New Web-Based Tool Maps Critical Characteristics for Pennsylvania’s Streams and Watersheds

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a new Web-based application, Pennsylvania StreamStats, allowing users to delineate watersheds, determine their characteristics, and obtain stream-flow statistics quickly and easily anywhere in the state. 

Users can select locations of interest from an interactive map or enter latitude and longitude to obtain information for these locations. Using Pennsylvania StreamStats, users can determine a watershed’s drainage area in square miles, mean annual precipitation in inches, mean basin elevation in feet, and percentage of area covered by carbonate bedrock, glacial deposits, forests, or urban areas. Other stream-flow characteristics available include the 7-day, 2-, 10-, and 30-year low flows; 30-day, 2-, 10-, and 30-year low flows; 90-day, 10-year low flow; annual mean flow; harmonic mean flow; and base flow at the 10-, 25- and 50-year recurrence intervals. http://water.usgs.gov/osw/streamstats/index.html 

New Jersey Seeks to Conserve Water by Using Reclaimed Wastewater

The NJDEP has proposed new rules to encourage more reclamation of treated wastewater for a variety of uses such as irrigation of lawns, parks, and athletic fields, as well as in industrial processes. 

The proposed amendments to the New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System rule set high treatment standards for reclaimed water. They require wastewater facilities that discharge into coastal water bodies or those that are located in Critical Water Supply Areas to study the feasibility of using reclaimed water as a condition of NJPDES permits. These are areas that stand to benefit most from wastewater reclamation because of stressed water supplies. The DEP will exempt facilities from the feasibility study requirement in cases where reductions in discharges of treated wastewater would have adverse effects on water resources. Wastewater treatment facilities that produce an average of less than 100,000 gallons per day will also be exempt.

Reclaimed wastewater has the potential to be used widely to irrigate golf courses, parks, athletic fields, highway medians, sod farms, pasture lands and certain crops, such as those that are peeled or processed before consumption. Industries can also use reclaimed water to cool equipment, to wash parts and to operate equipment. The public comment for the NJDPES rule proposal ends May 16. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dwq/reuseff.htm 

Building Green in Philadelphia, and Beyond

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council released a new report, Building Green: Overcoming Barriers in Philadelphia, that identifies obstacles to green building in Philadelphia and recommends solutions to dissolving those barriers.

In the 2006 SustainLane U.S. Cities Rankings, Philadelphia was ranked the eighth greenest city in the nation. However, it also brought to light how poorly Philadelphia stacks up in other rated areas; in two categories, Green Buildings and Recycling, Philadelphia ranked among the lowest in America. A series of focus group studies was conducted throughout 2007 in order to identify the barriers and formulate proposed solutions for improving green building in Philadelphia. The focus groups included individuals from the development and construction industry, local non-profits concerned with the built environment, and City government. The final result of the initiative is a report that identifies barriers to green building, including lack of political will in top levels of city government, lack of education about sustainable building, lack of good green building models, fiscal irresponsibility, political structure, and incongruent planning regulations. The report offers solutions and early action items to address each barrier. Although this report focuses on Philadelphia, similar recommendations could apply to many cities in the US. www.pecpa.org/files/downloads/2-27-08_BuildingGreen_FINAL.pdf 

For more information on site development planning for green building projects, contact F. X. Browne, Inc. at info@fxbrowne.com.

Policy Update

Grant Programs 
(Click on a grant for more information)

PennVEST Infrastructure Loans/Grants 

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority published revised cutoff dates for submitting applications for water, wastewater, stormwater and other project funding:

• May 20 for the next board meeting (TBA)

http://www.pennvest.state.pa.us/pennvest/cwp/browse.asp?A=4 

PA American Water Environmental Grant Program

Pennsylvania American Water announced it is now accepting applications for its Environmental Grant Program to support innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds and community drinking water supplies. The deadline for applications is April 11. The company will award grants of up to $10,000. The program is designed to support diverse types of activities, such as watershed cleanups, reforestation efforts, underground tank inspection programs, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives and hazardous waste collection efforts. http://www.amwater.com/awpr1/about_american_water/environmental_stewardship/page17675.html 

YSI Foundation Minding the Planet 60th Anniversary Grant 

In honor of its 60th Anniversary, YSI will be awarding a special $60,000 grant to an organization focused on protecting water resources. The Foundation grants have funded a variety of projects, including university environmental science scholarships, large scale restoration projects, and a wetlands data center. This year the Foundation will recognize the important work local volunteer monitoring organizations are doing to improve the quality of the nation's water. Applications are due April 15. https://www.ysi.com/portal/page/portal/YSI_Environmental/About_Us/News/NewsItem?NewsID=NEWS_031008_MTPGRANT 

