6/15 Carbon tax, ship cleaning, suing BNSF, DAPL do-over, BC pipes, Cherry Pt study, tanker fumes, UP rail, Maine monument

Brittle star (Dave Cowles, Walla Walla University)

Brittle star Ophiopholis aculeata
Ophiopholis aculeata is like Pisaster ochraceus (Ocher star), an echinoderm that exhibits extremely varied hues and patterns for no apparent reason. The variations of the arms, moreover, are independent of the design of the central disc. No two Ophiopholis aculeata have been found to be exactly alike. (The Intertidal Wilderness)

American white pelicans
Regarding yesterday's posting about American white pelicans coming north (Squadron of American white pelicans spotted across Vancouver Island), Heather from Burley Lagoon WA writes: "Maybe the pelicans ARE establishing a new migration route.  Nine of those beauties flew in to Pierce County's Burley Lagoon, stayed over a  week, then were tracked  farther southwest in South Puget Sound. While here, the pelicans feasted on forage fish, took long and daily naps in a group and slept on private beaches at night.  We have seen the occasional gray pelican, but never whites. It was a thrilling sight for all!"

Nature Conservancy weighs potential carbon tax measure in Washington
Saying there’s a huge opportunity to move forward on climate change, The Nature Conservancy is weighing a potential carbon-tax ballot measure to put before voters as early as next year. The Seattle-based conservation group on Monday filed three proposed initiatives to the people with the Secretary of State’s Office as it prepares the groundwork for a possible 2018 ballot measure. Mo McBroom, the group’s government relations director, said the group is in the early stages of research and planning. They’ll decide later this year or next year how to move forward with the boldest plan possible “at the soonest possible date,” she said Tuesday. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Tribe, groups to sue Navy over ship cleaning in Puget Sound
The Suquamish Tribe and two environmental groups have sued the U.S. Navy, alleging the Navy cleaned a decommissioned aircraft carrier in Puget Sound in violation of federal clean-water laws. The mothballed 60,000-ton USS Independence was cleaned in waters near Bremerton, Washington, in January and February before it was towed to Brownsville, Texas, this month to be dismantled. The tribe, Washington Environmental Council and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance say the Navy scraped the ship's hull and sent toxic copper-based paint, zinc and other pollutants into the water. They say Navy should have obtained permits under the Clean Water Act authorizing such discharges. (Associated Press)

Swinomish welcomes ruling in BNSF lawsuit
The Swinomish Tribe can move forward with a lawsuit against BNSF Railway over how it runs trains over the reservation. A U.S. District Court ruled June 8 that the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community’s lawsuit to enforce the tribe’s right-of-way easement agreement with BNSF can proceed despite the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act. The tribe sued BNSF in April 2015 for violating the terms of an easement agreement allowing trains to cross its reservation in Skagit County. In January, the court ruled there was no dispute that BNSF breached the easement when “BNSF neither apprised the tribe of its cargo nor obtained the tribe’s written agreement to an increase in the number of trains and the number of cars in those trains.” (GoAnacortes.Com)

Federal judge rejects Dakota Access Pipeline permits, calls for do-over 
In a dramatic turnaround, a federal judge has ruled that permits to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline must be reconsidered, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has demanded the flow of oil through the pipeline be stopped. Completion of the controversial pipeline was stopped by the Obama Administration last December, with a call for an environmental-impact statement to assess risks…. President Trump called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue the permits, which it did shortly after he took office. Completion of the pipeline swiftly followed, as contractors drilled under a lake formed by a dam on the Missouri River, to hook up the two ends of the pipeline. The flow of oil began June 1. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C. hereditary tribal leader aims to fight Pacific NorthWest LNG project 
A Federal Court case has cast the spotlight on a hereditary tribal leader’s battle against a liquefied natural gas project in northern British Columbia. Donnie Wesley argues that he has the rightful claim to be recognized as hereditary head chief of the Gitwilgyoots tribe – one of nine allied tribes of the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation. Mr. Wesley, a vocal critic of Pacific NorthWest LNG, is asking Federal Court to clear the way for a judicial review into whether Ottawa acted properly last year in approving the proposal to build an $11.4-billion liquefaction terminal on Lelu Island in the Port of Prince Rupert. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Kinder Morgan may still offer pipeline ownership to Indigenous groups
The chief executive of Kinder Morgan Canada said Wednesday he tried behind the scenes to allow Indigenous groups in British Columbia to have an ownership stake in a new multi-billion-dollar oil export pipeline, but such a deal never came together. Ian Anderson was discussing the company's proposed Trans Mountain expansion project, which would transport oil and other products from Edmonton to Vancouver. Construction is slated to begin in September, although some Indigenous and political leaders want to delay the project. Kyle Bakx reports. (CBC)

