12/9 Forage fish, storm, BC plants, refinery fines, BP settlement, tsunami debris

Pacific Sand Lance (PHOTO: Jon Gross)

If you like to watch: Forage Fish Matter
Forage fish are the backbone of a healthy Puget Sound. They provide the food base for endangered chinook which in turn are relied on by the endangered Southern Resident Orcas. Little Fish + Big Fish = Orca. Laura James produced this piece for Sound Action.

B.C. storm roars on with ferries cancelled, more rain, wind in forecast
A second wave of a powerful subtropical storm is set to pound the West Coast today with high winds on Vancouver Island, and another round of heavy rain for Metro Vancouver and Howe Sound. Environment Canada is forecasting wind gusts will hit 90 km/h across large sections of Vancouver Island, including Victoria. In Metro Vancouver, winds of up to 60 km/h are in sight, with another  25 mm of rain expected by Tuesday afternoon. The heavy rain that fell overnight caused flooding in some sections of Vancouver Island, and the Lower Mainland. (CBC) See also: Flooding, landslides possible as downpour continues  (KING)

Three B.C. plants declared endangered by federal panel of scientists
The limber pine, phantom orchid and toothcup have been listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in its annual conservation review released Monday. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Anacortes refineries pay, accrue fines in November  
The Tesoro Anacortes refinery and offloading facility paid a collective $150,000 settlement to the Northwest Clean Air Agency in November for oil discharged to the on-site wastewater system between September 2012 and September 2013. The regional air agency fined the refinery and offloading facility, which are separate companies, $75,000 each for violation. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

High court rejects BP appeal of spill settlement
The Supreme Court is leaving in place BP’s multibillion-dollar settlement with lawyers for businesses and residents over the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The justices did not comment Monday in rejecting the London-based oil giant’s arguments that lower courts misinterpreted settlement terms and put BP on the hook to pay inflated and bogus claims by businesses. (Associated Press)

More Japanese Tsunami Debris Will Wash Up This Winter On Northwest Shores, Scientists Predict
Winter storms off the Oregon and Washington coastlines are expected to bring a new wave of debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Scientists say objects are already washing ashore – with potentially invasive organisms riding along. In March, 2011 an earthquake and tsunami devastated a large swath of eastern Japan. The tsunami reached heights of over 100 feet in some places, washing large quantities of manmade materials out to sea. Japanese officials estimate that about 1.5 million tons of debris floated out into the Pacific. Jes Burns reports. (EarthFix)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE DEC 9 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
TODAY
S WIND 30 TO 40 KT...BECOMING SW 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 14 TO 17 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13 SECONDS.
 RAIN.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 15 TO 17 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 14 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN 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

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told