12/11 Coal export, ship risks, salmon grants, Woodard Bay, pocket gopher, Senate power

Child coal miners-1908 (Wikimedia Commons)

New blog: "Those planning to give verbal comments at Thursday’s public meeting in Seattle on the coal export facility proposed for the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve will get to see a whole different way used to allot the opportunities to speak." When You Go To Seattle, Wear Coal Dust In Your Hair

Climate change from coal-burning emissions should be listed as a concern in a city letter to regulatory agencies reviewing the Gateway Pacific Terminal coal export pier, (Bellingham) City Council members said at their Monday, Dec. 10, meeting. Jack Weiss noted that the city has developed its own climate change action plan to decrease the city's greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. Weiss said it seemed appropriate to mention city concerns about the issue, since any increase in Chinese coal burning caused by Gateway Pacific exports could cancel out the city's efforts. John Stark reports. City Council wants to list climate change as coal port concern

Like many other cities, Seattle, Edmonds and Marysville are alarmed at the prospect of massive coal trains and their effects on communities. Compounding it all, tracks are already reaching capacity or nearing it. Mayors and city officials are scrambling to find ways to deal with an onslaught of new freight-rail traffic in Washington, with new projects seemingly coming online daily. Some of their frustrations are finding voice in public meetings to determine the scope of environmental review of the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point north of Bellingham. Floyd McKay reports. Coal train impacts feared along the Sound

A bulk carrier with a cracked hull provided the backdrop for a rally in Prince Rupert as protesters tried to draw attention to shipping risks associated with the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project. Gillian Glover, a Transport Canada spokeswoman, said on Monday that the Italian registered bulk carrier Giuseppe Lembo had a 1.5-metre crack in its hull just above the waterline when it reached port on Friday. The shipping accident was the third incident in as many weeks involving deep sea freighters on the West Coast. One ship ran aground outside Prince Rupert harbour in late November, and last week, a freighter sliced through a coal conveyor belt at Westshore Terminals in Metro Vancouver. Mark Hume reports. Anti-Gateway rally shines light on marine mishaps

More than $550,000 has been set aside to purchase and conserve lands within the estuaries of the Big Quilcene, Dosewallips and Duckabush rivers, all in Hood Canal. The Hood Canal grants were endorsed by the state's Salmon Recovery Funding Board, which approved $19.2 million for salmon projects throughout the state. Chris Dunagan reports. Salmon grants will help Hood Canal estuaries

The Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area is starting to shape up as the place envisioned some 25 years ago. It’s been that long since the Legislature designated the old Weyerhaeuser log dump at the nexus of Woodard and Chapman bays one of the first such conservation areas in the state, a place where people play second fiddle to the needs of fish and wildlife. One of the last major habitat-restoration projects in a series of several at the 800-acre site is well under way. Once the Weyerhaeuser footprint is all but removed, DNR will turn its attention to making the shoreline more accessible to the public. “This is a great place for people to get an emotional connection to Puget Sound,” said Naki Stevens, a DNR policy adviser who specializes in Puget Sound cleanup and protection. John Dodge reports. Agencies make progress on clearing conservation area

The Northwest may have another species listed as endangered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday (Monday) proposed listing the Mazama pocket gopher as threatened in the South Puget Sound region of western Washington. This is the third time this fall the government has moved to protect a critter that depends on dwindling Northwest prairies or coastal grasslands. Tom Banse reports. Feds Propose New Endangered Species Listing in Northwest

Minority Republicans and two Democratic allies grabbed the steering wheel of the state Senate on Monday, announcing a power-sharing arrangement that would put members of their new coalition in the top leadership positions. Brad Shannon and Jordan Schrader report. Pair of Dems join Republicans to seize control of state Senate

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE DEC 11 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
S WIND 20 TO 30 KT...BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 15 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
NW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 14 SECONDS... BUILDING TO 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE EVENING... THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
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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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12/10 Westshore coal, coal meets, Enbridge, orca 'no-go,' Gregoire assesses, Navy wharf, Sammy Salmon, gill-net ban, bio-swales, Sheila McCartan, Sound Champs

Sammy the Salmon (Dan Bates/The Herald)

New blog: “In earlier blogs, I’d alerted readers to how the Department of Ecology is proposing a makeover of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) provisions to exempt development actions requiring environmental review. Tomorrow, December 11, is the final day to comment on the rule makeover...” This is Regulatory Reform?

