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- Special Symposium in the Great Lakes
- USDA Praised for $100 Million in Wetlands Restoration Funding for Everglades
- Who’s on First: Understanding the Corps’ Mitigation Hierarchy and Selection Criteria
- Local river users support clean water protections
- State NGO Coalition Comment Letter Responds to CWA Proposed Guidance
- Clean Water Act Guidance Should be Withdrawn, ACWA Says in Comment Letter
- Federal Agencies Sign Environmental Justice Memorandum of Understanding
- Bashing E.P.A. Is New Theme in G.O.P. Race
- House Bill Approved (Energy and Water Appropriations)
- USDA Announces Availability of Additional Conservation Reserve Program Acres to Support Wildlife Habitat Restoration
- EPA: Proposed Rule CO2 Streams Regulations for Carbon Sequestration
- PA: DEP Fines Beaver County Man $137,800 for Wetlands Violations
- CA: 5 years later, Bolsa Chica is thriving
- GA: Bridge to Cross Wetland
- NY: Deerpark board opposes state's wetlands map
- CT: Report: Town Should Consider Preserving Cedar Mountain
- MN: Plastic powers a lake cleanup
- FL: Group opposes wetlands changes
- VA: New Chesapeake Bay Protections Will Impact Clarke Farming Practices
- IN: Study: Rains, not marsh work, caused Ind. Flooding
- FL: St. Johns water-district layoffs driven by developers, environmentalists say
- CT: Purple Loosestrife Can Overwhelm an Ecosystem
- IA: Women Entrepreneurs in the Corridor Region Series
- WI: Invasives are choking out native plants
- MD: Cambridge country club fined $500,000 for pollution violations
- FL: Wetlands to be Focus of Gulf Restoration
- ASWM Publishes New CWA Section 404 Program Assumption Handbook for States, Tribes
- OCRM Releases Great Lakes Supplement to Adaption Planning Guide
- Climate Change Brings Water Worries to U.S. Cities, NRDC Report
- New Brochure Encourages Enjoyment and Protection of Deer Creek Marsh Area (NY)
- NOAA's State of the Coast Website
- Polar Ice Caps Can Recover from Warmer Climate, Study Says
- Fire Threatens Dismal Swamp Atlantic White Cedar Ecosystem
- CA: Clapper rails discovered nesting in SF
- Wetlands & Wellies: Wetlands Conservancy 30th Anniversary Benefit
- Coastal and Island Watershed Management Tools and Initiatives
- Webinar: Community Resilience, Part I: Assessing Vulnerabilities
- EPA Hosts Discussion on Climate Change & Water Quality Impacts
- Coastal Communities Conference
- NRDA For the Gulf: Gulf Oil Spill Symposium
- AWRA 7th Conference on GIS and Water Resources: Call for Abstracts & workshop proposals
Editor's Note
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Earlier this month I visited family in midcoast Maine and swam off a friend’s dock in a saltwater estuary not far from the Hog Island Audubon Center of Muscongus Bay. It’s the sort of place where swimming is impossible at low tide—but at high tide, it is wonderful, although there are so many nutrients, the water is a thick emerald green. My teen-aged brother is afraid to swim there because he cannot see his hands or feet under the water. I jumped in without hesitation. I’d forgotten how buoyant I feel while swimming in salt water, compared to the freshwater lakes I’ve grown more accustomed to near the ASWM office. On a boat ride out of New Harbor, I learned that my late grandmother loved to swim off that very same saltwater dock when she was a young woman. Stories about my wild, romantic mermaid-of-a-grandmother enchanted me, since I only knew her in the “golden years” as a conservationist. For me, it may also explain in small part why the smell of mudflats and estuaries harbors something deeply rooted in my memory, and why I feel so fiercely protective of those “impossible places” between the land and the water. It’s an inheritance.
ASWM’s Executive Director Jeanne Christie will be giving a talk on State Strategies for Climate Change at a special symposium to be held later this month at the Michigan Wetlands Association annual conference. The conference will focus on climate change adaptation and wetlands. See the announcement under Editor’s Choice for more information.