What’s up with Whatcom Council’s $150K study of fossil fuel exports from Cherry Point?
A controversial $150,000 study into what Whatcom County can and can’t do when it comes to fossil fuel exports moving through the community will begin once an outside law firm has been hired for the project…. A list of possible firms has been narrowed to Cascadia Law Group, environmental attorneys with offices in Seattle and Olympia, although a contract hasn’t been signed. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Burping Tankers Spread Sulfurous Fumes
The smelly cloud of sulfurous fumes that wafted over Bellingham Saturday evening, June 3, was apparently not that unusual an occurrence. It happened due to an overpressure on the Italian oil tanker Mare Siculum, which was then anchored east of Vendovi Island, awaiting unloading at the BP Refinery at Cherry Point, northwest of the city. Standard procedure under these conditions is to vent the built-up gases and relieve excess pressure on the tanker holds, according to US Coast Guard Lieutenant Krysta Zangle of its Foreign Vessel Branch in Seattle. “The smell of the fumes is indicative of cargo vapors being released as a result of pressure build-up within the cargo tanks,” she explained in a email. “This is a normal occurrence that ensures the safety of the tanker and our waterways.” Michael Riordan reports. (NW Citizen)

Board Affirms Oregon County's Denial Of Railroad Expansion
An Oregon county had substantial evidence when it denied Union Pacific Railroad’s proposed track expansion along the Columbia River where an oil train derailed last year, a board ruled Tuesday. The Columbia River Gorge Commission upheld the findings by Wasco County commissioners who cited concerns about the project’s impacts on the treaty rights of Native American tribes in rejecting the railroad’s application last November. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

US Interior chief 'comfortable' keeping Maine land public
U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke praised the beauty of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on Wednesday and said he's "comfortable" with the National Park Service property remaining in public hands. With flies buzzing and Mount Katahdin as a backdrop, Zinke sounded optimistic about the future of special land designation granted by President Barack Obama last summer with a goal of giving an economic jolt to the region. Patrick Whittle reports. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  249 AM PDT Thu Jun 15 2017  
 CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON  
TODAY  E wind rising to 15 to 25 kt this morning becoming SE  this afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 7 ft at 9 seconds.  Rain.
TONIGHT  S wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SW 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 8 ft at 9 seconds.  Showers in the evening then showers likely after midnight.

--
"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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6/14 Pelicans, Tacoma waterways, Grovers Cr Preserve, WA climate, ECHO, slug video

American white pelicans, Parksville BC (Peter Koughan/CBC)

Squadron of American white pelicans spotted across Vancouver Island
A squadron of rare American white pelicans has been spotted across Vancouver Island over the last few weeks.  "They have been spotted all over the Island in the last 10 days or so," said Birder Ann Nightingale. "Everywhere from the Victoria golf course over Prospect Lake, Tofino, Parksville, Cowichan Bay — really travelling over the Island." Nightingale said the pelicans could be developing a new migration route. (CBC)

Tacoma’s Cleaned Up Waterways Need Legislative Attention, Advocates Say
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent over the last few decades to clean up toxic pollution from the region’s industrial past. In Tacoma, a prime spot for manufacturing and processing is the waterfront area in the center of town. The City of Destiny no longer suffers from the notorious “Tacoma aroma” of its past. But some of the less-visible cleanup work is vulnerable because of budget cuts before the state legislature. Advocates from two environmental groups have been hosting boat tours of the Tacoma waterways, to call attention to how far the city has come in cleaning up its pollution. Bellamy Pailhorp reports. (KNKX)

