Salish Sea Communications

Friday, September 9, 2022

Salish Sea News Week in Review September 9 2022

Aloha Teddy Bear Friday!
National Teddy Bear Day is dedicated to the stuffed bear that was named after the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. On a hunting expedition, Roosevelt refused to shoot an injured bear. After the incident was publicized in a Washington Post drawing, Rose and Morris Mitchom, store owners in New York City, saw the cartoon and were inspired to create the teddy bear, which they originally called "Teddy's bear." They eventually founded the Ideal Toy Company which produced the bears.

Group seeks endangered species protection for West Coast bull kelp
An environmental group is seeking Endangered Species Act protections for underwater forests of bull kelp along the West Coast. The Center for Biological Diversity on Thursday submitted a petition to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to grant endangered status to the long stalks of kelp that are critical to Oregon coastal ecosystems.

‘We’re Sued on Pretty Much Everything We Try’: Canada’s Climate Minister
When Steven Guilbeault became Canada’s environment minister he was assigned a lengthy mandate letter which boils down to, more or less: fix climate change, please. In fact, his official title is Minister of Environment and Climate Change — a mantle he wears after being an environmental activist for 30 years before he transitioned to politics.

‘A beautiful lie’: BC Hydro says it will replace the wetlands Site C destroys, but experts say it’s impossible
This month, BC Hydro is set to drain and log Watson Slough to make way for the Site C dam in northwest B.C. Beavers will be trapped and euthanized and their dams will be destroyed to release the water from the wetlands. The slough, a collection of different types of wetlands stretching 20 hectares — roughly the size of 25 Canadian football fields — is a beloved nature area in the Peace River Valley renowned for birdwatching and visited by hundreds of schoolchildren over the years. It’s home to at-risk species like the yellow rail, a small marsh bird that hides among the grasses, and the stocky western toad. Elk, black bears, beavers, deer and muskrats also use the wetland along Highway 29 west of Fort St. John.

Green crabs have already invaded Washington's shorelines. Now they're heading to Alaska.
The first signs of the Alaskan invasion were discovered by an intern. In July, a young woman walking the shoreline of the Metlakatla Indian Community during an internship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found a shell of a known menace in the U.S. — the European green crab...Within a month and half, more than 80 live green crabs had been trapped along the Metlakatla shoreline, Winter said, making the community ground zero in the fight against the species in Alaska, though it’s possible other areas of Alaska have been colonized already.

Intalco aluminum smelter releasing high levels of sulfur dioxide
Despite curtailment, Ferndale’s Intalco aluminum smelter continues to exceed safe emission levels of sulfur dioxide, a respiratory risk, in the region. [T]he plant will need significant modification to produce “permanent and enforceable reductions to SO2 emissions” at the facility.

Rising seas could swallow millions of U.S. acres within decades
New research finds an estimated 25,000 properties in Louisiana could slip below tidal boundary lines by 2050. Florida, Texas and North Carolina also face profound economic risks.

The northern B.C. pipeline you’ve never heard of — Enbridge’s Westcoast Connector
First approved in 2014, the pipeline would ship up to 8.4 billion cubic feet of fracked gas every day. Now the company is seeking an extension until 2029 and applying to amend its route to avoid a Treaty 8 nation territory at the centre of a court ruling on the impacts of industry.

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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Friday, September 2, 2022

Salish Sea News Week in Review September 2 2022

Aloha Coconut Friday!
Coconuts grow on the coconut palm tree and are a fruit from the drupe family. They grow in more than 80 countries and are an essential crop in the tropics. It takes a year for a coconut to ripen, and a tree may produce about 100 of them each season. Coconuts have antifungal and antiviral properties and are high in lauric acid, electrolytes, and antioxidants. The flesh, which is high in fat, can be dried and eaten fresh, or be used to make coconut milk or coconut oil. Coconut water can be found at the center of the coconut.

How a 32-year-old climate activist is shaking up the race to be B.C.’s next premier
In a litmus test for the political clout of the climate movement, Anjali Appadurai, who’s never held public office, is gunning for an upset over establishment favourite David Eby in the NDP leadership contest.

Camera station documents a Pacific marten in Olympic National Forest
A rare Pacific marten recorded by a motion-triggered wildlife camera is the first time the species has been recorded by a camera survey in Olympic National Forest.

In a warming climate, Bristol Bay sockeye return this summer to Alaska in another record run
...This year’s return of Bristol Bay sockeye smashed the previous high set only last year. Meanwhile in western Alaska, the Yukon River’s runs of king and, more recently, chum — both mainstays of Native fishermen — have imploded, shutting down harvests for the past two years.

