11/9 Madrone, Keystone XL blocked, BC pipe hearings, kids climate suit, IOSA, feed ponds rules, cruise ship port

Pacific madrone [Living Wild]

Pacific madrone Arbutus menziesii
Arbutus is a magnificent evergreen tree with white flowers in the spring and red fruit in the fall, and attractive reddish bark that peels off in large strips. Its berries sometimes persist on the trees until Christmas-time. Arbutus means "strawberry tree" in Latin, in reference to the bright-red fruits. It was called madrono (Spanish for 'strawberry tree') by Father Juan Crespi, the chronicler of the overland Portola expedition in 1769 to discover the 'lost bay' of Monterey. (Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast)

Federal judge blocks construction of Keystone XL pipeline
A federal judge in Montana has blocked construction of the $8 billion Keystone XL Pipeline to allow more time to study the project’s potential environmental impact. The Great Falls Tribune reports U.S. District Judge Brian Morris’ order on Thursday came as Calgary-based TransCanada was preparing to build the first stages of the oil pipeline in northern Montana. Environmental groups had sued TransCanada and The U.S. Department of State in federal court in Great Falls. Morris says the government’s analysis didn’t fully study the cumulative effects of greenhouse gas emissions, the effects of current oil prices on the pipeline’s viability or include updated modeling of potential oil spills. (Associated Press)

Limited public access to new hearings on the Trans Mountain pipeline project
Members of the public will be turned away from hearings to reconsider approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project for security for security reasons, the National Energy Board says. The federal authorization for the project was quashed by the courts over inadequate consultation with Indigenous communities and failure to consider the impact of the project – now owned by Canadian taxpayers – on endangered killer whales in the Salish Sea. An NEB panel is scheduled to hear three weeks of Indigenous traditional testimony beginning on Nov. 19, with sessions in Calgary, Victoria and Nanaimo. “Experiences at previous board hearings, which have included physical and verbal threats against hearing attendees and participants requiring intervention by security and law enforcement staff, combined with security assessments for the upcoming oral hearing sessions, have given the board reason to limit access to the hearing room,” the NEB announced in a statement. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Appeals Court Puts Climate Change Lawsuit on Hold
A lawsuit by a group of young Americans against the U.S. government for being slow to address climate change is on hold again, after a federal appeals court granted the Trump administration's motion for a temporary stay. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in granting the temporary stay on Thursday, gave 15 days for the parties to respond to the administrations petition for a writ of mandamus - a rarely used judicial appeal that asks a higher court to overrule a lower one before the conclusion of a case. (Associated Press)

IOSA's future as PRC in the San Juan Islands in doubt 
Randall Waugh, president of the Board of Directors Islands Oil Spill Association, sent a letter to the state Department of Ecology and San Juan County Department of Emergency Management informing them of IOSA's financial straits. He also detailed some options regarding the future of the organization that has played a vital role in the San Juan Islands. [Read the letter here.] (San Juan Islander)

Earth911 Podcast, Nov. 9, 2018: Puget Sound Keepers Disputes Washington CAFO Waste Pond Ruling
The Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board disappointed environmental leaders in October when it allowed largely unregulated concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to continue operating in the state. CAFOs are giant cattle, pig, and other livestock operations that have manure waste ponds, like those that overflowed in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence. Chris Wilke of Puget Sound Keepers talks to Earth911 about the ruling, its implications for public health. CAFOs pollute groundwater and the air, contributing to cardiovascular, reproductive, and developmental problems, including blue baby syndrome. CAFO pollution is also implicated in cancer. Wilke, though disappointed, said the court battle is not over. The environmental coalition that asked for better regulation of CAFOs will appeal to the Washington Department of Ecology and higher courts for changes. (Earth911)

Port of Seattle Plans $340M Cruise Terminal Project 
The Port of Seattle, Washington is considering a $340 million plan to add a new cruise terminal and invest in other waterfront improvements.  The port welcomed 1.1 million cruise passengers last year, the second year in a row that it has surpassed the one-million-passenger mark, and it is looking for room to accommodate more growth. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, the port has been in conversation with Seattle's mayor about renovating its existing cruise terminals, adding one more, and making improvements to the waterfront, a plan that it calls Waterfront 2040.  (Maritime Executive)



Now, your weekend tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  238 AM PST Fri Nov 9 2018   

TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming W. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W  swell 4 ft at 11 seconds. Rain in the morning then a chance of  rain in the afternoon. 

TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming N to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds building to  6 ft at 11 seconds after midnight. 

SAT  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 6 ft at  10 seconds. 

SAT NIGHT  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell  4 ft at 10 seconds. 

SUN  E wind 15 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 3 ft at  9 seconds.


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