2/11 Maia Bellon, BC CG, Enbridge, Bainbridge shores, Oly shores, Dungeness septics, ocean acid, shore birds

Dunlins at Port Susan Bay (Mike Siegel, Seattle Times)

Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday promoted from within and appointed Maia Bellon as the new director of the state Department of Ecology. Bellon has headed the Water Resources Program at the Department of Ecology, where she’s worked since 2010. Inslee appoints new director of state Department of Ecology  

Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed today that his government would not be reversing its decision to shut down the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station. The move to close the station has drawn criticism from Premier Christy Clark, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Roberton and local boaters, who all claim the closure will put lives at risk. The government is replacing the year-round, 24-hour Kitsilano station with a three-person inshore rescue team based in Stanley Park during the summer months and increased service from a new hovercraft station at the Sea Island station in Richmond. Harper confirms Kitsilano coast guard station will close

A lawyer representing environmental groups wants to know what guarantees the public has that the promises Northern Gateway is making on its pipeline plan will endure for the 50-year lifespan of the project. The latest set of hearings in Prince Rupert wrapped up Friday. Karen Campbell, who represents ForestEthics, Raincoast Conservation and Living Oceans, asked a panel of company experts at federal review hearings Friday if promises of a marine spill response and wildlife recovery studies will survive the 50-year life of the project.  Northern Gateway's 50-year viability questioned

A room full of disgruntled shoreline homeowners couldn’t quite sway the City Council on Wednesday night. The council narrowly voted to maintain “nonconforming” status for shoreline structures that don’t meet regulations under the new Shorelines Master Program update, despite vehement opposition from waterfront property owners. The vote was preliminary, as the draft shorelines plan is still two months away from final approval. The council also gave informal approval to special provisions for properties on the Point Monroe sand spit. Tad Scoter reports. Bainbridge council passes 'nonconforming' language in shorelines plan

A majority of Olympia City Council members favor spending $16,250 to add a computer visualization to the Shoreline Master Program process, a move Mayor Stephen Buxbaum warned will mean more time spent on process. Councilman Steve Langer proposed the city move forward with the visualization process late into Tuesday’s City Council meeting, saying it will help people understand changes in the shoreline plan. The plan, which the council is updating, restricts development along major city shorelines, notably Budd Inlet. Matt Batcheldor reports. Olympia seems to back shoreline visualization

With many of the decades-old septic systems that handle waste from homes in the Dungeness and Three Crabs neighborhoods leaking into the waters that feed Dungeness Bay, officials are looking into the need for a new community sewer system.  Options for replacing the current septic systems range in cost from $13 million to $25 million, Damon McAlister with the Parametrix engineering firm of Bremerton — which has developed a draft Dungeness Wastewater Treatment Feasibility Study — told landowners at a meeting at the Dungeness Schoolhouse on Saturday morning. Joe Smillie reports. Officials outline Dungeness septic options, costs 

Before leaving office, former Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire convened a panel to come up with recommendations for dealing with the threats of ocean acidification. Now, Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Islands, has introduced a bill to put those recommendations into action. The first step would be to create an advisory council that would include representatives from tribes, governmental agencies and officials from coastal counties and cities in Washington state. Ranker’s bill is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday. Ashley Ahearn reports. Washington To Consider Ocean Acidification Legislation  

Thousands of shorebirds swished and swooped over the hammered silver of Puget Sound, their bellies flashing white against wintry gray skies. So important is Port Susan Bay as habitat for these shorebirds, that the Greater Stillaguamish Delta, of which it is a part, and the Greater Skagit Delta next door to the north, have just been named a site of regional importance in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The only one in Puget Sound, the designation recognizes that the Greater Stilly and Skagit Delta — which the birds use as one connected habitat — is an important stopover and wintering ground for more than 20,000 shorebirds a year. Lynda Mapes reports. Deltas are prized spot for shorebirds

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 153 AM PST MON FEB 11 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING S TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 16 SECONDS. OCCASIONAL DRIZZLE IN THE MORNING...
 THEN A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 15 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.

