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| Purple sea urchin [Kurt L. Onthank/Wikimedia Commons] |
Purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Purple sea urchins are easy to spot — their deep purple bodies can be
seen dotting the lower intertidal zone (to about 160 meters) from Canada
to Mexico. They like the rocky coast for its wave action, where they
can “breathe” the plentiful oxygen in the water with their tube feet,
but occasionally they make it into the calmer waters of Puget Sound, as
well. (Dept. of Ecology)
Today's top story in Salish Current: Bellingham staffer asked ChatGPT to ‘exclude’ vendor from city contract
White House completes plan to curb bedrock environmental law
The Trump administration has finalized a plan to roll back
regulations implementing a landmark environmental law that the White
House says needlessly delays federal approvals for energy and
infrastructure projects. The action Wednesday by the White House Council
on Environmental Quality rescinds regulations related to the National
Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to consider a
project’s possible environmental impacts before it is approved. Matthew
Daly reports. (Associated Press)
WA Dept. of Commerce corrects climate report data after error vastly overstates emission cuts
Washington’s Department of Commerce has corrected a major error in its
greenhouse gas emissions reporting, saying a “data entry error” vastly
inflated the climate benefits of several state-funded rebate programs.
The department originally reported that 7.5 million metric tons of
greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced. The actual amount is around
78,000. Jake Johns reports. (KING)
Alberta government launches website to host information about proposed oil pipeline
Government targets July 1 to have application ready for federal major projects office Lauren Krugel reports. (Canadian Press)
Vancouver Island First Nations criticize DFO for lack of consultation on krill fishery opening
First Nations on northern Vancouver Island are criticizing the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for a lack of consultation
prior to opening commercial krill fishing in what they say are "fragile
coast inlet waters." Hereditary Chief T̕łaḵwagila David Mungo Knox of
the Fort Rupert First Nation, also known as the Kwakiutl First Nation,
says he wants DFO to discuss fisheries management with coastal First
Nations before allowing commercial fishing. Maryse Zeidler reports. (CBC)
Wood biomass project in Wash. put on hold
The UK-based Drax Group said last month it’s pausing plans for the
facility as part of a wider slowdown in capacity expansion caused by
weak demand for its wood pellets. The Drax plant would be built in
Longview, Wash., where it would process up to 450,000 metric tons of
wood annually, turning Pacific Northwest trees into pellets for export
to overseas power plants. Nick Engelfried reports. (Columbia Insight)
‘Whata Bod’: An AI-generated NWS map invented fake towns in Idaho
Amid a big agency push to use AI models in weather prediction,
an AI-generated forecast graphic with errors was pulled from NWS sites.
Ruby Mellen reports. (Washington Post)
Democracy Watch
- Buy Greenland? Take It? Why? An Old Pact Already Gives Trump a Free Hand. (NY Times)
- Trump proposes massive increase in 2027 defense spending to $1.5T, citing ‘dangerous times (AP)
- Texas A&M, Under New Curriculum Limits, Warns Professor Not to Teach Plato (NY Times)
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West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 208 PM PST Wed Jan 7 2026
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
THU W wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 7 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: W 10 ft at 14 seconds. Showers in the morning, then rain likely in the afternoon.
THU NIGHT SW wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 8 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: W 8 ft at 14 seconds. Rain.
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