Enhancing the Benefits of Riparian Buffers

Proper riparian buffer placement can make a difference not only for water quality improvement, but also for wildlife habitat and landowner needs, according to two USDA scientists.

The two USDA National Agroforestry Center researchers have developed a GIS-based assessment method for identifying where buffers can restore connectivity of riparian areas for the benefit of terrestrial wildlife. The study, published in the September/October 2004 issue of Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, focused on three objectives: identify riparian remnants; determine where buffers could be implemented to reestablish connectivity between remnants; and identify road barriers to riparian connectivity. The greatest benefit to using GIS-guided assessments in conservation planning, according to the report, is the opportunity to combine different assessments to determine locations where multiple objectives can be accomplished with riparian buffers. http://www.swcs.org/en/publications/jswc/.

Poll: Majority Wants U.S. Federal Trust Fund for Clean Water

More than eight in 10 Americans believe that clean and safe water is a national issue that deserves federal investment, according to a new poll conducted jointly by Republican and Democratic polling firms.

Federal legislation that would create a long term, sustainable, reliable trust fund for clean and safe water infrastructure received support from what the pollsters call "an overwhelming majority" of those surveyed, 86 percent. By 67 percent to 26 percent, Americans prefer spending to guarantee clean and safe water over tax cuts.

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2005/2005-03-07-02.asp

Wetland Restoration a Sign of Regrowth in Iraq

A team of international scientists in southern Iraq are looking to restore a 7,000-square mile marsh ecosystem and the human economy that once depended on the land.

Nine years ago, Saddam Hussein's government built a dike across the river system that fed the marsh, systematically destroying the ecosystem, rendering families homeless, and turning the area into a vast desert wasteland. Hussein's drainage program was intended to obliterate this prime refuge for deserters from his army, many of them marsh Arabs who fought his government long before the Americans arrived. But when Hussein's government fell in April 2003, villagers went to the dike and gouged holes in it, using heavy equipment, shovels, and their bare hands. Since then, reeds and cattails have sprouted up again; fish, snails, and shrimp have returned to the waters; and egrets and storks perch on the jagged remains of the walls. Now teams of scientists financed by an array of American, Canadian, British, Italian and Iraqi agencies are trying to determine how fast and how fully this region can return to what was. The scientists reported that less than 10 percent of the original marshes still function as true wetlands, but that about 20 percent of the original area had been reflooded by March 2004, according to satellite imagery.

NY Times 3/8/2005

Chesapeake Bay Governments Looking to Mentor Other Communities

Officials from selected Chesapeake Bay Partner Communities are launching a Peer Match program to help other local governments do their part to help the Bay.

Peer Match aims to promote sharing of innovative actions taken by local governments to help protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. As part of the mentoring process, local governments will work together to identify priority areas of assistance and expertise. A one-day mentoring session will focus on a facilitated discussion of specific needs, barriers, and recommended actions that the local government can implement to improve the health of its local waters and the Bay. A local site tour of innovative programs will also show how these programs can be put into action. Communities with similar profiles, such as comparable population and financial resources, will be matched to transfer the most useful information and experiences. http://www.baylogin.org/dynamic.cfm?ID=35

NJ Audubon Advocates Deer Hunt

For the first time in its 108-year history, the New Jersey Audubon Society is taking a stand on hunting and will ask the state to reduce the population of white-tailed deer.

In a special report, the bird-watching group says white-tailed deer have become an ecological "stressor" for birds and other wildlife by eating away the understory vegetation. Hunting, the report says, is a viable option to bring the deer population down to a manageable number. The group is also considering opening some of its own preserves to hunters. The Audubon Society is calling on state wildlife authorities to revamp deer management strategies, and claims hunting policies are geared too much toward keeping enough deer around for sports hunters rather than seriously reducing the state's herd of nearly 200,000 white-tails. The report also concluded that deer management methods such as fencing and birth control have a very limited impact, and that the state's entire ecology is at stake. http://www.njaudubon.org/Conservation/Foresthealth.html

NJ.com 2005

PA DEP Secretary McGinty recently clarified DEP procedures under the state’s nationally renowned Land Recycling Program, underscoring that the program is focused on efforts to clean up and reuse commercial and industrial sites and is not intended to expedite the development of farmland.