‘This land has had an amazing transformation’
Brothers John and Doug Helton have many memories of helping their grandfather Edward Niemeier clear brush on the old stump farm he bought in the late 1940s. They remember wandering the property as young boys in search of old fragments of yellow and blue blasting wire — a reminder of the dynamite that was used to dislodge big, old-growth stumps…. The Helton brothers inherited the land in 2000 and considered options for its future. Having previously worked with conservation groups in both Washington and Montana to conserve land, it was an easy decision for them to sell their 80 acres to Great Peninsula Conservancy to protect forever. Now part of the conservancy’s 280-acre Grovers Creek Preserve, the land is home to bear, beaver, steelhead, coho, cutthroat trout, and countless birds. (Kitsap Daily News)

Washington’s biggest businesses aim to fill climate void left by Trump
It’s rush hour in Wallingford, and commuters are stepping off a bus, closing up their laptops and heading into the evening sun. It’s not public transit. It’s a Microsoft Connector bus. The buses eliminate nearly 12 million miles of driving a year, saving stress and exhaust. The fleet of white and green buses is one of Microsoft’s more visible efforts to lower its impact on the global climate. John Ryan reports. (KUOW) See also: Seattle City Council Wants Puget Sound Energy to Stop Using Coal-Fired Facility  A resolution sponsored by Mike O’Brien upholds the Paris climate accord goals and takes it a few steps further. Hayat Norimine reports. (SeattleMet)

ECHO Program Aims to Reduce Impact on Whales From Vessels in the Salish Sea
With more heavy vessel traffic going in and out of the Salish Sea, the greater likelihood of whales being hit. J34 was struck and killed late last year; an endangered fin whale was killed this Spring. Environmental engineer and project manager Krista Trounce discusses how the Vancouver BC Fraser Port Authority-led ECHO (Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation) Program is working to understand and manage the impact of shipping on Salish Sea whales. Certainly an important topic for ports, shippers and whale watchers. Krista speaks on June 22 at 7 pm at Dakota Park Place Building, 4303 Dakota Place SW, Seattle. Advance tickets at http://bpt.me/2974083
 
If you like to watch: 'Cute' slug unlikely star of viral timelapse video
As viral animal videos go, slugs may not appear strong contenders alongside furry classics like sneezing baby panda or massaging kittens. But they clearly have their fans — as demonstrated by the 2.1 million views a munching B.C. slug has garnered on Facebook in the past few days. Lisa Johnson reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  238 AM PDT Wed Jun 14 2017  
TODAY  S wind to 10 kt becoming SE in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of showers.
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5  ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the evening then  rain likely after midnight.

--
"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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6/13 Kalama gas, Bears Ears, net rule nixed, BC pipe $, squirrel, Tesoro, oil cleanup, HI seabirds

"Riley" [PHOTO: Laurie MacBride]

The Life of Riley
Laurie MacBride in Eye On Environment writes: 'On those all too-rare occasions when she was able to kick back and do nothing other than enjoy the day, my mother always had one thing to say: “Well, ain’t this the life of Riley!” I’m reminded of this on sunny days in June, when I run across Red-legged frogs lounging in our pond – as if they have no worries or cares in the world (not even any concern that they’re a species at risk)….'

Climate Activists in Pacific Northwest Fight Construction of World's Largest Methanol Refinery
Climate activists in the Pacific Northwest have rallied against a tsunami of fossil export proposals over the last five years:  coal, oil and the latest, petrochemical projects. The fight against a proposal to build the world's largest methanol refinery on the banks of the Columbia River using fracked gas may be their biggest fight to date. Martha Baskin reports. (Green Currents)

Interior Head Suggests Reducing Bears Ears National Monument
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Monday recommended that the new Bears Ears National Monument in Utah be reduced in size and said Congress should step in to designate how selected areas of the 1.3 million-acre site are managed. Zinke made the recommendation as part of an interim report to President Donald Trump on the scenic swath of southern Utah with red rock plateaus, cliffs and canyons on land considered sacred to tribes. (Associated Press)

