Celebrate Earth Day! Wondering what you can do help reduce your footprint on the earth this Earth Day?  EPA has come up with fifteen things you can do to make a difference in your watershed

News Clips:

Looking for a tax deduction?  Kiva.org lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. Donors can "sponsor a business" on Kiva and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you've sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.

Modestneeds.org works to stop the cycle of poverty and a lifetime of dependence on the public welfare system BEFORE it starts. Modest Needs empowers compassionate donors to help hard-working, low-income households to afford the kinds of short-term emergency expenses that we've all encountered before: the unexpected car repair, the unanticipated visit to the doctor, or the unusually large heating bill, for example.

TMDL Knowledgebase Clearinghouse

Virginia Tech's Center for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Watershed Studies has developed an online database to house selected TMDL-related information and documents in one central location. The searchable clearinghouse contains three types of resources: TMDL guidance documents, reviews and summaries of TMDL-related technical and trade literature, and state-by-state summaries of TMDL programs across the nation. State summaries are updated regularly for all 50 states and include the approach and methodology used to develop TMDLs in that state. In total, about 500 documents are available within this database. http://www.tmdl.bse.vt.edu/site/knowledgebase/ 

Website Seeks to Inspire Pennsylvania to Protect, Enjoy Natural Resources

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently announced a new iConserve Pennsylvania website designed to share the stories of people taking everyday actions to conserve, protect and enjoy the natural resources of the Commonwealth. Viewers are encouraged to share their conservation story by filling out a profile with their own tips, stories and favorite places in Pennsylvania. Website visitors can subscribe to a free monthly electronic newsletter that will include fun facts and green tips. Also featured are simple commitments, next steps and lifestyle change ideas that can help anyone become familiar with conservation, grow their interest, and take action.  http://www.iConservePA.org

New Tools and Publications:

Brownfields Financing Report Available

A new report, Financing Brownfields: State Program Highlights, provides an overview of the types of financial tools and incentives offered by state governments to bridge financial gaps and encourage private sector investment in the revitalization of our communities. The report features a detailed look at more than 50 financial incentive programs offered by 25 states. Many of programs are directly linked to brownfields revitalization. Other programs support brownfields revitalization indirectly, by providing assistance for overall cashflow management for brownfields projects or enticing investment in brownfields properties. [ PDF (5.4MB) 88 Pages ] Publication Number: EPA-560-F-07-252, September 2007.

Source Water Collaborative Campaign Launched

The Source Water Collaborative (SWC) is launching a campaign, "Your Water. Your Decision.", to help local decision-makers take advantage of opportunities to protect sources of drinking water, understand the costs involved, and consider ways to pay for it. As part of this initiative, the SWC has developed a guide for community leaders and a toolkit for using the guide. The "Your Water. Your Decision." guide is intended as a quick source of key information on local options for protecting drinking water, including development, stewardship, and budgeting. Using the theme, "How you govern can determine what you drink," the guide was developed as a tool to enable local officials to take action within their communities and with neighboring communities. http://www.protectdrinkingwater.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=45 

Final Stormwater Wetlands Article Released

"The Next Generation of Stormwater Wetlands" (Article 5) is the latest and final release of the six-part Wetlands & Watersheds Article Series from the Center for Watershed Protection. This article provides information about a new generation of stormwater wetlands with improved performance and community acceptance, in the hopes of rejuvenating their use as a stormwater treatment practice. Two new stormwater wetland designs are presented: an emergent wetland/pond system and a wooded wetland. The authors recommend their use in place of the classic shallow marsh and pond/wetland system designs, and discuss some ways to further develop and test these new prototypes. http://www.cwp.org/wetlands/articles.htm 

Emerging Wastewater Treatment Technologies Identified

EPA is releasing the third in a series of reports on municipal wastewater collection and treatment technologies. Emerging Technologies for Wastewater Treatment and In-Plant Wet Weather Management provides municipal wastewater treatment system owners and operators with the latest information on emerging wastewater treatment and in-plant wet weather management technology options. It identifies cost-effective, innovative and embryonic technologies as well as established technologies with innovative applications. Technical and cost data for more than 60 innovative technologies and more than 25 embryonic technologies are provided. The technologies featured in the report can provide more efficient or advanced wastewater treatment or better management of wet weather flows at the treatment plant. The previous two reports, Emerging Technologies for Biosolids Management, and Emerging Technologies for Conveyance Systems: New Installations and Rehabilitation Methods, are also available on the website. http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/index.htm 

Guide Released to Assist Municipalities Implementing Stormwater Programs

EPA Region 3 has developed guides to assist municipalities implement their municipal stormwater management programs under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System – NPDES. The guidelines address the following key program areas: protect impaired waters by addressing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) requirements; evaluate the effectiveness of storm water controls; incorporate environmentally sensitive design into municipal stormwater programs; and fund stormwater programs. Although prepared for EPA Region 3, these guidelines will be helpful to municipalities in other regions. http://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/municipal