The Virginia General Assembly has approved a $50 million down payment for reducing nitrogen pollution from sewage treatment plants (STPs). The legislature also committed Virginia to establishing a permanent, long-term funding source to address the Commonwealth's water quality needs.  

NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife plans to stop stocking fish in seven big lakes in 2006 because fishing license sales are sinking, and officials hope redirecting the trout to some smaller lakes in urban areas and larger rivers could lure new anglers to the sport.

US EPA initiated a Drinking Water Lead Reduction Plan to strengthen, update and clarify existing requirements for water utilities and states to test for and reduce lead in drinking water.

Pregnant women in New Jersey communities with high childhood lead poisoning levels may get free kits to test their homes for lead dust under a new state program.

The Bush administration ordered coal-burning power plants to cut mercury emissions by 70 percent to reduce levels of the toxic substance in fish. The states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania have already announced that they will challenge the rule in court and other states, along with several environmental groups, are likely to follow suit.

PA courts recently issued a decision saying the $4/ton Growing Greener fee does not apply to alternative daily cover used by landfills.

The US EPA has recognized Pennsylvania’s commitment to clean energy development by naming the Commonwealth a “Green Power Partner.”

 
Grant Programs 
(Click on a grant for more information)

PA State Wildlife Grants

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission are currently seeking project applicants for the 2005 State Wildlife Grant Program. Nearly $2 million in federal monies will be available for high-priority conservation projects for endangered, threatened and at-risk species across Pennsylvania.  The deadline for project submissions is April 25. http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=496&q=162095

PA Boating Facilities Grant Program

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is offering a new grant program for county and municipal governments interested in the planning, acquisition, development, expansion, or rehabilitation of public boating facilities. Schools, non-profit organizations, and service clubs are not eligible for direct funding but can apply through their local government for funding. The deadline for applications is April 30. http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/newsreleases/2005/grant_boat_fac.htm

NY Bond Act Grants

Grant applications are now being accepted for Bond Act projects throughout New York. Three different programs are accepting applications: Water Quality Improvement Projects (WQIP), the New York City Watershed Protection Program, and the New York State Clean Vessel Act Program. The deadline for all three programs is April 29. http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/bondact/bamenu.html 

F. X. Browne, Inc. can provide technical assistance to your community or organization in writing grant applications, and consulting or implementing the project once funding is granted. Contact F. X. Browne, Inc. at info@fxbrowne.com.

PA Disaster Recovery Grants

The Department of Community and Economic Development announced that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development is making available $2.5 million in Community Development Block Grants for disaster recovery activities related to severe storms and hurricanes that hit Pennsylvania in 2003 and 2004. The deadline for local governments to submit applications is April 4. Grants will be available to local governments for a variety of purposes including relocating homes and businesses from floodplains, debris removal not previously covered, demolition of structures, and other purposes.

http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol35/35-10/424.html

Wetlands Program Development Grants

Federal Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) fund projects that promote the coordination and acceleration of studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. Priority will be given to funding projects that address the three priority areas identified by EPA: developing a comprehensive monitoring and assessment program; improving the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation; and refining the protection of vulnerable wetlands and aquatic resources. Proposals must be postmarked by April 20, 2005. http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/grantguidelines/

EPA Region 3 Wetland Grants

EPA Region 3 is soliciting proposals for Wetland Program Development Grant Projects within the mid-Atlantic states. The grants are intended to fund projects that develop and refine comprehensive wetland programs. All grant proposals must be postmarked by April 27. http://www.epa.gov/region03/grants/WPDG_RFP.pdf.

EPA Targeted Watersheds Grants Program

US EPA is accepting proposals under the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program, a

competitive grant program designed to support the protection and restoration

of the country's water resources through a holistic watershed approach to

water quality management. Projects must be nominated by a governor or tribal leader. Of the $18 million available in FY2005,  $10 million will be directed to nationwide projects for improving water quality and $8 million will be directed toward projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The deadline for EPA receipt of nominations is May 19. http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative/

US EPA National Lakes Assessment Planning Project

The EPA Office of Water has issued an RFP for the National Lakes Assessment Planning Project (NLAPP). This assistance funding, offered as cooperative agreements, will provide an opportunity for eligible applicants to develop pilot projects to contribute to the design of a future national lakes assessment. These projects may include evaluations of indicators of lake condition, sampling methods, interpretation tools, and organization of a lake assessment practitioners conference or workshop. It is anticipated that up to five projects may be selected.  Proposals are due by April 17. http://www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html