US cancels new protection for endangered West Coast whales 
The Trump administration on Monday threw out a new rule intended to limit the numbers of endangered whales and sea turtles getting caught in fishing nets off the West Coast, saying existing protections were already working…. The rule would have applied to fewer than 20 fishing vessels that use mile-long fishing nets to catch swordfish off California and Oregon. The change would have shut down the drift gillnet fishing for swordfish for up to two seasons if too many of nine groups of whales, sea turtles or dolphins were getting caught in the nets. The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which includes representatives of the fishing industry as well as state and tribal governments and federal regulators, had proposed the rule in 2015. Ellen Knickmeyer reports. (Associated Press)

Coalition urges banks to deny financing for Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain
A coalition of interest groups is calling on Canada's six biggest banks and others to back away from providing funding for Kinder Morgan Canada's controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The coalition of 20 Indigenous and environmental groups says in an open letter that it will use its influence to urge local and foreign governments to divest from banks that ignore its opposition to the pipeline. It names a total of 28 banks as potential targets for its campaign, including 14 that underwrote the recent initial public offering for Calgary-based Kinder Morgan Canada. (Canadian Press)

New species of flying squirrel discovered in Pacific Northwest
The northern flying squirrel can be found throughout British Columbia — but a new study has found that those living on the coast are a completely different species from those found inland for about a million years. The authors of the study analyzed the DNA of flying squirrel specimens collected throughout the Pacific Northwest, previously thought to be the exclusive domain of the northern flying squirrel. But those found on the Pacific coast between southern B.C. and northern California turned out to be genetically distinct from those found further inland. Matt Meuse reports. (CBC)

L&I to contest judge's order to vacate $2.4 million fine against Tesoro
The state Department of Labor & Industries will request a full review of a judge’s order to vacate a $2.4 million fine the department issued against the Tesoro Anacortes Refinery for the 2010 explosion that killed seven workers, according to a news release. Aaron Weinerber reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Magnetic Nanoparticles Will Help Clean Oil Spills
Cleaning up oil spills is a difficult, dirty job, and even with modern techniques it's still hard to remove every last drop. Scientists from the University of Texas at Austin believe that they can fill that gap: they're using a technique that targets and sucks up leftover minuscule oil droplets using electrostatic attraction and a magnet. In the future, a similar method could be used to clean lead and other contaminants from our drinking water, they say. Lisa Cumming reports. (Motherboard)

Lights Out for Hawai‘i’s Seabirds 
Scientists hope lasers can save endangered seabirds from power line collisions. Ashley Braun reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
 West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  241 AM PDT Tue Jun 13 2017  
TODAY  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 5 ft  at 11 seconds. A slight chance of rain.
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4  ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance of showers in the evening.

--
"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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6/12 Tesoro, Hilary Franz, PSE coal, climate, green crab, Pt Gamble Bay, tribe hunting, Foss Waterway, BP spill

Turkey vulture [Pat Gaines/BirdNote]

Turkey Vultures and Gas Pipelines
Do vultures detect carrion by sight or by smell? The lightbulb moment came to ornithologist Kenneth Stager when a Union Oil employee told him of vultures congregating at the spots along pipelines where gas leaks were occurring. Why would they do that? Because a key ingredient in the odor of carrion is ethyl mercaptan. The same substance companies added to odorless natural gas in their pipelines, so they could smell if there was a leak. (BirdNote)

Judge rules to vacate $2.4 million penalty against Tesoro
A $2.4 million fine against the Anacortes Tesoro Refinery stemming from the 2010 explosion that killed seven workers was vacated Thursday by a State Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals judge. The proposed order, which must still be approved by the board, was a blow to the state Department of Labor & Industries, which alleged 45 violations in handing down the fine. In the proposed order, Judge Mark Jaffe was critical of much of Labor & Industries’ case. Aaron Weinberg reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Lands commissioner fields barrage of questions during Port Angeles gathering
 The state Department of Natural Resources’ newest leader visited Port Angeles last week to unveil her agency’s newest initiative: a competitive technical staff assistance program to help rural communities develop their DNR assets. What recently elected state Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz received Thursday at a Clallam County Courthouse meeting packed with about 80 participants was an earful on topics ranging from unpredictable timber revenues to developing scuba-diving recreation opportunities. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Puget Sound Energy seeks to extend contract with two coal-fired Montana plants
Puget Sound Energy is negotiating a coal-supply contract for two Montana power plants that would extend through 2029, but includes provisions for an earlier exit from the deal. The contract talks come as PSE faces increasing pressure to move from coal to cleaner sources of energy by the middle of the next decade. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Town That Helped Power Northwest Feels Left Behind In Shift Away From Coal  Nate Rott reports. (NPR)