A large bulk carrier docking at Westshore Terminals in Roberts Bank destroyed a coal conveyor system early Friday morning, knocking out the largest of the port’s two berths and spilling an undetermined amount of coal into Georgia Strait. The mishap has put the berth out of service for an indefinite period of time, affected the port’s ability to export coal, disrupted customer deliveries and caused a yet-to-be-determined effect on the waters off the Fraser delta. The loss of the berth, which handles ships with a cargo capacity up to 260,000 tonnes, is a significant blow to Westshore, which is North America’s largest coal exporting port. Westshore has one remaining berth, which can handle ships with a capacity of 180,000 tonnes. The mishap happened at 1 a.m. when the bulk carrier Cape Apricot, with a capacity of 180,000 tonnes, slammed into a trestle, the only link between the berth and the terminal, destroying more than 100 metres of it. The ship went right through the causeway, taking a road, the coal-carrying conveyor belt, and electric and water lines with it. Gordon Hamilton and Tiffany Crawford report. Ship crashes into dock at Westshore Terminals, spilling coal into water (with video)

While proposals to turn green-leaning Washington state into a major exporter of coal to China have caused an uproar in coastal communities, the heated debate is largely absent from some other places along the industry's expected trade route to Asia. The state and federal agencies that are conducting an environmental review of five proposed coal-export terminals in the region aren't planning to give residents of one of Washington state's major population centers a chance to comment on the project publicly, even as such meetings take place in similar-sized or smaller communities elsewhere. Curtis Tate and Kristi Pihl report. Debate over coal exports leaves out some communities along route, critics charge

Interested in giving verbal comments on the coal export facility proposed for the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve when public meetings are held Tuesday in Vancouver, WA, and Thursday in Seattle? Take a number to enter random drawings for about 150 two-minute speaking slots at each event.  The drawings will occur at the start of each hour during the three-hour public meetings.  People can enter the drawings at any time before the final drawing. The drawings replace a process at five previous meetings that assigned speaking slots based on the order in which people arrived. This prompted many attendees to arrive hours before the meetings. Drawings set for spoken comments at upcoming meetings for proposed Gateway Pacific  

Cross-examination hearings for the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline resume today in Prince Rupert and while opposition to the controversial project is strong in the coastal city, some say the region needs the jobs. Unemployed welder Dakota Macdonald is eager to work on the pipeline — and says jobs are just as important as the environment. Enbridge Northern Gateway hearings return to Prince Rupert  

In 2009, the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed a "no-go zone" off the west side of San Juan Island to help protect the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. After local whale-watch companies, kayakers and other voiced substantial, even heated, opposition to that "no-go" plan, the Fisheries Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, abandoned it in 2011 in favor of speed limits, increased buffers and public education efforts. On Dec. 5, the Fisheries Service put the issue back on the table. Steve Wehrly reports. Fisheries wants 'No-go zone' back on the table  

"(M)y biggest disappointment is I didn't get as much done on Puget Sound as I had hoped....The cleanup (is) a big forever issue for this state. What I think happened... is we were on our way, and then we just got taken to our knees by the recession. While I kept funding it through other means, it didn't get the focus I think it needs and deserves because I was so consumed by the recession." Andrew Garber reports in a Q&A with Washington's departing governor.  Gregoire assesses her time as governor  

Who was the winner who answered correctly Mark Yuasa's Reel Time Trivia question: "This Puget Sound regional river gained fame by the likes of early 20th Century fly-anglers Zane Grey and Roderick Haig-Brown. In 2001, this "fork in the river" got one of the more healthy winter steelhead smolt plants in the local streams, and anglers were catching them late last week, and this past weekend it opened for conventional gear and bait..." Reel Time Trivia winner hails from Sammamish

A federal judge will rule within a week whether to stop construction of a second explosives handling wharf at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. Judge Ronald Leighton heard arguments Friday from the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, which opposes nuclear weapons, and the Suquamish Tribe. They contend that continuing to build the $715 million wharf will cause irreparable harm and should be stopped until their lawsuits are decided. They claim that the environmental effects haven't been fully explained and considered, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Ed Friedrich reports. Attorneys ask judge to stop work on new Bangor pier  

