2/9 DAPL tribal rights, "last stand," KM pipe vote, NEB review, where's Doug?, Amy Scarton, orca news

Northern kelp crab, Pugettia producta

Northern Kelp Crab
Called a 'spider' crab because of its slender legs and claws. Its carapace is shaped like a shield and on larger specimens can reach four inches from front to back. Northern kelp crabs are found on pilings and hidden within kelp beds, particularly bull kelp. They will sometimes attach pieces of kelp to little hooks just behind their rostrum (the top point of the badge shape), saving them to eat later.  While these long-legged crabs look delicate, they are actually quite strong and a pinch from their claws can be painful. (Biodiversity of the Central Coast)

Trump showed ‘blatant disregard’ for tribal rights in pipeline reversal, senator says
Washington state Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell wants President Trump to reverse a decision allowing the controversial 1,200-mile Dakota Access oil pipeline to proceed, saying the administration failed to consult with Indian tribes before making the decision. Cantwell, the former chairwoman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, wrote a letter to Trump, saying the administration had shown a “blatant disregard for federal law and our country’s treaty and trust responsibilities to Native American tribes.” She joined eight other members of Congress in signing the letter, including independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Rob Hotakainen reports. (McClatchy)

Oil pipeline opponents call for protests in ‘last stand’
With the federal government about to green-light the final phase of the Dakota Access pipeline, opponents of the project called today for protests around the world in an action they dubbed their “last stand.” Some members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which has been at the center of the debate for nearly a year, urged “emergency actions” via social media. The Indigenous Environmental Network told people to target fuel-transportation hubs and government buildings and to expect violence and mass arrests. Protesters posted an online list of nearly 50 events in 23 states and the District of Columbia.  (Associated Press)

City council set to vote on taking province to court over Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion
Vancouver city council is considering whether to take the provincial government to court over its approval of the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project. A motion introduced by city councilor Adriane Carr asks that the city request a judicial review of the provincial government's decision to give the project its environmental approval. If it passes, the environmental permit issued by the province would be reviewed by a Supreme Court judge to ensure all conditions of approval have been met. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

National Energy Board review panel comes to Vancouver
A group of experts reviewing Canada's National Energy Board are in Vancouver for a national tour gathering public feedback. The five member panel was appointed by the Liberal government in November to consult with Canadians and come up with recommendations to reform the energy regulator. Critics say members of the NEB are often too close to the energy companies they are supposed to assess. Controversy erupted over the NEB's consultations in Montreal on the proposed TransCanada Energy East pipeline. Three members of the NEB who were reviewing that pipeline had to step down after it was reported they had met with lobbyists. (CBC)

Trump job or Senate seat? He can’t have it both ways
To the victor go the spoils, and so it is with a small club of Evergreen state Republican office holders who pledged allegiance to Donald Trump months ago. State Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, and former Sen. Brian Dansel, R-Republic, are collecting paychecks in the new president’s administration…. Ericksen, however, is clinging to his legislative post, as well as its $46,839 salary, while spending much of his time in Washington, D.C., as a member of the Environmental Protection Agency’s transition team. He should resign his elected position, and Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler should see to it that it happens quickly. (New Tribune Editorial Board) See also: Half-Work, Half Pay Online Petition organized by 42nd District Bellingham anthropologist Michael Alvarez Shepard, Ph.D.

New ferry director young and passionate
There's a new generation leading Washington's ferries. Forty-year-old Amy Scarton became director Feb. 1, bumping interim boss Elizabeth Kosa back to her No. 2 staff chief position. Kosa, 38, didn't mind. "I was extremely excited about Amy," Kosa said of the replacement for Lynne Griffith, who retired at the end of January at age 67. "She brings new depth and knowledge to the ferry system. She's multimodal and highly capable with government." Griffith, familiar with Scarton's work atop the Department of Transportation's Community and Economic Development Office, tabbed her for the post. The selection was supported by Transportation Secretary Roger Millar and Gov. Jay Inslee.  Ed Friedrich reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Olympia protest for safe waters set for Feb. 13  Salish Sea Stands lobby day. Protesters will bring life-size posters representing Southern resident killer whales and meet with legislators (San Juan Journal/Salish Sea Stands News Release) Orca Relief announces new executive director  Scott West is the new executive director of Orca Relief Citizen Alliance. Past Executive Director Bruce Stedman has stepped down after 20 years of service and a relocation to the East Coast. (San Juan Journal/Orca Relief News Release)

WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  248 AM PST THU FEB 9 2017  

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM PST EARLY THIS MORNING
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON  
TODAY  SE WIND 25 TO 35 KT EARLY...EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT...THEN  BECOMING SW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT SUBSIDING TO 2  TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT  SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. SW SWELL 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS  BUILDING TO 10 FT AT 11 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SHOWERS.

