Previous Newsletters    

For a printer friendly version of the newsletter, click here.

Subscribe to Sustainable Environments

F. X. Browne, Inc.'s

Sustainable Environments

March 2010

"No matter how long the winter,
spring is sure to follow."

~ Proverb from Guinea

Photo credit:   snaps11 on Flickr.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snaps11/4274293336/

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson released this action plan, which details the most urgent threats facing the Great Lakes and provides goals, objectives, and actions for the next five years.  The Great Lakes provide drinking water to about 30 million Americans and support a multi-billion dollar economy of fishing, boating and recreation.  The action plan focuses on five priority focus areas:  protection and cleanup of the most polluted areas in the lakes, combating invasive species, protection of high priority watersheds and reduced runoff from urban, suburban and agricultural sources, restoration of wetlands and other habitats, and the implementation of accountability measures, learning initiatives, outreach, and strategic partnerships.  The plan includes measures of progress and benchmarks for success over the next five years.

  For more information, visit http://greatlakesrestoration.us/?p=445

To view the Action Plan, visit http://greatlakesrestoration.us/action/wp-content/uploads/glri_actionplan.pdf
 

President’s FY 2011 Budget Released

The Office and Management and Budget released the President’s 2011 budget request on February 1, 2010.    The Northeast-Midwest Institute has provided a summary table of select federal programs and a full budget analysis. 

To view the summary table of select federal programs, visit

http://www.nemw.org/images/issues/budget/FY2011%20Budget%20Table.pdf

To view the full budget analysis, visit http://www.nemw.org/images/issues/budget/FY2011%20Budget%20Analysis.pdf

To  view the tracking of federal funds page, visit http://www.nemw.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34&Itemid=22

EPA Budget

The President has requested $10.02 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the 2011 budget.  Funding for Clean Water Act §319 non-point source management grants equal $200.9 million, CWA §106 grants equal $274.2 million, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund equals $2 billion, the BEACH Act programs equal $10 million, and The National Estuary Programs receive $27.2 million.  Funding is also proposed to be provided for geographic programs including the Chesapeake Bay Program ($63 million), the Great Lakes Restoraion Initiative ($300 million), the Gulf of Mexico ($4.5 million), the Long Island Sound ($3 million), and the Pudget Sound ($20 million).
For more information on the budget request, visit http://www.epa.gov/budget/

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Identifies Seven Priorities for EPA's Future

Lisa Jackson has identified the following key priorities for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):  taking action on climate change, improving air quality, assuring the safety of chemicals, cleaning up our communities, protecting America's waters, expanding the conversation on environmentalism and working for environmental justice, and building strong state and tribal partnerships. 

For more information, read the memorandum at http://blog.epa.gov/administrator/2010/01/12/seven-priorities-for-epas-future/
 

WaterSMART Initiative – Department of the Interior
 

This new water sustainability strategy for the US focuses on improving water conservation and helping water and resource managers make wise decisions about water use.  SMART stands for “Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow.”

http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/2010_02_22_release.cfm