Salish Sea Communications: 2021

Friday, December 31, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/31/21

Aloha New Year 2022!
Salish Sea News and Weather says 'aloha' to 2021 and 'aloha' to 2022, wishing you good health and safe passage in the new year. Mike Sato.

Alaska experiences record-high temperature for December, freezing rain
Kodiak soared to 67 degrees on Sunday, while other towns are experiencing anomalous rain. Matthew Cappucci and Emily Schwing reports. (Washington Post)

For the Northwest, climate change was hard to ignore in 2021
2021 brought some of the most extreme weather events ever seen in the Pacific Northwest — or anywhere. From heat domes to record-breaking rainfall, climate change was hard to ignore in Washington. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

How 2021′s floods and heat waves are signs of what’s to come
In 2021, extremely rare weather disasters became alarmingly common. Lauren Sommer reports. (NPR)

What were the costliest extreme weather events in 2021?
The full cost of flooding in B.C. is still being assessed, but according to one estimate, November flooding places B.C. as the world's fifth most expensive extreme weather event in 2021. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist)

‘The salmon will come back again’: First Nations document devastating low returns on B.C.’s central coast
Fifty years ago, an average of 47,000 salmon returned annually to the Neekas River north of Bella Bella. In 2021, the 750 salmon returning to the once-teeming waterway act as a fresh warning to local First Nations that urgent action is needed — at both the provincial and federal level — to prevent total population collapse. Stephanie Wood reports. (The Narwhal)

A shellfish company gets into the weeds
The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community shows how eelgrass and aquaculture can coexist in Puget Sound. Sarah Sax reports. (High County News)

Rising Seas and Shifting Sands: Combining Natural and Grey Infrastructure to Protect Canada’s Coastal Communities
A report on how Canada can scale-up the use of nature-based solutions, in tandem
with grey infrastructure, to protect communities along the East and West coastlines. (University of Waterloo, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation)

Conservation groups see mounting success in B.C. with private land acquisitions
Donations from $5 to $500,000 offer 'direct' results toward protecting biodiversity. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

Salmon habitat to increase after conservation group buys land near South Prairie Creek A piece of property near South Prairie Creek in Buckley will soon become a part of a floodplain restoration project, which benefit salmon and improve habitat. Forterra, a local nonprofit land conservation agency, announced Dec. 23 that it acquired 33 acres of privately owned property adjacent to an existing 134-acre South Prairie Creek Preserve. Angelica Relente reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

What we learned this year about human waste and Puget Sound
The waste that 4.5 million Seattle-area people flush affects shellfish, wastewater regulations and more. Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

Sewage spills contaminates Percival Creek, Capitol Lake
About 735 gallons of sewage streamed into the Tumwater stormwater system and then into Percival Creek on Monday. The county attributed the spill to a blockage in a sanitary sewer line on Somerset Hill Drive Southwest. Martin Bilbao reports. (The Olympian)

Snow geese and winter waterfowl flock to Skagit fields and skies
One of the Northwest’s great natural treasures is the abundant flocks of winter waterfowl that come here in the colder months — and they are easy to spot on open fields. Hit the road for Skagit County, and odds are good that you’ll find some. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

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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Thursday, December 23, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review December 23 2021

Aloha Yule log Friday!
A Yule log or bûche de Noël is a traditional Christmas cake, often served as a dessert near Christmas, especially in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and several former French colonies such as Canada, Vietnam, and Lebanon. Variants are also served in the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, and Spain. Wikipedia

Adapting to Climate Change Will Only Get More Expensive
A new estimate puts the cost of adapting and repairing coastal infrastructure damaged by climate change in the United States at hundreds of billions annually.

Lots of derelict vessels in Kitsap, few funds to deal with them
At least 18 derelict boats are sitting on the Kitsap shoreline of Puget Sound, according to a recent count by the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office.

Wet'suwet'en protesters block Coastal GasLink site again, 1 month after RCMP crackdown
One month after the high-profile arrests of dozens people on Wet'suwet'en territory, a group identifying themselves as land defenders returned Sunday to reoccupy a protest camp, blocking access to a Coastal GasLink pipeline drill site in northern British Columbia.

In 2021, climate ambitions soared and crashed in US and around the world
After four years of near-silence about climate change in the White House, 2021 brought an abrupt shift.

Navy releases jet noise monitoring study
The Navy’s noise monitoring report that is dated Nov. 30 concludes that the modeling it used to predict the impact of aircraft noise, such as for the EIS for NAS Whidbey Island, is accurate. In fact, according to the report, monitoring data shows jet operations often create less of an impact than modeling suggested.

A ghost river showed its face during the recent Nooksack floods
The Nooksack River starts in small streams around the base of Mount Baker, and empties into Bellingham Bay on Puget Sound. But a few hundred years ago, it used to flow north into Canada.

Timber company returns 2 miles of waterfront property to Squaxin Island Tribe
Port Blakely Companies, a family-owned company with timber operations in the U.S. and New Zealand, has returned 2 miles of waterfront and 125 acres of tidelands on Little Skookum Inlet in Mason County to the Squaxin Island Tribe, at no cost.

Nonprofit donated more than 200 acres on Nisqually River for threatened woodpecker
A Washington-native threatened woodpecker will be getting a new preserve along the Nisqually River, after 265 acres were donated to an environmental nonprofit.

Whatcom farmers face manure management challenges after flooding
Flooding in Whatcom and Skagit counties in November put major stress on local dairies, including lost animals and lost revenues for some. Now there’s another hurdle: With storage lagoons overtopping, where can they store all that manure?