New rules put Puget Sound's urban trees in private hands
Because the majority of the region's trees are in residential neighborhoods, responsibility for maintaining canopy coverage is shifting to homeowners.

Data centers, backbone of the digital economy, face water scarcity and climate risk
For years, companies that operate data centers have faced scrutiny for the huge amounts of electricity they use storing and moving digital information like emails and videos. Now, the U.S. public is beginning to take notice of the water many facilities require to keep from overheating.

Study raises questions about using ‘woody debris’ to restore streams
Efforts to improve salmon streams damaged by past logging and other human activities commonly include the addition of carefully placed logs, tree roots or “woody debris” to mimic this natural system.

If you like to watch: Close encounter with orcas delights Quadra Island visitor
Callum Macnab of Victoria was standing in the water but scrambled out when four orcas swam by within metres of him. (video)

Friday, August 26, 2022

Salish Sea News Week in Review August 26 2022

Aloha Dog Friday!
National Dog Day was founded in 2004 by Colleen Paige. National Dog Day is for all dogs, both purebred and mixed, and the mission of the day is to raise awareness about the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, as well as to acknowledge the role dogs have played to keep us safe and bring us comfort.

Democrats Designed the Climate Law to Be a Game Changer. Here’s How.
In a first, the measure legally defines greenhouse gases as pollution. That’ll make new regulations much tougher to challenge in court.

State’s new Clean Fuel Standard takes aim at climate-changing pollution
A mammoth accounting ledger. A carrot-and-stick rule with a focus on incentives. However you describe it, Washington’s proposed Clean Fuel Standard has a simple goal: reducing vehicle-related carbon pollution, which accounts for almost 45% of statewide greenhouse gas emissions.

Columbia River's salmon are at the core of ancient religion
For thousands of years, Native tribes in this area have relied on Nch’i-Wána, or “the great river,” for its salmon and steelhead trout, and its surrounding areas for the fields bearing edible roots, medicinal herbs and berry bushes as well as the deer and elk whose meat and hides are used for food and ritual.

West Coast states band together to fight methane pipeline expansion
California, Oregon, and Washington have joined forces to push back against a methane pipeline along the West Coast...The pipeline is a subsidiary of Canadian company TC Energy. The company is currently asking for federal approval of the pipeline expansion.

High hopes for Fraser River sockeye dashed by precipitous returns
Returns for the fabled Adams River sockeye run will likely be just one-third of expected abundance, according to revised estimates of the Pacific Salmon Commission.

WA Fish Passage Program To Flood Contractors With Work
The state’s Fish Passage Program, a 17-year, $3.8-billion effort to correct barriers to fish passages is beginning to ramp up funding with the goal of repairing 90% of the region’s roughly 1,000 fish barriers by 2030.

Washington to phase out new gasoline-powered cars by 2035
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says the state will phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by the year 2035.

Benefits of dams must be replaced before breaching

The benefits provided by four giant hydroelectric dams on the Snake River must be replaced before the dams can be breached to save endangered salmon runs, according to a final report issued Thursday by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Washington U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.

Friday, August 19, 2022

Salish Sea News Week in Review August 19 2022

Aloha Orangutan Friday!
Known for their distinctive red fur, orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal, spending most of their time in trees. Long, powerful arms and grasping hands and feet allow them to move through the branches. These great apes share 96.4% of our genes and are highly intelligent creatures. The name orangutan means "man of the forest" in the Malay language. (World Wildlife Federation)

Behemoth moth lands in Bellevue, alarming agriculture officials
One of the world's largest moths showed up in Bellevue, Washington, to the astonishment of the homeowner who found it basking in the sun on the side of his garage — and the alarm of entomologists.

Conservationists worry about destruction of B.C.'s rare glass sponge reefs
...These reefs are as fragile as the most delicate crystal, given that they are made of silica, the main component of glass. They can be instantly shattered by things like crab and prawn traps, anchors, fishing line and downriggers.

‘Every citizen in British Columbia won’: court dismisses defamation suit against conservationists
On Monday, the B.C. Supreme Court dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by a developer against the Qualicum Nature Preservation Society and its president Ezra Morse, ruling that the case did not have substantial merit.

B.C. wildlife federation alleges DFO meddling in steelhead science
B.C.’s commercial fishers are anticipating a lucrative Fraser River sockeye salmon harvest this season, but conservationists fear critically low Interior steelhead trout remain at risk due to a federal decision not to list them as endangered.

