5/11 Red Irish lord, Big Bar salmon, yacht adrift, Arctic drilling, BC Bear Alliance, Active Pass tanker, Salmon and the city, WA ferries, Crab Park

Red Irish lord [Grant Calligari]

Red Irish lord Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus
The red Irish lord is a species of fish in the family Cottidae. It is found in the northern Pacific Ocean, from Russia to Alaska and as far south as Monterey Bay. (Wikipedia)

Thousands of salmon fry released in B.C. river to restore populations devastated by Big Bar landslide
Thousands of salmon fry have been released in a river west of Prince George, B.C., in the hope they will help restore the salmon population devastated by the Big Bar landslide. Monday's effort is part of an ongoing release of 101,000 chinook salmon fry that Fisheries and Oceans Canada says will avoid the early life stage mortality in the first year of a salmon's life. (CBC)

Sad end for a fabled yacht; Norwester adrift in the Salish Sea
The demise of the 89-year-old 70-ft wooden hulled Norwester is still playing out three weeks after she was grounded on a reef in the San Juan Islands. The yacht went aground near Stuart Island  on the westerly side of Prevost Harbor on April 17, 2021. The vessel has been adrift in the Salish Sea ever since. By May 8, the vessel had drifted over towards Henry Island. (San Juan Islander)

Interior drops Trump proposal easing rules for Arctic offshore drilling
he U.S. Interior Department said Friday that it would not pursue a Trump administration proposal that critics feared would have weakened rules for exploratory oil and gas drilling in Arctic waters. A statement from the department said existing regulations released in 2016 remain in effect and “are critical to ensuring adequate safety and environmental protections for this sensitive ecosystem and Alaska Native subsistence activities.” (Associated Press)

Wildlife advocates form B.C. Bear Alliance, call for provincial watchdog
Wildlife advocates want body cameras on B.C. conservation officers tasked with responding to bear conflicts after more than 500 black bears were killed in the past year. More than two dozen advocacy groups — from Pacific Wild to Justice for B.C. Grizzlies — have joined forces, forming the B.C. Bear Alliance. Organizers say they want to promote improved co-existence between humans and bears in B.C. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Oil Tanker Spotted in Risky Active Pass Alarms Activists
On a calm Friday afternoon in late April, avid naturalist Barry Swanson was watching Active Pass from his home on Galiano Island, keeping an eye out for the pod of southern resident killer whales that swim by every couple of days. Instead of orcas, he was shocked to see an oil tanker traversing the narrow channel. The MV Kassos was sitting low in the water, its hull heavy with petroleum products bound for Los Angeles. Michelle Gamage reports. (The Tyee)

Salmon and the city
How a destructive earthquake opened up a surprising opportunity to do something good for one of the pacific northwest’s most important creatures, salmon. Matt Martin and Chris Morgan report. (KUOW)

Expect longer wait times: Washington ferries to use smaller-capacity vessels after boat fire
Washington State Ferries (WSF) announced last week that it would be forced to make service changes on several routes after an engine room fire took the MV Wenatchee out of service in late April. The loss of the 202-vehicle vessel combined with staffing challenges and both scheduled and unplanned maintenance on other ships will have "cascading effects" across the entire system as spring and summer travel picks up. Callie Craighead reports. (Seattle P-I)

‘We Are Losing It as We Speak,’ Say Crab Park Advocates
At Crab Park, an urban oasis in the heart of the Downtown Eastside, people are drawn to sit on the beach and gaze across Burrard Inlet to the North Shore mountains. But four years after the Port of Vancouver, overseen by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, proposed an expansion of the Centerm container terminal, a wall of shipping containers will soon block a chunk of that view. Jen St. Denis reports. (The Tyee)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  247 AM PDT Tue May 11 2021   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 12 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 11 seconds.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

 

5/10 Wood duck, SRKW, BC glaciers, Peter Cavanagh, derelict boats, logging protest, grey whale deaths, 'StoryWalks,' Garry oaks, wolf kill