Friday, December 17, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review December 17, 2021

Aloha Simpson Family Friday!
On this day in 1989, the first episode of The Simpsons aired. The popular American animated series directed by Matt Groening is set in the fictional town of Springfield and it follows the life of the Simpson family. (The rest is history.)

Archaeologists Have Unearthed Exciting Secrets on Haida Gwaii
Archaeological excavations have revealed the oldest domestic dog remains ever reported in the Americas, roughly 11,000-year-old stone tools, and the tantalizing signs of far more to come.

What killed millions of honey bees at this Everett farm?
In the summer, a beekeeper lost 240 hives on Ebey Island. An investigation found they died from pesticides, but whose?

Road to Recovery: How a Victoria company became the first carbon neutral whale watching business in Canada
Eagle Wing Tours prides itself on being the first — and still the only — carbon-neutral whale watching company in Canada.

Jay Inslee, Washington lawmakers propose electric vehicle rebates and other climate initiatives ahead of legislative session
Gov. Jay Inslee Monday rolled out his latest plans to fight climate change, including an idea to spend $100 million annually to fund rebates for people buying electric vehicles.

Seagrass wasting disease is fueled by climate change
Seagrass is suffering from a wasting disease across the Pacific Northwest, and climate change is driving the destructive outbreak, according to a new study from Cornell University.

Washington state’s next ferry officially has a name
The next Washington state ferry will bear the name Wishkah when it sails in 2024.

Natural gas furnaces, water heaters in crosshairs of some Northwest policymakers
Fossil fuel use in buildings looks to be the next frontier for climate activists at the state and local level. There's a convergence of activity in the Pacific Northwest aimed at phasing out natural gas furnaces and water heaters.

Cascadia’s Chance for a Zero-Carbon Future: What We Learned
Lessons from a year of reporting on climate solutions for the bioregion spanning BC, Washington and Oregon.

Gov. Inslee unveils new $187 million plan for Washington salmon recovery
Gov. Jay Inslee wants to invest $187 million in salmon recovery as part of his 2022 budget and policy proposals.

Federal magistrate finds flaws in Navy environmental study of Growler jet impacts
A U.S. federal magistrate has found that the Navy in an environmental impact statement “turned a blind” eye to data that did not support the goal of increasing Growler jet operations from an air station at Whidbey Island.

21-day TMX shutdown a warning of how vulnerable the fuel supply is to climate change disasters
After the longest shutdown in its 70-year history, the Trans Mountain pipeline restarted Sunday, but won't be at full capacity or pressure until January, according to engineers.

Swinomish Tribe wants to resurrect U.S. clam gardening
With climate change threatening culturally important foods, a Puget Sound tribe pushes to build the country's first clam garden of the modern era.

Federal government announces closure of most Pacific herring fisheries
Most commercial fisheries for Pacific herring on the West Coast have been closed with the exception of harvests by First Nations for food and ceremonial purposes.

Washington launches program to cut underwater noise in Puget Sound
Quiet Sound plans to work with the Northwest shipping industry to make it easier for marine creatures to navigate, find food and communicate.

Friday, December 10, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review December 10 2021

Aloha Human Rights Friday!
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on December 10, 1948, and Human Rights Day commemorates this event and takes place on its anniversary. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights lays out a foundation for a more just world, and details a broad range of fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone is entitled to, "without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status." It "sets out universal values and a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations" and "establishes the equal dignity and worth of every person."

Trans Mountain pipeline to restart Monday after shutdown during B.C. floods
The Trans Mountain pipeline is set to restart Monday after record-setting rainfall, devastating flooding and landslides last month prompted a three-week precautionary shutdown that led to fuel rationing in parts of B.C.

Voter redistricting maps by commission can go forth, WA Supreme Court says
In a surprise order Friday morning, the Washington Supreme Court declined to take on the job of drafting new congressional and legislative maps.

Fish passage, dam removal studied as Seattle City Light aims to relicense three Skagit River dams
As Seattle City Light moves to extend its use of the dams for another 30 to 50 years, at stake is the cost and supply of cheap, carbon-neutral power from the dams...Now tribes and other river users are pushing City Light to do more for salmon in this round of relicensing.

It could take weeks to unload damaged containers from Zim Kingston cargo ship
Removing 60 containers damaged by fire and rough weather aboard the cargo ship Zim Kingston could take up to 12 days and involve multiple salvage contractors, and safety and regulatory agencies, says the Port of Nanaimo.

Coastal GasLink failed to fix nearly 2 dozen environmental violations along pipeline route, B.C. officials say
Officials have flagged numerous, ongoing environmental violations by Coastal GasLink that could harm sensitive waterways along the pipeline's route through northern B.C.

Tacoma adopts Climate Action Plan to eliminate carbon emissions and save $4 billion by 2050
On Nov. 30, Tacoma City Council made the decision to approve a 2030 Climate Action Plan they say will keep the city on the course to achieving zero emissions by 2050.

Retreating glaciers could create new salmon habitat, B.C. study shows
The retreat of glaciers in the Pacific mountains of British Columbia and Alaska could produce thousands of kilometres of potential new salmon habitat, a study led by researchers at Simon Fraser University shows.

Northwest Environmental Advocates Sues EPA Over Water Quality Impairment
On Tuesday, plaintiff Northwest Environmental Advocates filed a suit against the Environmental Protection Agency claiming that they have impaired the water quality in Puget Sound in Washington state.