Seattle Public Utilities plans an $8 million drainage-improvement project in South Park to double the size of the pipes along several blocks of 14th Avenue South and South Donovan Street. But the utility says it can't start construction until mid-2014, just months after a new South Park Bridge is scheduled to open. Lynn Thompson reports. South Park faces long sewer project after bridge construction

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted Friday to ban the use of gill nets to catch fish on the main stem of the Columbia River, relegating the primary commercial-fishing tool to side channels and tributaries. Washington's fish commission was scheduled to decide soon on similar rules, eliminating the centuries-old practice from both sides of the river. Jonathan Cooper reports. Oregon approves gill-net ban on Columbia

Don't blame salmon fishermen for the plight of some endangered killer whales off the Pacific coast, says a newly released report. After three international conferences and nearly 15 months of reflection, members of a joint Canada-U.S. panel studying Southern Resident Killer Whales have concluded there's no simple, linear, cause-and-effect relationship between the number of salmon available to the orcas and the population's growth. The Independent Science Panel was struck by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2011 and was asked to answer whether fishing reduced the supply of food to the whales and if that impeded their recovery. Keven Drews reports. No cause-effect relationship between orcas' health and salmon numbers: report

Despite poor publicity after a drainage and rain garden project backfired in Ballard, a cluster rain garden project in Delridge is moving forward with the addition of new bio-swales on city parking strips. Neighbors would have liked more than the few the city and private sector found money for, but for now, one more city block is holding back hundreds of gallons of polluted run-off from the local creek and Puget Sound. Martha Baskin reports. Urban Creek Gets An Assist with New Street Upgrade, Bio-Swales and Established Rain Gardens

If John Lennon had been dreaming of saving salmon habitat when he wrote the song "Imagine," then Tom Murdoch of the Adopt A Stream Foundation could have written the lyrics for him. Murdoch, director of the nonprofit environmental group based in Everett's McCollum Park, has been dreaming of reducing polluted runoff and restoring fish runs for more than 30 years. Bill Sheets reports. Meet the man in the silver salmon suit

Sheila McCartan, visitor services manager and ranger at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, was honored recently with the 2012 Sense of Wonder Award. The Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Recognition Program recognizes outstanding contributions in interpretation and environmental education within the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. McCartan was recognized as an employee who has designed, implemented and/or shown visionary leadership in interpretive or environmental education programs, said a department news release. Nisqually refuge employee wins award for her education efforts  

Six individuals and organizations were honored this month by the Puget Sound Partnership for being "Puget Sound Champions." Those honored are city of Bremerton Public Works and Utilities/Wastewater Treatment Plant, Kitsap Golf & Country Club, City of Poulsbo Engineering Department, Kitsap Home Builders Association, Kitsap Conservation District, and Christopher Dunagan, the Kitsap Sun's environmental reporter. Kitsap 'Champions' for Puget Sound awarded

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON DEC 10 2012
TODAY
W WIND 10 KT...RISING TO 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 16 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

Follow on Twitter. 

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12/7 Bird count, Bainbridge shores, Kinder Morgan, BC & Montana coal, ocean acid, Cortes logging, Fort Worden SP

Snowy owl (Mark Mulligan / The Herald)

Thousands of volunteers across the country who dub themselves the Binocular Brigade are gearing up for Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count. And hopes are high that they'll see more birds from the north spotted in strange places. The count runs from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5. To find a count near you, click here.   Area bird watchers gear up for annual count  

Two Bainbridge Island shoreline restoration projects have been selected among projects nationwide for recognition by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA presented the city of Bainbridge Island with the Excellence in Restoration award for projects at Strawberry Plant Park and Pritchard Park East Bluff. The projects involved the removal of bulkheads, artificial fill and debris. The goal of the projects was to re-create natural shorelines important in maintaining habitats.  Bainbridge restoration projects win national awards  

An information session in Victoria on a plan to expand Kinder Morgan’s oil pipeline from Alberta to Burnaby ended earlier than planned Wednesday night after company officials walked out. The meeting was supposed to address concerns about the expansion, but when protesters began replacing company signs with their own, company representatives left. In a statement, Kinder Morgan says it decided to close down the public information session in response to what it calls “vandalism.” Kinder Morgan shuts down public information session after protesters switch signage  And Jack Knox asks: What's in Kinder Morgan pipeline for Victoria?

