3/31 Camelia, TransMtn, shore armor, hydrogen fuel, 'Chainsaw,' razor clam, sea otters, WA culverts

 

Camelia

Camelia
Camellia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are 100–300 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. There are also around 3,000 hybrids. (Wikipedia)

Trans Mountain pipeline expansion will lead to $11.9B in losses for Canada, study says
SFU team says rising construction costs, new climate change measures mean project should be shelved. Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC)

B.C. relying on the federal shoreline protections for Trans Mountain pipeline it previously called inadequate
In advance of granting new environmental certificates for the pipeline’s expansion project, the province has an opportunity to demand more detailed information on oil spill response preparedness from Trans Mountain. But critics say that’s not happening. Cara McKenna reports. (The Narwhal)

Is shoreline armoring becoming a relic of the past?
Close to 30% of Puget Sound's shoreline is armored with seawalls and other structures meant to protect beaches against rising tides and erosion. But science increasingly shows that these structures are ineffective and cause significant harm to salmon and other creatures. State and federal agencies have been encouraging private property owners to remove armoring in a race to improve habitat, but why did so much of it start appearing in the first place? David B. Williams writes. (Salish Sea Currents)

Interest in hydrogen fuel growing in the Pacific Northwest -- and tax dollars following
More folks from Pacific Northwest government and industry are jumping on the hydrogen bandwagon to test if the alternative fuel could be a viable and green replacement for diesel and gasoline in some situations. The potential converts include more than half a dozen transit agencies from Everett to Eugene, state legislators and Boeing's drone subsidiary in the Columbia River Gorge. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Distinctive orca ‘Chainsaw’ makes rare visit to San Juans
More than ten Bigg’s killer whales were spotted in the San Juan Islands by whale watching vessels, including a male orca known to naturalists and whale researchers as “Chainsaw,” due to his distinctive dorsal fin, the Pacific Whale Watch Association said...Researchers say what makes T063 Chainsaw so distinctive is several large notches in the top third of his dorsal fin that makes it look like a large saw blade.  (KIRO)

Washington’s razor clam season shut down by hazardous algal blooms
For thousands in the state, razor clamming represents culture and heritage. But state and tribal agencies are trying to protect people from harmful toxins. Lindsay VanSomeren reports. (Crosscut)

For California Crabbers, Sea Otters Are Not a Threat to Dungeness Catch
New research shows that the Dungeness crab harvest in California is not affected by the resurgence of sea otters. Nick Rahaim reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Opinion: Washington’s culvert challenge deserves federal funding
A federal court order to open up hundreds of fish passages beneath roads by 2030 has been Washington’s burden for years. This $3.7 billion undertaking deserves federal funding so it does not starve other critical state infrastructure needs. Restoration of threatened salmon and steelhead runs is an unavoidable priority. (Seattle Times Editorial)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  255 AM PDT Wed Mar 31 2021   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH  THURSDAY AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  NW wind to 10 kt becoming W after midnight. Wind waves  2

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