Salish Sea News and Weather: December 2023

Friday, December 29, 2023

12/29 Wolverine, BC warm temperatures, WA fishing plan, fixing state ferry system

Wolverine

Wolverine Gulo gulo
Wolverines occur in the remote mountainous areas of the Cascades and in northeastern Washington. In the Cascade Range, wolverines occupy high-elevation landscapes from North Cascades National Park and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest south to Mount Adams on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. (WDFW)

Century-old records fall in Greater Victoria as weather system brings warmth and wind
Unseasonably warm weather has broken temperature records in southern British Columbia, including century-old marks in Greater Victoria. Multiple records fell on Wednesday at weather stations throughout the region — including at the University of Victoria, Hartland, Gonzales Point and Esquimalt — where a high of 12.9 C surpassed a record set in 1922. Records at some of the stations have been kept since 1874. Environment Canada says high temperature marks were also broken in West Vancouver, where the mercury hit 14 C and shattered a 1986 high by 2.5 degrees, and White Rock where the high of 13.5 C broke a record standing for 88 years. (Canadian Press)

Fish and Wildlife seeks comment on fishing plan
state Department of Fish and Wildlife is taking public comment on its next five-year fishing policy plan. The North of Falcon Policy, named after Cape Falcon in Oregon, sets the strategy for salmon and steelhead fishery management, including within Puget Sound, for 2024 through 2028. Those interested can comment by email at northoffalconfwcpolicy2024-28@publicinput.com, or by phone (855-925-2801, press #6825) through Jan. 15. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

OPINION: 3 policies we'll pursue in Olympia to help fix our state ferry system
Rep. Greg Nance (D-23rd District) proposes three policies he will take to Olympia to help fix the state ferry system. (Kitsap Sun)

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 219 AM PST Fri Dec 29 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY E wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 4 to 6 ft. SW swell 9 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SE wind 15 to 25 kt becoming E 10 to 20 kt after midnight. Wind waves 4 to 6 ft. SW swell 10 ft at 10 seconds. Rain.
SAT S wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. SW swell 10 ft at 11 seconds. Rain.
SAT NIGHT SW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 10 ft at 12 seconds.
SUN SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 10 seconds.

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Thursday, December 28, 2023

12/28 Baby orca, quiet Sound, Southern Cal orcas, Canada jay

A newborn orca surfaces next to orca J40
in central Puget Sound on Dec. 26, 2023
[Maya Sears, under NMFS Permit 27052]

Newborn orca spotted near Seattle off Bainbridge Island
Beachgoers and whale researchers were excited to spot a newborn calf swimming with the Northwest’s endangered orcas on Tuesday near Seattle. On Wednesday, the Center for Whale Research confirmed that the baby orca is the newest member of J pod, one of the Northwest’s three family groups of the endangered killer whales known as the southern residents. Whale researchers Maya Sears and Mark Sears had seen the 25 members of J pod on the afternoon of Dec. 23, but no baby, meaning this 26th member was probably born on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

It's getting quieter in Puget Sound and easier for orcas to find dinner
Orca conservation groups are thanking commercial ships and other big vessels for slowing down around endangered southern resident killer whales. They are asking vessels to voluntarily reduce their speeds in a section of Puget Sound where orcas are often present. It’s a 22 nautical mile long stretch that reaches from Port Townsend to Edmonds and Everett. Organizers are asking large vessels to reduce their speeds by 30-50%. Container vessels, vehicle carriers, and cruise ships are asked to drop speeds to 14.5 knots, while tankers and bulkers are asked to slow to 11 knots in the slowdown area. Natalie Akane Newcomb reports. (KUOW)

Orcas are flocking to Southern California waters. It’s for the hunting
Over the last three weeks, killer whales native to Mexico and Central America have been spotted dozens of times from Long Beach to the Palos Verdes Peninsula to Laguna Beach. The whales are eastern tropical Pacific orcas that frequent the warmer waters south of Los Angeles and are in the area in greater frequency because of an increased abundance of dolphins, a staple of their diet. Andrew J. Campa reports. (Los Angeles Times)

The Naturalist and the Lovable, So Good, Very Bold Jay
Canada jays thrive in the cold. The life’s work of one biologist gives us clues as to how they’ll fare in a hotter world. Brian Payton writes. (The Tyee)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 207 AM PST Thu Dec 28 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
TODAY SE wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 4 to 6 ft. W swell 14 ft at 16 seconds building to SW 18 ft at 16 seconds in the afternoon. Showers and a slight chance of tstms in the morning then rain in the afternoon. TONIGHT E wind 10 to 20 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 5 to 7 ft. SW swell 17 ft at 15 seconds subsiding to 10 ft at 14 seconds after midnight. Rain in the evening then rain likely after midnight.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

12/27 Gray wolf, body found, wave forecast, BP land purchase, orca house calls, record heat, WA highways, AI copyrights

Gray wolf [Brian Starzomski/Creative Commons]

Gray wolf Canis lupus
Gray wolves are the largest wild members of Canidae, or dog family, with adults ranging in weight from 18 to 80 kilograms (40 to 175 pounds), depending on sex and geographic locale. Gray wolves have a circumpolar range including North America, Europe and Asia. In North America, wolves are primarily predators of medium and large hooved mammals, such as moose, elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou, muskox and bison. Pelt color varies in wolves more than in almost any other species, from white to grizzled gray to brown to coal black. (USFWS)

