Results tagged “endangeredspeciesact”

The Washington State Farm Bureau and the Building Industry Association of Washington had a federal judge's ruling go against them this week. Both groups were arguing to have the Orca de-listed as an Endangered Species because that classification determines what protections the Sound itself is afforded and, by extension, the waterways that feed the Sound and the land adjacent to those waterways.

Dave Neiwert has an awesome article on resident orca populations in this week's Seattle Weekly in which he issues marching orders to the various people involved with trying to save local resident orca pods. Researchers, there needs to be more evidence that the Snake River dams are depriving the pods of the chinnok salmon that are their main food source. Get to it. Environmental action groups, the Endangered Species Act is a powerful weapon that can be leveraged in court against the dams that are killing those salmon. Chop chop.

Bombs Away: We've always been pretty impressed with the huge starling clouds that appear from time to time downtown, but apparently they piss some people off. Haters.

It's not all work and hard-nosed politicking in the state senate. Every once in a while the senators enjoy popping the tops off a few cold ones and voting up a state mascot or something. Excuse us, "official marine mammal of Washington." That would be the orca, of course, and the senate voted 46-1 to pass the bill and send it up to the Governor who is expected to sign it. Killer whale hater Brian Weinstein of Mercer Island cast the "no" vote, arguing in favor of the seal or sea otter. Actually, the PI reports that he'll be happy to have orcas represent the state.