Salish Sea News Week in Review October 16 2020

 

Aloha World Food Day!
World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945.

Alaska’s Magnificent Tongass National Forest Threatened by new “Chainsaw Rule” The Trump Administration is substituting the “Chainsaw Rule” for the Roadless Rule in managing the vast Tongass National Forest.  The largest national forest in the United States, at 16 million acres, it takes up most of Southeast Alaska.

Wolverines denied federal protection
The North American wolverine found in mountain habitats including the North Cascades does not warrant federal Endangered Species Act protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced.

Park reopens as project to help Chico Creek salmon wraps up
There's a new bridge, a restored stream, and now all that's left to wait for are the surging salmon. Fall chum runs will soon fill Chico Creek, and thanks to a $4.4 million project that replaced a box culvert with a bridge on Golf Club Hill Road, their journey to spawn should run a little easier. 

Under Trump, Criminal Prosecutions for Pollution Dropped Sharply
Prosecutions of environmental crimes have “plummeted” during the Trump administration, according to a new report. The first two years of the Trump administration had a 70 percent decrease in criminal prosecutions under the Clean Water Act and a decrease of more than 50 percent under the Clean Air Act.

Earth has warmest September on record, and 2020 may clinch hottest year
The planet just recorded its hottest September since at least 1880, according to three of the authoritative temperature-tracking agencies in the world. The data, most of which was released Wednesday, shows that 2020 is on track to be one of the hottest years on record, with the possibility of tying or breaking the milestone for the hottest year, set in 2016.

Winter in Seattle area expected to be colder, wetter than usual, says new report 
The Puget Sound region is likely to have a La Niña winter this year, meaning it will be a colder and wetter season than usual, according to a new report. Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle Times) B.C.'s South Coast could be colder and snowier than normal this winter, meteorologists say  Experts say a developing La Niña could mean more winter storms on B.C.'s South Coast. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Wildfire smoke in US exposes millions to hazardous pollution
Wildfires churning out dense plumes of smoke as they scorch huge swaths of the U.S. West Coast have exposed millions of people to hazardous pollution levels, causing emergency room visits to spike and potentially thousands of deaths among the elderly and infirm, according to an Associated Press analysis of pollution data and interviews with physicians, health authorities and researchers.  Matthew Brown and Camille Fassett report. (AP)

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These news clips are a selection of weekday clips collected in Salish Sea News and Weather which 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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