2/5 Windy weather, toxic flame retardants, kelp farming, Kitimat LNG, Malheur indictments

(KOMO News)

New storm promises heavy rain, gusty winds, and increased landslide risks
Stormy weather has taken a bit of a break from the Pacific Northwest, but the break is over as a potent storm heads our way for Friday. The storm is expected to bring another round of heavy rains to our already-soggy winter, and potentially damaging winds to parts of the region. The strongest winds will be relegated to the coast and areas north of Everett. A High Wind Warning is in effect for the San Juan Islands and Whatcom County from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday for southeast wind gusts as high as 50-60 mph. A lesser Wind Advisory si in effect for much of Friday for the coast and Skagit, Island and eastern Jefferson Counties for gusts to 50 mph. Winds in the greater Puget Sound region aren't expected to be as strong, peaking in the 30-40 mph range and no wind advisories are in effect. Scott Sistek reports. (KOMO)

Bill to ban toxic flame retardants could fizzle for fifth time
A bipartisan group of lawmakers want to ban flame retardants linked to cancer, learning disabilities and other health problems from being used in children’s products and furniture. But legislation to do that could fail for the fifth year running if legislators cannot agree on how to ban new chemicals down the road. The bill, the Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act (HB 2545), would ban five common flame retardants from upholstered furniture and children’s toys, safety seats and clothing. It also would authorize the Washington State Department of Health to ban additional flame retardants found to be of high concern for children’s health. The House Health Care & Wellness Committee passed an amended bill 8-7 on Tuesday. In past years, versions of the legislation have passed the full House overwhelmingly only to die in the Senate. Allegra Abramo reports. (Investigate West)

Fish farms eye piece of $10-billion aquaculture pie
The local aquaculture industry is hoping to turn waste nutrients from net-pen fish farms into a lucrative chunk of the $10-billion kelp industry. Researchers from North Island College are installing lines seeded with baby kelp at 30 B.C. fish farms as part of a five-year, $1-million pilot project to test the viability of seaweed aquaculture on our coast. Preliminary trials conducted by project manager Naomi Tabata and Stephen Cross, NIC’s Industrial Research Chair for Sustainable Aquaculture, showed strong potential for a commercial seaweed industry. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Setback for Kitimat LNG as Shell postpones investment decision
The huge LNG Canada export project proposed for Kitimat appears to have suffered a setback with Royal Dutch Shell announcing it will postpone its final investment decision, which was expected this month, until the end of the year. The announcement comes on the heels of Shell releasing 2015 fourth-quarter results which show a 44 per cent slump in earnings due largely to the slump in oil prices. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

Indictment says protesters in Oregon occupation ‘threatened violence’
A federal grand-jury indictment unsealed Thursday charges Ammon Bundy and 15 other people involved in the standoff at an Oregon wildlife refuge with a single count of “conspiracy to impede officers of the United States” — even as four of those charged remain at the refuge, refusing to surrender to FBI agents who surround them. The indictment, by a grand jury convened in United States District Court in Portland, comes more than a week after Bundy and others were arrested during a traffic stop three weeks into their armed occupation of the nearly 200,000-acre Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in the high desert of eastern Oregon. William Yardley reports. (LA Times)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  252 AM PST FRI FEB 5 2016  

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE  TONIGHT  

TODAY  E WIND 25 TO 35 KT...BECOMING SE IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED  SEAS 15 TO 18 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 15 SECONDS. RAIN  LIKELY IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT  W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 17 FT  AT 13 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SAT  W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON. W  SWELL 13 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 11 FT AT 12 SECONDS IN THE  AFTERNOON. SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE MORNING.

SAT NIGHT  SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING E 10 TO 20 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 8 FT AT 12  SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SUN  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT  12 SECONDS.
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