Wood Duck at Hoag's Pond [Alan Fritzberg]

 
Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Male Wood Ducks are flamboyant in breeding plumage, practically unmistakable with their brightly colored chestnut and yellow bodies, green droop-crested heads, bright red bills, and bold white barring on their faces and bodies...Rarely seen on marine waters, the Wood Duck is a bird of wooded wetlands and slow-moving, tree-lined rivers, with a preference for deciduous-tree habitats. This cavity-nester requires either a natural cavity or nest box to raise its young. (BirdWeb)
 
Southern resident orcas celebrate 3 healthy calves as researchers find J pod in best overall condition in a decade
The three J pod calves are doing well. In fact, the whole southern resident pod is looking better than in a decade, according to researchers out with the orcas. “We hope it continues and these calves can thrive," researcher John Durban says. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

The Big Melt
This is Klinaklini, the largest glacier in Western North America beyond the Alaskan border. As this giant melts, so go B.C.’s more than 16,000 other mountain glaciers — and the pace is fast accelerating. In mere decades, Klinaklini will be gone. Christopher Pollon reports. (The Tyee)

A Washington photographer’s passion: 600,000 photos of flying birds — and the incredible math behind it all
If it weren’t for passionate people, this would be a dull world indeed. Peter Cavanagh, of Lopez Island, certainly qualifies in the passionate category, having taken 600,000 photos in the past 13 years of birds all over the world, from Botswana to the Galápagos Islands. Eric Lacitis reports. (Seattle Times)

Songhees teaming up with other nations to remove derelict boats
 The Songhees First Nation is spearheading a drive to take more derelict boats out of the water while providing jobs and training for other nations on the South Island. About 100 abandoned and sunken vessels are expected to be removed over the next nine months through the Salish Sea Marine Stewardship Project. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

First Nation to restrict protesters' access to areas being logged
Huu-ay-aht First Nations will start restricting access to active logging areas in Tree Farm Licence 44 starting on Monday, saying logging activists and ­protests in its territory are ­putting forestry workers at risk. The nation said in a statement that access is being restricted in response to an incident Thursday in which a forestry protester drove through barriers into an active logging area, putting the safety of the driver and forestry workers at risk. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Scientists seek to understand increase in grey whale deaths on West Coast
The recent sighting of an emaciated grey whale off Vancouver Island and the discovery of a dead whale washed up on a B.C. beach highlights concerns that the marine mammals are dying in increasing numbers...Officials have not released a cause of death, but they say dead grey whales on the West Coast of Canada have been increasing in number since 2018. (CBC)

Families can learn about the stormwater process through interactive 'StoryWalks'
Kids and their families have the opportunity to explore parts of Kitsap County they may not have visited while learning about important parts of the stormwater process from activities and a story.  Kitsap Public Works' stormwater division and Kitsap Regional Library have teamed up to host "StoryWalks," an interactive walk program created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont. Whispering Firs Stormwater Park in Silverdale and qa’qad Stormwater Park in Manchester are hosting StoryWalks this month. Each park filters water from about 100 acres of development and removes around 90% of pollution, said Pat Kirschbaum, education outreach coordinator for the stormwater division. Jessie Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Funding boosts restoration efforts for Vancouver Island’s Garry oak ecosystems
New funding will allow Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) to take on Garry oak ecosystem restoration on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands The funding will allow HAT to establish a restoration crew with three restoration field technicians to work on HAT’s protected lands restoring Garry oak ecosystems over the next year. (Victoria News)

