Salish Sea Communications: 2026

Friday, June 19, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review June 19 2026

Aloha, Juneteenth!

Although Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, it was not until after the war was over that slaves became free in Texas, possibly because the Proclamation could not be enforced there, or because news of the Proclamation had not been spread there. The war ended in April of 1865, but word did not reach Texas until the following month, and it was not until June that the Confederate Army in the area surrendered. On June 19th, Union General Gordon Granger read "General Order No. 3" in Galveston, which said all slaves were free. The next year freed slaves began celebrating not only the proclamation, but the freeing of all slaves in general, and gave the day the name Juneteenth.

Republican attorneys general urge EPA to classify mifepristone as water contaminant
In a letter last Friday, the state officials argued that mifepristone is “a growing threat to the country’s waterways.” A concurrent letter, led by Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, made similar claims and was signed by 18 other GOP members of Congress.

Like it or not, the ticks are advancing and Canadians will have to adapt
Researchers say climate change is the driving force behind the pests' northward push.

Another tank spilled months ago at site of Longview disaster, records show
The Longview paper mill where 11 workers died last month in a chemical tank failure was the site of another spill that Nippon Dynawave Packaging described as a “near miss” earlier this spring, according to newly released public records.

Lawmakers fight to stop the Trump administration’s dismantling of a $386M ocean observatory project
A group of Democratic senators and one Republican, as well as two Democratic House committees, sent letters Monday to the National Science Foundation asking it to reverse course on its plan to dismantle a sprawling ocean monitoring network, with House lawmakers going further and accusing the agency of acting illegally.

B.C. eyes two new hydropower dams, including Site E near Alberta border, Dix says
The British Columbia government is looking at building two new hydroelectric dams, including a fourth dam for the Peace River where the Site C project generated opposition and cost overruns.

Good News for a ‘Herd of Dinosaurs’ Under the Sea
Scientists believe ancient glass sponge reefs can grow back. If humans let them.

New calf born to endangered southern resident orcas
Researchers are still trying to determine the mother of the newborn spotted June 14 with members of L-Pod.

Weakened BLM ‘reassigns’ PIOs ahead of fire season
Public Information Officers (PIOs) and Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) are the Bureau of Land Management’s public-facing employees that disseminate important information about federal lands, including updates on wildland fire activity.

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)salish-current.org .Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

Friday, June 12, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review June 12 2026

Aloha Superman Day!
Superman was created in 1933 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, but it wasn't until 1938 that the Superman we know of today appeared, and made his debut in Action Comics #1. It was so popular that Superman got his own comic book the following year.

UVic data highlights devastation of Vancouver Island kelp forests from climate change
New research from the University of Victoria has revealed that kelp forests around Vancouver Island started disappearing far earlier than scientists previously thought.

The unexpected connection between gray whales and kelp on the Oregon Coast
Why a population of grey whales lives off the Oregon Coast year-round instead of migrating, and their unexpected connection with kelp.

A record die-off of sea stars was followed by something that stunned biologists
Six months ago, Bruce Menge’s team published exciting research – five-legged sea stars were undergoing a significant “baby boom.”

WA oyster farmers say ‘vibrocompaction’ may help control ghost shrimp
Biologists at the University of Washington have been testing equipment used in large-scale concrete pours on shrimp-filled mudflats in southwest Washington.

Tire companies race to replace deadly tire chemical
A chemical found in tires is leading to the deaths of untold numbers of coho salmon in Puget Sound every year. Chemical companies are searching for an alternative but say the unique chemistry and function of 6PPD are major challenges.

Controversial plan to kill owls is underway in WA. Here’s who’s leading the way
Two years since the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife released its barred owl management plan, only the Yakama Nation Tribe in South Central Washington has initiated barred owl management on reservation lands and is actively killing the once-protected species.

In Pursuit of a Tiny Owl Nicknamed Brad Pitt
Western screech owls are disappearing from BC. Join researchers on a tricky night mission to find out why.

State order to kill wolf in northeast Washington is canceled
Agency Director Kelly Susewind authorized staff on May 22 to kill one wolf. A week later, on May 29, he withdrew the order and moved the agency into an evaluation period.

Longview plant implosion: A moment-by-moment breakdown of disaster
Two weeks ago, a tank imploded at a Longview paper and pulp mill, releasing hundreds of thousands of gallons of caustic chemicals that killed 11 people and injured at least a dozen more.

El Nino is here and scientists fear it'll be big, bad and costly with heat, floods, droughts, fires
U.S. meteorologists say an El Nino has formed. That's the natural warming of parts of the Pacific that changes weather around the globe.

