New Runoff Reduction Method Announced for Innovative Stormwater Design

The Center for Watershed Protection and Tom Schueler of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network have recently completed a technical memo that outlines an innovative system for stormwater design called the Runoff Reduction Method. 

The design is part of CWP's "Extreme BMP Makeover" project, funded by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. They have been working closely with the VA Department of Conservation & Recreation to integrate the Runoff Reduction Method into proposed stormwater regulations and an updated handbook. While the technical memo provides extensive background research on BMP performance, the focus is on BMP capacity to reduce overall runoff volume as well as pollutant removal. These BMPs include both conventional and innovative practices (e.g., pervious parking, sheetflow to open space, green roofs, downspout disconnection). The method also incorporates built-in incentives for environmental site design, such as preserving forests and reducing soil disturbance and impervious cover. The memo includes a draft spreadsheet that can be used as a stormwater site planning tool to assess how well certain combinations of practices reduce post-development runoff volumes and total phosphorus loads. VA DCR and the VA Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers are currently using this spreadsheet and the Runoff Reduction Method in site design charrettes around the state. The spreadsheet will be revised based on feedback from these stakeholder involvement workshops. http://www.cwp.org/Downloads/ExtremeBMP/RRTechMemo.pdf  

CWP Runoff Rundown Spring 2008

Bay Swim Will Mark Magnificent Rebirth 

On June 28, 300 people will swim across Presque Isle Bay to remind the Erie region how it is reclaiming a body of water that it once ruined with decades of pollution and neglect. 

The Presque Isle Bay cleanup started only after the bay hit rock bottom. The bay had become a dumping area, filled with sewage and industrial pollutants. The International Joint Commission, a U.S. partnership with Canada, added the Presque Isle Bay to a watch list of 42 "areas of concern." New environmental organizations formed, including the Erie Harbor Improvement Council, and the Presque Isle Bay Public Advisory Committee. Eventually, the city of Erie, through a court order, was forced to make $100 million in improvements to better handle wastewater, which contributed significantly to the massive bay cleanup. The advisory committee, working with the PADEP, requested that the "area of concern" status be changed to "recovery stage" in 2002. http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/OPINION01/804020361/-1/OPINION

Erie Times News, April 2, 2008

DEP Responds to Auditor General's Dam Safety Program Audit

PADEP asserts that efforts that began more than four years ago to improve the safety of Pennsylvania’s dams and levees have already addressed many of the recommendations offered in a recent report released by the Auditor General. 

"This report reflects the programs of the past, not the programs as they are today,” said DEP Secretary McGinty of the report, which examined the programs from July 2002 to September 2006. Shortly after taking office, Governor Rendell enacted an aggressive and far-reaching initiative to better enforce dam and levee safety requirements associated with the program. DEP has stepped up inspections and enforcement actions, improved lines of communications with local officials and other agencies, and taken steps to ensure emergency response capabilities are well organized. When Governor Rendell took office, three out of four high-hazard dams did not have a current emergency action plan. Today, the commonwealth is on track to reach a 95 percent compliance rate. The national average for compliance is 49 percent. Through his Rebuilding Pennsylvania initiative, Governor Rendell has called for $37 million to rehabilitate unsafe state-owned dams, and another $6.6 million to leverage local dollars in order to repair or breach unsafe publicly owned dams. The Governor’s proposal also will invest $100 million for flood-control projects over the next three years. Of that total, approximately $91 million would be for capital flood protection projects, while the balance would be available to increase the number of flood-protection grants awarded to municipalities each year, boost support for stream improvement projects, and complete emergency closure work and rehabilitation projects. 

PADEP Press Release 5/1/2008
http://www.ahs.dep.state.pa.us/newsreleases/default.asp?ID=5038&varQueryType=Detail 

For more information about dam safety design, dam removal, or hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, please contact F. X. Browne, Inc. at info@fxbrowne.com.

Greening Chicago’s Alleys

With about 3057 km (1900 mi) of alleys in the Windy City, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is casting a green eye on the expansive maze of concrete alleyways.