Port Metro Vancouver is coming under increasing pressure to hold a public inquiry over coal terminal expansion plans that could turn the port into North America’s largest exporter of coal. Elected officials in Vancouver, New Westminster and Delta say they are concerned that the proposals are being considered by port authorities through an internal review without adequate public consultation. Civic politicians demand public inquiry on expanding coal exports from B.C. ports

A pair of coal companies have struck a deal on a disputed Montana mine that both sides said could boost Asian exports through the West Coast, but won't prevent up to 75 layoffs in the short term. The deal calls for Australian-based Ambre Energy to gain full control of the Decker mine near the Wyoming border for $57 million. The company wants to ramp up production and ship fuel overseas through a pair of Columbia River ports. Matthew Brown reports. Coal deal on Montana mine could boost exports; layoffs still planned

If you want to watch: Slip beneath the water’s surface and you’ll find a world teeming with life. Schools of yellowtail fish dart through colorful coral reefs. Spiny lobsters emerge from the crevices of ocean rocks searching for a tasty meal. And sea anemones nestle in the nooks of oyster beds. But there is trouble in the world’s ocean. Scientists are learning more about how carbon dioxide is dramatically changing the makeup of the oceans and the communities that depend on them. Coral Reefs and Shellfish Battle Acidifying Oceans  

Cortes Island residents who blockaded roads for a week in a fight to modify logging plans say they are hopeful talks with Island Timberlands can lead to a compromise. But Mark Leitao, a spokesman for the company, said Thursday no commitment has been made to meet with the islanders, who are organized under the banner, Wildstands Alliance. The group lifted its blockade Wednesday, after logging crews withdrew from the island. But Mr. Leitao said the crews will be back. Mark Hume reports. Cortes Island residents seek compromise with loggers

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission voted Thursday afternoon to approve a cooperative plan between the State Parks and the Port Townsend Public Development Authority for management of Fort Worden State Park. Now that the business plan has been approved, the parks staff will begin working with the public development authority to determine the details of the co-management agreement, such as the two organizations' respective responsibilities for maintenance of the park and as a learning center.  State panel OKs plan to share Fort Worden State Park management  

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST FRI DEC 7 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
TODAY
W WIND 20 TO 30 KT...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
NW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING W 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
SAT
NW WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING N TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
E WIND 10 KT...BECOMING SE. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SUN
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. 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

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12/6 Pollution consumption, coal place holding, Vancouver coal port, Haisla withdrawal, brown pelicans

(NASA)

Marry well, good people. Smoke well, good people. Thanks and rest in peace, Dave Brubeck.

If you like to watch: New NASA images show the Earth's electric light show

As part of setting new limits on water pollution based in part on how much fish people eat, state government is convening meetings of interested parties. But the state’s Indian tribes are refusing to participate. Discouraged by lack of progress, and asserting their rights as sovereign nations, tribes are trying to bypass the state’s process. “We want action, not further discussion,” Andy Whitener of the Squaxin Island Tribe wrote to Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant in a letter turning down an invitation to join a group providing advice. Jordan Schrader reports. As water-quality rules are hatched, tribes sit out

An organization that wants the West Coast’s largest coal export terminal built near Bellingham, Wash., has been hiring temp workers to queue up for hours in advance of public hearings. The tactic has ensured that export terminal backers get to testify while others are turned away from the microphones. But a federal agency insists it won’t be the same story next week in Seattle and Vancouver, Wash., where hearings continue on the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal. Patricia Graesser, a spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing the public meetings, confirmed that the Corps had heard that people were being paid to stand in line. “It has been brought to our attention and our intent for the next two meetings is to ensure that the people who are standing in line are the people who are speaking,” she said. So, the message to both supporters and opponents of the coal export project is clear: no more place-holding at the upcoming meetings – paid or not. Ashley Ahearn reports. Paid Temps Do the Waiting So Coal Backers Don’t Have To    See also:  NW coal port hearing draws 800 at fairgrounds