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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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2/8 BC subsidies, salmon migration, rain gardens, Victoria sewage

Geraniums (Laurie MacBride)

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "People fuss a lot over geraniums – or more properly, “Pelargoniums” (since true geraniums are actually quite different than these popular garden flowers). They’re not frost hardy, so they need to be brought inside for the winter. Every gardener seems to have a favorite method for dealing with them. Some people dig them up, shake the dirt off the roots and store them in paper bags or newspaper. Others take cuttings and root these in soil, then throw out the original plants; the following spring, they move the new plants to the garden. Variations on these themes abound. As for me, I take the easy way...." Big Colour, Little Fuss

The Canadian oil and gas industry is asking Ottawa for subsidies that could be worth $2 billion in tax savings to encourage the development of liquefied natural gas plants in British Columbia. Giving the industry a tax break would make the LNG export industry more competitive and influence investment decisions favourably, David Collyer, president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, argued in an appearance last fall before the standing committee on finance. The committee was holding pre-budget consultations in advance of the 2013 federal budget, expected to delivered next month. It has since recommended “that the federal government expeditiously encourage and support the development of infrastructure in relation to liquefied natural gas exports.” Gordon Hamilton reports. Oil and gas industry seeks billion-dollar tax break to lure LNG plants

One of the world’s great migration mysteries – how salmon find their way home from the distant ocean – may have been solved. Researchers studying the movement of sockeye salmon from British Columbia’s Fraser River say the fish are imprinted with a magnetic map when they are juveniles. And they later use that map as adults to read the Earth’s geomagnetic field, which guides them back from the North Pacific to the river mouth. Mark Hume reports. Magnetism guides salmon migration, research suggests   Listen to: EarthFix Conversation: Salmon Use Earth’s Magnetic Field To Go Home

When it comes to Seattle Public Utilities’ RainWise rain garden program, it’s hard to find a dissatisfied customer. You can ask Steve Severin. “It looks beautiful, but it’s also functional,” he said. “It’s doing something. It’s really cool.” Zachariah Bryan reports. RainWise rain gardens a hit in Ballard

Liberal leadership hopeful Joyce Murray supports the region’s provincially ordered secondary sewage treatment — unlike at least two of her challengers. “I think we need to treat the sewage when the testing is showing it’s creating a problem,” said Murray, MP for Vancouver-Quadra and a former B.C. environment minister. “But let’s find a way to have that treatment serve our other goals of energy efficiency and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Liberal leadership candidate Joyce Murray supports sewage treatment


Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PST FRI FEB 8 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG.
SAT
W WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 16 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING.
SAT NIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 17 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 17 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.

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2/7 Everett Herald, Budd Inlet, Peter Ross, pipelines, Great Bear Rainforest, rockfish, marine sanctuary, weather, solar

Sound and Vision (Eric Becker/Laura James)

If you like to watch: Eric Becker's film, Sound and Vision: A Film About the Salish Sea and the People that Protect It, is shown this Thursday at the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Avenue, Port Townsend. Admission free, donations welcome. Call 360-344-4112.

Buy ‘em, Dano: The Everett Daily Herald is being sold to Canada's Black Press, which operates as Sound Publishing Inc. in Washington. The Washington Post Co., which has owned the newspaper for 35 years, made the announcement Wednesday. Gloria Fletcher, president of Sound Publishing, told Herald employees the transaction is expected to close in early March. Julie Muhlstein and Eric Stevick report. Daily Herald Co. being sold to Sound Publishing    See also:  Washington Post sells The Herald of Everett   And also: NW media mogul buys Everett paper and enters coastal oil debate 

A vestige of West Bay’s working waterfront began to disappear this week, one creosote-soaked piling at a time. By mid-March some 400 derelict pilings and 7,000 square-feet of abandoned docks and piers that represented the last reminders of a lower Budd Inlet shoreline once lined with lumber and plywood mills will be removed and shipped to the Roosevelt Landfill in Klickitat County. It marks the latest step in a slow but steady transformation of West Bay Drive in Olympia from an industrial corridor to a collection of parks, office buildings and shoreline property undergoing hazardous waste cleanup and redevelopment. John Dodge reports. Budd Inlet relieved of creosote pilings  

If you like to watch: Presentations from Orca Network’s Way of Whales workshop feature Dr. Peter Ross on "Of whales and men: Ocean pollution in the 21st Century" - Dr. Peter Ross, Part 1,  and Part 2.  Links to other presentations are found at Orca Network Ways of Whales Workshop presentations – 2013

