Southern PA Counties Consider Higher Density Communities

Communities in Franklin and Adams counties in southern Pennsylvania are growing rapidly, and regional planners are facing choices in how to manage increasing populations. 

Franklin and Adams rank among the 10 fastest growing counties in Pennsylvania. With military jobs coming to northern Maryland and restricted development there, more settlers are on the way. If all of the approved subdivisions in Adams County are built out, the county will lose nine percent of its farmland.

The York/Adams Smart Growth Coalition is developing guidelines that municipalities can adopt for dense, mixed-housing communities, according to the Realtors Association of York and Adams Counties. Traditional Neighborhood Design communities feature homes close together, narrow streets, sidewalks, small front yards, a front porch, a garage on a back alley and common recreational areas. A couple can start out in an apartment, move to a condominium with their young children then to a single-family house and retire to a condo -- all in the same neighborhood. A suburban plan would sprawl $350,000 houses on 57 individual lots. The same 61 acres can support a village of 468 housing units ranging in price from $100,000 to $320,000 with 20 acres left for open space. http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=6555&State=39&res=1024 

from Chambersburg Public Opinion, March 28, 2008

F. X. Browne, Inc. specializes in Low-Impact Development design, in which housing units are clustered in developed areas with narrower streets and naturalized stormwater management practices so that open space and greenway areas can be preserved. For more information, contact info@fxbrowne.com. 

PADEP Cracks Down on Environmental Compliance Violators

PADEP has recently levied several fines aimed at cracking down on violators of environmental compliance regulations. 

• DEP has fined Beavertown Block Co. Inc. $11,500 as part of a legal agreement that also requires the company to identify and correct a number of environmental violations discovered at its concrete masonry manufacturing plant in Franklin Township, Snyder County. An investigation by DEP in June and July 2007 found that the company had failed to maintain stormwater and erosion and sedimentation controls against site runoff and drainage from raw material storage piles on its property, which led to excessive amounts of silt, sand and gravel being discharged at three locations into an unnamed tributary of Middle Creek. Beavertown Block also used rejected concrete block, without a DEP permit, to fill and elevate an area of its property, part of which is located in the floodway. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?Q=535909&A=3

• After detecting an emerging pattern of violations by Edward T. Sitarik Contracting Inc., DEP has fined the company $180,000 for violating the state’s Clean Streams Law. Independent inspections by the Armstrong and Washington county conservation districts at two Sitarik work sites in 2006 revealed that the company had failed to implement adequate erosion and sediment controls, which was a violation of its NPDES permits. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?Q=535888&A=3 

• DEP has ordered Wayne Township, Lawrence County, to implement a sewage plan that would provide service to approximately 180 homes in the Squaw Run neighborhood. Nearly six out of 10 on-lot septic systems in the area were deemed to be malfunctioning. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?Q=535874&A=3 

• DEP has ordered Northampton Township, Bucks County, to implement a sewage plan that would provide service to more than 400 homes and businesses in its west end, where on-lot septic systems have been failing for more than a decade. The order stipulates that the township take immediate steps to implement the sewage plan that DEP first approved in 1997. http://www.ahs.dep.state.pa.us/newsreleases/default.asp?ID=5036

F. X. Browne, Inc. can assist municipalities, developers, associations, and individuals to prepare stormwater management plans, erosion and sedimentation control plans, NPDES permits, Act 537 Plans, planning modules, and other environmental compliance permits and documents. For more information, contact info@fxbrowne.com. 

Coalition Proposes Fair Share Clean Water Funding Plan to Meet Cleanup Mandates

A coalition of environmental, farm, businesses and municipal groups recently announced the Pennsylvania Fair Share for Clean Water Plan to help wastewater plant ratepayers and farmers finance improvements needed to address Chesapeake Bay and statewide water quality improvement mandates while preserving economic opportunity for future homeowners and businesses. 

The Pennsylvania Fair Share for Clean Water Plan will invest $170 million in 2008-09 in several ways to reduce the financial burden on ratepayers and farms: $100 million to help wastewater plants finance required improvements; $50 million in direct cost share aid to farmers to install conservation practices ($35 for REAP farm tax credits and $15 million in cost share grants); $10 million to county conservation districts to expand technical assistance to farmers and $10 million to restore cuts to the Department of Agriculture budget in farm programs. It also proposes reforms to the state’s nutrient credit trading program that will help to make it a viable alternative to provide for both environmental improvements to the Bay and sufficient future sewage capacity for new development. http://www.cbf.org/site/News2?abbr=SB_News_&page=NewsArticle&id=32495 

NJDEP Takes Steps to Reduce Phosphorus in Waterways

NJDEP is taking significant steps toward improving the health of New Jersey's lakes, rivers and streams by reducing the impacts of phosphorus. 

