1/16 Snowy owl, air contaminants, oil record, hot year, bird die-off, BC LNG, Trans-Mtn hearing, Enviro Lobby Day, Sweden-WA climate

Snowy owl [All About Birds]

Snowy owl Bubo scandiacus
The snowy owl is a large, white owl of the true owl family. Snowy owls are native to Arctic regions in North America and Eurasia. Males are almost all white, while females have more flecks of black plumage. Juvenile snowy owls have black feathers until they turn white. (Wikipedia)

Air contaminants, such as mercury and PCBs, undermine the health of Puget Sound
High levels of mercury and other toxic chemicals are showing up in seemingly remote and pristine parts of the Puget Sound watershed, the result of atmospheric deposition. Scientists talk about a “dome” of pollution hanging over urban areas, leading to a never-ending cycle of persistent compounds working their way through the air, onto the land and into the water. Chris Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Currents)

U.S. Crude Oil Production to Reach Record High in 2020
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its January 2020 Short-Term Energy Outlook, with  Administrator Dr. Linda Capuano saying that both global oil supply and consumption are expected to grow in 2020, with supply from non-OPEC producers, particularly the U.S., Norway, Brazil, and Canada, more than offsetting declining production from OPEC. The EIA forecasts that U.S. crude oil production will reach new records in 2020 and 2021. Driven primarily by higher production in the Permian region of Texas and New Mexico, the outlook forecasts an average of 13.3 million barrels per day of U.S. crude oil production in 2020 and 13.7 million barrels per day in 2021. (Marine Executive)

2019 Was the Second-Hottest Year Ever, Closing Out the Warmest Decade
The past decade was the hottest on record, government researchers announced on Wednesday, the latest sign of global warming’s grip on the planet. And 2019 was the second-warmest year ever, they said, just shy of the record set in 2016.  Henry Fountain and Nadja Popovich report. (NY Times)

Study: Marine Heatwave Likely The Cause Of Massive Die-off Of North Coast Seabirds
A new study suggests a marine heatwave may have caused about 1 million north Pacific seabirds to die. A cooperative effort between federal agencies and university researchers revealed that nearly 62,000 dead or dying seabirds washed ashore onto Alaska and West Coast beaches between the summer of 2015 and spring of 2016. But carcass recovery suggests this was a fraction of the roughly 1 million birds that died during this time period. Monica Samayoa reports. (OPB)

‘They are erasing our history’: Indigenous sites buried under Coastal GasLink pipeline infrastructure
As the hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en fight to stop the controversial $6.6 billion natural gas pipeline, the very landscape and cultural artifacts they aim to protect are being logged and bulldozed away. Amber Bracken reports. (The Narwhal)

Supreme Court to hear B.C. case attempting to halt Trans Mountain pipeline expansion
Canada's high court will hear arguments Thursday on whether British Columbia can stop Alberta from shipping heavy oil through the Trans Mountain pipeline without a permit. B.C.'s NDP government brought the case in 2018 as it worked to fulfil an election promise to stop the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project. The province argues it should be able to limit the contents of the pipeline, because it would bear the brunt of environmental harm from any spill. (Canadian Press)

Environmental Lobby Day, January 30, Olympia
Join the Environmental Priorities Coalition and hundreds of activists to push for key environmental legislation in Olympia. You will team up with other activists to speak up for the environment and gain the skills to be a persuasive constituent. You'll have the opportunity to attend issue briefings, learn how to lobby, hear from environmental champions, attend breakout sessions, and meet face-to-face with your elected officials to advance the Environmental Priorities Coalition's 2020 priorities: Clean Fuels Now, Healthy Habitat Healthy Orcas, Climate Pollution Limits, and Reduce Plastic Pollution. Lobby Day begins at 8:30 AM at Temple Beth Hatfiloh 201 8th Ave SE Olympia. Register here.

Sweden knows: Phase out fossil fuels and economy can still flourish
Sweden and Washington state are in agreement that we are facing a global climate crisis that requires aggressive policies, bold legislation and accelerated actions. With the U.S. withdrawal from the most important international agreement on climate change, the Paris Agreement, it has become even more crucial for Sweden to continue working with stakeholders and entities within the U.S. that remain committed to ambitious climate action, such as Washington state. Karin Olofsdotter writes. (Seattle Times)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  243 AM PST Thu Jan 16 2020   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SW wind 20 to 30 kt easing to 15 to 25 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. SW swell 16 ft at 12 seconds  subsiding to 9 ft at 10 seconds in the afternoon. Showers likely. 
TONIGHT  NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SE 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 7 ft at 9 seconds. A  chance of showers.



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