9/30 Fuel ban, WA carbon tax, Lummi salmon, ocean 'blob,' Petronas, BC LNG, Petrogas pier

Bigleaf maple (Photo: Oregon State University)

Bigleaf Maple, Acer macrophyllum
The common and scientific names describe the very large leaves, particularly showy in autumn. This maple is called the "paddle tree" in many First Nations languages because the wood was used to make paddles. The bigleaf maple is the only western maple with commercial importance; it is used for veneer, furniture, handles, woodenwares and novelties. The sap can be cooked to make passable maple syrup but it takes several times more sap than eastern sugar-maple sap. (Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Audubon Guide to Western Forests)

Whatcom County extends ban on unrefined fossil fuel shipping
The Whatcom County Council has extended its ban on new permit applications for projects that ship crude oil and other unrefined fossil fuels out of Cherry Point. The Bellingham Herald that the six-month extension was approved Tuesday and prevents shipments or exports of fuels that aren't processed in that industrial area. In August the council approved a 60-day moratorium of shipping out of Cherry Point. Supporters applauded the move, saying it will protect the public from dangerous fuel shipments. Others say potential changes to the industrial zone could hurt jobs and economic development. (Associated Press)

State Carbon Tax Could Become First in Nation if Voters Approve
The state of Washington could become the first state in the nation to enact a carbon tax on big polluters if grassroots activists can overcome opposition from an unlikely coalition: the business community, low-income and people of color communities, the state Democratic party and environmental groups. Supporters of the carbon tax, Initiative 732, are pulling out all the stops to win voters before November. Meanwhile a new report published this week in Nature, says that with today's level of fossil fuel emissions, the planet is “locked” into eventually hitting its highest temperature mark in 2 million years. Martha Baskin reports. (Green Acres Radio)

Lummi fishermen will deliver fresh salmon to people fighting North Dakota pipeline
Lummi Nation fishermen will drive a feast of locally caught salmon this weekend all the way to Cannon Ball, N.D., to feed the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and many supporters who are fighting against the Dakota Access Pipeline. “The tribal fishermen have decided to donate their catch,” said Waylon Ballew, who met up with a handful of fishermen to filet dozens of kings and silvers behind the Lummi Nation Commodity Foods building Wednesday morning, Sept. 28. The group planned to leave Thursday night in vans and head to North Dakota with a few dozen tribal members on board, and the soon-to-be feast packed on ice. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Warm ‘blob’ in Pacific Ocean linked to toxic algae that doomed local fisheries
A new study finds that unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures helped cause a massive bloom of toxic algae last year that closed lucrative fisheries from California to British Columbia and disrupted marine life from seabirds to sea lions. Scientists linked the large patch of warm ocean water, nicknamed the “blob,” to the vast ribbon of toxic algae that flourished in 2015 and produced record-breaking levels of a neurotoxin that is harmful to people, fish and marine life. The outbreak of the toxin domoic acid, the largest ever recorded on the West Coast, closed razor clam seasons in Washington and Oregon and delayed lucrative Dungeness crab fisheries along the coast. High levels were also detected in many stranded marine mammals. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Petronas weighs sale to exit $27B Canada LNG project: sources
Malaysian state oil firm Petroliam Nasional Bhd is considering selling its majority stake in a $27-billion Canadian liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, three people familiar with the matter said this week. Petroliam Nasional, or Petronas, is weighing options for the project as its finances have been squeezed after crude oil prices have collapsed by more than 50 per cent since mid-2014…. Additionally, the economics of the project have been called into question as LNG prices for delivery into the main markets in northeast Asia have slumped more than 70 per cent over nearly the same time period. (Thomson Reuters)

LNG mega-project incompatible with B.C.'s greenhouse gas target, says expert
The controversial Pacific NorthWest liquefied natural gas project that has been conditionally approved by the federal government isn't compatible with B.C.'s current greenhouse gas emission targets, according to climate policy expert Kathyrn Harrison. The project was approved with 109 conditions, one of which is a "hard cap" for yearly carbon emissions at 4.3 million tonnes. But Harrison says that the cap only applies to the actual project facility, and doesn't incorporate emissions brought on by upstream developments — the production, processing and transportation of natural gas to the project. According to the official environmental impact assessment, upstream productions would increase emissions by an additional 6.5 million tonnes. "At the provincial level, B.C.'s [emission] target for 2050 is 13 million tonnes per year," said Harrison on CBC's The Early Edition.  "[The Pacific NorthWest liquefied natural gas project] alone — which is expected to operate until 2050 — would contribute 10 to 10.5 million tonnes per year." Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC) See also: LNG project's 190 conditions 'not onerous,' says environmental assessment expert  (CBC)

Petrogas buys Intalco’s pier as part of $122M sale, values pier at $10M
Petrogas purchased Alcoa Intalco’s wharf, pier and associated items for $122 million this week, but only $10.2 million of the registered sale was listed as real estate subject to excise taxes. Had the whole purchase been subject to the tax, the payment lodged with Whatcom County could have been more than $2 million. Tax for sale of the wharf, which was sold for $10.2 million based on an appraisal, according to Petrogas, was $181,655. For comparison, all of Intalco was valued at $67 million for 2015 taxes, which included the wharf. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  258 AM PDT FRI SEP 30 2016  

TODAY  LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF  SHOWERS.
SAT  SE WIND TO 10 KT...RISING TO 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF  SHOWERS IN THE MORNING...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT  SE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL  2 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SUN  SE WIND TO 10 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES  1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/29 Elwha, hot Sound, Taylor Shellfish sued, BC LNG, Pt Townsend water, ghost pots, nets

Elwha nearshore 9/25/16 (Photo: Tom Roorda & CWI)

Elwha Nearshore 25 September 2016
Anne Shaffer of Coastal Watershed Institute writes: "The standout water clarity is gone now with the recent arrival of the first *small* fall swell. September is a truly a brilliant time in the Elwha."

One reader of yesterday's clip about the European green crab writes; "When I was a kid growing up in France I used to fish for green crab. We called them chevre (goat) because they were very fast and nimble.  More than once I got pinched by one.  Though there isn’t much meat in them, their flesh is very sweet." Another reader commented: "The image of the crab is identical to something I found in my cereal this AM.  My God, unless we are diligent (which we are not when it comes to purchasing the latest wide screen TV and swallowing the swill of the election season) you never know what will show up eh? As for biological security on salmon farms.  Very ironic isn't it.  They proceed willy/nilly without any biological security on the regional ecosystem and get off scott free -- whatever that means.  Economics "Trumpts" common sense."

