1/5 Bird die-off, sewage dumping, oil trains, Dungeness water, invasive removal

(PHOTO: Ken and Cathy Denton, EarthFix)

Pacific Coast sea bird die-off puzzles scientists
Scientists are trying to figure out what's behind the deaths of seabirds that have been found by the hundreds along the Pacific Coast since October. Mass die-offs of the small, white-bellied gray birds known as Cassin's aucklets have been reported from British Columbia to San Luis Obispo, California. (Statesman Journal via Seattle Times)

If you like to watch: Time-lapse of New Year’s Day on Puget Sound as seen from Burien
Susan Plecko shot this great time-lapse video from her home in Burien, showing – from sunrise to sunset – the “living” Puget Sound on New Year’s Day 2015. (B-Town Blog)

SRD board worried about raw sewage dumping by pleasure crafts  
The Strathcona Regional District Board pooh-poohed the idea of raw sewage being dumped by pleasure craft vessels any closer than three nautical miles off shore. At the Inaugural meeting of the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) before Christmas the newly elected Board agreed to support sewage dumping restrictions and to ask Transport Canada to abandon plans to amend regulations that would allow these vessels to discharge sewage one nautical mile from shore, and that additional action be taken to reduce raw sewage dumping from vessels in the Salish Sea.  (Campbell River Courier Islander)

Communities work to slow expansion of crude oil moved by rail
Mayor Tom Weisner can’t stop the crude oil trains from moving through his city on two railroads, but he’s doing what he can to make sure they do so as safely as possible. From his downtown office window, every day Weisner can see about four to seven trains with 100 or more cars of Bakken crude from North Dakota on the elevated Burlington Northern Santa Fe line passing through his city of 200,000, about 40 miles west of Chicago. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy) See also: Trains plus crude oil equals trouble down the track

'It shouldn't be a burden . . . to use water' — Dungeness water rule opponents file lawsuit in Thurston County
Opponents of a water management rule in the Dungeness Valley have moved to have it set aside by Thurston County Superior Court. The rule restricts water use — especially by new homes and businesses — in some places between Bagley Creek and Sequim Bay in eastern Clallam County. The suit would have the court declare what the Olympic Resource Protection Council termed “draconian” regulations that would ban outdoor watering in parts of Water Resource Inventory Area 18. The council's petition for declaratory judgment was filed Dec. 31 in Olympia, home to the lawsuit's defendant, the state Department of Ecology. No court hearing had been set as of Friday. James Casey reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Green Team takes on Lower Mainland's invasive species
In the last few years, a team of Lower Mainland residents has yanked 33,800 kilograms of invasive plants out of area parks, planting in their place 7,100 native trees and shrubs. The cost to taxpayers for all that time and effort? Absolutely nothing. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 830 PM PST SUN JAN 4 2015
MON
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SE 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON.
 NW SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.
MON NIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING S 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.

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