Around the Sound: Coal! Cleanups! And whales! Oh my!

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

I’ve been on the road for most of the past two weeks, so I have some catching up to do. Let’s get to it …

Cherry Point marine terminal

Gov. Chris Gregoire spoke Monday (July 25) to a packed room at the Bellingham City Club forum. The audience was eager to hear what she had to say about the idea of building and operated a coal terminal at Cherry Point near Ferndale.

As now proposed, coal would be transported to the terminal via rail, then shipped to China for use. Supporters tout an expected increase in jobs and the resulting economic boost. Opponents decry the surge in train traffic and providing China with coal to burn, which would produce more climate-changing greenhouse gases.

Here’s what the Governor had to say, according to the Bellingham Herald.

Ecology will be the co-lead along with Whatcom County on overseeing the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the terminal proposal.

Sightline Daily provides this look at an economist’s view of the issue.

Port Gardner cleanup

The Herald in Everett recently published this story about a Washington Department of Health review of potential health risks posed by eating fish and shellfish from Everett’s Port Gardner Bay.

Health used samples collected by Ecology during our work to take a wider look at contamination in the bay.

You can look here for more about our cleanup work in and around Port Gardner Bay under the Puget Sound Initiative.

Whales in love

And here’s a Seattle Times article about concerns over the breeding habits of some Puget Sound orcas.

Chris Dunagan of the Kitsap Sun offers some other news about orcas, along with some notes about whale breeding.

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