Bad news for crabs and birds: Puget Sound hotter than ever
There has been a significant change in the waters in Puget Sound, according to a new NOAA Fisheries report. In 2015, the temperatures rose more than any other year in recorded history. Stephanie Moore: "New maximum records were set just about everywhere in Puget Sound in terms of water temperatures." Biological oceanographer Stephanie Moore headed up the 2015 report by NOAA Fisheries. She says across Puget Sound, shallow and deep water temperatures rose at a record pace above the 10 year mean. Most locations rose by 2 degrees Celsius. In southern Hood Canal it was even higher, 7 degrees. Paige Browning reports. (KUOW)

Taylor Shellfish sued for racial harassment at its Samish Island farm
One of the largest producers of shellfish in the country is being sued over claims it permitted ongoing racial harassment and retaliatory discipline against a black maintenance mechanic at its Samish Island farm. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a news release it filed the lawsuit against Taylor Shellfish Wednesday in U.S. District Court. The suit alleges Jeremy Daniels faced demeaning comments and stereotypes about his race from the first week of employment at the Taylor Shellfish Company’s Samish Bay Farm in Washington. (Associated Press)

Giant LNG project proposed for B.C. not yet a done deal - British Columbia
With the blessing of the Trudeau government, British Columbia is one step closer to having a giant liquefied natural gas project that promises to create thousands of construction jobs, bring billions of dollars in investment, and ship tonnes of B.C.'s natural gas to Asia. But there are still many hurdles to cross before the project can move forward.  Betsy Trumpener reports. (CBC) See also: Federal environment minister defends approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG  (CBC)

Port Townsend drinking water free of toxins despite algae growth, officials say
Although recent tests on Port Townsend’s reservoirs have discovered they contain blue-green algae, which can create toxins, the water is safe for drinking, city officials said. City Manager David Timmons said Wednesday that results of tests for toxins, which arrived Sept. 20, showed levels lower than the minimum detection level. Cydney McFarland reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Divers clear lost crab pots from Puget Sound
Abandoned or lost crab pots are an annual environmental challenge, one that the Northwest [Straits] Foundation faced yet again Tuesday. Aboard a boat near Everett on a windy and choppy morning, computers guided divers to spots with derelict crab pots on the floor of Puget Sound. Northwest [Straits] Foundation estimates that about 12,000 crab pots are lost each year. Sometimes that number climbs to 14,000. The pots keep fishing after they've cut loose from holds. Crab continue to pile in but then run out of food and eventually die. Around 180,000 harvestable crabs are lost to derelict pots each year. Alison Morrow reports. (KING)

Whales, Sea Turtles, Seals: The Unintended Catch Of Abandoned Fishing Gear
There are less than 500 North Atlantic right whales left in the world. And now, one less: This weekend, one of the 45-ton creatures was found dead off the coast of Maine, completely entangled in fishing line — head, flippers and all. This was not an isolated incident. In late June, an endangered blue whale wrapped in fishing gear was seen struggling off the coast of Dana Point in Southern California. Rescuers were unable to extricate it before it swam away. And earlier this month, rescuers unsuccessfully tried to free an entangled humpback whale near Newport. Spotters say they believe the humpback eventually found its way free of most of the gear, though they're unsure if there's anything still trapped in its mouth. While any kind of fishing gear can be lost or abandoned at sea, gillnets, crab pots and traps are the most common types that continue to "ghost fish" — entrapping marine animals like whales, seals, sea lions and sea turtles. Clare Leschin-Hoar reports. (NPR)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  258 AM PDT THU SEP 29 2016  

TODAY  W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/28 Green crab, BC LNG, dirty air, climate change rule, BC garbage, BC fish farms, oil trains

European green crab (OPB/EarthFix)

Scientists Try Trapping To Halt Puget Sound's European Crab Invasion
The detection of Puget Sound's first  invasive green crab prompts scientists to mount a counter attack. Now a second crab has been discovered about 30 miles away in Padilla Bay. Katie Campbell reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Federal government approves liquefied natural gas project on B.C. coast with 190 conditions
The federal government has conditionally approved the Pacific NorthWest liquefied natural gas project in British Columbia with 190 legally binding conditions.  Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said the approval decision was taken following extensive studies on the project's environmental impact, science and after consultations with First Nations.  Flanked by Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, B.C. Premier Christy Clark and Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc, McKenna said the investment was worth $11 billion and would be one of Canada's largest resource development projects…. Those 190 conditions cover everything from wetland management, the quality of freshwater fish and fish habitat, marine fish and mammals, migratory birds, human health, concerns over cultural heritage sites and long-term environmental monitoring. (CBC) See also: Timeline of proposed Pacific NorthWest LNG project in British Columbia  (Canadian Press) And also: Gas field workers push for LNG while Indigenous protesters vow to stop it   Betsy Trumpener reports. (CBC)

Gas utilities go to court against state's new clean-air rule
The state's biggest natural gas utilities are filing legal challenges against a recent Department of Ecology rule that requires large industrial emitters of greenhouse gases to reduce their carbon emissions. The new rule is a study in gradualism.  Large greenhouse gas polluters must cut their carbon emissions by an average of 1.7 percent annually. The rule was promulgated after Republicans in the Washington Legislature blocked a fee on big polluters, proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee late in 2014.  The rule applies to about 25 major emitters, including the state's five oil refineries, Puget Sound Energy gas facilities in Sumas, Longview and Goldendale, and other large emitters, including the Grays Harbor Energy Center in Elma. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

The Obamacare of climate change? States get day in court on EPA plan 
A panel of federal judges on Tuesday heard arguments in court for and against the Obama administration’s plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions by a third by 2030. More than two dozen states sued the Environmental Protection Agency to stop the Clean Power Plan, one of the Obama White House’s signature policies to address climate change. Those states argue that the EPA overstepped its bounds with the rule and that it would drive up electricity costs, lead to energy shortages and cause economic devastation in communities that produce fossil fuels. The 18 states that support the EPA reply that the agency did act within its power and that even before the rule takes effect, the market is already moving in the direction of reduced emissions. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

40 tonnes of garbage pulled off Vancouver Island beaches
A barge loaded with roughly 40 tonnes of garbage pulled from Vancouver Island beaches arrived in Delta Monday night. Now, volunteers have the Herculean task of sorting through the debris to figure out what can be recycled, what can be re-purposed and what will have to go straight into the dump. The garbage was collected by hundreds of volunteers from eight groups this year, including the District of Ucluelet, the Nuuchahnulth Tribal Council, Parks Canada and the Surfrider Foundation. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

