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Editor's
Notes:
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The 4th Annual Great
Pennsylvania Cleanup, a statewide effort to remove litter and trash
from roadways, parks, riverbanks and open spaces, will run from March 1
to May 31. This year's event will include special emphasis on creating
Litter-Free School Zones, as well as a featured one-day, statewide
cleanup event on April 21 in conjunction with Earth Day.
The 2007 PA
River Sojourn season is fast approaching. There will be 13 sojourns
featured in the 2007 season, starting in early May. Registration will
begin in March, so plan now if you would like to vacation on one of
Pennsylvania’s many scenic rivers.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has funding
for farmers participating in the CREP stream buffer program who are also
interested in improving or converting to a more intensive rotational
grazing system. Practices could include exterior and interior fencing of
cropland, assistance with watering systems beyond CREP’s limits, and
stabilized animal walkways.
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Topic
of the Month:
In Honor of St. Patrick's
Day, Think Green Building!
Do you wish your home or business could
reflect your desire to tread lightly on the planet and live a healthier
lifestyle? Consider Green Building. More...
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Green Building – Surprising Facts:
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The
US Department of Energy states that today's buildings consume more
energy than any other sector of the U.S. economy, including
transportation and industry.
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Studies
indicate that Americans spend up to 90% of their day indoors.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, air quality
inside buildings is sometimes two to five times worse than outside air
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Green
or High Performance Buildings typically lease or sell faster, and
retain and attract tenants better because they combine superior
amenity and comfort with lower occupancy costs and more competitive
terms.
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Energy
and water efficient buildings reduce operating costs to less than half
those of a traditional building by employing green design concepts.
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Improved
indoor environments can increase employee productivity by up to 16
percent.
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Well
integrated and comprehensive green building projects can result in
lower or neutral incremental project development costs.
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http://www.nyserda.org/programs/Green_Buildings/default.asp
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News Clips:
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Upstate Development May Be Reducing the Quality of NYC's Water Supply
New Yorkers proudly claim that their
drinking water, pumped straight from the city’s
many reservoirs with very little treatment, is the purest, best tasting water in the
country. But those bragging rights may be in jeopardy.
More...
New Law Would Require Use of Native Plants
The Lower Makefield, PA, supervisors are
considering a
new ordinance that would require only native
plants in common areas of new developments. More...
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Climate Change Study
Planned
Researchers from Penn
State, Drexel University and Johns Hopkins University will be combining
their efforts to conduct a study of the Susquehanna River Basin and the
Chesapeake Bay in order to predict
the affects of climate change and human influences on water resources.
More...
Watershed Group Works to Neutralize Acid Rain Damage
The Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance is planning to
spend $305,000 on a project to offset damage caused by acid rain to the fragile
ecosystem at the western Union County, PA headwaters. More...
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Policy
Update:
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The
USEPA is inviting public comments on four Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) watershed plans in Pennsylvania. The
watersheds include: Schuylkill River mainstem focusing on PCB
contamination, Sawmill Run for acid mine drainage and sediment
impairments, the Shenango River with a focus on metals and South
Branch Bear Creek for acid mine drainage impairments. |
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NJ DEP released the results of a study that evaluated the
occurrence of a widely used industrial chemical known as
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in drinking-water systems throughout the
state. |
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In an effort to streamline the process for assessing
impacts and determining appropriate mitigation for Virginia’s streams,
the U.S. ACOE’s Norfolk District and the Virginia DEQ have jointly
developed the Unified
Stream Methodology (USM). Starting Feb. 1, 2007, this new
methodology replaces the separate methodology each agency has used
previously. |
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The PA DEP invites public comments on
proposed Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Plans for two watersheds—Stonycreek
River Watershed, Somerset County (public meeting March 7), and Mahanoy
Creek, Schuylkill County (comment period extended to March 2).
