brunner and Joseph O'Sullivan report. (Seattle Times)

Sockeye, inshore waters test Fukushima-free
As the first batches of seawater samples collected by citizen scientists along the B.C. coast are being analyzed in Victoria, the results of radiation testing on 19 sockeye salmon and steelhead samples have come back negative for Fukushima-related contamination. And tests conducted so far this year on water samples from Prince Rupert to Victoria have also found B.C.’s inshore waters to be Fukushima-free. John Gleeson reports. (Coast Reporter)

MV resolution seeks 15 mph speed limit for oil trains
The City Council drafted and approved a letter Wednesday to send to the state regarding the transportation of oil by rail through the city. The letter outlined desired safety standards for trains carrying flammable crude oil, requesting that their speed be limited to 15 mph or less through the city, said Mount Vernon council member Dale Ragan. Shannen Kuest reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

First Nations file for judicial review of pipeline approval
Two First Nations are seeking a judicial review of a provincial regulator’s decision to approve a TransCanada Corp. pipeline project, alleging that they weren’t adequately consulted. The Nadleh Whut’en and Nak’azdli First Nations say the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) rushed its study of the $4.7-billion Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline that would go from northeastern British Columbia to Kitimat. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Most Canadians support anti-Kinder Morgan protesters: new online poll
More than half of all Canadians support the protesters who disrupted Kinder Morgan’s work on Burnaby Mountain last month, but a majority also believe the company’s Trans Mountain pipeline will be finished despite such civil disobedience, according to a new online national survey. Fifty-seven per cent of respondents to a recent Angus Reid Institute survey voiced their approval of the protests, but at the same time, almost as many (51 per cent) said they wanted the expansion of the pipeline carrying oil from Alberta to Kinder Morgan’s Burnaby terminal. Mike Hagar reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Northwest Coal Export Terminals Could Get Financial Help From State Of Wyoming
The state of Wyoming may be getting into the coal export business. The Legislature will consider a bill during its upcoming session that would increase the Infrastructure Authority’s bonding limit from $1 billion to $3 billion and also allow that money to be spent outside the state’s borders. Wyoming Infrastructure Authority Director Loyd Drain says if it passes, as is widely expected, he could then enter into talks about financing with companies that are trying to build coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. (Wyoming Public Radio)

Coal trains still running through South Fork Valley
What was supposed to be a temporary detour of empty coal trains from Bellingham to the South Fork Valley will continue at least until Jan. 15 and maybe much longer. For the first time, officials at BNSF Railway said they were considering a “long-term” deal with Canadian railroad companies to continue running the empty coal trains on the tracks along Highway 9, from Sumas to the South Fork. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Victoria explores potential sites for sewage treatment
Victoria is hoping to identify potential sites for sewage treatment even as it develops plans on how to best consult residents on what type of system they want. On Thursday, councillors endorsed a motion put forward by Coun. Ben Isitt to have staff report on options for wastewater treatment facilities in the city. Under Isitt’s motion, the site search will be based on criteria such as availability of land, opportunities for resource recovery, and consistency with zoning and the Official Community Plan. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Step one in Spring Street Landing revamp: build new seawall
The bulkhead construction project, at the Spring Street Landing site, is the first phase in what will be a completely revamped public area. Construction got under way with the excavation of compacted earth that’s acted as a retaining seawall. Once excavation is complete the old piling left over from the former ferry dock, decommissioned in the 1960s, will be removed. The final phase of reconstruction of the bulkhead will be building a new seawall, composed of mechanically stabilized earth that’s reinforced with boulders on the exterior. Emily Greenberg reports. (San Juan Journal)

Energy minister tells Imperial Metals it can repair damaged tailings dam
The company that owns the Mount Polley mine near Williams Lake will be allowed to repair the tailings dam before the government has finished its reviews into the cause of its partial collapse. Imperial Metals, which runs the gold and copper mine, called the repairs “another step in the path in the long road forward” at the facility. Mount Polley has not been operational since Aug. 4 when its tailings dam collapsed, sending millions of cubic meters of water and tailings into nearby creeks and Quesnel Lake. Rob Shaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PST FRI DEC 19 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
 GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING
TODAY
S WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 12 FT BUILDING TO 15 FT AT 20 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
TONIGHT
S WIND 20 TO 30 KT RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 17 TO 21 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 18 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT
S WIND 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 18 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 17 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT NIGHT
SW WIND 30 TO 35 KT EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 13 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 15 SECONDS.
SUN AND SUN NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW
 SWELL 12 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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12/18 Carbon cap, Vancouver soil, tropical species, Sequim water, Saanich sewer, Black Press, sage grouse

