Salish Sea News Week in Review July 26 2024

 

Aloha Tofu Friday!

World Tofu Day was created by the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) Canada and the first World Tofu Day was marked in 2014. In Montreal, at least 12,000 people attended a vegan barbecue on the inaugural celebration. Tofu is made from soybeans that are curdled and then pressed into blocks. It is high in protein, relatively low in calories, and low in carbohydrates. It is low in saturated fat but higher in heart-healthy fats. Tofu contains iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and calcium, and is sometimes fortified with other minerals and vitamins.

Environmental groups push for toughening of salmon farm rule change
New federal rules for fish farms have cut the amount of allowable sea lice in farmed salmon but environmental groups say it doesn’t amount to much.

Washington State Has Been Sitting on a Secret Weapon Against Climate Change
Wetlands are carbon-storage powerhouses — and many are unmapped.

Project 2025’s extreme vision for the West
The demolition of public lands, water and wildlife protections are part of conservatives’ plan for a second Trump term.

Coastal B.C. First Nations take the lead on many marine search-and-rescue missions
New formalized role and funding helps First Nations become integral part of coastal search and rescue.

Intalco Aluminum agrees to $5.25 million penalty for hazardous pollution violations at Ferndale
Intalco Aluminum, the company that operated the shuttered aluminum smelter in Ferndale, has agreed to pay $5.25 million as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The settlement stems from Clean Air Act violations discovered during a 2019 EPA inspection of the site.

Planet Sets Record for Hottest Day Twice in a Row
Researchers with the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Sunday was Earth’s hottest day. Then it happened again on Monday.

WA nears a plan to remove key culverts for salmon — after spending $4B
As the Washington State Department of Transportation spends billions of dollars removing concrete and metal pipes that block spawning salmon, another state agency is finally finishing a strategy to fix all the state’s fish migration barriers.

Voters to decide on pace of Washington’s transition off natural gas
State election officials on Wednesday certified an initiative for the November ballot that seeks to reverse Washington’s controversial tactics to phase out natural gas use in homes and other buildings.

Hakai Magazine to close down
Founding editor Jude Isabella wrote yesterday to readers: "The only way to deliver this bad news is bluntly: Hakai Magazine will cease to publish at the end of 2024. For nearly a decade, we’ve made our cozy berth within the Tula Foundation, voyaging alongside its core missions that conduct long-term ecological research in British Columbia and deliver essential healthcare of Guatemalan mothers and babes. It has been a privilege beyond measure.... We’re actively looking for new funding sources—if you have ideas, please get in touch, because we’re open to suggestions. Over the next six months, we will keep you informed of our progress in finding a new haven for our next chapter."

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review July 19 2024

Aloha Beekeeping Friday!
 On December 3, 2019, Detroit Hives, a non-profit organization, declared July 19 of every year as National Urban Beekeeping Day. The holiday was created to raise awareness about supporting urban beekeepers, inform the public on the role of urban beekeeping, and also to discuss the importance of bees in our environment.

Tacomans struggle with high temperatures, heat and access to cooling varies across the city
Shade is a problem for Tacomans.  The city is dense and in the Puget Sound region, it has the lowest amount of tree canopy cover for cities. 

Butterfly sightings in Metro Vancouver plummet
Fewer butterflies are flying around Metro Vancouver this year, and their scarcity is leaving scientists and community members with more questions than answers. Extreme swings in weather may be to blame, but planting more native trees in cities could help.

Single-use plastic bags banned as next round of B.C. plastic regulations kicks in
Plastic shopping bags and other single-use products are no longer available at British Columbia stores as the government implements the latest step in its plan to phase out certain plastic items and keep harmful chemicals out of landfills.

Bringing Salmon Home to Kus-kus-sum
In 2020, the Comox Valley Project Watershed Society finally raised enough funds to purchase the eight-acre site from lumber producer Interfor, and in 2021, the land was transferred to the society. Since then, it has removed more than 12,000 cubic metres of concrete from the industrial site and revegetated five acres of it.

At new Marysville water treatment facility, plants filter out pollutants
The city’s new stormwater treatment plant isn’t landmarked by large tanks and pipes — or any buildings for that matter. Near the shore of Ebey Slough, the plant — charged with treating 460 acres of urban runoff — looks like a park, with paved walkways and rows of native grasses.

Seagrass and Plastic Are Not Friends
In 2021, what sounded like a good news story hit the media: in the Mediterranean, seagrasses were trapping plastic waste, capturing fragments in their leaves and locking microplastics in seafloor sediments...But that hopeful narrative is, unfortunately, too optimistic and only tells part of the story.

Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion to open in August
Seattle Aquarium’s new, $160 million Ocean Pavilion will open Aug. 29. The 50,000-square-foot exhibit space is already transforming the city’s central waterfront, and will feature the region’s largest tropical reef ecosystem, with sharks, rays, other animals and plants.

WA awards $52 million from carbon auctions for tribal climate adaptation
More than $50 million in revenue from the state’s carbon market auctions is going to 32 tribal nations across the Northwest for clean-energy projects and efforts to better safeguard communities from the effects of climate change.

Birthing the Blob
In 2013, a huge marine heatwave known as the Blob hit the northeast Pacific Ocean.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review July 12 2024

Aloha Kebab Friday!
The first kebabs may have been cooked when soldiers grilled meat of recently-killed animals on their swords. Kebabs emerged from Turkish cuisine and were first mentioned in a Turkish text in the fourteenth century. The dishes spread around the world along with Muslim culture, and now are common in restaurants that serve Turkish, Indian, and Mughlai cuisines.

Southern resident orca numbers decline during census year; Bigg’s orcas continue to expand
Preliminary results are now available from the annual orca census from the Center for Whale Research. At least two southern resident killer whales have died over the past year, with one of them being a little more than a month old. Meanwhile, sightings of Bigg’s killer whales have increased to record numbers. 

Environmental group buys Fraser River island to protect salmon
The Nature Conservancy of Canada says Carey Island is one of the Fraser's last salmon habitat strongholds.

Over half of Clayoquot Sound’s iconic forests are now protected — here’s how First Nations and B.C. did it
The Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations will now manage 760 square kilometres of old-growth conservancies with the help of philanthropic funding.

The Pacific Northwest is littered with ‘deadbeat dams’
Aging structures dubbed 'deadbeat dams' choke off habitat and threaten human life in some instances. Native nations are at the forefront of the effort to address these lingering dams.

Baker sockeye tribal fishery returns after banner year
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe fishers celebrated the return of the Baker River sockeye fishery this week. A record number of sockeye salmon swam through the Baker River last year, with about 65,000 returning. This year, Upper Skagit tribal fishers are hoping for more of the same.

PNW data center boom could imperil power supply within 5 years
The Pacific Northwest’s power grid could be pushed beyond its limits in just five years by the staggering electricity demands of the booming data center industry, regional power planners recently reported. The forecast cautioned that data centers could consume as much as 4,000 average megawatts of electricity by 2029 — enough to power the entire city of Seattle five times over. Lulu Ramadan reports. (Seattle Times)

Record sockeye salmon run on Columbia now threatened by hot water
Smashing records, sockeye salmon are booming up the Columbia River, in a run expected to top 700,000 fish before it’s over. But a punishing heat wave has made river temperatures so hot many may never make it their last miles home. With water temperatures above 80 degrees in the Okanogan River, sockeye are stacking up at its mouth and waiting rather than entering the tributary to get to their spawning grounds across the U.S.-Canada border. 

Washington issues burn ban on state lands
A burn ban is in effect for all state lands in Washington. The state Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday issued the statewide ban on outdoor burning, campfires, the use of charcoal briquettes and prescribed burns on its lands. The ban started at 1 p.m. on Wednesday and will go until at least Sept. 30, 2024.

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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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Salish Sea News Week in Review July 3 2024

Great Auks extinction day
Great auks were native to the Arctic and sub-Arctic, and became extinct in 1844. On July 3, 1844, fishermen killed the last confirmed pair of great auks (Pinguinus impennis) at Eldey Island, Iceland.  It is believed that the extinction of these birds was caused by human activities and hunting due to the high demand for their feathers. (National Geographic)

All killer whales will remain one species — for now, according to marine mammal committee
A formal proposal to designate resident and Bigg’s killer whales as separate species has been rejected by a committee widely recognized as the authority in naming new marine mammal species.

A warning signal from grey whales: The animals are getting smaller
A population of grey whales that feeds off B.C.'s coast has seen its adult population physically get smaller over the past two decades, a new study has found.

The Owls Who Came From Away
Over the past 80 years, one of the most resilient and hearty owls has practically engulfed a continent. Not everyone is pleased.

Scientists can now rapidly link heat waves to climate change
Canadian scientists can now estimate how much human-induced climate change contributed to an extreme heat wave or flood within a week of the disaster.