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The
Chesapeake Bay Partner Community
Awards Program is now accepting applications from local
governments to earn recognition as a Chesapeake Bay Partner
community member. The award recognizes, encourages, and supports local
governments in the Chesapeake Bay watershed who demonstrate a
commitment to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay, its rivers, and
streams. |
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President
Bush transmitted to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent for
ratification, the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based
Sources and Activities ("Protocol") to the Convention for
the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider
Caribbean Region (1983 Cartagena Convention). |
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NJ DEP
has released the 2006 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and
Assessment Report. While the results are mixed, DEP's monitoring
data show that many waters are not meeting DEP's water quality goals
for aquatic life, fish consumption and freshwater recreational uses.
However, most waters in the state are healthy enough to support
drinking water supply, shellfish harvesting, and ocean beach
recreational uses. |
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The PA
DOT adopted
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) Standard Specifications entitled, “Compost for
Erosion/Sediment Control - Compost Blanket and Filter Berms” into
PennDOT’s Construction Publication 408, effective April 2. |
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Constructed Wetlands Being Used to Treat Airport
Runoff While
airport stormwater runoff is particularly hard to treat using conventional
means because it is cold, intermittent, and high-volume over short
periods, an innovative approach using aerated gravel beds is proving to be
an effective treatment for such contaminated stormwater.
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Sub-surface flow (SSF) wetlands are insulated, aerated, and specifically
engineered to remove glycol. In addition, they are easy to operate,
requiring only minimal attention from airport staff, and their
construction and operations and maintenance costs are less than 50 percent of those of alternative conventional stormwater treatment
facilities.
For
full article, visit: Engineering Runoff Solutions – Airport Business Magazine,
February 5, 2007 http://www.airportbusiness.com:80/publication/article.jsp?pubId=1&id=10134
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Link of the Month:
For the first time, the public can use the
NJ DEP's website to get direct, up-to-the-minute information on the
status of applications for DEP permits. The new, online Permit
Progress Report identifies DEP staff members assigned to handle
various aspects of the permit-application review and the dates those
tasks were completed.
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New Tools and
Publications:
New Stormwater Guide for Evaluating MS4 Programs
The EPA Office of Water published a new MS4
Evaluation Guide on EPA's stormwater website. The Guide is designed for use by
NPDES authorities to evaluate the quality of Phase I and Phase II MS4 programs:
for permit compliance, technical assistance and other purposes. It can be used
for comprehensive program evaluations or for certain components of an MS4
program. MS4 program managers may also find it helpful as they evaluate their
own programs. The document is being provided in Microsoft Word format so NPDES
programs can modify it to meet the unique components of their programs such as
those required by state regulations. A free Webcast
on using the new Guide will be held on March 7. http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/munic.cfm
First Annual USGS Streamflow Summary Available
This past year has
produced some record-breaking high streamflow conditions in the Northeast, as
well as some near-record lows in other areas of the country, according to the
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In a new USGS publication, “Streamflow of 2006
– Water Year Summary,” changes in streamflow over the course of 2006 are
examined relative to conditions over the past 75 years. In
2006, two percent of streamgages reported new record high streamflow, most of
which were in New England, and one percent of streamgages experienced new record
lows. This first-ever USGS summary of seasonal, regional, and national streamflow
conditions for water year 2006 can be accessed at: http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/2006summary/
EPA Hydromodification Draft Guidance
The US EPA developed a draft guidance document,
National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from
Hydromodification, to help states, territories, tribes, and the public to
understand and manage hydromodification-related water problems. The document is
divided into the three main chapters: (1) Channelization and Channel
Modification, (2) Dams, and (3) Streambank and Shoreline Erosion. Each chapter
focuses on individual management measures that are specific to each type of
hydromodification activity. Each section introduces the management measure(s)
for the particular topic and presents a range of management practices that may
be implemented to achieve the management measure. http://www.epa.gov/nps/hydromod/#guide
Riparian Restoration Field Guide
A new illustrated field guide is now available
for participants of riparian restoration educational workshops and field tours.
An Introduction to Induced Meandering: A Method for Restoring Stability to
Incised Stream Channels, by Earth Works Institute, describes riparian
restoration techniques and includes real examples, such as those used for
several demonstration sites in the Galisteo Watershed Restoration Project in New
Mexico. The document highlights the use of induced meandering concepts and
procedures. http://www.earthworksinstitute.org/publications/publications.html
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Newsletter
Editor/ Design and Layout:
Rebecca
Buerkett |
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