A 2022 Agenda for Cascadia’s Climate Dreams
There are many decarbonization goals the bioregion can act on right now. Here are 25.

B.C. floods caused at least $450M in damage, insurance bureau says
The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates the insured damage caused by flooding in British Columbia last month at $450 million, calling it the "most costly severe weather event in the province's history."

Shoreline becomes latest city to ban natural gas in new buildings
The Shoreline City Council unanimously approved a new energy code on Monday that prohibits most uses of fossil fuels in new commercial buildings and larger residential buildings.

Friday, December 3, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review December 3, 2021

Aloha National Green Bean Casserole Day!
Green Bean Casserole, a favorite comfort food usually eaten at Thanksgiving, has two main ingredients: green beans and cream of mushroom soup, and it is usually topped with French fried onions. The recipe was created by Dorcas "Dottie" Reilly, in 1955, while she was working for the Campbell's Soup Company, in their home economics department. When creating the dish, the goal was to come up with something that could be made with ingredients that could be found in most people's houses. Campbell's began putting the recipe on the outside of their cream of mushroom soup cans in about 1960. In 2002 Dottie Reilly presented her original recipe card to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. National Green Bean Casserole Day was created by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway.

Flood damage could cost farmers hundreds of millions of dollars, B.C. Agriculture Council says
It could take as long as a year for some farms to begin operating again, council president says.

Arlington formally recognizes homeland of Stillaguamish people
A newly adopted acknowledgement is intended to show respect to native ancestors and their descendants.

Lummi Nation declares disaster as tens of thousands of invasive European green crab found
The Lummi Indian Business Council has passed a resolution declaring a disaster after more than 70,000 European green crab — an invasive species — were captured and removed from the Lummi Sea Pond in recent months.

Washington state seeks tighter wastewater rules for Puget Sound, but sewage plant operators push back
...The state’s Ecology Department will decide as soon as the end of the month whether to issue a new general permit for all 58 sewage plants around the Sound.

First Nation declares land in Knight Inlet an Indigenous protected area
A Campbell River-area First Nation made a bold proclamation Monday that it wants a seat at the table when it comes to stewardship of a massive area of its traditional territory that it said was taken “by a stroke of a pen” nearly a century ago.

Northern Washington tribes fear ‘devastation’ of salmon by extreme floodwaters
Too much water can be dangerous, even for fish. As officials tally losses from flood damage, tribes say impacts on fish runs won’t be known for years The Nooksack River registered some of its highest flood levels ever in the recent flooding that authorities now say caused as much as $50 million in damages.

Ship It Zero campaign pushing carriers, retailers to speed up transition to cleaner fuels
A new campaign called Ship It Zero is pushing retailers and shippers to do what it takes to achieve zero-emissions shipping by 2030.

B.C. identifies 1st case of omicron variant
Infected individual recently travelled to Nigeria and is currently isolating.

Jordan Cove developers abandon plans for pipeline, Coos Bay LNG terminal
The developers that had hoped to build the Pacific Connector Pipeline and Jordan Cove Energy Project have told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission they do not intend to move forward with the project.

Fixing septic systems is key to protecting Puget Sound shellfish
Keeping shellfish safe to eat will get harder without increasing repair and inspection of septic systems that can contaminate shellfish beds.

Friday, November 26, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 26 2021

Aloha "Good Grief" Friday
"Good grief!" is a phrase often used by Charlie Brown, the main character from Charles Schulz's comic strip, Peanuts. Schulz was born on this day in 1922, and today is dedicated to both him and his enduring comic strip. Peanuts ran almost fifty years—from October 2, 1950, until February 13, 2000, which was one day after Schulz's death. Schulz created all aspects of the comic, from the script to the art and lettering. Today, reprints of Schulz's comic appear in many U.S. newspapers.

Flood-Ravaged British Columbia Starts Barging In Fuel From U.S.
British Columbia has begun receiving U.S. fuel supplies by sea to help ease shortages triggered by some of the worst floods on record, while the government warned residents to hunker down as fresh storms hit the disaster-ravaged province.

In photos: a view of RCMP arrests of media, Indigenous land defenders on Wet’suwet’en territory
Police made arrests Friday {Nov. 19], triggering international attention of Canada's support for the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which is opposed by hereditary chiefs.

Suzuki apologizes for warning pipelines could be 'blown up' over environmental frustrations
Well-known environmentalist David Suzuki apologized Thursday for comments about pipelines being destroyed.

Wet'suwet'en pipeline opposition leader released with conditions
A key leader in the fight against the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northwestern B.C. has been released from jail with the condition she not interfere with construction of the project.

How to make Washington State Ferries shipshape again
Unless leaders at Washington State Ferries can generate a tidal wave of new money and staffing ideas, the fleet could remain in dire straits through 2022 and beyond.

One man in a kayak working to make a virtual 360-degree view of the Puget Sound shoreline
Brian Footen has made it his mission to document every tideland of the sound's nearly 1,300-mile nearshore environment, using 120 pounds of instruments as he paddles.

Recovery of Puget Sound species could hinge on better understanding of ecosystems
To restore or improve salmon habitat in a stream, the challenge is to understand what has been broken in a complex interactive system.

How to build back B.C.’s flood infrastructure better
Ninety-six per cent of dikes in the Lower Mainland are not high enough to block extreme floods. Some experts say we have to think beyond concrete.

n a single week
A timeline of how once-in-a-century flooding unfolded across B.C. Rhianna Schmunk reports.

