Commissioners may reluctantly approve fish farming

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Our elected officials are being told to approve it ‘or else’. The outright threat of throwing out the hard work of this county over 6 years by the Department of Ecology is just outrageous. If you want to do something about it, make a call to the governors’ office for the replacement of Mr. Sturdevant at the State Department of Ecology.

Jefferson County commissioners will consider approval today of a letter to the state Department of Ecology that reluctantly agrees to permitting net pen aquaculture under conditional use permits. The three commissioners will discuss, and possibly approve, the letter proposed by county staff during today’s 1:30 p.m. county manager briefing session in commissioners’ chambers at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Fish farming is the last sticking point in state approval of the county’s update of its shoreline master program.

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120924/news/309249995/0/SEARCH

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Treaty Tribes release the State of Our Watersheds Report – NW Indian Fisheries Commission

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Al Bergstein

If you are into protecting the environment, here’s a good read. In some ways, a good compliment to the Puget Sound Partnership’s “State of the Sound” report

Ongoing damage and destruction of salmon habitat is resulting in the steady decline of salmon populations across western Washington, leading to the failure of salmon recovery and threatening tribal treaty rights, according to a report released today by the treaty Indian tribes.

http://nwifc.org/2012/09/treaty-tribes-release-the-state-of-our-watersheds-report/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nwifc+%28NWIFC+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

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Review of science lets people off the hook for Hood Canal fish kills – Seattle Times

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Al Bergstein

The difference between this piece and Chris Dunagan’s piece yesterday, is that this points out more issues about the septic issues. As someone who lobbied in Olympia to put the monitoring and upgrading of septic systems in place to protect against the fish kills, the *lack of definitive science studies on this issue* was the reason we were pushing to get something done immediately by making sure the septic systems weren’t root cause. As mentioned in the article below, the fish kills of the last decade were unprecedented, regardless if the Oxygen levels have been shown to be bad in the past. Now that we have the data, we can tune the regulations to match the science. It proves, once again, that while science is expensive, making assumptions based on best guesses is also expensive, and ultimately angers the voting public. There are not a lot of extensive long term studies on the Sound. The Puget Sound Partnership needs to get even more studies underway, to make sure that policy decisions are based on accurate underlying data, and not best guesses. We saw a similar situation happen because of a lack of studies of the beaches under geoduck farms. Environmental groups called for a go slow policy on geoduck farm licensing, because the data was lacking. Now that the data is in, it shows that the long term effects are not as serious as many believed. Whether the size of farms running over decades and thousands of acres can be destructive to an ecosystem is certainly a valid question, but the Sea Doc study seemed to show that concern for the beaches in smaller farms is not the issue that it once was. Or did I misread that study?

In case you missed Christopher Dunagan’s account yesterday of the Hood Canal study, here’s Craig Welch’s report: The most comprehensive review ever of existing research on Hood Canal has concluded that septic systems aren’t a leading cause of the massive fish kills that have hit the hooked fjord over the years.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019193768_hoodcanal19m.html

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Candidate Meet and Greet–Tom Bjorgen–Sequim/PA–October 4th and 5th

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Come out to meet Tom Bjorgen, Judicial Candidate for Court of Appeals, District 2. (much of the Olympic Peninsula).

Tom Bjorgen believes, "All deserve justice, no matter who they are, whom they know, or how much money they have. Judges must decide based on the law, not politics or special interests."

Tom  will be available to meet and answer questions on the following dates:

Sequim on Thursday, October 4 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM in the Sequim Library meeting room

Port Angeles -  Friday, October 5 from 4 PM – 6 PM in the Port Angeles Library’s Carver Meeting Room.

This will be the public’s chance to learn more about this candidate and about the role the Court of Appeals has applying law. This court rules on appeal cases from Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason and Thurston Counties.

Bjorgen has been awarded several of the highest attorney ratings by legal organizations. Martindale Hubbell, the leading national attorney rating service, awarded him its highest rating, AV Preeminent. The Washington Women Lawyers rated him as Exceptionally Well Qualified for this position, its top rating. He also won the preference poll of the Kitsap Bar Association for this race.

He has also been endorsed by many judges and by public officials from both political parties. Among his many judicial endorsements are three former Chief Justices of the state Supreme Court, Gerry Alexander, Phil Talmadge and Robert Utter. David Armstrong, the judge who is retiring from the Appeals Court position Bjorgen seeks, endorsed Bjorgen as the most qualified candidate for the position.

Ralph Munro, former Washington Secretary of State has also endorsed him.