Marine Harvest Canada sues Alexandra Morton for trespassing on fish farms
Aquaculture company Marine Harvest Canada has filed a lawsuit against activist and independent biologist Alexandra Morton for allegedly trespassing on three of their salmon farms on the B.C. coast last month. Morton spent the summer visiting salmon farms — uninvited — aboard the R/V Martin Sheen owned by the group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, looking for a controversial virus prevalent in salmon farms. In the lawsuit, Marine Harvest alleges she and others trespassed on their Glacier Falls, Midsummer Island and Sonora Island operations without permission and intentionally tampered with the equipment. At two facilities, they're accused of violating biosecurity procedures. Lisa Johnson reports. (CBC)
   
Free ‘Science on the Sound’ series offers range of topics at Highline’s MaST Center
Community members can hear from local, regional and national experts during free monthly presentations at Highline College’s Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center. The ‘Science on the Sound’ series focuses on topics of interest within the Puget Sound region. Each 45-minute presentation will begin at Noon and is open to the public. (Waterland Blog)

County Panel Approves Rail Expansion In Columbia Gorge Despite Oil-Train Controversy
A county planning commission has given its approval to a rail expansion in the same stretch of the Columbia River Gorge where a Union Pacific oil train derailed and burst into flames. The derailment in June resulted in an oil spill that contaminated groundwater. It also galvanized opposition to increased oil train traffic in the Northwest. The Wasco County Planning commission voted Monday to approve the rail expansion through the city of Mosier. That’s after a motion to deny the application failed to draw support from a majority on the panel. The railroad wants to increase the number of trains carrying oil and other freight through the gorge.
David Steves reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  218 AM PDT WED SEP 28 2016  

TODAY  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT  AT 7 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/27 Duwamish cleanup, shoreline erosion, royal snub

[Photo: Laurie MacBride]

Riding the Kelp 
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "In summer, kelp forests grow profusely on reefs and rocky shores all along the BC coast. Normally when we’re travelling on our boat, we treat kelp as a warning sign. After all, those floating bulbs and blades mark the location of reefs, with “boat-eating rocks” often lurking just below the surface – so we carefully avoid getting too close. But when we’re in our kayaks, it’s a different story: reefs are a magnet, and there’s nothing we like better than drifting through the kelp forests, looking down to see if we can spot schools of small fish or invertebrates such as hermit crabs amid this rich habitat…."

Seattle buys restoration credits for Duwamish cleanup
The City of Seattle has agreed to pay a company to restore natural resources as a way to settle its liability for pollution in the Lower Duwamish Waterway. The Duwamish Superfund Site is one of the largest in Washington state and includes the stretch of the Duwamish River that flows into Elliott Bay. Over the years, industrial and municipal operations have polluted the site with hazardous substances. On Thursday, Justice Department announced that Seattle agreed to resolve its liability by purchasing about $3.5 million worth of restoration credits from Bluefield Holdings, a company that develops restoration projects. (Associated Press)

Retreat Or Fight? Erosion Chews Away Southwest Washington Coast
The Washington State Department of Ecology says the fastest erosion on the West Coast is happening at aptly named Washaway Beach -- located between the southwest Washington towns of Grayland and Tokeland. Most places threatened by erosion try to fight back. But the erosion at Washaway Beach is so rapid, the question now is to fight -- or retreat. First the ocean took a clam cannery. Then a lighthouse, a Coast Guard station and homes slipped into the waves. Then the ocean washed away the cove that gave the community of North Cove its name. The coastal erosion at this spot has been unstoppable for decades. The school succumbed. Then the Grange hall, a post office and more and more homes. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Stephen Hume: The history behind the royal snub
Talking the talk of reconciliation with First Nations is easy. Walking the walk requires that meaningful actions take precedence over politically advantageous theatre. The venerable Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs — it’s now been holding government to account over First Nations policy issues for almost 50 years — called the province on this profoundly important distinction Monday. It dropped a protocol bombshell just as Prince William and Premier Christy Clark headed off to Bella Bella and the Great Bear Rainforest where, ironically, the province had earlier snubbed the Central Coast Regional District, one of the few elected non-First Nations governments in Canada boasting 80 per cent of its council elected from First Nations, by refusing it an invitation. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  214 AM PDT TUE SEP 27 2016  

TODAY  NW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT  AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  W WIND 15 TO 25 KT IN THE EVENING BECOMING LIGHT  OVERNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT IN THE EVENING. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9  SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/26 Green crab, BC LNG, oil export ban, coal port health, BP taxes, aquatic reserve, aquariums

(PHOTO: Joan Hilts/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Cacklers and Canadas
Cackling Geese resemble a toy version of Canadas. Just a bit bigger than a Mallard, this compact goose has a dark breast, short neck, and stubby bill. Its small voice fits nicely its small size… Although once considered a diminutive form of Canada Goose, recent genetic research shows Cacklers to be a separate species. They breed along the coast of Alaska and winter from Washington south to Mexico. [Listen for the difference.] (BirdNote)

Second invasive green crab discovered in northern Puget Sound
A second European green crab has been found in Puget Sound, this one in Padilla Bay — about 30 miles southeast of where the first one was discovered about three weeks ago. Green crabs are an invasive species known to devour a variety of native species and alter habitats where they have become established. Keeping green crabs out of Puget Sound has been a goal of state officials for years. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Trudeau's pipeline remark puts focus on Pacific Northwest LNG project
"The Great Bear rainforest is no place for a crude oil pipeline and I haven't changed my opinion on that." That was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's specific response to a question this week about the proposed Enbridge-backed Northern Gateway pipeline through B.C.'s north. In opposition, his comments about pipelines moving through this part of the province were less precise. Trudeau did not include the words "crude oil" in earlier declarations, as he did twice on Tuesday. That phrase would suggest Trudeau isn't necessarily opposed to all pipelines through the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world, just those carrying diluted bitumen from the oilsands. John Paul Tasker reports. (CBC) See also: Clock ticking down on final decision for $36B Pacific NorthWest LNG project   Ian Bikis reports. (Canadian Press)

Should Whatcom County ban crude oil exports?
People can give Whatcom County officials their thoughts during two public hearings Tuesday, Sept. 27, on a temporary policy to not allow new applications or permits for unrefined fossil fuel shipments through Cherry Point. The Whatcom County Council will take input on a 60-day emergency moratorium on applications and permits for expanded shipment of unrefined fossil fuels that was passed on Aug. 9, as well as on an interim moratorium that would extend the policy another six months. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

State, county to launch health study on coal terminal
Cowlitz County and state officials are launching a study to further examine potential health impacts of the proposed coal export dock in Longview. The study — the first of its kind for a project in Cowlitz County — will be conducted by state Department of Health under the direction of a steering committee made up of citizens. The committee will meet for the first time from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Longview Public Library auditorium…. The separate health study is not a legal requirement for the permitting process for Millennium Bulk Terminals’ $680 million project. However, state officials say the study will address other questions about health that will not be covered in the state environmental impact statement. Marissa Luck reports. (Longview Daily News)