Read ‘em, Dano: The battle over a big coal export terminal, proposed for Cherry Point north of Bellingham, has become a burning issue across Washington. Agencies drawing up an environmental impact statement (EIS) on the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal disclosed Wednesday that they have received a total of 124,000 comments from citizens on what the scope of that environmental study should be. “Everyone says they want citizens to be engaged, but when 124,000 citizens speak out loudly, the political subculture gets nervous,” said State Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, who leads a group of legislators who want environmental, economic and transportation impacts across the state to be assessed. Joel Connelly reports. A very big deal: 124,000 comments on coal port  

Oil and gas pipelines could be made safer if pipeline operators had clear guidelines for how quickly they must respond to accidents, but federal regulators don't have the data they need to establish those rules, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office, an independent arm of Congress. The first few minutes and hours after a pipeline accident are considered crucial for effective cleanup and damage prevention. But the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which regulates the nation's 400,000-mile network of large volume transmission pipelines, requires only that operators respond in a "prompt and effective” manner.  Lisa Song reports. Safety compromised by missing rules on oil and gas pipelines, GAO says

An environmental coalition will Thursday attempt to push protection of the Great Bear Rainforest onto the already crowded election agenda, issuing open letters to B.C.’s main political leaders, calling for more immediate action. “The people of British Columbia want the Great Bear Rainforest agreements completed,” said letters sent by the coalition to Premier Christy Clark and New Democratic Party leader Adrian Dix. Jonathan Fowlie reports. Environmentalists look to insert Great Bear Rainforest into B.C. election agenda  

Real Fish, Rock Fish: In 2011, SeaDoc, NOAA, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife hosted a joint Workshop to highlight what we know about rockfish recovery in the Salish Sea and identify where more science could help us improve our efforts. The proceedings from this workshop are now available. It's 124 pages of state-of-the-art science on the status, history and future of rockfish in the Salish Sea. From SeaDoc Society: US / Canadian Rockfish Symposium Proceedings  

Works in warm waters: A new NOAA research report finds that both fish populations and commercial and recreational anglers have benefited from "no-take" protections in the Tortugas Ecological Reserve in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The report, "An Integrated Biogeographic Assessment of Reef Fish Populations and Fisheries in Dry Tortugas: Effects of No-take Reserves," is the first to evaluate how the 151-square nautical mile Tortugas Ecological Reserve affects the living marine resources of the region and the people whose livelihoods are connected to them. Tortugas Marine Reserve Yields More, Larger Fish

If you like to talk about it: FEBRUARY IN Seattle: It's dank. It's dark. It's windy. You're unhappy. Two words: Boo and hoo. Take a number, Sparky. Line starts over there, next to the Dri-Z-Air dehumidifier products at McClendon Hardware. Ron Judd talks. Washington weather is wacky, diverse

If you like to listen: One of the grayest corners of mainland USA, is slowly going solar, one community at a time. Solarize Washington, a program of Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (Northwest SEED), couples non-profit know how with grassroots energy. First a community finds interested homeowners, then Solarize Washington hosts a workshop complete with group discounts and know-how from solar installers. Martha Baskin reports. Solar Comes to Washington With Grassroots and Non-Profit Efforts  

President Obama on Wednesday nominated Sally Jewell, the chief executive of Recreational Equipment Inc., to lead the Interior Department, with a vow that she will balance the agency’s sometimes conflicting mandates to promote resource development and preserve the nation’s natural heritage. If confirmed, Ms. Jewell, a former oil company engineer and longtime advocate for conservation and outdoor recreation, will take over a department that has been embroiled in controversy over the regulation of oil and gas on public lands and in the Gulf of Mexico and Arctic Ocean. She also will be the steward of hundreds of millions of acres of public lands, from the Everglades of Florida to the Cascades of Washington State. Ms. Jewell, 56, who also had a 19-year career as a commercial banker, took over as chief executive of REI in 2005. John Broder reports. Obama’s Choice to Lead Interior Dept. Has Oil Sector and Conservation Credentials  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 612 AM PST THU FEB 7 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO NOON PST TODAY
TODAY
SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT...EASING TO S 10 TO 20 KT. COMBINED SEAS 9 TO 12 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13 SECONDS. SHOWERS IN
 THE MORNING...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING.
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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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2/6 Sally Jewell, spot prawns, Enbridge pipe, Kitsap stormwater, BP profits