An estimated 300,000 comments have been forwarded to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in response to the proposed federal Clean Water Act guidance that was published jointly by the Corps and EPA in spring 2011. In some cases, organizations have joined together in coalitions to submit comments. ASWM was one signatory on a letter submitted by such a coalition—including the Environmental Council of the States, National Association of State Foresters, the Ground Water Protection Council, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Association of State Floodplain Managers, and the Association of State & Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators. The letter can be read here: State NGO Comment Letter Responds to Proposed CWA Guidance (http://aswm.org/pdf_lib/cwa_guidance_comment_letter.pdf) Additional media coverage—with different points of view (for/against) are included in this issue.
This week (August 21-27, 2011) is World Water Week. The international conference held in Sweden will focus on global changes and water in an urbanizing world. http://www.aswm.org/component/jevents/icalrepeat.detail/2011/08/21/21/-/2011-world-water-week-conference
If you haven’t done so already, be sure to get your feet wet.
Leah Stetson
Editor, Wetland Breaking News
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Special Symposium in the Great Lakes
ASWM is partnering with the Michigan Wetlands Association (MWA) and the Michigan DEQ in organization of the MWA annual conference - August 31-September 2, 2011 in Traverse City, MI. This conference will feature a special symposium on climate change adaptation and wetlands bringing together state, regional and national experts to investigate how wetland restoration and management can meet multiple goals, including climate change adaptation. Following the symposium, ASWM will prepare recommendations to encourage incorporation of wetland management into state climate change strategies. Keynote speakers are Heather Stirratt, Great Lakes Coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center; and Dr. William Mitsch of Ohio State University, an internationally recognized research scientist in wetlands and water issues, including the large scale interrelationship between wetlands and the management of water quantity and quality. For more information, click here.
USDA Praised for $100 Million in Wetlands Restoration Funding for Everglades
By Environmental Defense Fund – Sacramento Bee – August 11, 2011
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack's commitment today to invest $100 million through the Wetlands Reserve Program to acquire permanent easements from eligible landowners and assist with wetland restoration on nearly 24,000 acres of agricultural land in the Northern Everglades Watershed is a smart ecological and economic investment, according to a leading conservation group. Environmental Defense Fund also says it demonstrates why maintaining funding for the Wetlands Reserve Program and other USDA conservation programs is critical. For full article, click here. go to: For a related editorial, click here.
Who’s on First: Understanding the Corps’ Mitigation Hierarchy and Selection Criteria
By Jeanne Christie – The Compleat Wetlander (blog) – August 4, 2011
In 2008 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published a final compensatory mitigation rule for improving, restoring, and protecting the nation’s wetlands and streams. It represented the accumulated knowledge of 20 years of experience and innovation restoring and creating wetlands and other water resources to compensate for losses through permitted dredge and fill activities under the Clean Water Act. For full blog post, click here.
Local river users support clean water protections
By Janice Kurbjun – Summit Daily News – July 29, 2011
As the public comment period comes to a close for the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed guidance on determining whether a waterway is protected by the Clean Water Act, kayakers, conservationists and sportsmen from across the state gathered earlier this week to demonstrate what groups considered “broad-based support” for EPA's efforts, hand-delivering to EPA officials 23,887 comment postcards, photo petitions, letters, and stacks of emails in support of EPA action to keep the state's waterways clean. For full story, go to: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20110729/NEWS/110729792/1078&ParentProfile=1055 For other comments in favor of the guidance, see Senator Leahy’s response (VT) http://leahy.senate.gov/press/press_releases/release/?id=e9c56321-35e2-4012-b9dd-b90dd427bd39 Coalition letter submitted by National Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited, Izaak Walton League of America, TRCP, and The Wildlife Society see http://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Water/073111_NWFetalGuidanceComments.ashx Environment America: http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/our-rivers-lakes-amp-streams/our-rivers-lakes-amp-streams/more-than-170000-americans-urge-epa-to-protect-our-waterways
Environment Colorado, Trout Unlimited, Sierra Club in CO: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18556082
State NGO Coalition Comment Letter Responds to CWA Proposed Guidance
The organizations below (ASWM, ECOS, et. al.) are pleased to provide the following comments in response to proposed guidance regarding the scope of jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act, as published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in the Federal Registeron May 2, 2011. The guidance has been jointly reviewed by the signatory agencies and organizations that collectively support water resource protection and management interests of the states, as undersigned. While some of us may have additional comments specific to the concerns of our individual organizations, and will be submitting those comments separately, we all agree on a number of key points. To read full letter, click here.
