11/7 Beaver, carbon fees, aboriginal consults, Blanchard Mtn, salmon roads, orca recovery day, wood towers

Beaver statue [Kalberg Archives, 2007]

Beaver, Washington
Beaver is a logging community in Clallam County that takes its name form nearly Beaver Creek and lake which, in turn, were named for the proliferation of beaver in the area when it was sealed by Martin Kopanski in 1891. (Washington State Place Names)

Washington voters reject carbon fees for second time
For the second time in two years, Washington voters are rejecting an initiative to put a price on carbon emissions. In Tuesday night’s final statewide count, some 56 percent of Washington voters were saying no to Initiative 1631, which would have imposed a fee on carbon emissions to control climate change. Dana Bieber with the No on 1631 campaign called the results a “clear victory for Washington families and small businesses … as well as a victory for the environment.” The rejection followed a big money opposition campaign that portrayed the initiative as too expensive for consumers and small businesses, unfair and unlikely to produce significant results. Manola Secaira reports. (Crosscut) See also: Portlanders Pass Measure To Create Clean Energy Fund   Ericka Cruz Guevarra reports. (OPB)


B.C. adds aboriginal consultation to environment assessments
B.C.’s environment minister has unveiled a sweeping re-write of the province’s environmental assessment rules, building in for the first time specific references to consultation with First Nations. George Heyman said Monday his new legislation will refocus the environmental assessment process on Aboriginal consent, early engagement, clear timelines and the consideration of other issues related to climate change, pollution targets and the effects of projects on future generations.... The legislation does not make First Nations consent mandatory for a project like a mine or pipeline to be approved, unless there is a treaty or cabinet order that specifically sets consent as binding. Instead, the process would engage Aboriginal leaders early and often in the review process. If cabinet ministers proceed despite First Nations objections, they would have to provide written reasons and, prior to a final decision, sit down face-to-face with Aboriginal leaders to try and come to a consensus on a decision. Rob Shaw reports.
(Vancouver Sun)

DNR swaps 193 acres to save Blanchard ‘core’ from logging
he end is nearing for efforts to protect a 1,600-acre “core” of Blanchard Mountain from logging. On Tuesday, the state Board of Natural Resources gave the Washington State Department of Natural Resources the OK to buy about 193 acres of working forest next to Blanchard State Forest in Skagit County. It will help replace timber revenue that Skagit County once received from Blanchard that is being put into conservation status. The price was about $1.2 million, DNR said in a news release. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Salmon swim across road in Washington state
Travelers on a Washington state highway captured video of an unusual traffic hazard -- salmon swimming across the street. Terri Sue Potter recorded video Sunday showing multiple fish swimming across the shallow waters flooding a small section of U.S. Highway 101 in the Shelton area. Alexis Leonard, a fish hatchery specialist, also recorded video of the unusual phenomenon. Leonard said the fish come from the Skokomish River and sometimes end up on roads and other areas when the nearly creeks flood during the spawning season. Ben Hooper reports. (UPI)

‘Puget Sound Orca Recovery Day’ happening Nov. 10
Ten conservation districts across the Puget Sound will host restoration events that address two of the primary causes of orca whale decline: malnutrition due to salmon scarcity and increasing water pollution. Volunteer events will include salmon stream restoration plantings, rain garden installations, and marine shoreline restoration. Each event also will feature educational programming to inspire participants with ideas of what they can do every day to help orca recovery. These events are family-friendly and designed for everyday people to volunteer in their local community to address the known factors that directly impact the health of our local orca whale population. Details can be found at BetterGround.org.

Timber towers can make future friendlier to climate, conference hears
For Dutch architect Do Janne Vermeulen, the “space race” to build the world’s tallest timber-based building is no longer a matter of pride, but more of a sustainable imperative.... Vermeulen’s Amsterdam-based firm, Team V Architecture, is in that race with its design for Haut, a 73-metre (240-feet-tall) hybrid mass-timber residential building in a new, sustainability focused residential district of that city. And multiplying the numbers of buildings defined as sustainable, sequestering carbon in renewable wood construction materials, is becoming more important at a time when warnings about climate change are becoming more stark. Derrick Penner reports. (Vancouver Sun)



Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  227 AM PST Wed Nov 7 2018   

TODAY  NE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds. 

TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  4 ft at 11 seconds.


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