EPA Small Business Green Technology Grants

The US EPA is soliciting grant proposals under its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Grants will be awarded for work in six key environmental areas: nanotechnology, hazardous wastes, air pollution,  water quality, homeland security, and sustainability. Applications are due on May 25. http://es.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/

PA Heritage Parks Grants

The PA DCNR is accepting applications for FY 2005-06 Heritage Park Program grants. The goal of the program is to provide a catalyst for diverse groups within a region to join together to develop a unified strategy for protecting, preserving, developing and promoting the heritage of the region. The program is guided by five inter-related goals including economic development, partnerships, cultural conservation, recreation and open space, and education and interpretation. The deadline for applications is May 20. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/heritageparks/index.aspx

EPA Beach Grants

The 2000 Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) authorizes EPA to award grants to help eligible states, tribes, and territories to develop and implement beach water quality monitoring and notification programs. These grants can also be used to develop and implement programs to inform the public about the risk of exposure to disease-causing microorganisms in coastal waters (including the Great Lakes). In 2005, EPA expects to distribute about $9.92 million in grants. http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/grants/fy05fs.htm#how

Good News and Bad News in the Chesapeake Bay

First, the good news….

The Chesapeake Bay population of bald eagles grew to 819 nesting pairs in 2004, marking an eight percent increase from the previous year, and a ten-fold increase since baywide data collection began in 1977.

Now for the bad news…

A recent review of the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis data shows that the Chesapeake Bay watershed continues to lose approximately 100 acres of forest each day. This trend is based on data collected between 1984 and 2002 and is consistent with a previous analysis conducted in 1994. Forest Inventory and Analysis data by state and by county can be accessed through the Map Maker program.

Events 

 

To view upcoming lake and watershed events and conferences, visit the F. X. Browne, Inc. website at www.fxbrowne.com

PA Stormwater Management Symposium-Call for Papers

The 2005 Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Symposium will be held on October 12 – 13 at Villanova University. Interested presenters and authors are encouraged to submit a brief abstract of not more than 300 words by May 30. The purpose of the symposium is to advance the knowledge and understanding of comprehensive stormwater management for those dealing in all aspects of planning, design, implementation and regulatory compliance. Papers will be published in the conference proceedings; electronic submittal is required through the Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership (VUSP) website. The Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership, of which Dr. Frank Browne, P.E., President of F. X. Browne, Inc. is a member, was developed to advance the evolving comprehensive stormwater management field and to foster the development of public and private Partnerships through research on innovative Best Management Practices, Directed Studies, Technology Transfer and Education. http://www3.villanova.edu/VUSP/2005_PA_SWM/Call_for_Papers.htm

PA Goddard Forum

The Fifth Annual Goddard Forum will be held on April 5 in Harrisburg, PA. This year’s forum topic is:  “Putting the Market to Work for Conservation: An In-depth Examination of Traditional and Nontraditional Market-Based Mechanisms for Achieving Environmental Improvement.” The forum will examine specific existing and proposed programs for air, water, habitat, land conservation, and multimedia trading. http://www.outreach.psu.edu/c&I/goddard/

PA Housing Research Center Stormwater Workshop

The Pennsylvania Housing Research Center (PHRC) is presenting a workshop, “Stormwater Management in a New Age: Understanding the Physical Processes and Analytical Tools,” on April 6, 7, and 8 in State College, PA. The goal of this workshop is to provide a thorough understanding of both surface and subsurface hydrology as it applies to the appropriate design and analysis of stormwater systems including infiltration practices. This course provides 18 continuing education contact hours for professional engineers and land surveyors. http://www.engr.psu.edu/phrc/2005%20Stormwater%20Workshop.htm  

Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Conference

The Center for Biodiversity and Conservation's Tenth Annual Spring Symposium, “New Currents in Conserving Freshwater Systems,” will be to be held on April 7-8 at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City. This forum for scientists and conservation practitioners will highlight recent successful initiatives in freshwater conservation, discuss cutting-edge ideas and tools, and investigate how and where these innovations might be implemented on the ground. http://cbc.amnh.org/symposia/freshwater/index.html