Southern Resident Killer Whale Salmon Initiative
Want to make a difference in restoring the health of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales? Over 2,624 people have signed an online petition asking Washington Governor Jay Inslee to support removing the four lower Snake River dams to save the Southern Resident killer Whales from being dammed to extinction. No dams, more fish, healthy whales. Sign on!


Inslee Reveals Plan For Curbing Washington’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee rolled out an aggressive plan Wednesday to cap carbon emissions and fight climate change. The centerpiece of the governor’s strategy would set a statewide limit for greenhouse gas emissions. Big emitters would pay for credits to cover their emissions if they exceed that cap. In later years, these carbon polluters would have the ability to trade those credits on a regional carbon market, potentially joining California, British Columbia and Oregon. Inslee said the plan will generate up to $1 billion for the state, which would pay for transportation, education and community aid. Inslee is expecting his plan to be met with opposition. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix) See also: Whatcom senator stands in the way of Gov. Inslee’s cap-and-trade climate proposal  Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Vancouver’s native soil ‘too contaminated to grow in,’ SoleFood founder warns
The native soil in Vancouver’s community gardens may be no worse than soils used in rural areas for commercial agriculture, but SoleFood founder Michael Ableman still wouldn’t grow food in it. People’s “romantic perception” that rural areas are somehow pristine environments where all is clean and pure is misplaced. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Turn of the Tides Festival celebrates marine life, winter solstice
The South Sound Estuary Association will hold its second annual Turn of the Tides Festival, a celebration of the winter solstice, Saturday. The free event will include marine life displays, environment education, arts and crafts, chowder and hot chocolate…. The event will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the South Sound Estuarium, 309 State Ave. NE, Olympia. For more information, go to sseacenter.org. (Olympian)

Scientists Report Rare Sightings Of Tropical Species Off West Coast
Scientists surveying whales and dolphins on the West Coast have discovered unusual species of birds and marine mammals far north of their normal ranges. Experts say fish and wildlife are being drawn northward by unusually warm ocean water. Every few years, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration take a head count of whales, dolphins and porpoises in the ocean off California, Oregon and Washington. Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)

County leads effort for cleaner water
Bringing an 18-month project to a close, those involved with creating a Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) Plan for the Sequim Bay-Dungeness Watershed Clean Water District have completed the draft plan and soon will begin a pilot project near Dungeness Bay. The PIC plan provides the skeleton for how water pollution problems will be identified and corrected with the intention to improve local water quality and health of Sequim and Dungeness bays. Alana Linderoth reports. (Sequim Gazette)

Saanich sewer and water fees going up
Saanich councillors have approved an increase of 11.9 per cent in the sewer charge, which translates into the average homeowner’s bill increasing to $405 from $362. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Black Press purchases Island newspapers in deal with Glacier Media
Glacier Media Inc. has sold its Vancouver Island Newspaper Group to Victoria-based Black Press. Black Press takes operational control of that group on March 2. That includes Cowichan Valley Citizen, Nanaimo Daily News and Alberni Valley Times. The sale does not include the Times Colonist. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Protections blocked, but sage grouse work goes on
U.S. wildlife officials will decide next year whether a wide-ranging Western bird species needs protections even though Congress has blocked such protections from taking effect, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said Wednesday. They could determine the greater sage grouse is heading toward possible extinction, but they would be unable to intervene under the Endangered Species Act. The bird's fate instead remains largely in the hands of the 11 individual states where they are found. President Barack Obama signed a $1.1 trillion spending bill late Tuesday with a provision that barred money from being spent on rules to protect the chicken-sized bird and three related types of grouse. Matthew Brown reports. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PST THU DEC 18 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PST THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT IN THE
 AFTERNOON. NW SWELL 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
S WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 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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Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

