12/13 Thatcher Bay restoration, 'duck ban, bird count, flooding, climate wars, Arctic ice, YVR pipe, moon water

(PHOTO: Friends of the San Juans)

Friends leads restoration of Blakely surf smelt beach
Friends of the San Juans recently spearheaded the restoration of a documented surf smelt spawning beach along Blakely Island’s Thatcher Bay. Surf smelt are a food source for larger fish, seabirds and mammals. Loss of forage fish can lead to less salmon, seabirds and whales, decreasing wildlife viewing and fishing opportunities for all... The project uncovered 5,300 square feet of habitat that had been buried under rock and fill for more than 60 years, and then replenished it with a combination of pea gravel and sand. This sandy “fish mix” is where surf smelt spawn along the uppermost portions of the beach.

China Imposes First-Ever West Coast Shellfish Ban
China has suspended imports of shellfish from the west coast of the United States — an unprecedented move that cuts off a $270 million Northwest industry from its biggest export market. China said it decided to impose the ban after recent shipments of geoduck clams from Northwest waters were found by its own government inspectors to have high levels of arsenic and a toxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning. The restriction took effect last week and China’s government says it will continue indefinitely. It applies to clams, oysters and all other two-shelled bivalves harvested from the waters of Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Northern California. U.S. officials think the contaminated clams were harvested in Washington or Alaska. Right now they’re waiting to hear back from Chinese officials for more details that will help them identify the exact source. Katie Campbell, Ashley Ahearn and Tony Schick report.

For the birds
While the weather may be frigid, trees dusted with frost, volunteers are gearing up for the National Audubon Society’s 114th annual Christmas Bird Count between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. Skagit area counts are organized by the local Skagit Audubon Society, as well as neighboring Western Washington chapters and other volunteer groups. Each year, counters take down anticipated high numbers of wintering waterfowl, but come across some rarities, too. The count is the longest-running citizen science survey in the world, which started in 1900 as a transition from an annual Christmas hunting competition to wildlife census, according to the National Audubon Society. The information gathered helps assess the health of bird populations and guide conservation efforts. It also contributes to scientific research and can act as an alert for environmental problems. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

Guest: How we can use nature to fend off flooding in Puget Sound
Michael Stevens and Mary Ruckelshaus in a guest editorial write: "SOMETHING is happening in our river valleys, on fertile farmlands and along our shorelines. Record floods and tides make clear that something has changed...To prevent the worst effects of this long-term trend, we must act now to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and the rising waters it brings. Amazingly, nature itself can be used as a defense against these increasing threats. One of the most critical things we can do through public policy and smart investments is to give all that water someplace to go. We can protect farms, roads, towns and cities by protecting and restoring floodplains, marshes, wetlands and forests that can absorb or redirect water."

Inslee, Republicans draw lines in the sand over climate
Forget about being on the same page. Republicans and Democrats are not even in the same book on how Washington should tackle climate change issues. A legislative panel is supposed to decide by Dec. 31 on recommendations to the Washington Legislature on how to deal with climate change and carbon emissions. The Republicans and Democrats on the panel have put their own proposals on the panel's Web site. A public hearing on those proposals will be held today at 2 p.m. in Olympia. The panel is supposed to recommend a plan of action on Dec. 18. A bipartisan set of recommendations appears unlikely. John Stang reports.

Arctic Sea Ice Didn't Melt as Much in 2013, But Warming Woes Remain
The rapid melting in the Arctic eased up this year. But the government says global warming is still dramatically altering the top of the world, reducing the number of reindeer and shrinking snow and ice, while increasing certain fish and extending the growing season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its report card for the Arctic on Thursday, portraying 2013 as moderate compared with the roasting 2012... More ominous are long-term trends, NOAA's report card said. Average Arctic temperatures have increased 3.6 degrees since the 1960s, rising twice as fast as the rest of the world. The growing season has lengthened by nearly a month since 1982. Fish species are moving north, permafrost is melting, and shrubs are greening in ways that weren't seen before... "The Arctic is not like Vegas," [University of Virginia environmental scientist Howard] Epstein said. "What happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic." Seth Borenstein reports.

YVR jet fuel plan given environmental approval
The B.C. government has granted conditional environmental approval to a controversial proposal that includes a pipeline through Richmond, tankers and a marine terminal.  B.C. Minister of Environment Mary Polak announced today the approval hinges on 64 conditions and said the government is taking into account the public's environmental concerns... Polak said the conditions will put in place all of the equipment and training necessary to prevent -- or in the worst case respond to -- a spill. The City of Richmond has strongly opposed the proposed project, which would see barges and tankers carrying jet fuel 15 kilometres up the river to the terminal, then link up with an on-land pipeline to YVR airport.