Originally the alleys were designed on a grade, so water would flow out into the streets and into catch basins. Over the years, the graded designs in the alleys have worn down, and water that would otherwise flow out into the streets now collects and pools in the alleys, eventually making its way into residences. While CDOT considered building infrastructure in the alleys to handle the stormwater, the high price tag quickly ruled this option out. CDOT estimated it would cost about $100,000 per block to construct alleyway sewers.

In an effort to curb stormwater runoff that can lead to flooding in homes and overburden sewers, CDOT has implemented the Green Alley Program. The program entails replacing the alleys’ traditional concrete, asphalt, and pavers with permeable materials, which allow rainwater to seep into an alley’s surface. The permeable surfaces also reflect rather than retain heat to cool the immediate air in summer. The alleys of Chicago will be reconstructed with three permeable pavements — asphalt, concrete, and pavers. All have an infiltration rate that that allows water from heavier rainfalls to permeate through the pavement and sink into the ground. http://www.wef.org/ScienceTechnologyResources/Publications/WEFHighlights/2008Highlights/08May/May08Features.htm 

Water Environment Federation Highlights, May 2008

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:

• August 18 for the October 27 board meeting
• November 17 for the January 26, 2009 board meeting
• February 16, 2009 for the April 20, 2009 board meeting

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

PA State Wildlife Grants 

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has announced an invitation for project applications to the State Wildlife Grants Program. Grant applications are due June 13. Projects funded under this program will help address conservation needs for high-priority projects for endangered, threatened and at-risk species across Pennsylvania. This year, the Game Commission is requesting applicants submit "Letters of Intent" rather than complete project proposals. Selected applicants then will be invited to submit full proposals. Also, for the first time, the Wild Resource Conservation Program has explicitly stated that it will be taking a close look at projects that meet Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan priorities. http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/browse.asp?a=496&bc=0&c=70008 

Kodak American Greenways Awards Program

The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program, a partnership project of the Eastman Kodak Company and the Conservation Fund, provides small grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout America. In general, grants can be used for all appropriate expenses needed to complete a greenway project including planning, technical assistance, legal, and other costs. Awards are primarily provided to local, regional, and statewide nonprofit organizations. Applications are accepted until June 15. http://www.conservationfund.org/node/245 

 Wissahickon Water Quality Improvement Grants

Applications are now being accepted to fund projects to improve water quality and habitat along the Wissahickon Creek as a result of a $1.2 million penalty settlement with Merck & Company. The deadline for applications is June 15. Merck is accepting applications for any projects dealing with stream restoration, sediment reduction, habitat restoration or wetlands restoration. Only projects that can be completed by December 31, 2011 will be accepted. http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=9213&SubjectID= 

Northeastern Pennsylvania's Environmental Partnership Awards

The Northeast Environmental Partners seek nominations for the 18th Annual Environmental Partnership Awards and the 14th Annual Thomas P. Shelburne Environmental Leadership Award. Nominations are due on June 15. The Environmental Partnership Awards are presented annually to recognize the achievements of individuals or organizations that, through partnerships, have achieved excellence in environmental protection or conservation in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Thomas P. Shelburne Environmental Leadership Award was established to recognize an individual who stands out for his or her long-term commitment to environmental quality through inspirational leadership, dedication and commitment to partnering. The awards are open to any group, individual, company, program or organization whose work has had a positive impact on the environment in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s following counties; Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna Wayne and Wyoming. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?Q=536357&A=3

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 

2008 Central Catskill Smart Growth Program

The NYS DEC is soliciting applications from towns, villages and not-for-profit organizations, located along the Route 28 corridor of the Central Catskill Park/Mountains, for Central Catskill Park/Mountains Smart Growth Grant projects. DEC seeks proposals for capital projects which protect the region's natural resources and accommodate economic growth by revitalizing existing village, hamlet and town centers. Projects must be located wholly within the program area, which consists of the towns of Andes, Middletown, Olive and Shandaken, and the villages of Fleischmanns and Margaretville. Applications must be postmarked by June 20. http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/37874.html 

NY Hudson River Estuary Grant Program

New York State DEC's Hudson River Estuary Grants are being made available to municipalities and not-for-profit corporations for projects that help implement certain priorities included in the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda, 2005-2009. This year's program will focus on grants that will help New York prepare for the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial celebration in 2009 with a program of accomplishments that further the Estuary Action Agenda goals of river restoration. The deadline for applications is June 27. The Estuary Program has scheduled workshops to further explain the program. http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5091.html 