12/17 Port Angeles toxins, Rhapsody, Site C dam, Skagit water, pollution fee, bird flu, Bristol Bay, citizen science

Port Angeles Rayonier mill site (Keith Thorpe/PDN)

Toxins abound off old Port Angeles pulp mill site, state Ecology says
Mercury, arsenic, dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are among the ingredients of the toxic brew in the eastern side of Port Angeles Harbor near the site of the former Rayonier mill. A draft Marine Data Summary Report released Tuesday by the state Department of Ecology in Olympia summarized the amount and types of marine contamination in the 1,300 acres of water and sediment. The poisons are concentrated most highly in water in the eastern part of the former log pond and near the mill dock, the report said, but “are spread throughout the marine environment.” James Casey reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Infection from fetus death killed orca off Vancouver Island
An endangered orca found dead off Vancouver Island in Canada earlier this month died after a failed pregnancy caused a bacterial infection, officials said Tuesday. Preliminary necropsy results show the 19-year-old killer whale known as J-32 was pregnant with a nearly full-term female calf that died, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Finding Light In The Dark For Whales
The Whale Trail hosts a seasonal gathering in the wake of the loss of J-32 tonight in West Seattle at 6:30 at C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW. Researcher Mark Sears shares photos from recent encounters with J, K and L pods. Join in discussing your concerns fro and connection with these beloved pods. $5, kids free, Brown Paper Tickets.

Site C dam approved by B.C. government
B.C. has approved the $8 billion Site C dam — a massive hydroelectric project that would flood a large area of the Peace River Valley in northeastern B.C. In making the announcement, Premier Christy Clark said the Site C Clean Energy Project will provide B.C. residents with a reliable source of power for the next 100 years for the least cost to the taxpayer. (CBC)

Washington Court Rules Against Landowners In Skagit Water Rights Case
A judge ruled against a couple Tuesday after they sued for the right to drill a well and build a new home on their property in Skagit County. The case marks the latest battle in the ongoing fight over water rights in Washington’s Skagit River valley. Snohomish County Superior Court Judge George Appel dismissed the case brought by property owners Richard and Marnie Fox. He told the couple that they can’t build a home on their property because they don’t have legal access to water. That’s because of a 2001 rule that basically says there has to be enough water left in the Skagit River to protect spawning salmon. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Inslee wants a pollution fee to pay for transportation
Sound Transit would be able to ask big new tax increases for light rail, but improvements to the state’s highways and bridges would get paid by a “market-based carbon pollution fee” under Gov. Jay Inslee’s sure-to-be controversial transportation plan. The $12.2 billion, 12-year plan was unveiled by Inslee at the east end of the 520 floating bridge, a project that the governor’s plan pledges to complete.  The “Let’s Move Forward” plan would also finish expansion of Interstate 405 in the Renton-to-Bellevue corridor. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePi.com) See also: Polling shows some public support for taxing carbon pollution in Washington  Brad Shannon reports. (Olympian)

Bird flu confirmed in wild birds in Whatcom County
Two separate strains of bird flu have been confirmed in wild birds in Whatcom County, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday, Dec. 16. Tests identified H5N2 in a northern pintail duck and H5N8 in a gyrfalcon fed wild birds killed by hunters, agriculture officials said…. The cases were quickly reported and identified given the increased surveillance and testing of birds in Whatcom County after the outbreak of the H5N2 strain in commercial poultry in British Columbia. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Obama makes Alaska’s Bristol Bay permanently off-limits to drilling
President Obama announced Tuesday that he’s removing more than 52,000 square miles of waters off Alaska’s coast from consideration for oil and gas exploration or drilling. The president said in a video announcement that Bristol Bay and nearby waters, covering an area roughly the size of Florida, would be withdrawn from consideration for petroleum leases. He called Bristol Bay one of the country’s great natural resources and a massive economic engine. Dan Joling reports. (Associated Press)

