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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”

Editors Note

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=

Topic of the Month

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.

 

The Montgomery Township Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) and F. X. Browne, Inc. are working on a study to document the effectiveness and financial benefits of naturalized stormwater drainage basins. The project will also provide significant opportunity for community outreach and environmental education. For more about the project, visit http://www.montgomerytwp.org/committees/eac/announcements.aspx

For a photo gallery of the naturalized stormwater wetland constructed at F. X. Browne, Inc. headquarters in Lansdale, PA, visit the case study on the F. X. Browne, Inc. website.

 

For a brochure and information on naturalized stormwater basins by the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, visit http://www.phillywater.org/Schuylkill/Projects%20Pages/Perkiomen%20Conservancy/stormwater_basins.htm

 

For an article on a stormwater basin naturalization project in Northampton, PA, visit

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-05282005-495347.html

 

 

 

 

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.

 

The 71,000-square-foot retail/office complex will have about a 43,000-square-foot green roof. By way of comparison, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Southeast Regional Office in Norristown recently installed a 688-square-foot green roof, a Target store in downtown Chicago recently put in a 7,128-square-foot green roof and the Milwaukee Housing Authority recently added a 20,000-square-foot green roof. PA DEP’s Soil and Waterways Division says they are seeing a lot of new applications for developers interested in adding a green roof. According to DEP, ninety-five percent of storm events can be managed on the East Whiteland green roof.

 

Daily Local News Online 05/31/2005

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14614513&BRD=1671&PAG=461&dept_id=17782&rfi=6

 

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.

 

Among other steps, the state Health Department will test water for private residents, launch a website where researchers will post alerts to warn lake users when a toxic bloom appears imminent, and set a standard -- 6 parts per billion of the algae toxin called microcystin -- for the safe reopening of public beaches after a toxic bloom fades.

 

Burlington Free Press, June 24. 2005 http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050624/NEWS01/506240316/1009

 

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…

 

According to the study published in Environmental Science & Technology, the journal of the American Chemical Society, parking lot sealants may contribute 90 to 95 percent of the PAH pollution in urban watersheds. The USGS and the city of Austin extensively tested parking lots and watersheds in Austin and Fort Worth after PAH contamination was mysteriously found in a local pool. Initial findings showed that PAH concentrations in the particles washing off coal-tar-treated parking lots were 65 times higher than those in the runoff from untreated lots.

 

Some environmental experts and sealant industry leaders were skeptical of the report's findings. The report raises questions of which sealants are friendlier to the environment, whether alternatives to sealants exist, and whether different alternatives would be better in different parts of the country.

 

Austin Statesman, Jun. 23, 2005

http://www.esi.utexas.edu/spotlights/mahler.html

 

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.

 

The statewide digital base map, once completed, will be the one base map used by every entity in the state and at the federal level, and the data will be contributed to the National Map of the entire U.S. being created in support of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The PAMAP aerial photography will be available to the public on the PA GIS Clearinghouse website. Thirteen counties were mapped in 2003 and 2004, along with the 28 mapped in 2005. The complete PAMAP aerial photography update of the entire state is expected to be ready by the end of 2006. After that, the goal is to have about a third of the Commonwealth updated each year as part of an ongoing PAMAP maintenance program.

 

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/gismaps/index.aspx

 

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.

 

The Baker Creek Watershed Association received a Growing Greener grant and additional funding to create 320 feet of new streamside buffer, nearly 8,000 square feet of green space, 340 square yards of infiltration galley and 1,350 square yards of pervious parking service in the center of downtown North East Borough. Roof runoff from surrounding business buildings was captured and redirected into infiltration galleys to eliminate the surface flushing effect. The new parking area replaces an impervious surface municipal lot where oil and other residue from vehicles would accumulate and then wash into Baker Creek when it rained or snow melted. In addition to the pervious parking surface that will allow precipitation to percolate into the ground, native plants and a bioretention area are being installed to further improve the ecological functioning of the area.

 

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/newsreleases/default.asp?ID=3527

 

Policy Update 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. PA’s Environmental Quality Board approved the final NPDES regulations on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). NJ DEP recently kicked off the New Jersey Clean Marina Program to reduce nonpoint source pollution in coastal waterways. 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. 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. 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. 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.   Grant Programs  (Click on a grant for more information)

NFWF/Wal-Mart Acres for America Grants

Acres for America is now accepting applications to provide funding for projects that conserve important habitat for fish, wildlife, and plants through acquisition of interests in real property. Acres for America is a partnership between Wal-Mart Stores and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation designed to offset the footprint of Wal-Mart’s domestic facilities on at least an acre by acre basis through these acquisitions. Acquisitions that contribute to “landscape level” conservation efforts that help reduce fragmentation are preferred over isolated acquisitions. Pre-proposals are due September 17. http://www.nfwf.org/programs/walmart/rfp.htm