Hubble telescope sees geysers on Jupiter’s moon Europa
The search for life in the solar system took a turn Thursday with the announcement that Europa, a moon of Jupiter first discovered by Galileo, shows signs of water geysers erupting from its south pole. The new observations by the Hubble Space Telescope represent the best evidence yet that Europa, heated internally by the powerful tidal forces generated by Jupiter’s gravity, has a deep sub­surface ocean. The hidden ocean has long been suspected, but scientists have never seen anything as dramatic and overt as plumes of water vapor more than 100 miles high. Joel Achenbach reports.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST FRI DEC 13 2013
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
S WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT
SE WIND TO 10 KT...RISING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
SAT NIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 7 FT AT
 17 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SUN
SW WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 11 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

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

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12/12 Seahurst seawall, Vic sewage, blocking trains, hatcheries, ferry reservations, shrimp crash

(PHOTO: Chris Menges/Highline Times)

If you like to watch--SLIDESHOW: Removal of the Seahurst seawall
For the City of Burien, Seahurst Park is one of its most important assets, and the city has worked the past 10 years to remove the hard armoring lining the shore and restore natural nearshore processes... The project will improve marine habitat for salmon and other endangered species, restore natural sediment processes, the beach to pre-seawall conditions and the park's recreational features. Chris Menges documents.

Esquimalt gets what it wants in sewage pact
Greater Victoria politicians approved a multimillion-dollar sewage compensation package for Esquimalt Wednesday, but took so long dickering over the details that they might incur $1.8 million in extra expenses. The Capital Regional District sewage committee voted to approve a new rezoning application for a treatment plant at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt — one of the last major hurdles before the contentious megaproject can begin construction. The proposal includes up to $13 million in amenities, such as barging construction materials to the site, as well as previously promised oceanfront walkways, bike lanes and road improvements. However, the CRD needs Esquimalt council to approve the deal. Esquimalt says it can’t hold a required public hearing until mid-February at the earliest. Rob Shaw reports.

How Coal and Oil Trains Will Block Traffic: Skagit and Whatcom Counties
If fossil fuel companies succeed in shipping the volumes of fuel they have planned, they will—by sheer physical necessity—disrupt vehicle and rail traffic all along the rail route. In our final chapter of the series, we examine the effects in Skagit and Whatcom Counties. Coal and oil trains—loaded in the interior of North America and bound for the coast—would close off streets for hours each day. South of the junction in Burlington that leads to the Anacortes refineries, we estimate that coal and oil trains would close streets by an average of between 49 minutes and 1 hour and 50 minutes, each day. North of the junction, streets would close 43 minutes to 1 hour and 37 minutes daily. At the slower speeds that are typical of urban areas, fossil fuel trains could shut down streets for roughly 3 hours a day, on average. Eric de Place and John Abbotts show the numbers

Lawsuits Put NW Fish Hatcheries In The Crosshairs
A string of lawsuits around the region highlights a groundswell of opposition to the practice of raising salmon and steelhead in hatcheries to then be released into the wild. Wild fish supporters argue that hatcheries harm wild fish populations and that governmental agencies charged with protecting salmon and steelhead under the Endangered Species Act are in fact violating the Act in some instances by releasing hatchery-raised fish to intermingle with the wild ones. Ashley Ahearn reports.

Reservations? Full steam ahead
Those who travel by ferry in the San Juans will likely be able to do what they’ve always done at any hotel or restaurant, come this time next year: make a reservation... The latest concept no longer would require those making reservations to be tied to a WSF frequent-user program, such as its Premier Account, a popular program with riders down sound, and would allot a percentage of automobile space for reservations made well in advance, those made closer to the time of a particular sailing, and then a portion reserved for those traveling without reservation at all. Scott Rasmussen reports.