Friday, June 5, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review June 5 2026

Aloha World Environment Day!
In 1972, the first major conference on environmental issues took place. Organized by the United Nations, it was known as the Conference on the Human Environment and has also informally been known as the Stockholm Conference. Later that year, on December 15, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 2994, which created World Environment Day. The date of June 5 was chosen because that was the date that the Stockholm Conference had started on. World Environment Day was first held in 1974.

Trump Lifts Restrictions on Off-Road Vehicles on Public Lands
President Trump on Friday rescinded two decades-old executive orders that restricted off-road vehicles on public lands, in a move that could lift prohibitions on their use in most national parks.

Ksi Lisims project would increase B.C.’s greenhouse gas emissions
The Ksi Lisims LNG project, from which liquefied natural gas would be sold to a German utility under a deal announced Wednesday, would increase B.C.'s annual greenhouse gas emissions by between six and eight per cent.

Gray whales are declining at an alarming rate. Why?
So far this year, 25 gray whales have been found dead in Washington, making this year’s count the third highest in a half century, and the migration season is not over yet.

Seattle bird populations, diversity are declining, new study finds
Average bird counts across Seattle dropped by 21% from 2005 to 2023, according to a new study from Birds Connect Seattle.

Skagit County temporarily bans data centers to protect farmland, water
Data centers won’t be allowed in unincorporated Skagit County for at least the next six months, and the county will spend the time refining its development regulations around data centers in order to protect farmland and water resources.

The ‘Reckoning’ Coming for BC Logging Licences
Corporations have logged less than they’re entitled to for years. Here’s why. And what it means for the future of forestry.

Trump Administration to Dismantle Ocean Monitoring System
The $368 million network of instruments collecting data in both the Atlantic and Pacific has been critical to climate and ocean research.

Oregon petition to ban hunting and fishing moves closer to November ballot
Initiative Petition 28, led by Portland-based animal rights activists, aims to expand animal cruelty laws and criminalize injuring, breeding or killing animals except in cases of self-defense or for veterinary care, such as spaying, neutering or administering euthanasia.

Bipartisan deal restores safety board funding after Longview implosion
Congressmembers struck an eleventh-hour deal to preserve funding for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, the independent agency charged with determining what caused the catastrophic implosion at the Longview paper mill.

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)rockisland.com .Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

Friday, May 29, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review May 29 2026

Aloha Paper Clip Friday
Fastening papers together was first done in the thirteenth century. Short pieces of ribbon were put through parallel cuts that were made in the upper left-hand corners of paper. In 1835, John Ireland Howe, a New York physician, invented the machine for the mass production of straight pins. These pins were designed to be used with cloth, but people also used them to fasten paper together. At the end of the nineteenth century, steel was new and the machines used to make large quantities of paper clips were invented.

Tiny birds, and their tiny superfood, could decline due to ‘irreversible’ effects of Vancouver port expansion
A republication of a Nov. 3, 2026 feature story by Steph Kwetásel’wet Wood with new photographs by Isabelle Groc.

‘Going green now for who?’ Yakama protest clean energy project on sacred site to power data center
Supporters of the Goldendale pumped-hydro energy storage project have said it will help meet growing regional energy demand, but mounting evidence shows a large data center campus could be among the main beneficiaries of that power.

‘One of the Strongest Marine Protected Areas in the World’
Six First Nations, BC and Canada will preserve and steward a large chunk of the Central Coast. That means no pipelines.

The past, present and future of protecting Skeena salmon
Ten years ago, Indigenous leaders led allies in protecting Lelu Island. In Prince Rupert, B.C., this month, a group took a moment to celebrate, before facing the challenge of future stewardship.

Carney will give tax breaks to oil companies that capture carbon … to pump more carbon
Critics warn Canada’s plan to subsidize companies that capture pollution only to use it to produce more oil is counterproductive.

Landmark LNG deal between Canada and Germany to be announced: sources
Deal will see Ksi Lisims LNG in northwestern B.C. sell 1 million metric tonnes per year to German buyer.

Friday, May 22, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review May 22 2026

Aloha Sherlock Holmes Day!

Sherlock Holmes Day celebrates Sherlock Holmes and the author who created him, Arthur Conan Doyle, who was born on today's date in 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Sherlock Holmes and his assistant, Watson, were introduced in the novel A Study in Scarlet, which first appeared in Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887. It was with this novel that Doyle's writing career finally began taking off. Sherlock Holmes, a "consulting detective" who pursued criminals in London, around England, and throughout Europe, has endured as perhaps the most noteworthy detective character of all time.

