9/30 Pesticides, Erich Hoyt, fish waste, eco-bylaw, Chesapeake Bay, more vessels, BC LNG, citizen science

Little owl (Athene noctua)

Reader’s note: ‘A gathering of species of the Strigiformes order is commonly referred to as a "parliament of owls."’ (Tony Angell)

EPA Toughens Pesticide Rules To Protect Farmworkers
Stronger rules for pesticides sprayed on farms and in forests, greenhouses and nurseries can cut health risks for workers, the federal government said in rolling out new safety standards this week…. The Environmental Protection Agency announced the new rules on Monday. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy says the change are long overdue…. One major change is the setting of a federal age requirement for the first time. Workers who handle pesticides will need to be at least 18. Other states already have implemented a similar rule – in Washington, the minimum age is 18. EPA also will now require that workers get training on pesticide risks - every year. Currently workers have to be trained only every five years. Other changes include whistleblower protections, better notification around work sites and stricter enforcement of rules. The EPA expects to phase in the changes next year. Liz Jones reports. (KUOW)

Erich Hoyt returns to Puget Sound; whale sign goes up near Hansville
Chris Dunagan writes: "Erich Hoyt, who has spent most of his life studying whales, returns to Puget Sound in October for talks in Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle. I enjoyed interviewing Erich last year before he visited this region. (See Water Ways, May 3, 2014.) We talked about the ongoing capture of killer whales in Russia, where government officials refuse to learn a lesson from the Northwest about breaking up killer whale families and disrupting their social order. (Watching Our Water Ways)

What Americans do with fish is shocking
…. Of all the food that Americans waste — and Americans waste a lot of food — it's the seafood that never gets eaten that should trouble us most. Few sources of nutrition, after all, are as coveted as fish. They're high in protein, and low in fat. Eating them is associated with all sorts of beneficial health outcomes. And yet, few foods are discarded so frequently. Between 2009 and 2013, as much as 47 percent of all edible seafood in the United States went to waste, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF). Roberto A. Ferdman reports. (Washington Post)

Saanich mayor outvoted on ditching eco-bylaw
Saanich Mayor Richard Atwell has tried unsuccessfully to scrap the district’s controversial environmental bylaw with councillors solidly outvoting him. After a nearly four-hour torrent of negative comments about the Environmental Development Permit Area, Atwell said that “what I’m hearing tonight is that the burden is unbearable and overwhelming.”…. Coun. Vic Derman said scrapping the bylaw at this stage would be “beyond the pale” and Coun. Judy Brownoff said “chaos” would be the result. They said ditching the bylaw would fly in the face of an open house on the issue Saturday and a public meeting in October. “It’s a matter of a few months before we come back with our results, which is fair to everyone,” Brownoff said. The bylaw states that “alteration of land, subdivision and construction are prohibited within an environmental development permit area, according to the Local Government Act, unless an exemption applies or a development permit is issued.” It is meant to protect from development areas that the municipality calls “rare ecosystems and vital habitat.” Katherine Dedyna reports. (Times Colonist)

Tour shows journalists Chesapeake’s good, bad & plans for future
…. Many of the 14 other journalists on the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources tour had much of the same reaction as the group embarked on the IJNR’s first Chesapeake Bay Institute in more than a decade…. Tristan Baurick, who covers the environment beat for the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton, WA, said he applied to the institute because he wanted to see the parallels between the Chesapeake Bay and the Puget Sound. The sound struggles with some of the same issues as the Bay: algae blooms, sewage spills and a combined stormwater and sewage system in Seattle and King County that often overflows. And yet, Baurick said, he was surprised to learn about swim advisories after rainfalls and about riverkeepers and counties that put out fecal coliform warnings. “Nobody ever says ‘you can’t swim.’ That was amazing to me,’” Baurick said…. “We’re dealing with some of these same problems,” Baurick said of the Puget Sound and the Bay. “I don’t think either of us have the solutions to those problems.” Rona Kobell reports. (Bay Journal)

Storms for Salish Sea
Royal Dutch Shell said it will end oil exploration in offshore Alaska “for the forseeable future’’ after an exploratory well in the Chukchi Sea failed to yield the hoped for oil and gas, but that doesn’t mean the impacts of energy expansion projects will end on the Salish Sea. Our region is targeted for export projects that could dwarf the XL Pipeline. If all the new and expanding terminal and refinery projects in the Salish Sea are permitted and developed, including projects that became operational in 2014, there would be a 43 percent increase in large, commercial marine vessel traffic. Tim Johnson reports. (Cascadia Weekly)

Metlakatla signs agreement in support of Prince Rupert Gas Transmission
The Metlakatla First Nation has become the eighth aboriginal group to support TransCanada Corp.’s Prince Rupert Gas Transmission, a B.C. pipeline project that would transport natural gas to a West Coast export terminal. TransCanada’s $5-billion pipeline venture aims to supply a proposed plant that would export liquefied natural gas from Lelu Island to customers in Asia. The Metlakatla, one of five Tsimshian First Nations consulted during a provincial environmental review last year of Pacific NorthWest LNG, signed a project agreement with TransCanada. The pact details financial, employment and other benefits for the Metlakatla. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Olympia middle school launches Citizen Science Institute
About 45 Marshall students spent three days at the YMCA’s camp on Case Inlet on the Puget Sound near Longbranch last week for its Outdoor Environmental Education Program. They’re part of the newly launched Citizen Science Institute, a grade 6-8 alternative program that combines science, research and community service activities…. During the next school year, CSI students will spend about a half day each week conducting field investigations for a variety of environmental and community organizations, such as the Pacific Shellfish Institute, Garden Raised Bounty and the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. Projects include migratory bird counting, water quality testing in local streams and assisting a research project that’s measuring nitrogen levels found in mussels. Lisa Pemberton reports. (The Olympian)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 248 AM PDT WED SEP 30 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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4/27 Train safety, oil spill, KM pipe, Imidacloprid, Shell drill, Polley water, Padden Cr., Seattle CSO, orcas, grey whale, diversity data

(PHOTO: Mike Mercer/BirdNote)

If you like to listen: Seabirds Drink Salt Water
Seabirds have no problem drinking sea water. The salt they take in is absorbed and moves through their blood stream into a pair of salt glands above their eyes. The densely salty fluid is excreted from the nostrils and runs down grooves in the bill. As the drop gets larger, the bird shakes its head to send the salt back to the ocean. A seabird's skull has a pair of grooves for the salt glands right over the eyes. (BirdNote)

