Phosphate Ban in Dishwater Detergent Goes into Effect:  Pennsylvania One of 16 States to Prohibit Use of Cleaning Agent
Starting July 1, a ban in Pennsylvania is prohibiting the sale of dishwater detergent that contain phosphates.  Before, dishwater detergents could contain up to 9% phosphorus (by weight).  Phosphorus acts like a fertilizer and promotes the growth of algae and aquatic weeds.  Once they decompose, they deplete oxygen needed by aquatic life.  Approximately 9 to 34 percent of phosphorus found in sewage treatment plans come from residential dishwashing detergent. The other 15 states included in the ban are Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
By Ad Crable, Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era, July 6, 2010
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/263806#ixzz0tTTnZlrO

NASA Satellite Improves Pollution Monitoring
NASA scientists have improved watershed pollution monitoring models by utilizing satellite and ground-based observations of rainfall.  This data replaces weather station observations in the computer program BASINS (Better Assessment Science Integrating Nonpoint Sources) that calculates streamflow rates and concentrations of pollution.  The NASA data systems model more accurate effects of water flow during storms due to the coverage of the datasets (as opposed to one single weather station location).
ScienceDaily, July 26, 2010
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100726084743.htm

'Super Socks' Help Stem Pollution Runoff
Filter socks are best management practices (BMPs) that consist of mesh tubes filled with compost.  They are utilized to capture silt, heavy metals, fertilizers and petroleum products from stormwater.  Agricultural Research Scientists (ARS) and their collaborators have studied whether adding flocculation agents to the socks improved their performance.  The scientists found that standard compost socks removed the majority of clay and silt particles, 17 percent of ammonium nitrogen, 75 percent of E. coli bacteria, and from 37 percent to 72 percent of the heavy metals.  Also, runoff levels of diesel fuel dropped 99 percent, levels of motor oil dropped 84 percent, and gasoline levels dropped 43 percent.  Socks with flocculation agents increased the pollutant removal and removed 27 percent of the ammonium nitrogen, 99 percent of E. coli bacteria, 99 percent of the motor oil, 54 percent of the gasoline and from 47 percent to 74 percent of the heavy metals.
Pollution Online, July 26, 2010
http://www.pollutiononline.com/article.mvc/Super-Socks-Help-Stem-Pollution-Runoff-0001?user=2361275&source=nl:28266

Sewage Overflow Promotes Spread of West Nile Virus
A study let by Emory University found that people living near creeks with sewage overflows had seven times the higher risk for contracting the West Nile virus.  The infection rate for mosquitoes, birds and humans rises within proximity to a creek impacted by sewage.  Previous research has shown that the Culex mosquito becomes more populous, breeds faster and grows larger in streams contaminated with combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 850 billion galls per year of untreated wastewater and stormwater are discharged to U.S. urban waters. 
ScienceDaily (July 12, 2010)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712103331.htm

NASA Marine Dead Zone Maps
NASA has created new maps showing the areas of deep water where oxygen levels are too low for marine life to survive.  These dead zones have been growing at a staggering pace since the 1960s.  A main cause is contamination from fertilizers which create algae blooms.  When the algae die, microbes decompose the organic matter, which consumes oxygen from the water.  Another known cause is oil spills.  The microbes that consume and break down oil also deplete oxygen from the water.  NASA has used satellites that detect high concentrations of organic matter to determine the areas that lead to dead zones.  They are mostly located along the coastlines of urban areas.  The total area of dead zones is estimated to be 152,000 square miles, affecting 400 different ecosystems. To view the maps, visit http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=44677

Why Some Communities Embrace Environmental Conservation and Others Don't
New research from the University of New Hampshire shows that local factors like unemployment and population growth influence a community’s views about environmental conservation and regulation.  The research shows that rural communities with high unemployment rates are less likely to support conservation and environmental regulations, because they may perceive them as a threat to their economic livelihood.  People in rural communities with high rates of population growth are more likely to support conservation and environmental regulations, because they see the impacts first-hand.  In general, those who are less likely to favor conservation include Republicans, older people, and those who frequently attend religious services.  Those who are more likely to favor conservation include women, nonminority, and those with better educations.  Environmental regulations are generally supported by younger, better educated, and less Republican people.
ScienceDaily, July 8, 2010
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708111336.htm

Effectiveness of Environmentally Sensitive Site Design and LID on Stormwater Runoff Patterns: A study from the Partridgeberry Place subdivision in Ipswich, MA
The Partridgeberry Place subdivision was first designed as a conventional subdivision in 1997 with one-acre lots and minimal open space in the Town of Ipswich, MA.  This design was never built.  Subsequently, the Town adopted an Open Space Residential Design (OSRD) ordinance which provides density incentives for preserving open space.  The Partridgeberry Place subdivision was redesigned as Ipswich’s first OSRD residential subdivision with a variety of low-impact development (LID) stormwater techniques.  The final design of the 38-acre parcel included 20 single-family homes on .20 acre lots, resulting in 28 acres of open space.  This article details the many elements that were included in the design. 
By Renee L. Fitsik, Steven Roy, and Sara Cohen, Stormwater Journal, July-August 2010
http://www.stormh2o.com/july-august-2010/effectiveness-environmentally-sensitive.aspx

Sediment Contamination in Stormwater Detention Ponds
South Carolina has an estimated 27,000 stormwater ponds that provide stormwater management and wildlife habitat.  There are concerns that contaminants could negatively affect the wildlife inhabiting these ponds and the humans that utilize them for recreation.  As stormwater ponds age, they accumulate sediment that should be periodically removed.  Sixteen detention ponds in South Carolina were studied to evaluate the chemical contaminants found in the pond sediments.  The study showed that higher levels of contaminants were found in commercial ponds and ponds with the largest drainage areas.  This article details the specific levels of contaminants found in the study.
By John E. Weinstein, Kevin D. Crawford, Denise M. Sanger, Stormwater Journal, July-August 2010
http://www.stormh2o.com/july-august-2010/sediment-contamination-detentionponds.aspx

Ecosystem-Based Management: Finding the Interconnections in New York
Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) focuses on the interconnections between the environment, human activities, and the delivery of critical ecosystem services.  The idea is to expand management from the coastline up into the entire watershed.  An online Ocean and Great Lakes Atlas allows users to build maps by selecting features, printing maps, and downloading information.  There are over 200 data sets including storm drains, wetlands, underwater vegetation, parks, and fisheries. 
To view the atlas, visit www.nyoglatlas.com
Coastal Services, July/August 2010
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/magazine/2010/04/article2.html