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.
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