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2/8 Stormy weather, DAPL OKd, half-work half-pay, carbon tax, invasives, Hanjin Vienna

Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (OSU)

Douglas-fir
The Douglas-fir is a large to very large tree with a narrow crown of slightly drooping branches. The Coastal D-fir forms vast forests on moist, well-drained soils. It is one of the world's most important timber species, ranking first in the US in total volume of time, in lumber production, and in veneer for plywood. it is also a popular Christmas tree. (Audubon Nature Guide: Western Forests) See also: How the Douglas-fir tree put Vancouver on the map  Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Winter storm warning issued for the South Coast
High winds, blowing snow and icy conditions will make travelling treacherous overnight Wednesday Justin McElroy reports. (CBC) Heavy, warm rain to follow snowstorm in Seattle area   Vernal Coleman reports. (Seattle Times)

Army to allow completion of Dakota Access oil pipeline
The Army said Tuesday that it will allow the $3.8 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota, clearing the way for completion of the disputed four-state project. However, construction could still be delayed because the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which has led opposition, said it would fight the latest development in court. The Army intends to cancel further environmental study and allow the Lake Oahe crossing as early as Wednesday, according to court documents the Justice Department filed that include letters to members of Congress from Deputy Assistant Army Secretary Paul Cramer. Blake Nicholson reports. (Associated Press) See also: What Seattle's 'boycott' could mean for Wells Fargo  The Seattle City Council unanimously voted Tuesday afternoon to cut ties with banking giant Wells Fargo over its role as a lender to the Dakota Access Pipeline project, as well as other business practices. Paige Browning reports. (KUOW)

State senator invites climate-change denier to brief committee while he’s away
A presentation by a climate-change denier scheduled for Tuesday in the Republican-led state Senate is drawing fierce criticism from Democrats who say the briefing is a misuse of government time. Tony Heller — who also blogs under the pseudonym Steven Goddard — will address an environmental committee run by state Sen. Doug Ericksen, a Republican from Ferndale who is temporarily leading communications at the Environmental Protection Agency for the Trump administration. State Sen. Reuven Carlyle blasted Ericksen Monday for Heller’s scheduled presentation in light of rescheduled hearings and work-flow interruptions caused by Ericksen’s EPA gig. Carlyle, of Seattle, is the ranking Democrat on the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications Committee. Walker Orenstein reports. (News Tribune of Tacoma) See also: Trump EPA official juggles two jobs in two Washingtons, and it hasn’t gone well.  Lisa Rein and Brady Dennis report. (Washington Post)

Half-Work, Half-Pay
An online petition demanding that State senator Doug Ericksen either resign or refund taxpayers of Washington state half his legislative salary has been organized by 42nd District Bellingham anthropologist Michael Alvarez Shepard, Ph.D.

GOP senior statesmen making push for a carbon tax
A group of Republican senior statesmen are pushing for a carbon tax to combat the effects of climate change, and hoping to sell their plan to the White House. Former Secretary of State Jim Baker is leading the effort, which also includes former Secretary of State George Shultz. In an opinion piece published Tuesday night in The Wall Street Journal, they argued “there is mounting evidence of problems with the atmosphere that are growing too compelling to ignore.” The group will meet Wednesday with White House officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, senior adviser Jared Kushner, and Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council. Ivanka Trump is also expected to attend, according to a person familiar with the plans. (Associated Press)