Oil Train Safety Legislation Passes In Washington
State lawmakers gave final approval Friday to a bill meant to increase oil train safety. The bill was taken up in response to the uptick in oil train traffic in the region. It directs oil taxes to help pay for oil-train spill response. It also imposes public disclosure requirements for railroad companies operating in Washington. The bill was introduced by Gov. Jay Inslee and three dozen of his fellow Democrats in the House, where their party holds the majority. But by the time it was unanimously approved by the Republican-controlled Senate Friday evening, the bill had undergone many changes. Funding and requirements for enhanced marine spill response, including an extra rescue tug to be stationed in the eastern part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, were stripped from the bill. Ashley Ahearn reports. (KUOW) See also: Rumble grows over oil trains Kimberly Cauvel and Shannen Kuest report. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Metro mayors give federal officials an earful over English Bay oil spill
Metro Vancouver mayors grilled the National Energy Board Friday on how it would prevent future oil spills, saying the Canadian Coast Guard’s “inadequate response” to the recent spill in English Bay put the city’s economy, tourism and quality of life at risk. Mayors maintain the latest spill highlighted the need for a better emergency response system across the region, noting it took the coast guard hours to respond after a sailor first reported seeing a sheen of oil in English Bay. North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton said the “the level of response was far from what our local governments would anticipate.” Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

NEB CEO Paul Watson heckled by Kinder Morgan pipeline protesters
Protesters heckled the National Energy Board's CEO Peter Watson, who was in town to meet with Metro Vancouver mayors about concerns over the consultation process for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Watson was heckled by protesters when he said he deeply cares about people, land and water.  Metro Vancouver does not have an official position on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson told Watson there is lack of public confidence in the NEB. (CBC)

Washington State Turns to Neurotoxins to Save Its Oysters
A pesticide from the group of chemicals linked to colony collapse disorder will now be sprayed in US waters. What could go wrong?…. Imidacloprid is the world’s most popular pesticide, and highly controversial. It belongs to a family of neurotoxins, neonicotinoids, that is increasingly being blamed for colony collapse disorder—the sharp die-off of honeybees that has plagued North America since 2006. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Audubon Society, and the Xerces Society, which advocates for invertebrates, have all opposed the chemical’s use on Willapa Bay. But their protests are now moot. On April 16, the Washington Department of Ecology approved the spraying of imidacloprid on 1,500 acres of Willapa Bay and 500 acres of nearby Grays Harbor. In about a month, crop-dusting helicopters will begin dousing both estuaries with the chemical. Bill Donahue reports. (Bloomberg)

Oil rig Polar Pioneer, heavy lift ship Blue Marlin now separate in Port Angeles Harbor
Two giant vessels that arrived in Port Angeles Harbor as one massive unit are now operating separately. The Polar Pioneer oil drilling rig was offloaded Sunday at about 7 a.m. from the heavy lift ship MV Blue Marlin, which carried the huge mobile rig from Malaysia starting in early March…. A 100-yard safety zone remains in place around both the Polar Pioneer and Blue Marlin, which are classified as being a single unit under the safety zone protection as long as they are moored near each other... The safety zone expands to 500 yards if either vessel is underway. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Water near Mount Polley gold mine still tainted, tests find
Water test results following the Mount Polley mine dam failure eight months ago have continued to show periodic elevated levels of metals. The latest results from February and March show government guidelines were exceeded for copper for aquatic life on the Quesnel River near the town of Likely, downstream from the mine. Provincial officials continue to say the water is safe to drink as long as it is filtered, though there have been some exceedances of drinking water guidelines since last fall. And computer modelling by the company’s consultants predict the metals from fine sediment in Quesnel Lake should clear up by August, say provincial officials. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Work begins soon to clean polluted runoff into Padden Creek estuary
The second of two projects to improve the health of Padden Creek estuary by collecting and cleaning polluted runoff could begin as soon as June. Its design and construction is expected to cost a little more than $1.1 million. The project still must go out to bid…. People can learn about the project at an open house Tuesday, May 5, at Fairhaven library. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Channeling Capt. Kirk: We’re on board with water plan, just one little suggestion
You want our Washington state water beamed down to thirsty California? We have just the spot to tap and it comes with glowing recommendations. Ron Judd transmits. (Seattle Times)

Seattle plans $600 million wastewater overflow project
A Seattle utility unveiled a $600 million plan on Friday to stop millions of gallons of untreated wastewater and polluted runoff from flowing into the area's creeks, lakes, the Duwamish river and the Puget Sound. The plan would involve construction of a 2.7-mile, $374-million combined sewer overflow storage system along the north side of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, just miles from an unrelated headline-grabbing $3.1 billion Seattle roadway overhaul that has been fraught with delays…. The 15-year plan aims to fulfill promises Seattle made in a 2013 consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state's Department of Ecology to reduce sewer overflows to comply with state and federal law. The Seattle City Council will consider the proposal starting next week. Canal construction could begin in 2018. (Reuters)

Tagged orca makes close approach to Cape Disappointment State Park
After spending a few days on the central Washington coast north of the mouth of Grays Harbor, the L pod of Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) spent this Thursday and Friday around the southern tip of the Long Beach Peninsula. Satellite tracking of male orca L84 shows him coming within a short distance of Benson Beach in Cape Disappointment State Park. At other times in the past two days, he was zigzagging across the entrance of the Columbia River close to the Buoy 10 line, as well as due west of North Head. At 7:06 a.m. Friday he was roughly a mile west of Long Beach. (Chinook Observer) See also: Killer whale tagging and acoustic studies provide increasing details  Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

If you like to watch: Grey whale dissected on Wickaninnish Beach near Tofino
Biologists with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada have dissected the body of a young grey whale on Thursday that washed up on Wickaninnish Beach near Tofino, B.C., earlier this week. Scientists aren't sure why it died, though there is some evidence it was struck by a boat. The 10 metre long gray whale is a yearling and was making its second migration up to Alaskan waters when it died. Researchers took tissue samples from the abdominal and chest cavity of the whale to look at other possible causes. (CBC)

Top Environmental Agencies Release Diversity Data
On April 22, 2015, which marked the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, Green 2.0 released the names of over 25 of America’s leading environmental advocacy organizations who voluntarily submitted their diversity data to GuideStar.... Denis Hayes, who was national organizer of the first Earth Day, and is now president of The Bullitt Foundation, encouraged other organizations to participate in this effort. “We are all most likely to improve the things that we measure,” he said.  “At its birth, the environmental movement was a big tent, welcoming to all who shared its basic commitment to a healthy, resilient, equitable, peaceful future,” said Hayes. “We need to return to those roots.” Hayes is among the few philanthropy leaders who have already made their information available on their GuideStar profile. People of color represent 50 percent of the staff of The Bullitt Foundation and 27 percent of its board. Andrew Lam reports. (New American Media)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON APR 27 2015
TODAY
SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING E TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SE 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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11/26 Port Susan, Burnaby Mtn, oil port, BC LNG, sunk vessels, Carlsborg sewer, breed ban, coal suit, Pebble Mine, whale meat

If you like to watch: Port Susan Marine Stewardship Area
The Snohomish Marine Resources Committee recently completed a video featuring the Port Susan Marine Stewardship Area. Videographer Faith Haney interviewed farmers, MRC staff, Stillaguamish Tribe staff and Port Susan residents who have highlighted the importance of Port Susan for both people and marine resources.

