6/1 Pond turtle, refinery transition, Lummi sues port, homeless by choice, Mearns Rock, PFAS

Western pond turtle
[Yathin S Krishnappa/WikiCommons]

Western pond turtle Actinemys marmorata
The range of the western pond turtle extends from the Puget Sound lowlands in Washington through western Oregon and California, south to Baja California. This aquatic turtle lives in streams, ponds, lakes, and permanent and ephemeral wetlands. Pond turtles spend most of their lives in water, but they also require terrestrial habitats for nesting. Western Pond turtles are omnivorous. Populations of western pond turtles are in decline due to: disease, upland and aquatic habitat alterations and destruction, in addition to the introduction of predators. The biggest threat to the species is the bullfrog and introduced warm fresh water fish, such as bass. Both prey on small juvenile turtles. The western pond turtle (Clemmys marmorata) is listed by Washington State as an endangered species. The species is not listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. (US Fish & Wildlife)

Washington’s Refinery Communities Just Got a Transition Boost
Within Washington state’s newly released 2023 operating budget for the biennium is a nation-leading step toward oil refinery transition planning. Over the next two years, Washington will devote a quarter-million dollars to analyzing the future of the state’s refineries, laying the groundwork for a clean energy transition that supports workers, safeguards communities, and protects the environment. Emily Moore reports. (Sightline)

Lummi Nation moves to block BC port expansion they say would impact salmon
The Port of Vancouver in British Columbia is planning to an expansion that would increase Canada’s west coast container capacity by about a third. Port officials say they have indigenous buy-in on the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project. But officials with the Lummi Nation in Washington say they've been ignored in the process and they have filed a legal challenge to stop the port's expansion. Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez reports. (KUOW)

Community Voices / Homeless by choice
Bobby Joe, the Singing Hillbilly, has stories, songs and jewelry to share. John Dunne writes. (Salish Current)

Alaskans Have Been Photographing This Volkswagen Beetle–Sized Boulder for 33 Years
In 1990, a scientist began visually documenting Prince William Sound’s recovery from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. When funding ran out, volunteers took over. For 33 years, someone has traveled here each summer to photograph the unassuming boulder, nicknamed Mearns Rock. Collectively, the photos are an unexpected offshoot of one of the United States’ worst environmental disasters. J. Besl reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Piles of PFAS-filled filters keeps growing near WA training center
Jenna Vogel and her husband moved to East Selah, Yakima County, in fall 2021. Days after settling in, the Yakima Training Center shared a news release informing residents that a dozen homes in the area had concentrations of forever chemicals in their water that exceeded federal drinking water standards. Their house was among those affected. Residents in East Selah are waiting for the Army to address many of their concerns stemming from the groundwater contamination caused by forever chemicals. The Vogels, who have installed their own filtration system, said the safe disposal of filters used to remove PFAS from drinking water is at the top of their list.  Santiago Ochoa reports. (Yakima Herald)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  217 AM PDT Thu Jun 1 2023   TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds.

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