B.C.'s invasive species warriors tackle turtles, knotweed, climate change and critics
Invasive species experts have gathered in Richmond to strategize strikes against everything from Japanese knotweed to American bullfrogs with the only weapon that works — cooperation. The Invasive Species Council of B.C. (ISCBC) works to stop foreign plants and animals from taking over ecosystems in the province. With increased trade and travel and warmer winters, organizers say they face more challenges than ever controlling destructive invaders. Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

Container ship Hanjin Vienna anchored off Victoria now up for sale
The Hanjin Vienna — the container ship anchored off Victoria’s waterfront since September — is up for sale….It has been there since the financial collapse of South Korea’s Hanjin Shipping company. Ken Bradshaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  245 AM PST WED FEB 8 2017  

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT  
TODAY  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT IN THE  AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 4 TO 7 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF  15 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE  AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT  E WIND 30 TO 40 KT EASING TO 25 TO 35 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 5 TO 8 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF  12 SECONDS. RAIN.

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2/7 Snow, Pruitt & EPA, Antarctic ice shelf, tribes & Trump, Bremerton poop, Malheur verdict

What is Snow?
Snow is precipitation in the form of ice crystals. It originates in clouds when temperatures are below the freezing point (0 degrees Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit), when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses directly into ice without going through the liquid stage. Once an ice crystal has formed, it absorbs and freezes additional water vapor from the surrounding air, growing into a snow crystal or snow pellet-- snowflakes, grapple, sleet, hail-- which then falls to Earth. (National Snow & Ice Data Center)

More snow, cold temperatures ahead for week  Amy Bell reports. (CBC) And: Snowiest storm in 5 years leaves much of Puget Sound region blanketed in white  (KOMO)

Scott Pruitt Is Seen Cutting the E.P.A. With a Scalpel, Not a Cleaver
Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, is drawing up plans to move forward on the president’s campaign promise to “get rid of” the agency he hopes to head. He has a blueprint to repeal climate change rules, cut staffing levels, close regional offices and permanently weaken the agency’s regulatory authority. But Mr. Pruitt, a lawyer who made a career suing the E.P.A., is not likely to start with the kind of shock and awe that Mr. Trump has used to disorient Washington. Instead, he will use the legal tools at his disposal to pare back the agency’s reach and power, and trim its budget selectively. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times) See also: Scores of EPA workers object to Trump's pick to lead agency  Carla Johnson and Michael Biesecker report. (Associated Press) And: Florida Republican Proposes Bill to Abolish the EPA  Eve Peyser reports. (Gizmodo)

A Crack in an Antarctic Ice Shelf Grew 17 Miles in the Last Two Months
A rapidly advancing crack in Antarctica’s fourth-largest ice shelf has scientists concerned that it is getting close to a full break. The rift has accelerated this year in an area already vulnerable to warming temperatures. Since December, the crack has grown by the length of about five football fields each day.  Jugal Patel reports. (NY Times)

5 ways tribes can fight back against Trump
"How does Indian Country survive the Donald Trump era?…. There are many ways for tribes to survive the Trump era. My main point is that we need to think differently. Usually a new presidential term starts with a president trying to bridge gaps and bring the country together. That’s not been the case from President Trump, so we should expect more of the same in the years ahead." Mark Trahant writes. (Crosscut)

Another sewage spill reported in Bremerton
The waters off Bremerton have been hit with a fourth sewage spill in less than three weeks. A 23,000-gallon mixture of sewage and stormwater spilled Monday morning from a Bremerton wastewater facility into the Port Washington Narrows…. The narrows was fouled three other times late last month. On Jan. 18, a High Avenue wastewater facility in Bremerton spilled nearly 4,500 gallons of sewage and stormwater. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

3 Oregon refuge defendants plead guilty to trespassing
Three of the final seven defendants charged in the Ammon Bundy-led takeover of a national wildlife refuge last year took plea deals Monday instead of heading to trial next week. Sean and Sandy Anderson, a couple from Riggins, Idaho, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland to misdemeanor trespassing in exchange for the dismissal of felony conspiracy and weapons charges. Also taking that step was Dylan Anderson of Provo, Utah, who is not related to the Idaho couple. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Brown sentenced the three to one year of probation each and required each one to pay $1,000 restitution to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Steven Dubois reports. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  245 AM PST TUE FEB 7 2017  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON    
TODAY  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 4 FT  AT 13 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MORNING...THEN A  SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.  
TONIGHT  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 4 FT  AT 15 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 at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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2/6 Grizzly, geoduck, oil/gas, Break Free PNW, Grays Harbor oil, biofuel, sinking boat, ballast water