Update: Searchers locate deceased individual in Fairhaven Terminal Building
Searchers located a deceased individual on December 26 in the Fairhaven Terminal Building, as work continued to dismantle and search the heavily damaged structure. A fire on Saturday, December 16, destroyed the historic building, and one person remains unaccounted for in connection with the fire. (City of Bellingham)

Significant waves forecast for two Vancouver Island regions
Ocean waves on Vancouver Island's west coast could reach up to seven metres on Wednesday, Environment Canada is warning. (Canadian Press)

Lummi Nation opposes BP land purchase at Cherry Point
The Lummi Nation is formally opposing a proposed land purchase 0f 1,100 acres by British Petroleum at Cherry Point because the land is a sacred site “known by Lummi people since time immemorial as Xwe’chi’eXen,” and the parcel in question has been sought by corporations for decades. Scott Heisel reports. (Bellingham Herald)

These vets make house calls for orcas
Extraordinary efforts to save an extraordinary animal. Emily Anthes reports. (NY Times)

Earth Was Due for Another Year of Record Warmth. But This Warm?
Earth is finishing up its warmest year in the past 174 years, and very likely the past 125,000. This year’s global temperatures did not just beat prior records. They left them in the dust. Raymond Zhong reports. (NY Times)

Puget Sound Leaders Debate a Pivot Away from Highway Expansion
The conflict between roadway expansion and Puget Sound's climate goals could be coming to a head thanks to a conversation happening at the Puget Sound Regional Council. Ryan Packer reports. (The Urbanist)

New York Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft Over Use of Copyrighted Work
The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement on Wednesday. Millions of articles from The New York Times were used to train chatbots that now compete with it, the lawsuit said. The Times is the first major American media organization to sue the companies, the creators of ChatGPT and other popular A.I. platforms, over copyright issues associated with its written works. Michael M. Grynbaum and Ryan Mac report. (NY Times)

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Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 227 AM PST Wed Dec 27 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
TODAY E wind 20 to 30 kt. Wind waves 4 to 6 ft building to 6 to 8 ft in the afternoon. W swell 9 ft at 12 seconds becoming E 8 ft at 13 seconds in the afternoon. Showers in the morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT E wind 20 to 30 kt easing to 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 10 to 12 ft. E swell 7 ft at 12 seconds building to 19 ft at 12 seconds after midnight. Showers.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

12/26 Grizzly, ESA at 50, king tides, flood watch, Skagit oil spills, BC marmots, surfers, wildlife crossing

Grizzly bear [Jean Beaufort/Creative Commons]

Grizzly bear Ursus arctos horribilis
Grizzly bears are a member of the brown bear species, U. arctos, that occurs in North America, Europe and Asia. The subspecies U. a. horribilis is limited to North America and historically existed throughout much of the western half of the contiguous United States, central Mexico, western Canada and most of Alaska. Prior to 1800, an estimated 50,000 grizzly bears were distributed in one large contiguous area throughout all or portions of 18 western States.

Endangered Species Act’s 50th anniversary: What 6 NW animals can tell us
The ESA turns 50 this month, and if beating extinction is the measure, the law has been a success. Of the more than 1,600 U.S. species listed for protection since the act’s inception, 99% have been rescued from the oblivion of extinction. Lynda V. Mapes, Isabella Breda, Amanda Zhou and Conrad Swanson report. (Seattle Times)

Western WA will see king tides this week, and maybe some flooding
With a series of exceptionally high tides expected to arrive this week, Seattle and other parts of Western Washington could see minor coastal flooding. Lauren Girgis reports. (Seattle Times)

Storm hits Metro Vancouver on Christmas, flood watch issued for Vancouver Island
B.C. Ferries cancels multiple South Coast sailings as storm makes landfall. (CBC)

Two accidents in one year show risks of oil industry to tribal nations, environment
In Skagit County, a connection on BP’s Olympic Pipeline system failed and released more than 25,000 gallons of gasoline, some into a farmer’s field and nearby salmon-bearing stream. Several months ago, near the shore of Padilla Bay, a train derailed shortly after departing a nearby oil refinery and two engines leaked thousands of gallons of diesel. These incidents aren’t unheard of for lands, critters and people in the shadow of fossil-fuel production infrastructure. All of Washington state’s oil refineries are near or on tribal reservations. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

Baby boom of 59 pups helps endangered B.C. marmot toward recovery
Thanks to the new pups, there's been a 50 per cent increase in the total population since the end of last year, when there were 204 marmots. (Canadian Press)

Surfers to the Rescue
Surfers are just, like, totally stoked to help, bro. Alastair Bland reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Wildlife crossing planned for Highway 20
The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians has received $8.5 million from the Federal Highway Administration to design and construct a wildlife crossing over Highway 20 near Hamilton. Plans are to put the crossing near Red Cabin Creek at milepost 76.2. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 255 AM PST Tue Dec 26 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY S wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 15 ft at 14 seconds subsiding to 13 ft at 14 seconds in the afternoon. Isolated showers in the morning.
TONIGHT SE wind 20 to 30 kt becoming E 25 to 35 kt after midnight. Combined seas 12 to 15 ft with a dominant period of 11 seconds. Rain.