Bill to kill up to 90% of Idaho wolves signed by governor
Idaho Gov. Brad Little has signed into law a measure that could lead to killing 90% of the state’s 1,500 wolves in a move that was backed by hunters and the state’s powerful ranching sector but heavily criticized by environmental advocates. The Republican governor signed the bill on Thursday that had passed the Senate and House with enough votes to overcome a veto. Lawmakers who sponsored the measure said they want the state’s wolf population reduced to the allowed minimum of 150 to reduce attacks on livestock and to boost deer and elk herds. The primary change allows the state to hire private contractors to kill wolves and provides more money for state officials to hire the contractors. Keith Ridler reports. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  221 AM PDT Mon May 10 2021   
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 6 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/7 Black bear, Snake R dams, Site C docs, ESA suit, illegal crab traps, beaver relo, green crabs, week in review

Black bear [WDFW]

Black bear Ursus americanus
American black bears are the most common and widely distributed bears in North America. Despite their name, black bears may be a variety of colors, including black, brown, blond, cinnamon, and rust. Black or brown, with a light brown snout, is the most common coloration. On average, black bears in the Western U.S. weigh 100-300 pounds, with males larger than females. They stand approximately 2.5-3 feet at the shoulder when standing on all fours, and about 5 feet when standing upright. When on all fours, the black bear's rump is higher than its shoulders. Black bears are common throughout Washington except for the non-forested areas of the Columbia basin. (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)

Feud breaks out among GOP lawmakers over Snake River dams
Some Republican members of Congress from the Northwest are accusing an Idaho lawmaker of conducting secret negotiations with the Democratic governor of Oregon over a controversial proposal to breach four dams on the Snake River to save endangered salmon runs. Nicholas Geranios reports. (Associated  Press)

BC Hydro, province ordered to release secret Site C dam docs to West Moberly First Nations
Reports and internal records, which will be released as part of a landmark Treaty Rights case brought by the nation, will shed light on the escalating costs of the project, now billed at $16 billion. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Fisheries group sues over salmon management
While its standing in the federal District Court case involving the historic 1974 Boldt decision remains in question, Fish Northwest has filed another lawsuit. The regional nonprofit, spearheaded by the owner of an Anacortes fishing charter company, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on April 28. The lawsuit accuses various federal agencies and agency leaders, along with the state Department of Fish & Wildlife, of violating the Endangered Species Act through its fisheries management in the state. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Free divers stumble upon illegal crab traps off Vancouver beach
DFO has recovered more than 250 illegal crab traps in English Bay near Kitsilano. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Scientists Are Relocating Nuisance Beavers to Help Salmon
On a bright day in a suburban Seattle backyard, a very confused beaver peers out of a wire trap. His crime? Flooding a creek behind a home and causing property damage, an increasingly common occurrence in the region. Confused, the rodent squints and watches as Molly Alves, a biologist with the Tulalip Tribe, slowly wades up to him, picks him up—trap and all—and loads him into the back of her white pickup. Alves is now set to perform an environmental switcheroo: She's going to take the beaver out of the urban environment of western Washington and move him eastward to remote headwaters in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. She's hoping that there, the beaver will create dams that turn the wild landscape back into a maze of wetlands that benefit wildlife from mosquitoes to brown bears, and to fish — including endangered salmon. Lindsay VanSomeren reports. (Smithsonian Magazine)

If you like to watch: Invasive European green crab in Canadian waters
The European green crab is one of the 10 most unwanted species in the world. Here's how to identify and report it. (DFO)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 5/7/21: Tuba Day, deadly air, climate pollution cuts, Metro Vancouver population, higher climate 'normals,' BD old growth logging, Snake salmon. plastics, Shell refinery sale, seabed mining, Snake dam feud, Site C dam docs

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  248 AM PDT Fri May 7 2021   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 2 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 8 ft at 10 seconds. Showers likely in the  morning. 
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 7 ft at 10 seconds. 
SAT  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at  9 seconds. A chance of showers. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. 
SUN  Light wind becoming W to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

 

5/6 Beargrass, King County climate, Skagit mining, tree poaching, salmon habitat bridge, Puget Sound herring, black bear wanderings, seabed mining

Beargrass [WA Native Plant Society]