Sally Jewell, CEO of Recreational Equipment Inc., will be nominated by President Barack Obama to become the country's next interior secretary. The Washington Post reports "Jewell, who will have to be confirmed by the Senate, has earned national recognition for her management skills and support for outdoor recreation and habitat conservation." REI's Sally Jewell to become U.S. interior secretary

The state Fish and Wildlife Commission decided in December to ban commercial shrimpers in the inland marine waters south from Deception Pass and Port Townsend, including all of Puget Sound. The idea is aimed to boost sport fishing in more urban areas of the state. Spot shrimp is a prawnlike shellfish found from California to Alaska. Gail Fiege reports. Ban on shrimp fishing enacted for inland waters

When 16-year-old environmental activist Sam Harrison made a presentation last week at the Vancouver hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, he had one goal in mind: to make the case that this pipeline represents a fundamental betrayal to his generation. “The Arctic will melt; the world will experience the next mass extinction,” he said during the review panel. “My generation will have to deal with the consequences. Surely, your generation owes it to us to not make it worse.” Teen activist strikes nerve with statement to pipeline hearing  

B.C. government lawyers grilled representatives of Enbridge on the company's emergency response plan at hearings Tuesday in Prince Rupert on the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.. At issue were definitions of what constitutes world-class safety standards. The provincial government has said that it requires such standards for heavy oil transport, both on land and water. B.C. has asked for assurance that Canada's standards match or exceed what's in place in other jurisdictions, such as Alaska and the state of Washington. Enbridge grilled on pipeline safety  

Residents of Suquamish, Indianola and Keyport will learn about locations being considered for “green” stormwater projects in their communities during a series of meetings. The projects are proposed to reduce pollution going into local waterways. Experts with Kitsap County’s Surface and Stormwater Management Program have identified 76 possible sites for projects, such as roadside rain gardens and permeable pavement. Meetings to discuss the projects will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Suquamish Elementary School, 18950 Park Ave. NE; 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Indianola Clubhouse, 19876 Indianola Road NE; and 7 p.m. Monday at Keyport Fire Station, 1863 NE Pacific Ave. Chris Dunagan reports. Stormwater meetings planned in North Kitsap  

Oil and gas giant BP's profit fell nearly 80 percent in the fourth quarter in results released Tuesday, dragged down by payouts related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP said that net profit fell to $1.62 billion in the three months ending Dec. 31, down from $7.69 billion in the same period the year before. BP took a loss of $3.85 billion for its settlement of all federal criminal charges with the U.S. government. Underlying replacement cost profit for the period, which strips out the changes in the value of inventories, was down 20 percent on the same period last year at $3.98 billion. Danica Kirka reports. BP profit drops 79 percent in Q4 due to settlement

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PST WED FEB 6 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
 GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
S WIND 15 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SE 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 13 FT AT 14 SECONDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE
 MORNING...THEN RAIN.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 30 TO 35 KT...EASING TO 20 TO 30 KT. COMBINED SEAS 13 TO 14 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 13 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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2/5 First Nations & Enbridge, Seattle traffic, Snohomish park, Shell LNG, eagle deaths, Reel Time

Urban mobility

Coastal First Nations has pulled out of a critical Northern Gateway hearing on Enbridge’s marine oil spill response plans, saying the hearings have drained the organization’s financial resources and are providing few answers. “We might as well keep our powder dry and save it for court,” CFN executive director Art Sterritt said Monday, expressing dissatisfaction over the cost of attending the hearings and over what he called “a difficult time” getting answers from Northern Gateway applicant Enbridge. Further, he said, the hearing process has been stripped of its legitimacy by the federal government’s omnibus budget bill. Gordon Hamilton reports.  First Nations group quits Enbridge hearings, citing lack of cash

Seattle drivers lost an average 48 hours to congestion during 2011, tied with Philadelphia for ninth place among the 15 largest metro areas in the annual Urban Mobility Report by the Texas Transportation Institute, which uses 2011 data from INRIX. That’s up only one spot from 2010, in a report released Monday night. But if your personal experience seems a lot crazier, you may be right. Traffic here is highly volatile — sixth-worst among the big metros, if you ask the question, “How much time do I need to allow to get to or from work 19 days out of 20 on time?”   Seattle’s “Freeway Planning Time Index” is 3.99, meaning that if the commute takes 20 minutes in light traffic, you should allow 80 minutes.  Washington, D.C. fared the worst, at 5.72, in a new analysis that TTI rolled out for this year’s report. Portland isn’t in the largest 15 metros, but did worse than Seattle, at a 4.26 ratio. Mike Lindblom blogs. Time’s a-wastin’: Seattle drivers lose 2 days a year to traffic

