Salish Sea Communications: 2020

Friday, December 18, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review December 18 2020

Aloha Snowflake Friday!
There are different sizes and shapes of snowflakes, and none are exactly alike, although they do fit into one of 35 different shape categories. They form when water vapor condenses into ice crystals in the clouds. They accumulate around particles of dust or dirt, which affects their shape, as do factors such as temperature, humidity, and currents. Snowflakes have different numbers of water molecules, and it is these molecules which cause them to form a crystal pattern. A six-sided crystal snowflake is most common, but flat or thin needle-shaped flakes also form. Snowflakes also have different amounts of oxygen and hydrogen, which also affects their shape. Although they are made of clear ice, they appear white because of diffuse reflection.

Groups blast Trump logging plan aimed at reducing wildfires
Conservation groups are blasting a Trump administration decision officials said will reduce wildfires by streamlining environmental reviews of timber salvage projects.

Northern spotted owl’s Endangered Species Act status will remain unchanged
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service ruled against upgrading the iconic Northern spotted owl’s protection status Monday under the Endangered Species Act. The agency said the species’ continued decline warrants a reclassification from “threatened” to “endangered’' but it elected against taking that step because it considers other listed species to be higher priorities.

Researchers aim to use artificial intelligence to save endangered whales in B.C.
Researchers are aiming to "teach'' a computer to recognize the sounds of resident killer whales in order to develop a warning system for preventing ships from fatally striking endangered orcas off British Columbia's coast.

Calls to terminate Columbia River Treaty spark concern after 2 years of negotiations
A cross-border treaty that has regulated the flow of the Columbia River for over 50 years could be in jeopardy as a group of American politicians calls on the president to invoke his executive authority and terminate the treaty.

Coalition aims to expand protected area
A coalition of conservation groups, shellfish farmers, tribes and area residents is asking the state Department of Natural Resources to cancel plans for three timber sales to protect a rare rhododendron forest. The 936-acre forest on the Toandos Peninsula and along Dabob Bay is the largest in the world.

Victoria’s sewage treatment plant up and running
After four years of construction, the Capital Regional District’s $775-million Wastewater Treatment Project has begun treating sewage at the McLoughlin Point plant.

Monarch butterfly denied protection by Trump administration, despite growing extinction dangers
The monarch butterfly was turned down by the Trump administration on Tuesday when the government declined to use the powers of the Endangered Species Act to help save it from extinction.

Inslee proposes his latest climate-change package as part of Washington budget
Gov. Jay Inslee Tuesday unveiled a new climate-change package that includes a renewed push for a clean fuels standard and capping some greenhouse-gas emissions.

B.C. sets new 2025 emissions target after falling behind on climate goals
The British Columbia government is setting a new target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 after determining it is further from reaching its goals than previously forecast.

Once hearty 'hooligans' declining in the Salish Sea
A river spawning species of forage fish known as the longfin smelt is rare and getting rarer in the Salish Sea.

NMFS Demands More Mitigation for Nearshore Projects in The Puget Sound Region
In November, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS or the Service) issued a final jeopardy opinion for 39 nearshore development projects in the Puget Sound region that had been under consultation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).

Discovery Islands salmon farms to be phased out of existence over next 18 months
he controversial open-net salmon farms in the Discovery Islands near Campbell River, B.C., will be phased out over the next 18 months.

First time in more than a generation, Chinook salmon spawn in upper Columbia River
For the first time in more than a generation, Chinook salmon have spawned in the upper Columbia River system.

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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Friday, December 11, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review December 11 2020

Menorah

Aloha Hanukkah Friday!
Hanukkah, which is the Hebrew word for "dedication," is a Jewish celebration that lasts eight days and eight nights. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where, according to Jewish belief, a miracle occurred that allowed oil to light a menorah for eight days, when there only was enough oil for one day. The holiday begins on a different day each year, as it follows the lunisolar Jewish calendar, not the Gregorian calendar. It starts on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which usually falls between late November and late December.

Outdated sewage treatment is suffocating fish in Puget Sound
....Environmentalists have sued the state over the sewage-treatment plants’ waste dumping, pointing out that the last time the Washington Department of Ecology required major modernization of wastewater plants was in 1987 — and that was an upgrade to a technology first deployed in the early 20th century.

Whale watch operators insist their presence helps protect southern resident orcas
Commercial whale-watch operators say they accept the need for the new licensing system, to keep better track of who is in the industry and spending time near the whales. But they insist they play a "sentinel role" on the water.

Navy Growler jet noise loud enough to reach orca pods even 100 feet underwater, new research shows
In a paper published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, scientists reported an underwater microphone anchored in nearly 100 feet of water offshore of the runway at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island distinctly picked up the sound of the jets, at levels known to affect orca behavior.

Task force says reparations may be needed as state works toward environmental justice
As they prepare for the next legislative session, state lawmakers are reviewing a report that calls for laws to ensure environmental justice.