Kinder Morgan Burnaby work site arrests now include 84-year-old librarian
An 84-year-old retired librarian said she was willing to violate a court injunction and go to jail, and she was arrested Tuesday as she and other anti-pipeline protesters crossed a court-ordered no-go line in Burnaby, B.C. Barbara Grant joined activists on Burnaby Mountain, east of Vancouver, to demonstrate against Kinder Morgan's proposed plan to nearly triple its pipeline capacity to transport Alberta oil to British Columbia. (CBC)

Proposed oil terminal would be biggest in volume
By any measure, the size of the proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver [WA] is eye-catching. The oil-by-rail facility would handle an average of 360,000 barrels of crude per day, or up to four oil trains daily. The terminal would dwarf anything currently operating in Washington. In fact, at full capacity, the proposal known as Vancouver Energy would handle more oil by rail than any single facility in the United States, according to an analysis of crude-by-rail terminals by The Columbian. Eric Florip reports. (Columbian)

BC Ferries expects to save millions by converting largest vessels to LNG
BC Ferries plans to convert its two largest vessels to liquefied natural gas in an effort to save fuel costs after sinking $126 million into marine diesel fuel last year. The company announced Tuesday that it has the BC Ferries commissioner’s approval to upgrade the Swartz Bay-to-Tsawwassen route ships. (Canadian Press)

Petronas-led LNG project clears B.C. environmental hurdles
he B.C. government has granted environmental approval for two natural gas pipelines and Petronas’s proposed liquefied natural gas plant near Prince Rupert. The environmental assessment certificates come with a variety of conditions to mitigate the effect to local wildlife, forests and marine life. They do not necessarily mean the projects will be built, as the companies involved have yet to make final investment decisions on the multi-billion-dollar pipelines and facilities proposed as part of their LNG ambitions. Rob Shaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Tax dollars used to clean up floating toxic junkyards
They're left tied up to docks, pulled up on beaches and sometimes sent to the bottom of Puget Sound. When a boat becomes too expensive or too far gone to maintain, some owners simply leave them in the water. Taxpayers are picking up the bill. “At any given time we have about 150 reported to us. That number hasn't seemed to change over the years even though we've removed over 500 boats in 10 years,” said Melissa Ferris with the Washington state Department of Natural Resources. Kevin McCarty reports. (KIRO)

‘A big milestone:’ Carlsborg sewer pact approved
Clallam County and the city of Sequim have approved a long-term pact that secures wastewater treatment for the unincorporated hamlet of Carlsborg. In a joint meeting Monday night in Sequim, the Board of County Commissioners and Sequim City Council unanimously passed a 30-year interlocal agreement for the county’s use of the city’s sewer. The agreement outlines the county’s right to discharge wastewater into the city’s water reclamation facility and the city’s right to get paid for it. Rob Ollikainen reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Oregon, Washington Prison Inmates Enlisted To Help Endangered Plants & Animals
In a growing number of Northwest prisons, inmates are rearing endangered plants, butterflies, turtles and frogs for release in the wild. It started just over a decade ago at a minimum security prison near Olympia. Now inmates at four Washington prisons and three in Oregon are raising dozens of different types of plants, insects and animals to use in restoration, many of them rare or endangered. Tom Kaye directs the Institute for Applied Ecology, one of the partners in the Oregon Sustainability in Prisons Project. He said the advantages of working in prisons outweigh the security complications. Tom Banse reports. (Northwest News Network)

Paul Allen bankrolls federal lawsuit to limit coal mining
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is making a big investment in fighting climate change, by bankrolling a lawsuit that aims to limit coal mining on federal lands. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by Friends of the Earth and the Western Organization of Resource Councils against the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM), is being completely financed by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Steve Wilhelm reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Judge puts brakes on EPA’s action against Alaska’s Pebble Mine
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Environmental Protection Agency from taking action against a massive Alaska mining project that the agency says could be catastrophic for the best run of wild salmon remaining on the planet. Fishermen in Washington state and Alaska, along with tribal groups, environmentalists, chefs and even jewelers have fought the proposed Pebble Mine for years and thought it dead. But the ruling gives at least some temporary hope to the Canadian developers of the project. The ruling by Judge Russel Holland stops the EPA from taking action until he makes a decision on Pebble’s lawsuit claiming the agency broke the law to stop the mine. Sean Cockerham reports. (McClatchy)

Cetacean breeding ban for Vancouver Aquarium fails to pass at park board
It was a tense meeting [Monday] night at the Vancouver Park Board as the controversial issue of cetaceans in captivity was once again on the agenda. In July, the Vision Vancouver-dominated board voted to ban the breeding of whales and dolphins in captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium, but didn't pass the bylaw amendment before the municipal election earlier this month. The incoming NPA commissioners, who will dominate the park board in the new year, have already promised to kill the proposal to ban cetacean breeding. Nevertheless at the outgoing board's last meeting Monday night before the new board takes over next year, outgoing commissioner Sarah Blyth tried to push through a vote on the ban….. In the end Blyth's motion was defeated, but the board did pass a motion to require a review of the aquarium's policy of cetaceans in captivity next year. (CBC)

Greenpeace seeks to halt shipments of whale meat through Canada
Greenpeace activists on Tuesday delivered a petition with more than 65,000 signatures to Port Metro Vancouver urging the federal agency to refuse future shipments of endangered fin whale meat. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED NOV 26 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
 GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.
TONIGHT
S WIND 25 TO 35 KT...BECOMING SW 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 10 SECONDS.
 RAIN.
THU
SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. SW SWELL 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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2/18 "New" Elwha, 3 Crabs estuary, Mar Vista fine, Whale Trail presents, ferry work, flood maps

“Old” Glines Canyon Dam (PHOTO: John Gussman/KPLU)

If you like to watch: With Second Dam Nearly Gone, New Era Blossoming On The Elwha River
The slow-motion demolition of two hydroelectric dams on the Elwha River is radically changing the landscape near Port Angeles, but it’s not a scene you can witness on your own.  Just a handful of dedicated photographers and filmmakers have been given permission to place their cameras at key posts near the Glines Canyon Dam to capture the changes as crews of skilled technicians carefully notch into the concrete walls and place dynamite in just the right places. Bellamy Pailthorp reports.