What toll did recent flooding take on Whatcom’s salmon?
...The scope of the flood has yet to be measured exactly, but provisional data shows that it was one of the top three on record for the North and Middle Forks and the Nooksack River at Ferndale.

Tacoma liquid gas plant gets go-ahead from state pollution board
A liquified natural gas plant on the Tacoma waterfront has gotten the green light from the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board.

Friday, November 19, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 19 221

Aloha World Toilet Day!
World Toilet Day is about more than just toilets; it is about sanitation as a whole, which includes components such as hygiene and the management and treatment of wastewater. The day's goal is to inspire action to address the global sanitation crisis. Jack Sim founded the World Toilet Organization on November 19, 2001, and then declared that day to be World Toilet Day. After its founding, various organizations around the world marked the day, and it gained a new level of legitimacy in 2013 when it was formally recognized by the United Nations.

B.C. returns nearly 100 hectares of Crown land near Sechelt to shíshálh Nation
The 99.6-hectare parcel of land is located on the south shore of Salmon Inlet, about 16 kilometres north of Sechelt.

Making room for salmon
Salmon need more estuaries. We look at how local tribes are working to restore this critical habitat.

A Proposed New Marine Sanctuary Would be the First One to be Tribal-Led
The US government this week began the process to designate the country’s first tribal-led marine sanctuary. The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would protect sacred Chumash sites, feeding grounds for numerous species of whales and dolphins, sea otter populations, kelp forests, and is home to vital commercial and recreational fisheries.

Connecting the dots between B.C.’s floods, landslides and the clearcut logging of old forests
Deforestation dramatically alters how landscapes are able to cope with extreme weather events like the atmospheric river that surged across southern British Columbia earlier this week.

Land defenders arrested on Wet’suwet’en territory as RCMP enforces Coastal GasLink injunction
Elders, legal observers and media have been detained as police advance into Gidimt’en territory where land defenders closed road access earlier this week in an effort to prevent drilling under a sacred waterway. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Biden officials to propose road ban on much of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Friday will propose restoring roadless protections on more than 9 million acres of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, a move that would overturn one of Donald Trump’s most significant changes to public lands. Juliet Eilperin reports. (Washington Post)

First fires, now floods: British Columbia and Washington reeling from atmospheric river
First they baked, then they burned, and now they’re inundated.

Friday, November 12, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 12 2021

Aloha Elizabeth Cady Stanton Day!
The fight for equality for women was at the heart of the work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was born on today's date in 1815, in Johnstown, New York. The New York State legislature has since established the date as Elizabeth Cady Stanton Day. The holiday is also unofficially celebrated beyond New York by supporters of women's rights and by women's rights groups. Most known for being a women's rights advocate, her focus on the subject was all-encompassing, although perhaps her greatest attention was given to the right to vote. She was an activist for human rights on a broader scale as well, fighting for causes such as abolition.

U.S. re-opens land borders, but there is no mad rush south
The $150 to $300 cost of a COVID PCR test on return makes it cost-prohibitive to head over the border to fill up with gas or buy cheap cheese and milk.

Washington’s Fawn Sharp becomes first Tribal leader to receive diplomatic credentials
National Congress of American Indians President and Washington state Tribal leader Fawn Sharp has become the first Tribal leader to receive diplomatic credentials from the U.S. State Department.

How one Northwest tribe aims to keep its cool as its glaciers melt
Record-breaking heat took a heavy toll on the Northwest this summer, from beaches to cities to mountaintops. In the Washington Cascades, some glaciers lost an unprecedented 8% to 10% of their ice in a single hot season.

In new climate order, Inslee says Washington State vehicles to plug in
Many of Washington’s state vehicles will transition to electric over the next 19 years, according to an executive order issued by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Bellingham mayor urges tax to fund climate change programs
Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood asked the City Council to consider asking voters to approve a tax to pay for citywide programs aimed at reducing the city’s carbon footprint and helping the effort to fight global climate change.

How B.C.’s long-awaited forestry law updates leave gaps around protecting old-growth and Indigenous Rights
While environmental advocates are cautiously optimistic about proposed amendments to B.C.'s 2004 Forest Ranges and Practices Act, many worry they lack clarity and don't provide the protections the province's oldest forests need.

Most cargo containers vanished after falling overboard from ship near Victoria, B.C.
Of the 109 cargo containers that went overboard from the Zim Kingston, a cargo ship that caught fire near British Columbia last month, 105 have not been seen, according to the Canadian Coast Guard.

‘Faulty’ science used by Trump appointees to cut owl habitat
Political appointees in the Trump administration relied on faulty science to justify stripping habitat protections for the imperiled northern spotted owl, U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday.

B.C. study shows sustainable management of salmon before colonization
The study published Wednesday in the journal Scientific Reports examined chum salmon bones dating from between 400 BC and AD 1200 from four archeological sites around Burrard Inlet.

Months later, Tacoma moves to restrict fossil fuel use on Tideflats. Some worry about loopholes
Tacoma City Council moved Tuesday to restrict the expansion of fossil-fuel infrastructure on the Tideflats, but there remains debate about whether the new land-use codes go far enough to address the climate emergency the city declared in 2019.

Whatcom County takes these steps to address local effects of global climate change
Whatcom County Council members approved a Climate Action Plan that spells out the effects of global climate change locally and makes specific recommendations on how to address them.