Friday, December 22, 2023

12/22 Junco, tribes sue oil companies, wolf kill costs, deer kill costs, shellfish closure, ballot measures, week in review

Dark-eyed junco (Oregon) [Sam Bough]

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Dark-eyed Juncos are neat, even flashy little sparrows that flit about forest floors of the western mountains and Canada, then flood the rest of North America for winter. They’re easy to recognize by their crisp (though extremely variable) markings and the bright white tail feathers they habitually flash in flight. Dark-eyed Juncos are among the most abundant forest birds of North America. Look for them on woodland walks as well as in flocks at your feeders or on the ground beneath them. (All About Birds)

Two PNW tribal nations sue oil companies over costs of climate change
Major oil companies for decades deliberately sought to downplay and discredit scientific warnings about the central role of fossil fuels in causing climate change, alleges two lawsuits filed this week by the Makah and Shoalwater Bay tribes. The lawsuits filed in King County Superior Court name ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 as defendants, and seek compensation for the millions of dollars already spent, and likely to be spent in the future, for the tribes to respond to climate-induced disasters such as extreme heat, drought, wildfire, shoreline erosion, sea-level rise and flooding. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

$10M spent on B.C. wolf cull, FOI documents reveal alongside details of shootings
The British Columbia government has spent more than $10 million on a controversial wolf cull launched in 2015, according to documents obtained through a freedom of information request filed by CBC News. A total of 1,944 wolves have been killed since 2015, according to the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, which said in an email to CBC News that predator reduction measures on 13 of B.C.'s 54 caribou herds have helped to stabilize or increase populations. Michelle Morton reports. (CBC)

Difficulty killing last deer will determine cost
The final cost of a project to eradicate fallow deer on Sidney Island will depend on how hard it is to kill the last few animals, Parks Canada says. The $5.9-million price tag for the multi-year plan to remove European fallow deer and restore forest ecosystems across the island has been criticized by the island’s property owners and others as too high. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

Thurston County shellfish harvesting closed due to biotoxin
Recreational shellfish harvesting is closed due to high levels of a dangerous biotoxin in Eld Inlet, Budd Inlet, Dana Pass, Pickering Passage and Peale Passage. The affected areas include Burfoot Park, the Boston Harbor area, Hope Island and much of Harstine Island. (Olympian)

Six measures Washington conservatives are pushing on 2024 ballots
GOP-backed Let's Go Washington is seeking to put the carbon capture law, police pursuits, a capital gains tax repeal and more up for vote in November. Joseph O'Sullivan reports. (Crosscut)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/22/23; Winter solstice, WA water pollution, TM pipe safety, wildfire smoke, old-growth forests, gas car phase out, Cascade R, toxins in orcas, salmon funds, oil companies sued.

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 253 AM PST Fri Dec 22 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY W wind 15 to 25 kt becoming 20 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 9 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then a slight chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 1 ft after midnight. W swell 11 ft at 12 seconds. Rain likely in the evening then a chance of rain after midnight.
SAT S wind to 10 kt becoming SE 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 11 ft at 14 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon.
SAT NIGHT E wind 10 to 20 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 9 ft at 14 seconds.
SUN E wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 9 ft at 14 seconds.

Thursday, December 21, 2023

12/21 American avocet, fog advisory, toxins in orcas, tribal control, killing deer, TM pipe safety, Skagit spill, winter solstice

American Avocet [Ian Davies/eBird]

American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
Distinctive large shorebird with a long, thin, upturned bill. Look for bold black-and-white wings and long blue-gray legs. Breeding adults have buffy-orange wash on head and neck; grayish in winter. Females have more sharply upturned bills than males. Widespread and fairly common in North America, although rare or absent from much of the eastern U.S. Usually seen in flocks, sometimes numbering into the hundreds, foraging in shallow wetlands or estuaries. Feeds by swinging its head back-and-forth through the water to catch small invertebrates. (eBird)

Dense Fog Advisory issued for Puget Sound region
Heavy fog will reduce visibility for areas around Puget Sound through Thursday morning. The National Weather Service issued a Dense Fog Advisory that will expire at noon on Thursday. Visibility could be reduced to one-fourth of a mile or less. The advisory impacts lowland areas near Puget Sound, the Straight of Juan De Fuca, Hood Canal, as well as southwest Washington. (KING)

Toxic chemicals found in oil spills and wildfire smoke detected in killer whales
Toxic chemicals produced from oil emissions and wildfire smoke have been found in muscle and liver samples from Southern Resident killer whales and Bigg's killer whales. A study published in Scientific Reports is the first to find polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in orcas off the coast of British Columbia, as well as in utero transfer of the chemicals from mother to fetus. (UBC/Phys.com)

In a major shift, Northwest tribes — not US officials — will control salmon recovery funds
Largely overlooked in the debate was one seemingly technical provision that is far less open to interpretation and of great importance to the tribes. Not only does the deal offer $1 billion in new funding for Columbia River salmon restoration, but for the first time it also grants states and tribes control — not the Bonneville Power Administration, which sells hydropower from Northwest dams — over how that money gets spent. Tony Schick reports. (OPB)