High fuel costs are testing Washington and Oregon's fishing industry
To find salmon, Oregon fisherman Jesse Coon has to travel miles offshore, searching for dense shoals and burning lots of fuel. It’s still early in the season, and it's hard to know how good the fishing will be. Since the war in Iran began in late February, diesel costs have surged, cutting thousands of dollars from already thin margins.

Whale washed ashore on Whidbey is 19th this year, marks ‘decimation’ of population
On May 13, a deceased 39-foot gray whale washed ashore at West Beach County Park in Oak Harbor around midday. The male is the 19th dead gray whale to wash ashore in the state this year, already surpassing last year’s tragic toll.

Where does the water go? Nooksack River flood recovery is complicated
Smaller cities like Sumas and its neighbor Everson want to increase the river’s capacity. But doing so could risk sending more water to downstream communities like Lummi Nation.

Washington DNR asks for grace this camping season amid budget cuts
The budget for the DNR’s recreation program was cut by over 20% in 2025 — and this year, another $580,000 of maintenance funding was eliminated. All told, the program has seen $8 million of cuts in less than two years.

E.P.A. to End Some Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
The Trump administration announced Monday that it will drop some limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water that officials had determined can cause cancer and other serious health problems — angering some key activists who had supported President Trump’s campaign.

E.P.A. Clears a Weedkiller, Saying It Won’t Push Species to Extinction
The finding effectively paves the way for continued use of atrazine, a widely used herbicide that has been linked to birth defects and cancer in humans.

Ottawa proposes $164M in whale protection funding for B.C. coast
Ottawa says it has proposed spending about $164 million to protect whales and their habitat off British Columbia, including working with B.C. Ferries to reduce underwater vessel noise by half.

Super Cool: Alaska Cruise Line Experiments with new Fuel
The newest cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises is the first oceangoing vessel to be refueled in Seattle with liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Friday, May 15, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review May 15 2026

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." The day is for learning why it's important to protect endangered species, for learning how to take part in protection efforts, and for celebrating species that have recovered as a result of these efforts.

Washington tribe seeks control of Dungeness Spit refuge
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is pushing for federal legislation to take over the Dungeness and Protection Island national wildlife refuges.

Feds Won’t Recommit to the BC Salmon Farm Ban
As lobbying intensifies, the Carney government is ‘considering how it can best move sustainable aquaculture forward.’

Trump is lifting restrictions on hunting in national parks, refuges and wilderness areas
President Donald Trump's administration is pushing federal land management officials to lift restrictions on hunting and trapping in national parks, refuges and wilderness areas.

As drought worsens, Western states brace for wildfires, water shortages
This year, Western states are heading into the summer with a desperately low balance — threatening wildfires, drinking water, crops, electricity and more.

WA public lands agency confronts operating cash crunch, as logging revenue lags
A key account is expected to have a deficit by June. Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove argues his decision to set aside some older forests is not to blame.

$4B Seattle City Light hydropower deal gets Mayor Wilson’s signature
Mayor Katie Wilson signed a historic $4 billion agreement Tuesday, marking a turning point in Seattle’s hydropower operations on the Skagit River. It lays out a road map over the next half-century, including investments in salmon passage, habitat and cultural resources.

What do Chinook salmon eat? BC anglers and scientists map the Salish Sea food chain
The Adult Salmon Diet Program, led by UVic biologist and Liber Ero Chair for Fisheries Research Francis Juanes and PSF biologist Will Duguid, is a citizen science initiative that analyzes the stomach contents of adult Chinook salmon caught by recreational anglers.

Fish take a spin at Cle Elum Dam’s spiral helix
The Yakima River Basin project aims to provide gentler and more adaptable fish passage as snowpack melts and the climate warms.

Fundraising effort saves patch of state-managed forest in western WA from logging
Environmental activists have raised the $32,000 needed to spare the trees surrounding a campground on the northern end of the Olympic Peninsula from logging. The Elwha Legacy Forests Coalition paid Webster Logging to halt the cutting of a two-acre state-managed parcel around the Sadie Creek campground.

Friday, April 24, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review April 24 2026

Aloha Arbor Day
Many holidays commemorate some event from the past, but National Arbor Day is about investing in the future. It focuses on the care and preservation of existing trees, as well as on the planting of new ones. The holiday's name comes from the Latin word arbor, which means tree. In 1594, the mayor of the Spanish village of Mondoñedo organized a tree-planting festival—the first festival of its kind. Another Spanish village, Villanueva de la Sierra, held the first Arbor Day in 1805.