Clean Water Act Guidance Should be Withdrawn, ACWA Says in Comment Letter
Association of California Water Agencies – July 22, 2011
Draft guidance for the Clean Water Act issued earlier this year represents a vast expansion of federal jurisdiction over water bodies and could put recycled water projects in jeopardy, ACWA said in comments submitted July 22 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For their comment letter, go to: http://www.acwa.com/news/water-quality/clean-water-act-guidance-should-be-withdrawn-acwa-says-comment-letter For other comments that are against the proposed guidance, see Associated General Contractors of America: http://news.agc.org/2011/08/12/agc-urges-epacorps-to-abandon-proposed-wetlands-guidance-that-significantly-expands-the-agencies%E2%80%99-jurisdiction/ Gov. of Kansas: http://www.wibw.com/localnews/headlines/Governor_Comments_On_EPA_Guidance_126150648.html Alaska state admin: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/08/07/1774778/state-objects-to-epa-wetlands.html and http://homertribune.com/2011/08/federal-wetlands-guidelines-are-land-grab/ National Assoc of Wheat Growers
http://southwestfarmpress.com/government/nawg-attacks-clean-water-guidance-proposals
National News
Federal Agencies Sign Environmental Justice Memorandum of Understanding
CSO Weekly Report – August 19, 2011
On August 4th, the Obama Administration announced that Federal agencies have agreed to develop environmental justice strategies to protect the health of people living in communities overburdened by pollution and provide the public with annual progress reports on their efforts. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Nancy Sutley, and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder were joined by agency heads across the Administration in signing the “Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and Executive Order 12898” (EJ MOU). The EJ MOU formalizes the environmental justice commitments that agencies have made over the past year and provided a roadmap for agencies to better coordinate their efforts. Specific areas of focus include considering the environmental justice impacts of climate adaptation and commercial transportation. The MOU also outlines processes and procedures to help communities more efficiently and effectively engage agencies as they make decisions. For more information on the Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice, click here.
Bashing E.P.A. Is New Theme in G.O.P. Race
By John M. Broder – New York Times – August 17, 2011
The Environmental Protection Agency is emerging as a favorite target of the Republican presidential candidates, who portray it as the very symbol of a heavy-handed regulatory agenda imposed by the Obama administration that they say is strangling the economy. Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota wants to padlock the E.P.A.’s doors, as does former Speaker Newt Gingrich. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas wants to impose an immediate moratorium on environmental regulation. For full article, click here.
House Bill Approved (Energy and Water Appropriations)
NRDC Legislative Watch – August 16, 2011
On 7/15, the House of Representatives voted 219-196 to approve the fiscal year 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations bill (H.R. 2354). The bill would dramatically cut funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy research programs, as well as several other innovation programs. The bill also includes policy changes, including a rider that would block the Army Corps of Engineers from clarifying which smaller streams and wetlands are covered by Clean Water Act protections. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h2354/show For related stories and information, click here.
USDA Announces Availability of Additional Conservation Reserve Program Acres to Support Wildlife Habitat Restoration
Contact: Isabel Benemelis – USDA News Release – August 12, 2011
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the reallocation of 153,972 acres available through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) initiative entitled State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE), to support conservation and restoration of important habitat for lesser prairie chickens, sage and sharp-tailed grouse, and other grassland, sage or prairie-dependent species. SAFE projects are located in Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Tennessee and Texas. “USDA is reallocating available SAFE acres in order to meet habitat goals for the lesser prairie chicken, sage and sharp-tailed grouse, and other priority species of concern." Vilsack said. “Through our conservation programs, USDA is committed to restoring habitat for wildlife and preserving our natural resources and outdoor traditions for future generations to enjoy.” This year represents the 25th anniversary of the Conservation Reserve Program. For full press release, go to: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2011/08/0355.xml&navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent
EPA: Proposed Rule CO2 Streams Regulations for Carbon Sequestration
EPA Climate Change & Water News – August 2011
EPA is proposing a rule to advance the use of CCS technologies, while protecting Americans' health and the environment. CCS technologies allow carbon dioxide (CO2) to be captured at stationary sources - like coal-fired power plants and large industrial operations - and injected underground for long-term storage in a process called geologic sequestration. The proposal is consistent with recommendations made by President Obama's interagency task force on CO2 sequestration and helps create a consistent national framework to ensure the safe and effective deployment of technologies that will help position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race. For more information on the proposed rule, click here. For more information on the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide, click here.