What the fight over EPA chief says about Democratic divisions
Mary Nichols, a national figure in environmental regulation with a string of achievements that earned her the name “queen of green,” seems a natural choice for EPA chief under a Biden administration.

$176M permanent salmon fishway announced for Big Bar landslide site on B.C.'s Fraser River
The federal government is spending $176 million to install a permanent fishway through the site of the Big Bar landslide on the Fraser River north of Lillooet, B.C. Design and construction work is expected to begin this winter with an operational date set for the start of the early 2022 salmon runs.

Seattle City Light agrees to fish passage studies for dam relicensing
In response to requests from tribal, federal, state and local representatives, Seattle City Light will conduct some fish passage studies as part of the relicensing process for its Skagit River Hydroelectric Project.

Sunflower sea stars declared critically endangered on West Coast
One of the largest sea star species in the world has been listed as critically endangered on Thursday after a global study shows the species population has been decimated by a marine epidemic.

Friday, December 4, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review December 4, 2020

Aloha Cheetah Friday!
The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, capable of running at 80 to 128 km/h (50 to 80 mph), and as such has several adaptations for speed, including a light build, long thin legs and a long tail.

Exxon Writes Off Record Amount From Value of Assets Amid Energy Market Downturn
After insisting for months that its oil and gas investments remain as valuable as ever, ExxonMobil plans to write down $17 to $20 billion in natural gas assets, in the largest such announcement the company has ever made.

B.C. oyster producers fighting to stay afloat financially and hold on to their farms during pandemic
While many B.C. restaurants have adapted to COVID-19 restrictions by offering home delivery, it is not likely a customer's first thought to dial up a dozen half shell oysters.

What will a Biden presidency mean for environmental protections and public lands — in Washington and beyond?
After four years of rollbacks to environmental protections and reductions to public lands introduced by the Trump administration, President-elect Joe Biden and his incoming administration will be presented with a chance to reverse course, say outdoor recreation and advocacy groups.

It’s Time to Listen
The onset of COVID-19 created devastation worldwide. But for whale researchers like Janie Wray, who has been studying the unique calls of killer, humpback, and fin whales in British Columbia for more than 20 years, the pandemic presented a unique opportunity—a chance to hear how whales respond to a quieter underwater world.

‘A lost run’: logging and climate change decimate steelhead in B.C. river
When zero fish showed up for a winter count in the Gold River on Vancouver Island, their absence hinted at a much larger story of how and why this species is disappearing throughout the province.

Tufted puffins denied Endangered Species Act protections
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday denied Endangered Species Act protections for the tufted puffin, a whimsical, wobbly seabird found up and down the northern Pacific Coast of North America and Asia.

Nearly 3,000 European invaders found on Puget Sound shores. They’re crabs
Since April, Lummi Nation natural resources crews had trapped more than 2,600 of the unwelcome invertebrates, up from just 64 the year before, and more than anywhere in Washington state.

Ship strikes 'significant' cause of death for southern resident killer whales, UBC study finds
Necropsies of over 50 killer whales over the last decade show more of the mammals are dying as a direct result of human behaviours in the Pacific Ocean than previously thought.

Killer whale populations are dying. New study helps researchers understand why
Humans could be a major cause of death for killer whales, new research says.

Tire dust killing coho salmon returning to Puget Sound, new research shows
...In a breakthrough paper published in the Dec. 3 issue of Science, a team of researchers revealed the culprit behind the deaths of coho in an estimated 40% of the Puget Sound area — a killer so lethal it takes out 40 to 90% of returning coho to some urban streams before they spawn. It is a killer hidden in plain sight.

Friday, November 27, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 27 2020

Bill Nye

Happy Birthday, Science Guy!
Bill Nye the Science Guy is best known as the host of the PBS and syndicated children's science show Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993–1998), the Netflix show Bill Nye Saves the World (2017–2018), and for his many subsequent appearances in popular media as a science educator.

Young orca calves take part in fall excursions into South Puget Sound with their mothers
The two orca calves born to J pod in September are still alive and doing well, according to Mark Malleson of the Center for Whale Research, who spotted J pod on Monday near the Canadian city of Victoria.

Trump officials move to relax rules on killing birds
The Trump administration published an environmental analysis Friday finding that its proposal not to hold companies responsible for killing birds 'incidentally" would not cause undue harm, clearly the way for it to finalize the rollback before the president's term ends on Jan. 20.

U.S. Justice Department sues over Puyallup River pollution
The Justice Department has filed a civil suit against the owners of the Electron Hydroelectric Project for violating the Clean Water Act by polluting the Puyallup River.

Army Corps says no to massive gold mine proposed near Bristol Bay in Alaska
The Trump administration on Wednesday denied a key permit for a massive gold and copper mine in Alaska, striking a devastating blow to a project opposed by an unlikely coalition that includes the president’s son and other prominent Republicans, as well as conservationists, commercial fishermen and Alaska Natives.

Congress Seeks Answers on Alaskan Mine Project
House investigators are seeking records from the developers of the Pebble Mine project and the Army Corps of Engineers, to determine whether the company misrepresented its plans.