PA Environmental Law Forum

The Pennsylvania Bar Association will hold its 10th anniversary annual Environmental Law Forum in Harrisburg on April 6 and 7. This year the Forum will have seven tracks: policy, litigation, corporate, updates, real estate/land use and water. In connection with the Forum, the Environmental Law Section will hold its annual dinner at the Whitaker Center for the Sciences and the Arts.

http://www.legalspan.com/pbi/details.asp?recID=20040817-247242-80106

PENNVEST Training for Funding Application

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) is offering several “How to Apply Sessions” around the Commonwealth during April and May to offer potential applicants the opportunity to meet one-on-one with agency officials and learn how to apply for PENNVEST funding.  DEP staff will also be present at these sessions to help answer any questions relating to the environmental review and permit requirements for these types of infrastructure projects.

http://www.pennvest.state.pa.us/pennvest/lib/pennvest/2005_How_to_Apply1.pdf

PA Engineering Sustainability Conference

The University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering will host Engineering Sustainability 2005 from April 10-12. This conference aims to bring together scientists and engineers from academia, government, and industry to share the results of cutting-edge research directed at creating the next generation of green building and sustainable water use technology. http://www.engr.pitt.edu/msi/conference.html.

PA DEP Watershed Academy for Borough Officials

PA DEP is partnering with the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs to present the Municipal Watershed Academy, a workshop designed to provide local government officials with an in-depth introduction to the concepts of watershed management. The workshop focuses on locally-driven efforts to identify and prioritize a watershed’s water quality problems. The Municipal Watershed Academy will be held on April 14 at the Holiday Inn, Grantville.  Registration closes April 7.

http://www.depesf.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=456886

PA Nature Tourism Workshop

The Wild Resources Conservation Program and the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program are sponsoring a Nature Tourism Workshop at the Juniata College Lake Raystown Field Station on April 14. Find out how your community can promote natural resources that will result in increased tourism.

http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=1829

EPA Stormwater Training Sessions

EPA has announced its stormwater training schedule for 2005. “Getting in Step with Phase II: A Workshop for Stormwater Program Managers” will be held in:

            Lexington, Virginia - April 11, 2005

            Memphis, Tennessee - May 17 & 18, 2005

            Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - June 15, 2005

            Indianapolis, Indiana -August 3 & 4, 2005

The objective of the workshop is to provide state and local stormwater program managers with innovative tools and real-world examples that can be used to address the six minimum control measures called for by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Program Phase II requirements. http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/courses.cfm?program_id=0&outreach_id=200&o_type=1

Pennypack Seminars for PA Homeowners

The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust is presenting a pair of seminars in Huntington Valley, PA for environmentally-minded homeowners. On April 7 the topic will be, “Fixing a Stream: An Introduction to Backyard Stream Restoration,” and on April 26 the topic will be “Leave Only Footprints: Managing Your Household for Water Conservation.” Participants will learn about stream restoration measures, native planting, rain gardens, and yard care techniques to make their home “watershed friendly.”  http://www.libertynet.org/pert/

PA Zoning Law and Administration Conference

The Zoning Law and Administration Conference will be held at the Penn State University Park Campus on April 16. The conference will feature up-to-date information on the legal principles that affect zoning.  Topics include: appeals to spot-zoning decisions, school district compliance with use regulations, dimensional variances, planned residential developments, and the Sunshine Act.

http://www.outreach.psu.edu/pst/ZoningLaw

PA Chamber Spring Environmental Conference

The Pennsylvania Chamber's 2005 Annual Environmental Laws and Regulations Conference and Trade Show will be held in Harrisburg on April 19 and 20. Topics include Air, Hazardous and Residual Waste, Brownfields, Storage Tanks, and Water regulations. New this year: a pollution prevention panel, RCRA refresher course, alternate energy costs and savings, an advanced session on ISO 14000 compliance, and a special session on how to complete permit applications with DEP staff. http://www.pachamber.org/cp/conferences/conference.asp?ID=0500

National Mitigation and Conservation Banking Conference

“Environmental Banking and Beyond,” the 8th National Mitigation and Conservation Banking Conference, will be held on April 18-21 in Charlotte, N.C. The conference will offer sessions on emerging markets (stream mitigation, conservation banking, multi-credit banks, water quality trading, agriculture), standards and sustainability, tracking progress, case studies, sales and marketing, and more. http://www.mitigationbankingconference.com

NC Watershed Working Lands Summit

The Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators and the US EPA are hosting a Watershed Working Lands Summit: Better Water Quality Through Government Collaboration on April 18-19 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The meeting is intended for state, federal and local entities involved in protecting water quality on working lands with the goal of improving collaboration for stakeholders in US EPA Regions 3 and 4 in addition to New York. http://www.asiwpca.org/events/Raleigh.htm.

