3/23 Oso slide, BC LNG, Canada budget, pumpouts, gray whales

(PHOTO: Laurie MacBride)

Let’s Make this Right a Reality
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Water takes many shapes, and it’s in constant motion around our earth: evaporating from the ocean, rising up to form clouds, falling as precipitation, seeping down through the earth to feed our wells, or remaining on the surface to form snow and ice and fill our wetlands, lakes and rivers. Whether as groundwater or surface water, it eventually it makes it back to the ocean, and the whole cycle begins again. Today [3/22] is World Water Day: a reminder to be grateful for such an elegant – and absolutely essential – transport system, provided to us free of charge by Mother Nature…."

What we've learned from the deadly Oso, Washington landslide two years on
Joseph Wartman writes: "On March 22, 2014, a hillside above Oso, Washington collapsed, unleashing a torrent of mud and debris that buried the community of Steelhead Haven. Forty-three people lost their lives, making it one of the single deadliest landslide disasters in U.S. history. Over the past two years, we've learned much about the specific geology of the Stillaguamish River Valley where Oso is located, and the weather that preceded this landslide. One study I co-led identified geologic factors such as weak, saturated ground that made the Oso hillside highly susceptible to landslides. Another investigation found that large landslides similar to the one in Oso occur with surprising frequency in the region – on average, every 140 years, just a flash in recent geologic time…." (The Conversation)

Japan warns LNG delay could mean losing Asian market
The Japanese ambassador is warning the federal government that delays in a major LNG plant near Prince Rupert could cost Canada a rare opportunity. Ambassador Kenjiro Monji sent a letter to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency after the federal government announced Monday it would delay a final decision on the Pacific NorthWest LNG Ltd. project by three months.  Japan is part of the proposal to build the $36-billion facility near Prince Rupert, partly as a potential market for liquefied natural gas. Monji said in his letter Canada could wait another decade before it finds the same access to Asian buyers, unless it acts quickly to develop and export the product. (CBC)

Ottawa forecasts $29.4B deficit — with lots more red ink to come
The Liberal government unveiled its first federal budget on Tuesday, an outline of the new government's spending projections that's awash in big plans — and big deficits. Ottawa plans to spend almost $30 billion more than it takes in this coming fiscal year, a big jump from the $5.6-billion deficit for the current year straddling the previous Tory and current Liberal governments. The red ink flows from there, to $29 billion the following year, then $22.8 billion and $17.7 billion in 2019-20, the next scheduled federal election year. Pete Evans reports. (CBC News)

All pumped up: Boaters set new record for protecting Puget Sound
More than 8.3 million gallons of raw sewage that would otherwise have been dumped into vulnerable waterways was diverted from Puget Sound in 2015 for safe onshore treatment with the help of Pumpout Washington. A joint project of Washington Sea Grant (WSG) and Washington State Parks, Pumpout Washington helped to divert 6 million gallons of raw sewage in 2014, and has a goal to divert 10 million gallons of sewage in 2016. The Pumpout Washington project is managed by Port Townsend–based Aaron Barnett, a boating specialist for WSG. (Port Townsend Leader)

Gray whale season set to begin
The “Saratoga” or North Puget Sound Gray whales return to Saratoga Passage and Possession Sound each spring, for their annual three-month feeding foray in North Puget Sound. In greater Puget Sound, we see approximately 12 to 50 grays per year, and along the Pacific Coast a population of 250 Gray Whales known as the Pacific Northwest feeding aggregation lives.  These whales can be found along the coast of Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The whales are identified by the markings on the underside of their flukes, as well as by the patterns of barnacles, scars, and markings on their backs. (Whidbey News Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  303 AM PDT WED MAR 23 2016  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING  THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING  

TODAY  SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE  AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE  AFTERNOON. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN THE MORNING...  THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT  S WIND 20 TO 30 KT...BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 TO 4 FT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN  SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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