Study Looks at Currents, Wind Impact on Pollution

Rutgers University and Monmouth County, NJ, experts are looking at the links between winds, currents and water cleanliness. 

The researchers are hoping that learning more about wind and currents will eventually help to forecast beach water quality. The Rutgers' Coastal Ocean Observation Lab (COOL) study of waters off Monmouth County will involve atmospheric and ocean surface current data, as well as information on sea surface temperatures and colored dissolved organic matter, which is a tracer for fresh water. 

Initial results show that winds from the southwest or west and a current heading north tend to be good for water quality. During southwesterly winds, the surface water, including floating debris, gets blown offshore and is diluted. When winds were southwesterly last year, resulting in an upwelling of cooler water, the water temperature dropped 10 degrees and water samples taken at beaches had very low levels of fecal bacteria. A current heading south and winds from the northeast or east tend to result in more floating debris, and more bacteria. 

A much larger effort to set up a mid-Atlantic coastal ocean observing system, which would include 30 investigators from 20 institutions, has been recommended for $8.7 million in federal funding over three years. http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007707290404 

Asbury Park Press, Sunday, July 29, 2007

DEP Fines Jersey Shore Borough $3,000 for Sewage Planning Violations

PADEP has fined Jersey Shore Borough $3,000 for violating Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, in December 2006 and January 2007. 

The borough failed to halt the construction of new apartment buildings along Howard Street after it was discovered that work had begun without an approved sewage planning module. Project developers must submit a completed sewage planning module that outlines proposed changes to a municipality's official sewage facilities plan. A DEP inspection in early December 2006 confirmed that new apartment buildings were being built without approval for the required sewage planning module from DEP or the borough. DEP sent the borough a notice of violation asking that all necessary measures be taken to halt the violations. The Borough may attempt to obtain retribution from the developer. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=527348

For more information on Act 537 or sewage facilities planning modules, or for help in either preparing or reviewing stormwater management plans or planning modules, contact info@fxbrowne.com. F. X. Browne, Inc. is a Qualified Provider for the PADEP NPDES third party expedited plan review process. 

State of PA to Developer: Weeds Gotta Go

In an unusual action, the PA Department of Agriculture has ordered a developer to remove a state-designated noxious weed from wetlands on his property.

In a control order, developer William Murry is instructed to eradicate purple loosestrife from eight acres of wetlands at the Manor Township development. The pretty but destructive plant is taking over the wetland and is spreading into a township park, the order states. Enforcement actions in the Pennsylvania Noxious Weed Control Law are driven by complaints from community members and neighbors. Murry says he has contracted specialists to remove the loosestrife by this fall. He said eradication may involve a combination of treating the plants with a chemical herbicide and hands-on removal. http://local.lancasteronline.com:80/4/207940

Lancaster New Era – August 10, 2007

New EPA Guidance on Watershed Permitting 

EPA has published a new technical guidance that will help integrate National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits into watershed management plans. 

"Watershed-Based NPDES Permitting Technical Guidance" is a follow up to the 2003 implementation guidance and leads permitting interested parties through the analysis of watershed data and developing a framework for implementing an NPDES program. The guidance supports approaches to permitting that will help achieve water quality-based effluent limitations based on water quality standards while providing opportunities for cost reductions and improved efficiencies such as water quality trading. The guidance also includes case studies describing how watershed approaches involving NPDES permitting have been implemented across the country. The agency is accepting comments on the guidance on a continuing basis. http://www.epa.gov/npdes/watersheds

Policy Update

Grant Programs 
(Click on a grant for more information)

13 Programs Newly Listed in the Catalog of Federal Funding

The following thirteen new programs were added to the Catalog of Federal Funding for Watershed Protection (http://www.epa.gov/watershedfunding):

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs:

• Community-based Marine Debris Prevention Removal Grants and Open Rivers Initiative 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs:

• Snagging and Clearing for Flood Control (CAP Section 208) 

• Shore Damage Attributable to Federal Navigation Works (CAP Section 111) 

• Beneficial Uses of Dredged Material (CAP Section 204) 

• Small Flood Damage Reduction Projects (CAP Section 205) 

• Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration (CAP Section 206) 

• Project Modifications for Improvement of the Environment (CAP Section 1135) 

EPA programs:

• EPA Gulf of Mexico Program 

• EPA Communities for a Renewed Environment Program (CARE)

Three additional programs are also listed: 

