6/5 Rocket, EPA rules rollback, Puget Sound butterfly, polluted river, flying old boats, Elk Lake algae, WA gas car ban, public lands sale, Crater Lake, democracy watch

Rocket/Arugula

 

Rocket/Arugula
Eruca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, which includes the leaf vegetable known as arugula or rocket. The number of species is disputed, with some authorities only accepting a single species, while others accept up to five species. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Nonprofits, municipalities regroup after AmeriCorps setbacks / America will miss AmeriCorps

Pollution rules targeted by EPA are projected to save billions of dollars and thousands of lives
When the head of the Environmental Protection Agency announced a wide-ranging rollback of environmental regulations, he said it would put a “dagger through the heart of climate-change religion” and introduce a “Golden Age” for the American economy. What Lee Zeldin didn’t mention: how ending the rules could have devastating consequences to human health. Seth Borenstein, M.K. Wildeman, Melina Walling, Joshua A. Bickel, and Matthew Daly report. (Associated Press)

On a wing and a prairie: Puget Sound butterfly avoids extinction with human help
Western Washington is known for its towering evergreen trees, but it is also home to shortgrass prairies, a favored habitat for butterflies. As butterfly populations nationwide decline rapidly, these rare checkerspots appear to be making a comeback in some grassy corners of the Puget Sound region. And 20 years of intensive human effort has likely helped them rebound. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

One of the most polluted waterways in the US is in WA. Here’s where
The Surfrider Foundation tested more than 600 sites across the nation, with 80% of samples yielding “at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards,” according to the report. One urban waterway in Tacoma landed on Surfrider’s list of 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots: Thea Foss. It had a 64% rate of unhealthy levels of bacteria detected. Hannah Poukish and Genevieve Belmaker report. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Helicopters are flying old boats over Budd Inlet this week. Here’s why
The Department of Natural Resources is conducting operations this week to collect derelict, abandoned boats from regional waterways and remove them to a holding area in Olympia. Genevieve Belmaker reports. (Olympian)

Toxic algae bloom at Elk Lake worse despite oxygenation
The situation has yet to improve nearly two years after the installation of an oxygenation system that was supposed to make the popular swimming spot safe. Hannah Link reports. (Times Colonist)

Did Congress just revoke WA’s gas car ban?
As goes California, so goes Washington. At least in the realm of vehicle-emissions standards. That’s why Congress’ move to revoke a waiver for California under the federal Clean Air Act last month also jerked back Washington’s ability to mandate the sale of electric and hybrid cars by next decade. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

Long-thwarted efforts to sell public lands see new life under Trump
Public outcry was swift and forceful after a U.S. House committee last month hastily approved an amendment directing the federal government to sell off more than half a million acres of public land. A few days later, lawmakers advanced the larger bill — a sweeping list of President Donald Trump’s priorities — but stripped the federal lands provision. Yet leaders on both sides of the issue say the battle over selling off federal lands is likely just heating up. Alex Brown, Clark Corbin and Kyle Dunphey report. (Stateline)

As support for national parks craters, Crater Lake’s former leader says he had to walk away
Last week, the supervisor for Crater Lake National Park resigned, just five months after taking the job. Kevin Heatley said he could no longer be party to the dismantling of the federal government, and he expressed concern for the mental health of workers who are working long hours to keep the park operating. Courtney Sherwood reports. (OPB)

Democracy Watch

• Trump moves to block US entry for Harvard-bound foreigners (AP)
  
• Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries set to go into effect Monday (AP)
  
• Trump escalates attack on Columbia by threatening its accreditation (NY Times)
  
• Trump’s birthright citizenship order lands in Seattle appeals court (Washington State Standard)
  

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Thu Jun 5 2025    
TODAY  NW wind around 5 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt this  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 10 seconds.

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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 msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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