State News
PA: DEP Fines Beaver County Man $137,800 for Wetlands Violations
By Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection –Sacremento Bee - August 19, 2011
The Department of Environmental Protection announced today that Francois Bitz, of Baden, Beaver County, will pay $137,800 in civil penalties as part of a consent order and agreement for violating the state's Clean Streams Act and the Dam Safety & Encroachment Act. Bitz will also pay cost-recovery and oversight costs to DEP and the Allegheny County Conservation District. From 2009 to 2010, Bitz excavated approximately two acres of wetlands and impacted approximately 1,100 feet of stream while constructing a recreational pond on his property in Marshall Township, Allegheny County, without the necessary permits. For full story, click here.
CA: 5 years later, Bolsa Chica is thriving
By Jeff Overley – Orange County Register – August 19, 2011
It was five years ago this month an ocean inlet debuted at the Bolsa Chica wetlands, and there are many ways to tell the area is flourishing. There is the diversity of wildlife. The picturesque landscape. And of course, the potent scent of bird droppings. That last attribute might not be pleasant, but it's a sure sign of a healthy ecosystem, one that's rebounding at the eleventh hour amid a constant march of urban development. For full story, go to: http://www.ocregister.com/news/inlet-312571-beach-wetlands.html
GA: Bridge to Cross Wetland
By Blake Aued – Athens Banner-Herald – August 19, 2011
Athens-Clark commissioners said last week that they favor building the bridge over wetlands along Sandy Creek rather than over Lake Chapman, the option once favored by county park officials. The wetlands location would be shorter and less expensive than the lake option. An anonymous private donor has also pledged $160,000 to cover about three-quarters of the cost of building it but only if the bridge is over the wetlands. For full story, go to: http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/081911/new_873165483.shtml
NY: Deerpark board opposes state's wetlands map
Times-Herald Record – August 19, 2011
On August 15th, the Deerpark Town Board unanimously passed a resolution opposing the proposed New York state Department of Environmental Conservation's wetlands map, which adds about 20,000 additional acres of wetlands in Orange County. The DEC is proposing an expansion of wetlands from 28,815 to 44,815 acres. "We all feel that this proposal will ultimately restrict landowners rights, diminish property value, and cause a further burden to the taxpayers in these hard economic times," said Supervisor Karl A. Brabenec. The resolution cites many reasons for opposition to the proposal, such as the DEC not having practical means for affected property owners to appeal the DEC map amendments, a loss in property value, a shift of tax liability at a time when officials are trying to keep taxes stable and the fact that there already is a great amount of wetland acreage in the county. For full story, go to: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110819/COMM011101/108190303/-1/NEWS
CT: Report: Town Should Consider Preserving Cedar Mountain
By Mark Spencer – Hartford Courant – August 18, 2011
A report by an independent panel of experts on a proposed subdivision on Cedar Mountain suggests the town should consider buying the land to preserve as open space. The Connecticut Environmental Review Team issued its report this week on a proposal by Toll Brothers to build a subdivision on the 73-acre Balf property, donating 44 acres of it to the town as open space. The report also outlines steps that could be taken to minimize the environmental impact of the development if it is approved. For full story, go to: http://articles.courant.com/2011-08-18/community/hc-newington-cert-0819-20110818_1_marcap-toll-brothers-balf-property
MN: Plastic powers a lake cleanup
by Josephine Marcotty – Minneapolis Star Tribune – August 18, 2011
Spring Lake in Minneapolis is getting a cleansing thanks to floating wetlands that are a mix of nature and recycling. Once a tiny jewel in the Minneapolis chain of parks, Spring Lake has all but disappeared from the public eye. Squeezed between Kenwood Parkway and Interstate 394, the little lake is surrounded by a wall of grapevine and buckthorn and, thanks to decades of urban pollution, coated in a thick layer of chartreuse algae. But this week its fortunes changed. Spring Lake is now home to seven little floating islands built and launched to undo what humans have done to it. Made from recycled plastic bottles and planted with wildflowers, reeds and grasses, the floating islands act like wetlands on steroids and represent a new and startlingly simple technology that's attracting interest around the world. For full story, go to: http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/127980188.html?source=error
FL: Group opposes wetlands changes
By Sara Kennedy – Bradonton – August 16, 2011
A local environmental group has filed objections to proposed changes to the county’s wetland policies, saying they are a significant step backward for wetland protection. For full story, go to: http://www.bradenton.com/2011/08/16/3422893/group-opposes-wetlands-changes.html
VA: New Chesapeake Bay Protections Will Impact Clarke Farming Practices
By Edward Leonard – Clarke Daily News – August 15, 2011
In late 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), a historic and comprehensive “pollution diet” with rigorous accountability measures to initiate sweeping actions to restore clean water in the Chesapeake Bay and the region’s streams, creeks and rivers. Every community within the Bay watershed, including Clarke County, will be impacted by the enactment.