A park controversy in the town of Snohomish has pitted bird lovers against dog owners. A plan to set aside land for a wildlife refuge is ruffling some feathers. The dispute is over whether dogs and birds can coexist on the public land without ruining the outdoor experience for some people. Pet owner P.J. Parsons thinks she should be able to walk her border collie at any public park in the city. Her view puts her at odds with bird lovers, who believe the city should prohibit canines in the refuge. Mark Miller reports. Bird lovers, dog owners at odds over wildlife refuge plans

The National Energy Board has granted Royal Dutch Shell PLC and a group of foreign partners authority to export natural gas from the coast of British Columbia. Shell has been granted a licence to export up to 24-million tonnes of natural gas a day for 25 years. That’s the equivalent of 3.23-billion cubic feet per day, a little less than the roughly four-billion cubic feet per day currently produced in British Columbia. Shell gets go-ahead to export natural gas from B.C. coast

Authorities still are asking for help finding the person responsible for the deaths of four bald eagles last month near Granite Falls. A recent donation brought the reward money for information leading to an arrest and conviction up to $20,250, wildlife officials said Monday. Rikki King reports. Reward at $20,500 for information in eagle deaths  

Mark Yuasa asks: This southern Puget Sound creek is home to a very popular fall chum fishery, and when the fish are in the banks lined with hundreds of anglers. Fish watchers also can get a close up view of the chum migrating upstream of this creek west of Olympia and just off Highway 101. After folks are done either fishing or just soaking up the views they can warm up with a nice plate of BBQ at the popular and award-winning restaurant near its banks. Where am I fishing?  It's Reel Time trivia so put on your fishing thinking cap  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST TUE FEB 5 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
S WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 13 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS BUILDING TO 11 FT AT 12 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

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2/4 Anacortes growth, coal lawyers, Chico Creek park, Adventuress, ocean acid, net pen ban, Lummi land trust, Kokish River

Snohomish Slew (Geena Martin, The Herald)

The Snohomish River Valley was enshrouded in fog Saturday morning. But Snohomish Slew, the famous bullfrog weather prognosticator, didn't see it as an indicator of things to come. Nope, he thinks spring will come early this year. He's so sure, he predicted it with his croak. Sharon Salyer reports. Early spring, Snohomish Slew predicts 

New blog: “Long before the ‘buy local’ movement got going, environmentalists and labor unions worked together to get legislation passed that would give a leg up to Washington shipbuilders to build new ferries locally. That was the Build Them In Washington campaign....”  Build Them In Washington  

The city (of Anacortes) has made a big step toward changing its long-term growth area and making way for a massive bottling plant after submitting all the materials needed to begin the review of the proposed land-use change. But those materials include a major difference from the earlier application, which called for signing over 14.7 acres of industrial-zoned land to the Samish Indian Nation. Instead of signing over those acres, the new proposal includes turning into public land 16.6 acres of land bordering the south end of Fidalgo Bay that are now zoned for light manufacturing. One City Council member said he’s unhappy with the change, which was made without the council. Mark Stayton reports. Major change to Anacortes growth area application  

Eric de Place and Nick Abraham at Sightline reveal: Several well-known Northwest law firms, including two that cheerfully market themselves as green leaders, have thrown in their lot with the coal industry. They aim to help coal companies avoid a comprehensive public review of plans to export as much as 140 million tons of coal annually from the region. Yet it’s probably fair to say that many of these law firms care deeply about their reputations and would rather not have their work for the coal industry broadcast too widely. Read about the coal work of Gordon Thomas Honeywell; Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt; Stoel Rives; K&L Gates and the PR firm, Smith & Stark. Look Who’s Taking Coal Money, Part 2  Joel Connelly writes: Northwest’s so-called ‘green’ law firms working for Big Coal