Here's How You Can Help Scientists Study Sex, Whales, and Distant Galaxies
Sharman Apt Russell, author of Diary of a Citizen Scientist, describes her involvement in scientific research without ever pursuing a scientific degree-- and how you can, too. Indre Viskontas reports. (Mother Jones)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED DEC 17 2014
TODAY
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. NW SWELL 7 FT AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN LIKELY IN
 THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT. NW 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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Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

12/16 Lemon shark, Vic sewer, Rhapsody, Illabot Cr., ocean acid, Site C dam, Inslee's ed budget

“Spineless” Susan Middleton

The Oceans’ Depths, Saturated With Life and Color
As we stand on the thin crust of this watery planet, our gaze tends to roam from horizon to heavens. We often neglect the riot of life that seethes and thrives below us, especially in the still mysterious depths of our oceans. When we focus on sea life at all, our fancies turn to the vertebrate exhibitionists — whales, sharks, dolphins — or the delicious fish on our plates. But as the photographer and writer Susan Middleton tells us in her ravishing new book, “Spineless,” marine invertebrates make up more than 98 percent of the oceans’ known animal species. As she writes, “Beneath the ocean waves, hidden from our view, a spectacular profusion of life flourishes.” Dana Jennings reports. (NY Times)

Lemon shark dies at Point Defiance Zoo
A lemon shark believed to be the oldest in any North American aquarium died over the weekend at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Lizzie, 30, developed lesions three weeks ago on her gill slits, around her pectoral fins and in her mouth, zoo officials said Monday. Veterinarians have been monitoring the 450-pound shark and noticed she changed her swimming patterns and was having trouble breathing Thursday. Stacia Glenn reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Victoria eyes back-to-basics approach on sewage treatment
….Victoria has hired consultants and begun working with Saanich and Oak Bay staff to explore local or sub-regional treatment options since the collapse last summer of the Capital Regional District’s plan to locate a plant at Esquimalt’s McLoughlin Point. In a report going to councillors Thursday, municipal staff present a strategy to begin in January to outline to the public:… Bill Cleverley and Amy Smart report. (Times Colonist)

Pregnant killer whale J-32 was starving, necropsy reveals
Questions remain after a necropsy revealed a young female orca in the endangered southern resident population was malnourished when she died before giving birth to a full-term calf. Preliminary necropsy results released by the Center for Whale Research indicate that J-32 had a thin layer of blubber and had not been feeding adequately for an extended period of time. But the report also concluded the 19-year-old female likely died because she could not expel a nearly full-term fetus from her body, and that the fetus might have been dead for some time. "The question is why did the fetus die, and why are we having so much trouble with reproductive success in this population?" said Kenneth Balcomb, the executive director of the center. (CBC)

Illabot Creek awaits president’s pen to become wild and scenic
After a half-dozen years of trying, Skagit County’s Illabot Creek is a pen-stroke away from being designated a Wild and Scenic River. Congress passed a National Defense Authorization Act Friday that includes the designation. All that remains is President Obama’s signature. The designation has been a goal for conservation groups, local and state officials for many years, but efforts to pass it as separate legislation have previously failed. This time, it was added to the $585 billion Defense bill. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Ocean acidification a culprit in commercial shellfish hatcheries' failures
The mortality of larval Pacific oysters in Northwest hatcheries has been linked to ocean acidification. Yet the rate of increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the decrease of pH in near-shore waters have been questioned as being severe enough to cause the die-offs. Now, a new study of Pacific oyster and Mediterranean mussel larvae found that the earliest larval stages are sensitive to saturation state, rather than carbon dioxide (CO2) or pH (acidity) per se. Saturation state is a measure of how corrosive seawater is to the calcium carbonate shells made by bivalve larvae, and how easy it is for larvae to produce their shells. A lower saturation rate is associated with more corrosive seawater. Cheryl Dybas reports. (PHYS.ORG)

B.C. government decision on Site C dam expected
The province is expected to announce a decision on the controversial Site C dam on Tuesday. Provincial Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett has called a news conference in Victoria on Tuesday to make what his ministry said is a major announcement. If given the go-ahead, the $8.5-billion project would dramatically alter a large chunk of northeastern B.C. by putting it underwater for the hydroelectric project. (CBC)