Measure to prevent phasing out of natural gas in WA is on track for November ballot

Supporters have submitted 400,000-plus signatures in support of Initiative 2066 to prevent phasing out of natural gas.

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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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Salish Sea News Week in Review June 28 2024

Aloha Food Truck Friday!

Food trucks vary in the type of foods they prepare and sell, from ice cream to frozen or prepackaged food, to meals prepared from scratch. A precursor of the food truck can be seen as being the chuckwagon, which was a retrofitted wagon stocked with kitchen and food supplies that gave cowhands sustenance when they were on the trail in the late 1800's. In 1872, Walter Scott, a food vendor, came up with the lunch wagon—he cut windows in a small covered wagon and sold sandwiches, pies, and coffee to workers outside of a newspaper office in Providence, Rhode Island. In the 1880's Thomas H. Buckley was manufacturing different models of these and included in them appliances such as sinks, refrigerators, and stoves.

B.C. launches lawsuit against makers of 'forever chemicals'
The British Columbia government has filed a class-action lawsuit against manufacturers of so-called "forever chemicals" it says are involved in the widespread contamination of drinking water systems.

Mass mortality: A fish scientist follows a tip about die-offs at B.C. salmon farms
DFO and operator attribute mass die-off to low oxygen, but one scientist who visited one far-flung site in a kayak worries the real cause could be more complicated.

The Estuary Smothered by a Thousand Logs
For decades, scientists have known that allowing the timber industry to store logs in estuaries kills marine life. So why does British Columbia still permit it?

Vote nears on ending ‘endangered’ status for WA wolves
The Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission will decide next month on lowering gray wolves’ status under the state’s endangered species law.

$335M committed to protecting ecosystems off B.C. coast
The federal government has announced a new financing initiative for 17 First Nations in British Columbia to expand protection for marine ecosystems off the coast of the Great Bear Rainforest.

Supreme Court halts enforcement of the EPA’s plan to limit downwind pollution from power plants
The Supreme Court is putting the Environmental Protection Agency’s air pollution-fighting “good neighbor” plan on hold while legal challenges continue, the conservative-led court’s latest blow to federal regulations.

Diesel spill from sunken fishing boat in 2022 off San Juan Island leads to penalty

The state Department of Ecology is seeking $646,259 in damages and penalties for the spilling of diesel fuel into Haro Strait when the commercial fishing boat Aleutian Island sank off San Juan Island in August 2022.

As salmon season kicks off, some Alaska fishermen fear for their futures
A year into the the crisis in Alaska’s $6 billion commercial fishing industry, there are some signs of recovery, but major threats persist, many of which fishermen feel powerless to affect.

WA fines Home Depot $1.6M for selling hydrofluorocarbon products
The state has fined The Home Depot $1.6 million for selling illegal hydrofluorocarbon products after two years of trying to get the corporation to comply with the law, the state Ecology Department announced Thursday.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review June 21 2024

Aloha National Indigenous People's Day

National Aboriginal Day, now National Indigenous Peoples Day, was announced in 1996 by then Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc, through the Proclamation Declaring June 21 of Each Year as National Aboriginal Day. It is a day recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Indigenous peoples of Canada.

New research highlights where 'The Big One' earthquake could hit
The study confirms that the northern part of the fault, close to Vancouver Island and Washington, is most likely to produce a major earthquake. Isaac Phan Nay reports.

Railroad owes nearly $400M to WA tribe, judge rules
BNSF Railway Co. must pay the Swinomish tribe $394 million for violating the terms of an agreement that allowed the railroad to run trains across a strip of the tribe’s land in northwest Washington, a federal judge ruled Monday.

Research finds log booms harmful to B.C. salmon and fish habitats
Studies led by First Nations, conservation groups and UBC point to harm caused by storage of logs on rivers.

UVic researchers aim to regrow kelp forests
A kelp nursery in Bamfield could be growing the next Salish Sea kelp forest. Robyn Bell reports.

Metro Vancouver launches independent review of $3.86B plant
Metro Vancouver is launching an independent review of the cost of a new wastewater treatment plant that is four years beyond its original completion date and more than five times over budget.

B.C.'s 'war in the woods' grounds to be permanently protected
Old-growth forests that were environmental and Indigenous rights battlegrounds over clearcut logging in the 1980s and 1990s during British Columbia's "war in the woods" are set to receive permanent protections in a land and forest management agreement.

