Salish Sea Communications: March 2021

Friday, March 26, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 26 2021

Aloha Spinach Friday!
Spinach is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either fresh, or after storage using preservation techniques by canning, freezing, or dehydration...The comics and cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man has been portrayed since 1931 as having a strong affinity for spinach, particularly the canned variety. He becomes physically stronger after consuming it. This is usually attributed to the iron content of spinach, but in a 1932 strip, Popeye says "spinach is full of vitamin A an' tha's what makes hoomans strong and helty." Wikipedia

Samish Island, Stillaguamish delta salt marsh projects get federal funding
From the shores of Samish Island in northwest Skagit County to the Stillaguamish River delta to the south, coastal wetland projects recently secured grant funding.

For BC’s Two Pipeline Fights, It’s Spring Forward
TMX and Coastal GasLink face resurging opposition across the province as Trudeau invites Biden to talk climate change.

Washington ‘HEAL’ Act would steer key state agencies toward environmental justice
The Washington Healthy Environment for All Act, or "HEAL Act," has passed the state Senate and is working its way through the House. Its aim is to implement the recommendations from an environmental justice task force that wrapped up its work last summer..

Amid climate crisis, a proposal to save Washington state forests for carbon storage, not logging
Hilary Franz, state commissioner of public lands, is kicking off an examination over the next three to four months of all older forests on DNR lands west of the Cascades not already in conservation status — about 10,000 acres --to evaluate alternative uses to logging, including biodiversity, carbon storage, water quality and recreation.

7 years ago: ‘We waved hello, not realizing it was a goodbye’
March 22 is a day of mourning and remembrance for many in north Snohomish County. Forty-three people perished in the 2014 Oso mudslide.

Thousands of dead herring dumped off coast of Vancouver Island, conservationists say
A conservation group that's long opposed the B.C. herring fishery says it suspects a fishing vessel has dumped a load of the small fish in Deep Bay, near Bowser on Vancouver Island.

17 is too many hours to wait during a disaster. Thanks to coastal First Nations, that’s changing
Four years after a diesel spill in Heiltsuk territory, the nation, the Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada have reached an agreement to form an Indigenous marine response team.

Prominent Oregon scientist returns to White House duty with new climate role
Jane Lubchenco, a well-known Oregon State University distinguished professor and a former Obama administration official, has been appointed a top climate change science role under President Joe Biden.

Environmental justice moves to mainstream as governments embrace cause
Washington state’s five oil refineries all sit near, or on, Indian reservations. Environmental justice advocates say that fact reflects a national pattern of air pollution disproportionately hitting people of color.

Conservationists sue to save spotted owl logging protections
Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to preserve protections for 3.4 million acres (1.4 million hectares) of northern spotted owl habitat from the US-Canada border to northern California,

Canada’s Supreme Court rules carbon price constitutional. Here’s what you need to know
In a 6-3 decision, the country’s highest court has ruled the federal price on carbon, which affects both consumers and large industrial emitters, does not violate the rights of individual provinces and is a critical response to the existential threat of climate change.

Northwest tribes call for removal of Lower Snake River dams
Tribal leaders from Washington and Oregon are calling on Congress and the Biden administration to remove the four dams on the Lower Snake River.

British Columbians in for a big adjustment with Aboriginal title settlement, lawyer says
British Columbians are in for a big shock when ownership of large parts of the province switches from the Crown to First Nations, says Aboriginal rights and title lawyer Jack Woodward.

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, March 19, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 19 2021

Aloha Vernal Equinox 2021!

In 2021, the spring equinox occurs on Saturday, March 20. This event marks the astronomical first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The spring (or vernal) equinox in the Northern Hemisphere occurs when the Sun crosses the equator line, heading north in the sky. After this date, the Northern Hemisphere begins to be tilted more toward the Sun, resulting in increasing daylight hours and warming temperatures.

The Canada-U.S. border's been shut down for a year — and there's no reopening plan
The one-year anniversary of the quasi-shutdown of the Canada-U.S. border will come and go next week, with no end in sight to disruptions that have affected lives, businesses, and communities touching the world's so-called longest undefended frontier.

Northwest’s iconic salmon face tough conditions during ocean journey
Ocean conditions can be integral to salmon survival. And in 2021, the Pacific Northwest’s iconic fish will face a mixed bag: some good and some bad conditions while out at sea.