Inslee outlines plan to pump $2.3 billion into education
Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday said he wants to give public schools and colleges a $2.3 billion boost in the next budget. He’s proposing to put in enough money to amply fund basic education as ordered by the Supreme Court, prevent a tuition hike for college students and give teachers a nearly 5 percent pay hike over the next two years. But he’s not sticking in enough to cover the cost of the smaller class size initiative passed by voters last month. And on Monday he wasn’t saying how he will pay for his proposal. That answer won’t come until Thursday when he issues his proposed spending plan for the biennium that begins July 1, 2015. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE DEC 16 2014
TODAY
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT THIS MORNING. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 6 FT AT 13
 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. NW SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF 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

Follow on Twitter.

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12/15 Bird counts, sewage pipe, sewage spill, salmon farmers, Skagit water, oil trains

(PHOTO: BirdNote)

Christmas Bird Count - Join In!
During late December, birders go out counting every bird that hops, swims, flies, or soars into view, as they have for more than 100 years. Audubon chapters across the United States and elsewhere sponsor the Christmas Bird Count, or CBC. Learn about the history of the Christmas Bird Count. Join the count - in Alaska, Connecticut, Detroit, Texas, Washington State, California, New Mexico, or Florida. Visit Audubon.org to find a CBC near you! CBC runs December 14, 2014 - January 5, 2015. (BirdNote)

Pipeline to a cleaner Puget Sound
Workers in Seattle are installing a 3,000-foot pipe that will eventually divert millions of gallons of raw sewage from Puget Sound. The pipe is being fed through a tunnel that workers recently dug into the side of Magnolia Bluff. It will connect with an aging sewer line in a steep canyon on the other side. Two dozen times every year, sometimes more, that old system is overwhelmed by heavy rains and ends up overflowing into the sanitary sewage line. Then that mixture flows directly into Puget Sound. Gary Chittim reports. (KING)

3.5 million gallons of sewage and runoff water into PA harbor, and in Jefferson County, homes still without electricity — a post-storm rundown across Peninsula  (Peninsula Daily News)

Salmon farmers will spend $1.5 million to study interactions with wild fish
The B.C. Salmon Farmers Association is putting $1.5 million over the next five years into a series of research projects on how wild and farm-raised salmon interact. The announcement is part of the industry’s attempt to address recommendations stemming from Judge Bruce Cohen’s recent inquiry into the state of Fraser River sockeye. Matthew Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Water fight ruling won’t mean battle ends l
The matter of who gets water and who doesn’t in Skagit County has been one of the most challenging issues plaguing the county in recent years. For nearly 20 years, residents, the county, the state and local tribes have been locked in a series of ongoing negotiations-turned-battles over how to manage the waters of the third-largest river system on the West Coast and protect salmon populations there. Now, a court case brought forward by a Sedro-Woolley couple arguing for their right to use water for their retirement home has the potential to bring the issue before the state Supreme Court for a second time and cause a fresh round of lawsuits between any combination of the people and agencies involved. Daniel DeMay reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: Court Case Is The Latest Battle In Water Wars Of The Skagit River  Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

As more oil trains roll through, safety concerns increase
The parade of flat-black tank cars began arriving here less than two years ago. Now the crude oil trains are a familiar sight — and a source of anxiety for many people along the route. Every week, up to a dozen such trains skirt Puget Sound, each hauling more than 1 million gallons of Bakken crude from North Dakota and Montana. They pass erosion-prone coastal bluffs, then travel through the downtowns of Edmonds, Mukilteo, Everett, Marysville and Stanwood. They take the highly flammable fuel from fields in North Dakota to refineries in Skagit and Whatcom counties. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald) See also: Bellingham could quiet train horns with ‘quiet zone’ rule for railroad crossings Samntha Wohfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

 Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON DEC 15 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM PST THIS MORNING
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM PST THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
E WIND 25 TO 35 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 6 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 17 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 15 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF 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

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

12/12 Elwha, storm, Rhapsody necropsy, lake vs. estuary, bad oyster, BC pipe, vessel demolition

(Edmonds Beacon)