US judge voids permits for Columbia River methanol plant
A judge on Monday voided permits needed for a massive methanol plant on the Columbia River in Southwest Washington, agreeing with conservation groups that the project needs a more thorough environmental review.

Steelhead farm proposal appealed to state Supreme Court
Environmental groups are taking their fight against Cooke Aquaculture’s proposal to transition from farming Atlantic salmon to steelhead to the state Supreme Court.

Regional proposal would reduce fisheries to help orcas
Plans for managing coastal chinook salmon fisheries that take into account endangered Southern Resident orca whales are taking shape.

Canada's 1st Indigenous coast guard auxiliary has launched in B.C.
Now, more than four years since it was announced, the Indigenous Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary has fully launched in B.C. — already having completed a number of missions.

Fish passage studies sought in Skagit River dam relicensing
The series of concrete dams strung across the upper Skagit River predate construction of the North Cascades Highway and the establishing of North Cascades National Park.

Navy training proposal met with concern
The State Parks Commission is in the midst of discussions about whether public lands, including Deception Pass State Park, are appropriate place for the military to train.

Friday, November 20, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 20, 2020

Aloha Universal Children's Day!
Children’s Day began on the second Sunday of June in 1857 by Reverend Dr. Charles Leonard, pastor of the Universalist Church of the Redeemer in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Children’s Day was first officially declared a national holiday by the Republic of Turkey in 1920. The United Nations' Universal Children's Day was established in 1954. In 1959 the UN General Assembly adopted an extended form of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Originally acquired in 1924 by the League of Nations, the UN adopted this document as its own statement of children’s rights. UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, promotes and coordinates this special day, which also works towards improving children's welfare.

$18-billion LNG project projected to meet mid-decade start despite COVID-19 delays
The $18-billion project will liquefy natural gas from northeast B.C. in a plant at Kitimat in northwest B.C., where it will be loaded onto ships and transported to Asian markets.

The environmental policy the oilpatch wants from Ottawa ASAP
Shell Canada will plant more than 800,000 trees in the interior of British Columbia next year, a project that the company hopes will create valuable carbon offsets in the future.

Trump officials rush to auction off rights to Arctic National Wildlife Refuge before Biden can block it
The Trump administration on Monday called for oil companies to pick spots where they'd like to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, launching a leasing process it aims to finish just before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. Trump officials rush to auction off rights to Arctic National Wildlife Refuge before Biden can block it
The Trump administration on Monday called for oil companies to pick spots where they'd like to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, launching a leasing process it aims to finish just before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.

BC Parks Foundation successfully raises $1.7M for purchase of West Ballenas Island
The BC Parks Foundation has officially raised enough money to purchase West Ballenas Island. Foundation CEO Andrew Day said they reached their goal of $1.7 million through community support.

Burnaby streams see 'pretty decent' salmon run after years of rehabilitation
At nearly 70 years of age, Mark Angelo is still filled with delight when he sees salmon swimming up the streams in Burnaby, B.C., where he lives.

U.S.-Canada border closure likely to be 'with us for a while'
The most recent extension of the U.S.-Canada border closure expires...November 21, but no one expects the restrictions to be lifted then.

Cowichan Tribes against anchorage
Cowichan Tribes has joined the fight to prohibit freighters from anchoring in coastal waters along the Salish Sea.

Trump pushes new environmental rollbacks on way out the door
Down to its final weeks, the Trump administration is working to push through dozens of environmental rollbacks that could weaken century-old protections for migratory birds, expand Arctic drilling and hamstring future regulation of public health threats.

Jeff Bezos launches his own climate action push as U.S. policy faces potential gridlock
...[T]hrough his Bezos Earth Fund, he also became the biggest private supporter of climate action. The $10 billion fund gave out its first round of grants, $791 million to 16 environmental organizations.

Friday, November 13, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 13, 2020

Aloha World Kindness Friday!
World Kindness Day was started by the World Kindness Movement, on the first day of their conference in Tokyo, on today's date in 1998. The conference was held on the 35th anniversary of the start of Japan's Small Kindness Movement. The World Kindness Movement, which connects nations to form a kinder world, was formed in Japan in 1997, out of a group of non-governmental organizations focused on kindness. World Kindness Day is observed internationally.

Federal judge rules FDA violated environmental laws with approval of genetically engineered salmon
A federal judge has ruled that production of the world’s first genetically engineered salmon was allowed to go ahead without the required evaluation of environmental risks.

David Suzuki on 60 years of The Nature of Things: ‘I’m more determined than ever’
Television's longest-running science series has been at the forefront of exploring the climate crisis and our relationship with the natural world.

Navy Receives Approval for Exercises that Could Increase Harm to Washington Orcas
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has approved a request from the U.S. Navy to continue military exercises in Puget Sound and coastal Washington waters that could potentially harm the endangered Southern Resident orca population.