About 20% of deer killed on Sidney Island were native black-taileds
It was the first phase of a $5.9-million plan to eradicate invasive fallow deer from Sidney and to restore the Douglas-fir forest ecosystem. Parks Canada has previously said the cull of fallow deer would likely also kill black-tailed deer, and that the native species would probably re-establish itself by swimming from other islands. If not, they would be re-introduced. The federal agency has said that during the second phase, temporary fencing will create enclosed zones of 40 to 120 hectares across Sidney Island and professional ground-based marksmen will kill the remaining deer. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

Regulator denied Trans Mountain variance request due to pipeline safety concerns
The Canada Energy Regulator is citing safety concerns with the quality of materials Trans Mountain has procured to construct the variance, adding it doesn't believe the company has demonstrated it can guarantee an appropriate level of safety and pipeline integrity if it goes ahead with the change.
Amanda Stephenson reports. (Canadian Press)

Contaminated soil removed from area of gasoline spill
About 275 cubic yards of contaminated soil were removed Tuesday from the site of the Olympic Pipeline gasoline leak near Conway as the latest part of the cleanup efforts. The soil will be transported to a hazardous waste facility in Arlington, Oregon, which will treat and dispose of the soil. More contaminated soil will likely be removed Thursday, state Department of Ecology spokesperson Scarlet Tang said. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

For the solstice, embrace Earth with Seattle art shows
Exhibits from La Conner to Tacoma emphasize the environment — whether grounded in our home planet or extra-terrestrial. Brangien Davis reports. (Crosscut)

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Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 258 AM PST Thu Dec 21 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT
TODAY SE wind to 10 kt becoming E in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 11 seconds. Rain likely in the morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SE wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds building to 7 ft at 13 seconds after midnight. Rain.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

12/20 Anna's hummer, Sumas Lake, old-growth forests, gas vehicle phase-out, deer kill, salmon hatcheries, Cascade R, conserving forests, deep-snow caribou, bird divorce, Whale Trail

Anna's hummingbird- immature male
[Cynthia St. Clair]

Anna's hummingbird Calypte anna
Anna’s Hummingbirds are a blur of motion as they hover before flowers looking for nectar and insects. Listen for the male's scratchy metallic song and look for him perched above head level in trees and shrubs. The Cornell Lab reports that only females care for the young. Each female chooses her own nest site and, using plant down and spider webs, constructs her nest. She lays two eaggs, each about half an inch long, and incubates them for 16 days, followed by a nesting period of 20 days. She has two to three broods each year. (Contributed by Cynthia St. Clair.)

Sumas Lake: a once (and future?) feature of the border
The catastrophic floods of November 2021 on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border brought to mind an Ice Age souvenir that many Whatcom residents didn't know existed.Once six times larger than Lake Whatcom, the area long covered by Sumas Lake is now largely farmland. Lane Morgan reports. (Salish Current)

Debate intensifies over conservation of PNW’s old-growth forests
The fight over the future of the last old and mature forests in America intensified Tuesday when the Biden administration called for preservation of old-growth trees. The administration, after creating an inventory of the nation’s old growth, wants to amend 128 forest land-management plans to conserve and steward 25 million acres of old-growth forests and 68 million acres of mature forest across the national forest system. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Canada lays out plan to phase out sales of gas-powered cars, trucks by 2035
New regulations being published this week by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will effectively end sales of new passenger vehicles powered only by gasoline or diesel in 2035. Automakers will have the next 12 years to phase out combustion engine cars, trucks and SUVs with a requirement to gradually increase the proportion of electric models they offer for sale each year. Mia Rabson reports. (Canadian Press)

Parks Canada says 84 deer killed in $834,000 cull
Parks Canada said Tuesday in a statement that the first phase took place from Dec. 1-11. Three certified marksmen killed the 84 deer through a mix of nighttime ground-based hunting and daytime aerial work that involved one marksman operating out of a single helicopter over five days. Cindy E. Harnett reports. (Times Colonist)

Analysis of Northwest, other salmon hatcheries finds nearly all hurt wild salmon populations
More than 200 studies across 40 years revealed large-scale salmon hatchery programs weaken wild salmon diversity and lead to wild population declines. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Washington State Standard)

State finalizes new protections for Cascade River
The state Department of Ecology announced Monday that it will officially add protections to three rivers and one lake, classifying them as Outstanding Resource Waters. The four bodies of water include the upper watershed of the Cascade River in Skagit County, as well as the upper watershed of the Green River in Skamania County, the Napeequa River in Chelan County and Soap Lake in Grant County. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

State sets aside 2,000 acres of forestland
More than 1,000 acres of state Department of Natural Resources land in Clallam and Jefferson counties have been moved into conservation status, including part of the controversial Power Plant sale near Port Angeles. Jefferson County has the most land being moved into conservation, with about 950 acres preserved in two sites. The largest is the 670 acres around Dabob Bay announced last month, and another 280 acres near Mount Walker also will be set aside. Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Inside the fight to save one of North America’s last deep-snow caribou herds
The ’boo shack, as locals in southeast British Columbia call it, is the centre of operations for what could become a multimillion-dollar effort to rescue a caribou herd on the verge of local extinction. But low numbers and a dwindling habitat — ramped up by clearcut logging — means the herd’s survival is far from guaranteed. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