Clarke County, Virginia, rests within a six-state watershed region where strict pollution limits are being formulated to limit the amount of pollution that can enter a body of water while still maintaining targeted water quality standards. For full story, go to: http://www.clarkedailynews.com/new-chesapeake-bay-protections-will-impact-clarke-farming-practices/23779
IN: Study: Rains, not marsh work, caused Inc. Flooding
Associated Press – August 15, 2011
A federal study concludes heavy rains, not the restoration of a nearby wetlands area, have caused extensive basement flooding in recent years in a northwesternIndiana town, but a town councilwoman disagrees. The Times of Munster reported Monday (http://bit.ly/mWdCxh) that the U.S. Geological Survey study found that any impact on the town has been minor following the 1998 through 2002 restoration of the Great Marsh area. Lead author Paul Buszka says the real culprit is the heavier than normal rains that occurred from 2006 to 2009 in the town fronting Lake Michigan. For full story, go to: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-marshrestoration-,0,4755650.story
FL: St. Johns water-district layoffs driven by developers, environmentalists say
By Kevin Spear – Orlando Sentinel – August 15, 2011
Mass layoffs at the state agency most responsible for protecting Central Florida's waters and wetlands were ordered by Gov. Rick Scott and lawmakers as a break for taxpayers, but the forced departures of key regulators appear to be driven by backlash from the development industry. For full story, go to: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-agency-layoffs-threaten-water-20110815,0,4532446.story
CT: Purple Loosestrife Can Overwhelm an Ecosystem
By Melvin Mason – Daily New Canaan – August 14, 2011
Have you ever looked at tall purple plants and thought about how pretty they are?
The purple loosestrife, the lanky plant with purple petals at the top, may look appealing. But it can be a burden for other plants hoping to grow, especially those near wetlands and pond areas.
“Unfortunately, it’s an invasive species in pond areas,” said Keith Marshall, director of education at the New Canaan Nature Center. “Wetlands are supposed to have diverse plant areas.” For full story, go to:
http://www.thedailynewcanaan.com/neighbors/purple-loosestrife-can-overwhelm-ecosystem
IA: Women Entrepreneurs in the Corridor Region Series
Spencer Daily Reporter – August 13, 2011
Bev Rutter calls her business a "hobby gone nuts." Bev and her husband Dwight own The Prairie Flower, located west of Fostoria. The 640-acre business is a native plant and grass nursery, as well as a native plant and seed dealer. Their land contains prairies and wetlands, a bed and breakfast and five miles of mowed trails through the prairie plantings. The Rutters had always dabbled in native plants, but waited until their farm was paid off before making it their livelihood in 2002. It takes three years for a prairie to establish, so they had no return on investment for four years. For full story, go to: http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/1752966.html
WI: Invasives are choking out native plants
By Vijai Pandian – Green Bay Hub - August 13, 2011
Wisconsin is known for abundant wetlands that are rich and diverse in native plant species. Blue vervain, cattails, swamp milkweed and sedges provide habitat for many types of wildlife. Sadly, their survival is in question. The native plants are losing the battle to an aggressive tall perennial grass species called invasive phragmites (Phragmites australis). It also is known as common reed and quickly can colonize freshwater wetlands with dense stands. For full column, go to: http://greenbayhub.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110813/GPG04/108130433/1250/Warren-Gerds-column-Home-Turf-feature-Packers-tight-end-Jermichael-Finley/Vijai-Pandian-column-Invasives-choking-out-native-plants?odyssey=nav|head
MD: Cambridge country club fined $500,000 for pollution violations
By Meredith Cohn – Baltimore Sun – August 11, 2011