Whatcom County settles BP refinery tax dispute
Whatcom County and BP Cherry Point refinery have settled a 3-year-long tax dispute over how valuable the refinery is, releasing millions in back taxes that other taxpayers had to make up for in the interim. BP will wind up paying more than $4.6 million in back taxes, plus interest. With the Aug. 9 settlement, the refinery wound up saving more than $4.8 million in taxes for that period, and any interest that would have accrued on that amount, according to county documents. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Pierce County’s Lake Kapowsin becomes home to state’s first freshwater aquatic reserve
Pierce County’s Lake Kapowsin, formed by a volcanic mudflow eons ago, has been named the state’s first freshwater aquatic reserve. The designation by Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark on Thursday will preserve the lake’s distinctive aquatic profile, but won’t protect its shores from commercial development. The designation was a victory for preservationists who had argued the 515-acre lake should be preserved for scientific research, hunting and fishing, but it was a defeat for advocates of turning part of the lake and its shore into a world-class rowing course and park. John Gillie reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)  See also: State officials eye large expansions of 2 conservation areas  (Associated Press)

Aquariums fight for people to care about warming, over-fished oceans
For the hundreds of marine and freshwater experts in Vancouver this week at the International Aquarium Congress, there is no shortage of pressing issues to be discussed.  Overfishing, climate change, plastics and chemicals are but a few of the hot topics on the agenda, but one of the biggest challenges aquariums face today is not a scientific endeavour, per se: it's how to make people care.  Maryse Zeidler reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  300 AM PDT MON SEP 26 2016  

TODAY  E WIND 10 TO 20 KT BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT  11 SECONDS. CHANCE OF RAIN.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/23 Pipeline allies, acid crab, science knowledge, coho failure, Port Orchard shores

Noquiklos' tracks

More on Dragons, Godzilla, T.Rex
Two readers responded to yesterday's item about the shape of the Olympic Peninsula facing Admiralty Inlet. "In Jefferson County, we are well aware of the dragon (not T.Rex) and have been celebrating Noquiklos quite regularly for around 30 years." See The Search for Noquiklos' Tracks  And: "Never saw that before! Looks like Godzilla is heading for the sea maiden who protects Camano and Whidbey Islands, Sara Toga. (See the outline of the body of water between the two islands, otherwise known as Saratoga Passage.)"

Canadian First Nations, U.S. tribes form alliance to stop oil pipelines
First Nations communities from Canada and the northern United States signed a treaty on Thursday to jointly fight proposals to build more pipelines to carry crude from Alberta's oil sands, saying further development would damage the environment. The treaty, signed in Montreal and Vancouver, came as the politics around pipelines have become increasingly sensitive in North America, with the U.S. Justice Department intervening last week to delay construction of a contentious pipeline in North Dakota. The Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion was signed by 50 aboriginal groups in North America, who also plan to oppose tanker and rail projects in both countries, they said in a statement. Targets include projects proposed by Kinder Morgan Inc, TransCanada Corp and Enbridge Inc. (Thomson Reuters)

Studies focus on acidic ocean impact on Dungeness crabs
Millions of pounds of Dungeness crab are pulled from Pacific Northwest waters each year in a more than century-old ritual for commercial and recreational fishermen. But as ocean waters absorb more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, U.S. scientists are worried that the ocean’s changing chemistry may threaten the sweet-flavoured crustaceans. Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are exposing tiny crab larvae to acidic seawater in laboratory experiments to understand how ocean acidification might affect one of the West Coast’s most lucrative fisheries. Research published this year found that Dungeness crab eggs and larvae collected from Puget Sound and exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide — which increases ocean acidity — grew more slowly and larvae were more likely to die than those in less corrosive seawater. Now researchers at NOAA’s Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center are taking the experiments a step further to study how the crabs respond to multiple stressors during various growth stages. They also plan to analyze the sublethal effects: Even if the crabs don’t die, are they affected in physiological or other ways by ocean acidification? (Associated Press)

Survey reveals 'significant gaps' in Canadians' understanding of science
You may not know it, but Sept. 19-25 is Science Literacy Week in Canada.  And it seems that's not all we don't know about science. To mark the week comes a new survey looking at just how "science literate" Canadians are — which seems to suggest there are some pretty big gaps in our understanding.  The survey comes from the Ontario Science Centre, and is based on an online poll by Leger of 1,578 Canadians. A probabilistic sample of this size would yield a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.  It reveals what the Ontario Science Centre calls "significant gaps" in our understanding of issues like climate change, vaccinations and genetically modified organisms.  (CBC)

Inslee requests 'commercial fishery failure' declaration
Gov. Jay Inslee is requesting the federal government declare a "commercial fishery failure" in Washington after two consecutive years of poor salmon runs. In a letter to Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Inslee asked for a declaration for the 2015 Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay non-treaty commercial salmon fisheries. "Salmon fisheries throughout Washington were affected by the poor return of coho in 2015, with statewide commercial coho catch being less than 20-percent of the recent 5-year average, and ex-vessel value being less than 15-percent of the recent 5-year average," Inslee wrote. Alison Morrow reports. (KING)

Port Orchard City Council considers easing shoreline regulations
Port Orchard is considering loosening shoreline development regulations for properties in the downtown waterfront area. The purpose of proposed amendments to the city's Shoreline Master Program is "to give more flexibility for existing properties in the downtown high intensity shoreline zone to redevelop and/or expand without creating new environmental impacts," said Keri Sallee, a planner with the city's Department of Community Development."… Under current rules, the standard buffer for non-water dependent structures is 75 feet. A facility like a marina, that relies on proximity to the water, would be considered water-dependent and exempt. Christina Henry reports. (Kitsap Sun)

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

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON  

TODAY  SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT  13 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT  AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT  S WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES  1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT  LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND  WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SUN  E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT  10 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/22 WA lands vote, Trudeau on pipe, Tacoma LNG, gas lines, carbon tax, shellfish toxin

T. rex in the Salish Sea
A reader writes: "While looking at my Salish Sea map the other day, in my office, I noticed something I'd not seen before: The...corner of the Olympic Peninsula is a giant T-Rex with its breath blowing across Admiralty Inlet." [Actually, we thought Godzilla ate Tukwila...]

