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Water: Watersheds

Watershed News: July 2009

  Watershed News Index  

Watershed News is a publication of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. It is designed to provide timely information to groups working at the watershed level.

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In this month's newsletter

1) California Coastal Restoration Fund
2) Shell Marine Habitat Program
3) Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
4) Senate Confirms Peter Silva as Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water
5) Winners Announced for EPA Water Quality Video Contest
6) Interagency Memorandum of Understanding on Surface Coal Mining in Appalachia
7) Nonpoint Source News Notes Now On-line!
8) Proceedings and Presentations Now Available from May 2009 NPS Outreach Conference
9) Adopt Your Watershed and United We Serve Campaign
10) Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure — (1) Retrofits: Green Streets and (2) Operation & Maintenance
11) North Dakota: Lower Pipestem Creek
12) Year of Science Celebration
13) July 2009 Conferences and Workshops
14) August 2009 Conferences and Workshops
15) September 2009 Conferences and Workshops
16) November 2010 Conferences and Workshops

Funding/Technical Assistance

California Coastal Restoration Fund Exit EPA Disclaimer

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The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is requesting proposals for projects located within the Northern or Central Districts of California that benefit fish and wildlife species and the habitats upon which they depend. Types of project activities may include, but are not limited to, on-the-ground habitat conservation, improvement of public access areas, and projects that encourage collaboration and support local communities. Applications are due by August 24, 2009.


Shell Marine Habitat Program Exit EPA Disclaimer

The Shell Marine Habitat Program is a partnership between the Shell Oil Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The purpose of this partnership is to provide grants for projects that benefit marine and coastal habitats in and around the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the North Aleutian Basin, North Slope Borough, and Northwest Arctic Borough areas of Alaska. Applications are due by September 1, 2009.

Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds

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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides significant funding for states to finance high priority infrastructure projects needed to ensure clean water and safe drinking water. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, received $4 billion, including funds for Water Quality Management Planning Grants. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program received $2 billion.

EPA is making Recovery Act grants to states and Puerto Rico to capitalize their State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, from which assistance is provided to finance eligible high priority water infrastructure projects. The states will set priorities based on public health and environmental factors, in addition to readiness to proceed to construction, and identify which projects will receive funding. States must provide at least 20% of their grants for green projects, including green infrastructure, energy or water efficiency, and environmentally innovative activities. Last week, EPA and the Department of Health and Human Service's announced $90 million in Recovery Act funds for improved access to vital drinking water and wastewater services in the American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The funds will be invested in 'shovel ready' infrastructure projects designed to better protect human and environmental health in Indian Country and to create jobs.


News

Senate Confirms Peter Silva as Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water

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The Senate confirmed Peter Silva as EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water. Silva is a civil engineer with 32 years experience in the fields of water and wastewater management. Silva most recently served as a policy advisor for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and previously served six years on the California Water Resources Control Board. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved Peter Silva's nomination and he now faces confirmation by the full Senate.


Winners Announced for EPA Water Quality Video Contest

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EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds announced the winners of its first-ever Water Quality Video Contest designed to engage the public on water quality issues and to inspire stewardship for the nation's waters. For the 30 or 60 second time category, "Protect our Water- Check Car for Oil Leaks" submitted by Lucas H. Ridley of Trenton, Georgia was the overall winner. For the 1-3 minute category "Dastardly Deeds and the Water Pollution Monster" submitted by Nora Kelley Parren of Hinesburg, Vermont, was selected for the top prize. Her video was made entirely of discarded paper. The contest received over 250 submissions that covered a wide variety of topics including: low impact development, wetlands, marine debris, watershed management, water quality monitoring, polluted runoff, and other water-related topics. To see the winners and honorable mentions visit: http://www.epa.gov/owow/videocontest.html. To see all of the entries in the contest, visit: www.youtube.com/group/EPAOWOWContest Exit EPA Disclaimer

. EPA has a royalty-free license to use and make available all the videos submitted to the contest for watershed education. For more information, contact scott.patricia@epa.gov.


Interagency Memorandum of Understanding on Surface Coal Mining in Appalachia

On June 11, 2009 EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, and Terrence Salt, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) U.S. Department of the Army signed an interagency agreement implementing an Interagency Action Plan on Appalachian surface coal mining. The plan is designed to significantly reduce the harmful environmental impacts of surface coal mining operations ensuring that future mining remains consistent with federal law.