 
Beargrass Xerophyllum tenax
This plant grows from British Columbia to California and east to the northern Rocky Mountains. This plant grows in mountainous areas of Washington, except in southeastern region of the state. On the Olympic Peninsula it occurs near sea level. Many Pacific Northwest tribes (Chehalis, Cowlitz, Hesquiat, Hoh, and others) have used the plant (leaves and new sprouts) to decorate and make baskets, make dress ornaments, and for trimming the edges of mats. This species derives its common name "beargrass" because bears eat its fleshy leaf bases in the spring. (WA Native Plants Society)

King County Council takes big step to combat climate change
The King County Council has solidified a plan for dramatic action against climate change. Councilmembers unanimously approved the Strategic Climate Action Plan, which paves the way for sweeping changes by 2030. The plan includes ambitious goals – cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half, revising green building codes, planting 3 million trees, and improving access to public transportation. Julie Furukawa reports. (KNKX)

Mount Vernon, PUD join fight against mining in Skagit headwaters
The growing opposition to potential mining at the headwaters of the Skagit River in British Columbia now includes the city of Mount Vernon and the Skagit Public Utility District. The Skagit PUD Commission passed a resolution April 27, and the Mount Vernon City Council passed a resolution April 28. Each highlighted drinking water as an utmost concern. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Tree poaching on Vancouver Island prompts spike in forest patrols
The municipality of North Cowichan is stepping up patrols of the region's forest reserve, after an increase in timber theft in the area, which lies 70 kilometres north of Victoria on Vancouver Island.  Since January, approximately 100 trees, including Douglas fir and Western red cedars have been poached and local residents and officials believe the spike is likely tied to the surge in lumber prices. Briar Stewart reports. (CBC)

Volunteer effort at Newberry Hill Heritage Park builds bridge for salmon habitat
Wetlands surrounded by evergreens seem to extend in every direction in Newberry Hill Heritage Park, a preserve of more than 1,000 acres east of Seabeck Highway. So lush with native and threatened species is one marsh that it's classified as "high conservation value" in the eyes of the state. That's where Frank Stricklin believed fish like coho salmon could also flourish — if only they could swim there. Stricklin and an army of volunteers have succeeded in clearing that very path for salmon. In the past six years, they planned, designed and built a bridge and stream channel to connect the coho and other fish with the pristine habitat. Josh Farley reports. (Kitsap Sun)

HollyFrontier expects Puget Sound synergies with renewables projects
HollyFrontier's first quarter results took the backseat to an earlier announcement it was buying Shell's Puget Sound refinery, as analysts peppered management with questions about purchase on May 5 call. Some analysts were looking for the rationale of buying a hydrocarbon refinery as momentum in the refining space shifts toward renewable fuels in the current low-carbon environment, particularly in a state which just passed a low carbon fuel standard. "Right now, the new shiny object is clearly renewables. But I think we have to take a step back and say is powering this economy over the next ten years ... the fact is the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel are the major mover of people and equipment around this economy," said Rich Voliva, HollyFrontier's CFO on the call. Janet McGurty reports. (S&P Global)

The Good News: Puget Sound Herring
In an ecosystem where whales and other charismatic megafauna get most of the attention, herring are neither charismatic nor mega.  At four to eight inches, they are easily ignored and usually are — except in the early spring, when millions upon millions of herring converge on the shallows around Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Hood Canal and throughout the sound. Beachwalkers may not see the fish themselves, but they’ve marveled at the chaotic swarms of seabirds massed at the surface, and at seals, sea lions and even an occasional humpback whale diving and cavorting as they gorge themselves on one of their favorite meals. All that activity is about Pacific herring, crucial to Puget Sound ecology.  And state biologists believe they have had a very good year. Ross Anderson writes. (Rainshadow Journal)