Tom Bjorgen has been practicing law for over 30 years in WA State.

His first legal work was as an Assistant Attorney General for Washington State. In this position he wrote briefs for the State in three cases that went to the U.S. Supreme Court, and argued cases in the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, federal district court and the state Supreme Court. He also advised and represented numerous state agencies while an Assistant Attorney General.

He next served as a Thurston County Senior Deputy Prosecutor, representing that County in land use law and other fields. In this position Bjorgen received the President’s Award of Merit from the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

Since 1999, Bjorgen has been a partner in the Olympia law firm Bjorgen Bauer Pitman Bauer, where he has argued cases in the state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Superior Court, and administrative agencies. The clients he represented have been individuals, nonprofits, businesses and municipalities. He has also served as Hearing Examiner for Olympia, DuPont and Thurston County, as well as General Counsel for Intercity Transit and as a mediator, helping people resolve disputes without going to court. In addition, he has served on the land use section of the Washington State Bar Association and helped establish the Volunteer Legal Clinic in Olympia.

Bjorgen’s community service includes being a member of the board of directors on a number of nonprofits and volunteering with numerous charitable activities including food banks. He has also donated many hours of pro bono legal services for nonprofits and individuals.

For more background on this candidate, visit his web site:

http://www.BjorgenforJudge.com

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Public can comment on Navy’s magnetic signature range proposal – Kitsap Sun

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Al Bergstein

The militarization of the Hood Canal continues…no stopping the Navy when it wants something. Hope all you fishermen and sailors will be content to have yourselves harassed by Coast Guard vessels as you fish and sail the Canal in years to come. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

A draft environmental assessment of the Navy’s proposed Hood Canal electronic measurement ranging system has been published. It describes the proposed project, its purpose and need, and identifies alternatives to be analyzed. The range would measure the electromagnetic signature of the area’s submarines. Magnetic signatures can build up and be detected by planes and ships. The signatures must be reset occasionally at a magnetic silencing facility by exposing the boat to high electrical currents. Subs must now go to San Diego or Hawaii to be measured. The draft document can be viewed at

https://portal.navfac.navy.mil/portal/page/portal/navfac/navfac_ww_pp/navfac_efanw_pp. Comments can be made until Sept. 28 at http://www.emmrea.com.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/17/public-can-comment-on-navys-magnetic-signature/

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County moves ahead with PT Bay, Mystery Bay ‘no anchor’ zone plans – PT Leader

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Al Bergstein

The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners has moved forward management plans for Mystery Bay and South Port Townsend Bay. After Sept. 10 public hearings on the plans, the board directed staff to create resolutions to appear on a future agenda for approval.

http://ptleader.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=32140&SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55

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Report: No conclusive blame of humans for canal oxygen levels – Kitsap Sun

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Human sources of nitrogen no doubt contribute to low-oxygen problems in Southern Hood Canal, but federal and state officials say they will need more precise information before taking action under the Clean Water Act. Other actions to reduce pollution and nutrients in Hood Canal — some voluntary and some regulatory — remain under discussion by the Hood Canal Coordinating Council, which includes county and tribal officials. A new report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Washington Department of Ecology concludes that existing studies fail to show conclusively that nitrogen from septic systems, fertilizers and other human sources have caused Hood Canal’s oxygen levels to drop by 0.2 milligrams per liter — the threshold for legal enforcement. Chris Dunagan reports.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/17/natural-trends-noted-in-hood-canal-oxygen-levels/http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/17/natural-trends-noted-in-hood-canal-oxygen-levels/

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Hood Canal beaches reopen to recreational shellfish harvesting – PDN and others Hood Canal beaches reopen to recreational shellfish harvesting

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Hood Canal from Seal Rock south to the Mason County line has reopened for recreational shellfishing. Levels of the marine biotoxin that causes diarrhetic shellfish poisoning — or DSP — are currently below the recreational closure level, according to the Jefferson County Public Health Department. Many of East Jefferson County beaches were closed in July because of elevated levels of DSP as well as the more potentially serious paralytic shellfish poisoning — or PSP. Many remain closed by the state Department of Health because of marine biotoxin levels, with PSP the primary biotoxin of concern.

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120916/news/309169996/hood-canal-beaches-reopen-to-recreational-shellfish-harvesting

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What a difference a year makes: Elwha River dam removals ahead of schedule as project reaches first anniversary – PDN

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Al Bergstein

One behemoth has been felled, with one left to go. Although the monolithic Elwha River Dam, which towered 108 feet over the Lower Elwha River Valley for nearly 100 years, has been demolished, work still remains on the once-210-foot-tall Glines Canyon Dam. And a year after removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams commenced, restoration of the Elwha River is ahead of schedule — perhaps by as much as 18 months — and exceeding expectations on several fronts. Rob Ollikainen and Jeremy Schwartz report.