Climate change in B.C.: Here's how 2050 could look
Climate change has been blamed for raging forest fires, devastating floods and shrinking glaciers, but scientists have determined the effects will look different in various regions of B.C.  Their severity depends on how successful humans are in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Under a middle-of-the-road scenario that assumes that in the future greenhouse gas emissions are halved, the average annual temperature in B.C. would increase by 2.5 C by 2050, according to the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium. Tara Carman reports. (CBC) See aslo: See also: Shifting climate baselines in B.C: Get ready for the new normal  Johanna Wagstaffe reports. (CBC)  And also: Americans 'under siege' from climate disinformation – former Nasa chief scientist  Fake news spread by those with a profit motive is leaving many people oblivious to the threat of climate change, says former head of US space agency. Hannah Devlin reports. (Guardian)

Washington state keeps its cool for the first five months of this year
For the first five months of this year, Washington state has stood out as the only state in the U.S. with a below-average temperature. While most of the country was experiencing warmer-than-normal temperatures, we here in Washington were going outside to temperatures that averaged nearly 1 degree F. below normal. In fact, the contiguous 48 states recorded the second-warmest January-through-May period on record, despite cooler conditions in Washington.  Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Green crab count rises to 72 on Dungeness Spit
Trapping efforts continue at Graveyard Spit on the Dungeness Spit as federal and state resource managers continue to find the invasive European green crab. Lorenz Sollmann, deputy project leader at the Washington Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, said that crews have caught 72 European green crabs — 45 male and 27 female — as of Friday. Previous counts were 69 crabs as of last Wednesday and 64 crabs as of May 23. Matthew Nash reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Celebration marks completion of Port Gamble Bay cleanup
Two S'Klallam canoes launched from the beach at Point Julia Thursday and glided west toward Port Gamble. Paddling across the choppy stretch of water separating the tribal reservation from the historical mill town, the canoe crews passed a stretch of shoreline that would have been nearly unrecognizable two years ago, before the start of a monumental restoration project…. For the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, the two-year cleanup was important both to restore the health of the bay and to reclaim the tribe's natural heritage. Tad Sooter reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Collision between Indigenous hunting and oil development rights set for legal showdown in B.C. court
The Blueberry River First Nation (BRFN) is fighting to draw a legal line to stop the incremental erosion of its land — and by extension its treaty rights. A civil case launched in 2015 revolves around a 38,000-kilometre patch of the province, that while tucked in B.C.'s far right corner, north of Fort St. John, is at the epicentre of provincial oil and gas development…. Last week, the First Nation lost a legal bid to stop any new industrial permits in the area, but a court ruling agreed that industry was causing "irreparable" damage. Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

Ammonia leaks into Thea Foss Waterway in Tacoma, Ecology says
Ammonia spilled into the Thea Foss Waterway in Tacoma earlier this week when a pipe sprung a leak at a waterfront warehouse, the state Department of Ecology confirmed Friday. A leaky pipe in the ceiling of the SuperValu distribution center at 1525 E. D St. was reported about 7 p.m. Wednesday, Ecology spokesman David Bennett said. “It was not huge,” Bennett said. “But any spill is critical.” Craig Hill and Kenny Ocker report. (Tacoma News Tribune)

7 Years After BP Oil Spill, Oyster Farming Takes Hold In South
Eight miles down a dirt road through the swamps of southwest Alabama, Lane Zirlott has 1.8 million oysters in the water at his family's farm in Sandy Bay. The Murder Point oyster farm covers about two and half acres in the bay. The name changed from "Myrtle Point" in 1929, after a deadly dispute over oyster territory. Debbie Elliot reports. (NPR)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Mon Jun 12 2017  
TODAY  Light wind becoming W 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell  5 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 6 ft at 12 seconds. A slight chance  of showers.