Friday, November 5, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review November 5 2021

Aloha Donut Friday!
The cookbook ”Küchenmeisterei (Mastery of the Kitchen)," published in Nuremberg, in 1485, offers a recipe for ”Gefüllte Krapfen,” sugar free, stuffed, fried dough cakes. Dutch settlers brought olykoek ("oil(y) cake") to New York (or New Amsterdam). These doughnuts closely resembled later ones but did not yet have their current ring shape. Daniela Galarza, for Eater, wrote that "the now-standard doughnut’s hole is still up for debate. Food writer Michael Krondl surmises that the shape came from recipes that called for the dough to be shaped like a jumble — a once common ring-shaped cookie. In Cuisine and Culture: A History of Food and People, culinary historian Linda Civitello writes that the hole was invented because it allowed the doughnuts to cook faster. By 1870 doughnut cutters shaped in two concentric circles, one smaller than the other, began to appear in home-shopping catalogues." (Wikipedia)

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Ship that spilled 100+ containers could have ridden out the storm in sheltered waters
The ship that spilled more than 100 shipping containers off the Washington coast was in a holding pattern on the open ocean when it could have ridden out the storm in more sheltered waters.

Kelp’s Carbon Sink Potential Could Be Blocked by Coastal Darkening
Coastal darkening, an environmental threat researchers are only beginning to study, is found to dramatically reduce the productivity of kelp.

The Loudest Jets in the Quietest Park
In the summer of 2014, the U.S. Navy established an Electronic Warfare Range on large swathes of Washington’s Olympic National Forest and in airspace over it, plus airspace over Olympic National Park and surrounding communities.

How the Blueberry ruling in B.C. is a gamechanger for the Site C dam, extractive industries and Indigenous Rights
In a precedent-setting ruling, B.C.’s Supreme Court found the province guilty of breaching its obligations to Treaty Rights through decades of cumulative impacts. Now, the impact of that ruling is reverberating across the country.

Settlement negotiations fail between Oregon climate activists and government attorneys
Attorneys for 21 young people suing the federal government over climate change say settlement talks with the U.S. Department of Justice have failed.

‘Extremely frustrating’: B.C. announces 2.6 million hectares of at-risk old-growth, no permanent protections
The announcement, which comes one full year after B.C.’s expert panel recommended the province introduce immediate deferrals in old forests facing irreversible biodiversity loss, is short on specifics and funding for affected First Nations, critics say.

Trudeau promised to cap emissions, but Canada’s oil and gas companies have different plans
A new analysis shows the climate plans of eight Canadian oil and gas producers are ‘wholly out of line’ with Canada’s climate goals.

The Danger of the Marine Vessels that Serve Refineries
The track record for—and the potential risk of—maritime shipping of oil is even worse than the often-dismal records of pipelines and trains.

Cause of mysterious brain-invading-fungus outbreak finally discovered
Scientists have finally found the cause of a mysterious brain-invading tropical fungus outbreak that killed more than 40 dolphins and porpoises in the Pacific Northwest: humans.

Killer Whales’ Low Genetic Diversity Offers a Warning for the Future
Even after thousands of years, many killer whale populations are still reeling from the genetic bottleneck of navigating the end of the last ice age.

Puget Sound fish and wildlife populations fall short of 10-year recovery goals
A final report on the 2020 ecosystem-recovery goals for Puget Sound outlines habitat improvements for some streams, shorelines and wetlands, but it also describes ongoing declines among fish and wildlife populations that use those habitats.

Friday, October 29, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 29 2021

Aloha Lemur Friday!
World Lemur Day celebrates lemurs and spreads the word about the need to conserve them; it inspires a love for them and actions to save them from extinction. It also celebrates Madagascar, the island nation located 250 miles off the east coast of Africa that lemurs call home.

Can This Tribe of ‘Salmon People’ Pull Off One More Win?
....The Lummi, whose fishing grounds include most of the Salish Sea, count more commercial fishers among their 5,320 members than any other Indigenous nation in the Northwest. Their relationship to this catch, though, is more than financial:

‘Receding before our eyes:’ Vancouver Island glaciers likely to be all gone by mid-century
Glacier melt is accelerated because the Island glaciers are small to start with, and recent events like this summer’s heat dome and sustained temperatures above 30 C have put their demise on fast-forward.

Guilbeault to become Canada's next environment minister as Trudeau unveils new cabinet
Long-time environmental activist Steven Guilbeault will be Canada's next minister of the environment and climate change, CBC News has confirmed.

Wildlife agencies to cancel Trump endangered species rules
President Joe Biden’s administration announced Tuesday that it will cancel two environmental rollbacks under former President Donald Trump that limited habitat protections for imperiled plants and wildlife.

U.S. District Court judge weighing merits of Navy EIS for Whidbey Island
A U.S. District Court judge heard arguments Tuesday in a lawsuit over the Navy’s expansion of its EA-18G Growler jet fleet at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

Latest National Climate Plans Still Fall Far Short, U.N. Report Warns
The latest plans by the nations of the world to tackle climate change over the next decade fall far short of what’s needed to avert a dangerous rise in global temperatures, according to a United Nations report released Tuesday.

Big shippers promise zero carbon by 2040. Too late, say climate activists
Major shippers including Amazon, Ikea, and Unilever say they will stop putting their stuff on ships that burn fossil fuels in the next 20 years.

The ‘glaring gap’ in B.C.’s new climate plan
Environmental groups say while the province has made important gains in new roadmap, it’s still not clear how B.C. will tackle emissions from fracking and LNG.