Plans to build new and expand existing coal-port facilities in Metro Vancouver should not go ahead until the public gets a better chance to discuss the proposed developments, Mayor Gregor Robertson says. In a letter released Wednesday, Mr. Robertson told Robin Silvester, the president and CEO of Port Metro Vancouver, that there has not been adequate opportunity for people to comment on the coal projects. Mark Hume reports. Vancouver mayor urges more public input ahead of coal-port expansion

The Haisla First Nation has pulled out of an organization that has ardently fought the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and called for greener practices in the export of natural gas. The Haisla said they have withdrawn from Coastal First Nations, amid a debate among aboriginal groups about the environmental impact of West Coast industrial development that has now blown out into the open. The move comes as the Haisla shift their position on oil exports from their traditional territory, which some see as evidence that opposition to Gateway is beginning to wane. Nathan Venderklippe reports. Haisla First Nation withdraws from anti-Northern Gateway group  

A large contingent of brown pelicans has dropped into Victoria harbour for what's expected to be a short stay. About two dozen pelicans, including at least two adults, are hanging out on rocky outcroppings - from Ogden Point and Fishermen's Wharf to the small island in the harbour where a wind sock assists the takeoff and landing of float planes. It's not the first time brown pelicans have been spotted in Greater Victoria, but there are more of them than Victoria birder Ann Nightingale has seen at one time. Flock of brown pelicans make rare appearance in Victoria's Inner Harbour  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST THU DEC 6 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
 SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT...BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
 SHOWERS.

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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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12/5 Oil trains, Spokane coal meet, bag ban, shark fin soup, frankensalmon, San Juan CAO, Elwha sewer, quakes

"Cartwheel Contest" (Meg McDonald)

If you like to watch: Meg McDonald captures Southern Resident Killer Whales at Point Robinson "The Cartwheel Contest" December 3, 2012

If you like to watch: Take an incredible voyage. "Nothing like this in the Salish Sea!!!" says Helen Engle. Crossing the Bar, Columbia River

The waters of Puget Sound were at the top of the stairs along the Alki Promenade as a high tide combined with high winds for dramatic scenes in West Seattle on Dec. 4.  SLIDESHOW: High tide and strong winds make for a dramatic combination in West Seattle  

As regulators in the region weigh the potential impacts of trains full of coal moving along the Columbia River and the shores of Puget Sound, trainloads of oil are quietly on the move. There are billions of barrels of oil in the Bakken shale formation – located in North Dakota and Montana mainly. And some of that oil is now making its way to refineries in Puget Sound. Dale Jensen, the spill program manager for the Washington Department of Ecology, says oil trains are a new concern for him. Ashley Ahearn reports.  Oil Trains On The Rise In The Northwest

A trade organization promoting coal shipments from Pacific Northwest ports hired about 30 temporary workers to stand in line at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center Tuesday morning to secure the limited number of cards that will be handed out for testimony this afternoon. Hundreds of people are converging on Spokane today for the fifth in a series of public meetings on a proposed coal terminal near Bellingham. Mike Prager reports. Coal backers hire temp workers to stand in line

Bainbridge Island became the first city in Kitsap County to ban plastic bags from checkout counters last month. The race to become the second is not a heated one. The mayors of Bremerton, Port Orchard and Poulsbo said they are following the new Bainbridge ordinance with interest, but have heard no proposals for similar bans in their communities. Tad Sooter reports. Kitsap towns in no rush to follow Bainbridge's bag ban

A recent court decision that struck down Toronto’s shark fin ban won’t stop Vancouver’s fight to restrict the product, said one Vancouver city councillor. Coun. Kerry Jang, who proposed a ban in September, said he’s confident the city can come up with a bylaw that will hold up in court. "The Toronto ban had a problem, as I see it, because they tried to ban consumption," Jang told CBC News. "It's sort of like saying someone can't breathe or look at something anymore. Whereas what we're trying to do in Vancouver is simply looking at the sale and trade of shark fin, which is something different and under municipal powers."  Shark fin fight continues in Vancouver

Salmon that's been genetically modified to grow twice as fast as normal could soon show up on your dinner plate. That is, if the company that makes the fish can stay afloat. After weathering concerns about everything from the safety of humans eating the salmon to their impact on the environment, Aquabounty was poised to become the world's first company to sell fish whose DNA has been altered to speed up growth. But more than two years later the FDA has not approved the fish, and Aquabounty is running out of money. Matthew Perrone reports. Fast-growing fish may never wind up on your plate  

