9/28 Bears and boulders, coat hypoxic areas, Chinook recovery, energy plan, Delta LNG jetty, Black Ball, Bears Ears

[PHOTO: Laurie MacBride]

Bears and Boulders
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Boulders on many beaches along our coast are always being moved about, and not just by waves – it turns out that bears have a big paw in the process.If you’re anchored fairly close to shore in what we call a “bearable” place, you might see one rearranging the beach at low tide, like the Black bear in these photos."


Low oxygen levels along Pacific Northwest coast a ‘silent’ climate change crisis
Nearly two decades ago, fishers discovered an odd occurrence off the coast of Oregon. They were pulling up pots of dead or lethargic crabs. At first they suspected a chemical spill or a red tide. But instead, they learned, dangerously low levels of dissolved oxygen in the ocean water were to blame...These swaths of hypoxic areas have surfaced every summer on Pacific Northwest shores since it was first recorded in 2002. They are spurred by naturally occurring coastal upwellings and algae blooms, exacerbated by climate change, said Francis Chan, director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies at Oregon State University. Akin to fire season, hypoxia season arrived earlier this year — the earliest start in 20 years, according to Chan. But unlike wildfire, or other visible climate emergencies, it’s gone largely unrecognized. Michael Garrison reports. (Seattle Times)

Chinook salmon recovery efforts continue for Skagit River, Puget Sound populations
Attention to restoring the Puget Sound chinook salmon population, of which Skagit River fish are a major component, continues to grow. Despite billions of dollars invested in research and habitat restoration since Puget Sound chinook were listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1999, the population remains at concerning numbers. The state’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board this week announced another $21 million in grant funding for various projects primarily targeting chinook, and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced an effort to expand upon chinook conservation and restoration plans. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

More renewable energy, less energy efficiency in new power plan
The draft Northwest Power Plan is dramatically different from previous versions. People can comment on the plan through Nov. 19. More renewable energy development and less room for energy conservation are two of the biggest changes in the draft of the new regional power plan. The Northwest Power Plan guides the electricity demand decisions of the Bonneville Power Administration over the next 20 years. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Delta wants more answers on LNG jetty project
The City of Delta is asking for further assessment on the application to build a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility adjacent to the FortisBC plant in Tilbury. The Tilbury Jetty Limited Partnership is proposing to construct the Tilbury Marine Jetty Project on the Fraser River. The project involves the berthing and transferring of LNG to marine barges and carriers for delivery to mostly offshore export markets, loading product from the FortisBC facility. Sandor Gyarmati reports. (Delta Optimist)

Black Ball receives grant from Port Angeles City Council to keep it afloat
Black Ball Ferry Line has received $500,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funding from the city of Port Angeles, helping the 62-year-old company weather the shutdown of service to Victoria into 2022, if need be. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Tribes want ‘immediate action’ to reverse Trump’s cut to Bears Ears National Monument
Native American tribes told President Biden they want "immediate action" to enlarge Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, which the Trump administration shrank by 85 percent. Joshua Partlow reports. (Washington Post)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  248 AM PDT Tue Sep 28 2021   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT   
TODAY  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 14 ft at 14 seconds subsiding to  11 ft at 13 seconds in the afternoon. A chance of showers and a  slight chance of tstms in the morning. 
TONIGHT  SW wind to 10 kt becoming SE 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 11 seconds. A  slight chance of rain in the evening then a chance of rain after  midnight.

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