North Vancouver couple put up $1 million for wilderness protection
A North Vancouver couple is putting their money where their hearts are – in the wilderness. Al Collings and Hilary Stevens have donated $1 million to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

The hopeful orca study, and the backlash that ensued
Researchers at the University of British Columbia published a paper that found an abundance of Chinook salmon in one area of the Strait of Juan de Fuca where the southern residents forage for food. Researchers here in the Seattle area "stomped on it," according to Lynda Mapes, who covers the environment for The Seattle Times.

Puget Sound meets 2020 bulkhead-removal goal; new indicators will chart the future
In a turnabout that offers hope for Puget Sound’s nearshore ecosystem, old bulkheads are now being removed faster than new bulkheads are being constructed, according to permit figures provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Canada underestimating 80 megatonnes of emissions from boreal logging: report
New research finds that by overcounting the carbon storage of intact forests and undercounting emissions from logging, the Government of Canada is vastly underreporting the climate impacts of clearcutting in one of the country’s greatest carbon sinks.

Most of Canada’s marine protected areas still threatened by oil and gas, dumping and trawling: report
A new assessment from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society finds only a fraction of established ocean conservation regions actually enjoy enough protections to meet goals of preserving or restoring marine life.

Friday, October 22, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 22 2021

Aloha Wombat Friday!
Wombats are short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupials that are native to Australia. They are about 1 m in length with small, stubby tails and weigh between 20 and 35 kg. There are three extant species and they are all members of the family Vombatidae. (Wikipedia)

Spirit Bears Have a Special Power When Hunting
A UVic scientist has discovered the advantage their white fur gives them for catching dinner.

Sea otters' seemingly destructive digging is making eelgrass more resilient: study
Scientists in B.C. have shown how the seemingly harmful actions of one marine species are actually benefiting another. B

Lawsuit claims hatcheries harm wild fish, orcas
The latest lawsuit over fish in the state claims hatchery-raised salmon and steelhead may impact already-diminished wild populations and the orca whales that eat them.

Heat-loving bacteria kills thousands of Washington salmon
An estimated 2,500 Chinook salmon died before they could reach their spawning grounds in Whatcom County in September.

Metro Vancouver terminates contract of 'abandoned' North Shore wastewater treatment plant
Metro Vancouver is terminating its contract with the builder of a billion-dollar sewage treatment plant in North Vancouver after it missed key construction milestones and has appeared to have “abandoned” the project.

Will Florida orca Lolita be released? New management, damning report renew advocates' fervor
After a quarter-century of futility, advocates seeking the release of Lolita the Killer Whale have renewed fervor.

EPA unveils strategy to regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’
The Biden administration is launching a wide-ranging strategy to regulate toxic industrial compounds used in products including cookware, carpets and firefighting foam.

Salmon Need Trees
A new study stands as a striking reminder that logging watersheds has an outsized impact on salmon and trout.

Urine trouble: High nitrogen levels in Puget Sound cause ecological worry
Among its many environmental challenges, Puget Sound has a water quality problem caused in part from too much pee from the 4.5 million people living in the region. This problem, known euphemistically as “nutrient waste,” has caused Puget Sound to run afoul of the federal Clean Water Act.

Two front-runners in reopening the Intalco facility offer jobs, cleaner operation
Negotiations to purchase the Intalco property at Cherry Point may bring aluminum production back to the facility or create a steel mill using recycled materials. Dave Gallagher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

How a deadly land fungus began killing marine mammals in the Salish Sea
In the early 2000s, a fungus infected hundreds of animals and people in British Columbia and Washington State. Scientists found that the disease also killed porpoises and dolphins in the Salish Sea—perhaps affecting cetaceans even earlier than people.

Friday, October 15, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 15 2021

Aloha Mushroom Friday!
National Mushroom Day celebrates edible mushrooms, which can be eaten plain, be stuffed, or be used in salads, soups, and sauces. Culinary mushrooms first began being cultivated in the early eighteenth century, in France. They were known as Parisian mushrooms by those outside of the country, and the English exported them to America by the end of the nineteenth century. It was mainly these white and brown Agaricus bisporus mushrooms that were cultivated and sold, none more so than cremini mushrooms. Beginning in the 1940s, many other types of mushrooms began being cultivated on a wider basis.

In search of Haida Gwaii’s forest-dwelling hawk, one of the most endangered species on the planet
With no provincial endangered species legislation to rely on, the race is on to find the nests of stads k’un, a genetically unique subspecies of the northern goshawk, before logging and habitat loss causes the brave little bird to vanish forever.

Alaska snow crab harvest slashed by nearly 90% after population crash in a warming Bering Sea
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game set the 2022 snow crab harvest at the lowest level in more than 40 years, a move to protect populations that appear to have crashed during a period of higher temperatures in the Bering Sea.

Judge grants temporary injunction at Fairy Creek, citing economic harm to logging company
A B.C. Court of Appeal judge has granted a temporary injunction at a logging site on southern Vancouver Island, where protesters, police and loggers have been at odds for more than a year.

‘We are the land’: Indigenous Peoples’ Day gathering at Lummi Nation celebrates survival
From Canada to California and reservations in between, Native people gathered at the Wex’liem Community Building west of Bellingham both in person and virtually to talk about what it means to be Native.