--
"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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6/9 BC pipe schedule, Kalama methanol, Vancouver WA oil, Vic sewer $, Ocean Wise, selling BPA

Goose neck barnacle [Biodiversity of the Central Coast]

Goose neck barnacle Pollicipes polymerusm
The goose neck barnacle is one of the more distinct-looking creatures found in the intertidal. This crustacean bears several whitish protective plates, including 5 large plates and numerous smaller ones…. Like most barnacles, this species dwells in the intertidal and subtidal on open, wave-exposed coasts to depths of 30 m or more…. Goose neck barnacles are edible — the flesh inside the stalk tastes similar to lobster — and have long been harvested by coastal First Nations. Currently the only commercial fishery in North America is found on Vancouver Island; this fishery is co-managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation, and is considered sustainable by Ocean Wise. The similar P. pollicipes is harvested in Spain and Portugal, where it is considered a delicacy and overharvesting and poaching are concerns, leading to imports from BC. (Biodiversity of the Central Coast)

Trans Mountain: Detailed construction plan shows work to begin Sept. 1 
Kinder Morgan’s schedule for the $7.4-billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion shows construction work is to start as early as Sept. 1. The detailed schedule was filed recently with the National Energy Board, one of 157 conditions that must be met in order for the Houston, Texas-based company to begin construction. It shows the large scope of the project where land clearing on some portions of the 1,150-kilometre pipeline route will begin in September. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Columbia River Methanol Plant Gets Approval On Two Washington Permits
Washington state regulators approved two permits Thursday for a proposed plant that would make and export methanol along the Columbia River in Kalama. The Washington Department of Ecology approved a permit allowing the Port of Kalama and its partner Northwest Innovation Works  to build on the shoreline. The permit was previously stalled because the state found some of the proposed site plans were out of date and missing key information, and that the applicants underestimated greenhouse gas emissions. Ecology also granted a certification stating it would comply with the federal Clean Water Act. Tony Schick reports (OPB/EarthFix)

Opponents Call Vancouver[WA] Oil-By-Rail Terminal 'Bad Plan' While Supporters Tout Jobs
More than 100 people testified before the Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council in Vancouver Wednesday. It was one of the last opportunities for the public to sound off on a proposed oil terminal there. The council heard more than seven hours of testimony from both critics and supporters of a controversial plan to build the nation’s largest oil-by-rail terminal in Vancouver. The hearing at Clark College was the last day for public comment on a draft notice of the construction air permit for the project. Molly Solomon reports. (OPB/EarthFix) See also: Supreme Court Rejects Port Defense Of Secret Meetings On Vancouver Oil Terminal  Cassandra Profita reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

One of CRD’s top earners hasn’t been on the job since 2015
Albert Sweetnam, former head of the Capital Regional District’s now-defunct Seaterra sewage treatment program, continued to be among the top earners at the CRD last year — for not being on the job. Sweetnam’s job wrapped up in September 2015, but according to just-released CRD financial documents, he continued to draw $224,121 in salary in 2016. It’s a bit of a drop from 2015, when Sweetnam was paid $283,089.53 in salary and expenses. And taxpayers can take heart — at least he filed for no expenses in 2016. Local governments are required to disclose salaries of employees making more than $75,000 a year by June 30. Bill Cleverely reports. (Times Colonnist)

Ocean Wise goes from sustainable seafood program to world conservation
Ocean Wise is going global. Already known to Canadians as the Vancouver Aquarium’s sustainable seafood program, a news release Thursday announced that Ocean Wise had expanded its goals, becoming “a new global ocean-conservation organization focused on protecting and restoring our world’s oceans.” Harrison Mooney reports. (Vancouver Sun)

21 U.S. senators blast Trump proposal to sell BPA power grid 
The Trump administration’s proposal to sell off the Pacific Northwest’s Bonneville Power Administration transmission grid is meeting bipartisan resistance from 21 Republican and Democratic senators who sent a letter on Wednesday to the Energy Department. The sale of BPA and other federal power-transmission assets would result in higher electricity rates that would “take money out of the pockets of consumers and businesses in our states,” the letter states. Those who signed the letter included Washington Democratic Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. (Seattle Times)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
 West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Fri Jun 9 2017  
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 15 kt in the morning becoming light. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. Showers likely. A  slight chance of tstms in the afternoon.
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening then a slight chance of showers after  midnight.
SAT  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of  showers in the morning then a chance of showers in the afternoon.
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.
SUN  Light wind becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 8 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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6/8 Pipeline burglar, climate deal, BC pipe, renewables, BC birds, Jim Jensen tweets, Asian plastic