B.C. urged to protect at-risk old growth forests while it works to transform policy
The most at-risk ecosystems should be set aside from logging while British Columbia shifts its forestry policies toward a more sustainable system, says a forester who helped write a provincial report on old-growth forests.

Tacoma sues over planned wastewater treatment requirements that could cost $1 billion
Tacoma has sued the state Department of Ecology over proposed requirements for wastewater treatment plants that discharge to Puget Sound, a new regulation the city said could cost up to $1 billion to implement.

Rescue tug stationed in islands is best bet to avoid oil spills in San Juan – Gulf waters, study says
With increased vessel traffic around the San Juan Islands, some worry that the risk of oil spills may be rising as well. A new study makes the case that an emergency response tug stationed in the islands would be money well-spent.

New EPA administrator: ‘Science is back’
In his first interview as the nation’s top environmental official, Michael Regan says he is focused on restoring morale at the agency, combating climate change and lifting up communities burdened by pollution.

Deb Haaland confirmed as interior secretary, becoming the first Native American U.S. Cabinet member
Rep. Debra Anne Haaland of New Mexico was confirmed Monday as the country’s first Native American Cabinet-level official, becoming secretary of the interior. The U.S. Senate vote was 51-40.

Métis Nation in B.C. votes to declare self-government, with plans to forge new relationship with province
Members of the largest Indigenous nation in the province have voted to declare self-government with the goal of preserving its culture and language for future generations.

Washington state, Canada team up to eradicate Asian giant hornets
Wildlife officials in Washington state have said British Columbia and U.S. federal and state agencies will work together to track, trap and eradicate Asian giant hornets in the Pacific Northwest.

Studies: Noise from Navy's Growler jets could impact wildlife
Based on research published in November, the nonprofit Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve, or COER, is threatening to sue the Navy, as well as NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, if the federal agencies don’t reconsider how Growler flights may impact endangered Southern Resident orcas and threatened marbled murrelets.

Battle over Washington’s budget looms as revenue picture improves
...Wednesday's March revenue forecast...showed the state returning to pre-pandemic revenue levels... Washington’s improving fiscal picture isn’t an anomaly.

Lower Snake River dam-breaching proposal a 'nonstarter' for more than a dozen regional environmental groups
More than a dozen regional environmental groups, including the Spokane Riverkeeper, are publicly opposing a proposal to breach the four lower Snake River Dams, calling the concept a “nonstarter.”

Chevron Canada to stop funding further feasibility work Kitimat LNG project
Chevron Canada Ltd. says it will stop funding further feasibility work on its proposed Kitimat LNG project on B.C.'s north coast.

Friday, March 12, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 12, 2021

Aloha Girl Scout Friday!
Girl Scouts of the United States of America, commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low on March 12, 1912, it was organized after Low met Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, in 1911. (Wikipedia)

If you like to watch: "Of Time and Place"
Avian conservator and artist Tony Angell’s approach to art making has always centered around revealing not just the anatomical attributes of his subjects, but their unique characteristics, temperaments, and even, if possible, the mood of the creatures he depicts.

Timber industry challenges the Biden administration’s delay and review of northern spotted owl federal protections
The timber industry is challenging the Biden administration’s decision to halt and reconsider the removal of millions of acres of federal protections for the northern spotted owl.

Southern resident orca born last year confirmed as female
A small barrel roll gave Washington whale watchers a gender reveal over the weekend and reason to be hopeful about a pod of endangered southern resident orcas that frequent Puget Sound.

Blue herons identified as a significant juvenile salmon predator
Pacific great blue herons could be scooping up as many as three percent of all juvenile salmon and as many as six percent in some years with low water flow, according to a new University of British Columbia study.

Environmental group sues Washington State Parks over proposed Navy training
The U.S. Navy’s controversial use of Washington’s state parks for training exercises is the subject of a lawsuit filed Monday in Thurston County.