These Birds Are Never, Ever, Ever Getting Back Together
Personalities play a role in whether seabirds “divorce”—but sometimes climate change does, too. Rebecca Heisman reports. (Hakai Magazine)

The Whale Trail's annual winter gathering
Hear updates about southern resident orcas from researcher Brad Hanson, Ph.D. Learn about current approaches to assess the health of the population, and what the data is showing. Featured speakers also include Washington State Orca Recovery Coordinator Tara Galuska, and researchers Mark and Maya Sears. Dec. 21, 7 p.m.,C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW, Seattle; $5 suggested donation. Advance tickets: brownpapertickets.com

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 238 AM PST Wed Dec 20 2023
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming E to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 13 seconds. Rain likely in the morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT Light wind becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 ft or less after midnight. W swell 6 ft at 12 seconds. Rain likely in the evening then a chance of rain after midnight.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

12/19 Steller's jay, Trans Mountain, wildfire smoke rules, state forestland, gas spill, WSF's Patty Rubstello

Steller's Jay [Cynthia St. Clair]

Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri
Steller’s Jays were discovered on an Alaskan island in 1741 by Georg Steller, a naturalist on a Russian explorer’s ship. When a scientist officially described the species in 1788, it was named after him. An excellent mimic with a large repertoire, the Stellar’s Jay can imitate birds, squirrel, cats, dogs, chickens, and some mechanical objects. (Contributed by Cynthia St. Clair)

Trans Mountain warns regulator of potential ‘catastrophic’ two-year pipeline delay
The company building the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is warning the project’s completion could be delayed by two years if the Canada Energy Regulator does not allow a previously rejected request for a pipeline variance. Trans Mountain Corporation said such a delay would be “catastrophic” for the pipeline project, which is currently more than 97% complete. It said a delay of that length would result in billions of dollars of losses for the company, which is a Crown corporation. Amanda Stephenson reports. (Canadian Press)

WA’s new wildfire smoke exposure rules for workers start Jan. 15
The Washington Department of Labor & Industries announced it will enforce new permanent wildfire smoke protections for outdoor workers starting Jan. 15, after two years of operating under emergency measures. Washington joins Oregon and California as one of the few states to regulate outdoor workers’ exposure to wildfire smoke. Farah Eltohamy reports. (Crosscut)

Whatcom forest parcels part of state conservation proposal
Hundreds of acres of structurally complex state forestland in Whatcom County are included in a Department of Public Lands conservation proposal that affects 2,000 acres across five western Washington counties — Clallam, Jefferson, King, Snohomish and Whatcom. The proposal seeks to add the identified land to more than 900,000 acres of conserved forestland the state Department of Natural Resources already manages in western Washington. The proposal includes about 575 acres southeast of Lake Whatcom and 75 acres just south of the Middle Fork Nooksack River. Scot Heisel reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Cleanup continues at site of gasoline spill near Conway
About 7,000 gallons of gasoline that spilled from the Olympic Pipeline near Conway have been recovered. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Head of Washington State Ferries Patty Rubstello to step down
The head of Washington State Ferries is stepping down in early 2024 after three years on the job and more than three decades at the Washington State Department of Transportation. Patty Rubstello leaves the department at a time of great uncertainty for the ferry system. Crumbling boats and thin staffing have reduced sailings and made service unpredictable. Only 75% of crossings were on time last quarter — well off the goal of 95% — and the fleet regularly bottomed out at just 13 of 21 boats in use, depriving four routes of a ferry they’re expected to have. David Kroman reports. (Seattle Times)

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Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 235 AM PST Tue Dec 19 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY SE wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 4 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT E wind to 10 kt becoming SE 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. Rain in the evening then rain likely after midnight.

Monday, December 18, 2023

12/18 Summer tanager, Bellingham fire, impaired waters, ethnohistoric data

Editor's Note: Salish Sea News and Weather is free to read and will remain so as a community service. I also work on Salish Current, a non-profit digital newsroom serving readers in Whatcom, Skagit and San juan counties, which is also free to read as a community service. I invite you to take a look at the Current and to subscribe. If you think the original stories, the essays and the curated news clippings are worth supporting, please make a donation so we can grow the Current. It takes a community effort to pay our freelance reporters to report fact-checked, local news all the community can read. Please be part of that community. Thank you, Mike Sato.

Summer tanager [Ann Nightingale/CBC]

Birders atwitter as rare summer tanager makes flashy first-ever appearance near Victoria, B.C.
The appearance of the summer tanager, which is about the size of a robin and has tip-to-tail fiery plumage, has bird enthusiasts near and far all atwitter. The bird has never been seen in the Victoria area before, and has only been spotted once previously on Vancouver Island, according to birder Ann Nightingale. The rare bird's appearance in North Saanich is the first time a summer tanager has ever been seen in the area. Summer tanagers normally breed across much of the eastern and southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, spending their winters in the Caribbean, Central America, and parts of South America. How this one made its way to B.C. is a mystery. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

