9/7 Corals, Tacoma LNG, BC pipes, spill cleanup, youth climate, Nisqually coho, whale ESA, Rialto

(Hans Lejinse/NiS/Minden Pictures/Corbis/Hakai Magazine)

Coral, Explained
A little bit algae, a little bit rock, and a lot animal. If you’ve ever wondered about the life of a coral, this photo essay will help. Amorina Kingdon reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Newspaper asks court to halt LNG plant permits until safety studies’ release
The News Tribune has asked a state appellate court to halt all permitting and other work on Puget Sound Energy’s proposed Tideflats liquid natural gas plant until the project’s safety studies are released. The request came in a court filing Tuesday in the utility company’s lawsuit seeking to keep the fire and siting reports filed with the city of Tacoma over the 30-acre, $275 million project from being released to the newspaper under a public records request. Puget Sound Energy has sued the newspaper, the city and the reporter who filed the request, claiming that allowing public access to the documents could increase the possibility of terrorist attack. Derrick Nunnally reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Expect a Kinder Morgan Surprise from Trudeau’s Liberals
Many signs point to ultimate approval of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Bill Tieleman opines. (The Tyee)

Major oil spill response improvements planned for B.C.
The organization responsible for cleaning up oil spills around Vancouver and B.C.'s South Coast has plans for major improvements to its facilities and spill response times — but the $200 million upgrades come with a catch: they won't go ahead if the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project isn't approved. Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) currently has about 17 vessels ready for duty around Vancouver's harbour. The proposed upgrades include a new $10-million spill response base a little west of the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge in Burrard Inlet.  Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

2 Pipeline Companies, Enbridge and Spectra Energy, to Merge
Two pipeline companies agreed on Tuesday to merge in a deal that could create the largest energy-infrastructure company in North America. The companies, Enbridge and Spectra Energy, signed a stock-for-stock deal, where Enbridge shareholders will own about 57 percent of the combined company and Spectra’s will own 43 percent, according to a statement released by the companies on Tuesday. Leslie Picker reports. (NY Times) See also: Enbridge set to take over most of B.C.'s gas pipelines  Betsy Trumpener reports. (CBC)

Youth Activists Demand Tougher Limits On Climate Pollution
The Washington kids who filed suit against the state Department of Ecology to get tougher limits on carbon pollution say current policies don’t go far enough. Together with their backers, they’ve unveiled more aggressive legislation they say would protect their constitutional right to clean air.  In April, a King County Superior Court judge ordered the state Department of Ecology to issue an emissions reduction rule by the end of the year and to consult with the young plaintiffs about the latest science before making recommendations to the legislature in 2017.  This was after eight youngsters filed suit in cooperation with the national group, Our Children’s Trust, which has brought similar cases across the country. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Nisqually River closed to all fishing to protect poor forecasted coho run
The Nisqually River is now closed for all fishing from the mouth to the military tank crossing bridge (located one mile upstream of mouth of Muck Creek). State Fish and Wildlife incorrectly listed the closing date in the 2016-17 fishing regulation pamphlet. The closure in effect now through Nov. 15 is to protect an expected poor coho salmon return. Mark Yuasa reports. (Seattle Times)

The humpback whale follows the giant panda off the endangered list
Federal authorities are taking most humpback whales off the endangered species list. The National Marine Fisheries Service said Monday that nine of the 14 distinct populations of humpbacks have recovered enough in the last 40 years to warrant being removed from the endangered list. The agency says four distinct populations remain listed as endangered and one as threatened. The National Marine Fisheries Service last year proposed removing most of the world’s humpback whales from the endangered species list. It said populations of the animals have steadily grown since the international community banned commercial whaling nearly 50 years ago. Audrey McAvoy reports. (Associated Press)

Rialto, the world’s cutest baby otter, moving to Vancouver Aquarium
Rialto, a baby otter that was found alone and starving on Rialto Beach in Washington’s Olympic National Park last month, will soon be moving to his new home at the Vancouver Aquarium. Since his rescue on Aug. 1, Rialto has been a resident at the Seattle Aquarium where staff have been nursing him back to health. When he was rescued, Rialto weighed just 4.2 pounds. Last Thursday, he weighed in at 9.4 pounds thanks to round-the-clock care from staff at the Seattle Aquarium. Scott Brown reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  248 AM PDT WED SEP 7 2016  

TODAY  SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF  RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT  SW WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL  4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN THE EVENING...THEN A CHANCE OF  SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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