Shrimp crash forces first fishery closure for 35 years
SOMETHING fishy is happening off the coast of Maine. Shrimp populations have collapsed. After recording alarmingly low stocks in its yearly survey, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has now banned shrimp fishing in the region. It is the first time in 35 years that the Gulf of Maine fishery has been forced to close. Global warming is one of the suspects. What is so unusual about the latest survey is a decline in shrimp of all sizes. The fishery targets 4 and 5-year-old females, so reduced numbers of these would be expected. But there was a drastic reduction in younger shrimp, too. This suggests a sudden upsurge in some other source of mortality, such as predation or disease, and means the fishable population is not restocking. Cat de Lange reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST THU DEC 12 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 14 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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12/11 Geoduck farming, BC pipe, oil terminal study, fish library, dredge spoils, Drayton poop, Delta farms

Geoduck farm, Hartstine Island/Wikimedia

Study assesses viability of geoduck in aquaculture
Washington Sea Grant, a federally funded marine research and education organization based at the University of Washington, has completed a study of the unusual, long-necked geoduck clam. The report released Dec. 2 culminates six years of scientific studies. It assesses how geoduck commercial harvest operations, like Taylor Shellfish Farms in Samish Bay, might affect marine environments in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It also recommends future research to support a sustainable geoduck industry in the Pacific Northwest.... Read the full report at wsg.washington.edu/research/geoduck. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

NEB won’t revisit releasing Northern Gateway decision in Calgary
The National Energy Board says releasing its decisions in Calgary is standard practice regardless of where in Canada the project is located, and it will not make an exception for its report on the controversial $6.5-billion Northern Gateway pipeline proposal. The board says it is considering whether to give reporters and interested stakeholders an embargoed look at the decision on whether to approve the project a few hours early in a lock-up in Calgary, which would be the first time the agency has ever done such a thing... After 180 days of hearings in 21 locations across British Columbia and Alberta, the board is to release its decision by the end of this month. Ian Bailey reports.

Vancouver (WA) asks for thorough oil-terminal study
Vancouver neighborhoods cut off from fire and police protection by increased train traffic. A highly volatile commodity traveling near homes. An industrial area prone to liquefying in an earthquake. Those are among more than 100 areas of concern the city of Vancouver wants state regulators to include in their examination of the environmental impacts of a proposed oil-by-rail operation at the Port of Vancouver. Aaron Corvin reports.

Dismantling of Fishery Library 'Like a Book Burning,' Say Scientists
The Harper government has dismantled one of the world's top aquatic and fishery libraries as part of its agenda to reduce government as well as limit the role of environmental science in policy decision-making. Last week the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which is closing five of its seven libraries, allowed scientists, consultants and members of the public to scavenge through what remained of Eric Marshall Library belonging to the Freshwater Institute at the University of Manitoba. Andrew Nikiforuk reports.

Homeowners at Odds with Govt Agencies over Dredging, Disposal
Some residents in the Olympia area are concerned about dredged materials being disposed of in the Puget Sound. They say the Department of Natural Resources is failing to protect underwater ecology at the same time that state and federal governments are spending millions on cleanup. Bob Lyden is a resident of the area near Anderson Island and a member of the U.S. Coast Guard. He's also part of a group of locals pushing to stop the state from putting dredged materials into a sanctioned dumping site. The group is concerned for local wildlife, including Dall's porpoise and Dungeness crab. Bellamy Pailthorp reports.

Investigators use dye and a grapefruit to track bacteria in harbor
State health and environmental investigators are trying to track down the flow of dangerous fecal coliform bacteria into Drayton Harbor. The harbor is home to a flourishing shellfish industry that has to shut down during the winter rainy season because so much bacterial flows in. Dakota Creek is one source so on Tuesday the team poured a harmless red dye into the creek to see how it flows into the damaged shellfish beds. They also tossed in flagged grapefruit to help find the dye as it dissipates and gets harder to see. The grapefruit will float for days. Gary Chittim reports.

Developer targets farmland near Delta terminal
A Vancouver industrial real estate firm has extended options to buy nearly 250 hectares of farmland near Deltaport, a container terminal with ambitious expansion plans. Developer Ron Emerson envisions an intermodal rail yard and industrial facilities for packing, unpacking and distributing goods arriving at the port.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PST WED DEC 11 2013
TODAY
E WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 OR 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 OR 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

12/10 Samish GBH, oil spills, BC pipe poll, BC ferries, Vic sewer, Mima Mounds, 'king tides,' fresh water

Samish Heron Nests (PHOTO: Pete Haase)

If you like to watch: Samish Island Heron Nest Count & Ivy Pull
Pete Haase writes: "Here is something your readers might enjoy.  The Skagit Land Trust stewards two large Heron Nesting grounds near Padilla Bay.  Each has 300 plus nests.  In the late fall/early winter, volunteers go into the grounds and count the nests and document the conditions." Check out Pete's web site and photos of the December 7 outing.