FortisBC Wants to Expand an LNG Plant on Vancouver’s Doorstep. Opponents Say No
Tilbury Island is home to FortisBC’s Tilbury Island LNG facility, which the utility company is seeking to expand by adding additional LNG storage and a jetty where it could load tankers bound for international markets.

Study raises new questions about why southern resident killer whales are in decline
A team from the University of British Columbia says their new study suggests declining chinook stocks are only part of the problem facing the critically endangered orcas, and that researchers need to look beyond the Salish Sea for answers.

U.S. to reopen land border to fully vaccinated Canadians next month
Fully vaccinated Canadians will be allowed to enter the United States at land and ferry border crossings starting in early November.

What’s killing the Northwest’s bigleaf maples? Scientists think they’ve found the answer
Climate change is the culprit behind the increasing deaths of bigleaf maples in Washington and across the Pacific Northwest.

Port Townsend Marine Science Center presents Stopps award
Connie Gallant has won the 2021 Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award.

Friday, October 8, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 8 2021

Aloha Octopus Friday!
World Octopus Day is part of International Cephalopod Awareness Days, which take place from October 8–12 each year. Since octopuses have eight arms and squid have eight arms and two tentacles, the holiday week begins on the eighth day of the tenth month. The name "octopus" comes from the Greek word októpus, which means "eight foot." The animal is from the order Octopoda, of which there are 289 species. Octopus arms have clusters of neurons in them, which allow different arms to do different tasks at the same time. In fact, these neuron clusters may be considered to be brains. Thus, octopuses have nine brains, having a central one that controls their nervous system and one in each arm. If an octopus loses an arm, they are able to grow it back.

Federal regulators to limit hot water in Snake, Columbia rivers
Federal regulators starting this spring will require dam operators to limit hot water pollution caused by the four Lower Snake River dams.

Scientists Found a New Kind of Killer Whale
By analyzing more than 100,000 photographs of killer whales taken off the United States west coast, and assessing where each animal was seen and in whose company, a team of researchers has revealed that there are likely more branches on the killer whale family tree than previously thought.

Navy steams ahead with sonar testing despite state opposition, orca impacts
Over the objections of Washington state officials and orca advocates, the U.S. Navy is steaming ahead with a plan for seven more years of testing sonar and explosives in waters off the Northwest coast.

Climate change killed 14% of the world’s coral reefs in a decade, study finds
Climate change will kill even more coral reefs if oceans keep getting warmer, scientists warn in a far-reaching study.

Alaska’s vanishing salmon push Yukon River tribes to brink
Two salmon species have all but disappeared from Alaska’s Yukon River this year, prompting the state to shut down fishing in an effort to save them.

BP to more than double renewable diesel production at Cherry Point refinery
BP will spend $269 million at the Cherry Point refinery in Whatcom County to produce more renewable diesel, a biofuel, and make other improvements that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 7%, according to a corporate statement.

Mapping California’s Oil Spill: Aging Pipes Line the Coast
Ever since a pipeline failure caused at least 126,000 gallons of oil to spill into the Pacific Ocean, threatening a fragile coastal ecosystem and forcing some of Southern California’s most popular beaches to close, officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have been scrutinizing satellite imagery to track the oil’s spread.

Wastewater project delay one of several billion-dollar questions facing Metro Vancouver
The final cost of an already delayed wastewater treatment plant in North Vancouver is almost certain to rise from its $1 billion figure after Metro Vancouver said the contractor "abandoned" the project.

White House proposes restoring key parts of landmark environmental law, reversing Trump
The White House proposed restoring three core provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, reversing a significant rollback of President Donald Trump.

A beluga whale in Puget Sound? Rare visitor startles boaters in first sighting here since 1940
In a flash of white out of the blue, a beluga whale has been seen at least six times around Puget Sound since Sunday, the first such sightings since 1940.

Poll finds many Washington voters support removing Snake River dams
A new poll supported by environmental groups found Washington voters West and East of the Cascades support dam removal. Many Washington voters support a plan to remove four dams on the Lower Snake River, according to a survey conducted for a coalition of environmental groups.

Biden to restore protections for the Bears Ears monument after Trump downsized it
President Biden will restore the boundaries of Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments at a signing ceremony on Friday, the administration announced on Thursday evening.

Report identifies over 17 million gallons of untreated wastewater has been spilled into Puget Sound, Lake Washington in recent years
The King County Council’s Regional Water Quality Committee on Wednesday received a key report recommending electrical upgrades, strategies to adjust back-up power and more to prevent future wastewater spills like the failure that led to the spilling of millions of gallons of untreated wastewater into Puget Sound and Lake Washington on January 13, 2021.

Some whale watchers ‘routinely’ too close to endangered resident orcas, report says
Environmental groups have issued a scathing review of some whale watchers and the lack of enforcement by Transport Canada to protect the endangered southern resident orcas.

Friday, October 1, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review October 1 2021

Aloha Model T Friday!
The Ford Model T was introduced to the public on Oct. 1 1908 and was the first car that was affordable and reliable for the ordinary citizen of the United States. Known as the "Tin Lizzie," it was the first car built using mass production methods and had seating for two people. When it was first introduced it cost $850. By the time it was discontinued in 1927, nearly 15,000,000 Model T's had been sold.

Makah whale hunt approval recommended by federal official
A federal official has issued his recommendation regarding the Makah whale hunt. Judge George G. Jordan, administrative law judge with the U.S. Coast Guard, says he recommends granting the waiver the tribe has requested under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Legal battles unfold during Skagit River dam relicensing
From Whatcom County where Seattle City Light's three Skagit River dams are located to Seattle where the public utility is headquartered, lawsuits are stacking up as relicensing of the century-old hydroelectric project gets underway.