National Lake Management Conference

The 18th Annual National Conference, “Enhancing the States' Lake Management Programs,” will be held on April 26-29 in Chicago, Illinois. Nationally recognized speakers and interactive discussion sessions will provide unique insights into lake and reservoir management in urbanizing areas. Two pre-conference workshops will be offered, "Fundamentals of Urban Runoff Management" and "National Lakes Assessment." http://www.nalms.org/symposia/chicago/index.htm 

PA Water Resources Planning, Act 220 Hearings

The public is invited to attend combined public meetings and hearings on Water Resources Management and Planning under Act 220.  The Pennsylvania Regional Water Resources Committees will be seeking comments on the draft regional water resource priorities developed for each River Basin in the Commonwealth. 

Meetings and hearings are set for:

Delaware River Basin: May 12 and August 11

Lower Susquehanna River Basin: May 16

Upper/Middle Susquehanna River Basin: May 26 and August 18

Potomac River Basin: May 19

Ohio River Basin: May 9 and May 10

Great Lakes River Basin: May 10

http://www.srbc.net/SavetheDateforHearingsMeetings.pdf 

PA Workshops on Stream Health, Runoff Pollution Potential

Penn State’s Department of Metrology is offering a series of workshops designed to introduce a new web-based tool for assessing stream health and potential impacts from runoff. Watershed specialists, resource managers, developers, and members of the GIS community will learn to identify impaired streams and calculate surface runoff for design storms within user-defined Pennsylvania and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Workshop dates are set for May 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 17.

http://www.met.psu.edu/dept/events/watershed/

D.C. Wetland Assessment Techniques Workshop

The Association of State Wetland Managers will be holding a Wetland Assessment Techniques Workshop, “Reconciling Assessment Methods for Riverine Wetlands, Streams, Riparian Areas, and Floodplains in a Watershed Context,” on May 4 in Washington, DC. The overall goal of this workshop is to provide a forum to discuss how to simultaneously apply stream, riverine wetland, riparian area, and floodplain management assessment techniques. The workshop includes use of techniques in regulatory and restoration contexts on both a case-by-case (e.g. permit-by-permit basis) and on a watershed or area-wide basis. http://www.aswm.org/calendar/

NE Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference

The 16th Annual New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference, "Our Watersheds: Working Together to Achieve Results," will be held on May 24-26 in Bretton Woods, NH. This year's conference will feature two interactive workshops given by John LaRocca of the Rensselaerville Institute, "The Outcomes are Coming" and "Crafting and Achieving Ambitious Targets." There will also be sessions on atmospheric deposition and low impact development. Weather permitting, conference participants will take a field trip to the summit of Mount Washington to tour the Mount Washington Observatory.

www.neiwpcc.org/npsannualmeeting.htm

PA Rural Development Council Rural Issues Forums

The Pennsylvania Rural Development Council will hold a series of public forums for citizen input on critical issues for rural Pennsylvania. Topics to be discussed include community development, health care, economic development, education, and infrastructure. Input gained at the forums will be included in the Pennsylvania Rural Development Council Strategic Plan and presented to Governor Rendell in a continued effort to strengthen rural communities. The forums will be held at various locations throughout PA during March, April, and May. http://www.ruralpa.state.pa.us/ruralpa/cwp/view.asp?A=3&Q=440576

River Rally 2005

The River Network’s sixth annual River Rally will be held on May 20-24 in Keystone, CO. The River Rally is a unique training opportunity for river conservation organizations and community-based watershed partnerships. Citizen leaders from around the country will come together to celebrate local efforts to protect watersheds. http://www.rivernetwork.org/rally/index.cfm

New Tools and Publications