EPA Region 3 Environmental Achievement Awards

Region 3 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now accepting applications for its 2008 Environmental Achievement Awards. Nominations are due June 30. EPA's mid-Atlantic regional office is encouraging people to nominate individuals and groups who are making significant contributions to help public health and the environment in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia or in the District of Columbia. Individuals and organizations are eligible for environmental achievement awards in three categories: business and industry; non-profit or volunteer organization; and state, local or other federal government agency. http://www.epa.gov/region03/eaa.html

PA Wild Resource Conservation Program Grants

Applications are being accepted for $1 million in grants for projects protecting Pennsylvania's non-game animals, native plants and their habitat by the PA DCNR. The deadline for applications is June 30. This year, the Wild Resource Conservation Program  is focusing on five critical areas: effects of climate change on biodiversity; elementary education materials; Wildlife Action Plan priorities; wild plant management; and general biodiversity projects. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/wrcf/2008grant/instructions.aspx 

PA Boating Facilities Grant Program

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is now encouraging county and municipal governments interested in the planning, acquisition, development, expansion, or rehabilitation of public boating facilities to apply for funding through the Boating Facility Grant Program. The deadline for applications is September 30. The program is designed to help local governments provide or improve recreational boat access facilities in their communities that are open to the public. Private businesses, non-profit or not-for-profit organizations, and service clubs are not eligible for direct funding, but are encouraged to partner with their local government for funding. Applicants can seek grants for site acquisition, project design and engineering, development, expansion and major rehabilitation of recreational boat access facilities. http://www.fish.state.pa.us/promo/grants/boat_fac/00boatfac.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. The June 18 webcast will feature "ATTAINS -- A Gateway to State-Reported Water Quality Information." Past Webcast topics include Climate Change, 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 have resumed. The series will feature stormwater-related webcasts on a variety of topics, including the following: June 4 – MS4 Program Performance.  July 23 – Stormwater 101.  September 3 - Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) 301.  Archived webcasts on urban stormwater retrofitting and BMP performance 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: 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 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/ PA Source Water Protection Workshop The Water Resources Education Network will conduct an informative workshop, Protecting Public Drinking Water: Source Water Protection Solutions, to provide information about steps local communities are taking across Pennsylvania to protect drinking water. The workshop will be held on June 4 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center, Fogelsville, PA. Workshop is free and open to the public. Approved for 3.5 CEU for Water Operators. http://www.drinkingwaterwise.org  NC Low Impact Development Summit  NC State and others are hosting the Low Impact Development Summit, June 23-24, and will address the planning, policy, and financing aspects of incorporating LID principals in municipalities. CWP staff will discuss recent efforts in DE, GA, and VA to develop a stormwater management approach and design criteria that encourage the use of Better Site Design and LID as well as traditional stormwater methods. http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/lid_summit/index.html  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/ConferencesEvents/Sustainability/   PA Outdoor Lighting Workshops for Municipal Planners PADEP and PADCNR, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Outdoor Lighting Council, are sponsoring three Outdoor Lighting workshops this spring for municipal planners. These workshops will help define good and bad outdoor lighting, showcasing equipment to help reduce glare and light pollution, and provide tools for communities to protect themselves against irresponsible lighting practices. There will also be an important discussion on the elements of an effective lighting ordinance and the process of getting such an ordinance enacted and enforced in your community. Although workshops will focus mainly on the needs of municipal officials, they are also open to interested members of the general public. The next workshop will be held on June 25 in Coudersport, Potter County, PA. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?Q=535881&A=3  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/ West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Symposium The 2008 West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Symposium will be held on July 18-19 in State College, PA. Anyone interested in restoring the West Branch is invited to attend this premier event which serves as a regional forum for exchanging information and networking for volunteers, policy-makers, technical experts and students.  http://www.crisciassociates.com/Newsletter/docs/3/WestBranchSymposium08.pdf EPA Water Quality Standards Academy Course The EPA Office of Science and Technology's Water Quality Standards Academy will hold a Basic Course in Arlington, VA (just outside of D.C.) on July 21-25. The Basic Course is an introductory training course on water quality standards designed for those with fewer than six months of experience with standards. Others may also benefit from the course, including veterans of the water quality standards program who seek a refresher on aspects of standards.  http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/academy.html PA Watershed Management Workshop for Teachers  The first annual Watershed Management Workshop for Teachers will be held at Mansfield University July 9-10. The workshop is designed to prepare participants to assess and monitor water quality, more fully understand watershed-related issues and apply this expertise in their own school district. Both classroom and hands-on field sessions will be included. http://geoggeol.mansfield.edu/watershed-workshop/ Wetlands 2008 National Conference Wetlands 2008: Wetlands and Global Climate Change will be held on September 15-19 in Portland, OR. The overall goal of this conference is to help wetland professionals in the public and private sectors 1) gain a better understanding of the challenges created by climate change and 2) identify discrete activities and actions to take to reduce and mitigate impacts on wetlands and water resources as well as communities. The conference will also address ongoing changes and challenges in wetlands and water resources management. http://www.aswm.org/calendar/wetlands2008/index.htm