Can Nature Help Solve the Flood Threat Humans Created?
Constraining the Nooksack has had devastating, costly results. US officials aim to give it more space to flow.

B.C. government pulls back on DRIPA suspension again amid First Nations opposition
Province walked back proposed amendments to the law again after public appeal from First Nations leaders.

UW prof in political storm as Trump targets national weather lab
An expert on extreme weather, Shuyi Chen currently chairs the academic nonprofit that manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research. That means she and like-minded scientists are now in a battle with President Donald Trump.

Ex-consultants now drafting B.C. mine permit they once promoted
Former consultants helped advance the massive KSM mine in the private sector. Metadata shows they are now drafting its permit from inside the B.C. government.

Parasite found in Western WA coyotes puts dogs and humans at risk
A new study by a team of University of Washington researchers recently has revealed that over one-third of the coyotes studied across Western Washington carry a deadly tapeworm that can be transmitted to pets and, in some cases, to humans.

Tending to Paradise
A rare prairie ecosystem shaped by humans in Washington State exemplifies a shift in how conservationists envision our relationship with the natural world.

The Forest Quietly Removed from BC’s Old-Growth Deferral List
Most of Vancouver Island has been logged. Now, one of the last ancient forests, in the Tsitika River watershed, is on the chopping block.

BP refinery incident being inspected by state labor and air agencies
The industrial accident at BP Cherry Point Refinery in Blaine on Saturday, April 18, is being inspected by multiple agencies, including the Northwest Clean Air Agency and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

Trump canceled the National Nature Assessment. Scientists will publish it anyway
Now independent and rebranded as The Nature Record, the assessment was first launched through an executive order signed by then-President Biden in Seattle.

WA wolf numbers jump after slight decline
Washington’s wolf population grew by 17% last year, resuming an upward trend following a momentary decline in 2024. At the end of 2025, Washington had an estimated minimum wolf population of 270 individual animals living in 49 packs with 23 breeding pairs.

Friday, April 17, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review April 17 2026

Aloha Haiku Poetry Day!

Haiku is a Japanese verse form most often composed, in English versions, of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. A haiku often features an image, or a pair of images, meant to depict the essence of a specific moment in time. (Poetry Foundation)

Every tire produces a chemical that kills coho salmon. Can scientists pump the brakes?
6PPD-quinone, a chemical produced by tires to protect rubber from degrading, is highly toxic to fish and other aquatic animals, even in microscopic doses. Placing a single drop of the chemical in an Olympic swimming pool would kill at least half of the coho salmon in that pool.

Trump approves disaster declaration for WA flooding
President Donald Trump has approved opening up federal funding to deal with the aftermath of historic flooding that hit Washington in December, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday. The much-anticipated decision makes money available for individuals, nonprofits and state, tribal and local governments.

The Climate Commitment Act Five Years Later
This week, ahead of Earth Day, we’re focusing on stories about the environment, starting with a look at how Washington’s Climate Commitment Act is playing out 5 years after it was created. The law aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing companies to buy into a cap-and-invest auction system.

NDP government to pause DRIPA amendments amid caucus divisions
The NDP government is pumping the brakes on its plan to suspend sections of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, as a growing number of NDP MLAs were concerned with the proposed changes.

Bessent Questions the Cause of Climate Change and Its Economic Toll
The Treasury secretary said it is “difficult to deconstruct” the reasons for global warming, which he described as a belief of the “elite.”

Can one of the most endangered grizzly bear populations on the continent be brought back?
In the cross-border North Cascades mountain range, First Nations in B.C. are working to restore an ecological and cultural relationship with grizzlies.

Vancouver approves 250-room floating hotel in Coal Harbour
Sunborn Group and local seaplane terminal Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, received approval from the Vancouver City Council to build a low-carbon vessel with 250 hotel rooms and 200 new jobs in Coal Harbor.

BC’s Toxic Drug Crisis Hits a Grim 10-Year Anniversary
More than 18,000 British Columbians have been killed and there’s no end in sight.

Friday, April 10, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review April 10 2026

Aloha ASPCA Day!
The American Society For the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the first animal welfare organization of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, was created on April 10, 1866. It works with shelters and humane societies across the country, with the mission of preventing cruelty to animals. Its founder, Henry Bergh, was inspired to create the organization after seeing a carthorse being beaten by its drivers.