Candidate for DNR chief distances himself from Malheur refuge takeover
State commissioner of public lands candidate Steve McLaughlin distanced himself Wednesday from an organization that helped armed occupiers of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon. In an interview with The Olympian’s Editorial Board, McLaughlin, a Republican, said he was involved with a coalition of lawmakers from several states calling for the release of imprisoned ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, who were convicted of arson for lighting fires on private property that spread to government land they had leased to graze cattle. But he said he wasn’t involved with the coalition’s efforts to help an armed group that took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon, in January to protest the Hammonds’ jailing. Walker Orenstein reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Justin Trudeau: Sticks to pipeline points as ‘consistent’ policy 
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hasn’t changed his views on the $7.9-billion Northern Gateway pipeline proposal, he said Wednesday. Trudeau was responding to comments by a senior Enbridge Inc. official a day earlier suggesting Ottawa has shown a willingness to support the megaproject if the environment and First Nations rights are respected. “Our government has been consistent from the very beginning, that Canadians need economic development while at the same time protecting the environment and the well-being of future generations,” Trudeau told Postmedia News at a news conference when asked about comments made by Northern Gateway president John Carruthers. “And that (has) not changed, that is what people expect us to be able to do.” Peter O'Neil reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Secret PSE-funded studies say LNG plant poses no off-site danger
The safety studies of potential spills, leaks and fires at Puget Sound Energy’s proposed Tacoma Tideflats liquid natural gas plant appear to back up the company’s contention the hazards wouldn’t reach across the site’s property lines. Records obtained by The News Tribune — including a plant siting study, a fire protection evaluation and a series of video models of plant accidents — contemplate incidents from bad to worse as part of explaining the potential risks of building the plant. PSE has fought public disclosure of the documents…. Although they contain no indications the facility constitutes a potential disaster for the broader city, they have become the most controversial records attached to the project. The studies were performed by Chicago Bridge & Iron, an engineering conglomerate based in the Netherlands, and its subcontractor Gexcon, a Norway-based fire and gas explosion safety company. Derrick Nunnally reports. (News Tribune)

State doesn’t keep track of old gas lines like the one in Greenwood
State regulators don’t keep records of abandoned gas lines like the Puget Sound Energy one that caused a Greenwood explosion in March. It’s not clear if PSE does either. Another company, Cascade Natural Gas, faces a $4 million fine for lax record-keeping. Bob Young and Vernal Coleman report. (Seattle Times)

Canada could meet emissions target without huge carbon tax: SFU professor
A new report says Canada could meet its emissions target under the Paris climate agreement without a hefty carbon tax. The carbon tax has been a contentious issue between the provinces and the federal government. Recently, the federal government announced it will impose carbon pricing on provinces that don't find a way to regulate carbon emissions themselves. Alberta and B.C. have adopted a carbon tax, while Ontario and Quebec have opted for a cap and trade policy. (CBC)

Eastern Kitsap shoreline hit with shellfish closure
Shellfish harvesting has been closed from Point White on Bainbridge Island south to the Pierce County border after high levels of marine biotoxins were detected. (Kitsap Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  302 AM PDT THU SEP 22 2016  

TODAY  SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SE AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN  AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/21 Whale fight, BC pipe, Peter Goldmark, debris cleanup

(PHOTO: Capt. Russ Nicks/Times Colonist)

Humpback whales save sea lion from orcas off Sooke coast
A pod of “heroic” humpback whales came to the rescue of a desperate sea lion under attack from four cunning and hungry orcas off the coast of Sooke, a phenomenon never before seen by whale-watching operators in the Salish Sea…. Capt. Russ Nicks of Victoria-based B.C. Whale Tours, was one of the first on scene. He said it was fascinating to watch the show of aggression. He and his guests marvelled at the strategy of one of the planet’s most sophisticated hunters as the orcas split into two groups — one to try to draw the humpbacks away while the other group went in for the kill on the sea lion…. The humpbacks took turns diving and slashing at the orcas for about 40 minutes, until the orcas, known as the T100 family, finally retreated.Katie DeRosa reports. (Times Colonist)

Ottawa won't appeal court decision blocking Northern Gateway pipeline
Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr won't appeal a recent court decision that overturned the former Harper government's approval of the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline project. Earlier Tuesday, Northern Gateway also said it wouldn't pursue an appeal…. The Federal Court of Appeal ruled in June that the federal government had not adequately consulted with Indigenous peoples who will be affected by the project, which is backed by the energy company Enbridge, and which would stretch from outside Edmonton to Kitimat, B.C. John Paul Tasker and Chris Hallreport. (CBC) See also: Feds won't appeal Northern Gateway court ruling, but still open to pipeline: Enbridge exec  Peter O'Neil reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Advice For The Next Commissioner Of Public Lands: A Conversation With Peter Goldmark
Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands presides over more than five and a half million acres of state forests and aquatic lands. It’s an open seat in the upcoming 2016 election, since incumbent Peter Goldmark announced his decision not to run for a third term. One of the top priorities of the office is the constitutional mandate to fund schools through logging. But conservation is also part of it. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Huge tsunami debris cleanup operation begins along B.C.'s West Coast
Work began Tuesday to clear dozens of beaches on the west coast of Vancouver Island of debris and plastics, much of it washed ashore from the 2011 tsunami that swept Japan. Using a helicopter, a barge and a tug, volunteers are picking up cached bundles of garbage from one end of the island to the other. For months, hundreds of volunteers from seven groups have combed beaches by foot and by boat between Cape Scott in the north and Sooke in the south. They bagged a staggering array of plastic junk and stashed them above the tide line for later removal. More than 40 tonnes of material, including fishing and mooring floats, foam packaging, used oil containers and plastic drinking bottles were assembled. Now, with the last bits of money provided by the Japanese government for a multi-year tsunami debris cleanup program, members of the Vancouver Island Marine Debris Working Group hired the tug Westco Rouge out of Campbell River to pick up the junk and take it to Richmond for recycling. Jeff Lee reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  327 AM PDT WED SEP 21 2016  

TODAY  LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  NW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4  FT AT 9 SECONDS.


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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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9/20 Racial equity, lone wolf, Rialto, Vic sewer, septic care, wave power, climate summit

Double rainbow (Port of Seattle/Seattle Times)

Double rainbow, lenticular clouds over Mount Rainier remind us why we live here
The sky has given us quite a showing the past few days. On Monday, a double rainbow made for a spectacular morning scene over Elliott Bay.  Benjamin Woodard reports. On Friday, a common, yet impressive, cloud formation over Mount Rainier was captured in images posted to Twitter by the National Weather Service. Lenticular clouds are formed as moist air flows over mountains or other obstructions. Check out the photos. (Seattle Times) See also: Convergence Zone brings torrential rain, hail, flooded streets to North Sound  Scott Sistek reports. (KOMO)