New bill aims to ensure permanent funding for Northwest Straits Commission
Legislation to permanently reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission in Puget Sound was introduced by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen on June 18.

Ban on open net fish farms in B.C. delayed to 2029
The Canadian federal government says it will ban open net salmon farms in British Columbia starting in 2029 in a plan that will renew more than 60 licences across the province for another five years.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review June 14 2024

Aloha Cucumber Friday!

Cucumber fruits consist of 95% water. In botanical terms, the cucumber is classified as a pepo, a type of botanical berry with a hard outer rind and no internal divisions. However, much like tomatoes and squashes, it is often perceived, prepared, and eaten as a vegetable. (Wikipedia)

Court rejects bid to review minister's order to B.C. salmon farms
The Federal Court has rejected a bid by two First Nations and salmon farm operators to review Ottawa's decision to not renew licences for 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms in the waters off British Columbia.

Rare 7-foot fish washed ashore on Oregon’s coast gets worldwide attention
A massive rare fish thought to only live in temperate waters in the southern hemisphere has washed up on Oregon’s northern coast, drawing crowds of curious onlookers intrigued by the unusual sight.

Environment Minister Guilbeault broke the law in stalling potential spotted owl emergency order: court
‘Precedent-setting decision’ finds federal ministers must act with urgency when species face imminent threats to survival or recovery.

NW coast suffers from low oxygen, study finds. It’s becoming the norm
About half of the water near the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest coast experienced low-oxygen conditions in 2021, according to a new study. And those hypoxic conditions, which are expected to become common with global warming, threaten the food web, the study found.

Oil refiners raise quality concerns over TMX pipeline shipments
U.S. oil refiners and West Coast traders are flagging concerns about the quality of crude shipped on the newly completed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX), warning that high vapour pressure and acidity limits could deter purchases of Canadian heavy barrels.

North Shore sewage plant's bombshell budget a 'crossroads' for Metro Vancouver
The $2.83 billion cost overrun at Metro Vancouver’s North Shore wastewater treatment plant project landed like a bombshell that has prompted bigger questions about how the regional district handles such big projects and even how it’s governed.

Can a tiny shorebird stop the massive expansion of a container port?
This is the story of a mud wrestle at the Fraser River delta. On one side, a government proposal for a massive expansion of a container port. On the other, a tiny bird, the sandpiper, which relies on this place as its last stopover on a migration as long as 7,000 miles.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review June 7 2024

Aloha First Legoland resort

Legoland Billund Resort, the original Legoland park, opened on 7 June 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The park is located next to the original Lego factory and Billund Airport, Denmark's second-busiest airport. Over 1.9 million guests visited the park in 2011, and 50 million guests have visited the park since it opened. This makes Legoland the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside Copenhagen.

Tribes seek to turn the tide on ocean acidity
Tribal nations and other partners look for ways to reduce ocean acidity, which has increased 30 percent in 250 years.

This Tacoma Waterway contains the most polluted water in the PNW
The Thea Foss Waterway is one of the most polluted recreational waterways in the United States, according to the Surfrider Foundation which found high levels of potentially dangerous bacteria in the Foss during 47 percent of its monthly testing visits. Only five sites were higher across the nation.

Speed restrictions, B.C. fishery closures, aim to protect southern killer whales
The federal government has announced salmon fishery closures and mandatory speed limits in areas where southern resident killer whales forage and travel in the ongoing effort to protect the endangered species.

NW Indigenous people have long history of carefully managing camas crop
A prized plant for regional Native Americans has been carefully cultivated for more than 3,500 years.

After disaster strikes, how much is it worth to rebuild?
In 2021, flooding in the Sumas Valley caused millions in damages. Rebuilding could cost more than twice as much as restoring the region to its natural state.

The tricky business of charging Washington's coming hybrid electric ferries
Every ferry terminal presents a different sort of puzzle when it comes to installing charging equipment.

Decision time approaches for two new orca species, as other issues bring new questions
Killer whales worldwide are currently identified as a single species, Orcinus orca. But two new species of orca, representing thousands of whales in the North Pacific, could be added to the scientific nomenclature within the next month. Common names for the whales such as "transients" and "residents" are also up for debate.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review May 31 2024

 

Aloha Parrot Friday!
World Parrot Day was created by World Parrot Trust in 2004 to highlight the plight of wild parrots and raise awareness about the role of importing birds in causing this plight. In the lead up to the first observance, World Parrot Trust had put forth a petition that called for the European Union to ban the trade of wild birds in Europe, and it had been signed by tens of thousands of people from dozens of countries. 