A gray whale that swam 20 miles up a Washington state river is found dead
A juvenile gray whale that amazed Washington state residents after it swam 20 miles up a small river was found dead, and an official with a marine mammal research group suspects hunger may have driven the whale to new hunting grounds as the species’ population declines. The whale was discovered Saturday near Raymond, Washington, in the Willapa River, which feeds into the ocean at Willapa Bay.

Your ‘widely recyclable’ Starbucks cup is still trash
Just because a product can be collected for recycling doesn’t mean it actually gets recycled. To imply otherwise is to conflate two very different numbers: the access rate and the real recycling rate. There’s not much evidence to suggest that the recycling rate for plastic cups is above 1 or 2 percent.

Seattle reaches $4B deal to keep Skagit River dams, truck salmon
The Seattle City Council approved a landmark $4 billion agreement Tuesday laying out a road map for the city’s next half-century of hydropower on the Skagit River.

Federal government puts out $412.9M to renew Pacific Salmon Initiative
The federal government is spending $412.9 million over five years to renew the Pacific Salmon Strategy in a plan to protect and rebuild wild populations.

Statewide drought declared due to dismal snowpack
After a warm winter left Washington’s mountains largely bare this spring, the Washington Department of Ecology issued a statewide emergency drought declaration as projected water supplies are likely to fall far short of the state’s summer demand.

Why are you mostly being sold Alaska-caught salmon in British Columbia?
Many critics argue Alaska takes too many salmon and is harming populations — but it’s easier to find Alaska-caught fish in B.C. stores and Alaskan salmon fisheries have global sustainability certification that B.C. salmon fisheries don’t.

Friday, April 3, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review April 3 2026

Aloha Cellphone Day
On April 3, 1973 Motorola engineer Martin Cooper made a phone call from a New York City sidewalk to his rival Dr. Joel Engel at Bell Laboratories to tell him he was calling from a real cellular telephone - a handheld unit. The prototype was the size of a brick, weighed about 2 1/2 pounds, and had a battery life of only 20 minutes.

Why pink salmon are climate winners
Humpies, or pink salmon, are among the world’s so-called climate winners. About 8 million were forecast to return to Puget Sound watersheds last fall.

Arctic sea ice hits lowest winter level as unprecedented heat hits smashes records all over Earth
Vital Arctic sea ice shrank to tie its lowest measured level for the winter, the season when ice grows, as a warming Earth shattered records across the continents.

El Niño, marine heat will likely make Washington's warm year even warmer
This winter has been one of Washington’s warmest and driest on record. Despite the wet weather we have experienced recently, the state’s snow pack remains much lower than normal. And climate observers say conditions are likely to get worse.

U.S. could exempt oil industry from protecting Gulf animals, for 'national security'
National security has never been used to call a meeting of the "God Squad." But other federal agencies have been citing the "energy emergency" to avoid rules meant to protect endangered animals.

Trump’s Iran war and drilling push show ‘dangerous volatility’ of fossil fuel era
Critics say president is locking into 20th-century energy systems even as his ‘bet’ on oil and gas ‘isn’t going so well’

Millions of pounds of trash. Is there hope for Tacoma’s litter problem?
More than 26 million pounds of litter end up on Washington roadways every year, see some of the weirdest.

Whatcom County hearing examiner halts Ferndale Terminal expansion
The Whatcom County Hearing Examiner has sided with a coalition of environmental groups in ruling that the county must conduct analyses of the expansion of the ALA Energy Ferndale Terminal before any projects can continue.

Amazon to pay $20.5 million settlement over Oregon nitrate pollution
Tech giant Amazon will pay $20.5 million to settle with northeast Oregonians living with contaminated groundwater in exchange for no admission of guilt in the polluting.

Policies meant to limit air pollution allow toxic dumping in Salish Sea
Washington state is facing a conundrum on the open water. A tool to reduce air pollution from ships can result in water pollution. And a proposal to untangle that paradox ran aground this winter in the Washington Legislature for the second year in a row.

Friday, March 27, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 27 2026

Aloha M.C. Escher Day

Maurits Cornelis (M.C.) Escher, who died on this day in 1972 at the age of 74, was a Dutch graphic artist who created mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints. His work is known for its optical illusions, impossible architecture, and paradoxical patterns. (Wikipedia)

New study finds artificial turf fields in Metro Vancouver releasing chemicals harmful to salmon
A new study from the University of British Columbia is raising concerns about the environmental impact of artificial turf fields across Metro Vancouver, which, it says, is leaching a chemical that’s deadly to coho salmon.