Washington Environmental Groups Hosting First Meetups On Racial Equity
The intersection of race and the environment is the focus this week of two community conversations taking place in Seattle. The public meetups are a first for members of the mainstream Washington Environmental Council and its partner, Washington Conservation Voters. Taking a hard look at racial equity and the environment has been an internal focus for the staff of both organizations for the past year. Washington Environmental Council President Becky Kelley says both groups are adopting five-year plans that include a new focus on the connection between racial and environmental justice. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Encounter with Discovery Island's lone wolf sees island closed to tourists
A small island off Victoria has been closed to the public after a group of campers had a frightening encounter with a lone wolf. BC Parks announced that Discovery Island Marine Provincial Park is off limits until spring 2017 to allow "behavioural assessments on the animal to determine if there are any public safety concerns." But a former environmental consultant who has been studying the island's resident predator for several years says it is people who pose a threat to the wolf, not the reverse. Deborah Wilson reports. (CBC)

‘One last swim in Seattle!’ It’s moving day for Rialto, the rescued baby sea otter
It’s moving day for Rialto. The baby sea otter rescued and nursed back to health by the Seattle Aquarium heads to his permanent home at the Vancouver Aquarium on Monday. Fit and fat at more than 15 pounds, he’s a different animal from the waif washed up on Rialto beach Aug. 1. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Esquimalt council resigned to sewage plant at McLoughlin Point
sewage treatment plant at McLoughlin Point Monday night but they pretty much think it stinks. There was talk of betrayal of the public process, having to take the hit for the rest of the capital region, neighbourhood chaos during impending pipeline construction from McLoughlin to the Hartland landfill and safety concerns unanswered by the expert panel that recommended McLoughlin. Katherine Dedyna reports. (Times Colonist)

EPA encourages proper septic system care
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is encouraging homeowners to maintain their systems this week, during the agency’s fourth annual SepticSmart Week. Properly functioning septic systems clean wastewater by allowing it to filter through the soil. Septic systems that don’t function properly can allow contamination to reach waterways, causing pollution problems such as those seen in Samish and Padilla bays. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

First wave-produced electricity in U.S. goes online in Hawaii
In the waters off the coast of Hawaii, a tall buoy bobs and sways in the water, using the rise and fall of the waves to generate electricity. The current travels through an undersea cable for a mile to a military base, where it feeds into Oahu’s power grid — the first wave-produced electricity to go online in the U.S. By some estimates, the ocean’s endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America’s energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation’s reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power, with important technical hurdles still to be overcome. To that end, the Navy has established a test site in Hawaii, with hopes the technology can someday be used to produce clean, renewable power for offshore fueling stations for the fleet and provide electricity to coastal communities in fuel-starved places around the world. (Associated Press)

Tulalips convene summit on adapting to climate change
On the second day of a tribal summit in the Lummi Nation’s Silver Reef Hotel and Casino last week, Reggie Joule got up to speak about the importance of food to his tribe. His name in the Iñupiaq language, Isigrauqtauq, is the word for the part of the liver of the bowhead whale that is used to make drum heads, he said. Joule, the former mayor of the Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, above the Arctic Circle, said the changing climate has upset the patterns of hunting and gathering that provide most of the native community’s foods, such as whale, seal and caribou. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  307 AM PDT TUE SEP 20 2016  

TODAY  E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT  10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/19 Coal port, rising sea, marbled murrelet, derelict barge, culverts, Elwha beach, Vic sewer, ginko biloba

Crow, left, and raven (Tom Grey/BirdNote)

Ravens and Crows - Who Is Who
Is that big black bird a crow or a raven? How can you tell? Ravens (seen right here) often travel in pairs, while crows (left) are seen in larger groups. Also, study the tail as the bird flies overhead. A crow's tail is shaped like a fan, while the raven's tail appears wedge-shaped. Another clue is to listen closely to the birds' calls. Crows give a cawing sound, but ravens produce a lower croaking sound. (BirdNote)

Whatcom Council shelves GPT coal terminal environmental study
Whatcom County is ready to wrap up loose ends on a draft environmental study for the proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point and archive it so work can be picked up again in the future if need be. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, Whatcom County Council approved a 6-month extension with environmental consultant CH2M Hill, to ensure the work on the draft environmental impact study for the Gateway Pacific Terminal and the BNSF Custer Spur Improvement Project “is closed out in an orderly fashion.” The $51,085 in work will be paid for with pass-through money from project proponent Pacific International Terminals (PIT), owned by SSA Marine. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Island County gets an advance look at future sea levels
Island County is getting a leg up in planning for the likelihood of rising sea levels. Washington Sea Grant, an outreach arm of the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, has put together a study to estimate that amount over the next century as it applies to the waters around Whidbey and Camano islands. It is notoriously difficult to make predictions involving changes to the climate of any sort, given the number of variables involved, ranging from the rate of glacial melting to public policies on pollution control. But Sea Grant researcher Ian Miller has taken a stab at it by combining historical data and previously published research into a new way of looking at the problem. And the end result is a number that Island County planners can use: 5.9 feet. That’s the amount the sea level is likely to rise around Whidbey and Camano islands by 2150, the data suggests. Chris Winters reports. (Everett Herald)

Marbled murrelet plans to have little impact on county harvests, says Clallam commissioner
Proposed protections for the marbled murrelet on state-managed forests would have a “minimal impact” on harvest volumes in Clallam County, Commissioner Bill Peach reported last week. Peach also serves on the state Board of Natural Resources, which sets policies that guide how the state Department of Natural Resources manages forest lands and other resources. The DNR board is considering six alternatives in a long-term conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet, a seabird that nests in coastal forests. It is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.   Rob Ollikainen reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Barge that’s been polluting canal for decades being removed
A derelict barge that had for decades both poisoned and smothered part of a Hood Canal estuary is finally on its way to the dump. A state Department of Natural Resources-led crew used excavators and dump trucks to break up and haul out the 475-ton barge this week. Constructed of creosote-treated timbers, the barge has been leaching wood preservatives and other chemicals into the Dosewallips River estuary, directly across the canal from Seabeck, for 40 or more years. About 200 feet long and 40 feet wide, the former shellfish processing barge also took up a piece of tidal real estate that has high value to threatened salmon and other marine life. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

License to kill: how Washington may lose its right to wipe out salmon
…. (The) 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has decided the state must do more toward fixing its hundreds of culverts. The court affirmed a lower court decision ordering the state to replace its worst salmon-killing culverts that block passage upstream for the fish. A unanimous three-judge panel held that the culverts violate federal treaties signed with Washington tribes. When the 9th Circuit ruled for the feds and tribes on appeal, it scathingly rejected the state’s arguments and even its math. For one thing, the court found the state’s cost estimates — running to $1.9 billion — were “dramatically overstated.” This case really goes back to issues raised nearly half a century ago, and its legal underpinnings stretch back more than a century before that.  Daniel Jack Chasan reports. (Crosscut)