Black bear wanders into downtown Vancouver
The bear was soon tranquillized by conservation officers, with the help of Vancouver police. Mike Raptis reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Seabed Mining Opponents Off WA Coast Find Win in Legislature
Gov. Jay Inslee signed a seabed mining ban into law Monday. The measure prohibits mineral extraction within three miles of Washington's coastline. It received nearly unanimous support in the Legislature, except for two "no" votes in the House. Lee First, co-founder of Twin Harbors Waterkeeper, helped mobilize businesses and conservation organizations to support the ban. Eric Tegethoff reports. (Public News Service)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  233 AM PDT Thu May 6 2021   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 10 seconds. Rain in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds building to 6 ft  at 10 seconds after midnight. A chance of showers in the evening  then showers 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

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/5 Wolf, Shell refinery sold, Snake spring chinook, WA wind project, ShakeAlert, Hwy 20 opens, San Juan drift study, BC digs, Canada drinking water, plastic pellets

Gray wolf [Wikipedia]

 
Gray wolf Canis lupus
The wolf, also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus have been recognized, and gray wolves, as colloquially understood, comprise non-domestic/feral subspecies. (Wikipedia) The gray wolf (Canis lupus), a native Washington species, was nearly eradicated from the state in the early 1900s. Wolves are returning to Washington on their own, dispersing from populations in nearby states and provinces--wolves were never reintroduced to Washington. (WDFW)

Shell to sell Puget Sound Refinery in US to HollyFrontier
Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to divest its Puget Sound Refinery in the US to refiner HollyFrontier. HollyFrontier will purchase the refinery, the on-site cogeneration facility, as well as related logistics assets, for $350m in cash plus the value of the hydrocarbon inventory. The hydrocarbon inventory will be valued on closing of the deal. The current value is estimated to be in the range of $150m to $180m. The deal also covers the product offtake agreements in support of Shell’s existing Pacific Northwest retail marketing business. It also includes a deep-water marine dock, a light product loading rack, a rail terminal, and storage tanks. (Hydrocarbons Technology)

Key salmon populations cross alarming threshold — and more are nearing that line
Nearly half of the wild spring chinook populations in the Snake River Basin have crossed a critical threshold, signaling they are nearing extinction and without intervention may not persist, according to analysis by the Nez Perce Tribe. The river’s steelhead populations, while doing better, also face alarming threats to their existence, according to the work. Modeling conducted by fisheries scientists at the tribe, and shared with other state, federal and tribal fisheries managers in the Columbia Basin, indicates if current trends continue, 77% of Snake River spring chinook populations and 44% of steelhead populations will be in a similar position within four years.  Eric Barker reports. (Lewiston Tribune)

A proposed $1.7 billion wind and solar project generates hopes and fears in South Central Washington state
Back in March, Chris Wiley passed a long day in his tractor sowing wheat. He had the controls set to automatic steering and scanned social media. He did not like what he found. In post after post, people raged about a renewable energy project that would put wind turbines and solar development in the Horse Heaven Hills where he farms...The project unleashing such passions would be one of the region’s largest renewable energy installations of the past decade with an estimated cost of $1.7 billion. Wiley is a big supporter. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Even In The Bright Of Day, Some Central Washington Residents Have A Solar Energy 'Nightmare'  Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Earthquake warning system goes live in Washington. What to know about ShakeAlert
People in Washington can now get an alert sent to their phone before they begin to feel an earthquake. The ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system went live in the state Tuesday. The system is operated by the U.S. Geological Survey, and can warn people before an earthquake arrives. Maddie Capron reports. (Olympian)

Highway 20 over North Cascades to open Wednesday
The gates on Highway 20 through the North Cascades will open at 1 p.m. Wednesday, the state Department of Transportation has announced. The process of clearing the 37 miles of snow-covered highway — which closes every winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanche danger — took about four weeks. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