Link Of The Month

Watershed Sustainable Finance Online Training 

EPA's Watershed Academy has added a new online training module on Developing a Sustainable Finance Plan. The training module is designed to help watershed organizations develop and implement sustainable funding plans. Case studies are included throughout the module to provide real examples of finance strategies employed by nonprofit watershed organizations in the U.S. To view the module visit: http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/sustainablefinance. Fifty other training modules on a wide variety of watershed topics are also available at http://www.epa.gov/watertrain. 

EPA Public Water System Notification Tools Developed

EPA released a new web-based program, PNiWriter, to help public water systems comply with the public notification requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Public notification is intended to ensure consumers are immediately alerted if there is a serious problem with their drinking water which may pose a risk to public health. The PNiWriter provides a fast, user-friendly format for creating public notices that meet all federal requirements. http://www.pniwriter.org The PNiWriter is a companion product to the CCRiWriter. Since its release in 2002, the CCRiWriter has helped users generate more than 10,000 Consumer Confidence reports, also known as Water Quality Reports, that public water systems annually provide to customers to inform them about their drinking water. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/tools.html 

Stormwater Performance Data Included in Report

The University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center 2007 Annual Report is now available online. Produced in partnership with the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET), this publication contains performance data on the ability of stormwater treatment systems to treat water quality and manage water quantity. http://ciceet.unh.edu/unh_stormwater_report_2007/index.php 

New Water Quality Website Released 

EPA released a new database/website for water quality assessment and total maximum daily loads information. The site, known as ATTAINS, combines two formerly separate databases: the National Assessment Database, and the National Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) Tracking System. The site includes state-reported information on support of designated uses; identified causes and sources of impairment; identified impaired waters; and status of actions (TMDLs) to restore impaired waters. The website allows the user to view dynamic, continuously-updated tables and charts that summarize state-reported information for the nation as a whole, for individual states and waters, and for the 10 EPA regions. EPA is sponsoring an informational Watershed Academy Webcast featuring ATTAINS on June 18. http://www.epa.gov/waters/ir 

EPA Watershed Planning Handbook 

EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds recently released a new version of its watershed handbook to help communities, watershed organizations, and local, state, tribal, and federal environmental agencies develop and implement watershed plans to meet water quality standards and protect water resources. The Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters is designed to help anyone undertaking a watershed planning effort, but should be particularly useful to communities working with waters that are impaired or threatened. http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook 

21st Century Land Development Code Published

The 21st Century Land Development Code from APA Planners Press provides a comprehensive guide to drafting and updating land-use regulations. 21st Century Land Development Code is a complete planning and law model code integrating traditional Euclidean zoning with green codes, new urbanism, and smart growth. It covers sustainability, traditional neighborhood development, transit-oriented development, mixed use centers, subdivision regulations, official mapping, adequate public facilities, variances, conditional uses, religious uses, adult uses, telecommunications, and complete forms and procedures. The companion CD-ROM, which is searchable, contains the entire text of the code and commentaries, along with color illustrations. http://www.planning.org/APAStore/Search/Default.aspx?p=3743