Time for the Grizzly?
Last month, the National Park Service and other agencies released draft proposals for restoring the struggling grizzly bear population in Washington's North Cascades. But just how do we restore these iconic animals? A new 13-minute film, Time for the Grizzly?, tells the story of grizzly bear recovery in Montana’s Cabinet Mountains through the lens of Bellingham-based ecologist and bear expert Chris Morgan. Watch the film then make comments on the draft plan on restoration strategies before March 14, 2017.

Farmed geoduck's sustainability rating takes a hit
Geoduck farming’s increasing use of plastic gear cost it a top-spot rating from Seafood Watch, a consumer guide popular with environmentally minded eaters. Washington’s farmed geoduck was downgraded from the guide’s “best choice” rating to the mid-range “good alternative” designation after an assessment late last year of aquaculture practices in Puget Sound. The fast-growing industry’s use of plastic gear, including beach-embedded grow tubes and protective netting, has sparked “increasing concerns” about debris and plastic particles in the marine environment, according to Seafood Watch’s 115-page assessment. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

G.O.P. Hurries to Slash Oil and Gas Rules, Ending Industries’ 8-Year Wait
The document carried the title “A Roadmap to Repeal,” a concise list of Obama administration environmental regulations that a Koch brothers-backed group was pressing President Trump and Congress to quickly reverse after Inauguration Day. It was a tally of rules that energy industry executives and lobbyists had waged a futile fight against for eight years, donating millions of dollars to lawmakers who vowed to help block them, filing lawsuits to try to overturn them and hiring experts to generate reports that questioned the need for them. But in a flurry of activity this past week, Congress did what Charles G. and David H. Koch — who own a conglomerate that sells hundreds of products, including gasoline, jet fuel and coal — and other industry leaders had been asking for. Eric Lipton reports. (NY Times) See also: House votes to overturn Obama's rule on methane emissions  Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) And: Keystone debate: Is there really a need for so many new oil pipelines?  Lynda Mapes and Hal Bernton report. (Seattle Times)

Jury convicts Break Free PNW protestors
A jury found four people guilty of trespassing Friday for blocking BNSF Railway tracks during the Break Free PNW protest in May. Each was convicted of second-degree criminal trespass, which is a misdemeanor, in Skagit County District Court. Each was sentenced to 12 months of probation, fined $250 and required to do eight hours of community service work in Skagit County, Prosecuting Attorney Rich Weyrich said. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Grays Harbor port oil project in limbo after ruling
Despite a state Supreme Court ruling earlier this month that put Contanda Terminals’ Port of Grays Harbor expansion project on hold, the company is confident it can meet the additional requirements created by the ruling and continues to pursue a shorelines permit from the City of Hoquiam…. The court case centered on whether Contanda’s expansion project — which would include an area to receive, store and ship crude oil and enable its Port of Grays Harbor facility to receive up to 17.8 million barrels of oil per year and add 1 million barrels of storage capacity for crude oil — fell under the umbrella of the Ocean Resources Management Act. The state Supreme Court said it did, which suggested the project would face much more strict environmental scrutiny than it would under the City of Hoquiam’s shorelines regulations. Don Hammock reports. (Aberdeen Daily World)

Sequim lab looks to find the best biofuel in algae
Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Marine Sciences Laboratory are turning algae inside out to find the best biofuel possible. Dr. Michael Huesemann, a lead researcher, said algae is a promising clean energy but expensive to harness effectively…. Huesemann, who has worked with algae for 16 years, started on the $6 million, three-year algae DISCOVR project (Development of Integrated Screening, Cultivar Optimization and Validation Research) in October 2016 with a small team of senior and junior scientists in Sequim. (Peninsula Daily News)