PA Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants

The PA DCNR has $50 million in grants available to Pennsylvania communities and non-profit organizations to help fund community recreation, open space, land trust, rails-to-trails, rivers, and conservation projects under the Community Conservation Partnerships Program. Applications are due April 25. DCNR is also sponsoring a series of grant writing workshops in February. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/grants/

Conservation Security Program Sign-up

A sign-up for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) will be available from April 18 to May 16. CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture, and range land, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. The program is available in all 50 States, and provides equitable access to benefits to all producers, regardless of size of operation, crops produced, or geographic location. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/index.html 

Wetland Program Development Grants

Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) provide eligible applicants an opportunity to conduct projects that promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. While WPDGs can continue to be used to build and refine elements of a comprehensive wetland program, priority will be given to projects that address three key areas: developing a comprehensive monitoring and assessment program; improving the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation; and refining the protection of vulnerable wetlands and aquatic resources. Closing dates vary by Region. The EPA Region 3 closing date is May 1. http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/grantguidelines/ 

PADEP Growing Greener Grants

The Pennsylvania DEP has announced that Growing Greener Watershed Applications for the 2008 round of funding are now available. The application deadline is May 16. For the upcoming grant round, DEP will invest in projects that will ultimately protect and/or restore Pennsylvania's watersheds from impairment due to nonpoint source pollution. Examples of eligible projects could include reducing nonpoint source pollution in watersheds where streams are impaired; integrating stormwater management and flood protection into watershed management; encouraging the beneficial use of abandoned mine pool water; and water conservation strategies and projects that will help reduce Total Maximum Daily Load pollutants. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/growinggreener/site/default.asp 

F. X. Browne, Inc. has an excellent track record of obtaining Growing Greener grant funds for our clients. Our past projects have included streambank stabilization, watershed assessments, stormwater planning, stormwater demonstration projects, watershed modeling, and best management practices design. For more information, please contact us at info@fxbrowne.com. 

EPA Offers Smart Growth Technical Assistance

U.S. EPA’s Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation is issuing a request for applications for the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance program. Through this program, a team of multidisciplinary experts will provide free technical assistance to communities, regions, or states that want to develop in ways that meet environmental and other local or regional goals. EPA is soliciting applications from communities that want help with either policy analysis or public participatory processes. Selected communities will receive assistance in the form of a multi-day visit from a team of experts organized by EPA and other national partners to work with local leaders. Applications will be accepted until May 8, 2009. http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm

PA Invasive Species Volunteer Monitoring Training

Pennsylvania Sea Grant, Mansfield University and the Army Corps of Engineers are offering a special training session for volunteers interested in joining the Pennsylvania Zebra and Quagga Mussel Monitoring Network. The meeting will be held on May 17 at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, Mansfield, PA. Volunteers will be asked to visit a high risk location, such as a public boat launch or downstream from a known source of mussels, and report the presence or absence of mussels each month of the warm season (until about October). No prior experience is needed. All materials including a DVD training video and monitoring manual will be provided. http://seagrant.psu.edu/zm/ 

Southcentral PA Riparian and Ag BMP Initiative

The Capital Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area Council, Inc. announces the availability of funding for farmers in Southcentral Pennsylvania to install various beneficial agricultural practices. The program, called the Regional Riparian and Ag BMP Initiative, provides cost share dollars for the installation of items such as fencing, watering systems and walkways on livestock farms. Priority will be given to those that incorporate rotational grazing systems in their operations. The program is available within the 17-county Chesapeake Bay drainage area served by the DEP Southcentral Region. http://www.capitalrcd.org/noframes/documents/RRI%20Press%202-08.pdf 

Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Poetry, Essay and Photography Contest

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Aging Initiative, in partnership with Generations United and the Rachel Carson Council Inc., are inviting submissions for its Second Annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Intergenerational Poetry, Essay and Photography Contest. The deadline for entries is June 16. The contest's intergenerational approach reflects Carson's desire to have adults share with children a sense of wonder about nature and help them discover its joys. Entries must be intergenerational involving a team of persons related or unrelated and describe the intergenerational project and how this project brought the team in touch with the natural world. A panel of expert judges will select finalists. The winners in each category will then be determined by the public, who will have an opportunity to vote on-line in July and August for their favorite submission in each category: photography, essay, and poetry. http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm 