6th Asian giant hornet to be discovered in B.C. found in Fraser Valley
An Asian giant hornet has been found near Langley, B.C., about five kilometres away from where another so-called murder hornet was discovered last week. Destruction of murder hornets nest doesn't end threat
When scientists in Washington state destroyed the first nest of so-called murder hornets found in the U.S., they discovered about 500 live specimens in various stages of development, officials said Tuesday. Among them were nearly 200 queens that had the potential to start their own nests.

What’s at Stake with the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion?
New research from veteran earth scientist David Hughes concludes that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project makes no financial sense.

In first for Fed, U.S. central bank says climate poses stability risks
The U.S. Federal Reserve for the first time called out climate change among risks enumerated in its biannual financial stability report, and warned about the potential for abrupt changes in asset values in response to a warming planet.

Scientists wrap up trapping season, catching 253 invasive green crab
Washington scientists finished the first full season of European green crab trapping, leaving mid-October after trapping 253 of the invasive crab in Drayton Harbor.

Port Angeles OKs pact for harbor cleanup
City officials have reached a legal milestone in an eight-year effort to clean up the western Port Angeles Harbor.

B.C.'s open-net salmon farms on the way out, but replacement systems may differ by region
The federal government's plan to phase out open-net salmon farms on the B.C. coast could result in different rules for different areas of the province.

Friday, November 6, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 6, 2020

Adolphe Sax

Aloha Saxaphone Friday!
The saxophone is celebrated today on the anniversary of the birth of its creator, Adolphe Sax, born in Belgium in 1814. He was an instrument maker who played clarinet and flute, and he wanted to create an instrument that had both the projection power of a brass instrument and the agility of a woodwind, and would fill the middle ground between the two instrument types. Today saxophones range in size and pitch as follows: subcontrabass, contrabass, bass, baritone, tenor, alto, soprano, sopranino, and sopranissimo. Of all of these the most popular are the soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone.

Despite what the logging industry says, cutting down trees isn’t stopping catastrophic wildfires
An analysis by OPB and ProPublica shows last month’s fires burned as intensely on private forests with large-scale logging operations as they did, on average, on federal lands that cut fewer trees.

Washington to manage wolves within borders after fed action
The state of Washington will take over management of most wolves within its borders early next year, after the U.S. government announced Thursday that gray wolves in the Lower 48 states would be delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act.

The US is leaving the Paris Agreement: How that will affect the global mission to affect climate change r
The U.S. is set to officially withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement on Wednesday, three years after President Donald Trump announced his intent to remove the country from participating in the global forum to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Giant Asian hornet found in Abbotsford, B.C., residents urged to look out for more
A single "murder hornet" was found in Abbotsford Monday and residents and beekeepers are advised to keep on the lookout for more.

BC Parks Foundation wants to buy West Ballenas Island for $1.7M
The BC Parks Foundation is raising funds to purchase West Ballenas Island. Each year, the foundation chooses one special place to concentrate their fundraising efforts.

What 13,000 wildfires teach us about Washington forests
DNR has kept records of every reported wildfire in the state since 2008. Crosscut took a deep dive into these 13,452 fire records to highlight some numbers that help put this year into context and tell the broader story of our state’s fires.

Grizzly facial recognition a potent new tool for wildlife management
A facial recognition system for grizzly bears could usher in a new wave of celebrity animals that scientists and the public could follow through their lifetimes.

Friday, October 30, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 30 2020

Aloha Lemur Day!
Lemurs are mammals of the order Primates, divided into 8 families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species. They are native only to the island of Madagascar. Most existing lemurs are small, have a pointed snout, large eyes, and a long tail. They chiefly live in trees, and are active at night. Lemurs are mammals of the order Primates, divided into 8 families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species. They are native only to the island of Madagascar. Most existing lemurs are small, have a pointed snout, large eyes, and a long tail. They chiefly live in trees, and are active at night. (Wikipedia)

State details Padilla Bay bacteria issue
The state Department of Ecology released Thursday a draft report that details the problem of fecal coliform bacteria in sloughs that flow into Padilla Bay and that lists possible solutions.

Controversy flares up over proposed policy revisions for state salmon hatcheries
A state policy revision that could boost salmon production at fish hatcheries in Washington state has raised red flags among scientists and environmental groups worried about potential damage to wild salmon runs.

B.C. NDP will form decisive majority government, CBC News projects
The NDP will form a historic majority government in British Columbia for the first time in more than 20 years.

Fight over Snake River dams is likely going back to court
The fight over salmon and dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers could be headed back to the courtroom. Conservation and fishing groups say the federal government’s newest plans to manage dams and protect salmon are inadequate.

Trump administration buries dozens of clean energy studies
The Department of Energy has blocked reports for more than 40 clean energy studies. The department has replaced them with mere presentations, buried them in scientific journals that are not accessible to the public, or left them paralyzed within the agency.