• Small Business Innovation Research

• Water 2025 Challenge Grant Program 

• Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program

Integrated Pest Management Program Grants

The Northeastern IPM Center is launching the Green-Blue Grants Program to promote clean water through residential integrated pest management and local education programs. Grant applications are due September 7. The Program will fund projects up to $2,500 focused on educating residents of the Northeast about using IPM in residential structures and landscapes to improve water quality. This program is open to nongovernmental agencies, Cooperative Extension educators or county agents, land grant faculty and staff, eligible government staff, and private citizens who will be in contact with receptive audiences. Applicants must be based in a northeastern state or the District of Columbia. http://northeastipm.org/grants/other/greenblue_grant.pdf 

Codorus Creek Watershed Grants

The York County Community Foundation is accepting grant applications until September 15 for projects in the Codorus Creek Watershed. The Codorus Watershed Endowment is a source of charitable support for the stream's improvement and the benefit of the many York Countians who use and enjoy this critical resource for agriculture, industry, recreation and wildlife, and for drinking water and other municipal purposes. Eligible proposals must advance the Endowment's goals. http://www.yccf.org/grants_codoruswatershed.asp

Ohio River Watershed Celebration Grants

Eight lucky watershed groups who participate in the sixth annual Ohio River Watershed Celebration on September 20 will receive one of four $500 or four $250 grants to support local watershed restoration efforts. To be eligible, watershed groups must register for the event and bring a poster display to the Riverboat Cruise. The display will be judged and voted on during the trip by a panel of judges. The award categories are: Community Outreach and Education, Most Innovative and Cutting Edge Projects, Best Overall Display and Best Example of Partnership Group. Grant eligibility requirements include: organizations must be from the Ohio River Watershed; work on a local watershed issue; be a formal or informal association, alliance, conservancy, hunting or fishing club, school group, environmental group, FFA, 4H or other like minded organization; and not be a local, state or federal agency or private consulting firm. http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=7185&SubjectID=

Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) Funding

The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) invites proposals to its FY 2008 funding opportunity program. Through these programs, CICEET makes strategic investments in the development, demonstration, and application of tools to detect, prevent, and reverse the impacts of coastal pollution and habitat degradation to coastal ecosystems and communities. This Request for Proposals (RFP) is open to U.S. scientists and innovators from academia, private industry, and the public sector who seek to develop tools that meet the priority needs of coastal management. Funding opportunities include Mitigating Shoreline Erosion along Sheltered Coasts (due September 25) and Environmental Technology Development and Demonstration (due September 18). http://ciceet.unh.edu/funding/rfp_2008/ 

PA Recycling Performance Grants

PA DEP announced that applications for the next round of Recycling Performance Grants are due October 1. Recycling Program Performance Grants are available to all Pennsylvania local governments with recycling programs. The grant awards are based on the total tons recycled and the applicant's recycling rate. All eligible materials collected from residents, business, schools, colleges, universities and community events can be factored into the grant awards.  http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/document/Grants.htm 

PA Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards

Nominations are now being accepted for the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards to recognize efforts to protect the environment, prevent pollution and save energy. Applications are due October 15. The award is open to any Pennsylvania business, governmental agency, educational institution, nonprofit organization, individual or farm that has created or participated in the development of a project that promotes environmental stewardship and economic development in the state. Projects will be evaluated based on environmental protection, teamwork, public service, environmental education and outreach, pollution prevention, economic impact and innovative technology. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/enviroexcellence/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=509799&PM=1

Valley Creek Watershed Grants

The Valley Creek Trustee Council, consisting of the PA Fish and Boat Commission and the Valley Forge National Historical Park, have announced the availability of a new grant program for restoration of natural resources within the Valley Creek Watershed. Applications are being accepted until October 31. Anyone is eligible to apply. Approximately $1.5 million is available for qualified projects relating to stormwater management, streambank stabilization, implementation of environmentally sensitive land practices (like vegetated stream buffers, easements), projects that directly improve angler access, and projects related to the restoration of brook trout in Crabby Creek, a tributary to Valley Creek. http://www.savevalleycreek.org/grantprogram.asp

