8/18 Rat, Intalco reopen?, green biz boom, Swift Cr asbestos, oil spill cleanup

Brown rat [WikiCommons]

Brown rat Rattus norvegicus
The brown rat, also known as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Norwegian rat and Parisian rat, is a widespread species of common rat. One of the largest muroids, it is a brown or grey rodent with a head and body length of up to 28 cm long, and a tail slightly shorter than that. (Wikipedia)

Will federal climate legislation help reopen a WA aluminum plant?
The federal health care and climate legislation signed Tuesday by President Joe Biden includes tax credits and grant money that would help subsidize the cost of low-carbon aluminum produced in the United States. But the reopening of the Intalco Works aluminum smelter in Ferndale, Whatcom County — sought by a coalition of unions, environmentalists and Washington politicians pitching design changes to reduce carbon emissions — remains uncertain. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) See: Intalco restart: can ‘green’ aluminum get ‘clean’ power?  Eric Scigliano reports. (Salish Current 7/21/22)

Massive new climate law could give Pacific Northwest green businesses a boost
Companies large and small around the Pacific Northwest say they are excited by growth opportunities that may flow from the climate, healthcare and tax package signed by President Biden on Tuesday. Turbocharged federal spending could benefit the region’s green energy sector in particular, although congressional Republicans remain dubious that Americans on the whole will come out ahead. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Construction on asbestos-filled creek in Whatcom to begin next week
A sediment-filled creek in East Whatcom has been transporting naturally occurring asbestos deposits across the region for decades, prompting significant health concerns among neighbors of Swift Creek.  Next week, though, Whatcom County officials hope that will change, as a long-awaited construction project plans to dam the source of the carcinogenic sediment in the creek. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

Cleanup continues on sunken fishing boat east of Victoria in Haro Strait
The oil sheen from a sunken boat appears to have dissipated, officials say, but there are still concerns about the impact on marine life around the Haro Strait spill site. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  214 AM PDT Thu Aug 18 2022   
TODAY  E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft  at 8 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  4 ft at 9 seconds.

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