$3.8 million project to provide face-lift for Dungeness’ 3 Crabs estuarine area
Rerouting Sequim-Dungeness Way, removing a century of shoreline armoring and expanding wetland lagoons will soon be done under a plan to restore the beach and estuary at 3 Crabs.  Led by the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, the $3.8 million project’s goal is to protect and restore “some of the most high value coastal lands on the continent,” said Jamie Michel, project manager for the North Olympic Salmon Coalition. When finished, the organizations spearheading the project hopes it will help return Meadowbrook Creek to its natural channel as well as make the beach easier for the public to reach. Joe Smillie reports.

Waterfront clearcut at former Mar Vista Resort draws $3K fine
David Honeywell has paid a $1,000 fine for clearing some 80 trees and several acres of shrubs and other vegetation from waterfront land at their Orca Dreams estate, formerly the Mar Vista resort, near False Bay on the west side of San Juan Island. The fine was imposed as part of a “Notice of Violation” issued on Feb. 6 by the San Juan County Community Development and Planning Department. The violation lists Orca Dreams of Spokane, Wash., as the property owner and Dave Honeywell as the responsible person. The notice also included Allen Benjamin Engle, who did the work on the property through his business, Solid Ground, as an additional responsible person. Engle was fined $2,000; he has reportedly told the county he will pay the fine. Steve Wehrly reports.

The Whale Trail Presents: Salmon Recovery Efforts in Puget Sound
Salmon are the key to the recovery of the endangered southern resident orcas. How are the salmon populations of Puget Sound doing, and what can we do to help? Jeanette Donner, manager of the Puget Sound Partnership's Ecosystem and Salmon Recovery Program, is the featured speaker at the February 27 Orca Talk, 7 pm, held at C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW, Seattle. $5 suggested donation, kids free; tickets at brownpapertickets.com

Out-of-state companies may get chance to bid on ferry work
Simmering frustration with the cost of building state ferries has lawmakers again considering stricter controls on contracts and relaxing a requirement to build vessels only in Washington. The state House approved a bill Monday to allow out-of-state companies to compete if bids from in-state shipbuilders are substantially higher than estimated constructions costs. House Bill 2759 also would require contracts issued in the future to be for a fixed-price, contain a smaller contingency fund than permitted in the past and be overseen by an independent project manager hired by the state. Jerry Cornfield reports.

Why Taxpayers Will Bail Out the Rich When the Next Storm Hits
As homeowners around the nation protest skyrocketing premiums for federal flood insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has quietly moved the lines on its flood maps to benefit hundreds of oceanfront condo buildings and million-dollar homes, according to an analysis of federal records by NBC News. The changes shift the financial burden for the next destructive hurricane, tsunami or tropical storm onto the neighbors of these wealthy beach-dwellers — and ultimately onto all American taxpayers. In more than 500 instances from the Gulf of Alaska to Bar Harbor, Maine, FEMA has remapped waterfront properties from the highest-risk flood zone, saving the owners as much as 97 percent on the premiums they pay into the financially strained National Flood Insurance Program. Bill Dedman reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PST TUE FEB 18 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING W 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 9 TO 12 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13
 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 12 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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1/20 Mud, MLK, SPU, BC pipe, Cherry Pt coal, Sliver Cr, BC enviro ed, GMO salmon, state parks, derelict ships

American avocet and chick (PHOTO: Ingrid Taylar)

Why Mud Matters: Chatting with Geomorphologist Jeremy Lowe
Jeremy Lowe is serious about mud. We caught up with the senior scientist from San Francisco-based environmental planning firm ESA to discuss why lowly mud and sediment are critical pieces of Bay habitat — and why we should worry about a world without them . Beth Slatkin reports.

New blog: MLK Day and the Way to Win
"We’re celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day again this year and I’m happy that Scott Miller, who runs the environmental communications consultant group Resource Media, addressed the issue of real diversity in the environmental movement in a thoughtful blog last week, Changing with the times..."

SPU's plan to get Seattle out of deep sh*t
Last year, Seattle spilled more than 154 million gallons of stormwater and untreated sewage into our lakes and streams. SPU plans to fix that. Martha Baskin reports.

Northern Gateway pipeline report draws lawsuit
A coalition of environment groups has filed a lawsuit in Federal Court alleging serious flaws with the Joint Review Panel's final report that recommended the pipeline be approved because “Canadians will be better off with this project than without it.” The group is seeking a court order to prevent the federal cabinet from acting on the panel's report to approve the proposed pipeline. Ecojustice lawyers representing ForestEthics Advocacy, the Living Oceans Society and the Raincoast Conservation Foundation allege the Joint Review Panel's 419-page report contains legal errors and that its approval is based on insufficient evidence. See also: Neil Young's anti-oilsands tour draws fierce reaction in Calgary


Cherry Point coal port study process remains on hold
Almost six months after regulatory agencies made their decision on the scope of environmental study for a proposed Whatcom County coal export terminal at Cherry Point, the study process itself has yet to begin. Tyler Schroeder, Whatcom County planning manager, said the work on the first draft of the wide-ranging environmental impact statement for the Gateway Pacific Terminal won't start until the companies proposing the coal project sign off on a contract they are now reviewing. John Stark reports.

Coal spill feared a risk to aquatic life in Burnaby's Silver Creek
John Preissl can hardly believe his eyes. The Burnaby resident and amateur nature photographer walks the shoreline of Burnaby Lake pretty much every day and is disturbed to see that sediments and coal have created a small island at the mouth of Silver Creek where endangered western painted turtles are hibernating. A set of logs utilized by the turtles outside of winter sits beached on the new island. “This is brand new, never been here,” the 51-year-old painter and finish carpenter remarks. “It’s sad. It shocks me. The turtles are right underneath, wintering in the mud.” A Canadian Pacific train operated by a Canadian National crew on CN tracks derailed a week ago Saturday just north of Burnaby Lake, spilling metallurgical coal into rain-swollen Silver Creek. Larry Pynn reports.

New B.C. curriculum eroding environmental education, critics fear
Critics fear that environmental education could be losing its place as a prime topic of study in B.C. schools. And that’s especially bad at a time when issues like sewage, Alberta oilsands and pipelines are front-and-centre, said elementary-school teacher Lenny Ross. Ross, who teaches at Strawberry Vale Elementary School and helps organize environmental-education programs throughout the Greater Victoria school district, is part of a grassroots effort to ensure the importance of the environment is retained during the ongoing review of the curriculum. Jeff Bell reports.