A Cambridge country club was ordered to pay an "extraordinary penalty" of $500,000 by a Dorchester County Circuit Court for discharging raw sewage into wetlands along the Choptank River that eventually flow into the Chesapeake Bay, according to a Thursday announcement from the state attorney general's office. BSJ Partners LLC, owner-operator of Clearview at Horn's Point, formerly known as the Cambridge Country Club, was ordered to pay a $485,000 civil penalty for environmental violations, a $15,000 penalty for failing to submit discharge monitoring reports for three years; and a $500 penalty for discovery violations. For full story, go to: http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/bs-gr-choptank-river-20110811,0,7519456.story
FL: Wetlands to be Focus of Gulf Restoration
By Alex Dominguez - Miami Herald - August 5, 2011
Addressing wetlands loss will be a major component of an upcoming report on Gulf Coast oil spill recovery, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency said August 5. Administrator Lisa Jackson is chairing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, which she said is taking a broader view of restoration. The panel is putting emphasis on longer-term issues that include wetlands loss, "one of the most urgent ecosystem challenges we are facing," she said. Ninety percent of wetlands losses in the continental U.S. are in the Gulf, Jackson said, adding that the task force has not written its report yet. Wetlands loss will be a major component of the report and dealing with it will reach beyond the coast. For full story, visit: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/05/2346887/epa-head-wetlands-to-be-focus.html#ixzz1USp6YMy2
RESOURCES & PUBLICATIONS
ASWM Publishes New CWA Section 404 Program Assumption Handbook for States, Tribes
Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act defines a permitting program for dredge and fill activities in wetlands and other waters of the United States. Section 404 also allows a state or tribe to administer its own permit program to regulate these activities in lieu of the federal program for most nontidal waters, given approval from the EPA. In 2010, the Association of State Wetland Managers and the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) convened a national workgroup to facilitate state and tribal “assumption” of the Section 404 Program. This handbook is a product of that workgroup. It is intended to provide concise information to states and tribes interested in 404 program assumption about how a state or tribal 404 program operates, the basic legal requirements for program assumption, and the process of applying, including submitting a complete application to EPA for program approval. To view the CWA Section 404 Program Assumption: A Handbook for States and Tribes, click here.
OCRM Releases Great Lakes Supplement to Adaption Planning Guide
NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) has released “Adapting to Climate Change: A Planning Guide for State Coastal Managers - A Great Lakes Supplement.” Intended to be used as a companion to the previously released planning guide, the supplement, which was developed with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, provides more specificity on climate trends and potential climate change impacts and consequences affecting the Great Lakes region and includes case examples of adaptation actions already being taken at the regional, state, and local levels. Learn more at: http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/climate/adaptation.html.
Climate Change Brings Water Worries to U.S. Cities, NRDC Report
By Lynne Peeples - Huffington Post - July 27, 2011
You might say that the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) had good timing with their Tuesday release of a new report on water-related impacts of climate change in U.S. cities. Extreme heat had just scorched much of the country, and the South remained under extreme drought. Perhaps Americans were ready to listen? "The truth is, we're faced with more and more extreme events, and they probably could have picked a random date," Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute, a nonpartisan think tank based in Oakland, said in an email to Huff Post. While much of the NRDC's assessment is based on water research from the institute, Gleick was not involved in the new report. "Remember the extreme rains and snow in the West, then tornadoes, then the Mississippi flooding, then the Missouri flooding, then more tornadoes," he added. "Welcome to the future, today!" For full story, click here.