Rolling the dice on the Salish Sea
Judith Lavoie writes: "It was the kind of sparkling day on Haro Strait that lifted the soul and showcased BC’s unique beauty. Against a backdrop of the Gulf Islands and the snowy outline of Mount Baker, a humpback whale surfaced in front of our boat. But, as bright yellow plywood drift cards were tossed into the ocean from Raincoast Conservation Foundation’s research vessel Achiever, it was also a stark reminder of all that could be lost if oil spills into the Salish Sea. Staring into the water as the cards drifted towards land, I found it was too easy to imagine the whale emerging
through a sheen of oil. On the horizon looms the likelihood of a proliferation of oil tankers, freighters, fuelling barges and coal bulk carriers, making the Salish Sea a carbon export superhighway. Fears are growing on both sides of the US/Canada border that increasing the number of tankers carrying diluted bitumen from Alberta oil sands through the fragile environment of the southern Gulf Islands and San Juan Islands could be a recipe for disaster when combined with other projects boosting marine traffic...." Read on; it's a 'must' read. Then check out the spills map.

If you like to watch: Retro Report: The Exxon Valdez Disaster
On a cold March night in 1989, the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground off the coast of Southern Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the waters of Prince William Sound and creating one of the worst oil spills in American history. This week’s Retro Report examines how the spill happened and follows its impact. Using archival footage and interviews with those involved, including former Alaska Attorney General John Havelock and Riki Ott, a fisherman who became an environmental activist in the wake of the spill, the video explains how the focus on a reportedly intoxicated tanker captain obscured a far more complex set of safety failures that led to the spill. Scott Michels reports.

Support and opposition over Northern Gateway evenly split: business poll
British Columbians are nearly equally split on their support for or opposition to the Northern Gateway oil pipeline, according to a new poll commissioned by the B.C. Chamber of Commerce. The poll found 47 per cent of the 1,050 adults surveyed by phone strongly or somewhat support Enbridge’s proposed $6.5-billion project to transport bitumen from the Alberta oilsands to Kitimat for shipment by tanker to new markets in Asia.

BC Ferries to build 3 new LNG ferries
BC Ferries has confirmed it plans to commission three new vessels that will be able to operate on liquid natural gas, but there is no guarantee they will be built in B.C. The ferry company announced three months ago it planned to build the ferries to replace the vessels currently operating on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route and the Comox – Powell River route. On Monday the company confirmed the vessels would be built to operate using both liquid natural gas and marine diesel.

Lack of haste makes for waste in CRD sewage project: report
Regional politicians need to hammer out a sewage deal with Esquimalt on Wednesday or the only option left will be to call on the provincial government for help and begin incurring extra fees, says a new report. Capital Regional District staff say if politicians on the sewage committee can’t finalize a rezoning deal with Esquimalt to allow a sewage treatment plant at McLoughlin Point, then “an impasse will have been reached” and the “assistance of the province should be sought in resolving the outstanding issues.” That would mean several months of delays for arbitration, with each month costing approximately $900,000, according to the staff report to politicians. Rob Shaw reports.

Baby It's Cold Outside....
Orca Watcher Monika Wieland writes: "We've had beautiful sunny weather here over the last week or so, but man has it been cold! Temperatures in the mid-20s plus breezy conditions that makes the wind chill factor in the teens. Not the type of cold we're used to dealing with here! Most of the wildlife-watching has occurred from the car as a result, or at least after a drive and then a brief hopping out of the car..." Wonderful pictures shared.

Likely Builder Of Mima Mounds? Hint: It’s Furry, Tiny And Tireless  
For centuries, Mima mounds have mystified... Mima mounds are hillocks, piles of dirt upchucked from the ground. They are sometimes covered in grass, giving them the illusion of a knoll. There are millions in California’s Central Valley; near Olympia, Wash. is the Mima Prairie, where the mounds got their name... Now scientists say they are fairly certain about what has been creating – or at least maintaining – these Mima mounds: half-pound, foot-long rodents better known as pocket gophers. Marcie Sillman and Christine Streich report.

'King tides' may provide glimpse of future
It's the time of year when tides are king. While it might seem counter-intuitive, the Earth is actually slightly closer to the sun in winter than in the summer for the northern hemisphere, making for stronger gravitational pull -- and the highest tides of the year. Tides are forecast to be up to 12 feet above mean sea level or higher through much of this month and into January. Those highs will be balanced by minus tides on the low side much of the time. Bill Sheets reports.

