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Yesterday the path swung out over the ocean
so suddenly it hurt – that huge blue knocking my lungs
full of hope when I’d been bent over mosses,
tuned to the squelched sound of the creek.
- Noelle Oxenhandler, from “Where I Found the
Women”
Growing Greener II update: Gov. Rendell this week signed the legislation into law laying out how the $625 million environmental bond issue approved by voters in May will be spent. The legislation also reallocates funds to different programs from the original Growing Greener Program.
http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=2527&SubjectID=
Naturalized Stormwater Basins – A Win-Win
Every landscaper and lawn maintenance staff member knows that mowing stormwater basins is a big pain. So why bother? Leaving the vegetation growing in the basin can actually help filter pollutants from the stormwater entering the basin, as well as facilitate the infiltration of water into the ground. So-called naturalized stormwater basins contain natural vegetation rather than merely grass or stone, and are often attractively landscaped, incorporating native trees, shrubs and wildflowers. A fringe benefit? Maintenance costs are significantly reduced. More...
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Green Roof Facts
http://www.stormwaterauthority.org/library/view_article.aspx?id=145 |
News Clips
One-Acre Green Roof Raises the Bar
A
developer in East Whiteland, PA said he is going to create a one-acre "green
roof" that will be the largest project of its kind in southeastern
Pennsylvania. More…
Vermont Health Officials Respond to Algae Bloom Concerns
Researchers and state health officials in Vermont told anxious shoreline
residents that they are stepping up their response to toxic blue-green algae
blooms that have plagued sections of Lake Champlain since 1999.
More…
Parking Lot Sealant Could Harm Aquatic Ecosystems
A new study released by Austin, Texas officials and the U.S. Geological Survey blames a common chemical used in parking lot sealants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, for polluting waterways. More…
PA DCNR Providing Aerial Photography of 28 Counties in 2005
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) will capture aerial photography for 28 counties in 2005 as part of the effort to create a seamless digital base map of the state. More…
PA Grants Fund Eco-Friendly Municipal Parking Lot
Five new pervious pavement parking lots were recently completed in Erie County, PA, providing a positive example of stormwater infiltration practices. More….
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Revised drafts are available of the Great Lakes protection agreements, which would update the way the Great Lakes and the waters of the Great Lakes Basin are managed and protected. |
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The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that the Clean Water Act and its regulations covered non-navigable ditches and their adjacent wetlands, and that Congress has broad power to regulate non-navigable waters. |
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Mayors of 50 cities worldwide recently convened at an annual U.N. World Environment Day conference and marked the event by signing a set of 21 urban environmental accords designed to fight global warming and increase sustainability. |
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The US Supreme Court recently upheld a Connecticut city's right to seize homes and other properties solely for economic development under eminent domain laws. |
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PA DEP is soliciting water quality data from stream monitoring programs from across Pennsylvania as part of its effort to identify impaired streams and water bodies under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act. The deadline for submission of data and information to be included in the 2006 Integrated Report is August 30. |
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PA’s Environmental Quality Board approved the final NPDES regulations on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). |
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NJ DEP recently kicked off the New Jersey Clean Marina Program to reduce nonpoint source pollution in coastal waterways. |
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The PA General Assembly not only passed legislation directing how the $625 million bond passed by voters in May will be spent, but they also made major changes in how funds now going to the existing Growing Greener Program are used. |
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The PA Senate approved Senate Bill 723 that would enable authorized private non-profit organizations to partner with governments in the purchase of agricultural conservation easements. |
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NJ DEP recently announced proposed rules that clarify the criteria used to award Green Acres funding and strengthen the standards governing the diversion of Green Acres-protected parkland to uses other than recreation and conservation. |
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The PA DEP is implementing a new policy that provides enhanced forums for participation by all of the parties involved in DEP permitting decisions and ensures a high level of involvement by residents interested in projects proposed for their communities. |
Grants
Click on a grant for more information)
Only currently available grants are listed on the grant page
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Downstream
Economic Benefits from
In an article in the November/December 2004 issue of the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, authors J.B. Braden and D.M. Johnston assessed the downstream economic consequences of incorporating onsite water retention into development designs. They found that property values increased by up to five percent for flood mitigation benefits and up to 15 percent for improved water clarity. |
Events
(Click on an event for more information)
Only current events are listed on the events page
To view
upcoming lake and watershed workshops, events and conferences, visit the
F. X.
Browne, Inc. website at
www.fxbrowne.com/html/workshops.htm
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Did you know that toilets are the greatest water user in a house? Or that a leaky toilet can waste as much as 200 gallons per day? An EPA study finds that new residential 1.6 gpf toilets reduce water use by 23% to 46% - a savings of about 21,130 gallons of water per year per household. Generally, this equates to about $130 in annual savings. |
NEMO Impervious Surfaces Web Page
The Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) at University of Connecticut website provides educational material on impervious surfaces and offers techniques for measuring, estimating and mapping impervious surfaces. This is a one-stop website for literature and information about impervious surfaces. Land cover data is available for Connecticut. http://nemo.uconn.edu/impervious_surfaces
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Pennsylvania's recycling and reuse industry leads the nation in employment, payroll and sales numbers. More than 3,247 recycling and reuse businesses and organizations earned more than $18.4 billion in gross annual sales, paid $305 million in taxes and provided jobs for more than 81,322 employees at an annual payroll of approximately $2.9 billion. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/newsreleases/default.asp?ID=3518 For more information about designing recycling programs, contact F. X. Browne, Inc. at info@fxbrowne.com. |
Aquatic Weed Biocontrol Manual
A manual developed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) helps identify biological control insects that play a key role in helping to control aquatic weeds. The manual, called "Insects and Other Arthropods That Feed on Aquatic and Wetland Plants," explains the life cycles of more than 50 of the most common insects and mites found in aquatic environments. The manual is organized alphabetically by plant name, and the various insects that attack them. Each section includes a history of each insect, its host plants, and its biology and ecology. A special section concentrates on insects with broad diets--those that can't be listed as feeding on just one particular host plant. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/aquaticweeds/aquaticweedsintro.htm
Phragmites Control Resources
While many wetland professionals have knowledge about the invasion and control of Phragmites australis (common or giant reed) through on-the-ground experience, most of this knowledge is unpublished and thus unavailable. Wisconsin Wetlands Association has begun to compile this collective Phragmites expertise and make it available in the form of an online list of resources, organized by topic, so that wetland professionals can build on the experience of others in the wetland community. Others working in wetlands to continue to share the results of new Phragmites research and control efforts on the website. http://www.wiscwetlands.org/phragmites.htm
Report on Building Financially Sustainable Recycling Programs
The PA DEP this week released a report identifying options for raising revenues and reducing costs in local recycling programs and practical steps to move programs toward improving their financial sustainability. The report says there is no single “cookie cutter” approach that can be used in every situation. But there are practical steps, reviewed in the report, which can be taken to improve sustainability in the short and long term. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/document/Sust_Rpt/Sust_Rpt.htm
Google Now Offers Satellite Map Images
Google.com has gone one step beyond road maps. It now offers not only maps and driving directions but also provides actual satellite images of addresses you input. Simply go to maps.google.com, type in your Uncle Bob's home address in Toledo, click on the "Satellite" link toward the top right corner of the page, use the zoom feature on the left side of the page, and then check out his house! http://maps.google.com/
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