During an Earth Week event at a West Windsor home-improvement center, Commissioner Jackson signed a memorandum of understanding with members of the lawn-care industry, who pledged to reduce the amount of phosphorus released by fertilizers in the Garden State by 50 percent by 2010. The industry will make fertilizers available to retail centers that have no phosphorus or reduced amounts of phosphorus. The industry will conduct public education programs on proper use of fertilizers and will label products accordingly. Commissioner Jackson also formally signed off on science-based standards that will greatly reduce phosphorus discharged as wastewater and stormwater in the Passaic River and Pompton Lake-Ramapo River watersheds, two heavily developed watersheds in northeastern New Jersey. In signing the memorandum of agreement, members of the Lawn Care Product Manufacturing Industry, including Lebanon Seaboard and United Industries, agreed to establish technical groups to work with the DEP and Rutgers University's Agricultural Experiment Station in developing a stewardship program to foster better public education and to review strategies to reduce the levels of phosphorus in fertilizers. http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2008/08_0026.htm

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 July 14 board meeting

• 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 

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 

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. 

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 

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 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 next webcast will be on May 13, covering "Wetlands and Climate Change." 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 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: 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 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/ 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  EPA Climate Change Webcast On May 8, EPA will be hosting a free webcast to discuss EPA's Draft National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change. The agency recently distributed this draft strategy and is now seeking comment until May 27. The draft strategy represents an initial effort by EPA's National Water Program to identify potential impacts of climate change for clean water and drinking water programs, and to define actions both to adapt water programs to these impacts as well as to mitigate the release of greenhouse gases. http://www.epa.gov/water/climatechange/  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  PA GIS Conference The 16th Pennsylvania GIS Conference will convene on May 14-15 in Camp Hill, PA. This year’s theme is “Sustaining and Leveraging Our Geospatial Investment.” The conference will explore the unprecedented growth in the geospatial technology industry on the one hand and Pennsylvania's need to effectively leverage that growth to build a framework SDI on the other. The conference will provide a forum for learning, debating, sharing, and "ideating" ways to sustain PAMAP. http://www.pagisconference.org  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  PA Water, Sewer & Stormwater Management Conference The Environmental Law Institute and 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania are holding a conference titled “Saving $ - Managing Water: Regional and Collaborative Approaches to Water, Sewer and Stormwater Management in Pennsylvania” to be held May 22 in Harrisburg, PA. The conference will provide working examples of collaborative and regional approaches to water, sewer and stormwater management in Pennsylvania communities. http://www.eli.org/Program_Areas/events/penn_water_05.22.08.cfm 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 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. Workshops will be held on the following dates and locations: May 29 - Lower Macungie Township Community Center, Lehigh County, PA June 25 - Coudersport, Potter County, PA  http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?Q=535881&A=3  PA Agriculture and Environment Conference The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences and leaders from throughout Pennsylvania’s agricultural and environmental community are presenting Agriculture and Environment: Achieving Balance on June 1 – 3 at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey in Harrisburg, PA. This conference taps the collective wisdom of those engaged in farm and natural resource management to identify the opportunities for improving the state’s water quality. Please RSVP by May 23.  http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?i=e94d5f4f-59a5-45b2-8a9d-f7a05fac0b56  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  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/ConferencesEvents/Sustainability/   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

Link Of The Month

Historic Water Bodies Celebrate Quadricennial

Next year, 2009, marks the 400th anniversary of the voyages of Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain along the water bodies that bear their names. New York has also included recognition of Robert Fulton's steamboat journey up the Hudson (1807) as part of the official commemoration. The Quadricennial Legacy Program will be rolled out over several years is intended to focus on conservation of the Hudson River and Lake Champlain. NYSDEC will develop plans to provide more waterway access, protect open spaces, improve water quality and restore signature species and habitats of these waterways. Action plans for the river and the lake will guide these efforts. Keep an eye on the Quadricennial website over the next year to keep track of the program. Among the goals is to provide a "State of the Lake" report for Lake Champlain and a "State of the River" report for the Hudson. DEC will prepare a report on the river using high-tech maps and digitized comparisons and provide Web resources and curriculum materials. http://www.exploreny400.com/ 

Wetland Buffer Planning Guidebook Released

The Planner's Guide to Wetland Buffers for Local Governments, from the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), identifies both the state-of-the-art and the range of current practice in protection of wetland buffers by local governments. The guide book presents ELI's detailed examination of more than 50 enacted wetland buffer ordinances around the nation and nine model ordinances, as well as several hundred scientific studies and analyses of buffer performance. The Guide provides to local governments considering enacting or amending a wetland buffer ordinance what they need to know to manage land use and development in these important areas. http://www.elistore.org/reports_detail.asp?ID=11272 

New EPA Watershed Handbook Online 

EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds released an online document to help readers 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 persons working with impaired or threatened waters. It contains in-depth guidance on quantifying existing pollutant loads, developing estimates of the load reductions required to meet water quality standards, developing effective management measures, and tracking progress once the plan is implemented. New materials were added to the handbook including ways to protect important elements of the landscape and aquatic habitats within a watershed. http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook/ 

Study Examines Wetlands Programs in Each of the 50 States

The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) announces the publication of State Wetland Protection: Status, Trends and Model Approaches. This report examines state-level efforts to protect wetland resources. Research for the report is based on a 50-state study conducted by the Environmental Law Institute with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The report examines seven core elements of all 50 states’ wetland programs (regulatory programs, water quality standards, monitoring and assessment, restoration, public-private partnerships, coordination, and education and outreach) and outlines model approaches. http://www.elistore.org/reports_detail.asp?ID=11279