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- Secretary Vilsack Signs Historic Agreement with EPA and State of Minnesota Encouraging
- Farmers to Protect Rivers, Streams and Lakes
- WI: Can Proposed Wetland Policy Both Streamline & Protect?
- OR: Appeals Court Upholds Diluted Pro-Development
- ID: The Sacketts and the Clean Water Act
- CBF Debunks Myth: "Environmental Regulations Cost Jobs, Kill Business"
- Webinar: Family Farms, Rural Landscapes, and the Farm Bill
- Compleat Wetlander: Dangerous Advice from a Wetland
- Proposed NOAA move to Interior facing opposition
- U.S. Dept. Housing/Urban Development: Proposed Rules for Floodplain Mgt, Wetlands Protection
- USDA Announces Funding for WQ Markets, Seeks Proposals for Projects
- Salazar Announces More Than $20 Million in Grants to Conserve Coastal Wetlands
- IL: Thirty Years of Quiet Land Conservation
- GA: Georgia receives wetland grant
- WA: Wetlands benefit from federal grants
- NJ: NJ to offer online applications for two types of freshwater wetlands permits
- FL: Audubon, Water District, join to offer bird tours of nearby Everglades wetlands
- CT: State Running Contest for Migratory Bird Stamp Artwork
- LA: What a dilemma (Opinion)
- WA: Prefiled state Senate bills include wetlands, stormwater, oil spills
- SC: Environmental group says I-73 project illegal, should be stopped
- HI: Backers say trust’s bid for Kaehu Bay ‘a huge victory’
- SD: Farm economy puts pheasants in a fix
- NY: Yorktown enters a new Grace period
- MA: Easton to get grant to preserve former Ames estate
- NJ: New Jersey Company Disposes of Asbestos on NY Farm
- TX: Censored scientist John Anderson on how to restore sound policy-making in Texas
- KY: Local author releases book on wetlands
- South Florida Alliance Gears Up for Climate Change
- NOAA Small Business Innovative Research Funding - Blue Carbon
- Study: Salt water can't halt invasive pythons advance across Florida
- CA: Species Loneliness
- FL: Henry Swanson: Persistent prophet warned of state's water woes
- MA: Activists warn of potential sea-level rise impacts in Boston
- SWS 2012 Student Research Grants competition - Deadline February 2
- Annual MN Wetlands Conference
- Webinar: Getting Over Environmentalism
- Climate Leadership Conference
- Live Webinar: 2012 Nationwide Wetland Permit
- Annual Conference of the Society of Ecological Restoration
- 15th National Mitigation & Ecosystem Banking Conference
- Inland Wetland Plant Identification
- Fourth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts and Responses
- Rally 2012--Call for Presentations
EDITOR'S NOTEDear friends and colleagues, Last week I couldn’t resist answering a trivia question posted on Twitter by a marine biologist: “Name a shark species that is directly threatened by climate change, and explain why.” A past Strange Wetlands blog post described how bull sharks, the #1 most dangerous shark in the world, depend on freshwater wetland habitat. Bulls travel from salt water to freshwater rivers through coastal estuaries to nurse their young. Since freshwater rivers and coastal wetlands are, indeed, under siege by climate change impacts ranging from sea level rise to storm surge, floods and drought, this has a direct impact on the bull shark’s survival as a species. Other Twitter followers guessed different types of sharks with various rationales, none of which involved wetlands. The judge(s) selected my post as the winning response. I won a notepad with an elasmobranch logo, which should complement my Swampgirl Twitter stationary. But I was more excited to make a case for wetlands—and how they play an essential role in conservation biology of top predators—and yes, even sharks. People are also affected by climate change, and the latest Strange Wetlands blog post looks at the link between the American Red Cross, climate change and extreme weather-related disasters. Read Strange Wetlands.