With her dad watching closely, 7-year-old Hailey Mullen gripped a pair of pruning shears and clipped a blackberry vine close to the ground near the edge of Chico Creek. Young Hailey joined with more than 100 volunteers who turned out Saturday to attack the weeds at this undeveloped county park on Chico Way, known as Salmon Viewing Park. Organizers hope to transform the weed-infested park into a wonderful place for families to visit — especially during the fall salmon-spawning season.  Chris Dunagan reports. Volunteers begin to shape Chico Creek salmon park  

If you like to watch: About 150 people took an early afternoon break Friday to participate in what was billed as the first-ever “flash chantey.” The event commemorated a date exactly 100 years ago when the schooner Adventuress, which is now based in Port Townsend, first splashed into the water in East Boothbay, Maine, on Feb. 1. 1913. Charlie Bermant reports. 'Flash chantey' marks Adventuress centennial splash  Watch the video.

Last year, Washington came up with a tentative plan to fight the growing acidity of its Puget Sound and coastal waters — a shift that is hurting the state's shellfish harvests. The challenge now faces the state Legislature. Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas island, introduced a bill Friday to create a council to advise the state government on how to tackle ocean acidification. The bill also calls for considering the acidity of water runoff in urban planning efforts. John Stang reports. Legislator hopes to save shellfish  

A bill sponsored by a Sequim Democrat in the state House would allow counties to ban net pen aquaculture. The one-page bill, filed Thursday by state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, a Sequim Democrat, says: “Master programs may include provisions for siting or prohibiting the siting of marine aquaculture net pen facilities.” Charlie Bermant reports. Bill would allow counties to ban fish farming  

Whatcom County and the city of Ferndale have written letters to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs opposing Lummi Nation's move to get trust land designation for an 80-acre site south of Slater Road and west of Interstate 5. The land had been mentioned as a possible site for both a new county jail and a new Costco store before the tribe acquired it from Ralph Black and family for a reported $5.4 million in late 2011. Ten of the 80 acres are inside the Ferndale city limits, while the remainder is within Bellingham's legally designated urban growth area. That means it is earmarked for eventual Bellingham annexation. Tribal trust designation would move the parcel out of city, county and state jurisdiction and take it off property tax rolls. John Stark reports. Lummis move to get trust land status worries local governments

Federal scientists struggled to protect fish in the Kokish River from potential adverse effects of a hydroelectric project, but concerns of on-the-ground staff were watered down by the time a final memo reached the desk of the fisheries minister, documents obtained by the Wilderness Committee show. The progression unfolds through more than 1,000 pages of memos and emails obtained by the wilderness protection group through an access to information request. Fisheries and Oceans staff negotiate to get better conditions and water flows for fish. Then, the tone of memos to senior staff changes, and at least one biologist objects to his name being on a memo. Judith Lavoie reports. Kokish River power project approved by government despite scientists' concerns

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON FEB 4 2013
TODAY
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT BECOMING E 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING SE 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE
 EVENING...THEN 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

Follow on Twitter.

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2/1 TCEP & TDCCP, pipelines, oil trains, Seattle waterfront, bag ban, ocean acid, fisheries, bird & fossils

New blog: “Since the ground thawed from the last hard freeze, Mr. Mole has been busy along the edge of the cement walkway building his mountains of soil. The only time I’ve seen a mole was an unpleasant encounter when I trapped one a long time ago in a garden in Oregon. This one in our yard I’ve never seen but the dog sure smells him....”  Waiting For Mr. Mole  

This news and weather service is happy to serve over 200 weekday subscribers and to have entertained 3,257 web visits last month, for a total of 31,424 visits since the service began 17 months ago. The Salish Sea Communications occasional blog received 3,630 web visits last month and 24,318 visits since launch 16 months ago. Thanks for your continuing support.

Some state lawmakers are pushing to ban potentially cancer-causing chemicals from children's products and sofas. Bills in the House and Senate would prohibit the use of two flame retardant chemicals, known as TCEP and TDCCP, in strollers, car seats, changing pads and other children's products, as well as home furniture. The bills also prohibit manufacturers from using chemicals on the state's list of chemicals of concern as replacements. Phuong Le reports. Bills would ban chemicals in baby products, sofas

From Chris Dunagan's blog: Federal grants make statement about Puget Sound

The oilsands industry is going to be demanding more pipelines across Western Canada in the next decade, even if three proposed projects get built, the head of Kinder Morgan Canada predicts. Kinder Morgan president Ian Anderson told the Vancouver Board of Trade on Thursday that the North American market for Canadian oilsands crude is drying up as U.S. production rises, and producers in Alberta will soon be looking to move their product across B.C. and out of ports on the West Coast. Pipeline demands to increase in coming decade