Double-crested cormorant [Tom Vezo/VIREO, Audubon]

Double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
The gangly Double-crested Cormorant is a prehistoric-looking, matte-black fishing bird with yellow-orange facial skin. Though they look like a combination of a goose and a loon, they are relatives of frigatebirds and boobies. They are the most common of our three local species. They breed on rocky islets in and near the Strait of Juan de Fuca. They vie over sandy or gravelly bottoms to depths of 60 feet for stickleback, sculpins and juvenile salmonids. (All About Birds/Marine Wildlife of Puget Sound, the San Juans and the Strait of Georgia)

Man found guilty of burglary in pipeline facility break-in
Kenneth Ward was found guilty Wednesday of second-degree burglary for trying to shut off an oil pipeline Oct. 11 at a Kinder Morgan facility west of Burlington. The jury found Ward, 60, guilty of burglary after a two-day trial, but a mistrial was declared on a charge of criminal sabotage after the jury failed to reach a verdict. This was Ward’s second trial on each of the charges. His first trial ended in a mistrial Feb. 1 after jurors failed to reach a verdict on each of the charges. Marilyn Napier reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Connelly: Washington, Alaska, Dakota tribes stand for Paris Climate Agreement
Several of the Northwest's best known Native American nations are choosing to stand with the Paris Climate Agreement and reacting with disdain to President Trump's decision to withdraw from an accord signed by more than 190 nations. The tribes vowed to "aggressively address climate change" in their homelands and reservations, in response to Trump's decision to quit the climate agreement. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com) See also: Defying Trump, Hawaii Becomes First State to Pass Law Committing to Paris Climate Accord  Hawaii on Tuesday became the first state to pass a law committing to the goals and limits of the Paris climate accord, defying President Trump, who announced last week that he would withdraw the United States from the historic agreement. Jonah Engel Bromwich reports. (NY Times)

Trudeau Liberals back motion in support of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion
The federal Liberal government has thrown its weight behind an Opposition motion backing Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, even as political turmoil in British Columbia threatens the project's future. The motion, introduced in the House of Commons by Conservative MP Mark Strahl, affirms that the project has social licence to proceed, is critical to the economy, is environmentally sound and should proceed as planned. It passed Tuesday by a vote of 252-51, with the backing of the Conservatives and all Liberal MPs, except two B.C. backbenchers who have criticized the project in the past. Mia Rabson reports. (Canadian Press)

In Trump Country, Renewable Energy Is Thriving
…. Some of the fastest progress on clean energy is occurring in states led by Republican governors and legislators, and states carried by Donald J. Trump in the presidential election.  The five states that get the largest percentage of their power from wind turbines — Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Oklahoma and North Dakota — all voted for Mr. Trump. So did Texas, which produces the most wind power in absolute terms. In fact, 69 percent of the wind power produced in the country comes from states that Mr. Trump carried in November. Justin Gillis and Nadja Popovich report. (NY Times)

Forget about clamming and other recreational harvesting here until it’s safe again
The state Department of Health has closed beaches in northern Whatcom County to recreational shellfish harvesting because of unsafe levels of the biotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning on beaches in Birch Bay and Drayton Harbor. The ban affects beaches from Sandy Point north to the Canadian border, including Point Roberts. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Birds of a feather: B.C. researchers are on a crane feather hunt
A group of B.C. researchers describing themselves as "craniacs" are asking the public to mail them crane feathers as part of The Great Sandhill Crane Feather Hunt. The Sandhill crane spends summers along the central and north coast of B.C. and northeast Alaska. Their feathers are easy to spot, due to the cranes' distinctive red colouring from wetland mud…. With the help of scientists at the University of B.C., they will use the feathers conduct a genetic study of the Sandhill crane, a rarely studied type of crane with a small population of 5,000. (CBC) See also: Experts surprised red-tailed hawk chick surviving in bald-eagle nest  Kevin Griffin reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Controversial tweets sink Trump supporter’s campaign for port commission
A candidate for the Port of Tacoma commission is pulling out of the race after coming under fire for posting what he later admitted were “insensitive, unacceptable and unkind” comments on Twitter about women, African-Americans and others. Jim Jensen, 37, apologized in a statement on Wednesday. Candice Ruud reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Asian nations make plastic oceans promise
Nations responsible for much of the world's ocean plastic pollution have promised to start cleaning up their act. At a UN oceans summit, delegates from China, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines said they would work to keep plastics out of the seas. Some of the promises are not yet formalised and environmentalists say the measures proposed are not nearly urgent enough. Roger Harrabin reports. (BBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Thu Jun 8 2017  
Today  SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. Rain  in the morning then showers in the afternoon.
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening then showers likely after midnight.