Restored expanse of beach near Elwha River shared with public
About 75 North Olympic Peninsula residents and visitors have been treated to a glimpse of the renewed Beach Lake shoreline east of the Elwha River estuary, courtesy of the Coastal Watershed Institute. The beach is located on private property along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and is not yet accessible to the public. Attendees at Saturday’s tour were curious about the recent $2 million, multi-agency effort to remove shoreline armoring from the beach, allowing the shore to restore itself with sediment moving as a result of the removal of the dams on the nearby Elwha River. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

New Vessel Aims to Transform the Fishing Industry
Seattle-based company Blue North has christened F/V Blue North, a state-of-the-art vessel designed to transform the fishing industry by improving conditions for workers, reducing environmental impact and harvesting seafood more humanely. Designed with sustainability in mind, the new longliner is geared specifically for the Alaskan cod fishery, built by Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. of Anacortes, Wash. from a design (ST-155L) by Norwegian firm Skipsteknisk AS. The result, according to Blue North: “the most modern, low-impact and innovative vessel to ever enter the North Pacific fishing fleet.” Eric Haun reports.  (Marine Link)

Avoid water near Clover Point, Ross Bay after sewage discharge, CRD says
Members of the public should avoid wading or swimming in the waters near Clover Point and Ross Bay until further notice after sewage was discharged in the area. Unscreened sewage was discharged through the Clover Point short outfall after a mechanical equipment failure about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The equipment failed when heavy rains flushed large debris through the sewer system into the pump station. The Capital Regional District is worried the wastewater might pose a health risk, said Matthew McCrank, the CRD’s senior manager of infrastructure operations. The affected area is between St. Charles and Cook streets. (Times Colonist)

'A living fossil': one of the oldest trees on earth might be stinking up your backyard
Have you ever taken a stroll down a tree-lined street in the fall in Vancouver only to stop and wonder, "Wow, what is that smell?" The odds are you walked past a gingko biloba tree — one of the most popular urban trees in Vancouver. Each fall, the trees produce edible nuts, and according to 'Tree Guy' David Tracey, they're rumoured to have certain medicinal properties. But they smell bad. Like, really bad…. But Tracey says you shouldn't let the smell distract you. The trees are living legends. Gingko biloba trees have grown for nearly 270 million years — they're one of the oldest living species of trees on Earth. They predate the dinosaurs, which started taking strides tens of millions of years later.  Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  300 AM PDT MON SEP 19 2016  

TODAY  SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT  AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSTMS.
TONIGHT  S WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF  SHOWERS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/16 Pigs, coal terminal, eDNA, Delta flooding, carbon cap, coho, Great Bear, Elwha blasting, Beard's Cove

Harbor porpoise (Wikipedia)

The return of the pig
After an almost complete collapse in the 1970s, harbor porpoise populations in Puget Sound have rebounded. Scientists are celebrating the recovery of the species sometimes known as the "puffing pig." Eric Wagner reports. (Salish Sea Currents)

State could put cutout for proposed Cherry Point coal terminal in aquatic reserve
The state Department of Natural Resources will consider incorporating an area set aside for the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal into the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve after a request from Lummi Nation earlier this week. On Monday, Sept. 12, Lummi requested DNR reevaluate an area that was left out of the reserve when it was put together for the then-proposed terminal, which would be the largest coal terminal in North America. In May, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied GPT a needed permit because it would impact Lummi Nation’s treaty-protected fishing rights, and DNR followed suit, denying a separate lease application because the federal permit hadn’t been obtained. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Urban Waters Surprisingly Rich In Marine Life Finds High-Tech Sampling
Researchers from the University of Washington and NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center found the opposite of what they expected when they used a new scientific method to sample the waters of Puget Sound. Like humans, sea creatures are constantly leaving their DNA behind -- shedding, oozing from wounds or pooping into the environment. University of Washington professor Ryan Kelly said DNA testing has advanced so far that just one scoop of water can reveal what animals were nearby. This relatively new capability is called environmental DNA, or eDNA for short. It can be used in two basic ways. One is to confirm the presence or absence of a specific critter, typically an invasive or endangered species. The other is to identify the suite of creatures around a place. Tom Banse reports. (NW Public Radio)

Video game simulates survival in a future Delta devastated by climate change
A video game designed by UBC researchers imagines a dystopian future where leaders have failed to address climate change. Delta Future 2.0 is set in 2100 and allows players to navigate a world devastated by rising sea levels, heat waves, fires, food shortages and more. Project coordinator Alicia LaValle told On The Coast's guest host Gloria Macarenko that her team developed the game for high school students who will be the generation the most affected by the effects of climate change. Michelle Ghoussoub reports. (CBC)

Washington state adopts new caps on large carbon polluters
Washington state adopted a new rule Thursday to limit greenhouse gas emissions from large carbon polluters, joining a handful of other states in capping emissions to address climate change. State environmental regulators finalized a rule requiring large industrial emitters to gradually reduce carbon emissions over time. The change will cover power plants, oil refineries, fuel distributors, pulp and paper mills and other industries. (Associated Press)

No new green crabs have been found, but the search will go on
No European green crabs were caught this week during an intensive two-day trapping program designed to see if any of the invasive crabs have gained a foothold in the San Juan Islands. If you recall, a single adult green crab was trapped Aug. 31 by a team of volunteers in the San Juan Islands. It was the first green crab ever found in Puget Sound, but experts have been worried about the crab for years. (See Water Ways, Sept. 3.) The volunteers are involved in a citizen science monitoring program to locate green crabs when they first arrive in Puget Sound and before they become a breeding population. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Lake Washington coho returns still strong as sport fishery in north-end of lake opens Friday
The coho counts at the Ballard Locks fish ladder – the entrance to Lake Washington – continue to climb upwards and are now well above the pre-season forecast. The larger than anticipated run to Lake Washington has allowed anglers to wet a line for coho beginning Friday (Sept. 16). The latest count at the Ballard Locks show 12,443 (preseason forecast was 4,414) counted through Wednesday (Sept. 14). The 10-year average from 2004 to 2014 at this point of the run has been 6,085. Mark Yuasa reports. (Seattle Times)

Private lands within the Great Bear Rainforest donated for conservation
A vast tract of pristine waterfront within British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest has been donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, filling in part of a patchwork of conservation efforts in the prized wilderness. Parcels of private land are scattered throughout the Great Bear Rainforest that stretches along B.C.'s central coast and is about the size of Ireland. It accounts for one-quarter of the world's coastal temperate rainforests. Only about one-third of the rainforest is fully protected under parks and conservation areas, while nine per cent of the total area is available for logging. Linda Givetash reports. (Canadian Press)

Skagit Land Trust brings more habitat under protection
About 108.5 acres of habitat, including wetlands, forested areas and a pocket of old growth came under the Skagit Land Trust’s protection during the past year. In addition to purchasing 67 acres of wetlands near Nookachamps Creek, the trust entered conservation easement agreements for another 41.5 acres. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

