Salish Sea News Week in Review June 30 2023

 

Aloha Asteroid Friday!
Asteroid Day, or International Asteroid Day, as it was sanctioned by the United Nations, is a day of awareness that inspires, engages, and educates the public about the importance of asteroids and the risks they pose to Earth. It was founded by astrophysicist and Queen guitarist Dr. Brian May, Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, B612 Foundation President Danica Remy, and filmmaker Grig Richters. Asteroid Day takes place on June 30th because it was on that date in 1908 that the largest asteroid impact ever recorded took place, the Tunguska asteroid in Siberia, Russia, which destroyed a forest about the size of a city.

Southern resident killer whale pod welcomes new baby
A new calf was filmed with L Pod off Tofino last week with with members of the L77 matriline, but it isn’t immediately clear which whale is the mother.

The Pacific Northwest’s deadly 2021 heat wave fuels a new lawsuit against Big Oil
Two years after a freak heat wave obliterated temperature records across the Pacific Northwest, Multnomah County sued ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, and other fossil fuel companies, seeking to put them on trial for the role their products played in fueling the heat wave. 

Wastewater fee study reveals hardship for low-income households
Low-income households may need financial help to address the impact of rising wastewater bills, according to a study published last month by the Puget Sound Institute.

PNW primed for wildfire as officials prepare for likely active season
Experts predict an above-normal potential for wildfire for most of Washington and parts of Idaho, Montana and Oregon. It’s the culmination of lots of available grassy fuels and hot and dry conditions expected through the summer months.

Scientists find worrisome lesions on endangered southern resident orcas
The peer-reviewed research published in the Public Library of Science on Wednesday suggests 99% of the orcas studied had photographic evidence of skin lesions.

Snoqualmie implements a first of its kind land protection tax
The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe hopes to preserve the Snoqualmie Falls and other ancestral sites for future generations through a new 2 percent land protection tax. Leaders say it’s a model for other tribes working to reclaim their ancestral lands. 

Members of Congress urge relocation of last captive orca taken from Puget Sound
U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. and Reps. Jared Huffman, D-Calif. and Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration asking the federal agencies Thursday to relocate captive orca Tokitae, also known as Lolita or Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut, because of the dangers posed by the Atlantic hurricane season. 

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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