Vast Freshwater Reserves Found Beneath the Oceans
Scientists have discovered huge reserves of freshwater beneath the oceans kilometres out to sea, providing new opportunities to stave off a looming global water crisis. A new study, published December 5 in the international scientific journal Nature, reveals that an estimated half a million cubic kilometres of low-salinity water are buried beneath the seabed on continental shelves around the world. The water, which could perhaps be used to eke out supplies to the world's burgeoning coastal cities, has been located off Australia, China, North America and South Africa.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PST TUE DEC 10 2013
TODAY
VARIABLE WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS. CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 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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Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

12/9 WA climate, wipes, railroads, hydraulic appeals, Helena Star, salmon projects, B'ham Bay, eagles, suing oil

PHOTO: Laurie MacBride

If you like to watch: A Complex Story, Simply Told
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "A washed-up kelp head and rivulets left by the receding tide: sometimes less really is more. I couldn’t resist trying to capture the simplicity and stark beauty of this little tableau at West Beach on Calvert Island. Along this wild, wind-swept stretch of sand on BC’s outer coast, each square foot is a microcosm of the dynamic interaction of biology and physics that takes place every day. These dynamics are complex, yet hopefully their story can be conveyed in a simple scene like this." Take a look at Laurie's narrated video of her recent photography show, Reflections on the Coast.

Tempers flare at Inslee's climate workgroup meeting
Tempers flared at Friday’s meeting of Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate workgroup as Republican lawmakers questioned whether Washington should be endorsing carbon-reduction actions without knowing how much they cost taxpayers or kill jobs. Inslee, a Democrat, outlined five ideas, including a cap on carbon emissions, that he said could help the state reduce greenhouse-gas emissions linked to global warming. A consultant’s report says the state will fall short of meeting goals for reducing emissions by 2020 without action. But as Inslee pressed members of the workgroup on whether they want to forge ahead with an action plan for the 2014 Legislature, Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen and Republican Rep. Shelly Short both argued that his question was premature.... “What I really resent, governor, is you intimating that we don’t care,” Short said during a heated back-and-forth discussion with Inslee and two Democrats on the panel. Brad Shannon reports.

Utilities grapple with issue of ‘flushable’ wipes
Metro Vancouver and Capital Regional District are among several municipal organizations across Canada that are grappling with clogged pipes and septic systems because the wipes, deemed a cleaner alternative to toilet paper, don’t break down once they’re swept down the toilet bowl. And it appears situation is a growing problem: Across Canada, flushable wipes are estimated to cost taxpayers $250 million annually. “It’s an issue for all waste water utilities,” said Fred Nenninger, Metro’s division manager of regional utility planning. “It’s a ragging issue at the pumps. They tend to get stuck. They kind of bunch up and glom together and come out in big clumps.” Kelly Sinoski reports.

Coal, oil shipping could benefit from passenger rail improvements in Washington
President Barack Obama's high-speed rail program was supposed to deliver faster and more frequent passenger trains to communities across the country. But some of the $10.1 billion in funding for that program also could benefit one of the nation's largest freight railroads. Washington state received $781 million from the Obama administration's 2009 economic stimulus to improve passenger rail service in the 300-mile corridor that stretches from Portland, Ore., north to Vancouver, British Columbia.... Amtrak may not be the only winner, however. BNSF Railway, the owner of the tracks over which Amtrak operates, is a leading hauler of coal from Wyoming's Powder River Basin and crude oil from North Dakota's Bakken region, and it seeks to increase its shipments of both commodities in the Pacific Northwest. Curtis Tate reports. Also see:  Oil terminal proposal would increase train traffic through Spokane   Last year, a train carrying crude oil from North Dakota chugged across Eastern Washington en route to a Puget Sound refinery. The oil train was the first for the region, but oil shipments through Spokane could become common in the future.... For Jon Snyder, a Spokane city councilman, that raises questions about spills and public safety, particularly in light of the July derailment of an unattended oil train in Quebec that caused an explosion killing 47 people. Becky Kramer reports.

