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View some of our Previous Newsletters
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F. X. Browne, Inc. has been working to redesign our website in order to better serve our visitors. The site provides educational links and information about a variety of lake and watershed–related topics, including (but not limited to) lake management techniques, stormwater management, watershed best management practices (BMPs), wastewater engineering, open space and land use planning, stream restoration, model ordinances, and environmental education. Links to funding sources and a kid’s page are also included. Please take a moment to fill out our survey to tell us how we can improve our site to suit the needs of our customers and colleagues.
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| Editors
Note:
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell recently proposed a Quality of Life initiative in his 2004/2005 budget address that would provide continued funding for the Growing Greener program and enhancing related conservation programs (see April Lake and Watershed News). This proposal would place an $800 million “Growing Greener II” bond on the ballot for voter approval if the initiative is approved by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. If passed by voters, this would allocate $200 million per year over a four-year period for the new initiatives. Check out the following for more information on the Initiative and the Bond proposal: http://www.keepgrowinggreener.org http://www.governor.state.pa.us/governor/cwp/view.asp?a=1101&q=436355 You can help in an effort to ensure passage of Governor Rendell’s Quality of Life proposal and funding for GGII by contacting PA legislators. To contact Harrisburg representatives, visit http://www.greenspacealliance.info/conservation/conservation2.html. Click on “Take Action!” and follow the instructions. |
Feature Article
Brownfields Redevelopment: Land Recycling at its Best
New York Governor Pataki signed legislation last year creating a new brownfield program to foster the cleanup of thousands of contaminated properties while encouraging new investment and redevelopment of these sites across New York State. The redevelopment of formerly unusable land in New York and other states across the nation helps preserve open space, encourages the creation of new business and new jobs, strengthens the economy, and protects public health. More....
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Two hundred years ago Lewis and Clark left Illinois and journeyed down the Missouri River into uncharted wilderness in their quest to reach the Pacific Coast. As the nation commemorates the start of this epic journey, there is growing support for protecting what is left of that wilderness for future generations of explorers. According to a Sierra Club report (What's Lost, What's Left), the historic route Lewis and Clark explored has changed dramatically from what their detailed journals described 200 years ago, including the following:
Resources for exploring the route Lewis and Clark took, and guidelines for protecting the natural resources in those areas can be found at http://www.sierraclub.org/lewisandclark. Included on the website are daily entries from the journals of Lewis and Clark, the "Adventuring Along the Lewis and Clark Trail" travel book, a guide to 10 spectacular fishing spots, a status report on the plants and animals Lewis and Clark detailed in their journals, and more. |
News Clips
Ecosystem Approach to Conservation Can Save Money
The conservation of ecosystems is the basis for development, rather than an obstacle to it. At a recent UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) meeting in New York, Switzerland and Japan presented ways the application of the ecosystem approach can prevent huge costs, especially with regard to water resources management. More…
Regional Partnership to Restore Tree Cover in Southeastern PA
PA Governor Edward G. Rendell recently launched “TreeVitalize,” an aggressive four-year, $8 million partnership to plant more than 20,000 shade trees and 2,000 acres of forested riparian buffers to restore tree cover in southeastern Pennsylvania. More…
Cleaning the Hudson, One CSO at a Time
New Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) abatement projects are helping to reduce the amount of solid waste entering the Hudson River. More…
Robots: The Next Generation of Monitoring Technicians
A network of underwater robots beaming up a near real-time environmental profile of lakes, rivers and reservoirs could soon be on the prowl helping to monitor water quality and safeguard the nation's drinking water. More…
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According to a recent Rutgers University poll, eighty-two percent of New Jersey residents consider environmental problems either "very serious" or "somewhat serious." Fifty-one percent believe the environment will be worse for the next generation, while just 24 percent believe it will be better. Nearly 70 percent believe the U.S. government is doing too little to protect the environment, and more than 50 percent think the state government is doing too little, according to the poll. The problem that trumped all others in the percentage of respondents who considered it "very serious" was traffic, at 65 percent. Loss of open space was second at 54 percent, followed by toxic waste at 53 percent, disposal of solid waste at 45 percent and air pollution at 42 percent. A Gallup poll that included a similar question released the same week found a closer contest on the national level, where 49 percent said protection of the environment should be given priority while 44 percent chose economic growth. Star-Ledger, April 23, 2004 |
Policy Update
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The U.S. government plans to count hatchery-bred fish in future decisions on whether stream-bred wild salmon falls under the Endangered Species Act. This is a major change in the annual $700 million effort to protect Pacific salmon, as four of five salmon in West Coast rivers are from hatcheries. In the past 15 years, the federal government's effort to protect stream-bred wild salmon has forced costly changes in how forests are cut, housing developments are built, farms are cultivated and rivers are operated for hydroelectricity production. The new policy on hatchery salmon will be published in June in the Federal Register and then be opened to public comment. |
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The EPA has posted its National Water Program Strategic Plan for 2004 -2008 and its National Program Grant Guidance for 2005. Visit the main page at http://www.epa.gov/water/waterplan/. For grant guidance, visit http://www.epa.gov/water/waterplan/grants.htm. |
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The USDA recently announced a $146 million Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) agreement with Pennsylvania to improve water conditions in the Ohio River, the third largest drainage basin in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. Pennsylvania has already proven to be a leader in conservation, as the state has another successful CREP that is helping restore the Chesapeake Bay. Sign-up for the Pennsylvania CREP will begin Apr. 19, 2004, and continues until enrollment goals are attained or through Dec. 31, 2007, whichever comes first. For more information, visit the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) web site at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/facts/html/creppa04.htm. |