One person unaccounted for after overnight fire destroys historic building
One person remains unaccounted for after an overnight fire ravaged the historic Fairhaven Terminal Building in Bellingham’s southside Fairhaven Village. No injuries or other missing persons have been reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The fire was first reported just before midnight on Saturday, December 16 and was contained by 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 17. The fire caused extensive damage to the historic Harris Avenue structure, destroying the Harris Avenue Café, the former Tony’s Coffee now called Old Independent Coffeehouse, and numerous second floor office spaces. (City of Bellingham) See also: Business owner missing following fire that destroyed historic Fairhaven building Nathaniel V. Breaux, 39, has been reported as missing to Bellingham Police. Breaux is the owner of Harris Avenue Cafe. Jack Belcher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Washington lags behind in water-pollution oversight
The GAO report found that the Washington State Department of Ecology, the agency responsible for submitting the lists, has been missing deadlines for a decade. (The EPA has been tardy, too: The agency is supposed to approve or deny impaired waters lists within 30 days of submission, but in 2018, it took nine months to complete its initial review of Washington’s work.) According to the EPA, Washington is one of only three states — the others are New York and North Dakota — that hadn’t submitted its 2020 and 2022 impaired waters lists as of August 2023. Kylie Mohr reports. (High Country News)

Using Ethnohistoric Data to Correct Historical Ecological Baselines: Urbanization and the Collapse of Forage Fish in Vancouver
Indigenous people and government bodies are often at odds when it comes to acceptable levels of impacts to local ecology that are based on two very different historical and cultural perspectives...The historical ecology of forage fish in the Vancouver region is an excellent example of this, and of how Indigenous knowledge can be used to correct currently accepted, but misleading, baselines and objectives for conservation management. (Salish Sea Institute)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 216 AM PST Mon Dec 18 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY SE wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 11 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SE wind 15 to 25 kt becoming 15 to 20 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 4 ft at 11 seconds. Rain.

Friday, December 15, 2023

12/15 Bluegill, Columbia deal, flooded salmon, less gas spilled, GasLink flooding, quake fault, wool dog, mushroom foraging, summer tanager, Whale Trail gathering

Bluegill

Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Bluegill is one of several "panfish" species in Washington which is very popular across the state because they are easy to catch, they are a great "family fishing activity" and they make excellent table fare. Often mistaken for pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill are distinguishable by a darkened blue spot on the posterior edge of the gill plate. Average 4-8 inches. Bluegill can grow to 6-11 inches in quality populations.

NW states, tribes reach ‘historic’ deal with feds over Columbia River Basin fish and dams
A decades-long battle over dams in the Columbia River Basin had a breakthrough Thursday, as the Biden administration announced a deal with four tribes in the region and the states of Oregon and Washington that is meant to restore salmon and other fish runs while also looking at the possibility of eventually breaching four of the dams. The settlement agreement calls for a 10-year pause in legal fighting that dates back to the 1990s. It also includes a promise – but not a guarantee – of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds and other money for wild fish restoration in the Columbia River Basin over the next decade, along with support for clean energy production by the tribes. Lynne Terry and Bill Lucia report. (Washington State Standard)

Salmon, rivers hit hard by recent Washington floods
The atmospheric river that hit the Pacific Northwest in early December took a heavy toll on salmon, biologists working with Puget Sound tribes say. Major floods have hit salmon-bearing rivers hard two out of the past three autumns, at a time when freshly laid Chinook salmon eggs are incubating in their underwater nests. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Responders lower estimate of gasoline spilled near Conway
The new estimate is about 20,000 gallons spilled, down from about 25,000. Another 5,000 gallons were found in a concrete vault connected to the pipeline and were not spilled. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

B.C. officials said Coastal GasLink pipeline plans could withstand ‘extreme weather conditions.’ Then the heat came
An internal briefing note reveals BC Energy Regulator inspectors did not find any problems with Coastal GasLink’s emergency plans a few months before soaring temperatures led to flooded pipeline sites, slope failures and damage to sensitive creeks and wetlands. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Scientists find new fault line running under the Greater Victoria area
Called XELF, the fault produced a large earthquake between 2,300 and 4,700 years ago. Scientists aren't sure when the next one will be. Chris Knight reports. (Times Colonist)

The Story of the Indigenous Wool Dog Told Through Oral Histories and DNA
A biologist, an anthropologist, Indigenous weavers, and an epic collaboration to unveil the life of an ancient dog breed found only in the Pacific Northwest. Devon Bidal reports. (Hakai Magazine)
The Dogs That Grew Wool and the People Who Love Them Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest bred little, fluffy white dogs that provided for them, both materially and spiritually. Virginia Morell reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Mushrooms are abundant in Puget Sound. Here's how to forage them ethically
Puget Sound mushroom clubs are proud to be some of the biggest in the country. But picking mushrooms isn't a no-impact activity for our local woodlands -- so how can you ethically forage like the pros? Libby Denkmann and Alex Cowan report. (KUOW)

Bird enthusiasts look for rare red bird in Christmas count
Bird counters taking part in Saturday’s Victoria Christmas Bird Count will be on the lookout for a feathered celebrity — a summer tanager — that recently showed up unexpectedly at a feeder in North Saanich. The medium-sized bird with all-red plumage — the only completely red bird in North America — is a long way from its typical winter range in warmer climes in Central and South America. Its presence here, at this time of the year especially, is so unusual that bird enthusiasts have travelled from as far away as Montreal for a sighting. Pedro Arrais reports. (Times Colonist)

The Whale Trail annual winter gathering
Hear updates about southern resident orcas from researcher Brad Hanson, Ph.D. Learn about current approaches to assess the health of the population, and what the data is showing. Featured speakers also include Washington State Orca Recovery Coordinator Tara Galuska, and researchers Mark and Maya Sears. Dec. 21, 7 p.m.,C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW, Seattle; $5 suggested donation. Advance tickets.