May 13: Presentation on Vessel Drift and Response Analysis for San Juan Islands
San Juan County will hold an online public meeting May 13 with Nuka Research & Planning Group LLC and the UW Puget Sound Institute Salish Sea Modeling Center to present the Vessel Drift and Response Analysis for the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Southern Strait of Georgia. (San Juan Islander) See also: Rescue tug stationed in islands is best bet to avoid oil spills in San Juan – Gulf waters, study says  Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Salish Current)

Indigenous leaders launch $2.1 billion class-action lawsuits against Canada over lack of drinking water
The claimants argue the federal government failed to provide clean water and forced First Nations communities to live in a manner 'consistent with life in developing countries' Leyland Cecco reports. (The Guardian/The Narwhal)

Stalled project reveals archaeological conflict between First Nations and B.C. government
An expansion of a popular Hornby Island pub that stalled this spring with the discovery of Indigenous human remains is threatening to become a flashpoint for relations between the province and First Nations in B.C. when it comes to heritage conservation. What began with the issuing of a permit by the government's archaeological branch in relation to a proposal for condominiums and a new pub building dissolved into a stalemate when workers stumbled across three sets of bones — including those of an infant. Jason Proctor reports. (CBC)

So small, yet so deadly. Investors force plastic industry to reveal pollution
Investors are forcing the world’s biggest plastic manufacturers to reveal how many harmful plastic pellets they are leaking into rivers, lakes and oceans worldwide. Factories, trains, ships and trucks spill about 10 trillion of the lentil-sized pellets, or nurdles, used to make all plastic products, into the environment each year — enough to make roughly 15 million plastic bottles. Once in aquatic environments, pellets become toxic, poisonous magnets for birds, fish and other animals. Pellet contamination is widespread around B.C.’s Lower Mainland, according to a 2019 study by University of Victoria researchers and the Surfrider Foundation. They’re also a major problem in the Great Lakes and other regions with high concentrations of plastic manufacturing or transportation infrastructure. Marc Fawcett-Atkinson reports. (National Observer)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Wed May 5 2021   
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming S 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/4 Seashore lupine, coho indicators, BC old growth logging, warmer climate 'normals,' Extinction Rebellion, ship LNG fuel

Seashore lupine [Mary Jo Adams]

 
Seashore lupine Lupinus littoralis
The common name of this plant delineates its habitat, the seashore.  This species is generally sprawling in form and has pale blue to lilac flowers that bloom from May until August.  The leaves are palmately compound.  Translated, this means that its 5-9 leaflets radiate from a common point like the thumb and fingers of a hand.  Seed pods grow on upright spikes and the pods reach a length of 1-1/4 inch.  Seashore lupine belongs to the pea or legume family and its range extends from northern California to British Columbia.  It is native in the Pacific Northwest. (Mary Jo Adams/Sound Water Stewards)

Coho indicators sought with Suquamish Tribe's survey at Keta Legacy Foundation's Rhododendron Preserve
The Suquamish Tribe is currently conducting its yearly survey to gather information on coho salmon traveling to Chico Creek, using a partnership with a private and virtually untouched forest preserve to help determine any issues that might be threatening population numbers... The Keta Legacy Foundation is working with the Suquamish tribe to gather data on coho salmon smolt coming from Wildcat Creek and Lost Creek, which form in a tributary that creates Chico Creek. This tributary is located on the Rhododendron Preserve, owned by the Keta Legacy Foundation. The area of the preserve, known as Hidden Valley, is where Oleyar is gathering data. It’s home to an old homestead that sits on the valley near the creek, surrounded by rhododendrons. Jessie Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Old-growth logging approvals nearly doubled over the past year, report suggests
 Old-growth logging approvals have gone up over the past year despite the B.C. government promising to protect old-growth forests, according to new research from an environmental group.  Mapping done by the Wilderness Committee, a group dedicated to preserving forests and the ecosystems within them, shows that cutblock approvals in B.C. have nearly doubled this year over last.  In the year to April 30, logging was approved for 84,669 hectares — almost 850 square kilometres — of old-growth forest, equivalent to almost one-third of the Metro Vancouver area. During the previous 12-month period logging was approved for 59,228 hectares, making for a year-over-year increase of 43 per cent. (CBC)