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The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware and the states of Utah and Tennessee, announced a Clean Water Act settlement for storm water violations at Wal-Mart store construction sites across the country. Under the terms of the agreement, Wal-Mart has agreed to pay a $3.1 million civil penalty and reduce storm water runoff at its sites by instituting better control measures, thereby setting an industry standard for developers and contractors. In addition to being the nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart is one of the largest commercial developers in the country, building more than 200 stores each year across the United States under the brand names Wal-Mart Stores, Wal-Mart Supercenters, and Sam's Clubs. For more information, visit www.usdoj.gov. |
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached an agreement with thirty-one companies to provide funding to continue with the Superfund Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) portion of the Lower Passaic River Restoration Project. The project is a collaboration among EPA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) to produce a plan to clean up and restore the 17-mile tidal stretch of the Passaic River from Dundee Dam to Newark Bay. A 30-day public comment period on the AOC runs through June 18, 2004. |
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The Turf “Crop” and the Chesapeake Bay According to a recent survey (Swann, 1999), almost 90% of Chesapeake Bay watershed residents have a lawn. Turf grass (managed turf) is a significant crop in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, covering some 3.15 million acres. The following are some disturbing facts about the turf “crop” in the Chesapeake Bay watershed:
Given the risk of nutrient and pesticide pollution, and the fact that one can maintain a respectable lawn with little or no fertilizer use, homeowners may want to seriously reevaluate the need for lawn fertilization, both in the Chesapeake Bay and elsewhere. Visit the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay website at http://www.alliancechesbay.org/pubs.cfm for publications on environmentally-friendly lawn and garden care, pest management, stream buffers, conservation landscaping, and other related topics. Center
for Watershed Protection Runoff Rundown #14 References: |
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Grant Programs
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Events
Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals Conference
PA DCNR Grant Writing Mini-Workshops
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"It is our choices … that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -J. K. Rowling |
Link Of The Month
The Environmental Advisory Council Network (EAC Network) a project of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is proud to announce the launching of a new Municipal Open Space Financing Website, http://www.fundingopenspace.org. Municipalities have an important role in open space protection and this website explains the financial tools available to municipalities. The website also includes current efforts, an explanation of funding options, an extensive resources section and an explanation of how an EAC can contribute to open space protection.
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Two peanuts walk into a bar. One was assaulted A
jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, A
sandwich walks into a bar. The bartender says, Two
cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other, Two hydrogen atoms walk into a bar. One says, “I’ve lost my electron.” The other says, “Are you sure?” The first replies, “Yes, I’m positive…” |
| New Publications |
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Revised Stream ReLeaf Riparian Buffer Database
DEP has released its improved and expanded Pennsylvania Stream ReLeaf Riparian Buffer Database. The purpose of this database is to capture and share information about riparian buffer projects across the state. Information on buffer projects can now be entered electronically by accessing the “Stream ReLeaf Project Data Form” located at http://www.dep.state.pa.us. Once submitted, the data is reviewed by department staff for accuracy and possible duplication. Once reviewed and approved, the data will become part of the permanent record in the database. The database also has a search function. By completing information on the “Stream ReLeaf Reports Page” you can search for individual projects. For more information, contact Keith Ashley at 717-772-5650.
Ecological Riverfront Design Report
American Rivers has recently released a new report, Ecological Riverfront Design: Restoring Rivers, Connecting Communities. The report focuses on ways to restore rivers as valuable community assets, both aesthetically and ecologically. The report provides a set of planning and design principles that can be employed to ensure that urban river edges are restored in the most ecologically sound and economically viable manner possible. The report is intended to help planners, mayors, public works and environmental officials, river advocates, and the general public in their research about effective, ecological riverfront design. The report is structured to provide general information on a number of key topics related to ecological health and human interaction with rivers. It is not intended as a comprehensive list of all issues of concern on riverfronts, but rather as a set of essential ideas that can help communities to achieve more with their riverfront revitalization efforts. To view the report, visit http://www.amrivers.org/ecologicaldesign.html.
Pennsylvania Sustainability Report
A draft report, titled, “State of the Commonwealth, Is Pennsylvania Moving Towards a Sustainable Future?” has been released by the Sustainable Pennsylvania Program of the Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy (PCIEP), a partnership comprised of 47 Pennsylvania colleges and universities and the Pennsylvania Departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources. The report examines positive and negative environmental, economic, and social trends relating to Pennsylvania’s quality of life and links some of the causes for concern about Pennsylvania’s future to sprawl development. The report also makes several recommendations to the Commonwealth in regard to interlinked environmental, economic, and social trends. The full report is available at http://www.paconsortium.state.pa.us/StateoftheCommonwealth.pdf. The Executive Summary of the Report is available at http://www.paconsortium.state.pa.us/StateoftheCommonwealth_ExecSummary.pdf.
New NJ DEP Online Report Access
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) recently launched a newly improved website that provides easy, round-the-clock access to key environmental reports and other public documents seven days a week at no charge. Called DEP Data Miner, the website enables users to search for information on DEP-regulated sites by location, name, or identification number. Data Miner users can also obtain public documents quickly and easily by clicking on links to a wide variety of information, including enforcement actions, incidents, inspections and violations, environmental monitoring, permitting, licensing and registrations. Users can download reports for analysis and reference at a later time. DEP Data Miner also includes Community Access reports that provide information on newly submitted air permit applications. Data Miner will reduce the time and money DEP spends to comply with government OPRA right-to-know laws. DEP Data Miner can be accessed at http://www.nj.gov/dep/opra/online.html.
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