With Justice Barrett, a Tectonic Court Shift on the Environment
The accession of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court will cement a conservative majority that is likely to give polluting industries freer rein, limit the ability of citizens to sue, and call into question the very basis of the EPA to issue and enforce regulations.

Oregon Supreme Court rules against youth plaintiffs in climate change lawsuit
The Oregon Supreme Court ruled against two young plaintiffs this week in a lawsuit that alleged the state has failed to address the mounting threats posed by climate change.

Youth-led climate change lawsuit dismissed by Federal Court
A Federal Court judge ruled Tuesday that the Canadian government won't be going on trial for contributions to climate change — striking down a lawsuit brought by 15 young Canadians who argued the government was violating their charter rights.

Vancouver outlines its Climate Emergency Action Plan
The City of Vancouver on Wednesday released its Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP), with ambitious proposals to tackle climate change by cutting excess carbon in half by 2030.

Wolves To Lose Federal Protection In Washington And Oregon, Conservation Groups Vow A Fight
The federal government says it will remove endangered species protections for gray wolves in the Lower 48. The move will reduce protections for the predators in the western two-thirds of Washington and Oregon.

Development has made the Pilchuck River warmer, harming fish
The Pilchuck River is getting warmer, and that’s not a good sign for future salmon runs. The temperature of the water has risen about 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit above the historic norm, according to the state Department of Ecology.

Deal falls through to sell Puget Sound Energy's stake in Montana's Colstrip coal plant.
The future of Colstrip, the Northwest’s largest coal plant, got more uncertain Monday as a deal fell through to sell Puget Sound Energy’s stake in one of the four generating units in Montana.

Friday, October 23, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 23 2020

Aloha World Fish Migration Day (Oct 24)
World Fish Migration Day is a one-day global celebration to create awareness of open rivers and migratory fish. Migratory fishes are fishes that swim short or long distances from daily to annually, as a way to complete their life cycle, feed and / or make love! Some migratory fishes migrate up and down rivers, others between rivers and oceans, and others across the oceans.

The Elwha dams are gone and chinook are surging back, but why are so few reaching the upper river?
They were the king of kings in Puget Sound, the biggest chinook of them all, strong enough to muscle up the falls at the Goblin Gates and power on all the way through nearly 4 miles of chutes and falls in the Grand Canyon of the Elwha...But fewer chinook are reaching the deliciously cold, uppermost reaches of the watershed. Why?

Minor bridge modifications could help young steelhead escape from Hood Canal
Help could be on the way for migrating steelhead and salmon in Hood Canal, where many young fish are killed each year by seals and other predators that lie in wait at the Hood Canal floating bridge.

From worriers to warriors, they’re fighting climate change
Local environmental groups are forming, growing and attracting new members, young and old. Julie Titone reports. (Everett Herald)

Salish Sea Shared Waters forum wraps up third and final year of work to reduce risks of oil spills
Washington has been stepping up systems to prevent and reduce the risk of oil spills, due in part to the looming expansion of Canada’s Trans Mountain Pipeline.

B.C. election: where the NDP, Greens and Liberals stand on climate and environment issues
As Sonia Furstenau's Greens pledge to end oil and gas subsidies and Andrew Wilkinson's BC Liberals promise to expand LNG, John Horgan's NDP sticks to the middle road. Ainslie Cruickshank writes. (The Narwhal)

Photos show pregnant southern resident orca J46 in Puget Sound
More great news for the southern resident orcas, a J-pod member is pregnant, according to recent reports from a Puget Sound whale watcher who captured photos of the whale on Sunday.

New study suggests fish farms raise risk of exposure to infectious disease for wild B.C. salmon
A new study suggests that the presence of active fish farms in B.C. waters can more than double the chance of finding genetic material from pathogens that cause disease in wild salmon.

Vancouver’s Stanley Park aquatic life on ‘red alert’: ecology report
Stanley Park’s tree cover is growing, but aquatic life in Beaver Lake isn’t doing very well at all, according to a new report on the park’s ecological health.

What Would a British Columbia Seal and Sea Lion Cull Actually Entail?
University of British Columbia (UBC) professor emeritus of oceans and fisheries Carl Walters is pushing for the slaughter of 50,000 harbor seals and 25,000 Steller sea lions—half their populations on the BC coast. Another 3,000 seals per year would be killed on an ongoing basis to keep the animals in check.

There's A Lot At Stake For The Climate In The 2020 Election
Joe Biden calls climate change an existential threat to our health, economy, and national security. President Trump continues to question climate science.

Comment period opens on whale watching rules
A public comment period has opened for proposed commercial whale watching rules. The state Department of Fish & Wildlife released a draft of the rules Wednesday, opening a comment period that will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 5.

WSDOT tries a ‘bridge-in-a-backpack’ in Duvall as an innovative way to replace fish-blocking culverts
Steelhead, coho and other fish may soon enjoy more room to swim Loutsis Creek, where Washington state just built its first bridge using composite fibers.

Friday, October 16, 2020

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)

Friday, October 9, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 9 2020

Aloha Nautilus Friday!

