10/3 Sea stars, Trans Mountain challenge, WA layoffs, Big Oil $, NW recycling, Pig Nose

Ochre sea stars [Jeff Rotman/Minden Pictures/Hakai Mag]

Mutant Sea Stars Can Take the Heat
Sea stars are basically nature’s own X-Men. Some species have the ability to regenerate, growing a whole new body from a severed limb. But on the west coast of North America, a newly identified mutation is giving some sea stars a whole new power—one that may help them survive long into the future.  Starting in 2013, sea stars off the west coast of North America began to die in huge numbers. A warm water blob was sitting off the coast, throwing the ecosystem into turmoil. Among the victims, sea stars from 20 different species were melting into goo. Researchers believe that the unusually warm water makes them more susceptible to a virus that has been affecting the animals—though to a far lesser degree—for at least 72 years. In some areas that had been heavily populated by sea stars, the animals were pushed to the edge of extinction. The epidemic was named sea star wasting disease, and as it spread, it soon became the largest marine animal die-off in recorded history. Four years later, the epidemic is waning. The disease persists, though to a lesser degree, and at most sites populations have yet to recover. Chris Iovenko reports. (Hakai Magazine)

First Nations begin court challenge against Trans Mountain pipeline
First Nations, environmental groups and local governments appeared in the Federal Court of Appeal in Vancouver Monday continuing their fight against the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. Chief Ian Campbell of the Squamish First Nation says the federal government failed to consult or gain consent of First Nations for the expansion of the oil pipeline, so they have little choice but to try to protect their land and water in the courts…. Seven First Nations, the cities of Burnaby and Vancouver, and two environmental groups are asking the court to overturn the federal government's decision to approve the expansion of the $7.4-billion pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby. (CBC) See also: Feds ’never did the work’ to understand Indigenous concerns on pipeline: lawyer  (Canadian Press)

Layoffs hit state parks department because of budget impasse
Barbara Alten, a construction coordinator for Washington State Parks in Burlington, watched news of the state’s legislative session closely this year to see whether projects she was working on would get money in the construction budget. Unfortunately for Alten, more than just construction projects ended up without money when that budget never materialized, thanks to a legislative battle related to a 2016 state Supreme Court ruling on water usage. She was laid off Saturday along with nine others at the Parks department as part of what officials believe is the biggest wave of layoffs so far related to the lack of a construction budget. Walker Orenstein reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Oil Terminal Backers Give Big To Vancouver Port Commissioner Candidate Kris Greene
Big money is pouring into the Port of Vancouver commissioner race from backers of a proposed oil terminal. On Monday, state election filings showed Vancouver Energy has put an additional $150,000 into the race. It’s the largest single contribution made to any candidate running for office in the state of Washington this cycle.  It is the second large donation from Vancouver Energy made to candidate Kris Greene, who has publicly supported the terminal project. Last month, the company gave $75,000 to Greene’s campaign and has spent nearly a quarter of a million dollars on the race so far. Molly Solomon reports. (OPB)

Chinese Ban On Waste Imports Puts Northwest Recycling In Limbo
Apparently, we haven’t been doing a very good job of sorting our trash from our recycling — and the Chinese government has noticed. China doesn’t want loads of our paper and plastic waste that often have contaminants like dirty diapers inside. So, the government is cracking down on the shipment of recyclable material from the U.S. By the end of the year, much of the mixed plastic and paper in our recycling bins will be banned from China. That leaves companies in the Northwest without buyers for much of the material they collect from curbside bins, which could mean our recyclables will end up in a landfill. Cassandra Profita reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Guide catches 'Pig Nose' the 700-pound sturgeon — 2 years in a row
Nick McCabe says Pig Nose is a "special" fish — which is hardly a surprise, considering they're practically old pals at this point. The fishing tour guide caught the 700-pound, 10-foot-long sturgeon on the Fraser River, near Lillooet, for the second year in a row on Thursday. McCabe caught him in the same place in August 2016. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  249 AM PDT Tue Oct 3 2017  
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 7 seconds.
TONIGHT  Light wind becoming SE to 10 kt after midnight. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 11 seconds.

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