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. Past Webcast topics include 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 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: September 10-12 - 2007 Dirt and Gravel Roads Workshop October 9-10 - Schuylkill County November 7-8 - Fulton County  http://www.mri.psu.edu/centers/cdgrs/calendar/calendar.html GreenFest Philly What started last year as the “South Street GreenFest” has become GreenFest Philly, and will be held on September 9. Come explore the many ways that Philadelphia is Going Green—or could! The street festival features music, food, art and more than 100 exhibitors to demo new, exciting solutions for living in an environmentally sensitive and just way. http://www.greenfestphilly.org/  Eastern Regional Wetland Restoration Institute The Eastern Regional Wetland Restoration Institute will be held in eastern Kentucky in the Daniel Boone National Forest on September 9-14. The Wetland Restoration Institute is a hands-on program of instruction designed for individuals that work for government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and consulting companies who have a strong interest in learning more about highly effective construction and management practices for ecosystem restoration. Participants will travel outdoors each day to examine all facets of wetland management, from identifying wetlands and streams altered hundreds of years ago to participating in actual wetland restoration projects. http://www.kypride.org/cal/erwri.php  NY Watershed Science and Technical Conference  A watershed science and technical conference, "Clean Water Through Protection and Partnership" will be held on September 11-12 in West Point, NY.  http://www.nywea.org/ Susquehanna Greenways and Trails Workshop Join the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership for its first Greenways and Trails Workshop on September 12. The workshop will be held at the PPL Montour Preserve Environmental Education Center in Danville, PA. Seminars will include: a multi-municipal trail success story, successful regional approaches to trail management, a model for trail easements, designing environmentally sensitive trails, and tips from the field for trail operations and management. http://www.susquehannagreenway.org/greenway/lib/greenway/pdf/greenways_and_trails_brochure.pdf  PA DCNR Meetings on State Forest Management The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry has announced an update to the State Forest Resource Management Plan (SFRMP). Nine public meetings are scheduled for September and October 2007. Comments on the SFRMP will be accepted until October 31 at the public meetings, or electronically via the comment form below or through the US mail. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/Forestry/sfrmp/update.aspx  PA Wilds Conference The Pennsylvania Wilds Conference will be held September 13-14 in Williamsport, PA. The Pennsylvania Wilds Conference will use presentations, discussions, and panels to showcase the successes of the initiative to date; educate partners and stakeholders about available tools, resources, and best practices; and foster a heightened regional identity and vision. General sessions will be offered over the two days, as well as three specific tracks: Recreation and Stewardship, Community Planning and Rural Issues, and Business and Economic Development. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/info/pawilds/conference.aspx  Lake Erie International Coastal Cleanup Residents concerned about the quality of Lake Erie and its tributaries have the opportunity to participate in an international study to clean up the watershed by picking up and documenting trash that ends up on the lake shoreline and in its feeding streams. The local effort of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) will take place on September 15 at 12 sites along the Lake Erie shoreline. To register as a cleanup volunteer, visit http://www.goerie.com/coastalcleanup.  DU Waterfowl & Outdoor Expo The 26th Annual Ducks Unlimited Waterfowl and Outdoor Expo will be held in Linesville, Pennsylvania, September 15-16. The 2007 event has been revamped to include even more hunting equipment, wildlife artwork, and outdoor equipment. The newly created seminar series covers topics such as using whitetail scents, decoy tactics, duck calling secrets, and others. Arts and craft vendors, hunting & fishing related vendors, the Pennsylvania Duck Stamp competition, food, downtown shops, demonstrations such as cider pressing, the annual Expo Trap Shoot, the Expo Duck & Goose Calling Competition, retriever dog demonstrations, and more will be available for the whole family. http://www.envisionlinesville.org/Linesville/Documents/DUPressRelease07.pdf  Pittsburgh Green Building Alliance Events  The Pittsburgh Green Building Alliance and its partners are sponsoring a series of educational workshops, breakfasts and other events this fall in Pittsburgh, PA, to promote awareness of green building techniques with homeowners, contractors and building owners. The upcoming events include:  September 15 - The Green Scene for Homeowners: Reducing Your Bill$. September 18 - Technical Workshop: LEED for General Contractors & Construction Managers. September 26 - Alliance Building Breakfast: LEED for Neighborhood Development. http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=7358&SubjectID=  NJ Global Warming Workshop ANJEC and the New Jersey Press Association (NJPA) will bring together New Jersey journalists, environmental commissions, and municipal officials for a special half-day workshop, Global Warming, Telling the Local Story, on September 20 in Trenton, NJ. The conference will focus on shrinking your town's carbon footprint and successfully working with the press to inform, engage, educate and persuade the public about how to address the issues. http://www.anjec.org/html/workshops.htm  2007 Brownfield Communities Network Summit The 2007 Brownfield Communities Network Summit: Redeveloping for the Future will be held on September 25-26 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Washington, D.C.  http://www.nalgep.org/calendar/Index.cfm?Page=1&EventsID=4824  Experience the Delaware Estuary Celebration The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary will hold its annual Experience the Estuary Celebration on September 27. This year's theme, "The Delaware - A Living River, A Working River," celebrates the relationship with the region's most important natural resource. Located on the Wharf at Rivertown in Chester, PA., the event will include dinner, cocktails, live music, and silent and live auctions with more than 100 items up for bid.  http://www.delawareestuary.org/newsandevents/partnershipevents/annualdinnerandreception.asp  PA Wild Resource Conservation Program Symposium The Wild Resource Conservation Program will hold a special Symposium to celebrate the program's 25th Anniversary at the Indiantown Gap Community Club in Annville, PA on September 27-28. Researchers, policy makers, media, students and anyone interested in conserving biodiversity and shaping conservation for the next 25 years are encouraged to attend. While featuring a mountain hawk watch and regal fritillary and native grassland tour, the symposium will also include seminars such as Inventorying Our Native Biodiversity, Connecting People With Science, Bringing Back Missing Pieces of Our Natural Heritage and Identifying Important Places. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/wrcf/2007%20symposium%20program.pdf Isolated Wetlands Conference & Vernal Pond Building Workshop An Isolated Wetlands Conference and Vernal Pond Building Workshop will be held on September 28-30 at Sweet Briar College, Virginia. The conference will feature presentations and reception, a full-day construction workshop, on and off-campus field exploratories and lots of take-home resources. http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS//vernal_pool_workshop.htm  Susquehanna River Symposium The second annual Susquehanna River Symposium will be held on September 29 in Lewisburg, PA. "Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Drainage Remediation: Seeking Common Ground Along the Susquehanna," is the theme for this year's Symposium. Goals of the Symposium are to provide an overview of mine drainage remediation efforts in Eastern Pennsylvania, provide scientific and technical background on mine drainage and potential treatment methods, provide landowner and watershed group perspectives on mine reclamation efforts and enhance communication among landowners, citizen groups, the scientific community, and regulatory and funding agency personnel. http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=7395&SubjectID=  PA Private Water Well Symposium The Penn State Master Well Owner Network is hosting the first Pennsylvania Private Water Well Symposium in State College, Pa on October 2. Conference topics include: groundwater quality related to private wells, groundwater supply, groundwater protection and regulatory issues related to private water wells. Who should attend? University researchers and educators, extension professionals, Master Well Owner volunteers, and persons involved in ground-water development, management, and regulation in Pennsylvania. http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=8df0af7d-4e3e-4890-9598-6ba0cbb14847  ANJEC Environmental Congress The 34th Annual Statewide Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) Environmental Congress will be held on October 12 in West Windsor, NJ. The theme for this year's Congress is The Heat Is On....What to do now? and will feature a day of speakers, workshops and discussion on global climate change and energy issues. The focus will be on New Jersey's communities and what they can do, both to reduce production of greenhouse gasses and to prepare for changes in climate that are already occurring. http://anjec.org/html/workshops.htm#congress  Chesapeake Watershed Forum The second annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum will be held on October 12 -14 at the National Conservation Training Center, in Shepherdstown, W.Va. This year's theme will be: "Sharing Strategies to Manage Growth and Protect Our Waters." Watershed groups, non-profits, and representatives of local government will attend sessions designed to highlight new tools and techniques, stimulate effective partnerships, and more. http://www.alliancechesbay.org/forum.cfm  Mid-Atlantic Volunteer Water Monitoring Conference Individuals and organizations involved in volunteer water monitoring are invited to the Mid-Atlantic Volunteer Water Monitoring Conference in Winchester, Virginia on October 12-13. Featured topics include: using online water quality databases, using water quality data to measure the effectiveness of land management practices, case studies of successful volunteer collaborations and training sessions on macroinvertebrate identification, making a rain barrel, and monitoring for E.coli. http://www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/conference.html  Schuylkill River Festival  This year's Schuylkill River Festival will be held on October 13 in Pottstown, PA. The Festival is not only an opportunity to learn more about the Schuylkill River and its watershed, it includes an arts and crafts show along with food vendors and professional and amateur entertainment. http://www.galleryonhigh.com/SRFInterestSheet.pdf  Villanova Stormwater Management Symposium Villanova University is again hosting the 2007 Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Symposium on October 17-18. The purpose of the symposium is to advance the knowledge and understanding of comprehensive stormwater management for those dealing in all aspects of planning, design, implementation and regulatory compliance. A half-day workshop for non-engineers will be held preceding the symposium. Participants are expected to include engineers, planners, water resource professionals, regional, state and local government representatives, land development professionals and watershed and conservation groups. http://egrfaculty.villanova.edu/public/Civil_Environmental/WREE/VUSP_2007_Sym/Web/index.htm  Wetlands and Watersheds Workshop The 10th Annual Wetlands and Watersheds Workshop will be held on October 22-25 in Ocean City, MD. (Note: this is a rescheduled date and venue). Organized by the Wetlands & Watersheds Work Group. http://www.wetlandsworkgroup.org/wetreg10/10thWorkshop.htm PA Geosynthetic BMPs for Stormwater Management Workshop The Central PA Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers is sponsoring a workshop on Geosynthetic BMPs for Stormwater Management on October 25 at Harrisburg Area Community College. Topics include geosynthetic solutions for sediment control, erosion prevention, runoff control, thermal pollution reduction, and site stabilization. In addition to providing CPESC professional development units, this program is a good preparation class for the CPESC Review Course and Exam. http://www.pacd.org/events/2007SWMgmt.pdf NALMS Annual Symposium The 27th International Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society, "Understanding the Science of Lake Management" will be held on October 31-November 2 at the Walt Disney World Coronado Springs Resort, FL. The Symposium will emphasize scientific aspects of lakes and use of scientific concepts to make sound management decisions. http://www.nalms.org/Conferences/Orlando Mid-Atlantic Stream Restoration Conference The third annual Mid-Atlantic Stream Restoration Conference is scheduled for November 7-9 at the Rocky Gap Resort, near Cumberland, Maryland. The 2007 conference will focus on the science, engineering and policy aspects of stream restoration in several topical areas of interests. Pre-conference workshops, focus group discussions, and field trips will be included. http://www.canaanvi.org/canaanvi_web/events_ed.aspx?collection=cvi_workshops&id=140