House panel hears debate on modified salmon
Last year’s ballot battle over genetically modified food got a rerun in a legislative committee Friday as some fishing groups called for a ban on re-engineered salmon and others said the idea was unnecessary fear-mongering. The House Agriculture Committee considered but did not vote on HB 214, which would also require any genetically modified salmon sold in Washington stores to be labeled. Rep. Cary Condotta, R-East Wenatchee, the bill’s sponsor, said it was narrower than Initiative 522, which would have required many genetically modified foods to be labeled if it passed last year. It failed but got about 49 percent of the vote. Jim Camden reports.

Ads in state parks explored
Washington officials are looking to end the ban on commercial advertising in state parks in hopes of generating much-needed dollars for the cash-strapped agency. But visitors won’t be subjected to gaudy displays of corporate logos anytime soon, insist lawmakers and leaders of state parks. House and Senate bills introduced this week aim to generate revenue from advertising on the agency website and expanded private investment in Washington’s 117 parks, plus a like number of undeveloped properties. Jerry Cornfield reports.

Rep. Hansen proposes new bill to safeguard waterways and protect marine jobs by cleaning up derelict vessels
Rep. Drew Hansen of Bainbridge Island is sponsoring a new bill to further fight the problem of derelict and abandoned boats in the waters of Washington state... Hansen worked over the summer with Rep. Norma Smith, a Whidbey Island Republican, on the bipartisan proposal to speed up the removal of derelict vessels. The bill also aims to increase accountability for owners of high-risk boats and encourage boat owners to dispose of vessels safely. n the 2013 legislative session, Hansen successfully helped to author and push a bill to protect jobs in the marine industries by strengthening the state’s derelict vessel program. That measure, House Bill 1245, was approved last year with overwhelming bipartisan support. Hansen’s follow-up proposal, House Bill 2457, would go further to address the problem. It focuses on the bigger, older vessels that are most likely to decay and become derelict.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON JAN 20 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 17 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 18 SECONDS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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11/21 Freeze, Helena Star, glaciers & oysters, Seabeck junk, pinto abalone, Green R. grant, rain barrel art

PHOTO: Vancouver Aquarium

If you like to watch: Seals released with GPS trackers by Vancouver Aquarium
Five seals equipped with satellite transmitters were released by the Vancouver Aquarium Wednesday morning, in order to track how rehabilitated animals fare once released into the wild. The seals, which were cared for at the aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, were transported in dog kennels and released at Porteau Cove in Howe Sound, just north of Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway, on Wednesday morning, along with two other seals that were not equipped with transmitters.

A Hard Freeze and Modified Arctic Air Hits the Northwest
The air felt very different today.  Colder, drier and without a cloud in the sky.  And it was different, as we switched the  air mass over us from maritime polar to modified continental polar.    The result will be the first hard freeze over the region, with 20s being common west of the Cascade crest and teens in colder, valley locations.  Even colder in valley's east of the Cascade crest. Cliff Mass writes. And see:  Cliff Mass on the Northwest's naturalistic religion

Derelict ship could soon be removed from Hylebos Waterway
A derelict 167-foot boat that sank in Tacoma’s Hylebos Waterway 10 months ago could be raised and hauled off next month. The Helena Star went down Jan. 25, taking with it a former fishing vessel it was tied to and spilling nearly 1,000 gallons of diesel and lube oil into the water. Officials placed a containment boom to stop the rest of the spill from spreading. The other vessel, 130-foot Golden West, was moved Oct. 16, and its owner removed from it 10,500 gallons of recyclable oil. Stacia Glenn reports.

Bellingham audience told glaciers, oysters show climate change impacts
Northwest glaciers are shrinking and marine life is struggling as climate change makes itself felt on land and sea. That was the message that more than 200 members of Bellingham City Club heard Wednesday, Nov. 20, from glacier scientist Michele Koppes and Taylor Shellfish Farms public policy manager Bill Dewey... As of now, the approximately 700 glaciers in the North Cascade Mountains hold as much fresh water as all the region's rivers and lakes combined, but that total keeps dropping. In many areas of the North Cascades, the amount of water stored in mountain snow is down 45 to 60 percent since 1950 based on April measurements... John Stark reports. Meanwhile: How Rain Strengthens The Cascades Snowpack

Picturesque Puget Sound lagoon littered with toxic sea junk
Chainsaws shattered the quiet Tuesday at one of the most picturesque spots on Puget Sound. The natural estuaries in Nick's Lagoon in Seabeck, on Hood Canal, have a problem. "It's a toxic chemical," said Kristian Tollefson, a restoration specialist with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, referring to the creosote permeating the decades-old wood debris..."Yeah, that's actually a piece of ship," said Scott Phillips, a worker with Puget Soundcorp, part of the 12-man crew on site today beginning the removal of 15 tons of debris. "I'm not sure where it came from but we're cutting it up and getting it out." There is steel, metal floats, tires and more. But the most dangerous is the creosote-soaked wood debris. Lots of it.  Jeff Burnside reports.

Overfished pinto abalone to be considered for endangered list
A 6-inch Pacific Ocean marine snail prized for its delicate flavor and colorful shell will be considered for endangered or threatened species status. The National Marine Fisheries Service announced last week that it will conduct a status review for pinto abalone, which are found from Alaska to Baja California. The Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Biological Diversity filed petitions over the summer calling for the status review that could lead to added protections for the species. Dan Joling reports.

Middle Green River Coalition receives $10,000 grant for stewardship along Green River
The Rose Foundation selected the Middle Green River Coalition (MGRC) as a recipient of a $10,000 grant from the Puget Sound Stewardship and Mitigation Fund. The funding will support the continued water quality and habitat restoration project adjacent to Soos Creek along the Green River southeast of Auburn, near the Neeley Mansion. To date, MGRC has planted more than 3,000 native willow and cottonwood on the site and has maintained it to ensure the plants survive. The project expands on an existing Washington Department of Ecology grant that King County Department of Natural Resources received to remove blackberry and plant native vegetation along the creek to improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality.The Puget Sound Stewardship and Mitigation Fund was created by a legal settlement between the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway.