Environmental groups critical of new B.C. government old-growth logging report
The B.C. government has released a report on its progress protecting old-growth forests, but some First Nations and environmental groups say the plan released Friday falls short. The report comes three years after the B.C. government committed to policies to conserve old-growth trees.

Owl Wars: The Battle for Northwest Forests (and Owls)
Have we saved the Northern Spotted Owl yet? Apparently not. But there may be a better way than shooting the rival owls.

$900M project to create hydrogen plants, refuelling stops in B.C.
H2 Gateway project aims to create 20 fill-up stations for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Did B.C. keep its old-growth forest promises?
With an election approaching this fall, the BC NDP government has released a surprise update touting ‘significant progress’ on protecting old-growth forests. We take a look at the reality on the ground. Shannon Waters reports.

Guide to raising sunflower starfish ‘nearly finished’
A top researcher for the University of Washington said that he expects to publish a book in coming months detailing how to raise sunflower sea stars that will hopefully show some resilience to the wasting disease that has killed nearly 6 billion of them in recent years.

Squamish environmental group challenges Woodfibre LNG, FortisBC wastewater permits
The BC Energy Regulator has issued a permit for Woodfibre LNG to release more than 1,200 litres of contaminated wastewater daily into the Howe Sound fjord.

Youth climate-change lawsuit targets Alaska LNG project
Eight young Alaska residents sued the state on Wednesday seeking to block a major natural gas project, the latest in a string of climate-change related lawsuits by youths arguing that government policies promoting fossil fuels violate their rights.

WA salmon passage projects are getting more than $75 million
Migrating salmon and steelhead face all kinds of obstacles littered throughout Washington. But piece by piece, those barriers will be removed, thanks in part to nearly $75 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review May 24 2024

Aloha Asparagus Friday!

Asparagus, from the genus family Asparagaceae, is made up of more than 200 species. The most common and economically important is garden asparagus, which is cultivated to be eaten. It is usually green with a purple-tinged top, but white asparagus is another common variety and is often grown in Europe. In particular, in France's Argenteuil, asparagus is grown underground so that chlorophyll does not develop. This white asparagus is thick, is smoother than green types, and is known for its tenderness and delicate flavor. There is also a purple variety of asparagus called viola.

Samish Indian Nation debuts first village in 125 years to 'bring the elders back home'
The Samish Indian Nation on Friday debuted a new affordable housing project spanning 2 acres of tribal land in Anacortes. The project, called Xwch'ángteng, contains 14 two-bedroom cottages that are ADA-ready, along with a new community center and playground.

To heal a forest: The fight for salmon parks
If you like to watch: First Nations managed forests on Vancouver and Nootka islands for thousands of years. As logging encroached on the last untouched salmon stream in their traditional territory, leaders of the Nuchatlaht Tribe launched a movement to heal and protect this land.

A portrait of pollution around Canada’s busiest port
Tsleil-Waututh Nation is intent on rewriting provincial policy to protect Burrard Inlet from industrial waste. But a leaked video of a coal spill illustrates the challenges with enforcement.

WA mountain goats struggle to survive
All of the surveyed mountain goat herds in Washington state are declining, with the exception of Mount St. Helens, which has grown, according to data provided by the state. Researchers believe climate change is a factor, as the ungulates rely on shrinking alpine habitats. These counts do not include all goats or herds in the state.

So Long Triploids, Hello Creamy Oysters
Triploid oysters—selectively bred for summer eating—suffer in high temperatures. Is their plight enough to get us to change our oyster eating habits?

Parks Canada to spend $12M on Sidney Island deer kill, restoration, documents show
Parks Canada will spend about $12 million on a plan to kill invasive deer and restore native vegetation on Sidney Island, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. That’s more than double the cost that has been widely reported for the controversial project on the small Gulf Island.

Change to B.C. law allows First Nations to directly own land
The B.C. government's changes to a law that prevented First Nations from acquiring land have come into effect, meaning nations can now directly buy and own land in the province. Previously, First Nations needed to form a proxy, like a corporation or a trust, to buy land.

Ottawa removes regulatory red tape for Trans Mountain pipeline
The Canada Development Investment Corporation and Trans Mountain Corporation will no longer need authorization from a top official, the governor in council, to make transactions like incorporating subsidiaries.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review May 17 2024

Aloha Endangered Species Day!