Chambered nautiluses (Allonautilus and Nautilus species) are the only living descendants of a group of ocean creatures that thrived in the seas 500 million years ago when the earth’s continents were still forming. Chambered nautiluses are known as living fossils because they have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years. Among the last representatives of the ancient lineages of cephalopods (animals with no backbones but with tentacles or arms), chambered nautiluses are easily distinguished from their closest living relatives -- the octopus, squid, and cuttlefish -- by their distinctive external coiled shells. A feat in molluscan evolution, the internal chambers of their shell provide a buoyancy mechanism to facilitate movement that inspired the inventor of the earliest modern submarine to name the invention “Nautilus.”

New Orca-focused rules take shape for whale watching in Washington
Washington state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife published on Sept. 23 a draft Environmental Impact Statement examining options for licensing commercial whale-watching companies to better protect the endangered orcas.

UTC staff suggest regulators deny PSE request to sell stake in coal-fired power plant
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission staff are recommending that Puget Sound Energy not be allowed to sell part of its stake in a coal-fired power plant in Montana.

Critics vow to continue efforts to remove Snake River dams in Washington
Environmental groups are vowing to continue their fight to remove four dams on the Snake River in Washington they say are killing salmon that are a key food source for endangered killer whales.

Puyallup Tribe plans to sue Pierce County dam owner over AstroTurf, impacts on fish
The Puyallup Tribe intends to sue Electron Hydro and its backers over violations of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.

Multiple wildlife species being managed to zero, BCWF says
B.C.’s spending on wildlife and habitat protection has declined by 65 per cent over the past 20 years as wild populations of caribou and endangered runs of steelhead and salmon plumb new lows, according to an analysis by the B.C. Wildlife Federation.

Dozens of boaters being investigated for violating killer whale safe zones
Transport Canada is pursuing 89 investigations of boaters for alleged violations of safe-distance requirements and sanctuary zones intended to protect southern resident killer whales.

Canada to ban plastic grocery bags and straws in 2021
Plastic bags and straws could be illegal in Canada come next year. Federal environment minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced the list of single-use plastic items the Liberals plan to ban in order to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.

Friday, October 2, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 2, 2020

Aloha World Smile Friday!
World Smile Day is dedicated to the smiley face, which was created by Harvey Ball in 1963. He also came up with the idea for World Smile Day, which was first held in 1999, two years before his death. Following his death, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was created, with the slogan "improving the world, one smile at a time". The foundation's goal in raising awareness for World Smile Day is to "encourage smiles and acts of kindness around the world". The foundation also raises money to support children's causes.

Judge hears lawsuit over fish farms
Whether Cooke Aquaculture’s plan to raise native steelhead at fish farms in Puget Sound is a simple business transition or a complex threat to the marine ecosystem is being debated in King County Superior Court.

Controversial Discovery Islands fish farms pose 'minimal risk' to wild salmon, DFO says
The battle to have 18 open-net fish farms removed from a critical salmon migration route is heading for more consultation after Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced they present little risk to wild Fraser River salmon stocks, which are in serious decline.

Another baby orca born to J pod — the second this month
Another baby orca has been born to J pod, the Center for Whale Research confirmed Friday morning. It’s the second calf born this month for the endangered southern resident orcas that frequent Puget Sound.

More female southern resident killer whales needed for population growth: scientists
The addition of a new male calf to a critically endangered pod of southern resident killer whales has experts happy, yet disappointed because it won’t further the population of the orcas.

‘Super-Enzyme’ Speeds Up Breakdown of Plastic, Researchers Say
A new cocktail of enzymes that speeds up the degradation of plastic offers a step forward in finding a new form of recycling that is faster, is more affordable and works on a larger scale than current methods, British and American researchers said this week.

British Columbia’s Seamounts Are Becoming Uninhabitable
In the northeast Pacific, the upper 3,000 meters of water has lost 15 percent of its oxygen over the past 60 years, and the top 500 meters is simultaneously becoming more acidic at an unprecedented rate, a study by Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists has found.

Ottawa opens door to First Nations fisheries authority
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan said today the federal government is open to the creation of a First Nations fisheries authority, if that's the direction Mi'kmaw chiefs want to take.

Youth activists say Canada has legal duty to protect vital resources as public hearing ends
Fifteen young Canadians attempting to sue the federal government say the country has a duty to all its citizens to protect vital natural resources like the air and shorelines — a duty it's failing by emitting greenhouse gases.

Friday, September 25, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review September 25 2020

[Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC BY-SA 3.0]

Aloha Koala Friday!
The koala or, inaccurately, koala bear is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats, which are members of the family Vombatidae.

A bouncing baby orca boy! And other promising killer whale news from Puget Sound
On the day the orca baby was born, the whales partied into the night.

Islands Trust Conservancy gets funding for protection of at-risk species
With $597,000 from the federal government, Islands Trust Conservancy will be able to launch a program for endangered species protection.