Group appeals work at Guemes ferry dock
The Seattle-based environmental organization Sound Action has appealed a hydraulic approval permit the state Department of Fish and Wildlife issued for an in-water project at the Guemes Island ferry dock. The organization argues that the agency, which is tasked with evaluating in-water project proposals for compliance with state law to protect fish habitat, failed to consider surf smelt spawning at the site of the Anacortes project. The permit authorizes the removal of 78 wood and 28 steel piles, the installation of 48 steel piles and repair to the wing wall mooring system. Use of an impact hammer will be allowed to complete the work. Sound Action’s appeal asks Fish and Wildlife to modify the permit to include a time restriction for the work to protect smelt spawning. The restriction would require a biologist to confirm the absence of spawning activity before work could proceed, Sound Action Executive Director Amy Carey said. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

Groups differ on surf smelt presence in Winslow marina  
An environmental group has appealed a hydraulic permit issued by the state for work in the Winslow Wharf Marina because of the presence of surf smelt and has requested more restrictions on the project. According to the Nov. 20 permit issued by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife marine area habitat biologist Chris Waldbillig, the permit authorizes the removal of about 90 piling from the 31-year-old marina and installing approximately 104 steel pilings. The permit also allows the use of both vibratory and impact hammer, as well as work in the “upper shoreline reaches typically utilized for forage fish spawning.” ... Sound Action Executive Director Amy Carey said she commends Winslow Wharf Marina for renovating its marina but is appealing the permit because Fish & Wildlife doesn’t have surf smelt restriction. Ethan Fowler reports.

Sunken Helena Star can't be lifted as planned
The sunken ship at the bottom of the Hylebos Waterway won't be leaving right away. A crane brought to Tacoma on Thursday was supposed to lift the Helena Star to the surface so it could be towed away. But authorities scrapped that plan Friday. The freighter has deteriorated so much that it might break apart while being lifted, the Department of Ecology said. Jordan Schrader reports.

Peninsula salmon projects get $4.5 million
The state has awarded $4.5 million in grants for new salmon restoration projects on the North Olympic Peninsula. Clallam County project sponsors received $2.8 million for five projects, including a Lower Elwha Klallam tribe-led effort to replant the shores of the Elwha River in the former Lake Mills and Lake Aldwell reservoir beds. Jefferson County received $1.7 million for six salmon recovery projects, including a State Parks purchase of streamside habitat on the south shore of the Dosewallips River. Rob Ollikainen reports.

Bellingham waterfront developers could be chosen soon
The next big step toward waterfront redevelopment will be the selection of developers ready to take on major new building projects. Although zoning and development regulations for the waterfront are finally in place after years of wrangling, it will be years before new buildings are shovel-ready. But Port of Bellingham Executive Director Rob Fix said he expects to recommend a private development team to port commissioners before the end of the first quarter of 2014. Selection of that team will be a tentative first step that starts the process of negotiating a deal with that team - a process not guaranteed to be successful. Among other things, the port and the developers will have to agree on financial terms that make money for the developer while also providing an adequate level of return on the millions of dollars of public investment in the 237 waterfront acres. That area extends around the bay from the I&J Waterway next to the Bellwether development, all the way to a large, new park site on a former city dump off the southern end of Cornwall Avenue. John Stark reports.

Eyes on the eagles in the Northwest
As chum salmon move into rivers across the Puget Sound to begin the final stage of their life cycle, you can be sure bald eagles are not far behind. The eagles have learned that the region’s rivers and streams provide an ample food supply in the form of salmon carcasses. During the winter, Washington serves as the winter home to more than 1,500 bald eagles in locations including the Yakima Canyon, Lake Roosevelt, the Skagit River, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Grays Harbor and along the Columbia River. Jeffrey P. Mayor reports.

Despite board’s reorganization, flood protection authority reaffirms massive lawsuit against oil industry
In what some thought may be a reversal of an earlier decision to pursue a massive lawsuit against 97 oil companies over Louisiana’s coastal land loss, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East reaffirmed its intention to go forward with the lawsuit in a Dec. 5 meeting. Following the decision by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E) to pursue the historic lawsuit, Governor Bobby Jindal led an effort to remove board members whose term had expired, including former chairman John Barry who was the lawsuit’s biggest supporter, as well as to defund the body.... The lawsuit, which seeks billions in damages, has been deemed trial lawyer “extortion,” according to oil lobby and business groups. But the litigation also has gained the support of local environmentalists. Kyle Barnett reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON DEC 9 2013
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT BECOMING SW 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 14 SECONDS. CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN OR
 SNOW...BECOMING LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS. LIGHT RAIN OR SNOW 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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12/6 Salish Sea News and Weather: Air quality, BC pipe, Lake Union cleanup, Helena Star, Budd Inlet orcas, Anacortes cleanup, science ed

NELSON MANDELA: 1918-2013
(Greg Bartley/Camera Press, via Reduxjpg via NYTimes)

As Air Quality Dips, a Warning for Your Health
The spectacular sunsets we've been enjoying recently have a downside: they’re indicators of increasing air pollution. Pollution has risen to unhealthy levels around Puget Sound this week. State health officials say pollution often goes up in the winter... That pollution is particularly bad for people with lung conditions, including asthma. Ed Ronco reports.

