2/18 Grass widow, BC LNG, Growlers, fireworks for eagles, Trump's mercury pollution

Grass widow [Nature Niche]

Grass widow Olsynium douglasii
Grass widow is one of the earliest-blooming springtime flowers. A member of the Iris Family, grass widow is a tufted perennial arising from a short rootstock. This native can be found in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada and Utah. Its ecology is rocky bluffs and meadows that are vernally wet at low and mid elevations. [With thanks to Rick Haley.] (The Nature Niche)

Trudeau to address the House as anti-pipeline blockades continue
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address the House of Commons this morning on the anti-pipeline blockades that have paralyzed rail lines across the country. Large swaths of the country's freight and passenger traffic have been disrupted by protests by people showing solidarity with the hereditary Wet'suwet'en chiefs opposing the planned construction of a $6.6-billion natural gas pipeline in northern British Columbia called Coastal GasLink...AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde is also set to address the ongoing protests at a news conference in Ottawa at 9:30  a.m. ET. (CBC) See also: Government hopes for breakthrough in Wet’suwet’en blockades this week  (Vancouver Sun)

Group asks for injunction regarding Growler flights
The Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve (COER) is asking a federal judge to require the Navy to roll back the number of EA-18G Growler practice flights at Outlying Field Coupeville to pre-2019 levels until a lawsuit over the number of Growler flights is settled. COER and private citizen Paula Spina filed a motion for a preliminary injunction Thursday. According to the motion, since March 2019 the Navy has increased the number of Growlers at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and shifted most of its Growler operations to Outlying Field Coupeville, which is near the Reserve and the town of Coupeville. (Skagit Valley Herald)

King County wants to shoot fireworks at bald eagles
King County wants to shoot fireworks at bald eagles. This is not a proposal for some Fourth of July-gone-berserk rah-rah display of uber-patriotism. Our national emblem, that majestic symbol of freedom and liberty that appears on every quarter and dollar bill, crowning the Great Seal of the United States — loves garbage. And the garbage eagles are a nuisance. David Gutman reports. (Seattle Times)

The EPA is about to change a rule cutting mercury pollution. The industry doesn’t want it.
For more than three years, the Trump administration has prided itself on working with industry to unshackle companies from burdensome environmental regulations. But as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to finalize the latest in a long line of rollbacks, the nation’s power sector has sent a different message: Thanks, but no thanks. Juliet Ellperin and Brady Dennis report. (Washington Post)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  212 AM PST Tue Feb 18 2020   
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft  at 13 seconds. 
TONIGHT  E wind 15 to 20 kt becoming 15 to 25 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 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