Storm hits WA coast

Even Cliff Mass, Washington's biggest weather buff, is impressed by the forecast for this weekend. Intense low pressure, high winds, and big waves are likely to dominate the outer coast. Check out Mass's blog for details: cliffmass.blogspot.com.

Algae bloom threatens seabirds on Washington coast

Dead and distressed seabirds are showing up on Washington beaches for the second time this fall along with a brownish-green foam. So far reports of birds are from Makah Bay (Sooes) and the Long Beach Peninsula. Mainly loons, common murre, grebes and scoters. The brownish bloom is presumed to be Akashiwo sanguinea. The algae acts as a surfactant on the birds' feathers, causing them to die of hypothermia. This species of algae is not considered hazardous for beach recreation, including surfing and paddling.

Volunteers are needed through Nov 15th to drive live rescued seabirds to a rescue center in Lynnwood, WA. If you are available to drive, please contact Jacqueline Laverdure 360-457-6622 ext. 21 or Jacqueline.Laverdure@noaa.gov. Include your phone number in your message. Thanks for your help.

Governor speaks against 1033

Yesterday, at the annual Washington Conservation Voters Breakfast of Champions, Governor Chris Gregoire gave an impassioned speech rallying support for the fight against Initiative 1033. It will "devastate the State of Washington" said Gregoire.

Tim Eyman's Ballot Initiative 1033 is on this November's ballot. And if it passes, it will indeed have devastating impacts on ocean and coastal protection programs. Funding for clean water, clean air, beach access and Puget Sound recovery will slowly dry up over time as this restrictive measures strangles the state budget.

As Governor Gregoire said, “...please... do everything you can. Vote yourself NO on 1033. But get everybody in Washington State to join in.”

www.no1033.com

Call-in and Webcast for this afternoon's Ocean Policy Task Force meeting

You can listen to or watch a webcast of this afternoon’s session by the interagency ocean policy task force in San Francisco. The meeting starts at 2:30 pm. See below for call-in and webcast details. More information and background at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/

Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Public Listening Session
September 17, 2009
2:30 – 6:00 PM

Ways for the public to participate and submit comments

Attend the meeting in person with chance to submit comments:

Hyatt Regency San Francisco at Embarcadero Center, Ballroom A
5 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111

Submit comments through the website:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/oceans

View the live webcast at: http://www.cal-span.org/

Listen to the meeting on the conference call (listen only):

(888) 769-8760 (up to 100 lines)
Participant Pass code: 67311

I-1033 threatens Washington’s future

As a result of the current budget crisis, many of Washington’s vital coastal resources programs have suffered severe cutbacks. For example, the State Department of Ecology made deep cuts to oil spill prevention and response programs and cut litter crews working to prevent garbage from entering Puget Sound in half.

Despite these hard budget times, there is reason to be hopeful for Washington’s future because the economy seems to be rebounding. That is, unless I-1033 passes. This is the TABOR initiative that will be on your ballot this November. The language might be confusing, but make no mistake, if I-1033 passes, this measure ensures that the State never recovers from the budget crisis of 2009 -- the worst in Washington history. State spending levels will be frozen.

Even in good economic times, when revenues should be strong and allow lawmakers to collect for a rainy day fund, our State’s revenues will instead stay at the current depressed levels. And to make matters worse, if we ever suffer another budget downturn, the State’s budget will fall again to even more depressed levels without being able to rebound. In Colorado, where the same measure passed in 1992, they call this the "ratchet effect".

As a result of TABOR, Colorado has become one of the Nation's poorest funded and poorest performing states. Despite having one of the highest per capita incomes, Colorado is 47th out of the 50 states for K-12 public education spending. Let's not let this happen to Washington. Deeper cuts to the programs we care about, including oil spills prevention, is not the future we want. To learn more visit: www.no1033.com.

Changing Oceans

Ocean Acidification gained national attention at a US Senate hearing on Tuesday. One of many challenges confronting our oceans, increasing acidity of saltwater threatens the health of calcifying species that provide habitat and form the base of the marine food web. Science supports that increasing levels of carbon dioxide being absorbed by the ocean is behind this problem. In essence, as our ocean works to protect us from greenhouse gasses, she is slowly suffering herself. And like the stoic old woman, it is hard to see this problem on the surface. However, under microscopes, scientists are finding that, among other things, documented changes in the water are causing tiny crustaceans, corals, and Pacific oysters to lose structural integrity. Not surprisingly, one of the most vocal communities on Ocean Acidification are shellfish growers. If the science is correct, then the shellfish industry will be a lot less lucrative. Other potential impacts are that reef breaks will start to break down and juvenile salmon will have less to eat.

The Senate hearing was unfortunately clouded by sad irony. Simultaneously in another hearing, US Senators were voting to increase offshore oil drilling. Senator Cantwell coined it perfectly, “it’s crazy they are discussing more drilling.”

Yesterday's Olympian offers good coverage on the hearing.
And if you have a moment, check out the following blogs:
nottheanswer.org
oceanamps.com

World Oceans Day

"How inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when it clearly should be named Ocean." Arthur C. Clarke

Today, June 8th, 2009 is World Oceans Day. To celebrate, I encourage you to take a moment or two to consider the ocean. Oceans cover over 70 percent of the planet's surface. Without oceans, there wouldn't be life. The world's oceans generate most of the oxygen we breathe, regulate our climate, and provide food and drinking water. The ocean is also where many of us work and play and for some of us why we chose to live in Washington State.

I also encourage you to take conscious actions on behalf of the ocean, not just today, but everyday. An action can be as simple as taking a shorter shower, picking up after your pet, washing your car at an official car wash, and remembering to take your reusable bag to the store.

First proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, World Oceans Day is now officially designated by the U.N.