WA, Trump administration standoff continues in fight over coal plant
The U.S. Department of Energy renewed an emergency order this week directing the state’s last coal power plant to remain available for operation, continuing a legal fight between the Trump administration and state leaders.

Environment and climate bills that passed and failed in WA’s legislative session
What passed, what didn't in this past legislative session.

At 90, David Suzuki says he has done everything he could to protect the Earth, but fears he has fallen short
The iconic Canadian environmentalist says it may be too late for humanity to stop the worst of climate change.

Why a Seattle cement plant burns a million tires a year and wants to burn more
For anyone crossing the Duwamish River on the West Seattle bridge, the Ash Grove Cement plant is hard to miss. Every day, to heat that kiln and turn limestone into “clinker,” a key ingredient of cement, the plant burns natural gas and thousands of old tires for fuel.

Reflecting on the legacy of the last orca capture in Washington state, 50 years later
Ellie Kinley is a mother, fisherman, and a member of the Lummi Nation in the Bellingham area reflects on the orca captures 50 years later.

Meet the Nisqually bullfrog man. Refuge hires pro to take out invasive amphibian
The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge been raided by American bullfrogs, an invasive species not native to the area. Jamie Buchanan is a professional bullfrog hunter.

Amazon and Walmart fined for selling banned refrigerant in WA
Retail giants Amazon and Walmart are collectively facing over a million dollars in environmental fines from Washington state’s Department of Ecology for selling coolant products that contain potent greenhouse gases.

Supreme Court denies Chinook petition for federal recognition
Though the U.S. Supreme Court denied to review the Chinook Indian Nation’s case seeking federal recognition, the nation vows to continue the over a century-long fight, looking toward Congress for next steps.

Friday, March 20, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 20 2016

Aloha First Day of Spring

The First Day of Spring, also known as the Vernal Equinox or Spring Equinox, takes place when the Sun crosses the celestial equator—an imaginary line in the sky directly above the Earth's equator—from south to the north. Spring is associated with rebirth, regrowth, and renewal. Plants spring from the ground—which gives the season its name—and blossom. Animals become more active and temperatures begin to warm.

Panel appointed to map B.C.'s old-growth forests say province is failing to save them
Every member of a former panel the British Columbia government appointed to identify old-growth for potential protection in 2021 now say they're concerned about continued logging in those same rare and "irreplaceable" forests.

A new plan is afoot to log Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
One of the most visited national forests in the country is the site of a proposed forest-thinning project that conservation groups fear could give a green light to logging over a vast but loosely defined area.

Trump administration orders restart of California offshore oil operations
The Trump administration on Friday directed Sable Offshore to restart its operations of the Santa Ynez Unit and Santa Ynez Pipeline System off the coast of California.

Industrial chemicals have reached the middle of the ocean, new study shows
New research shows the chemicals we use to kill pests, heal our bodies and package our foods are spread throughout the ocean, intermingling with the microorganisms that feed marine life. They’ve reached even the most distant and remote places on the planet.

When We Revive Buried Urban Creeks, What Can Happen?
Spurred by advocates, Vancouver has ‘daylighted’ some paved-over waterways. Ducks, and people, are flocking.

Seattle’s Only River Comes Alive Again
How one of the largest cities in Salmon Nation has restored the Duwamish River over the past three decades — community-first and one mucky step at a time.

Fewer fish in West Coast waters will be federally regulated
The Pacific Fishery Management Council voted this month to loosen regulations on eight groundfish stocks in Washington and Oregon, after doing the same for 39 stocks last year.

.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)salish-current.org .Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 13 2026

Aloha Uranus Day!
William Herschel first observed Uranus on 13 March 1781, leading to its discovery as a planet, expanding the known boundaries of the Solar System for the first time in history and making Uranus the first planet classified as such with the aid of a telescope. The discovery of Uranus also effectively doubled the size of the known Solar System because Uranus is around twice as far from the Sun as the planet Saturn.

State adjusts strategy to address low-oxygen levels in Puget Sound
The Washington State Department of Ecology is responding to new legal rulings and public concerns with changes in planning and potentially future enforcement. In January, the agency decided to abandon its “nutrient general permit,” originally designed to control nitrogen releases from sewage-treatment plants throughout Puget Sound.