 

PA DEP Recycling Performance Grants

 

Applications for Recycling Performance Grants are now being accepted by the PA DEP for materials recycled during calendar year 2004. Under the program, communities are reimbursed for each ton of materials they recycle or market at the rate of $5 per ton and an additional $1 per ton for each percentage of material recycled in the community. This year DEP will pay a bonus of $10 per ton for materials recycled or marketed from nonresidential sources. The application deadline is September 30. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/RECYCLE/document/Grants.htm

 

Environmental Awareness Marketing Grants

 

The Temper of the Times Foundation, Inc. Advertising for the Environment Program, created by the board of directors of The Moneypaper, Inc., is offering grants that promote the use of standard marketing concepts to increase environmental awareness. Recognizing that organizations working to protect the environment in general have limited access to paid media, the Foundation provides funds to underwrite advertising designed to promote the conservation and restoration of native wildlife, plants, and ecosystems in the United States. Grants are typically between $5,000 and $15,000. The deadline for applications is October 15. http://www.temperfund.org/

 

Acid Mine Technical Assistance Grants

 

Trout Unlimited, Inc. has received funding from PA DEP Growing Greener to provide free technical assistance grants (TAG) for groups that need help with acid mine drainage issues. The grants can provide several types of assistance related to mine drainage, including rapid evaluation of mine drainage discharges, rapid watershed “snapshots”, mini-assessments, conceptual treatment system designs, evaluation of existing passive treatment systems, and construction oversight for passive treatment systems. They can also fund group education about the basics of mine drainage and how to empower the community to address mine drainage problems. http://www.hedinenv.com/TAGII.htm

 

 

Events  (Click on an event for more information)   PA Wildlife Art Show   The 20th annual Wildlife Art Show at the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon County will be held August 5-7. Each year the Show features the work of wildlife artists from all over Pennsylvania and the US. In addition to the artists' sales, the art show will sell tickets for a drawing to benefit The Wildlands Preservation Fund land acquisition program. http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=487&q=162130   EPA NPDES Permits Course   The NPDES Permits Program Overview Course for Permitees - Including New and Emerging Issues, will be held in Providence, Rhode Island on August 10 - 11.  The program is designed to provide attendees with a strong understanding of the purpose of the NPDES program as well as the mechanics for developing, issuing, and implementing an NPDES permit. http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/courseinfo.cfm?program_id=0&outreach_id=197&schedule_id=831   Mid-Atlantic Green Highways Forum   EPA Region 3 has initiated the Mid-Atlantic Green Highways Initiative, the purpose of which is to foster and nurture the environmental ethic that has evolved within transportation organizations by identifying and rewarding exemplary actions. A Mid-Atlantic Green Highways Forum is to be held September 26-29, in College Park, Md. http://www.wetlandsworkgroup.org/GreenHighways/Green%20Highways.htm   2005 New York City Watershed Science And Technical Conference   The 2005 New York City Watershed Science and Technical Conference will be held on Sept. 21-22 in Fishkill, NY The conference will bring together scientists, technical experts, the public, and others to exchange ideas and present information about the protection of the nation's largest unfiltered surface water supply. http://www.dos.state.ny.us/watershed/pdf/Wathershed%20Conference2005.pdf   Pennsylvania Litter Summit   Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, its member organizations, and the PA DEP have scheduled a Litter Summit for October 5 in Harrisburg. The Summit will feature a series of workshops and presentations by in-state and out-of-state experts on dealing with the many different aspects of the litter issue—education, enforcement, volunteer programs, rural dumping, and community initiatives. http://www.KeepPaBeautiful.org

 

Link Of The Month

 

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

 

 

 

 

New Publications

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/

 

 

 

 

F. X. Browne, Inc.  – Environmental Consulting

F. X. Browne, Inc.
 Engineers – Planners – Scientists
27 Years of Excellence & Innovation

SERVICES SECTION

Lake and Water Quality Studies
Watershed Management Programs
Bioengineering Projects
Stormwater Management
Watershed Inventories
Water Quality Monitoring
Laboratory Services
Water Quality & Watershed Modeling
Open Space Planning
Water & Wastewater Planning and Design
Low-Impact Development
Geographic Information Systems
Public Education and Seminars
Wetlands Consulting Services

Corporate Office: Lansdale, PA
Pocono Office: Marshalls Creek, PA
New York Office: Saranac Lake, NY

For more information, call us at (215) 362-3878 or visit: http://www.fxbrowne.com.