More blasting done on Elwha River dam site
Crews are removing metal bars sticking out from the former Elwha Dam’s foundation and blasting boulders near the site of the former dam and at the former Glines Canyon Dam site upstream. Olympic National Park officials say the boulders could become barriers to fish reaching the upper Elwha River, while the rebar presents a hazard to boaters. Crews with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week are using an underwater torch to cut about 25 pieces of metal, ranging from one foot long to three feet long, from the dam’s foundation and are blasting apart boulders at both dam sites to facilitate fish passage, said Barb Maynes, spokeswoman for the park. Jesse Major reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Return to splendor
In 1973, a hill near Belfair was dug up, hauled across the street and dumped on a saltwater wetland, suffocating what had been rich habitat for salmon and other marine creatures. The aim was to build a beachside pool, bathhouse and private parkland to adorn the Beard's Cove housing development taking shape nearby. Forty-three years later, the pool is gone, and the sandy fill — all 4,600 dump truck loads — has been put back where it came from. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

B.C. Court of Appeal upholds Site C environmental assessment report
British Columbia's highest court has ruled against the Peace Valley Landowner Association in its continuing fight against BC Hydro's Site C hydroelectric project in northeastern B.C. The Association hoped to overturn a lower court order that rejected a judicial review of Site C's environmental assessment certificate. In a unanimous ruling, the B.C. Court of Appeal says the ministries of environment and forestry can issue a certificate for the mega project without considering all 50 recommendations contained in an environmental assessment report. The Peace Valley Landowner Association argued Section 17 of the Environmental Assessment Act requires consideration of all recommendations of a hearing panel before a certificate is issued. (Canadian Press)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  300 AM PDT FRI SEP 16 2016  

TODAY  SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN THE  EVENING...THEN RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT  SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE  MORNING...THEN RAIN LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT  LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT  8 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 7 FT AT 15 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SUN  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/15 Friday's moon, Vic sewer, BC pipe & tankers, Overwaitea seafood, science quiz

2014 supermoon (Kai Pfallenbach/Reuters)

Harvest or super-harvest moon? Astronomers debate Friday's lunar event
It's a lunar phenomenon that Neil Young sang about and Native people took as a sign their corn was ready. On Friday, we'll get a peek at the season's first harvest moon. In fact, it's being called a "super" harvest moon by some, but not without controversy. There's a debate taking place in astronomy circles as to whether this first full moon of September 2016 qualifies for supermoon status or not. The harvest moon is usually described as the full moon occurring closest to the autumnal equinox, which falls on Sept. 22 this year. (That said, some astronomers disagree about this definition and time frame.) But most can agree that a supermoon is defined as a full moon that occurs at — or very near — the moon's closest point to the Earth on its elliptical orbit. Kalin Mitchell reports. (CBC)

Capital Regional District approves Victoria-area sewage treatment plant
he Capital Regional District voted in favour of building a regional sewage treatment plant at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt, Wednesday. The approval follows the recommendation of a provincial project board appointed to take a fresh look at the options available and deal with residents' concerns. McLoughlin Point was previously chosen by the CRD as the preferred site, but the plan fell apart when Esquimalt's city council refused to approve the required zoning. Liam Britten reports. (CBC) See also: Jack Knox: Capital region dysfunction: The ultimate in raw deals?  (Times Colonist) And also: Decades of dumping raw sewage is killing Victoria's ocean floor, diver claims Roshini Nair reports (CBC)

A pipeline next door: Canadian project means 34 tankers a month in our waters
…. Nobody in public office, and certainly nobody in the radical/huckster wing of the local environmental movement, has begun developing a response to  the pipeline next door. It's coming. The Canadian federal cabinet, on or before December 19th, is likely to approve a tripling of the TransMountain Pipeline, which carries oil from Edmonton, Alberta, to Burnaby just east of Vancouver. The completed pipeline would have a capacity to 890,000 barrels, more than the Keystone XL pipeline.  The bitumen oil, from Alberta's mammoth tar sands project, would be bound for export to Asia.  Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

If you like to watch: 10,000 Ton Texas Tanker traveling the B.C. Coast
Ingmar Lee and Pacific Wild posted a video a year ago detailing the unescorted movement of oil by a tug barge through BC's Inside Passage. Ingmar Lee writes: "The Nathan E. Stewart/DBL 54 is an articulated tug/barge" (ATB) and is owned by the Texas-based Kirby Corporation, which is one of the largest petroleum product ATB operators in the USA. It travels back and forth up the B.C. Inside Passage by “special waiver" which exempts it from Transport Canada shipping regulations. These guide the movement of all other tankers operating in BC waters. As a result, it operates here with no Canadian pilots on board, it does not require escort tugs while maneuvering in Port Metro Vancouver, and most egregiously, it is allowed to travel north through Seymour Narrows and into the "voluntary tanker exclusion zone" that is the B.C. Inside Passage. As such, this unflagged foreign vessel blatantly flouts the concerns of the people of Canada, and operates here secretively without any social license whatsoever."

Overwaitea seafood gets 'Ocean Wise' approval from Vancouver Aquarium
Overwaitea Food Group, one of the largest grocery chains in Western Canada, has partnered with the Vancouver Aquarium to provide sustainable seafood in its supermarkets. The announcement comes nearly a year after the Suzuki Foundation ended its partnership with the grocer, due in large part to untraceable fish products. Overwaitea chains, including Save-On Foods and Urban Fare, will now offer Ocean Wise seafood products — a stamp of approval from the Vancouver Aquarium that highlights sustainable fishing practices. Ocean Wise measures sustainability in terms of abundant/resilient populations and whether the species are well managed and harvested in ways that limit damage to marine or aquatic habitats.   Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Top Takeaways From Presidential Candidates’ Views on Science
The great presidential science quiz is over, and while the overall results aren’t exactly shocking, the candidates did deliver a few surprises. The 2016 election is the third in which ScienceDebate.org has compiled a questionnaire in an effort to get the U.S. presidential candidates to focus on pressing issues in science and engineering, from climate change to space exploration. ScienceDebate.org is a coalition of 56 science organizations and 10 million voters collectively, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Sciences…. While efforts to convince the candidates to hold a science-only debate fizzled, three of the four presidential hopefuls did take to the task of answering 20 written questions with gusto…. You can read the full answers to all 20 questions on the ScienceDebate.org website. Laura Parker reports. (National Geographic)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  300 AM PDT THU SEP 15 2016  

TODAY  LIGHT WIND...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND  WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT...BECOMING 2 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON. W  SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT AT 11 SECONDS IN THE  AFTERNOON. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

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