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120916/NEWS/309169984/what-a-difference-a-year-makes-elwha-river-dam-removals-ahead-of

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In the Bowels of the City, Blocking Wastewater Overflows – NY Times

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Al Bergstein

The New York Times today reports of a new method of slowing combined sewer overflow. Given the expensive and earthquake prone methods that Port Angeles is currently proposing, this seems like an interesting alternative.

It happens dozens of times a year, undermining water quality, closing beaches and endangering aquatic life: Hit by major rainfall, New York’s sewers release raw sewage and polluted storm water into New York Harbor. These “overflow events” account for an estimated 27 billion gallons of pollutants annually in the city’s waters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/nyregion/in-bowels-of-new-york-city-inflatable-dams-help-block-wastewater-overflow.html

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Biochar presentation. What’s that? Sept 26th 3:30 to 5 PM

Posted on September 15, 2012 by Al Bergstein

For immediate release
Contact: Darcy McNamara: darcym@wsu.edu or 360/379-5610 x222

Biochar: A New Way to Cleaner Water

Howard Sprouse is the guest speaker at a presentation on “biochar” a material that has exciting applications for removing pollution from water. The free presentation, which will begin with an overview of low impact development techniques, will be held on Wednesday, September 26 at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Avenue, in Port Hadlock from 3:30 to 5pm.

Participants will learn what biochar is, how it is made, costs involved and how it could be used to improve water quality. Industry and development professionals including engineers, landscaper designers, builders, contractors, developers, architects, environmental consultants and farmers are encouraged to attend. The free presentation is open to the public and is hosted by WSU Jefferson County Extension with support from the Watershed Stewardship Resource Center.

Biochar is a charcoal-like material that can be used as a soil amendment to raise the fertility of the soil to enhance plant growth. It is now being studied for the potential it has to remove contaminants from water. Sprouse and others at WSU Extension are studying the potential use of biochar to remove pollutants from stormwater including copper, cadmium and lead.

About the presenter:
Howard Sprouse is the President and CEO of the Remediators, Inc., a developer of bioremediation technologies since the mid 1990s. Mr. Sprouse previously worked as a consultant for Battelle’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim, Washington assisting with the development of mycoremediation technology. His work there assisted projects aimed towards remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons, biological agents, pathogen degradation, and biofiltration of agricultural runoff. Mr. Sprouse has also worked for the Department of Botany, University of Washington, as a research assistant for fungal ecology research in Olympic National Park. He is recognized in the bioremediation industry as the first to commercialize mycoremediation technology in the United States and as a developer of technology using biochar. His business, The Remediators Incorporated is located in Washington State where they do a variety of environmental based services.

For more information, please contact Darcy McNamara, LID and Natural Resources Educator at darcym@wsu.edu or 360/379-5610 x222.

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KPTZ.ORG 12:05 Friday: A no holds barred discussion of what the end of People For Puget Sound means to the Olympic Peninsula.

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Al Bergstein

OK folks. I’ve agreed to an exclusive for KPTZ.org.  Friday. Noon. On KPTZ 91.9 Port Townsend

http://www.kptz.org/programming, or streaming over the Net. We will have a no holds barred discussion of what the end of People For Puget Sound means to the Olympic Peninsula. The Who, What, When Where, Why and How of the story will out. Think it was just another non profit going under? Think again. Tune in 12:05 on Phil Andrus‘s show.

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Feminized Fish: A Side Effect Of Emerging Contaminants -Earthfix

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Al Bergstein

For all of the Clean Water Act’s successes, it was never designed to control contaminants that have emerged since its passage in 1972. These pollutants are affecting the environment in new and different ways. Consider the feminized fish of Puget Sound. That’s something Lyndal Johnson has been doing a lot of lately. Johnson is a fisheries biologist and toxicologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She and a team of scientists were out sampling English sole –- a flatfish common to the sound’s Elliott Bay — when they noticed something, well, fishy. Ashley Ahearn reports.

 http://earthfix.kcts9.org/water/article/clean-water-the-next-act-emerging-contaminants-fem/

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People For Puget Sound Shutting Down After 20 Years–Seattle Times

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Al Bergstein

I ask the same questions that Kathy and Lisa raise. Where did money go? And where were the fundraisers? There is no audited financial statement on their web page for 2012, which should be there, as it ended in June. There are no fundraisers listed in the upcoming events. How on earth did they end up with a $700k deficit without a significant amount of work paring back and reaching out? There are so many questions about the ability of the leadership team in this last year.