PA Recycling Development and Implemental Grants

Municipal recycling programs that boost Pennsylvania’s economy and protect its environment are invited to apply for the latest round of recycling development and implementation grants. To be eligible for recycling development and implementation grants, applicants must submit a plan that includes actions and strategies for optimizing a program’s self-sufficiency. The plan should include strategies for reducing costs and generating revenues, provisions for establishing waste reduction and recycling incentives, mechanisms for public outreach and stakeholder input, and methods to document progress. Grants of up to $500,000 are available, and applications must be postmarked by June 20.  http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/document/grants.htm 

Events 
(Click on an event for more information)

EPA Watershed Webcasts EPA’s Watershed Academy sponsors monthly Webcasts, audio versions of which are available on their website. Past Webcast topics include Smart Growth, AMD and Art, EPA's STORET system, TMDLs and trading through the National Estuary Program, the Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Program, Brownfields Redevelopment, Watershed-based NPDES Permitting, Integrating Wetlands into Watershed Protection; Sustainable Financing for Watershed Groups; Phase II Stormwater; Low Impact Development Strategies, Tools, and Techniques for Sustainable Watersheds; and Eight Tools for Watershed Protection in Developing Areas.  http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts EPA Stormwater Webcasts EPA's popular webcast series for municipal stormwater professionals will resume on April 9 with a webcast on the Art and Science of Stormwater Retrofitting. The series will feature additional webcasts on a variety of topics, including Finding and Fixing Illicit Discharges, and MS4 Program Performance. Archived webcasts are also available. http://www.epa.gov/npdes/outreach_files/sw_webcasts_2008.pdf PA Dirt and Gravel Road ESM Workshops The Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads and Penn State University will be holding their Environmentally Sensitive Maintenance (ESM) Training. The ESM training provides basic knowledge and tools necessary to maintain roads in a more cost-efficient and environmentally sensitive manner. The training is directed towards Municipalities, the Bureau of Forestry, and others entities responsible for unpaved road maintenance. Workshops will be held on the following dates and locations: March 18-19 - McKean/Potter County April 23-24 - Dundee, Michigan May 21-22 - Erie County June 17-18 - Susquehanna County July 15-16 - York County August 13-14 - Wayne County  http://www.mri.psu.edu/centers/cdgrs/calendar/calendar.html NJ Environmental Federation Conference The Heat Is On: New Jersey Environmental Federation 22nd Annual Conference will be held at Rutgers University School of Law in Newark, NJ on April 5. NJ Governor Corzine is the invited keynote speaker. Workshops will be held on topics such as children's health, clean water, healthy towns/healthy schools, environmental justice, green jobs/green economy/ site remediation, and keeping drugs out of drinking water. http://www.cleanwateraction.org/njef/conference08.html  New York Wetlands Forum The New York State Wetlands Forum, Inc. is hosting its 2008 annual conference on April 9-10 in Waterloo, New York. This popular event will be followed by a hydric soils field workshop, hosted by the Forum on April 11. This year's conference theme is "Wetlands in a Changing Landscape." http://www.wetlandsforum.org/  Green Infrastructure Course-WV A new Green Infrastructure course, Strategic Conservation Planning Using a Green Infrastructure Approach, is being offered April 14 - 18 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.  http://www.conservationfund.org/node/239  Rachel Carson Forum Features Hope for Polluted Waters Documentary The next Rachel Carson Forum on Future of the Environment will feature the documentary, “Hope for Polluted Waters” with an introduction by Bucknell University Professor Carl Kirby. Produced by WVIA TV, "Hope for Polluted Waters" tells the personal stories of volunteers working throughout the coal-mining regions of Pennsylvania to clean up pollution from abandoned coal mines. The showing will take place from on April 18 at the Rachel Carson State Office Building, Harrisburg, PA. http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=8982&SubjectID=  Delaware River Watershed Education Youth Eco-Leadership Summit The 15th Annual Delaware River Watershed Education Youth Eco-Leadership Summit will be held April 20-22 at the Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge, PA. The Watershed Education Summit is a basin-wide gathering of students, teachers, and resource personnel, designed to be a educational and networking experience for all students studying the Delaware Watershed and participants in the Bureau of State Parks’ Watershed Education Program. The registration deadline is April 7. http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/edweb/summit.htm  Western PA Land Preservation and Conservation Easements Workshop  The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is offering a comprehensive workshop for landowners and WPC conservation partners entitled, “Understanding Land Preservation and Conservation Easements,” at two locations. Attendees will learn about the critical role of conservation easements in permanently protecting land. They also will learn how easements are developed and held, and how to work with a land trust to protect the conservation value of their property. The workshops are planned for: April 22 in Mercer, PA; and April 29 in