Higher salmon returns celebrated upstream of 2019 Big Bar rockslide north of Lillooet, B.C.
First Nations are cautiously celebrating upstream of a 2019 landslide that dealt a devastating blow to salmon populations reaching the Upper Fraser River to spawn. This year, preliminary data suggest that more of the fish are finally reaching their spawning grounds upriver.

Skeena Sockeye Returns Are Surging — But Big Concerns Remain
Four million sockeye, twice the average for the last decade, are expected this year.

Biden signs massive climate and health care legislation
President Joe Biden signed Democrats’ landmark climate change and health care bill into law on Tuesday, delivering what he has called the “final piece” of his pared-down domestic agenda, as he aims to boost his party’s standing with voters less than three months before the midterm elections.

Massive new climate law could give Pacific Northwest green businesses a boost
Companies large and small around the Pacific Northwest say they are excited by growth opportunities that may flow from the climate, healthcare and tax package signed by President Biden on Tuesday.

$3.1 million pumped into B.C. marine noise reduction as advocates call for targets
The federal government is putting $3.1 million into projects aimed at reducing underwater noise from vessels to protect marine mammals like southern resident killer whales...Part of a previously announced $26-million investment over five years, the $3.1 million will support 22 projects, including developing real-time tools to track underwater noise from marine vessels, detect marine mammals and alert nearby vessels.

Friday, August 5, 2022

Salish Sea News Week in Review August 5 2022

Aloha Oyster Friday!
There are over 200 species of oysters, of which only a handful are eaten. The most widespread species in the United States are the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas). The former is found in Atlantic waters from Canada to South America, and the latter is found in Pacific waters from Japan to Washington State in the north, and south to Australia. Three other species can be found in US waters: the Ostrea conchaphila on the West Coast, and European Flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) and Kumamotos (Crassostrea sikamea), which are grown for specialty markets. Oysters may be given other names to indicate more precisely where they are from. For example, Eastern oysters from Maryland and Virginia are known as Chesapeake Bay Oysters, and Pacific oysters from Washington are known as Willapa Oysters.

Half of BC's Fraser River dikes would overtop in repeat of 1894 flood
An analysis of new information suggests higher dikes needed as climate change increases odds of flooding.

‘Way ahead of all of us’: Mourners remember Tulalip’s environmental champion
Hundreds flocked to the Tulalip Gathering Hall to reflect on the life of Terry Williams, who died last month at 74.

Rising temperatures will shift timing of water availability, amplifying vulnerabilities in Columbia River Basin over next 20 years
Anticipated future shifts in water supply and water demands will combine to create potential vulnerabilities related to water availability across many areas of eastern Washington.

Envisioning a cleaner Duwamish River in South Park
The Duwamish River is one of the most toxic hazardous waste sites in the country and communities around the river have long been affected by higher rates of asthma and a lower life expectancy than residents of other Seattle neighborhoods.

Will BC Let Mount Polley Mine Keep Pumping Waste into Quesnel Lake?
Eight years after a tailings pond disaster, critics say Imperial Metals should have come up with better waste plan by now and warn of risks.

41 large polluters to get free passes in Washington’s carbon trading market
Washington is required by law to eliminate or offset all of its greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. But generous exemptions for more than 40 of the state’s biggest polluters in a forthcoming carbon market could push that goal beyond reach.

How a federal agency is contributing to salmon’s decline in the Northwest
Damming the powerful waters of the Columbia River was a boon for cheap, clean electricity. But the fish that swam those waters are dying out. And the agency in charge isn’t stopping that.

Judge rejects Navy environmental review of Whidbey Island Growler jet expansion
A U.S. District Court judge ruled Tuesday that the Navy violated federal law in an environmental study of expanded Whidbey Island jet operations that failed to quantify the noise impacts on classroom learning as well as other shortcomings

Seattle's Duwamish Tribe 'on the outside looking in' as city names new Indigenous Advisory Council
The city of Seattle is named for Duwamish leader Chief Seattle, yet his own descendants say they’ve been excluded from an effort to involve more Indigenous people in city issues.

Groups seek pause in long-running Columbia River Basin salmon dispute Groups seek pause in long-running Columbia River Basin salmon dispute
A legal dispute over the impact of hydroelectric dams on salmon runs in the Columbia River Basin has been winding its way through federal court for more than 25 years. On Thursday, a coalition of tribes, environmental groups and the U.S. government asked a federal judge for another year to craft that vision.

Four years after Tahlequah's journey, the legal and ethical debates over orca protection continue to evolve
It has been four summers since a mother orca’s dramatic vigil brought worldwide attention to the plight of Puget Sound’s southern resident killer whales.

