A Rising Tide Raises More Than Boats

The Washington Department of Ecology has released photographs depicting what a rising sea level might mean for waterfront properties in the future. The photos taken in early and mid-January 2010 during extreme high tides are a preview of what's to come even with a medium sea level rise of six inches by 2050. Seattle P-I.com also published photographs of some of the high tides at Bainbridge Island. A six inch rise in sea level would mean these extreme high tides might occur as many as 10 times a year instead of one or two times now. In addition, the higher sea level and higher extreme high tides would also make properties more susceptible to storm damage, such as what happened to some Camano Island property owners when strong winds accompanied the January high tides.

The next series of extreme high tides in Washington are February 1 through 3, and Ecology is requesting more photographs.

Another Conflict Brews Over Renewable Energy Versus Endangered Species

The desert tortoise is this week's poster critter as the California Energy Commission holds evidentiary hearings on the proposed Bright Source Energy Ivanpah Solar Power Complex, which will occupy 6.2 square miles of public land near I-15 and the California-Nevada border. At issue is the desert tortoise, 25 of whom live in Ivanpah Valley. Project backers have set aside three times as much land in the valley as the project will displace for a new home to the tortoises, but environmentalists say the tortoises may not be able to survive such a move.

The Energy Commission hearings will attempt to balance protection of an endangered species with the state mandate to increase dramatically California's renewable energy. As was seen, however, in the recent Maryland court decision effectively stopping a West Virginia wind project due to an endangered bat, this won't be easy. Its difficult to say how this one will turn out, particularly in light of the Maryland bat case, but it definitely will not be the last project to face this dilemma.