2/21 Narcissus, Rayonier cleanup, 'cetacean desk,' 'good neighbor rule,' BC mining, ferruginous hawk

 

Narcissus 'February Gold'

Narcissus 'February Gold' Cyclamineus daffodil
Narcissus is a genus of about 50 species of bulbous perennials from Europe and North Africa. They are a mainstay of the spring garden. Flowers bloom in early spring. Narrow, linear to strap-shaped, green leaves appear in erect to sprawling clumps. Genus name honors a beautiful youth who became so entranced with his own reflection that he pined away and the gods turned him into this flower.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Canada approved a major port expansion in endangered orca habitat — now it’s going to court

Cleanup at Rayonier site still years away
The years’ long cleanup process at the old Rayonier mill site on the Port Angeles waterfront is moving forward but is likely at least another eight years from being completed. State Department of Ecology representatives told the Port Angeles Business Association on Tuesday that an interim action plan for the site has recently been revised.  Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

To keep whales safe, Coast Guard launches boat alert system in Seattle
The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a pilot program to alert ships of whale sightings in Washington state’s Salish Sea. The goal of the agency’s “ cetacean desk ” is to keep the marine mammals safe from boat strikes and reduce noise in the highly transited inland seawaters. The program, which began official operations in December, comes at a time when visits by humpback whales and sea mammal-hunting orcas increase as their populations rebound. Manuel Valdez reports. (Associated Press)

Supreme Court will hear challenge to EPA's 'good neighbor' rule that limits pollution
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday in an important environmental case that centers on the obligation to be a "good neighbor." At the heart of the dispute is the part of the Clean Air Act known as the "good neighbor" provision. It's designed to help protect people from severe health problems they face because of pollution that floats downwind from neighboring states. Carrie Johnson reports. (NPR)

British Columbia’s multimillion-dollar mining problem
The true cost of cleaning up mine pollution in B.C. is growing, an investigation by The Globe and Mail and The Narwhal has found. If disaster strikes, taxpayers could be stuck with covering the costs. Francesca Fionda, Jeffrey Jones and Chen Wang report. (The Narwhal)

How an endangered hawk could topple plans for WA’s largest wind farm
What began as the largest wind project ever proposed in Washington — the Horse Heaven Hills wind farm — will likely soon be cut to a fraction of the original vision. Why? Because more than 100 of the turbines, which could stand taller than the Space Needle, might pose a danger to a little-known and endangered species in the Tri-Cities area: the ferruginous hawk. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  230 AM PST Wed Feb 21 2024    
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. E swell 5 to 7 ft at 10 seconds  subsiding to 4 to 5 ft at 10 seconds in the afternoon.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. E swell 5 ft  at 9 seconds becoming W 3 ft at 15 seconds after midnight.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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