Biden Moves To Make It Illegal (Again) To Accidentally Kill Migratory Birds
The Biden administration is moving to restore protections for migratory birds that were loosened under former president Dona

Amazon tells Gov. Inslee it supports clean fuel standard in WA
Amazon is embracing the adoption of a low-carbon fuel standard in Washington state, telling Gov. Jay Inslee that the plan would be “a cost-effective strategy” to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Low-interest loans could help shoreline property owners finance improvements
As ongoing research confirms the importance of shoreline habitat throughout Puget Sound, experts are looking for new ways to help shoreline property owners pay for bulkhead removals.

Oil tanker traffic could endanger Indigenous way of life
While most protests against the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion are happening on the land, the federal government has recognized that some of the project’s greatest risks concern potentially catastrophic spills on the water.

Youth climate activists try to bring back federal lawsuit
Youth climate activists are attempting to bring back their suit against the federal government. They filed a motion Tuesday in federal court in Eugene to amend their lawsuit, Julianna v. United States.

Senate Confirms Biden’s Pick to Lead E.P.A.
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Michael S. Regan, the former top environmental regulator for North Carolina, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and drive some of the Biden administration’s biggest climate and regulatory policies.

Washington climate activists disagree about how to cut carbon
Competing efforts to enact landmark climate change legislation have fractured the state’s environmental coalition and Olympia’s all-powerful Democratic caucus, with some activists arguing that the proposal pushed by Gov. Jay Inslee shortchanges minority and low-income communities.

Friday, March 5, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 5 2021

Aloha Absinthe Friday!
Absinthe, a light green alcoholic beverage, is made of herbs, the most prominent being anise, fennel, and wormwood—usually grand wormwood—which contains thujone. A theory says that absinthe was invented in 1792 by Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor, who created it to be used as a medical elixir. Shortly thereafter, Pernod Absinthe became the first commercial absinthe on the market. Absinthe became popular in Europe in the 1800s, particularly in France in the 1840s. Writers and artists were soon known to drink it. In 2007, the United States ruled that it was legal to manufacture, sell, and import absinthe, as long as the thujone level wasn't too high. This took place on March 5, the date now celebrated as National Absinthe Day.

State agency drafting fish passage rules
The state Department of Fish & Wildlife is drafting rules related to a state law that applies to fish passage in rivers, streams and lakes in an effort to make more clear how the law aids in the recovery of salmon and orca whales.

Digital maps show how climate change’s impact in WA isn’t equal
From floods to wildfires, mapping programs in Cascadia are showing scientists which communities face higher risk. Peter Fairley reports.

The most expensive dam in Canadian history: cost of B.C.’s Site C dam balloons to $16 billion
Premier John Horgan defends decision to push ahead with beleaguered BC Hydro project, which has nearly doubled in cost under NDP government as a result of escalating safety issues. ‘Who would feel safe?’ Site C dam concerns build in downstream communities ‘Who would feel safe?’ Site C dam concerns build in downstream communities Concerns about the safety of the Site C dam are mounting in some downstream communities along the Peace River, despite the B.C. government’s assurances that the project can be completed safely after two independent experts approved BC Hydro’s proposed fix for the dam’s weak foundation.

How Washington’s Protection Island Became a Haven for Wildlife — And One Man
The small island was supposed to be a vacation destination. Now it’s a refuge for birds, seals, and Marty Bluewater.

‘Like going back in time’: W̱SÁNEĆ people to regain rightful ownership of abundant remote island
Abundant with meadows of colourful flowers and other pristine wildlife, a remote Salish Sea island is being returned to its rightful owners — the W̱SÁNEĆ people.

U.S. House passes Wild Olympics bill with public-lands package
Congressman Derek Kilmer’s Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act has passed the House as part of a package that includes seven other bills.

Killer Whale CSI
Collisions with boats and other interactions with humans are "significant" causes of death for killer whales in the northeastern Pacific, a recent study says.

Salmon experts predict more wild coho but fewer Chinook in Puget Sound this year
Greater numbers of wild coho salmon are expected to return to Puget Sound later this year, according to forecasts released last week, but threatened Puget Sound Chinook stocks are likely to see another decline.

Gray whales return to region
A group of Pacific gray whales known as the Sounders because they stop over in Puget Sound during their coastal migration is beginning to arrive in the region.

Winter supply of Chinook salmon critical to survival of orcas, says study
Endangered southern resident killer whales would have a much better chance of survival if chinook were in their hunting grounds during winter off the coast of British Columbia, a new study says.