NOAA unveils new U.S. climate ‘normals’ that are warmer than ever
Drawing from the latest decade of weather data, the new normals are a reflection of climate change. Bob Henson and Jason Samenow report. (Washington Post)

Why Extinction Rebellion protesters have been blocking major thoroughfares in B.C.
As the rain trickled down on Monday afternoon, dozens of protesters stood face to face with Vancouver Police Department officers on the northbound sidewalk leading to the Lions Gate Bridge. The Extinction Rebellion protesters planned to shut down traffic, much like they had done just one day earlier on the Granville Street bridge. But this time, they wouldn't make it onto the road. Police didn't let them disrupt what the VPD called 'a critical piece of infrastructure'. Seven people were arrested, five of them taken to jail. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Puget LNG and GAC Bunker Fuels join forces to supply LNG marine fuel by barge from the Port of Tacoma
When the Tacoma LNG Terminal becomes operational in the second quarter of 2021, it will be the first such terminal on North America’s west coast providing direct shoreside loading access for a bunker barge. A DNV GL study commissioned by Puget LNG on the feasibility of a bunker barge to supply LNG as fuel to ships in the Puget Sound area concluded that the availability and cost of natural gas, especially in North America, has made the use of LNG an attractive solution for ship operators to comply with air emissions regulations. A growing order book for LNG-fueled vessels has underlined the need to develop LNG supply infrastructure in all major shipping ports and regions, including the Pacific Northwest. (Centerpoint/Amderican Journal of Transportation)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  157 AM PDT Tue May 4 2021   
TODAY  NW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  5 ft at 12 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W  swell 5 ft at 12 seconds.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/3 Picnic Tree, Vancouver growth, OR drought, Spring Rebellion, Skagit mining, WA lege, Biden climate, BC Ferries, solar farms, orca photos, Tomiko Grace Hasegawa, air pollution, pipeline showdown, Puget Sound names

"Picnic Tree" [Laurie MacBride]

 
Spring Light at the Picnic Tree
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "What a difference the longer days of spring make!  Our “Picnic Tree” sports a heady canopy of leaves, while the grass beneath it grows visibly denser and the dried brown ferns of last summer rapidly disappear behind fresh green fronds. And judging by the volume and variety of songs I’m hearing, the birds around here are also feeling the spring energy. The Picnic Tree is actually made up of several shrubs of Indian plum (Oemlaria cerasiformis), growing closely together to look like a multi-trunked tree."

More than 1 million residents added to Metro Vancouver by 2050, planners project
Despite limited population growth since the pandemic, Metro Vancouver planners project the region will have more than one million additional residents by 2050. According to new data shared with the Metro Vancouver board on Friday, planners project there will be 3.8 million people living in Metro Vancouver in the next 30 years — an average growth of 35,000 people per year. Maryse Zeidler reports. (CBC)

Almost all of Oregon poised for drought to start the summer
More than three-fourths of Oregon is in some stage of drought entering May — and forecasters expect it to stay that way into the summer. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center projects drought will persist across Southern, Central and Eastern Oregon and even the Willamette Valley throughout the summer. The center’s latest monthly drought outlook released Friday also shows drought is likely to develop in the northeast corner of the state. Bradley Parks reports. (OPB)

Five arrested following first day of 'Spring Rebellion' protests: VPD
Saturday's climate demonstration at Granville and Georgia streets marked the first of several Extinction Rebellion events expected to take place across Vancouver in the coming days. Megan Lalonde reports. (Tri-City News)