The United States Congress created Endangered Species Day in 2006 with the adoption of Senate Resolution 431. The resolution encouraged "the people of the United States to become educated about, and aware of, threats to species, success stories in species recovery, and the opportunity to promote species conservation worldwide."

Low Chinook runs endanger prime fishing rivers in Snohomish County
Even in pristine salmon habitat like the Sultan, Chinook numbers are down. Warm water and extreme weather are potential factors. 

Peregrine falcons laced with banned chemicals, Canadian scientists find
The fastest animal on the planet, peregrine falcons can't seem to escape contamination from banned toxic flame retardants, a new study has found. 

OSU Scientists, Marine Biodiversity Opportunities are Being Lost
An international collaboration that includes two Oregon State University scientists says the world’s largest marine protected areas aren’t collectively delivering the biodiversity benefits they could be because of slow implementation of management strategies and a failure to restrict the most impactful human activities.

‘A Good Fire’: How Prescribed Cultural Burns Protect Communities
They’re rooted in generational knowledge. And they’re long overdue.

Navy jet noise could mean long-term health impacts for Whidbey Island
More than 74,000 people on Whidbey Island could face long-term health impacts from the U.S. Navy jet noise that’s blasted over residents several days a week for over a decade, new research shows. 

Environmentalists seek protections for marmots on Olympic Peninsula
Environmentalists say the species is in trouble, with around 2,000 to 4,000 of the animals believed to be left after a sharp population decline from the 1990s to mid-2000s.

Endangered orca habitat sullied by Canadian cruise ship pollution
Cruise ships are jeopardizing endangered southern resident killer whales by dumping billions of litres of polluted wastewater into the ocean, new federal government documents reveal.

Crossborder Nooksack teams have met 10 times since October
Ten meetings in 10 months might not sound like a lot, but given recent history, the nine governments trying to prevent another devastating Nooksack River flood might as well be teenagers who can’t get off the phone with one another. Whether they’ll ever be able to take things to the next level remains to be seen.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review May 10 2024

President Mandela Friday!

Nelson Mandela on May 10, 1994 became South Africa's first black president after more than 300 years of white rule. Before becoming president, he was a pivotal figure in the fight against the racist apartheid regime and was incarcerated for 27 years.

Second fishery since dam removal limited to 400 cohos
The Lower Elwha Kallam Tribe will hold a limited fishery on the Elwha River this fall, the tribe’s second fishery since dams on the river were removed more than a decade ago.

Appeals court rejects climate change lawsuit by young Oregon activists against US government
A federal appeals court panel on Wednesday rejected a long-running lawsuit brought by young Oregon-based climate activists who argued that the U.S. government’s role in climate change violated their constitutional rights.

B.C.’s second-largest LNG project is one you’ve probably never heard of
The Ksi Lisims facility in the Nass estuary, backed by the Nisg̱a’a Nation, would produce nearly as much liquefied natural gas per year as the LNG Canada plant.

Non-native bumblebees becoming common in Lower Mainland: study
UBC researchers says eastern bumblebees represent more than 40% of all bees they observed. Jon Azpiri reports.

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Hood Canal summer chum could be first-ever salmon removed from Endangered Species List

Are species consigned to the Endangered Species List destined for extinction? Some species may be, but certainly not all.

Extra-low (and high) tides coming to Puget Sound this week
Extra-low tides on Puget Sound May 8 to May 12 bring opportunities to witness sea stars and other colorful creatures along local shorelines.  Sea level is expected to yo-yo as much as 17 feet this week near Olympia.

Diverse cast calls for end to B.C.'s open-net fish pens, as PM promised
Alliance of Indigenous, commercial and sports fishers ask Prime Minister to keep a promise to transition away from the pens by 2025. rts (Vancouver Sun)

Groups opposed to pipeline call for B.C. to push for oil spill evacuation plan
Dozens of health officials, Indigenous and environmental groups and city councillors opposed to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion are calling on B.C. to push the federal government for a more robust oil spill response plan.

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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Salish Sea Mews Week in Review May 3, 2024

Aloha Spam (Email) Friday

The first known spam electronic mail (although not yet called email), was sent on May 3, 1978 to several hundred users on ARPANET. It was an advertisement for a presentation by Digital Equipment Corporation for their DECSYSTEM-20 products sent by Gary Thuerk, a marketer of theirs. The linguistic significance of the usage of the word 'spam' is attributed to the British comedy troupe Monty Python in a now legendary sketch from their Flying Circus TV series, in which a group of Vikings sing a chorus of "SPAM, SPAM, SPAM..." at increasing volumes.(Wikipedia)

Local border waters are on the cusp of a major rise in oil tanker traffic
Are we ready? Completion of a Canadian pipeline expansion means more crude-carrying vessels passing through the Salish Sea en route to the Pacific, amplifying spill fears.

