11/20 Horse clam, 'blanket rule' rollback, data center energy, BC timber harvest, cargo ship sinking, Erik Kingfisher, DNR climate accounting, democracy watch

Horse clam [WDFW]

   
Horse clam Tresus capax
The Horse clam, or Fat gaper, has a wide hole where the siphon (neck) extends from the shells. Horse clams are not able to fully retract their siphon into their shells. The tip of the siphon has leather-like plates, often with algae or barnacles attached to them. It typically hosts 1 or 2 pea crabs and emits a stream of water when exposed and disturbed at low tide. It is found from Cook Inlet, AK south to Oceano, CA. (WDFW

Today's top story in Salish Current: Communities feel pressure as food banks face challenges

Trump administration seeks to roll back protections for imperiled species and habitat 
President Donald Trump’s administration moved Wednesday to roll back protections for imperiled species and the places they live, proposing elimination of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “blanket rule” that automatically protects animals and plants when they are classified as threatened. Government agencies instead would have to craft species-specific rules for protections, a potentially lengthy process. Matthew Brown and Susan Montoya Bryan report. (Associated Press) 

Ending tanker ban risks billions, B.C. minister says, as pipeline talks heat up
British Columbia's jobs minister says ending a tanker ban to service a pipeline from Alberta to B.C.'s northern coast would put billions of dollars' worth of other projects at risk by defying the wishes of First Nations, and that the tanker ban on the northern B.C. coast can't change without provincial and First Nations consent. Wolfgang Depner and David Baxter report. (Canadian Press) 

Wash. Data Center Workgroup won’t recommend clean energy requirement
The Washington Data Center Workgroup convened by Gov. Bob Ferguson will release a report on Dec.1 adopting policy commendations for data industries in the state which will not, according to workgroup member Zachariah Baker, regional and state policy director for the NW Energy Coalition, require data centers to use clean energy when they’re built, or soon after. K.C. Mehaffey reports. (Columbia Insight) 

Leaked report claims B.C. timber harvest is vastly overestimated
An undisclosed report obtained by BIV estimates the province is likely approving twice as much logging than can be sustainably harvested. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist) 

Seattle-bound barge loaded with containers and vehicles sinking off B.C. coast
A barge carrying numerous cargo containers is sinking in the waters off British Columbia's central coast, and the local First Nation says there is concern about possible pollution because it's unclear what's on board. Chuck Chiang reports. (Canadian Press) 

Land trust director gets environmental award
Erik Kingfisher, Jefferson Land Trust’s Director of Stewardship and Resilience, received the 2025 Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership award at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center’s annual stewardship breakfast. Elijah Sussman reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

DNR appeals ruling that it must account for climate change in individual timber sales
TThe Washington Department of Natural Resources argued its appeal by challenging a 2024 King County court decision that the agency must evaluate climate impacts for each timber sale under the State Environmental Policy Act.  The appeal calls into question the priorities of newly appointed Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove. Eliza Aronson reports. (Everett Herald) 

Democracy Watch

• Migrants thought they were in court for a routine hearing. Instead, it was a deportation trap (AP) 
• After Shutdown, Labor Department Says Some Data is Gone for Good (NY Times) 

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Here's your tug weather— 
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  218 PM PST Wed Nov 19 2025    SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT    
THU  SE wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft, building to 7 to 10 ft in the  afternoon. Wave Detail: W 10 ft at 16 seconds. A chance of rain.  
THU NIGHT  SE wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 7 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: W 10 ft at 15 seconds.  Rain.

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