Key quotes from the Seattle Times story

But some of those close to the organization were dismayed. "I am shocked, I am sad at the decision to dissolve People for Puget Sound, and I strongly believe this did not need to happen," said Kathy Fletcher, founder and executive director of the nonprofit until her retirement last year.

She and others said there was no broad appeal before pulling the plug. "I don’t remember anything in the community to say, ‘Hey, we have to save this.’ Where was that reaching out? That didn’t happen," said Lisa Jaguzny, executive director today at the Campion Foundation, and formerly chief financial officer for 11 years at People for Puget Sound. "Where did the money go? When I left there was a million dollars in the bank and a couple of months of cash on hand and strong relationships with funders."

Read the rest of this story at:

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019139471_puget13m.html

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Another view on the end of People For Puget Sound

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Al Bergstein
Mike Sato was a founding member of People For Puget Sound, and was their Communications Director until last year. He now runs “Salish Sea Communications”.
The End of People For Puget Sound

At the end of August a year ago, I was laid off after working 20 years for People For Puget Sound— for budget reasons.
Yesterday, on 9/11, the board and executive director of People For Puget Sound announced they were shutting down what was once the premier Puget Sound conservation organization at the end of this month— for budget reasons.
"This is shocking and sad," founder and recently retired executive director Kathy Fletcher told the Kitsap Sun. "I never would have imagined that this would happen."
I’m angry, disappointed and sad.

Read the whole story at:

http://salishseacommunications.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-end-of-people-for-puget-sound.html?showComment=1347465858492#c1993664238824353076

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Crows React to Threats in Human-Like Way – Science Daily

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Since we have so many crows up here, some of you might find this interesting. I do!

Cross a crow and it’ll remember you for years. Crows and humans share the ability to recognize faces and associate them with negative, as well as positive, feelings. The way the brain activates during that process is something the two species also appear to share, according to new research being published this week. “The regions of the crow brain that work together are not unlike those that work together in mammals, including humans,” said John Marzluff, University of Washington professor of environmental and forest sciences. “These regions were suspected to work in birds but not documented until now.”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120911091710.htm

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Nice short video showing forage fish in action in the Strait

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Al Bergstein

When you see the fish diving at the herring balls, this is likely what’s happening under the water.
http://www.coastalwatershedinstitute.org/video.htm

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State Still Ignores Fish-Blocking Culverts -Billie Frank Jr.

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Habitat is the key to salmon recovery, but ongoing loss and damage of salmon habitat is driving down salmon populations across western Washington and threatening tribal treaty rights. No matter how well we manage harvest and hatcheries, if there is no habitat, both the salmon and our treaty-reserved rights are lost.

Unfortunately, the state of Washington continues to ignore its obligation to enforce one of the first laws on its books that requires fish passage at culverts under roads. The state has been ignoring that obligation for more than 100 years. Today, hundreds of state-owned culverts block fish passage throughout western Washington. Meanwhile, the state has been unwilling to hold its own agencies accountable, refusing to enforce its own environmental laws.

Read the rest of the story at:
http://nwifc.org/2012/09/state-still-ignores-fish-blocking-culverts/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nwifc+%28NWIFC+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

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Wooden Boat Festival to celebrate all things maritime – PDN

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Al Bergstein

The three-day Wooden Boat Festival that starts Friday is a unique attraction where attendees can celebrate the maritime trades, organizers said. Now in its 36th year, the event draws boating enthusiasts from around the world to the Point Hudson Marina festival grounds to learn the latest and greatest maritime techniques or just to appreciate the lines of a particularly compelling craft. Charlie Bermant reports.

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120905/NEWS/309059992/wooden-boat-festival-to-celebrate-all-things-maritime

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Groups file proposed decree to force EPA review of kraft paper mills like Port Townsend’s – PDN

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Al Bergstein

This is long overdue. A lot of science has happened on air pollution since 1986, and the changes that happened then were started years before that. I’ve published the EPA chemicals that are being put out by the mill on the left side of this blog.

A group of environmentalists has filed a proposed consent decree to force the federal Environmental Protection Agency to update its air-quality standards for kraft pulp paper mills such as that in Port Townsend.

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120902/news/309029988/groups-file-proposed-decree-to-force-epa-review-of-kraft-paper-mills

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