Everett seeks artists to create rain barrels
One of the more rainy places in the world is looking for artists to make rain barrels. The city of Everett is launching the program, "Let It Rain." The city is looking for artists to make creative rain barrels to display from February until summer in downtown Everett and at Everett Mall. Artists are asked to submit their design concepts by Friday. Rain barrels can be made with recycled materials. The city will buy the barrels for $300 each, for a total of $4,500. Up to 15 artists will be selected. Maria Damman reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST THU NOV 21 2013
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 2 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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8/12 Longview coal, Victoria birds, Pitt Marsh, estuarium, Fraser sockeye, canoe journey, oil cleanups, knotweed, Skagit floods, GM food

Western grebe (WikiCommons)

Preliminary work begins next week for an environmental impact study on plans to build a coal shipping terminal in Longview. Cowlitz County, state and federal officials will take public comments on the scope of the environmental study between Aug. 16 and Nov. 18. Comments will be accepted by email, through regular mail, on the project website and in person at a series of community meetings... Five community meetings will be held: Sept. 17 in Longview, Sept. 25 in Spokane, Oct. 1 in Pasco, Oct. 9 at the Clark County Fairgrounds, and Oct. 17 in Tacoma. Donna Gordon Blankenship reports. Environmental review of Longview coal terminal set to begin

Friday blog: “Today [Friday] marks 68 years since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Nagasaki, three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The bombs and the aftermath of radiation killed 90,000 to 166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000 to 80,000 people in Nagasaki. I wish the bombs that were dropped had not been named “Little Boy” and “Fat Boy.” Today is a beautiful August day in the Salish Sea and a bit difficult to think deeply about something that happened 68 years ago in another time and to another people. Most of the world probably has come to feel the same about our 9/11...”  Ban the Bomb  

Local ornithologist James Clowater no longer takes students on field trips to Ogden Point. There’s been too much decline in the marine bird species they can watch there, including loons, red-necked and horned grebes, cormorants and alcids — “a group of seabirds that fly underwater,” he said. An expert on the western grebe, Clowater also noted this species’ flock from Mill Bay to Patricia Bay was down to 400 a year or two ago from 3,200 in 1994. Nobody knows the cause of the decline, Clowater said. Katherine Dedyna reports. Decline of Greater Victoria birds a mystery, experts say    Meanwhile: Nuisance birds on the rise in Victoria   

The earthen dike bordering Pitt-Addington Marsh Wildlife Management Area stretches like a line in the sand. In contrast to the adjacent monoculture of cranberries — owned by the family of Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini — the Pitt marsh is a diverse habitat thriving on the edge of a metropolis. “It’s like an oasis, within half an hour of urban areas,” confirms Dan Buffett, head of conservation programs with Ducks Unlimited Canada. “The perfect place to lose yourself for a bit.” As Ducks Unlimited Canada celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, the wetland-conservation organization is busy with its largest project to date in Metro Vancouver, a $600,000 facelift to the water-control structures within the 1,342-hectare Pitt marsh. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is a co-funder of the project. Larry Pynn reports. Pitt-Addington marsh undergoes major facelift

The South Sound Estuary Association’s estuarium was abuzz with activity Sunday as several adults and children dropped by about noon to check out the month-old marine life discovery center. Inside the 700-square-foot estuarium, which is not far from the Olympia Farmers Market, visitors can take a gander at marine life that occupies the intertidal zones of Puget Sound, as well as learn about Puget Sound, including its history and some of the environmental challenges it faces. Rolf Boone reports. Estuarium brings Puget Sound to life

Vancouver Coastal Health issued a swimming advisory for Sunset and Second beaches in Vancouver’s West End Friday after E. coli levels rose above acceptable levels.  High E. coli levels lead to swimming advisories for Sunset and Second beaches

Regrettably, it would appear that all hope of recreational opportunity around the south coast to retain Fraser sockeye this year is now past. Last Friday came news that food fishing by First Nation’s for these fish would be ending so until these fisheries are underway once again, unlikely at best under present circumstances, the commercial and recreational sectors have no cause to be optimistic for a sockeye fishery.  After an encouraging start to the Fraser sockeye season in which both the first two run-timing components, the Early Stuart and Early Summers, exceeded the mid-point pre-season forecast, the Summer run fish have to date returned well below the same benchmark. It was this run-timing group which were expected to provide the bulk of any fishing opportunity. Jeremy Maynard reports. Fraser River low levels, high temperature a major concern

The incoming tide breaks at Angie Mason’s shins and soaks her rolled jeans. She stands unfazed by the surf, waiting to welcome her son and daughter ashore on their tribe’s canoe. To Mason — of the Bella Bella First Nation — the splashing salt water is the least of her worries. Traveling from the remote central coast of British Columbia, the Bella Bella tribe paddled south for more than a month, logging 15 to 20 miles a day. The tribal canoe journey is an annual celebration that recognizes the cultural importance of canoe travel to indigenous people. This year’s journey was the Paddle to Quinault, with a final destination at the shores of the Quinault Indian Reservation on the Olympic Peninsula. Mason was one of thousands gathered to welcome 89 canoes there last week. Katie Campbell, Sarah Vaira and Ryan Hasert report. A Challenging Tribal Canoe Journey Strengthens Culture  

As the Obama administration inches closer to a decision on whether to approve the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, costly cleanup efforts in two communities stricken by oil spills portend the potential hazards of transporting heavy Canadian crude. It has been three years since an Enbridge Energy pipeline ruptured beneath the western Michigan town of Marshall, spewing more than 840,000 gallons of thick oil-sands crude into the Kalamazoo River and Talmadge Creek, the largest oil-pipeline failure in the country’s history. In March, an Exxon Mobil pipeline burst in Mayflower, Ark., releasing thousands of gallons of oil and forcing the evacuation of 22 homes. Both pipeline companies have spent tens of millions of dollars trying to recover the heavy crude, similar to the product Keystone XL would carry. River and flood plain ecosystems have had to be restored, and neighborhoods are still being refurbished. Legal battles are being waged, and residents’ lives have been forever changed. Dan Frosch reports. Amid pipeline debate, 2 costly cleanups forever change towns  

A fast-growing, non-native plant that can damage roads and houses with its powerful roots is the target of a regional eradication campaign. Knotweed, which resembles bamboo, has been known to grow through pavement, house foundations and drainage systems, and to harm fish and wildlife habitat. In parts of the United Kingdom, where it has become particularly widespread, it has led to mortgages being refused. The plant is considered one of the worst invasive plant species in the world, according to experts. Jeff Bell reports. Knotweed: a growing threat that has Victoria on offensive  

Since 1895, Burlington’s Dike District 12 has protected life and property north and west of the Skagit River.... The district’s latest proposal would increase levee height by up to 4 feet in some places east of South Gardner Road and widen the landward side by up to 60 feet. If approved, the work could begin as early as 2015.... (But)  Sedro-Woolley officials say (the) Burlington plan to strengthen levee would force more water their way during flood.... (And) opponents of the improvements say the effort is less about protecting life and property and more about stoking the economic future of Burlington at others’ expense. Kate Martin reports.  Water fight?