Cities, port, tribe: Risk of mining in Skagit River headwaters is too great
Opposition continues to grow on a proposal to mine for precious metals within the headwaters of the Skagit River in British Columbia. The Sedro-Woolley City Council passed Wednesday a resolution formally opposing the threat of mining, “which involves the use of cyanide and other toxins and often leads to permanent acid mine drainage, which, in turn, could go into the headwaters of the Skagit River,” according to the resolution. Earlier this month, the city of Anacortes, Port of Skagit and the Samish Indian Nation also passed resolutions against the potential mining. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skate Valley Herald)

At the Washington Legislature, big and surprising wins on climate, policing and tax proposals. Why now?
It’s hard to imagine a more consequential 105 days for state government in Washington’s recent history...But the real surprise for Democrats was what actually happened: For once, just about everything went their way. Joseph O' Sullivan explains. (Seattle Times)

Biden administration to propose first rule requiring cut in climate pollutants
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed on Monday a rule that would sharply cut the use and production of  hydrofluorocarbons, powerful greenhouse gases used widely in refrigeration and air conditioning. The proposal, a phase down of 85 percent over the next 15 years, marks the first time the Biden administration has used the power of the federal government to mandate a cut in climate pollution. Juliet Eilperin and Dino Grandoni report. (Washington Post)

BC Ferries abruptly cancels trial for Sunshine Coast route changes in the face of public pushback
BC Ferries says it will not proceed with a trial to test major changes to BC Ferries' route from the Lower Mainland to the Sunshine Coast. The announcement is an about face from the corporation after it announced details of the project last week. On Friday, BC Ferries said in a news release the issue had become divisive which was not the intent of the project. (CBC)

Solar farms are booming in Washington state, but where should they go?
Activists and property owners east of the Cascades are objecting to a surge in large solar projects championed by Gov. Jay Inslee as essential to driving the state into a clean-energy future, as required by a 2019 state law. These projects will help redefine the regional power industry as electricity from coal and natural gas are phased out to combat climate change. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Washington state’s carbon pricing bill could be most far-reaching in nation. How will it work?  Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Vulcan Inc. develops new tool to help researchers study Southern Resident killer whales
Killer whale researchers are working with Vulcan and an “Aquatic Mammal Photogrammetry Tool,” which speeds up the process of analyzing photos to identify individual whales and various physical characteristics that can be used to measure health. After the machine learning portion of processing, a human user can go in to refine data and correct mistakes. Michael Crowe reports. (KING)

A woman of color has never been elected to Seattle Port Commission. That could change this year
Toshiko Grace Hasegawa of Beacon Hill is running for the Port Commission Position 4 seat against incumbent Peter Steinbrueck. The battle is generational. Both Hasegawa and Steinbrueck come from liberal Seattle families long steeped in politics, but their campaigns represent the varied options of the Port's future. David Hyde reports. (KUOW)

Deadly air pollutant ‘disproportionately and systematically’ harms Americans of color, study finds
Nearly every form of the nation’s most pervasive deadly air pollutant disproportionately affects Americans of color, regardless of their location or income level, according to a peer-reviewed analysis published Wednesday. Juliet Eilperin and Darryl Fears report. (Washington Post)

Looming showdown as Michigan governor orders Canadian pipeline shut down
Michigan’s governor says Enbridge Line 5 jeopardizes the Great Lakes. Canada says its continued operation is “nonnegotiable." Amanda Coletta reports. (Washington Post)

The Ex Ex: How some of Puget Sound’s Most Familiar Places got their Names
Junius Rochester writes: "With the United States stretching from coast to coast, President Andrew Jackson, one of our busier and more controversial presidents, found time in 1836 (the last year of his two terms) to organize an exploring expedition of the Pacific Ocean (the Atlantic was already a familiar, well-cruised pond). The expedition was given several names: United States Exploring Expedition, the “'Ex. Ex.” or the “Wilkes Expedition.'”  (Post Alley)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  224 AM PDT Mon May 3 2021   
TODAY  E wind to 10 kt becoming SE 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 14 seconds. Rain in the  morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  3 ft at 13 seconds.

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

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told