Salish Sea News Week in Review January 6 2023

Lock 'em up Friday!
On January 6, 2021 a mob of supporters of then US President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol in Washington DC. They were attempting to halt the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden. Five people died in the riot, and many more were injured, including over 150 police officers...Have we locked all of them up? No.

Wild Olympics wilderness expansion proposal falls short in Congress
A long-standing proposal to expand wilderness areas on the Olympic Peninsula by more than 125,000 acres, and to designate 19 new federally protected Wild and Scenic Rivers on the peninsula, fell short of the finish line as the 117th Congress came to a close this month.

EPA finalizes water rule that repeals Trump-era changes
President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday finalized regulations that protect hundreds of thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways, repealing a Trump-era rule that federal courts had thrown out and that environmentalists said left waterways vulnerable to pollution.

B.C. Parks Foundation buys key riverfront along Fraser River
The B.C. Parks Foundation has bought key riverfront property along the Fraser River— an 80-kilometre stretch of river from Mission to Hope that sustains B.C.’s largest salmon spawning run.

B.C. timber industry in throes of change, as premier warns of 'exhausted forests'
Province aims to 'modernize' forest management amid ecological concerns, fluctuating lumber prices.

Giant freighter GSL Eleni docks in Victoria for repairs
...The 300-metre-long GSL Eleni was escorted into Victoria on Sunday after losing its steering functions off the coast of Tofino. Six tugs guided the massive ship laden with containers into Juan de Fuca Strait and the entrance of Victoria Harbour, where it was manoeuvred into Pier B.

Hurricane Force Storm with 40+ Foot Seas Off U.S. West Coast
An intense storm low over the eastern North Pacific is currently moving towards the northeast at about 20 kts and is producing winds of 50-70 knots with significant wave heights up to 12.5-13.5 meters (41-45 feet) within 120-360 nm south and west of the center. (Jan. 4)

Ship Noise Kills Crabs’ Libidos
The constant thrum of ship engines and other human noises can be a real nuisance for many sea creatures, disrupting their feeding, navigation, and communication. Now a new study shows that ship noise can also kill the mood for amorous crabs.

Washington state starts 2023 with ambitious new climate efforts
One of Washington's biggest climate programs yet launched on Jan. 1: the Clean Fuel Standard. Under Washington's Clean Fuel Standard program which launched Jan. 1, fuel suppliers must gradually provide cleaner and cleaner fuels for gas pumps across the state through 2034. Also kicking in this month is a law that caps greenhouse gas emissions from the state's largest polluters. Also: 6 new climate policies anticipated for B.C. in 2023 Will it be enough to meet the province's critical climate and biodiversity goals?

Here’s how Washington might get consumer bottle recycling, eliminate waste production
The Washington Recycle and Packaging Act, sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry and Sen. Christine Rolfes, will require producers, manufacturers and companies to fund residential recycling services for packaging and paper products across Washington and create a bottle deposit system.

Tacoutche Tesse, the Northwest’s great ghost river — Part 5: The bleeding Heart of the Fraser
Gravel beds in the Heart of the Fraser— called one of the "most productive stretches of river on the planet" for spawning fish— is threatened with large-scale wetland destruction.

Bulkheads: protecting property at what cost to the environment?
Armoring the shoreline aims to protect property from high tides and erosion— the same natural forces that nourish shorelines for forage fish spawning and juvenile salmon rearing.

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 at no cost to the weekday news clips, send your name and email to mikesato772 at gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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