Energy workers union backs First Nations against Northern Gateway
Canada’s largest private-sector union has thrown its support behind First Nations in opposing the Northern Gateway pipeline project, vowing to hit picket lines in solidarity if the project goes ahead. Unifor, formed on Labour Day weekend with the merger of the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, now has more than 300,000 members across the country. Andrea Woo reports.

Property owners funding Lake Union clean-up
Workers began removing 12,000 cubic yards of arsenic-contaminated sediment in Lake Union on Thursday. It's a first-of-its kind clean-up program launched after many years of planning by the Washington State Department of Ecology. And with the first load of gunk hauled up by an enormous crane, an important chapter begins. The owner of the Northlake Shipyard bought the property years ago at a discount with the understanding he'd pay into a fund each year for many years. Now that fund is removing arsenic-laced sand blasting sediment put there in the 1960s and 1970s by the former owner, who is long since out of business. The dredging will remove 8,000 tons in 25 truck loads. It'll be hauled to a specially licensed landfill. It's the state's first legal agreement of its kind works. Jeff Burnside reports.

Workers begin to raise derelict Tacoma ship Helena Star
A crane with enough muscle to lift up to 700 tons pulled a sunken freighter to the surface of the Hylebos Waterway on Thursday, then set it back on the bottom again. It’s part of the painstaking process of ridding the Tacoma waterway of the Helena Star, a 167-foot ship that sank in January. Crews resume work Friday with the goal of raising the ship and eventually towing it to Seattle to be dismantled. Jordan Schrader reports.

Orcas pay rare visit to Budd Inlet
A handful of orcas paid a rare visit to Budd Inlet on Wednesday. After receiving multiple calls from residents in the Boston Harbor area, Erin Keene of Cascadia Research Collective was able to snap photos of three orca whales as they headed south.... Keene said the orcas were feeding, splashing and showing their tail flukes before they took off to the north. Research group Orca Network was unable to identify any of the whales that showed up in Budd Inlet, Keene said. Andy Hobbs reports.

Port, state plan to clean old Anacortes fuel depot
The state Department of Ecology and the Port of Anacortes are accepting public comment today through Jan. 8 on proposed cleanup activities for the petroleum-contaminated former Shell Oil Tank Farm site on Fidalgo Bay... The port uses the 0.6-acre site, which is east of Commercial Avenue between 13th and 14th streets, as a place to park vehicles and boat trailers for use at a nearby boat launch. Shell Oil and other companies formerly used it as a distribution site for gasoline, diesel, oil and other chemicals that leaked from underground tanks and pipes over the years, Ecology spokesman Seth Preston said. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

Your weekend ‘must read’: The Science of Citizenship
Bella Boggs in Orion Magazine makes the compelling case for why science education matters.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 302 AM PST FRI DEC 6 2013
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING
TODAY
E WIND 25 TO 35 KT. COMBINED SEAS 4 TO 5 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 14 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NE WIND 25 TO 35 KT...EASING TO 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 4 TO 6 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 15
 SECONDS.
SAT
NE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
N WIND 10 KT...BECOMING W AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
SW WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 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@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

12/5 King tides, Fraser toxins, BC tribes, BC spills, mudsnails, Alexis Valauir, anxious fish, wetlands, eagles, Skagit fish

(PHOTO: KOMO-TV)

New blog: It’s “King” Tide Time Again
If you live in Puget Sound, the first “king” tides will be occurring this weekend, beginning December 6. The Strait of Juan de Fuca shorelines have already had their first round of these seasonal extra-high tides this week. The tides will also be high at the end of December and early January in Puget Sound.

Mercury, PCBs to be recycled near Fraser River in Chilliwack
A hazardous waste recycling plant on the shores of the Fraser River opposed by environmentalists, wildlife groups and First Nations was unanimously approved by Chilliwack city council Tuesday evening. Ontario-based Aevitas Inc. asked council to rezone a property on the Cattermole Lands from heavy industrial to special industrial to allow for the plant that, each month, will recycle 5,000 litres of transformer oil containing PCBs and 500,000 lamps containing mercury. Few even knew about the proposal and the public hearing until it was nearly too late. Paul Henderson reports.