ASWM is hosting a new webpage dedicated to the Natural Floodplain Function Alliance. The Association of State Wetland Managers is a founding member of the Alliance, which has over 200 members. The Alliance is an affiliation of federal agencies, professional and nonprofit organizations, and individuals who are dedicated to the protection and preservation of the natural functions of floodplains, which includes coastal areas. It was established to “promote, protect, and enhance the protection, restoration, and management of natural floodplain resources.” For more information, visit: http://aswm.org/watersheds/-natural-floodplain-function-alliance
ASWM has also added new stories, including recent blog posts, to its Mississippi River Flood webpage. If you know of a publication, report or study about the Mississippi River flood events of 2011 and their effects on wetlands and floodplains management, please send us a link to post.
We are also looking for photos of wetland professionals working in the field or in the office, doing a range of activities from regulation to restoration, mapping to monitoring, etc. If you send us a photo, please give us a photo caption, photo credit information and permission to use on the ASWM website and in its e-newsletters, if allowable, and an approximate date of the photo. Thank you!
In lieu of a New Years’ Resolution, I will close this note with this quote from Gary Snyder, which opens the opinion article under Potpourri called “Species Loneliness,” about the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in California.
From the masses to the masses, the most Revolutionary consciousness is to be found
Among the most ruthlessly exploited classes: Animals, trees, water, air, grasses.
— Gary Snyder
Food for thought. Happy New Year! Leah Stetson
Editor, Wetland Breaking News
EDITOR'S CHOICESecretary Vilsack Signs Historic Agreement with EPA and State of Minnesota Encouraging Farmers to Protect Rivers, Streams and Lakes
USDA – January 17, 2012
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Minnesota to develop a new state program for farmers designed to increase the voluntary adoption of conservation practices that protect local rivers, streams and other waters by reducing fertilizer run-off and soil erosion. Through this partnership producers, who undertake a substantial level of conservation activities to reduce nutrient run-off and erosion, will receive assurance from the state that their farms will meet Minnesota's water quality standards and goals during the life of the agreement. Vilsack, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson signed the MOU during a ceremony in the Minnesota Capitol. For full press release, go to: http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDAOC-263ec7
WI: Can Proposed Wetland Policy Both Streamline & Protect?
By Susan Bence – Milwaukee Public Radio – January 10, 2012
In the ongoing spirit of expediting cumbersome permitting protocol AND foster a “job creating” environment, Republican state lawmakers proposed last week a bill to streamline wetland regulations. Once the intricate hydraulic and wildlife-support systems counted in the 10-million-acre range. Over the last century, wetlands have been dug up for agriculture, built upon and especially in southeastern Wisconsin, chopped by streets and pavement. The proposed legislation spells out strict timelines and public comment periods for projects potentially impacting wetlands. For full radio story, go to: http://www.wuwm.com/programs/news/view_news.php?articleid=9723 For related article, Wisconsin Bill Discussed in Senate Hearing, with an audio of the hearing, go to: http://wiseye.org/Programming/VideoArchive/EventDetail.aspx?evhdid=5644
OR: Appeals Court Upholds Diluted Pro-Development By Lawrence Hurley - E7E - January 12, 2012
A federal appeals court today upheld an Oregon ballot measure that pared back a pro-development law that originally gave landowners significant power to redevelop their property as they saw fit. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected challenges to Measure 49, which was approved by voters in 2007. It amended Measure 37, approved in 2004, which allowed long-term landowners to obtain waivers exempting them from regulations curbing development. Alternatively, they could obtain compensation from the state for lost value caused by regulations. The earlier measure prompted a flood of applications for major developments that led to the amended version, which set limits on the amount of development. In the unanimous ruling on Jan. 12 by a three-judge panel, the appeals court rejected constitutional claims made by supporters of Measure 37, including the argument that the earlier law created a property interest that was then unlawfully taken from landowners by the passage of Measure 49 in violation of the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment. JON BOWERS V. RICHARD WHITMAN 10-35966 (9th Cir. 01/12/2012) Case origin Medford District Court Civil http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2012/01/12/10-35966.pdf To jump to the ruling, click here.
