12/1 Incredible limpet, Trans Mountain, Cargill pollution, Oly train protest, ocean plastic ban, Kalakala

Limpet [Rebecca Kordas/UBC]

How Tiny Limpets Do the Heavy Lifting of Climate Resilience
As the ocean temperature rises, it may be the little things that make the biggest difference to the survival and resilience of living things. Take the limpet, a tiny snail-like gastropod with a hefty appetite for the minute plants that live in the intertidal—the space between low and high tide. In 2014, Becca Kordas, then a zoology doctoral candidate at the University of British Columbia, tested the effect these creatures have on the ecosystem when exposed to ocean warming. She found that their influence was huge. Christopher Pollon reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Ottawa wants conflict resolution panel for Trans Mountain pipeline project
The federal government wants to see a new process established to resolve conflicts over permits that Kinder Morgan says is delaying construction on its Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in British Columbia. Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr says the government has written to the National Energy Board, endorsing the creation of a panel that would address conflicts over municipal or provincial permits. Kinder Morgan has appealed to the board, arguing Burnaby in Metro Vancouver is wrongly withholding construction permits for Trans Mountain after it has been approved by the federal government. (Canadian Press) See also: Ottawa insists Trans Mountain expansion will be built, but won’t say how it will stop delays  Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun) And also: Trans Mountain pipeline project still lacks hundreds of permits  Justine Hunter and Ian Bailey report. (Globe and Mail)

Cargill settles suit over Puget Sound pollution
Cargill Inc. has tentatively reached a settlement with two environmental groups that accused the company of letting polluted rainwater run off its animal feed plant in Ferndale, Wash. The settlement has not been finalized, but a federal judge dismissed the suit Nov. 28 at the request of the two sides. The parties have not disclosed the terms of the proposed settlement, which comes less than four months after the suit was filed. Dan Jenkins reports. (Capital Press)

The tracks are clear, but there’s no resolution to Olympia’s fracking-related problem
The downtown Olympia railroad tracks that had been blocked by protesters since Nov. 17 are clear. But there’s no solution to the core problem: The Port of Olympia continues to accept shipments of fracking materials, and a group of protesters is willing to stand in their way. Members of Olympia Stand have organized two blockades of the downtown railroad tracks in two years. Twice they have been removed by police. Amelia Dickson reports. (Olympian)

'Zero tolerance' plan eyed for plastic pollution
A plan for zero tolerance of plastic pollution of the oceans may be agreed by nations at a UN environment summit. Governments are being asked to move towards a legal treaty banning plastic waste from entering the sea. At the moment ships are prohibited from dumping plastic overboard but there's no international law against plastics flooding into the sea from the land. Experts say ocean plastics are an obvious subject for a global treaty: plastics present a large-scale threat.  Roger Harrabin reports. (BBC)

The streamlined Kalakala sure stood apart from its piers 
The Black Ball Line’s flagship ferry was the most popular man-made creation on Puget Sound until the raising of the Space Needle in 1962. We have, perhaps inevitably, featured this ferry for “Now & Then” more than once. For instance, on Nov. 3, 1991, we showed her passing through the Chittenden Locks in 1947 for one of her few visits into our fresh waterways. Ordinarily busy carrying tourists and Naval shipyard workers back and forth to Bremerton, the Kalakala did not need our lakes. Paul Dorpat recollects. (Seattle Times)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PST Fri Dec 1 2017  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON  SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT FROM THIS  AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT  
TODAY  S wind 15 to 25 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Wind waves  2 to 4 ft. W swell 12 to 14 ft at 16 seconds. Rain.
TONIGHT  SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 11  or 12 ft at 15 seconds. Rain.
SAT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 10 ft at  15 seconds. Showers likely.
SAT NIGHT  NE wind to 10 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 14 seconds.
SUN  Light wind. Wind waves less than 1 ft. W swell 8 ft at  12 seconds.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told