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/15/23: Bill of Rights Friday, WDFW, king tides, pipeline leak, kids climate suit, Neah Bay dredging, PFAS, climate talks, Arctic warming, carbon purchase, 'cap-and-trade' future

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 243 AM PST Fri Dec 15 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY SE wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 6 ft at 12 seconds. Rain likely in the morning.
TONIGHT SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds. A slight chance of rain.
SAT SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of rain.
SAT NIGHT E wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds.
SUN E wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 3 ft at 11 seconds.

Thursday, December 14, 2023

12/14 Bull trout, carbon auction, 'cap-and-trade' future, dock float pollution

Bull trout [Caleb Zurstadt]

Bull trout Salvelinus confluentus
The Bull trout is native to Canada and the United States. The geographic range of the bull trout is confined to northwestern North America from Alaska to northern California. These fish inhabit Artic waters, Pacific waters and are usually found in mountain or coastal streams. Bull trout have specific habitat requirements that are called the Four Cs; cold, clean, complex, and connected habitats. They are most common in high mountainous areas where snowfields and glaciers are present. They mainly occur in deep pools of large, cold, rivers and lakes. The bull trout is listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act throughout its range in the contiguous United States.

Washington raises $2B in first year of carbon pollution auctions
Washington raised another $373.6 million in its final carbon auction of 2023, bringing the total to slightly more than $2 billion in the first year of the state cap-and-invest program, the Ecology Department announced Wednesday. Carbon-emitting corporations bid every three months on state allowances for the pollution emitted by their facilities. The winning bidders all pay the same price on those allowances after the auction. The “settlement” prices in the first few Washington auctions were $48.50 for roughly one metric ton of carbon for the first quarter of 2023; $56.01 for the second quarter; $63.03 for the third; and $51.89 for the December auction. John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

The future of ‘cap-and-trade’ carbon markets could hinge on Washington state
Some lawmakers across the country think the future of climate policy looks like this: A growing network of states forming a carbon market, forcing polluters to pay by the ton for the greenhouse gases they emit and reinvesting the revenues into clean energy and electrification projects. But less than a year into cap-and-trade, Washington state is facing backlash over the program’s perceived contribution to high gas prices. A voter initiative that’s likely to be on the ballot next year, stoked by anger over prices at the pump, threatens to repeal it altogether. Alex Brown reports. (Washington State Standard)

New protections to reduce plastic and foam pollution from dock floats
Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, Washington waters will harbor less pollution from the plastic foam used to support floating docks and walkways. New requirements mean that the expanded polystyrene used to float most overwater structures must be fully encased in concrete, aluminum, steel, or plastic to prevent it from breaking up and dispersing when the material becomes waterlogged or damaged. (Washington Dept. of Ecology)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 240 AM PST Thu Dec 14 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
TODAY SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 12 seconds. Rain likely in the morning. TONIGHT E wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 6 ft at 12 seconds. Rain likely after midnight.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

12/13 Whitefish, new salmon habitat, fossil fuel transition, Arctic melt, Skagit gas spill, Tesla service, free-range cats

Mountain whitefish

Mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni
The mountain whitefish is one of the most widely distributed salmonid fish of western North America. This species occurs throughout the western half of North America, as far north as the Mackenzie River (Canada) and the drainages of the Hudson Bay, in the Columbia River, upper Missouri River, upper Colorado River. Mountain whitefish are non-anadromous fish and spend the majority of their lives in freshwater ecosystems. Relatively little is known about the migration patterns of whitefish, but it is believed that they do migrate for spawning and because of temperature fluctuations. (Wikipedia)

New salmon habitat created by melting glaciers could be threatened by mining claims, study finds
Thousands of salmon on the West Coast of North America are finding their way into new streams left behind as glaciers retreat. But a new study suggests mining companies are too keen on the newly exposed mineral deposits beneath the shrinking glaciers — and few policies are in place to protect the emerging habitats. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

Climate talks end on a first-ever call for the world to move away from fossil fuels
In the final weeks of the hottest year in recorded history, the international body responsible for limiting global warming and its disastrous effects called on countries to transition away from the chief cause of climate change – fossil fuels – for the first time...Amidst the congratulations and speeches, some countries expressed their outrage at not being allowed to comment on a final text they felt did not go far enough to address the threats from global warming, especially to developing nations. Nathan Rott, Rebecca Hersher, Jeff Brady reports. (NPR)

Arctic "report card" points to rapid and dramatic impacts of climate change
This past summer in the Arctic was the warmest since 1900, contributing to disasters across the wider region, including flooding in Juneau, Alaska and a record wildfire season in Canada. Those are some key takeaways from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's annual Arctic Report Card, released Tuesday. The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average as a result of human-caused climate change, driven primarily by burning fossil fuels. Barbara Moran reports. (WBUR/KNKX)