An artist’s voice for salmon

The illusion of light illuminating the waters of the Puget Sound has been captured by a local artist who created a fabric installation to alter the space of Edmonds’ shorelines and bring awareness to the plight of salmon. “I’ve lived in Edmonds my whole life,” artist Marni Muir said, “and am deeply committed to the Edmonds way of life”…. Muir, 64, temporarily displayed the 5-yard untitled “altered space fabric piece” along the Edmonds waterfront, and draped it over a section of Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks and the tall, billowing grasses of the Edmonds Marsh. She said current waterfront developments have created blocked pathways for salmon, making it impossible for them to complete their spawning cycle. Laura Daniali reports. (Edmonds Beacon)

If you like to watch: Elwha River at flood stage 12/9 and 12/10
John Gussman treats us to a short clip of some of the flooding on the river this week.

BC Hydro power outages affect thousands after wind storm  (CBC) Storm is over, but thousands still without power  (KING)

Orca necropsy shows fetus died first: report
A 19-year-old orca whose body was found last week off Courtenay had a near full-term fetus disintegrating in her uterus, says a preliminary necropsy report from the Center for Whale Research. It appears the fetus died some time before the mother, said Kenneth Balcomb, executive director and principal investigator at the centre in Friday Harbor, Washington. The mother’s death was probably caused by difficulties trying to expel the fetus, he said…..During the necropsy, Balcomb observed that the whale’s blubber layer was relatively thin and dry of oil, indicating that J-32 existed on an inadequate diet for an extended period. He noted that her spleen was enlarged and there was an enlarged lymph node adjacent to the uterus, which suggests something had been wrong for a while. Louise Dickson reports. (Times Colonist)

Lake-estuary impasse will be tough to break
Capitol Lake sits at the center of a years-long debate over a complex public policy issue in Olympia: Should it remain a lake, or be restored as an estuary? A new report says collaboration among key players is the best way to find a solution for managing the 260-acre man-made reservoir. However, collaboration will be difficult at best with the estuary camp wanting the Fifth Avenue Dam removed and the lake supporters wanting it to stay, the report went on to say. The two groups’ dueling science and financial cost estimates for the lake-estuary options are other barriers to collaboration. Andy Hobbs reports. (Olympian)

Raw oysters sicken 12, prompt shellfish harvest closure and recall
Washington state health officials have ordered an emergency harvest closure and a multistate recall of all shellfish from a portion of Mason County’s Hammersley Inlet after at least a dozen people who ate raw oysters became ill. Norovirus is suspected in the illnesses reported last month; laboratory tests confirmed the infection in two people, health officials said. The recall announced Thursday includes nearly 4,000 dozen oysters and nearly 3,000 pounds of Manila clams from the area processed from Nov. 10 to Dec. 5. The shellfish was sent to a dozen states including Oregon, Nevada, Florida, Minnesota, Illinois, California, New York, Maine, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. JoNel Aleccia reports. (Seattle Times)

Pipeline expansion proposal in B.C. has Washington groups worried, too
Kinder Morgan’s plans to boost the export of Alberta tar sands oil to Asia through its British Columbia pipeline picked up more opposition south of the border Tuesday when Seattle-based Sightline Institute released research critical of the company’s safety and environmental record. The report adds to aggressive efforts by the U.S.-based nonprofit Forest Ethics and environmental groups in the San Juan Islands to stop Kinder Morgan from expanding its Trans Mountain pipeline in southern British Columbia. Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut)

San Juan tops in state demolition 'turn-in' program; five dismantled in two days time
Tearing apart a boat that’s past its prime is nothing new for Michael Durland. In fact, it’s more akin to business as usual at Orcas Island’s Deer Harbor Boatworks, where, over the course of two days, Nov. 13-14, Durland and crew demolished five boats whose owners had surrendered various vessels they could no longer maintain or dispose of themselves to the grindstone of the state-funded voluntary turn-in program coordinated by San Juan County’s derelict vessel removal program. Scott Rasmussen reports. (San Juan Journal)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 301 AM PST FRI DEC 12 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE MORNING. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 10
 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 15 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT
S WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SE 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 14 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 6 FT AT 13 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SUN
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 16 SECONDS.
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