The San Juan County Council on Dec. 3 puts its stamp of approval on revision of the final four sections of the critical areas ordinance. In a 5-1 decision, with Councilman Rich Peterson, North San Juan, opposed, the council approved an update of the CAO sections involving wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat and the "general" provisions that apply to all critical areas. The council approved without dissent revisions to the CAO sections that apply to geologically hazardous and frequently floods areas. Update of CAO blessed by county council in 5-1 vote  

Heavy loads of sediment and woody debris in a rain-swollen Elwha River are clogging filters and pumps at the Elwha Water Treatment Plant west of Port Angeles, Olympic National Park officials confirmed. “Basically, they're having to clean the filters a lot more frequently than anticipated,” park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said. Rob Ollikainen reports. Sediment, debris clog equipment at Elwha treatment plant

Research by Stanford scientists focuses on geologic features and activity in the Himalayas and Pacific Northwest that could mean those areas are primed for major earthquakes. The Cascadia subduction zone, which stretches from northern California to Vancouver Island, has not experienced a major seismic event since it ruptured in 1700, an 8.7-9.2 magnitude earthquake that shook the region and created a tsunami that reached Japan. And while many geophysicists believe the fault is due for a similar scale event, the relative lack of any earthquake data in the Pacific Northwest makes it difficult to predict how ground motion from a future event would propagate in the Cascadia area, which runs through Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. Pacific Northwest and Himalayas Could Experience Major Earthquakes, Geophysicists Say   And Russian Far East Holds Seismic Hazards: Potential to Trigger Tsunamis That Pose Risk to Pacific Basin

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST WED DEC 5 2012
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON PST TODAY
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT FROM NOON PST TODAY THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
W WIND 25 TO 35 KT EARLY...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE MORNING...THE BECOMING SW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 5 TO 7 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 11 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 11 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.  

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

12/4 Tethys water, Chinook ESA, Forterra, Port Gamble sewage, EPA water rules, WA ocean acid

Pretty in Pink (Laurie MacBride)

In case you hadn't noticed: Another round of wind, rain on the way and Wind warning issued for Metro Vancouver and Wind warning for Greater Victoria; gusts to 90 km/h overnight

If you like to watch: Take a look at The Sea Doc Society’s clip, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins in Eastsound

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "I’m rapidly approaching a 'significant' birthday, which – no surprise – has me thinking a lot lately about the whole issue of aging. The 16th century pamphleteer and dramatist, Thomas Nashe, said that 'Beauty is but a flower / which wrinkles will devour'. But I doubt this dog would agree. She seems to sport her wrinkles with grace, assurance and even pride. She knows that she matters and that she’s beautiful! I love her attitude. Perhaps I’ll drink a toast to her on my birthday, and do my best to follow her noble lead!" Can Wrinkles Make the Gal?

More than two years after striking their contract with the City of Anacortes, Tethys Enterprises Inc. delivered on acquiring rights to more than 30 acres of land within city limits that would be accessible by railroad. Having done this within the Dec. 1 deadline, Anacortes can now supply Tethys’ proposed 1 million-square-foot beverage bottling plant with up to 5 million gallons of water per day. The land is located within city limits on the east side of Reservation Road and stretches from Highway 20 south to where Stevenson Road ends. Mark Stayton reports. Tethys meets property requirement to move forward on plant project

The final report (“The Effects of Salmon Fisheries on Southern Resident Killer Whales” (PDF 1.8MB) ) on how salmon fisheries may affect Puget Sound’s endangered killer whale population has been released by a seven-member independent panel of U.S. and Canadian experts. The management plan for Puget Sound chinook fisheries will remain in effect through next year, after which time it will need to be updated in consultation between state and federal agencies. Chinook are a “threatened” species under the Endangered Species Act. Chris Dunagan reports. Final report issued on chinook-orca connection

A conservation group is seeking to buy the old Abitibi paper mill site in Steilacoom. Seattle-based Forterra last week submitted a nearly $200,000 state funding request to study the feasibility of acquiring the mill site, which was shuttered in 2000, and pay for early design work. One plan calls for removing the remaining mill structures, planting new vegetation, “daylighting” two creeks that now flow through culverts on the property, removing the dam upstream, and moving Chambers Creek Road inland to restore the shoreline to its natural state. Christian Hill reports. Group eyes old Steilacoom mill site for natural restoration