With pipeline growth booming, the US agency in charge of safety struggles to keep up
The pipeline industry added thousands of miles of natural gas, crude oil and carbon dioxide pipelines to the national network in recent years. But the federal regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that vast system’s safety failed to grow at the same pace. Pipeline miles expand every year, and are expected to see even faster growth in the near future thanks to major federal laws. Jacob Fischler reports. (Washington State Standard)

Gasoline spill cleanup continues, Highway 534 partially reopens
Cleanup continues for the about 25,000 gallons of gasoline spilled near Conway this weekend. The failure of a small piece of tubing connected to the Olympic Pipeline caused gasoline to leak into Hill Ditch and Bulson Creek, and sending it at least 2.25 miles downstream. The affected stretches of pipeline are still shut down. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tesla to build biggest North America service centre in Vancouver
Tesla's plan is for a 120,000-sq.-ft. flagship centre for vehicle servicing, new vehicle preparation, delivery operations, and a showroom. Derrick Penner reports. (Vancouver Sun) Tesla recalls 2 million cars with ‘insufficient’ Autopilot safety controls The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tesla will send out a software update to fix the problems. Leo Sands, Aaron Gregg and Faiz Siddiqui report. (Washington Post)

The murderous creature you live with is a murderous creature, study confirms
Scientists reviewed more than 100 years' worth of scientific studies to gain a better understanding of which animals free-ranging cats will prey upon or scavenge. The resulting paper, published in Nature Communications, found that free-ranging cats (including domestic and feral) will eat 2,084 different species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Manuela López Restrepo reports. (NPR)

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Donate to the Salish Current during November and December and DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 244 AM PST Wed Dec 13 2023
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 2 ft at 10 seconds building to W 5 ft at 12 seconds in the afternoon. A chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT NW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 12 seconds. Rain.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

12/12 Kokanee, PFAS in WA, pipeline leak, kids climate suit, oil over climate, Neah Bay dredging

Kokanee [Wikipedia]

Kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka
The kokanee salmon, also known as the kokanee trout, little redfish, silver trout, kikanning, Kennerly's salmon, Kennerly's trout, or Walla, is the non-anadromous form of the sockeye salmon (meaning that they do not migrate to the sea, instead living out their entire lives in freshwater). There is some debate as to whether the kokanee and its sea-going relative are separate species; geographic isolation, failure to interbreed, and genetic distinction point toward a recent divergence in the history of the two groups. The divergence most likely occurred around 15,000 years ago when a large ice melt created a series of freshwater lakes and rivers across the northern part of North America. Kokanee is a word from the Okanagan language referring to land-locked lake populations of sockeye salmon. (Wikipedia)

Military testing reveals hundreds of drinking water wells contaminated with PFAS in WA
Hundreds of drinking water wells near military bases or other facilities in Washington have been contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, according to a Seattle Times analysis of the past two years of test results published by the military. So far, the military has confirmed the release of these “forever chemicals,” named for their pervasiveness in the environment, at 10 military installments in the state, many of them near the Salish Sea. Manuel Villa and Isabella Breda report. (Seattle Times)

Olympic Pipeline leak released 25,000 gallons of gasoline
A small tube between the main portion of the Olympic Pipeline and a pressure-check valve failed Sunday in the Skagit Valley, spilling gasoline into nearby creeks not far from Mount Vernon. About 30,660 gallons were released when a tube — 3/8 of an inch in diameter — failed. About 5,000 gallons remained in a vault while the rest spilled out, according to a news release from agencies involved in the cleanup response. No gasoline or sheen has been spotted in the Skagit River, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Lauren Gorges reports. (Seattle Times)

8 California children are suing the EPA over climate change
Eighteen California children are suing the Environmental Protection Agency, claiming it violated their constitutional rights by failing to protect them from the effects of climate change. This is the latest in a series of climate-related cases filed on behalf of children. Jeff Brady reports. (NPR)

Making oil is more profitable than saving the planet. These numbers tell the story
Oil companies have long been under pressure to invest more money into renewable energy to help fight climate change. Here's one simple reason why that's not happening: Right now, oil makes a lot more money. Energy companies spend a lot of money every year. Picture a giant Scrooge McDuck-style mountain of cash, to the tune of $800 billion. According to the International Energy Agency, the oil industry would need to spend 50% of that on clean energy by 2030 to be on track to meet global climate targets. But right now, oil companies are spending just 2.5% of their capital, collectively, on green power. Camila Domonoske reports. (NPR)

Dredging Neah Bay Entrance Channel will improve Strait of Juan de Fuca, Salish Sea oil spill response
Some of the most significant oil spills in Washington State's history happened in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Salish Sea. An Emergency Response Towing Vessel (ERTV) stands ready 24/7 on the northwestern Olympic Peninsula point in the Port of Neah Bay to quickly respond. However, challenging tides affect its readiness and the ability of this deep-draft vessel to navigate the channel. That’s about to change with a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to make navigation improvements by deepening the harbor entrance channel. A hydraulic pipeline dredge will deepen the 4,500-foot entrance channel to -21 feet from its current depth, allowing unrestricted access for ocean-going tugs, barges, and larger ships transiting Neah Bay during low tide. (US Army Corps of Engineers)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 242 AM PST Tue Dec 12 2023
TODAY E wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 3 ft at 10 seconds. Patchy fog in the morning. TONIGHT SE wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 2 ft at 9 seconds.