3/10 Quicksilver, shoreline loans, hydrogen plant, Amazon's clean fuel, killing birds, nicro-LNG, partial MPAs, BC zebra mussels, jet noise

Quicksilver [Andy Whale]

 

Quicksilver Hg
Mercury is also known as “quicksilver,” a reference to its mobility. Speed and mobility were characteristics of the Roman god, Mercury, who served as a messenger to all the other gods and shared his name with the planet nearest the sun.

Low-interest loans could help shoreline property owners finance improvements
As ongoing research confirms the importance of shoreline habitat throughout Puget Sound, experts are looking for new ways to help shoreline property owners pay for bulkhead removals. One emerging idea, which could be established as a formal initiative within a year, consists of a special shoreline loan program that could provide low-interest loans to residential property owners. The owners could then make payments over decades with less strain on their family budgets. Chris Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

Hydrogen production plant groundbreaking signals renewed interest in alt fuel
A public utility in North Central Washington broke ground Monday for a hydrogen production facility. It's one of several related actions in the Pacific Northwest that reflect renewed interest in hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel. The Douglas County Public Utility District is spending around $20 million to build its renewable hydrogen production plant on the east bank of the Columbia River north of Wenatchee. The main feature of the plant will be an electrolyzer, which uses unsold electricity from the PUD's dam on the river to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Amazon tells Gov. Inslee it supports clean fuel standard in WA
Amazon is embracing the adoption of a low-carbon fuel standard in Washington state, telling Gov. Jay Inslee that the plan would be “a cost-effective strategy” to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On Monday, the tech giant sent a letter to Inslee declaring its support of House Bill 1091, which would require makers of gasoline and diesel to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their products. Melissa Santos reports. (Crosscut)

Biden Moves To Make It Illegal (Again) To Accidentally Kill Migratory Birds
The Biden administration is moving to restore protections for migratory birds that were loosened under former president Donald Trump — a back-and-forth centering on the question of when it's illegal to kill them. The Interior Department rescinded a controversial Trump-era legal opinion Monday that limited the scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It also said it will soon propose a rule to replace one enacted at the end of the Trump administration that did the same. Nathan Rott reports. (NPR)

7 things you need to know about proposed micro-LNG development in northwest B.C.
A pipeline expansion and a pair of liquefaction facilities fall below the provincial thresholds for environmental assessment and are quietly making their way through the regulatory process. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

In the Push for Marine Conservation, Partially Protected Areas Are a “Red Herring”
Compared to fully safeguarded marine protected areas, partially protected areas have little benefit for marine life or people’s enjoyment. Ashley Braun reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Conservation officer blitz finds invasive zebra mussels in aquarium stores across B.C. 
B.C. conservation officers blitzed hundreds of aquatic pet and plant stores over the weekend searching for invasive zebra mussels in moss balls. In a statement, the Conservation Officer Service reported finding the mussels at several of the 600 locations visited across the province. No specific number was provided. David Carrigg reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Salish Sea Science Symposium: Implications of Noise from Navy Aircraft for the Salish Sea and Olympic Region
The San Juan County Marine Resources Committee and the Salish Sea Institute at Western Washington University invite you to learn about navy jet noise and impacts to humans and wildlife in the region. Lauren Kuehne and Rob Williams will present from recently published scientific research and a moderated panel discussion will follow. There will be opportunities for questions from the audience. Mar. 16, 4-6 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  238 AM PST Wed Mar 10 2021   
TODAY  NW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft  at 9 seconds. A slight chance of showers in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  NW wind to 10 kt becoming E 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.

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