Republicans target public lands protections in a new way
Over the past year, GOP leaders and the Trump administration have used a law known as the Congressional Review Act to push for coal mining in Montana, oil drilling in Alaska and copper mining in Minnesota, while also attempting to reverse protections for a national monument in Utah. The rarely used act gives Congress a few months to revoke new federal regulations. Only in the past year has it ever been used to overrule land management plans.

3 unidentified orcas spotted in Vancouver Harbour never before documented in B.C.
Experts say the unfamiliar whales could belong to a rarely seen killer whale population from the high seas.

A marmot puppet is the star of Washington’s new anti-littering campaign, asking people to think before they toss their trashThe star of Washington’s new “We Keep Washington Litter Free” campaign is a marmot puppet who’s reminding people to think before they throw trash out of their car or don’t secure their loads – and let debris fly out the back of trucks.

Nearly 40% of California produce contains PFAS pesticides, report finds
A new report shows that nearly 40% of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables tested by California regulators have residues of “forever” or PFAS chemicals, a family of compounds that can be lasting and harmful.

Port of Tacoma sues to recoup $10M for cleanup of ‘toxic legacies’ at 2 parcels
The Port of Tacoma is seeking to recoup millions of dollars in environmental cleanup costs over previous industrial contamination at sites the port acquired from PQ Corp. in 2008 for more than $8.5 million.

Oregon finds a new way to fund wildlife conservation—tax tourists
The new law will raise the state’s lodging tax from 1.5% to 2.75%, which supporters call a modest increase in a state tax that’ll amount to a substantial chunk of money: an estimated $37 million annually. Most of that money will go toward Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife efforts to conserve habitat for species ranging from puffins to bats to frogs.

Thursday, March 5, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review March 6 2026

Aloha Oreo Cookie Friday!
Oreos were created by Nabisco and first sold on March 6, 1912 by grocer S.C. Thuesen in Hoboken, New Jersey. Nabisco applied for a trademark on March 14, 1912, and received it on August 12, 1913. The current design of the cookie has been in place since 1952.The cream used today was created by Sam Procello, who was Nabisco's principal scientist, known as "Mr. Oreo."

Japanese-beetle pesticide spraying coming to south King County
In a first for western Washington, the Washington State Department of Agriculture aims to spray up to 2,000 properties, covering about 1,000 acres of lawn in south King County, starting in late March.

Plenty opposed to Washington environmental crimes bill
A parade of union officials, industry association leaders and representatives of landowners and fisheries appeared at a Washington state legislative hearing to oppose a bill, SB5360, that would attach criminal penalties to environmental violations. [The bill died this week.]

Microsoft urges major changes to Washington data center regulations as bill nears final vote
After weeks on the sidelines, Microsoft publicly declared its opposition to a controversial state bill that aims to rein in the environmental and economic impacts of the massive data centers powering the AI boom. [The bill died this week.]

B.C. to end time changes, adopt year-round daylight time
March 8 will be the last time most British Columbians have to change their clocks, premier announces.

From Vancouver Island to Howe Sound, spawning herring hit B.C.'s waters
The B.C. coastline is on the verge of one of its biggest natural events of the year: the annual herring spawn.

‘No reason on earth’ to log endangered Canadian rainforest: scientist
Forestry companies hold licences to log in Canada’s inland temperate rainforest, home to endangered caribou and rare lichens. That makes a proposal for a new provincial park more urgent than ever.

Hummingbird Hill in Metchosin to be a bird sanctuary, research centre
The 21-hectare Hummingbird Hill will serve as the Rocky Point Bird Observatory headquarters.

Canada signs Aboriginal rights, fishing and marine management agreements with Musqueam
The federal government has released details of recent agreements with the Musqueam Indian Band recognizing Aboriginal title over an area potentially covering much of Metro Vancouver. The agreements do not have any effect on privately owned land, according to the government.

The sea is higher than we thought and millions more are at risk, study finds
Climate change’s rising seas may threaten tens of millions more people than scientists and government planners originally thought because of mistaken research assumptions on how high coastal waters already are, a new study said.

Seattle City Light proposes $4 billion for Skagit River hydropower dams
Seattle City Light, the city’s electric utility, has agreed to commit about $4 billion to continue to operate its hydropower dams on the Skagit River over the next 50 years.

Friday, February 27, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review February 27 2026

Aloha Polar Bear Friday
The polar bear is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore by body mass, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg. (Wikipedia)

Trump administration eases limits on coal plants for emitting mercury, other toxins
The Environmental Protection Agency last Friday weakened limits on mercury and other toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants, the Trump administration’s latest effort to boost the fossil fuel industry by paring back clean air and water rules.

