2/9 Beach hopper, WA lege transportation, B'ham electric rule, WA clean energy list, Nooksack flood, seal pup, elk herd, UN Indigenous support, BC mining, shrimp eggs, rogue wave, sky view

Beach hopper [Crystal Ernst]

 
Beach hopper Traskorchestia traskiana
Hopes around like flea in perpetural motion on wrack of seaweeds left stranded by tide on upper levels of beach. As the seaweed dries out, beach hoppers retreat into the moist center of the pile or dig into the sand. An important food for sanderlings and other migrating shorebirds. (Marine Wildlife of Puget Sound, the San Juans, and the Strait of Georgia)

WA House, Senate Democrats release $16 billion transportation package
House and Senate Democrats in Washington state on Tuesday unveiled a $16 billion, 16-year transportation revenue package that spends on a variety of projects ranging from building new hybrid electric ferries and funding more walking and biking corridors to highway maintenance and replacing fish passage culverts. Unlike previous packages that have included gas tax increases, this plan gets a bulk of its funding — $5.4 billion — from a carbon pricing program signed into law last year that requires the state's largest emitters, like refineries, to purchase credits for allowed emissions if they exceed a cap set by regulators.  Rachel La Corte reports. (Associated Press)

Bellingham approved its first measure to require ‘electrification.’ Here’s what it does
Bellingham enacted its first ordinance for “electrification” of buildings, joining other U.S. cities in moving to reverse the effects of global climate change through local measures. On a unanimous vote with no discussion at the end of its meeting Monday night, Feb. 7, the City Council approved an ordinance to require new commercial buildings and new apartment buildings more than four stories high to use electricity for heating and water heating, meet certain energy-reduction standards and use solar energy or provide rooftop space for eventual solar energy installation. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Utilities in Washington are tackling the clean energy to-do list
Under the Clean Energy Transformation Act, Washington state committed to having an electricity supply free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. The Clean Energy Transformation Act moves us toward decarbonizing buildings and transportation, cutting down emissions across industries, and modernizing our grid system. Brandi Fullwood and Libby Denkmann report. (KUOW)

Flooding and the Nooksack – Building on Our Shared Values to Manage the Floodplains
The recent November 2021 flooding of the Nooksack River in Whatcom County has reminded us all of the importance of floodplain management. But floodplains feature a diverse population of people and wildlife that all call it home. Only by working together around a set of shared values can we manage our floodplains in a way that works for everyone that lives and works in these areas. Daron Williams writes. (Puget Sound National Estuary Program)

New pup in town
A family of northern elephant seals that frequents the North Whidbey area grew by one pup last week. The herd’s newest seal was born on Jan. 31 at Bowman Bay in Deception Pass State Park and is the first member of a new generation in the family. To maintain the health and safety of the mother and baby, park staff have closed the Bowman Bay boat launch to all visitors, and the Bowman Bay day-use area is closed to pets. Visitors hiking the Rosario Head and Lighthouse loop will find some temporary detours around the area. Karina Andrew reports. (Whidbey News Times)

Progress reported on managing local elk herd
The co-managers of the region's elk population say efforts to get the elk to leave private property on the Skagit Valley floor along Highway 20 have had success.  In a Thursday workshop with the Skagit County Board of Commissioners, representatives of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and area tribes cited fewer landowner complaints, an increased presence of elk in forested areas outside the valley and reduced opportunities for local tribes to hunt the herd as evidence that tactics including fencing and hunting are working. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Wet’suwet’en Call on the UN to Support Land Battle
Members of the Wet’suwet’en Nation are again calling on the United Nations to pressure the Canadian government over industrial development on its traditional territory. In an eight-page document submitted to the UN’s Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on Monday, members of the Gidimt’en Clan request the document be presented to the Human Rights Council at its regular session in September. Amanda Follett Hosgood reports. (The Tyee)

Proposal for gold and copper mine on First Nation's territory rejected for 3rd time by B.C. government  
The British Columbia government says a proposed copper and gold mine on a First Nation's territory will not be given an environmental assessment certificate, citing potential risks to water quality and fish. In a news release, the government said Monday it has rejected the open-pit copper, gold and molybdenum Morrison mine located about 65 kilometres northeast of Smithers, B.C., which was expected to produce 30,000 tonnes of ore per day over a 21-year period. (Canadian Press)

Scientists Can Spy Shrimp Eggs from Space
By analyzing the light it reflects, scientists can say whether that floating blob in a satellite image is made up of plastic, shrimp, seaweed, or something else. Saima Sidik reports. (Hakai Magazine)

'Once in a millennium' rogue wave recorded off Ucluelet
A giant wave off Ucluelet in 2020 is the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded, says a group of Victoria scientists. The 17.6-metre swell — as high as a four-storey building — was recorded with sensor buoys at Amphitrite Bank, about seven kilometers off Ucluelet. Darron Kloster reports. (Times-Colonist)

Now, look up!
For early morning risers: Venus returns to the morning sky rising around 5 a.m. two hours before sunrise in the southeastern sky where it shines like a celestial lantern. (Loryn Paxton shares.)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  224 AM PST Wed Feb 9 2022   
TODAY  Light wind. Wind waves less than 1 ft. W swell 7 ft at  13 seconds. 
TONIGHT  Light wind. Wind waves less than 1 ft. W swell 6 ft at  12 seconds building to 8 ft at 15 seconds after midnight.

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