Opponents of the Northern Gateway pipeline are threatening to turn their sights on CN Rail, as at least one Alberta oil company explores the possibility of transporting oil sands crude to the B.C. coast by rail car. Sixteen environmental groups signed a letter sent to Canadian National CEO Claude Mongeau this week to express opposition to any plans to ship product from the Alberta oil sands west by rail. Dene Moore reports. Oil pipeline opponents may target rail shipments next

The Northwest is on the verge of becoming a gateway for crude oil. Three different developers have plans to use docks on Grays Harbor, Washington to transfer crude oil from trains to ships. Other projects are getting off the ground in Tacoma, Vancouver, B.C. and on the lower Columbia River. There was a huge turnout Wednesday night at an introductory public workshop in Aberdeen, Washington. The response indicates crude-by-rail may be the region’s next big environmental controversy.  Tom Banse reports. Northwest On Verge Of Becoming Pacific Crude Oil Gateway

Planners are hammering out the details of a handful of ambitious projects that will drastically alter downtown Seattle’s waterfront. While the physical work on the high-profile projects won’t begin for some time, key decisions regarding the $1 billion plan are being made now. Among them: how to expand Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium, whether to resurrect the waterfront streetcar, and how to pay for it all. Marc Stiles reports. Major Seattle waterfront projects see flurry of activity

The citywide ban on most retail plastic bags starts March 1, and Issaquah leaders reminded residents to prepare in the 30 days before the legislation goes into effect. The measure also sets a 5-cent fee for most paper carryout bags. Under the ordinance, retailers keep the fee to offset the cost to phase out plastic bags and shoppers can see the expense itemized on receipts. Though the ordinance requires most plastic bags to disappear from retailers in March, consumers should not expect to see the bags vanish altogether. Issaquah starts 30-day countdown to plastic bag ban

Between 2005 and 2009, billions of oyster larvae began dying at hatcheries around the state before anyone knew what was going on or could do anything about it. The state's $270 million shellfish industry, which employs about 3,200 people, is in danger. One oyster farm, Goose Point Oysters in Willapa Bay, has begun raising oyster larvae in Hawaii because it can no longer grow them here. The reason, scientists say, is ocean acidification. Bill Sheets reports. State's $270 million fisheries business threatened by ocean acidification

Pete Knutson opines: "Despite the 1995 and 1999 voter rejection of initiatives favoring sport fishing, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission moves steadily to restrict and eliminate commercial fisheries in Washington state. Under a veneer of conservation rhetoric, the commission has reallocated salmon, crab, prawns and now Columbia River Chinook from food fish harvesters to the politically powerful sport industry. On Jan. 12, they voted to eliminate the 150-year-old Columbia River non-tribal commercial salmon fishery, which has been a significant source of livelihood for the economically depressed southwest Washington region...."  Political games are devastating sustainable commercial fishing  

Size limits have been a part of fisheries management for decades, but some fear that they are doing more harm than good. Brendan Borrell writes. Ocean conservation: A big fight over little fish  

A new photographic exhibit exploring the intertwined lives of owls and woodpeckers is scheduled to open this weekend at Edmonds Historical Museum. The exhibit called "The Owl & the Woodpecker in Washington" by photographer Paul Bannick is part of a traveling show created by the Burke Museum in Seattle. The exhibit is scheduled to be shown in Edmonds through April 14.  Photos of woodpeckers, owls exhibited at Edmonds museum    And: Fossils are all around Washington. That’s the message paleontologist Kirk Johnson and artist Ray Troll share in the traveling exhibit Cruisin’ the Washington Fossil Freeway, opening at the Harbor History Museum on Saturday, Feb. 2. Traveling fossil exhibit from Seattle’s at Harbor History Museum

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST FRI FEB 1 2013
TODAY
NW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS. AREAS
 OF FOG IN THE MORNING.
TONIGHT
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 16 SECONDS.
SAT
SE WIND 15 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 20 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 9 FT.
SAT NIGHT
SE WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 10 FT AT 17 SECONDS.
SUN
S WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT AT 16 SECONDS.

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