A malfunctioning sewage pump on Port Gamble S'Klallam land caused a spill of about 30,000 gallons of sewage into Port Gamble Bay over the weekend, according to the Kitsap Public Health District. The pump was repaired by Monday morning, but the state Department of Health has closed beaches south of Point Julia to commercial shellfish harvesting. Recreational shellfish gatherers should consider the beaches closed to them, as well. Sewage spill reported in Port Gamble Bay

Last week the  Environmental Protection Agency issued a new set of water quality guidelines for monitoring bacterial outbreaks in inland and coastal waters used frequently by recreational swimmers. The standard was last updated in 1986. The move was prompted by a federal court order and a requirement of the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000. But the E.P.A. can’t enforce the new standard. It’s up to individual states to decide whether to use the guidelines. EPA updates a decades-old water quality standard

The New York Times editorializes: Since the beginning of the industrial era, humans have pumped increasing amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This has led not only to a warmer climate but also to significant changes in the chemistry of the oceans, which have long acted as a sink for carbon emissions but are being asked to absorb more than they can handle. The result is ocean acidification: increasingly corrosive seawater that has already ruined many coral reefs and over time could threaten the entire marine food chain. The State of Washington is now trying to tackle the problem in new and inventive ways. It has good reason to worry. Its economically important aquaculture industry specializes in shellfish, especially oysters. Shellfish are highly vulnerable to increased acidity, which kills them by preventing them from creating or maintaining their shells. Washington’s coastal waters are also polluted by urban and farm runoff, as well as an unusual regional threat: wind patterns that cause the upwelling of deep, nutrient-rich ocean currents loaded with carbon dioxide. Marine Life on a Warming Planet

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 835 AM PST TUE DEC 4 2012
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
REST OF TODAY
S WIND 30 TO 40 KT...BECOMING SW 20 TO 30 KT. COMBINED SEAS 7 TO 10 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 10 SECONDS. RAIN
 IN THE MORNING...THEN SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. SW SWELL 9 FT
 AT 10 SECONDS. SHOWERS.

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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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12/3 Enbridge tankers, BP trains, coal export, Elwha, chum run, Hood Canal mounds, Vic sewer, Kitsap shellfish, CO2, marine wilderness

White bear (Wayne McCrory/Valhalla Wilderness Society)

Welcome, December. There are nearly 200 daily email subscribers, 40 web subscribers, and in November 2,533 web visits to Salish Sea News and Weather, totaling 25,110 web visits since the service was launched 15 months ago. Salish Sea Communications blog site received 2,130 visits in November, totaling 18,124 visits since launch 14 months ago. Tell your friends and family and colleagues about this free serve. Thanks for reading and being involved in saving the Salish Sea, Mike Sato.

Tanker traffic associated with the Enbridge Northern Gateway project poses “significant, cumulative, adverse, and immitigable impacts” to the greatest coastal habitat for B.C.’s iconic white spirit bear, a research study warns. The study expresses special concern for 20,690-hectare Gribbell Island — “the mother island of the white bear,” south of Kitimat — which would be in direct line of the tanker traffic and severely impacted by a spill.  Larry Pynn reports. ‘Mother island’ of B.C.’s white spirit bear at risk from Enbridge Northern Gateway tankers: research report

BP Cherry Point Refinery is moving ahead with a rail construction project to accommodate trainloads of crude oil from the booming Bakken oil fields in North Dakota and Montana. BP spokesman Mike Abendhoff said the company has submitted an application for the project to Whatcom County planners and could begin construction in early 2013 on the $60 million rail loop. If that happens, the refinery would begin receiving crude shipments by rail in spring 2014. John Stark reports. BP taking next steps on rail project for crude oil

The gray waters of the Puget Sound are rough and scattered with white caps on this cold and wet October morning. The air is pungent with the low-tide smells of seaweed and salt. Schools of chum salmon are migrating from the Pacific into the Nooksack River to spawn. A handful of Lummi fishermen in small weather-beaten boats brave the driving rain and frigid gusts to reel in their nets, harvesting the fish as their ancestors have done for 175 generations. Kari Lydersen reports. Fueling the Tiger: The US Coal Industry Wants to Boost Exports to Asia – Native American Tribes Stand in the Way