Feds propose opening millions of acres of western Oregon forests to 1960s logging levels
The Bureau of Land Management on Thursday shared in a notice of intent that officials will propose new updates to the Western Oregon Resource Management Plans that have governed logging and conservation on 2.5 million acres of forests in 17 Oregon counties for decades, and that were last updated in 2016.

Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission denies petition to alter Dungeness crabbing rules
With whale entanglements on the rise, last December, a petition to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission recommended a suite of sweeping new deployment and equipment rules intended to prevent whale entanglements.

B.C. moves at ‘warp speed’ to change landmark Indigenous Rights law
B.C. plans to amend the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act by June. Opposition is growing — will the government listen?

WA proposes tighter rules on harvesting shellfish, including geoducks
The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing to increase the minimum harvest size for cockles from one and half inches to two and a half, decrease the limit of geoducks that can be gathered daily from three to one and modify harvesting seasons for certain beaches.

Supreme Court agrees to hear from oil and gas companies trying to block climate change lawsuits
The Supreme Court said Monday that it will hear from oil and gas companies trying to block lawsuits seeking to hold the industry liable for billions of dollars in damage linked to climate change.

First signs of herring spawn spark excitement on Vancouver Island
The herring spawn attracts wildlife and onlookers to witness an increase in marine activity.

Vancouver port applies to dredge Burrard Inlet this year to fuel oil exports
An application to federal authorities contemplates deepening a navigational channel starting in September 2026. Stefan Labbé reports. (BIV)

Conservation Enters a New Era
One year after the Trump administration slashed biodiversity protections at home and abroad, people and organizations are figuring out where to go from here. A four-part series. (bioGraphic)

Judge orders protective measures for Columbia River salmon after Trump canceled historic deal
A federal judge in Oregon has ordered dams that operate on the Columbia and Snake rivers to generate less hydropower and allow more water to pass in an effort to keep salmon populations from dying out.

Bird Flu Strikes California Elephant Seals for the First Time
Thirty seals, primarily weaned pups, have died since late last week, scientists said.

Friday, February 20, 2026

Salish Sea News Week in Review February 20 2026

Aloha Muffin Day!
National Muffin Day is observed not as a food holiday about consuming but as a day about giving back to communities. Each year people around the world bake muffins, with some organizing big baking parties. Known as Muffinteers, handing the muffins out to people experiencing homelessness and donating to a homelessness cause. The organizers of the day incentivize participation by donating to homeless causes for each person who bakes and gives. They suggest that people "give a dozen," meaning they give to a charity in $12 increments to symbolize the twelve muffins of a muffin tin.

As U.S. abandons climate fight, Washington state feels the heat to do more
Washington state’s push for a rapid switch to electric vehicles is in jeopardy— with its ultimate fate likely to be decided in the courts.

Trump budget maintains many Columbia River salmon, environment programs — despite dramatic proposed cuts
Columbia River salmon recovery programs fared better in the 2026 federal budget than tribes, advocates, bureaucrats and biologists feared.

Feds launch whale-safe fishing gear strategy to try to prevent entanglements
Entanglement is a top threat for all large baleen whales on Canada’s coasts, including humpbacks, minke, blue and fin whales.

Should 600-year-old oaks be cut down in Tacoma for a new storage facility?
The trees at 3802 S. 74th St. will be cut down if the city of Tacoma approves the landowner’s permits to build a new self-storage facility on the one-acre, triangular site.

Bayer agrees to $7.25 billion proposed settlement over thousands of Roundup cancer lawsuits
Agrochemical maker Bayer and attorneys for cancer patients announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement Tuesday to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn people that its popular weedkiller Roundup could cause cancer.

WA climate funds needed to plug huge budget gap, lawmaker says
Lawmakers can’t find a better way to fill part of Washington’s perennial budget gap than by dipping into the billions raised by the state’s Climate Commitment Act.

New Southern Resident orca calf spotted in L pod
The Center for Whale Research spotted a new Southern Resident orca calf traveling with L pod on Feb. 16 in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Designated L129, the calf was seen with two females, the 49‑year‑old L55 and her daughter L103. Researchers said it is too early to know which whale is the mother.

Lawsuits challenge renewed push for oil drilling in Alaska petroleum reserve and upcoming lease sale
Conservation organizations and an Iñupiat group filed legal challenges Tuesday to the Trump administration’s renewed push for oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and an upcoming lease sale that they say improperly makes available ecologically sensitive lands that have been long protected.