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

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6/7 Marine debris, stinky tanker, Site C, Baker River salmon

Red rock crab [Kirt L. Onthank]

Red rock crab
The red rock crab, Cancer productus. is one of the larger crabs seen in the Salish Sea area....The carapace of adults is deep brick red in color and has 5 teeth that protrude anteriorly between the eyes.  Nine teeth that line the edge of the carapace lateral to each eye have a somewhat fluted appearance, like pie crust…  The pinchers have black tips.  Juvenile red rock crabs are quite variable in carapace color and pattern, the patterns sometimes being quite exotic. Cancer productus is a predator and scavenger.  This species preys on bivalves, polychaetes, amphipods, snails, barnacles, and smaller crabs.  They are found in a variety of habitats ranging from quiet estuaries to higher energy beaches and in substrates of mud, sand, gravel, cobble, and boulders.  In addition, they range from the intertidal to a depth of 260 feet (80 meters). (Sound Waters Stewards)

'It's heartbreaking': volunteers overwhelmed by marine debris in Clayoquot Sound
Volunteers cleaning up marine debris from a remote and otherwise pristine area on the west coast of Vancouver Island say they are overwhelmed by what they've found. Just a few days into the two-week mission, volunteers with Clayoquot Cleanup have collected far more trash then expected from the shorelines of Clayoquot Sound, said founder Josh Temple. "We anticipated that there would be in the neighbourhood of 200 to 300 tonnes of debris in Clayoquot Sound. But boy, did we ever get that wrong," he said by phone from a beach in Hesquiaht Harbour, north of Tofino. Temple estimates the group will collect twice that amount before the first phase of the cleanup ends later this month. Megan Thomas reports. (CBC) See also: UN Ocean Conference: Plastics Dumped In Oceans Could Outweigh Fish by 2050, Secretary-General Says  (The Weather Channel)

Sulfur-like odor in Bellingham is likely crude oil tanker, clean air agency says
A sulfur-like odor that prompted 911 calls Saturday evening was likely caused by venting tanks aboard a crude oil tanker anchored near Vendovi Island, the Northwest Clean Air Agency said. The air quality agency on Facebook said officials there believe the smell came from the tanker Mare Siculum, which is waiting to offload crude oil at the BP refinery at Cherry Point. The tanks were vented to relieve pressure, the agency said. Kyle Mittan reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Christy Clark gives opposition 4 days to provide input on Site C dam
B.C. Premier Christy Clark is giving NDP Leader John Horgan and Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver until Saturday to provide advice on how the government should proceed on the $9 billion Site C dam. In similar letters addressed to the two opposition leaders, Clark explains the potential implications of delaying relocating two homes slated to be knocked down for dam construction. "In your response, I would ask you to specifically indicate," read the letter, "whether or not you maintain your request to delay the relocation of the two houses in question with the knowledge that BC Hydro ratepayers may be at risk of incurring a $600 million cost increase to Site C." Richard Zussman reports. (CBC)

Record number of young salmon released into Baker River
Only time will tell if the record-setting release of about 1.1 million young salmon through the Baker River Project will mean larger adult salmon runs in the years to come. Time and Mother Nature…. It’s the second time since efforts began in 1985 to bolster the salmon populations in the Baker River that the milestone of 1 million fish released has been reached. The first was in 2014. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley News)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  240 AM PDT Wed Jun 7 2017  
Today  Light wind becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 5 ft at 11 seconds.
TONIGHT  NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming E to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of rain in the  evening then 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 (@) 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