Sinking boat near Kingston to be hauled off soon
The Olympic, the historic fishing vessel languishing in Appletree Cove, has one more trip to make. That journey likely will be the last of its century-long life. The 58-foot vessel foundered in the cove in early December after it broke anchor and winds pushed it into shallow water. When the Olympic struck ground, it tipped and water poured into the vessel. It has since sat partially submerged in the cove, leaching fluids. The state Department of Natural Resources has launched an effort to clean up the boat through its Derelict Vessel Removal Program. The DNR is finalizing an approximately $50,000 contract to have the boat raised and hauled to Port Townsend, where it will eventually be destroyed, DVRP manager Troy Wood said. Nathan Pilling reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Facing backlash, Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz withdraws bill to transfer federal land to the states
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) withdrew legislation Thursday that would have transferred 3 million acres of land from federal to state ownership, citing objections from constituents who complained that the move would limit access to public hunting and fishing grounds. Juliet Eilperin reports. (Washington Post)

Ballast water bill could allow invasive species to enter Puget Sound
Invasive species from San Francisco Bay — known as the most infested waterway in the country — would have an open door for entry into Puget Sound under a bill moving through Congress… If VIDA [Vessel Incidental Discharge Act]  passes, ships coming up the coast from California will be able to take on infested ballast water in San Francisco Bay and discharge it without treatment into Puget Sound. Invasive species that hitched a ride in the ballast water would have a chance to populate Puget Sound. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  257 AM PST MON FEB 6 2017  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON    TODAY  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 4 FT  AT 12 SECONDS. SNOW LIKELY IN THE MORNING...THEN SNOW SHOWERS  LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT  SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING E 15 TO 25 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. SW SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE  EVENING...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
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2/3 Wetlands Day, Ericksen redux, Wells Fargo, Blanchard Mtn, Navy dock, orca capture, protest trial

Buttertubs Marsh, Nanaimo BC [Laurie MacBride]

Treasuring the Wetlands
Laurie MacBride in s wrote on Feb 2, World Wetland Day: "With so much ill-informed and noisy rhetoric lately about “draining the swamp”, this year’s World Wetlands Day is more important than ever. Wetlands are among the world’s most productive habitats, every bit as important as tropical rainforests. Thanks to the many vital ecosystem services they provide, they’re as critical for human survival as they are for the myriad species of plants and animals that live in and around them. Yet over the past century the world has lost almost two thirds of its wetlands, with most of the loss in the last 50 years…." (read more)

State Sen. Ericksen defends second job in Trump transition, jabs at Democratic critics
Washington state Sen. Doug Ericksen Thursday defended his dual role as lawmaker and member of President Trump’s transition team, saying his situation was ethically tenable and suggesting Democrats sought to raise the issue for political advantage…. Ericksen pointed to Wednesday evening’s Senate vote on a K-12 education-funding bill, intended to satisfy the state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision, as an example that the Senate is functioning normally…. At the news conference, Ericksen also hinted at changes to come at the EPA under a Trump administration, suggesting a faster environmental cleanup of the Hanford nuclear reservation and “new science” concerning climate change. Ericksen is a noted skeptic of the consensus among scientists that humans cause global warming. Joseph O'Sullivan report. (Seattle Times)

Seattle To Vote Monday On Wells Fargo Divestment And Fair Business Practices
Hundreds of anti-pipeline demonstrators chanted and waved signs outside of Seattle’s City Hall early Wednesday, before dozens crowded in to council chambers to testify in front of Seattle’s Finance Committee. They urged swift passage of an ordinance that would pull $3 billion from Wells Fargo Bank, in large part because of its role in financing the Dakota Access Pipeline. The measure passed out of committee with a vote of 8-0. It directs the city to divest from Wells Fargo by ending its current contract when it expires in 2018. It would also direct Seattle officials to refrain from making new investments in Wells Fargo securities for a period of three years. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