New Brochure Encourages Enjoyment and Protection of Deer Creek Marsh Area
Oswego County, NY – Those who enjoy exploring natural habitats will want to check out the new Deer Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA) brochure now online at www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/glhabitat/PDFS/DeerCreekMarsh2011.pdf. New York Sea Grant produced the new publication in collaboration with The Ontario Dune Coalition, an alliance of private property owners’ associations, non-profit organizations, local government, and state and federal agencies. Entergy’s Environmental Stewardship Program provided funding. Deer Creek Marsh WMA covers nearly 1,200 acres of state-owned land and provides opportunities for beach and trail hiking, fishing, paddling, trapping, birdwatching, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hunting and relaxing in nature. The resource brochure written by New York Sea Grant Coastal Community Development Specialist Mary Penney highlights the habitats of the area that is part of the 17-mile Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes and Wetlands Area.
NOAA's State of the Coast Website
NOAA's State of the Coast offers quick facts and more detailed statistics through interactive maps that highlights what is known about coastal communities, ecosystems, and economies, as well as how a changing climate might impact the coast. There is a new report available: The Gulf of Mexico at a Glance: A Second Glance. Also, explore wetland land cover change from 1996-2006 at http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/wetlands/welcome.html. Discover information about coastal states’ water use. Visit: stateofthecoast.noaa.gov.
Wetland Science
Polar Ice Caps Can Recover from Warmer Climate, Study Says
Science Daily/ENN - August 18, 2011
A growing body of recent research indicates that, in Earth's warming climate, there is no "tipping point," or threshold warm temperature, beyond which polar sea ice cannot recover if temperatures come back down. New University of Washington research indicates that even if Earth warmed enough to melt all polar sea ice, the ice could recover if the planet cooled again. For full story, go to: http://aswm.org/polar-caps-can-recover-study-says
Fire Threatens Dismal Swamp Atlantic White Cedar Ecosystem
Matthew Ward – Reuters – August 16, 2011
The legacy of George Washington's centuries-old logging venture in the Great Dismal Swamp is contributing to the possible demise of a valuable ecosystem as a barely contained fire burns on the Virginia-North Carolina border, experts say. As of late Sunday the brush fire had burned 6,156 acres and was probably ignited by a lightning strike on or around August 4, officials said. To read full article, click here.
Potpouri
CA: Clapper rails discovered nesting in SF
By Peter Fimrite – San Francisco Chronicle – August 19, 2011
A nesting pair of California clapper rails and their two chicks have been confirmed in San Francisco's Heron's Head Park, the first time in decades that the endangered chicken-like bird has been documented breeding in the city. The discovery has Bay Area birders in a flutter, particularly considering the location of the feathered family. The shy, marsh-loving waterfowl were nesting in a restored wetland near Hunters Point, an area not normally associated with a well-functioning ecosystem. For full story, go to:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/18/BA681KP2NP.DTL#ixzz1VVOrYy9N
Meetings and Training
Wetlands & Wellies: Wetlands Conservancy 30th Anniversary Benefit
October 2, 2011 – 3PM Hedges Creek Marsh, Tualatin, OR. The Wetlands Conservancy celebrates 30 years of preserving and restoring Oregon’s wetlands with this benefit event. This year Wetlands & Wellies will pay tribute to a passion and vision shared by Jack and Althea Pratt-Broome that inspired a grassroots movement. Seating is limited. For more information, visit:
www.wetlandsconservancy.org
Coastal and Island Watershed Management Tools and Initiatives
September 1, 2011 - at 12:00 p.m. EST at NOAA SSMC-3 (1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910); 2nd Floor, Library. The Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) will provide an update on the results and progress of several coastal and island watershed management initiatives. CWP developed tools to manage the impacts of land use and stormwater runoff on water resources of the Atlantic coastal plain. The resulting Coastal Plain Watershed Information Center contains products such as an article series on adapting watershed protection tools for the coastal plain, a coastal community watershed management self-assessment checklist, case studies of successful low impact development (LID) in the coastal plain, and a photo library for use in educating decision makers about the importance and applicability of LID in the coastal plain. To learn more, visit: http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/seminars/2011/09-sep.html#sep012011_Capiella.