Ban on single-use plastic bags in WA begins Oct. 1
Beginning Oct. 1, 2021, a statewide ban of single-use plastic bags will go into effect in Washington.

Low oxygen levels along Pacific Northwest coast a ‘silent’ climate change crisis
Nearly two decades ago, fishers discovered an odd occurrence off the coast of Oregon. They were pulling up pots of dead or lethargic crabs. At first they suspected a chemical spill or a red tide. But instead, they learned, dangerously low levels of dissolved oxygen in the ocean water were to blame.

Chinook salmon recovery efforts continue for Skagit River, Puget Sound populations
Attention to restoring the Puget Sound chinook salmon population, of which Skagit River fish are a major component, continues to grow. Despite billions of dollars invested in research and habitat restoration since Puget Sound chinook were listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1999, the population remains at concerning numbers.

More renewable energy, less energy efficiency in new power plan
The draft Northwest Power Plan is dramatically different from previous versions. People can comment on the plan through Nov. 19.

Delta wants more answers on LNG jetty project
The City of Delta is asking for further assessment on the application to build a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility adjacent to the FortisBC plant in Tilbury.

'Substantial infringement of civil liberties' cited as court ends injunction against Fairy Creek protests
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has denied an application to extend an injunction against old-growth logging blockades on southern Vancouver Island, writing that the actions of RCMP officers have put the court's reputation at risk.

Pollution is washing from boatyards into Puget Sound. Who’s responsible?
For about a decade, Washington has been attempting to figure out how to best regulate boatyards and their pollution.

BC lays out $260-million, five-year plan to move away from fossil fuels
B.C. Hydro and the provincial government have announced a new five-year plan for the Crown corporation that provides incentives for people to switch from fossil fuels to electricity to power their homes, businesses and vehicles.

Biden Administration Restores Bird Protections, Repealing Trump Rule
he Biden administration on Wednesday restored protections for migratory birds that were loosened under former President Donald J. Trump, a move celebrated by conservationists but expected to exacerbate tensions between the administration and the oil and gas industry.

Vancouverites come together for National Reconciliation Day
On a day of heavy rain and overcast skies, thousands of orange ribbons in the garden of the Vancouver Art Gallery, each representing a child who died at residential schools across the country, glowed like small, bright fla

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Friday, September 24, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review September 24 2021

Aloha Happy Bluebird Friday!
Bluebirds are in the thrush family of birds, related to the American Robin. Native to North America, there are three types of bluebirds: eastern bluebird, western bluebird, and mountain bluebird. For thousands of years, they have been associated with happiness. Besides being known as both a harbinger and symbol of happiness, they are known as symbols of love, good health, cheerfulness, new births, and home. Today we celebrate them for all the joy and happiness they are associated with and bring.

At 50, Greenpeace is an environmental success story — with a daunting future
Today, the group with small beginnings in Vancouver has grown into one of the most recognizable environmental organizations in the world. Greenpeace has a presence in more than 55 countries, with nearly three million members globally.

The lessons for British Columbia in Alaska’s epic Bristol Bay sockeye
The world’s most abundant sockeye fishery is teeming with 10 million more fish than anticipated this year.

Sauk-Suiattle tribe sues Seattle City Light, demands it can’t call itself ‘green’
The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe took the city of Seattle to task in a class-action lawsuit filed Friday on behalf of its members and the public, stating the electric utility’s green power claims are misleading and hurting the tribe.

Fairy Creek’s old-growth logging protests injunction remains temporarily: judge
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge suggested Thursday he will consider new options to address the future of an injunction against blockades by people opposed to logging old-growth trees on part of Vancouver Island. He said he will not deliver a decision Friday on the company’s application and his ruling will come after Sept. 26.

Valuable crab populations are in a ‘very scary’ decline in warming Bering Sea
King and snow crab populations in the Bering Sea have plummeted ahead of the harvest season, some by 99% compared to previous years.

What Canada’s environment and climate policies will look like under a Liberal minority government From eliminating fossil fuel subsidies to support for nature-based climate solutions and protected areas, here are some key things we can expect from the new federal government.

Swinomish tribal members say steelhead net pens violate fishing rights, add their voice to state Supreme Court case
The Swinomish Tribe has joined as a friend of the court in a lawsuit to block permits that allow steelhead farming in a commercial net pen just offshore near Hope Island.

Southern resident grandmother orca 'missing and likely dead'
The Center for Whale Research has declared mother and grandmother L47, or Marina, in one of the Puget Sound’s endangered southern resident killer whale pods “missing and likely dead.”

Orca census shows some improvement, but many whales still die before their time
The annual census of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales reports that the number of whales in L pod now totals 33, J pod has 24, and K pod has 16.

EPA Moves To Sharply Limit Potent Gases Used In Refrigerators And Air Conditioners
In what officials call a key step to combat climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency is sharply limiting domestic production and use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners.

Even a green city like Bellingham has learned it’s not easy to cap demand for fossil fuel
In late 2019, mere weeks before the first U.S. case of coronavirus case was detected 60 miles south, the city council of Bellingham, Washington, gathered for a presentation from its Climate Protection Action Plan Task Force: nine community members charged with drawing up a road map for Bellingham to achieve its goals for cutting carbon emissions. Ysabelle Kempe reports. (Investigate What/Grist)