An Alaska Mine Project Might Be Bigger Than Acknowledged
Executives overseeing the development of a long-disputed copper and gold mine in Alaska were recorded saying they expected the project to become much bigger, and operate for much longer, than outlined in the proposal that is awaiting final approval by the Army Corps of Engineers. Alaska mining executive resigns a day after caught on tape boasting of his ties to GOP politicians Tom Collier, who stood to get a $12.4 million bonus if Pebble Mine went ahead, resigned in the wake of secretly recorded talks with environmentalists posing as potential investors.

As wildfire smoke endangers health indoors and out, questions arise about government response
The massive smoke waves that engulfed the Pacific Northwest this month are likely only a start to a climate-fueled health crisis in the Pacific Northwest of staggering breadth and depth.

So there’s going to be a fall election in B.C.: has the NDP kept its environmental promises?
The NDP rose to power in 2017 vowing to take action on climate change, old-growth logging, the Trans Mountain pipeline, endangered species and more.

Little Action from Canadian Government as Deadline to Remove Salmon Farms Looms Eight years ago, the Cohen Commission gave Fisheries and Oceans Canada a deadline to prove salmon farms do not threaten wild sockeye. B.C. First Nations demand removal of open-net salmon farms near Campbell River, B.C.
A total of 101 B.C. First Nations, wilderness tourism operators, and commercial and sport fishing groups have united in a show of solidarity to demand the federal government take action on the collapse of Fraser River salmon stocks by ordering the removal of open-net fish farms near Campbell River.

Climate action will be ‘cornerstone’ of Canada’s economic recovery plan: throne speech
From creating thousands of jobs in energy efficiency building retrofits to cutting the tax rate for green manufacturing companies, the Trudeau government has amped up its commitments to tackle climate change.

Fisheries officials seize 316 Canadian crab traps set in U.S. water as part of annual sting
Officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have seized 316 crab traps they claim were illegally set in U.S. water this month, as part of an annual enforcement operation coordinated with their American counterparts.

Supreme Court Could Give Trump Second Chance at Environmental Rollbacks
President Trump has initiated the most aggressive environmental deregulation agenda in modern history, but as his first term drives to a close, many of his policies are being cut down by the courts — even by Republican-appointed jurists who the administration had hoped would be friendly.

Friday, September 18, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review September 18 2020

World bamboo day celebration

Aloha World Bamboo Day!
Bamboo, (subfamily Bambusoideae), subfamily of tall treelike grasses of the family Poaceae, comprising more than 115 genera and 1,400 species. Bamboos are distributed in tropical and subtropical to mild temperate regions, with the heaviest concentration and largest number of species in East and Southeast Asia and on islands of the Indian and Pacific oceans. A few species of the genus Arundinaria are native to the southern United States, where they form dense canebrakes along riverbanks and in marshy areas.

Oil Demand Has Collapsed, And It Won't Come Back Any Time Soon
2020 is shaping up to be an extraordinarily bad year for oil.

‘Tons and tons of fishing equipment’: B.C. tour operators clean up ocean debris during coronavirus pandemic
Waste from fishing industry accounts for about 70 per cent of garbage collected in 61-tonne haul, according to captain on expedition supported by provincial government.

Port again wins millions in grant money for mill site revamp
A major effort to bring jobs back to a prime waterfront property is back on track after the project’s financing plan hit a snag earlier this year. The Port of Everett has won nearly $18 million in federal funding to help pay for the construction of a new cargo terminal on the roughly 60-acre site, which once was the home of a Kimberly-Clark paper and pulp mill.

U.S.-Canada border shutdown likely to extend through November, Ottawa cool to more exemptions - sources
The United States and Canada are likely to extend border restrictions until at least the end of November as coronavirus cases spike in some states, according to well-placed Washington and Ottawa sources.

EPA Sued Over Washington State’s ‘Outdated’ Water Quality Rules
The EPA should be ordered to work with Washington state to update its more than 20-year-old water quality standards for toxic pollutants, a conservation group says in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court.

What Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Mean for Global Warming
President Trump has made dismantling federal climate policies a centerpiece of his administration. A new analysis from the Rhodium Group finds those rollbacks add up to a lot more planet-warming emissions.

Endangered wildlife, habitat burned in Washington wildfires; years of effort to boost populations wiped out
Entire wildlife areas have been destroyed and endangered populations of animals gravely depleted by wildfires burning in Eastern Washington. Much of the area burned east of the mountains included shrub-steppe habitat.

Major oil product shipping group invests $10M in Kalama methanol plant
The proposed $2 billion Kalama methanol plant this week received a $10 million investment from a major international shipping company, which also agreed to ship a portion of the methanol made at the plant.

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Friday, September 11, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review September 11 2020

Aloha Women's Baseball Day!
Women's Baseball Day commemorates that day in 1875, when the first women's baseball game where fans were charged and players were paid took place. It was between "Blondes" and "Brunettes" and was held in Springfield, Illinois. Prior to this, women had played baseball at Vassar College, starting in 1866. Teams of "Bloomer Girls" played across the country from the 1890's to the 1930's. Between 1943 and 1954, The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League existed, where 600 women competed in the sport professionally. Since 2004, women's baseball teams from around the world have competed in the Women's Baseball World Cup.