Southern resident killer whales face extinction in 75-100 years, study predicts
If more changes aren’t made, prospects appear dim for the survival of the southern resident killer whale. This population of around 75 individuals is heading toward extinction at a rate of one-to-two per cent annually, according to a study published Tuesday by researchers with B.C.-based Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

The great escape: Orphaned orca swims to freedom, begins search for family
The young orca's bid for freedom occurred at a high tide early Friday and involved swimming through a swift-moving, narrow channel and underneath a bridge, with Esperanza Inlet in the near distance.

The new Trans Mountain pipeline will soon carry oil. Could an Indigenous Rights case impact operations?
Trans Mountain’s decision last summer to trench through an Indigenous sacred site kicked off more dissent. The decision ‘undermines Secwépemc law’ according to the nation, which is boosting title claim efforts to protect its sacred spaces.

Like It or Not, Even Wildlife-Focused Ecotourism Affects Wild Animals
Under the watchful gaze of ecotourists, British Columbia’s grizzly bears become skittish and avoid prime hunting spots.

Living with Trans Mountain
After a decade of work, oil is flowing through the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. People who live along the pipeline are looking to the future.

Almost all mountain goats died after airlift from Olympics to Cascades
Federal authorities moved hundreds of goats to the North Cascades. Tracking showed most died within five years. Now, tribes are trying to save the population.

Electricity demand in Northwest projected to grow 30% in decade
Electricity demand in the Northwest is expected to grow more than 30% in the next decade, or about 5% more than estimated last year and triple the prediction three years ago, industry experts said in a new report.

Court overturns $185M verdict for Monsanto PCBs at Monroe school
In a complex 78-page ruling Wednesday, the state Court of Appeals found a trial court misapplied state laws in the landmark case.

Ecology files water rights adjudication in Whatcom County Superior Court
The Washington Department of Ecology filed a basin-wide general adjudication for the Nooksack river system and nearby areas with the Whatcom County Superior Court on May 1, formally beginning the adjudication process. A water rights adjudication determines whether each water use on a source is legal, how much water can be used, and its priority during shortages.

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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Salish Sea News Week in Review April 26 2024

Remember Chernobyl Friday

Large parts of Europe were contaminated when reactor 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded on April 26, 1986. Although the number of deaths attributable to the disaster is difficult to determine, experts anticipate tens of thousands of deaths across Europe in the coming decades due to cancer caused by the radioactive fallout.

Bird Flu Is Infecting More Mammals. What Does That Mean for Us?
H5N1, an avian flu virus, has killed tens of thousands of marine mammals, and infiltrated American livestock for the first time. Scientists are working quickly to assess how it is evolving and how much of a risk it poses to humans.

UBC prof Suzanne Simard named in Time's 'most influential' list
University of B.C. forestry professor Suzanne Simard, author of "Finding the Mother Tree," was named to Time magazine's 'most influential people' list on Wednesday.

New federal funds will help thousands in Washington get solar power for free
Washington state will receive $156 million in federal funds for new programs to install rooftop solar on thousands of homes and apartment buildings, and to expand access to solar energy in tribal communities. The money is a slice of $7 billion in grants nationwide the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday through its Solar For All program, which aims to make solar energy more available and affordable for low- and moderate-income Americans. Jerry Cornfield reports.

Tribal climate leaders come together to share pain, solutions and laughter
Indigenous people from around the U.S. and Canada convened in Auburn last week for a summit meeting on tribal climate leadership aiming to amplify and empower Indigenous leaders as they navigate the cultural, economic and social challenges of climate change.

Will these gentle giants return to the Salish Sea?
Basking sharks are the world's second-largest shark (and fish) species, and while they were once common in some parts of the Salish Sea, they are now so rare that several of the scientists working to better understand them and restore their numbers have never even seen one.

Washington electric vehicle rebates up to $9,000 available beginning in August
Washington motorists will gain access this summer to new state rebates – up to $9,000 in some cases – to help cover the cost of leasing or purchasing electric vehicles.

