GOOD NEWS! Now there are TWO new babies who have joined our Salish Sea community.
ORCA NETWORK WHALE SIGHTING REPORT
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=2043ea4f-8e8b-4c56-b797-fc601631e3fa&c=e8551f90-815a-11e4-a97a-d4ae527599c4&ch=e8598c60-815a-11e4-a97a-d4ae527599c4

HOT OFF THE PRESS! A THIRD BABY ORCA! HOORAY L-94!
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2015/02/26/a-third-baby-orca-whale-and-its-family-is-headed-this-way/#24619101=0

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MORE GOOD NEWS
You Safe Shippers are awesome! You asked and they listened!
Skagit County’s Hearing Examiner is requiring a full environmental review of the proposed Anacortes Shell Refinery oil-by-rail expansion.
“Shell’s proposal is a major action significantly affecting the quality of the environment,” and a full review should be prepared, Skagit County Hearing Examiner Wick Dufford said in Monday’s ruling.
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2015/02/23/4148768_skagit-oil-by-rail-project-to.html?rh=1

Thank you to all of you who wrote your comment letters — they made a difference!

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OTHERS ARE LISTENING TO US, TOO
The Puget Sound Partnership’s Strategic Initiatives now include the risk of oil spills in the waters surrounding our islands.
The newly added Near-Term Action, “Evaluate Oil Spill Response Capability in the San Juan Islands & Adjacent Waters,” will result in a report due by September 2015. It will include recommendations to address any oil spill response deficiencies that are identified. This is an essential first-step for improving oil spill response capacity in the San Juans.
http://www.psp.wa.gov/

Thank you to all you Safe Shippers who have spoken up for the unique needs of our islands’ waterways!

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WE ARE ALL DIRECTLY AFFECTED
Screening of the documentary film, “Directly Affected”
June 9 on San Juan; June 10 on Orcas; June 11 on Lopez (stay tuned for details)
This film gets its title from a contentious requirement of Canada’s National Energy Board that public participants for the Kinder Morgan pipeline must be “directly affected,” or they don’t get a say in the process. San Juan Islanders for Safe Shipping, as well as other island groups and individuals, have been “awarded” the opportunity to participate (the commenting deadline is July 23).
https://www.facebook.com/directlyaffectedfilm

Come add your voice with other islanders to tell Canada that we are ALL directly affected — and that we in the San Juans are standing together in protection of our islands and our Salish Sea.

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MORE SALISH SEA NEIGHBORS USING THEIR VOICES
Photo Essay: Inside the Fight to Save the Salish Sea – Stopping the Little-known, Big-impact Tar Sands Pipeline
http://earthjustice.org/features/photos-pipeline

We islanders know a lot about this “little-known pipeline” because its big impact will be at our very front door.

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FREE WORKSHOP ON SAN JUAN ISLAND – MARCH 7
Northwest Straits Foundation & the Marine Resources Committees are presenting a free Oil Spill Preparedness Workshop.
Saturday, March 7; 1:00 – 4:00pm; Friday Harbor Labs
http://www.nwstraitsfoundation.org/Foundation.aspx
Preregistration is required by contacting Heidi Lehman at (360) 733-1725 and lehman@nwstraits.org.

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We hope the early spring is energizing you! Thank you for staying informed and using your voices!