7/20 Snowbrush, WA tribes, Skagit farmlands, ocean protections, flood mitigation, Everett Herald union, kelp forests

Snowbrush {Native Plants PNW]

Snowbrush Ceanothus velutinus
Ceanothus is a Greek name for a spiny shrub.  Velutinus means soft and velvety, referring to short, dense, silky hairs on the undersides of the leaves.  This feature is more pronounced on shrubs found in drier areas east of the Cascades.  When in bloom, it is covered with clusters of tiny white flowers, hence the name “Snowbrush.”  It is also commonly known as Tobacco Brush or Red Root; other common names: Cinnamon Brush, Sticky Laurel, Shiny-leaf Ceanothus, and Mountain Balm allude to its sticky, scented leaves.  Although it is also sometimes called Deerbrush, that name is more often applied to the related species, C. integerrimus.

Washington tribes to get $50M to restore Puget Sound
Tribes in Western Washington will receive $50 million in federal funding from the infrastructure bill, effectively doubling support for restoration and protection of Puget Sound. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday in Sequim that it will give the money over the next five years to the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, which supports 20 treaty tribes. Previously, the EPA provided the commission with $50 million over 10 years to support habitat restoration, infrastructure updates, water quality, commercial fisheries, flood protection and climate resiliency. Nicholas Turner reports. (Seattle Times)

Skagit County moves to protect farmland in fish habitat debate
Skagit County on Monday approved a six-month moratorium on certain salmon habitat projects in an attempt to counter Seattle City Light as it works to relicense its dam operations on the Skagit River. Converting agricultural land in the Skagit River delta to salmon habitat is on the rise, but puts at risk a core Skagit County industry if it isn’t done carefully, according to Will Honea, a lawyer with the county handling natural resources issues. “If you lose enough farmland, you lose farming,” he said Monday to the county commissioners ahead of their unanimous 3-0 vote approving the moratorium. Honea said the moratorium was spurred by the county’s concerns that Seattle City Light will propose such offsite mitigation as compensation for the environmental impacts of its Skagit River dams 70 miles away, as it pursues a license to continue operating these facilities. Brandon Stone reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Trudeau announces expanded oceans protection plan
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced new details of the federal government's $3.5-billion plan to protect the oceans and boost coast guard facilities on the world's longest national coastline. In its most recent budget, the government pledged to add $2 billion over nine years to the $1.5 billion already set aside for ocean protection. (Canadian Press)

Ottawa, B.C. deliver $81.5 million for funding for flood mitigation
The program is meant to help communities protect people, homes and infrastructure from floods and related hazards such as landslides. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Everett Daily Herald staff forms union, asks for fair pay and working conditions
The Everett Herald newspaper journalists have announced they plan to organize a union. They're asking Sound Publishing, the Herald's owner, to voluntarily recognize their union in lieu of holding a vote through federal labor regulators. A news release from the Everett NewsGuild says about 95% of the Herald's eligible newsroom employees have signed cards in favor of unionizing. According to the guild's Twitter account, the union represents 23 staff members, including reporters, photographers, page designers, and web producers. Paige Browning reports. (KUOW)

How Urchins and the Blob Tag Teamed Kelp Forests
From 2013 to 2016, the Blob derailed the ecosystem in the northeast Pacific. Years later, scientists are still uncovering new consequences wrought by this extreme heatwave. Michael Allen reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Wed Jul 20 2022   
TODAY  NW wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. Areas of  dense fog. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  5 ft at 10 seconds.

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