6/10 Herron Is, Canada plastic ban, rockfish, orca survival, Keystone XL, BC pipe, oil refinery rules, PT Paper air, Ocean Day, Blakey Hbr, ladybugs

Herron Island

Herron Island
Herron Island is an island in central Case Inlet in the southern part of Puget Sound. The Pierce County island has a land area of 1.2326 km² (304.57 acres) and a population of 152 persons as of the 2000 census.  Herron Island was named by Charles Wilkes during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838-1842, to honor Lewis Herron, the expedition's cooper. Herron Island is a completely private island. It was incorporated on April 30, 1958, as Herron Maintenance Co. (HMC), a non-profit, non-stock Washington corporation consisting of the owners and purchasers of property on Herron Island. All access to the island is by boat, mostly aboard the HMC ferry, the "Charlie Wells", and a guest pass signed by an HMC member is necessary to board the ferry. (Wikipedia)

Official: Canada to announce ban on single-use plastics
The Canadian government plans to announce it is moving to ban single-use plastics as early as 2021, a senior government official said late Sunday The official said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would make the announcement Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly ahead of Monday’s news conference. The official said specific items to be banned will be determined based on a science-based review, but they are considering items such as water bottles, plastic bags and straws. Rob Gillies reports. (Associated Press)

West Coast Rockfish Rebound Faster Than Expected 
...Jason Cope, a fisheries biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), says scientists were surprised by how quickly some rockfish species reproduced – even when their populations were low. "We thought it might take a century or so for them to rebuild themselves, but it’s now taking maybe a decade,” he said. Managers have removed seven species from the overfished list, and this year they doubled the catch limits for fish that had been severely restricted. Cassandra Profita reports. (OPB)

What are that new baby orca’s chances of surviving?
... Scientists don’t know who the new calf’s parents are yet. Inbreeding has been a big problem for this small population of whales, with just 2 males fathering more than half of all babies born in recent decades. This calf was estimated by the Center for Whale Research to be less than 3 weeks old when it was spotted swimming with three female members of J pod near Tofino, British Columbia. University of Washington biologist Deborah Giles said who the mother is could strongly influence the calf’s odds of survival in an ocean where salmon have become scarce and pollutants common.John Ryan and Angela King talk. (KUOW)

Environmental groups vow to keep fighting Keystone XL pipeline after injunction lifted
Environmental groups vow to keep fighting to stop construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S., after an appeals court lifted a judge's injunction that blocked it — but the developer has said it's too late to begin work this year. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday ordered dismissal of the lawsuit by environmental and Native American groups, saying President Donald Trump had revoked a 2017 permit allowing the $8-billion pipeline to be built.Trump later issued a new permit, and the appellate judges agreed with Justice Department attorneys who say that nullifies the legal challenge involving environmental impacts. (Associated Press)

Trans Mountain pipeline expansion opponents not ready to give up
Voices for and against the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project in B.C. are pushing to and beyond June 18, when the Liberal government will decide whether or not to give it a green light.... The government will decide at a cabinet meeting next week. The project was sent back for review after the Federal Court of Appeal rescinded cabinet’s 2016 approval last August, saying neither an environmental study nor Indigenous consultation had been properly completed.... On Sunday, a few hundred people, including environmental and First Nations groups as well as concerned residents gathered for a few hours next to Science World to lodge their protest. They listened to speakers such as Svend Robinson, the NDP candidate for Burnaby North-Seymour, and Chief Judy Wilson of the Neskonlith First Nation, east of Kamloops. Joanne Lee-Young reports. (Vancouver Sun)

In Washington state, stronger regulation has led to fewer pipeline problems
Incidents involving fuel and gas lines have continued to kill and maim unsuspecting people in the 20 years since 237,000 gallons of gasoline seeped from a large underground pipeline in Whatcom Falls Park, sparking a deadly fireball that rocked Bellingham. Such spills and explosions often make headlines — from a 2010 oil leak that fouled the Kalamazoo River in Michigan and caused massive ecological damage, to a 2016 natural-gas explosion in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood that destroyed several businesses and injured nine firefighters. But Washington state, thanks to tougher scrutiny and a focus on safety and prevention, sees far fewer incidents that kill or injure people and damage property and the environment. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald) See also: Fines from 1999 pipeline tragedy helped pay for these environmental projects and parks  Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald) And also:  ‘There’s a good chance an underground pipeline is near your home.’ How do you check?  (Bellingham Herald)

Timeline changed for oil refinery safety update
The state Department of Labor & Industries has pushed back the date for releasing its proposed changes to safety rules at oil refineries. The department had planned to release the proposed rules this summer — followed by public hearings — and adopt the changes by year's end. The revised date to release the proposed rules is mid-fall, according to a Wednesday email from Labor & Industries that was sent to stakeholders involved in drafting the new rules. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Port Townsend Paper Corporation settles with EPA for violation of Clean Air Act
The Port Townsend Paper Corporation has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will cost more than $300,000 for a violation of the Clean Air Act. The incident has occurred since 2001 and was found when an inspector from the EPA’s Region 10 office in Seattle visited the mill on July 6-7, 2017, according to the consent agreement. The mill was notified of the violation in April 2018, General Manager Kevin Scott said. Brian McLean reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Scouring the beaches: volunteers collect beach trash to mark World Oceans Day
Ottawa announced $13M for Canada's coastal habitats on day meant to celebrate, protect oceans. Dozens of people scoured a beach in Vancouver looking for little pieces of plastic and other litter to mark World Oceans Day, one of several similar events held across Canada. Since 2002, people around the world have come together on June 8 to collectively honour the importance of oceans. (CBC) See also: Shoreline cleanup brings 100 volunteers to Stanley Park  (Vancouver Sun)

Bainbridge’s Blakely Harbor eyed for cleanup
Samples from the harbor on the southern end of Bainbridge Island will be tested for contaminants. (Kitsap Sun)

Spotted: A Swarm Of Ladybugs So Huge, It Showed Up On National Weather Service Radar
National Weather Service meteorologists noticed something puzzling on their radar screens in Southern California on Tuesday evening — a big green blob.... So the meteorologists called a weather spotter in Wrightwood, Calif., near the blob’s location in San Bernardino County. Oswant says the spotter told them the mysterious cloud was actually a giant swarm of ladybugs.  Merrit Kennedy and Dani Matias report. (NPR)


Now, your tug weather--West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  809 PM PDT Sun Jun 9 2019   
MON  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. 
MON NIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W  swell 5 ft at 10 seconds.



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