Friday, July 29, 2022

Salish Sea News Week in Review July 29 2022

Aloha Tiger Friday!
International Tiger Day, also known as Global Tiger Day, takes place annually on July 29. It is a day to celebrate tigers, to raise awareness for the need for their preservation, and to promote the protection and expansion of their habitats.

Seattle chapter of the Audubon Society dropping "Audubon" from its name to be more inclusive
The Seattle chapter of the Audubon Society announced that it is dropping "Audubon" from its name because of its association with white supremacy.

Terry Williams, Tulalip’s ‘champion of climate issues,’ dies at 74
The bolo tie-wearing elder shaped state and national environmental policy. He was both soft-spoken and a powerful advocate.

'Murder hornets' officially named Northern giant hornet
Asian giant hornets, commonly referred to as "murder hornets," officially have a new common name: the Northern giant hornet.

As waters warm, Alaska experiences salmon booms and busts
Chaotic salmon returns leave some Alaskans with an abundance of salmon, and others with none. Victoria Petersen reports.

Human Pathogens Are Hitching a Ride on Floating Plastic
Studies show that various human pathogens cling to microplastics in seawater. Michael Allen reports.

From mountaintops to ocean bottoms, scientists are discovering just how pervasive plastic is
With a rising interest in microplastics research over the last decade, scientists are starting to understand where those pollutants come from, which can help guide decision-making and inform policy change.

Extreme heat a strain for birds already burdened by habitat loss
Habitat conservation and action on climate change are needed to lessen the threat to at-risk species.

Friday, July 22, 2022

Salish Sea News Week in Review July 22 2022

Aloha Spooner Friday!
William Archibald Spooner was born in 1844. He studied at Oxford University and went on to lecture there for 60 years, focusing on philosophy, divinity, and history. He also was an Anglican priest. An albino man of small stature with bad eyesight, he was sometimes absent-minded, but also had a strong intellect. Because of his intellect, his speech often did not keep up with his thought process. That, along with his bad eyesight, contributed to him often saying phrases that were different than the ones he intended. With these slips of the tongue, which became known as "spoonerisms," the initial consonant sounds in some words are reversed. One of his most famous was "It is kisstomary to cuss the bride," which he apparently said while performing a wedding ceremony for a couple.

Climate change prompts a push away from natural gas
What's an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Heat pumps, advocate say. And new building codes could require them.

How Indigenous Sea Gardens Produced Massive Amounts of Food for Millennia
By focusing on reciprocity and the common good—both for the community and the environment—sea gardening created bountiful food without putting populations at risk of collapse.

How a conservative U.S. network undermined Indigenous energy rights in Canada
A U.S.-based libertarian coalition has spent years pressuring the Canadian government to limit how much Indigenous communities can push back on energy development on their own land, newly reviewed strategy documents reveal.

The U.S. plan to avoid extreme climate change is running out of time
In 101 months, the United States will have achieved President Biden’s most important climate promise — or it will have fallen short. Right now it is seriously falling short, and for each month that passes, it becomes harder to succeed until at some point — perhaps very soon — it will become virtually impossible.

Trudeau announces expanded oceans protection plan
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced new details of the federal government's $3.5-billion plan to protect the oceans and boost coast guard facilities on the world's longest national coastline.

Washington tribes to get $50M to restore Puget Sound
Tribes in Western Washington will receive $50 million in federal funding from the infrastru

Vancouver council agrees to spend up to $660,000 to fight 'Big Oil' in court
Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart breaks tie with vote in favour of fighting the world's five largest oil and gas companies to help cover climate-change related costs. David Carrigg reports. (Vancouver Sun)

North Island event celebrates 20 years since Springer reunited with pod
Springer, the orca orphan returned to her pod in a dramatic rescue two decades ago, is being celebrated this week as an example of what humans can do when they co-operate.

WA Supreme Court rules on multiple benefits of trust lands
The Washington state Supreme Court on Thursday ruled the Department of Natural Resources can continue to manage state trust lands for the financial benefit of schools and other institutions, but can also look at other ways to ensure that such lands are managed to benefit all residents.

Intalco restart: can ‘green’ aluminum get ‘clean’ power?
Options for a clean-power source are narrowing for a buyout firm with a sustainability ethos that wants to restart and upgrade the Intalco aluminum plant near Ferndale.

B.C. government, First Nations ban hunting to protect spirit bear
Scientists and First Nations hope a ban on killing black bears will protect the gene that codes for the existence of the spirit bear, the rarest subspecies in the world.