7/2 Grunt sculpin, TM pipe, EPA enforcement, beach cleanups, plastic toolkit, border, Portland climate, hornet traps, Great Bear Rainforest

Grunt sculpin [Janna Nichols]

Grunt sculpin Rhamphocottus richardsonii
Grunt sculpin are found from the western coast of Alaska to Santa Monica Bay in southern California, on the east coast of northern and central Honshu, Japan, and are local common. They prefer the empty shells of barnacles, especially the giant barnacle as a hiding place and a nesting site in which to lay and brood eggs. An awkward swimmer, grunt sculpin move along the bottom or crawl over rocks on the tips of their finger-like pectoral fins. Their movements are short twitchy hops, jerks, and jumps. These fish make a wheezing-grunting sound when removed from the water, hence their name. SCUBA divers say the grunts can be heard underwater. (Aquarium of the Pacific) See also: Sculpins of Puget Sound (Seattle Aquarium)

Supreme Court will not hear First Nations' challenge against Trans Mountain pipeline
The Supreme Court of Canada will not allow an appeal from a group of First Nations in B.C. looking to challenge the federal government's second approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project. The country's top court dismissed the nations' application for leave to appeal on Thursday. It did not release reasons for its decision, as is custom. The Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Ts'elxweyeqw Tribes and Coldwater Indian Band were seeking leave to appeal a February decision by the Federal Court of Appeal that found cabinet's approval of the pipeline project in June 2019 was reasonable under the law. As there is no higher court in Canada, the decision Thursday brings an end to the groups' legal challenge. (Canadian Press)

EPA Plans To End Controversial COVID-19 Enforcement Policy
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it would be ending its controversial policy that suspended monitoring and reporting requirements for certain entities during COVID-19, according to a memorandum from the agency. The policy, which was put in place in March, has drawn criticism from conservation groups who say it gives polluting industries discretion to determine whether to comply with requirements under laws such as the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and Safe Drinking Water Act and threatens already imperiled species. A coalition of nine states led by New York sued over the policy in May. EPA Assistant Administrator Susan Bodine said Monday that the policy would end Aug. 31, citing the relaxing or lifting of state and local social-distancing restrictions. As those restrictions ease, "so too may the restrictions that potentially impede regulatory compliance, reducing the circumstances in which the temporary policy may apply," she said. Hailey Konnath reports. (Law360)

Coastal beach communities bracing for Fourth of July revelers... and their trash
A favorable weather forecast and the Fourth of July falling on a weekend has beach communities in the Pacific Northwest bracing for an onslaught despite the ongoing pandemic. Two beach towns that tend to be holiday crowd magnets are particularly in the limelight this year. One of the peculiarities of Ocean Shores and Long Beach, Washington, is that people can legally drive on the beach and can set off fireworks. The raucous scene might get even crazier this year given that traditional parades and community fireworks shows are mostly canceled across the region. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Earth law Center has released its ‘Utilizing Earth Law to Address Plastic Pollution Toolkit!” which gives examples of policies and strategies that local communities can implement to minimize marine plastic pollution. These strategies are largely based on the postulates of Earth law, or Earth Jurisprudence. By providing a general, non-exhaustive list of strategies, we aim to accommodate the needs of a wide range of municipalities, thus enabling communities to advance initiatives specific to their individual needs, capacities, and legal traditions. Download the toolkit here:

Reopening the Canada-U.S. border will be a long, piecemeal process
The Donald Trump era began in 2015 with a promise to build a wall between the United States and Mexico. Five years later, the Trump era may end with citizens in much of the rest of the world — Canadians, in particular — insisting on a virtual wall between themselves and the United States. With the United States adding 40,000 new cases of COVID-19 each day, the European Union is leaving the U.S. off a list of 15 countries whose citizens soon will be allowed to visit its 27 member nations. In Canada, there seems to be no great desire to quickly reverse the unprecedented border restrictions that were imposed in March. The question for Canadians is how much longer the virtual wall will have to be in place — and how much it might hurt to keep it there. "My guess is it's going to have to stay closed for more than 12 months," Colin Furness, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, told CBC News this week.  Aaron Wherry writes. (CBC)

Portland Declares A Climate Emergency
Hours after Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Chloe Eudaly revoked their support from the Interstate 5 Rose Quarter project, a controversial freeway widening project, the council voted to adopt a climate emergency declaration. Globally, thousands of jurisdictions have declared climate emergencies, acknowledging their cities are in the midst of an environmental crisis and often committing to a series of steps the government hopes will mitigate the catastrophic impacts. Rebecca Ellis reports. (OPB)

Washington state begins trapping for Asian giant hornets
About 600 traps to catch invasive Asian giant hornets are being placed in Northwestern Washington’s Whatcom County by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, more than doubling the number already set out by citizens. The state traps are being placed around Blaine, Custer and Bellingham, the only places in the U.S. that the giant hornet has ever been found, The Capital Press reported. The traps are being put on the edge of forested areas. (Associated Press)

'Superhero' Ryan Reynolds to match fundraising effort for Great Bear Rainforest
Vancouver-born actor Ryan Reynolds is lending his celebrity in a donation matching campaign for the Great Bear Rainforest. Reynolds narrated the 2019  Great Bear Rainforest  IMAX film and has offered to match all donations to a maximum of $50,000 until Aug. 3. Lynn Mitges reports. (Vancouver Sun)



Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  245 AM PDT Thu Jul 2 2020   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of rain. 
TONIGHT  N wind to 10 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of  rain in the evening then a chance of rain after midnight.




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