Webinar: Community Resilience, Part I: Assessing Vulnerabilities
September 7, 2011 - at 2:00 p.m. EST The NOAA Coastal Services Center will host a webinar to showcase the Roadmap for Adapting to Coastal Risk, which is a customizable approach for assessing coastal hazards and impacts from climate change. The Roadmap is a participatory process that not only helps communities characterize their vulnerabilities to coastal hazards and climate change, but also assess how existing planning and policy efforts can incorporate vulnerability issues and reduce risk. The webinar will also provide information on additional resources for identifying and communicating potential risks and vulnerabilities. To learn more and to register, visit: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/webinar/index.html
U.S. EPA Hosts Discussion on the Consequences of Global Climate Change: Water Quality Impacts, Ecological Impacts & Nonlinear Responses on September 20-22, 2011 in Washington, D.C. (Open to the Public)
The public is invited to attend or connect online to listen to a discussion on the Consequences of Global Climate Change Progress on September 20-22, 2011. The EPA will be gathering university scientists, EPA scientists, and policy makers to highlight EPA supported research on the consequences of global climate change. The topics will include the effects of climate change on ecosystem services, invasive species, pathogens, coastal habitat and water quality. This meeting is free and open to the public. Feel free to join for one or all three days either in person or via the Internet. If you plan to attend in person, please email your name, contact information, and institution to Michael Hiscock (
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). The session will be held at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,1201 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 1153. Visitors will need to check in at the security desk when they arrive. A list of attendees is needed at least one week prior to the meeting. To connect online, please register for the webinar using the following link, click here.
Coastal Communities Conference
September 29-30, 2011 – Nantucket, MA - Co-hosted by ReMain Nantucket and Egan Maritime Institute, the 2011 Coastal Communities Conference, “Creating a Blueprint for our Coast,” will be held September 29th and 30th in Nantucket. MA. The Conference will focus on the land/sea interface and highlight Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning in the context of the competing uses in the near shore - specifically the shared edges between the blue water, the near shore, and the watershed. The conference schedule and registration information are available at: www.coastalcommunitiesconference.org.
NRDA For the Gulf: Gulf Oil Spill Symposium
November 2-4, 2011 – National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD - The Deepwater Horizon rig’s explosion in the Gulf of Mexico and the resulting catastrophic oil spill exposed and injured natural resources to an unprecedented level. While natural resource trustees have initiated a formal natural resource damage assessment (NRDA), the most sophisticated and sensitive methods available to measure low levels of contaminants are not always being used. In light of this situation, the ability to accurately quantify chronic damages has, in all likelihood, been compromised. Join distinguished experts gathering to address: the NRDA process; the latest research on long-range outcomes; and the necessity of quantifying the cascade of chronic and indirect effects on oil-exposed ecosystems. For more information and to register, go to: http://aqua.org/symposium .
AWRA 7th Conference on GIS and Water Resources: Call for abstracts & workshop proposals
March 26-28, 2012 – New Orleans – Specialty conference hosted by the American Water Resources Association to advance the use of geospatial and hydrologic technologies in our communities, our states and regions, and around the world, is calling for abstracts and workshop proposals, exhibit sponsors and participants. For more information, visit: http://www.awra.org/meetings/Spring2012/index.html
JOBS
There are new jobs posted on the Wetlands Job board. For the latest wetland jobs, go here: http://aswm.org/news/jobs-a-training-opportunities
The Association of State Wetland Managers' Wetland Breaking News is a monthly e-newsletter. Wetland Breaking News is an edited compilation of wetland-related stories and announcements submitted by readers and gleaned from list-servs, press releases and news sources from throughout the United States. The e-newsletter features legislative, national and state news relevant to wetland science and policy, wetland regulations and legal analysis of Supreme court cases; it also links to new publications and resources available to wetland professionals as well as events and training opportunities for those working in water resources and related fields. Wetland Breaking News has been published for over ten years and ASWM has been a think-tank and source for wetland science and policy news and discussion for over 20 years.
The items presented in Wetland Breaking News do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or of the Association of State Wetland Managers. Send your news items, comments, corrections, or suggestions to
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"WETLAND BREAKING NEWS" Compiled and Edited by: Leah Stetson, ASWM; Executive Director: Jeanne Christie, ASWM
Association of State Wetland Managers, 32 Tandberg Trail, Ste. 2A, Windham, ME 04062. Telephone: 207-892-3399 Fax: 207-892-3089
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