Orca Tahlequah is a mother again
Mother orca Tahlequah has had her baby.

Roberts Bank Terminal 2 decision delayed as Wilkinson flags ‘gaps’ in addressing project’s risks
Environment and Climate Change Canada Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has requested detailed information from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority about potential harms to chinook salmon and critically endangered southern resident killer whales.

Trump, Calling Himself ‘the No. 1 Environmental President,’ Green Washes His Record
President Trump, who has vowed to exit the Paris Agreement on climate change, loosened restrictions on toxic air pollution, rolled back clean water protections and removed climate change from a list of national security threats, stood in front of supporters in Jupiter, Fla., on Tuesday and declared himself “a great environmentalist.”

Salmon Subsidies Get Tossed Aside
Since the 1990s, people have been tossing salmon carcasses into previously prosperous salmon rivers—a bid to revitalize these ecosystems. But a new study, the first to assess the long-term benefits of these salmon-tossing efforts, has found the activity less effective than hoped.

The standoff at this Pierce County bridge 50 years ago codified tribal treaty fishing rights
A deep red modern span stretches over Pacific Highway on the bridge that links Tacoma to Fife, carrying a steady stream of cars and trucks over the Puyallup River. The bridge and an older portion of it nearby were recently renamed by the City of Tacoma in collaboration with the Puyallup Tribe.

Washington AG sues to prevent oil and gas development on Arctic Refuge coastal plain
Washington state is joining 14 other states in suing to block exploration and prevent oil and gas development in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Wednesday.

Comments sought on Cooke Aquaculture permit
The state Department of Ecology is accepting comments on a draft permit that would allow Cooke Aquaculture to raise steelhead trout in four net pens in Puget Sound, including one near Hope Island in Skagit County.

B.C. salmon farms regularly under-counting sea lice, study finds
Discrepancies between the number of sea lice found on farmed salmon during in-house company checks and the number recorded when counts are audited by Fisheries and Oceans Canada reveal that salmon farming companies are regularly under-reporting the number of lice on their fish, a newly released study has found.

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Friday, September 4, 2020

Salish Sea News Week in Review September 4 2020

Aloha National Wildlife Friday!

National Wildlife Day focuses on endangered species, preservation, and conservation efforts around the world. Wildlife doesn’t only exist in the forest or outside the city limits. Look closely. The creatures and animals sharing our world live under our feet and in the sky above us. Our rivers, lakes and oceans are teeming with wildlife of all sizes. It’s essential to understand how we impact the habitats that animals need to survive. Their homes supply their food and shelter.

Proposed Roberts Bank terminal will add cargo capacity — but at what cost to Salish Sea
In the shadow of the contested Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion is another major Canadian infrastructure project that could bring major changes to shipping traffic in waters shared by British Columbia and Washington.

Rare treat: endangered orcas return to Salish Sea in search of scarce salmon
After six weeks away from its usual summer splashing grounds, the J pod of endangered orcas returned en masse to the west side of San Juan Island Tuesday morning.

Closing Canadian fisheries would help rebuild stocks and lead to economic gains: study
At least a quarter of major fish stocks in Canada are in decline, but efforts to rebuild them — such as closing fisheries or setting catch limits — are often met with strong opposition due to negative socioeconomic effects.

Washington Ecology finds new climate impacts from Kalama methanol plant
An environmental analysis released Wednesday by the Washington Department of Ecology found additional sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the $2 billion methanol project proposed on the lower Columbia River.

More green crabs found in Padilla Bay
More invasive European green crabs have been found in Padilla Bay this week. Fight underway against invasive crab in Samish Bay The invasion of the European green crab in local waters continues. In Samish Bay, what began as the discovery of a few of the crabs in Taylor Shellfish Farm’s aquaculture beds in January 2019 has this summer grown into a full-fledged trapping effort.

Drilling, mines, other projects hastened by Trump order
Documents provided to The Associated Press show the Trump administration is seeking to fast track environmental reviews of dozens of major energy and infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump administration rolls back Obama-era rule aimed at limiting toxic wastewater from coal plants
The Trump administration on Monday weakened a 2015 regulation that would have forced coal plants to treat wastewater with more modern, effective methods in order to curb toxic metals such as arsenic and mercury from contaminating lakes, rivers and streams near their facilities

EPA chief criticizes Democratic governors, vows to concentrate on cleaning up vulnerable communities in a second Trump term
Andrew Wheeler outlined a vision for the future that emphasizes economic development in poor communities over tackling climate change.

Vancouver Aquarium closing to the public until further notice as COVID-19 losses continue
The Vancouver Aquarium announced Monday more than 200 staff members are being laid off, primarily from the operations sector, as the aquarium closes to the public in an effort to save money after months of financial loss.

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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