What’s new on effort to protect Blanchard from logging? Call lawmakers to find out
Two state legislators have organized a Feb. 9 telephone town hall meeting about the future of Blanchard Mountain, where the race is on to secure $7.7 million needed to protect all 1,600 forested acres on the mountain in Skagit County from being logged. Gov. Jay Inslee set aside $1.5 million toward that in his proposed budget, but supporters of full funding said this legislative session is the last chance to secure money for a 10-year agreement. If the money isn’t allocated, logging likely will begin this year, possibly as soon as summer, on some part of the 1,600-acre core. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Tips from residents lead to major crab-poaching bust
Charges are in the works after the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) arrested three men suspected of large-scale crab poaching on the Sunshine Coast. Posters headed “Poacher Alert” placed along Ocean Beach Esplanade by community members and showing a picture of a boat working the area between Roberts Creek and Gibsons urged people to keep an eye out and call DFO. Last week, tips from the public paid off. Tom Hlavak, a DFO conservation and protection area chief, said the men were arrested Jan. 26 in an operation involving six fisheries officers. Their boat and several crab traps were also seized. Sean Eckford reports. (Coast Reporter)

Pile-driving begins for Navy pier project at Ediz Hook
Pile-driving began Wednesday on the Navy’s $25.6 million pier project on Ediz Hook. Not that city residents, going about their business downtown on the other side of Port Angeles Harbor, would know it. The vibratory hammer began driving the first piles for the 425-foot pier and trestle at 9:54 a.m. Wednesday off the southern shore of Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles. While the project, which faces the city shoreline, also will include louder impact pile-driving, a quiet clatter issued Wednesday from the vibratory APE 200 hammer during a frigid visit to the worksite. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Larsen calls on Congress to end orca captivity once and for all
Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) is once again cosponsoring the Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement (ORCA) Act, a bill that aims to end the captivity of orca whales once and for all The ORCA Act would permanently end orca captivity across the United States and prohibit orca breeding, the wild capture of orcas, and the import or export of orcas for purposes of public display. (News Release/San Juan Islander)

First trial begins for Break Free PNW protestors
A trial began Thursday in Skagit County District Court for four of 52 people arrested during the Break Free PNW protest in May. The defendants each face a misdemeanor trespassing charge for blocking BNSF Railway train tracks that lead to the Shell and Tesoro oil refineries at March Point near Anacortes. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  223 AM PST FRI FEB 3 2017  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT  
TODAY  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT  AT 13 SECONDS. RAIN AT TIMES.
TONIGHT  E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL  6 FT AT 11 SECONDS BUILDING TO 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT  SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT BECOMING E 15 TO 25 KT IN THE  AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. SW  SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.
SAT NIGHT  S WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL  5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN  E WIND 5 TO 15 KT RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 13  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 at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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2/2 Doug Ericksen, pipe protest mistrial, Eagle Harbor tar seep, GOP rules repeal

Marmota monax [Wikipedia]

Happy Whistlepig Day!
The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, or whistlepig, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. The groundhog is also referred to as a chuck, wood-shock, groundpig, whistler, thickwood badger, Canada marmot, monax, moonack, weenusk, and red monk. (Wikipedia)

Wash. state senator tries to explain how he'll juggle Trump job -- but gets stuck in D.C.
Sen. Doug Ericksen scheduled a news conference Wednesday morning to explain how he’ll juggle his dual jobs as a state legislator and member of President Trump’s administration in Washington, D.C. But Ericksen, R-Ferndale, couldn’t get back to Olympia in time for his own event. “A flight cancellation prevents Ericksen from reaching the state Capitol until later Wednesday,” according to a news release sent Tuesday night. “Will advise when a new time and location is set, tentatively planned for Wednesday afternoon.”  Joseph O'Sullivan and Jim Brunner report. (Seattle Times)

Jury fails to reach verdict in case of man who broke into oil pipeline facility
The jury deliberating the case of Kenneth Ward failed to reach a verdict, and a mistrial was declared Wednesday in Skagit County Superior Court. Ward, 60, of Corbett, Oregon, was on trial for felony burglary and sabotage charges for trying to shut off an oil pipeline Oct. 11 at a Kinder Morgan facility west of Burlington. He said while testifying that he targeted the pipeline in an attempt to raise awareness about climate change, and he hoped to inspire a transition off fossil fuels. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