Indiana, PA. http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=8943&SubjectID=  Enhancing the States’ Lake Management Programs Conference Enhancing the States’ Lake Management Programs Building Partnerships for Improved Fisheries and Lake Water Quality will be held on April 29 - May 2 in Chicago, IL. This 21st Annual National Conference is cosponsored by the Chicago Botanic Garden, U.S. EPA and North American Lake Management Society. Conference attendees will discuss successes, evaluate obstacles, and explore new approaches for improving the States’ lake management programs. http://nalms.org/Conferences/2008Chicago National River Rally River Rally 2008 will be held May 2-5 in Huron, OH. The River Rally will bring together hundreds of friends of rivers, water keepers, monitors, watchdogs, stewards, guardians and others involved in watershed protection and restoration. http://www.rivernetwork.org/rally/index.php 2008 Brownfields Conference With nearly 6,000 attendees, over 150 educational sessions, more than 200 exhibitors and unrivaled networking events, the U.S. EPA and ICMA co-sponsored National Brownfields Conference is the premier event of its kind. It will be held May 5-7 at the Cobo Convention Center in Detroit, MI. http://www.brownfields2008.org/en/index.aspx  ME River Management Symposium  The River Management Society (RMS) is hosting Branching Out from the Mainestream: a River Management Symposium on May 12-15 in Portland, Maine. RMS's first national symposium in the Northeast will be more intimate and interactive, offering new ideas and ways of learning, including field trips to local rivers and estuaries for onsite examples of management successes and challenges. http://www.river-management.org/symposium.asp  World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2008  The Environmental & Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers will be holding the 2008 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress on May 12-16 in Honolulu, HI. Come learn about the Ancient Hawaiian ahupua'a system of sustainable land management, which evolved to protect the upland water resources that were a life-sustaining gift to be used wisely and conserved by all Hawaiians. http://content.asce.org/conferences/ewri2008/index.html  National WQ Monitoring Conference The National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) is hosting its 6th conference, Monitoring: Key to Understanding Our Waters, in Atlantic City, NJ on May18-22. The conference will focus on seven themes that highlight the importance of monitoring in achieving the goal of clean water for all. Especially integral to effective monitoring networks are the “3C’s” of the Council’s Framework for Monitoring — Communication, Collaboration, and Coordination. http://www.wef.org/ConferencesTraining/ConferencesEvents/NatlWaterQualityMonitoringConference/  NEIWPCC Annual Conference The New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission’s (NEIWPCC) 19th Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference: “Progress through Partnerships: Collaborating to Protect Our Watersheds,” will be held on May 19-21 in Groton, Connecticut. www.neiwpcc.org/npsconference Sustainable Infrastructure Forum for Water and Wastewater On May 20-22, the Environmental Finance Center will host a Sustainable Infrastructure Forum for EPA Region 3 and Region 4. State and local groups with an interest in Sustainable Infrastructure are encouraged to attend, however workshop registration is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. http://www.efc.umd.edu/SustInfrasForum.html  Society of Wetland Scientists International Conference  The Society of Wetland Scientists will be holding an International Conference on May 26-30 in Washington, DC. The theme for the 29th annual meeting, Capitalizing on Wetlands, highlights the need for integrating the breadth of wetland science, encompassing biogeography, conservation, ecology, hydrology, management, nutrient cycling and contamination, and wildlife biology with economics, public policy, and education. http://www.sws.org/2008_meeting WV GIS Tools for Strategic Conservation Planning Course A new course, GIS Tools for Strategic Conservation Planning, is being offered June 16-19 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center and The Conservation Fund offer this course to teach students how to apply GIS tools, methodologies, and analyses to strategic conservation planning using a "Green Infrastructure" approach. The registration deadline is May 1. http://www.conservationfund.org/node/670  MD Sustainability Conference A national sustainability conference, Sustainability 2008: Green Practices for the Water Environment, will be held on June 22-25 in National Harbor, MD. the conference is organized by the Water Environment Federation. http://www.wef.org/ConferencesTraining/Conferences/SpecialtyConference/Sustainability_2008.htm   AWRA Summer Specialty Conference A summer conference, "Riparian Ecosystems and Buffers: Working at the Water's Edge," will be held on June 30-July 2 in Virginia Beach, VA. The conference is organized by the American Water Resources Association (AWRA). http://www.awra.org/meetings/Virginia_Beach2008/ Pennsylvania River Sojourns Pennsylvania River Sojourns are guided paddling trips, sponsored by the PA Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, the PA Fish & Boat Commission, American Canoe Association and POWR. Sojourn season runs from May through September, and participants can choose whether to paddle just one day or the whole trip. http://www.pawatersheds.org/sojourn/

Link Of The Month

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/ 

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