Feds told to work harder with aboriginal groups on energy projects
A report set for release today will urge the federal government to do more to build trust with aboriginal communities and ensure their participation in proposed energy projects on Canada’s West Coast. The report by the prime minister’s special envoy, Doug Eyford, is based on months of consultations with aboriginal groups in British Columbia and Alberta. It’s a key part of the federal effort to win support for proposed pipelines to take oilsands bitumen and natural gas to B.C. ports for export to Asian markets.

B.C. still struggling to define ‘world-class’ response to oil spills
With two major studies now in hand demonstrating how poorly prepared B.C. is for a marine oil spill, Environment Minister Mary Polak says the government still doesn’t know what it would take to achieve a “world-class” response system... Her ministry is reviewing this week’s report from a federal panel that found major gaps in the safety system for oil supertankers plying Canadian waters off the coast. That did not take into account the hundreds of additional tankers expected to pass along the B.C. coast if two proposed oil pipelines are built. The provincial government recently released its own study that found efforts to clean up tanker spills would leave most of the oil on the ocean. Justine Hunter reports.

Freeze could help kill Capitol Lake's mudsnail population
State wildlife officials say this week’s freezing weather could kill off half or more of an invasive New Zealand mudsnail population afflicting Capitol Lake in downtown Olympia. With temperatures falling into the teens overnight, the theory is that the mudsnails — which are the size of a grain of rice — will simply die of cold. To maximize the effect, the Department of Enterprise Services began draining the lake Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning a scientist from the Department of Wildlife was inspecting the newly uncovered shore areas where the tiny mollusks live. Brad Shannon reports.

If you like to listen: Alexis Valauir -Ocean Acidification Effects on Global Communities
From the 2013 NW Straits Annual Conference: Alexis Valauir, a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, traveled to Norway, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand and the Cook Islands researching how ocean acidification on communities. She shares her experiences and offers insight into communicating global environmental problems to different cultures.

Rising Ocean Acidification Leads to Anxiety in Fish
A new research study combining marine physiology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and behavioral psychology has revealed a surprising outcome from increases of carbon dioxide uptake in the oceans: anxious fish. A growing base of scientific evidence has shown that the absorption of human-produced carbon dioxide into the world's oceans is causing surface waters to decline in pH, causing a rise in acidity. This ocean acidification is known to disrupt the growth of shells and skeletons of certain marine animals but other consequences such as behavioral impacts have been largely unknown.

Humans Threaten Wetlands' Ability to Keep Pace With Sea-Level Rise
Left to themselves, coastal wetlands can resist rapid levels of sea-level rise. But humans could be sabotaging some of their best defenses, according to a Nature review paper published December 5 from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

Where to see bald eagles, from B.C. to Oregon
For bald-eagle fans in the Northwest, the cool, dark days of December and January don’t mean outdoor doldrums. This is prime eagle-viewing time. In winter, many eagles make their way from high-latitude areas to the relatively warm and food-rich lakes and rivers of Washington, Oregon and southern British Columbia. Since winter is not mating or hatching season, the birds congregate more than usual, meaning you potentially can see dozens at once, often feeding on salmon at the side of spawning streams. Bonus: You’ll probably see other animals as well. Christy Karras reports.

Fish habitat restoration gets boost with $3.5 million grant
Nine Skagit County fish habitat restoration projects sponsored by state and local agencies received more than $3.5 million in grant funding from the state’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board on Wednesday, the Skagit Watershed Council announced. The council is a community partnership that promotes protection and restoration of salmon habitat in Skagit. Each of the project sponsors — Skagit County Public Works, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, Skagit Land Trust, Seattle City Light, Skagit River System Cooperative and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife — are partners in the council, Executive Director Richard Brocksmith said. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

Sea-Level Rise to Drive Coastal Flooding, Regardless of Change in Cyclone Activity
Despite the fact that recent studies have focused on climate change impacts on the intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones themselves, a research team led by Jon Woodruff of the University of Massachusetts Amherst found on review of the relevant science that sea level rise and shoreline retreat are the two more certain factors expected to drive an increase in future flood risk from such storms.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PST THU DEC 5 2013
GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING
TODAY
E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 2 FT AT 9 SECONDS. CHANCE OF FLURRIES.
TONIGHT
E WIND 20 TO 25 KT BECOMING 20 TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SNOW.
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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