In Whatcom County, people see a Cherry Point shipping terminal as a source of well-paying jobs and opportunity for local residents. Floyd McKay reports on the difference between "The County" and Bellingham. Coal supporters make their push

The unleashing of the Olympic Peninsula’s Elwha River from two dams presents Washingtonians with a not-to-be-missed opportunity to witness the transformation wrought by the world’s largest dam-removal project. All along the river, a new landscape is unfolding. Go see it for yourself. Lynda Mapes reports. Seeing the Olympic Peninsula's Elwha River, reborn as dams come down

Reports that a potentially lethal salmon virus had been found in the waters off British Columbia last year drew a fast, co-ordinated response from the federal government, tied up resources of three federal ministries for months, and even required the assistance of Canadian consular officials in the U.S., newly released documents indicate. SFU professor's report of deadly salmon virus in B.C. tied up federal resources for months

Nearly twice as many chum salmon migrated back to streams in Central and South Puget Sound as were predicted earlier this year, officials say. Numbers won't be final for a few months, but it appears about 600,000 chum salmon made it back, compared to a preseason forecast of 324,000. The 600,000 figure is slightly below the average for the past 10 years, which included record runs of more than 1 million chum in 2004 and again in 2007. Chris Dunagan reports. Chum salmon run comes in strong  

Washington scientists guessed that mysterious mounds hundreds of feet below the surface of Hood Canal were deposited by Ice Age glaciers or built up by natural gas seeps or geothermal vents. After taking a closer look with a remote control camera they have another theory: Underwater landslides. There are two dome-shaped mounds, each more than 100 feet high and more than 1,000 feet wide, on the bottom at the south end of the canal near Lilliwaup. Doug Esser reports. Scientists: Underwater landslides caused mounds in Hood Canal  

One of Victoria’s most scenic roads could become another battleground for Greater Victoria’s controversial sewage treatment project. Critics of the $783 million plan are claiming a new pipe from Clover Point to Ogden Point will mean digging up and potentially damaging Dallas Road and part of Beacon Hill Park. But the Capital Regional District, and a Victoria councillor, are firing back, calling the claims fear-mongering and untrue.  Dallas Road skirmish brewing over sewage pipe

Warnings regarding biotoxins in shellfish have been lifted for the Kitsap Peninsula, except for a continuing advisory against taking butter clams along the East Kitsap shoreline. Most areas safe for taking shellfish   However, shellfish beds along the Port Washington Narrows and in Dyes Inlet are closed to harvesting for the next week after 167,000 gallons of treated sewage spilled into the water from the city of Bremerton's East Bremerton sewage treatment plant. Dyes Inlet closed to shellfish harvesting  

Fisheries officers investigating the discovery of a bullet-riddled and decapitated sea lion earlier this week on a beach in Campbell River, B.C., are dealing with two similarly maimed sea lions found Friday. Two more decapitated sea lions found in B.C.

The amount of heat-trapping pollution the world spewed rose again last year by 3 percent — the latest indication that efforts to limit such emissions are failing. Global emissions of carbon dioxide were at a record high in 2011 and are likely to take a similar jump in 2012, scientists reported Sunday. Emissions continue to grow so rapidly that an international goal of limiting the ultimate warming of the planet to 2 degrees, established three years ago, is on the verge of becoming unattainable, said researchers affiliated with the Global Carbon Project. Global carbon-dioxide pollution still on rapid rise  

The federal government cleared the way Thursday for waters off the Northern California coast to become the first marine wilderness in the continental United States, ending a contentious political battle that pitted a powerful U.S. senator against the National Park Service. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar settled the dispute by refusing to extend a permit for a commercial oyster farm operating in Point Reyes National Seashore. Congress designated the area as potential wilderness in 1976 but put that on hold until the farm's 40-year federal permit ended. Julie Cart reports. First marine wilderness in continental U.S. is designated

Now, your thank-goodness-for-tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON DEC 3 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
 GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING S 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 10 SECONDS. NUMEROUS SHOWERS IN THE
 MORNING...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING SE 25 TO 35 KT. COMBINED SEAS 7 TO 10 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.

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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.  

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told