Start of Trans Mountain oil tanker traffic around Vancouver Island imminent
Trans Mountain has announced that it will commence operations on May 1, roughly one week out from Earth Day. That means tanker transportation of diluted bitumen from its Burnaby terminal will begin to move through the Burrard Inlet, into the Salish Sea and the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

WA farmers brace for summer drought on heels of harvest shortfalls
Washington’s agriculture industry has been hit hard by climate change. Growers are working to develop crops that can thrive in shifting landscapes.

First humpback mom and calf return to Salish Sea
The first calf, likely about three months old, and its mother, “Black Pearl,” were spotted in Haro Strait last week by Eagle Wing Tours.

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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Salish Sea Mews Week in Review April 19 2024

Aloha garlic Friday!
Garlic (Allium sativum) is native to South Asia, Central Asia and northeastern Iran and has long been used as a seasoning worldwide, with a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use. It was known to ancient Egyptians and has been used as both a food flavoring and a traditional medicine. China produced 73% of the world's supply of garlic in 2021. 'Tis chic to reek...

'We were born knowing this is ours': B.C. signs deal recognizing Haida Nation title over Haida Gwaii
The B.C. government and the Council of the Haida Nation have signed an agreement officially recognizing Haida Gwaii's Aboriginal title, more than two decades after the nation launched a legal action seeking formal recognition.

Puyallup Tribe to have 17 acres of waterfront land added to reservation
The Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land Into Trust Act transfers land along the Tacoma waterfront to the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, allowing the Tribe to expand its reservation and access to federal benefits associated with it.

Washington to adopt new U.S. PFAS limits, but may take two years
The Washington Department of Health plans to lower the limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced new lower limits on Wednesday.

Statewide drought declared due to low snowpack and dry forecast
With winter’s snowstorms largely behind us and summer just weeks away, our state’s low snowpack and forecasts for a dry and warm spring and summer have spurred the Department of Ecology to declare a drought emergency for most of Washington.

Court ruling clears way for carbon storage projects on state logging lands
A timber industry group and two counties challenged a plan to set aside about 10,000 acres of trees to absorb carbon dioxide and help combat climate change.

Plans for WA’s largest wind farm slashed in half
A state energy board cut in half the largest wind project proposed in Washington on Wednesday after a yearslong and contentious planning process. Plans for the $1.7 billion Horse Heaven Hills wind farm originally included up to 222 wind turbines across 24 miles of hillsides near the Tri-Cities, plus three solar arrays covering up to 5,447 acres.

Bird flu in cattle stressing Northwest dairy operators
Some Northwest dairy farmers have experienced low milk prices, belly-high flooding, extreme heat, extreme cold events and fires in the past couple of years. Now, the challenge is highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, in cattle.

Campaign to defend Washington state's climate law raises $11 million, far outpacing opposition
A campaign focused on defending Washington’s Climate Commitment Act from repeal by voters launched Wednesday. The “No on 2117” campaign announced it has obtained more than $11 million in pledges from environmental groups, unions, tribes, and corporations.

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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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Salish Sea Mews Week in Review April 12 2024

Aloha Yuri Gagarin Friday!

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who, aboard the first successful crewed spaceflight, became the first human to journey into outer space. Travelling on Vostok 1, Gagarin completed one orbit of Earth on April 12, 1961, with his flight taking 108 minutes. (Wikipedia)

May startup of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion surprises analysts
Trans Mountain's announcement that its expanded oil pipeline would start commercial operations on May 1 has surprised analysts with an earlier-than-expected commencement on the long-delayed $34 billion project.

Feds deny Washington’s request for stricter PCB standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has denied a request from the Washington Department of Ecology to set tighter limits for harmful chemicals used in manufacturing that find their way into the state’s waterways.

Puget Sound Energy facility has violated air permit over a dozen times
The 2-year old liquified natural gas plant on the Tacoma Tideflats has been issued more than a dozen violations of the facility’s air permit by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

Rare sea turtle discovered dead on North Island
Another loggerhead sea turtle has surfaced on Vancouver Island, hundreds of kilometres north of its natural range in the open Pacific Ocean. The turtle was found dead on Friday by hikers at Nels Bight near Cape Scott on the North Island.

National limit for PFAS in drinking water affects all public wells in WA
The Environmental Protection Agency announced the first national drinking water standard for so-called “forever chemicals” Wednesday that will require testing of thousands of drinking water systems across Washington.

Surge in electricity demand spells trouble for PNW, forecasts show
Power planning forecasts in the Northwest show trouble ahead, in spiking demand for energy, transmission worries and no quick or cheap answers.

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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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