Link Of The Month

Plan2Fund Objective Prioritization Tool (OPT) 

Plan2Fund Objective Prioritization Tool (OPT), a free web-based Watershed Planning Tool, provides an easy way for watershed groups to build consensus as they evaluate competing goals and objectives. OPT allows users to rank competing priorities by providing a user-friendly spreadsheet that makes setting, weighing, and applying criteria simple. Watershed groups can set their priorities with confidence and share the information with decision makers, funders, and constituents. http://efc.boisestate.edu/opt 

Two New Publications from the National Association of Counties (NACo) 

NACo has updated a publication entitled Using GIS Tools to Link Land Use Decisions to Water Resource Protection. The guide provides practical case studies, a list of commonly available tools, and a newly created tools assessment section. A second NACo publication, County Wetlands Data Guidebook, is designed to help county officials obtain and utilize wetlands data and maps for county purposes. These publications are available now at http://www.naco.org/techassistance under "Water Quality."

Clean Water Act Jurisdictional Handbook Released

Last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Rapanos v. United States left regulators, activists, and landowners nationwide scrambling to understand the scope of Clean Water Act jurisdiction over wetlands and streams. There is now a comprehensive resource designed to shed light on the topic. The Clean Water Act Jurisdictional Handbook, just released by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), lays out the various tests for Clean Water Act coverage under current law. Additionally, the Handbook brings science to bear on the question of determining CWA coverage for certain categories of wetlands and streams.  http://www2.eli.org:80/newbooks/cwa_handbook.htm 

New EPA Water Quality Trading Guide Available

A new EPA publication will help the regulated community design and implement voluntary water quality trading programs consistent with EPA's 2003 National Water Quality Trading Policy. The Water Quality Trading Toolkit for Permit Writers provides permitting authorities with the tools they need to incorporate trading provisions into required permits. The guide is focused on trading nitrogen and phosphorus, but other pollutants may be considered for trading on a case-by-case basis. The Toolkit discusses the fundamental concepts of designing and implementing trading programs including the relevant geographic scope, effluent limitations and other factors involved in defining a credit. http://www.epa.gov/waterqualitytrading/WQTToolkit.html 

CWP Releases Latest Article in the Wetlands and Watersheds Article Series

Article 6 in the Center for Watershed Protection series, "The Importance of Protecting Vulnerable Streams and Wetlands at the Local Level," makes the case for expanded local protection of vulnerable streams and wetlands that may not be fully protected by state or federal law due to their perceived isolation from perennial or navigable waters. This article summarizes state and local approaches to closing this gap. http://cwp.org.master.com/texis/master/search/+/form/wetlands.html 

Landowner's Guide to Phragmites Control Available

The Department of Environmental Quality's Office of the Great Lakes has released a brochure focusing on the control of phragmites entitled, "A Landowner's Guide to Phragmites Control." The guide was created to better demonstrate and communicate effective treatment methods and regulatory requirements for the invasive plant to the public and resource managers. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-ogl-Guide-Phragmites_204659_7.pdf