EPA covers toxic tar seep under Eagle Harbor
The hidden danger lurking under Eagle Harbor is being put back in its cage. Acres of industrial tar and other contaminants safely buried under sand and gravel 30 years ago had recently started to ooze out, putting a largely recovered harbor’s health at risk. In response, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is leading a $3 million effort to patch the sediment cap and add a new layer of rock to make sure it stays put. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Congressional Republicans move to dismantle Obama rules
Moving to dismantle former President Barack Obama’s legacy on the environment and other issues, House Republicans approved a measure Wednesday that scuttles a regulation aimed at preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams. Lawmakers also voted to rescind a separate rule requiring companies to disclose payments made to foreign governments relating to mining and drilling. Republicans said the votes were first in a series of actions to reverse years of what they see as excessive government regulation during Obama’s presidency. Rules on fracking, guns and federal contracting also are in the cross-hairs as the GOP moves to void a host of regulations finalized during Obama’s last months in office. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  227 AM PST THU FEB 2 2017  

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TODAY
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON PST TODAY THROUGH  FRIDAY AFTERNOON  
TODAY  E WIND 25 TO 35 KT EASING TO 20 TO 30 KT IN THE  AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 6 TO 7 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF  13 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  E WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 4 FT  AT 14 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF RAIN 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 at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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2/1 Cardiotoxicity, DAPL, Doug Ericksen, Kitsap sewage, 4Mth Puget Sounder

It's Spring!
Crocus is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family comprising 90 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. Crocuses are native to woodland, scrub, and meadows from sea level to alpine tundra in central and southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, on the islands of the Aegean, and across Central Asia to Xinjiang Province in western China. (Wikipedia)

Substance in crude oil harms fish hearts, could affect humans as well
Research from Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station has identified a substance in oil that's to blame for the cardiotoxicity seen in fish exposed to crude oil spills. More than a hazard for marine life exposed to oil, the contaminant this team identified is abundant in air pollution and could pose a global threat to human health. The pollutant at the center of this finding, phenanthrene, is a type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Due to widespread use of petroleum, PAHs are also found in land-based stormwater runoff, contaminated soil from defunct industrial sites and air pollution. PAHs have been investigated as cancer-causing chemicals for nearly a hundred years but other potential health effects have been given far less attention. The environmental health risks of phenanthrene, in particular, have received secondary consideration to other PAHs more strongly implicated in the development of cancer. Taylor Kubota reports. (Phys.org)

Army Corp told to approve Dakota pipeline easement 
The Army Corps of Engineers was ordered to allow construction of the Dakota Access pipeline to proceed under a disputed Missouri River crossing, North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven said on Tuesday, the latest twist in a months-long legal battle over the $3.8 billion project. The Standing Rock Sioux, whose opposition to the project attracted thousands of supporters from around the country to North Dakota, immediately vowed to again go to court to stop it. (Associated Press)

Ericksen confident he can work for both Senate and EPA, will take full salary
Since becoming communications director for the Environmental Protection Agency transition team, Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, has drawn criticism from some Whatcom County constituents who worry he isn’t dedicating enough attention to his elected duties in the state Legislature. Ericksen has missed at least 75 percent of the committee meetings he was scheduled to attend so far this legislative session, attending five meetings early in the session, and missing at least 17 as of Tuesday afternoon. He has not attended committee meetings since Jan. 12. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald) See also: Sen. Ericksen, you can't be two places at one time  (Seattle Times Editorial Board)

Back-to-back Central Kitsap sewage spills worst in years
One of Kitsap’s largest sewage spills in years, plus a second smaller spill a day later, has polluted a Central Kitsap creek and forced the closure of waterways between Silverdale and Bremerton. The first spill occurred Sunday from a Kitsap County Public Works pump station under construction on Conifer Drive near the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. The spill released 90,000 gallons of sewage. Much of the sewage flowed into Mosher Creek, which is 30 feet from the station. Sewage polluted a 2-mile stretch of the creek before flowing out its mouth near Tracyton, contaminating Dyes Inlet and the Port Washington Narrows. The spill amount was initially reported at just 9,000 gallons. The Kitsap County Health District corrected the amount to 90,000 gallons on Tuesday. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Welcome to the Puget Sound party, 4 millionth person
In case you hadn't noticed, our region has been growing fast. By this June, a major milestone will be official: The Puget Sound region’s population will be more than 4 million people. Carolyn Adolph reports. (KUOW)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  554 AM PST WED FEB 1 2017    SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON    TODAY  E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT  AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT  E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. 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 at 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