Get ready for a food fight. When Washington voters decide Initiative 522 this fall, they will do more than determine whether to label food that contains genetically engineered ingredients. They also will take sides in a national battle that has raged for two decades about the benefits and safety of manipulating the DNA of food — something many people view suspiciously but do not really understand. Melissa Allison reports. On voters’ plates: genetically engineered crops  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON AUG 12 2013
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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7/25 Diarrhetic shellfish, baby seal, drift cards, Tacoma water, coastal erosion suit

PHOTO: Laurie MacBride

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: Can there be anything that lifts one’s spirits more than watching a wide-eyed little fawn starting to explore its big new world?... The Little Spirit Lifters

Washington’s Department of Health closed some shellfish beds in South Puget Sound Wednesday for the first time because of elevated levels of diarrhetic shellfish toxin. The biotoxin, which can cause diarrhea and vomiting, appears to be spreading in Puget Sound. It made three people sick after eating mussels harvested in Sequim Bay in 2011. Ashley Ahearn reports. Diarrhetic Shellfish Toxin Closes Beaches In South Puget Sound For First Time  

Brandy Garcia spent the last three days listening to the cries of a hungry baby. By Tuesday, the crying had stopped. "It's heartbreaking," Garcia said of a weeks-old harbor seal pup left without a mother just 50 yards from her waterfront home north of Woodard Bay. "It cried and cried all day and night Saturday, all day and night Sunday, into Monday morning. I haven't slept in two days. Morally and ethically, I feel horrible watching that poor thing starve to death. How can you sleep through something like that?" Tony Overman reports. Olympia mom seeks help for starving motherless seal pup

When a group of science students from Port Angeles' Lincoln High School cast 500 green wooden cards into the Strait of Juan de Fuca in May, they had no idea they would travel farther from Port Angeles than ever before. The 11th annual drift-card experiment is designed to track surface currents in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Strait of Georgia, inland waterways and along the Pacific coast. This year, cards have reached Vargas Island, 225 miles northwest of Port Angeles on the western shore of Vancouver Island, “the most north ever reported,” and arrived early in Tofino, B.C., said Deb Volturno, science teacher at Lincoln High, whose class disperses the drift cards. To Tofino and beyond: Drift cards travel far and wide

Tacoma’s water will be sold to a bottling company that plans to move to East Pierce County in spring of next year. The Tacoma City Council approved a contract Tuesday between Tacoma Water and Niagara Bottling, LLC, a California-based company that plans to start construction on a $50-million bottling plant in Frederickson this fall. Niagara hopes to open its 311,111-square foot plant in about April 2014, said Tony Lindgren, Tacoma Water’s distribution engineering manager. Melissa Santos reports. Bottled water company's deal with Tacoma is done

In what is being called a landmark lawsuit, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority–East filed suit today against more than 100 oil and gas companies claiming they have put the New Orleans area at risk through contributing to coastal erosion. The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East (SLFPA-E) that governs levee districts in Orleans Parish, East Jefferson Parish and the Lake Borgne Basin filed the suit in the Orleans Parish Central District Court. Land loss has been noted by scientists, environmentalists and conservationists as an ever present problem on Louisiana’s coast for numerous years, according to the suit.  It also says that a study released by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2011 reveled that the state is losing nearly 17 miles of coastal marshland per year, which has more than tripled during the last decade. Kyle Barnett reports. Flood protection agency files massive lawsuit against oil companies over land loss  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU JUL 25 2013
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT...RISING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS. PATCHY
 FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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7/11 Oil train, oil terminal, estuarium, dead Elwha fish, Tseycum clams, abalone nursery, army land fund, state email search

If you like to listen: Penguins, ducks, and meadowlarks provide inspiration BirdNote: Jazz for the Birds

Washington Department of Ecology officials long have planned for crude-oil spills from a ruptured pipeline or a maritime mishap. With surging production from North Dakota increasing the amount of petroleum being shipped by rail, they have scrambled during the past year to prepare for a third possibility — oil leaking out of derailed tanker cars. In the aftermath of Saturday’s train disaster in Quebec that killed some 50 people, state officials say they must now contemplate another scenario — oil tanker cars that blow up.  Hal Bernton reports. Fiery Quebec wreck adds to state’s oil-train concerns

A deadly oil-train explosion in Quebec has given pause to Port of Vancouver commissioners in southwest Washington. They want to rethink their next move with a proposal for a terminal to move oil from trains onto ships. The port commission was set to vote July 23 on the largest train-to-ship oil transfer terminal proposed for the Northwest. That vote is still scheduled, along with a public hearing the previous day. But the outcome could be different than previously expected. Port commissioner Brian Wolfe said Wednesday he now wants to extend the negotiation period with the oil-terminal developers to give the commission more time before voting on whether to approve the lease for the oil-train terminal. Ashley Ahearn reports. Vancouver Port Hesitating On Proposed Oil-Train Terminal

The South Sound Estuary Association reached a major milestone Thursday. The group opened the doors to a marine life discovery center in downtown Olympia, a place for the public to learn more about the mysteries of where the river meets the sea. From the outside, the South Sound Estuarium at 608 Washington St. N.E. looks like a modest place. But step inside the 700-square-foot center packed with a dozen, estuary-themed exhibits and you’re bound to see a marine creature you’ve never seen before, or learn something new about South Sound tideflats and beaches, river deltas, geology, habitat losses and habitat restoration. The estuarium is a small, but significant step forward for a dedicated bunch of volunteers who envision a day when the Olympia waterfront is home to a full-time marine science center. The one that opened Thursday is a temporary home the non-profit group rented this summer from the Port of Olympia for $250.  John Dodge reports. Discover marine life at South Sound Estuarium

A container ship longer and wider than a Navy aircraft carrier called at the Port of Tacoma’s Washington United Terminal Wednesday setting a new record for vessel size at the port. The Zim Djibouti  has a capacity of 10,000 container units, about 40 percent larger than the typical container vessel that calls on port terminals. The container vessel is 1,145 feet long and 151 feet wide.  The USS Nimitz,  is 1,090 feet long and 134 wide at the waterline although at the flight deck the Nimitz is 252 feet wide.  The aircraft carrier is stationed at Naval Station Everett. “Its length stretches more than twice the diameter of the Tacoma Dome and almost twice the height of the Space Needle,” the port noted in a press release. John Gille reports. Containership sets new size record for Port of Tacoma

At least 200,000 young fish have been found dead at the Lower Elwha Klallam fish hatchery on Stratton Road after a water pump failure. Tribal officials said the failure was in a secondary pump that had to be used because of ongoing sediment problems at Olympic National Park’s Elwha Water Treatment Plant. Hatchery staff counted roughly 200,000 dead coho salmon, spawned last fall, and about 2,000 dead yearling steelhead trout at the hatchery over the weekend, Lower Elwha Klallam tribal officials said in a statement released Wednesday. Hatchery officials said the coho deaths represented about 50 percent of this year’s production. Jeremy Schwartz reports. Some 200,000 fish reported dead at Lower Elwha fish hatchery