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Nonpoint Source News Notes Now On-line!

Be sure to check out the latest issue of Nonpoint Source New Notes, a periodical packed with the latest information related to watershed management. In this month's issue, Watershed Central, an exciting new clearinghouse of watershed information, and EPA's new Healthy Watershed Initiative, are two of the featured stories.


Proceedings and Presentations now available from May 2009 NPS Outreach Conference

Fifth National Conference for Nonpoint Source and Stormwater Outreach: Achieving Results with Tight Budgets (May 2009, Portland, OR)

Proceedings and all presentations available online. Also be sure to check out the great videos from the People's Choice Awards.


Watershed Tool of the Month

Adopt Your Watershed and United We Serve Campaign

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On June 22nd, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson joined several Cabinet members in launching the United We Serve campaign, President Obama's summer service initiative. United We Serve is a call to all Americans to join a volunteer effort this summer. Administrator Jackson was joined by Missouri River Relief, Blue River Watershed Association, the Missouri Stream Team and Friends of the Kaw at the kick-off event in Kansas City. As part of this new service initiative, EPA is directing volunteers to the Adopt Your Watershed Web page (epa.gov/adopt), an on-line database of local watershed organizations. The Web site also includes quick links and information for citizens interested in getting involved in watershed protection activities.

EPA is promoting the President's new service initiative as a way to encourage volunteer monitoring and watershed stewardship. Please also consider registering your program at www.serve.gov. You may get contacted by a number of volunteers eager to help. As part of this initiative, watershed groups are being asked to update their information in the Adopt Your Watershed database. To learn more, visit epa.gov/adopt or contact Patricia Scott (scott.patricia@epa.gov).


Webcast

Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure — (1) Retrofits: Green Streets and (2) Operation & Maintenance

EPA Webcast on July 28. For more information, see www.epa.gov/npdes/training.

Spotlight: Watersheds at Work

North Dakota: Lower Pipestem Creek

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Uncontrolled livestock grazing and poor cropland management contributed high levels of bacteria to the uppermost segment of Lower Pipestem Creek, prompting North Dakota to include the creek on its 2004 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters. Landowners implemented various agricultural best management practices (BMPs) to reduce bacteria levels, including keeping livestock out of the creek, establishing riparian area easements, and better management of manure, crop residues and nutrients. Bacteria levels declined, and the creek now meets fecal coliform standards for recreation, allowing North Dakota to remove this portion of Lower Pipestem Creek from the 2008 section 303(d) list for fecal coliform.


Year of Science Celebration Exit EPA Disclaimer

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The Year of Science 2009, sponsored by the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS), is national, year-long celebration of science and its value for society. The COPUS network includes more than 430 universities, scientific societies, government agencies, science centers and museums, educators, schools and others. The goal is to improve the public's understanding of how science works, who scientists are, and why science matters. The year-long month celebration includes monthly themes.


Upcoming Conferences and Workshops

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

  • Register Now for the 17th National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Workshop Exit EPA Disclaimer
    Reducing Nutrients and Documenting Results
    September 14–17 in New Orleans

    Register by Friday, July 17 to receive the Early Bird Registration Rate of $300! Next week the price goes up to $330.

    The program for the 17th National Workshop on controlling and monitoring nutrients is available at http://npsmonitoring.tetratech-ffx.com/index.htm. NPS monitoring and management personnel, through interactive presentations and discussions, will cover a number of topics at the workshop including lessons learned from completed NPS projects, demonstrations of new technologies and monitoring approaches, and documentation of successful application of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Management Measures. Lessons learned and information presented at this workshop will be useful in the development of State Nutrient Reduction Strategies. Technical workshops include Developing Social Indicators Related to Nutrient Management Projects, Watershed Central, Analysis of Imperfect Data, Flow duration Curves and Urban Tools. For more information, visit the conference web site at http://npsmonitoring.tetratech-ffx.com/index.htm Exit EPA Disclaimer or contact Elsa Mittelholtz (elsa.mittelholtz@tetratech.com).

November 2010

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