Members of the Tseycum First Nation are facing a setback in their move to revive the traditional practice of harvesting clams in Patricia Bay after the closure of a local program that monitored marine health. Chief Tanya Jones said the Saanich Inlet Protection Society’s Shorekeeping program, a community-based stewardship project that relied on local non-professionals to collect data on intertidal ecosystems, provided the first step toward cleaning up the beaches and restoring ecosystem health. But with no commitment from the federal government to continue analysis of the 14 years’ worth of data that she and other volunteers have collected, the volunteers have agreed to close the program. Amy Smart reports. Tseycum hoping to bring back Pat Bay shellfish harvest, restore ecosystem   See also: Without scientific analysis, work wasted, Saanich Inlet shorekeepers say  

Just as he brought the snails out it started to rain. Luckily these are animals that like to get wet – in fact they need it to survive. “If they are out of water for any longer than five minutes you might want to give them a gentle dunk,” said Josh Bouma, abalone program director at Puget Sound Restoration Fund, as he filled two cages with the rare snail. Bouma recently visited Orcas to install “remote nurseries” at locations where volunteers can monitor and care for the abalone. Cali Bagby reports. Abalone nurseries arrive

An environmental preservation effort aimed at keeping endangered species alive while freeing up the Army to use its valuable South Sound training grounds is receiving a $12.6 million boost in funding from the federal government and nonprofit organizations. Joint Base Lewis-McChord and its surrounding communities were chosen for a pilot project partnering community organizations with the Defense, Interior and Agriculture departments. They’ll use the money to buy and preserve land outside the base to protect species such as Mazama pocket gophers, Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies and streak-horned larks. It could be used to purchase and set aside land, or to support agricultural easements that allow farmers and ranches to continue using their property. Adam Ashton reports. Federal government steering millions to South Sound to preserve gophers, artillery ranges

In a move inspired by the IRS’ scrutiny of the tea party and other nonprofit groups, the Olympia-based Freedom Foundation has filed records requests with four Washington state agencies asking for employee emails and other records containing certain words, including “tea party,” “Catholic,” “Mormon” and “redneck.” The requests were filed in May. Representatives of the libertarian-style think tank say they are looking for evidence of bias toward the public and regulated organizations. “We tried to come up with terms that we thought would be logical to be used in correspondence about possibly targeted groups,’’ Glen Morgan, property-rights director for the nonprofit organization, which has a hard-right reputation for its battles over land-use limits in environmentally sensitive zones and its perennial criticism of government regulations and spending. Brad Shannon reports. State emails searched for terms such as ‘tea party,’ ‘hicks’

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU JUL 11 2013
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W
 SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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5/8 BC LNG, spill readiness, Seattle seawall, Dan Jaffe, estuaries value, Migratory Bird Day, bee deaths, doing more with less

(Pipeline Observer)

First step in taking action to save Puget Sound:  Join the Sound Action Facebook page and click "LIKE" to join to support Sound Action. Help protect Puget Sound! Thank you!

The BG Group has filed plans for a liquefied natural gas plant at Prince Rupert that would consume the equivalent to all of the province’s current production of natural gas and almost all the energy generated by BC Hydro’s proposed Site C dam to produce it. The scope of the plant and its impacts are laid out in a project description filed this week with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The document provides an indication of the potential and challenges that LNG development holds for the province. Gordon Hamilton reports. BG Group takes ‘first step’ in building massive Prince Rupert LNG plant

The Washington Department of Ecology has given its final approval of the Washington State Maritime Cooperative’s (WSMC) umbrella oil spill readiness plan that covers more than 1,600 commercial vessels that transit Puget Sound and Grays Harbor. WSMC’s oil spill readiness – or contingency – plan helps ensure that large commercial vessels can mount a rapid, aggressive and well coordinated response if they spill oil in state waters. The plan identifies the location of different response equipment such as oil containment boom, skimming and towing vessels and vacuum trucks in Puget Sound and Grays Harbor. It also identifies how the equipment will be mobilized by private response entities during a spill to minimize harm to important environmental, cultural and economic resources. Dave Haviland reports. Oil Spill Response Plan Covering 1,600 Vessels Approved for Puget Sound and Grays Harbor  

Businesses on Seattle’s historic waterfront piers are challenging the final environmental assessment of the planned $335 million seawall project, saying the city isn’t doing enough to ensure they will survive four years of construction. The Seattle Historic Waterfront Association filed a legal appeal, saying the environmental review for the seawall project wasn’t adequate and the city shouldn’t have issued construction permits. The appeal, filed last week, says the city hasn’t provided any specific plans to address the potential loss of visitors, parking along the waterfront or disruption from rerouted traffic and construction. The appeal says the city hasn’t even secured permission from the pier owners for seawall work, which will require access to the piers. Lynn Thompson reports. Pier merchants appeal seawall project’s environmental review  

Dan Jaffe says he didn’t set out intending to go all rogue with his science.... But he says something felt blocked in the pipeline when he sent out a proposal to study part of the biggest environmental controversy in the Northwest since the spotted owl: the coal trains. Danny Westneat reports. Coal trains fire up UW chemist  

Restore America's Estuaries and the American Sportfishing Association this week released a report co-authored with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration detailing how restoring our nation's coastlines and estuaries leads to healthy habitat and strong fisheries, which has a positive impact on both recreational and commercial businesses and industries. Check out "More Habitat Means More Fish"

International Migratory Bird Day is Saturday and the Pilchuck Audubon Society is planning a host of events throughout Snohomish County. All events are free and families are welcome. Created in 1993, International Migratory Bird Day focuses on one of the most important and spectacular events in the life of a migratory bird -- the journey between summer and winter homes. It is celebrated all over the United States and Canada, Mexico and Central America through bird festivals, bird walks and education programs. Jim Davis reports. Check out migratory birds on Saturday  

According to a new survey of America's beekeepers, almost a third of the country's honeybee colonies did not make it through the winter. That's been the case, in fact, almost every year since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began this annual survey, six years ago. Over the past six years, on average, 30 percent of all the honeybee colonies in the U.S. died off over the winter. The worst year was five years ago. Last year was the best: Just 22 percent of the colonies died....But this year, the death rate was up again: 31 percent. Dan Charles reports. Bee deaths may have reached a crisis point for crops  

On an increasingly crowded, hot and hungry planet, the earth’s capacity to meet population demand for natural resources is severely strained. The future of wildlife and biodiversity is at a tipping point. World Wildlife Fund Chief Scientist Jon Hoekstra says we need to make more with less. Martha Baskin reports. Hot and Hungry Planet: World Wildlife Fund Urges Humans to Make More With Less

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED MAY 8 2013
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 8 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG THIS MORNING. PATCHY DRIZZLE THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 25 KT EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

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