ID: The Sacketts and the Clean Water Act
Editorial - New York Times - January 8, 2012
Chantell and Michael Sackett’s case against the Environmental Protection Agency before the Supreme Court on Monday might appear to be David versus Goliath. But those supporting the Sacketts with friend-of-the-court briefs are corporate Goliaths like General Electric and real estate developers eager to weaken the E.P.A.’s ability to protect wetlands and waterways under the federal Clean Water Act. The Sacketts owned a small lot about 500 feet from Idaho’s pristinePriest Lake. They filled part of it with dirt and rock in preparing to build a house. The E.P.A. determined that the lot is federally protected wetland so the Sacketts needed a permit to do the work, which they did not seek. The agency ordered the couple to remove the fill because pollutants were being discharged. For full editorial, click here. For a related background article about the case, click here. To review activity on this case on the Supreme Court website, click here.
CBF Debunks Myth: "Environmental Regulations Cost Jobs, Kill Business"
Chesapeake Bay Foundation - January 3, 2012
A new Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) report, titled Debunking the "Job Killer" Myth; How Pollution Limits Encourage Jobs in the Chesapeake Bay Region, examines claims that environmental regulations hurt the economy and finds them to be false. In addition, the report looks at the jobs that have been and will be created as a result of the Bay pollution limits, and finds that, especially during economic downturns, these regulations will stimulate job growth while cleaning the water, restoring fish and shell fish, and creating a healthy environment for our children. "For years opponents of environmental regulations have argued that they cost jobs and hurt businesses. That is not borne out by the facts," said CBF President William C. Baker. "Whether the target is EPA or the Bay pollution limits, it is essential that the public understand that environmental regulations will create jobs to reduce pollution, and sustain jobs that depend on clean water." For full press release and link to report, click here. For a related article in the Washington Post, Chesapeake Bay Foundation report says cleanup will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, click here. To download the report, click here.
Webinar: Family Farms, Rural Landscapes, and the Farm Bill
This webinar, Family Farms, Rural Landscapes, and the Farm will be held on January 18, 2012 from1:30-3:00 p.m. EDT. Hosted by The Horinko Group’s Water Division, this webinar will explore some of the issues and opportunities tied to moving our nation forward on a path of sustainable agriculture practices, while strengthening small family farms and diversifying rural economies to foster more livable rural communities. For more information on this webinar, click here. To register, click here. Compleat Wetlander: Dangerous Advice from a Wetland
By Jeanne Christie – The Compleat Wetlander – January 2, 2012
Recently it came to my attention that it is possible to get advice from a tree, a river, a lake and even a wetland. There are websites where you can not only see the advice given by these entities, but you can purchase a t-shirt or some other type of memorabilia so that you will always have it handy for reference. Advice from a tree: Stand tall and proud; Sink your roots into the earth; Drink plenty of water. For full blog post, go to: http://aswm.org/wordpress/the-compleat-wetlander-dangerous-advice-from-a-wetland-4/
NATIONAL NEWSProposed NOAA move to Interior facing opposition By Jason Samenow – Washington Post (blog) – January 17, 2012
President Obama thinks it makes most sense for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admistration (NOAA) to reside in the Department of Interior. Count the National Weather Service Employees Union (NWSEO) and the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) among groups who want NOAA to stay put in the Department of Commerce. For full story, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/proposed-noaa-move-to-interior-facing-opposition/2012/01/17/gIQADRtf5P_blog.html
U.S. Dept. Housing & Urban Development: Proposed Rules for Floodplain Mgt & Wetlands Protection Federal Register – December 12, 2011
This proposed rule would update and modify HUD's regulations governing the protection of wetlands and floodplains. With respect to wetlands, the proposed rule would codify existing procedures for Executive Order 11990 (E.O. 11990), Protection of Wetlands. HUD's current policy is to require the use of E.O. 11990's 8 Step Process for floodplains for actions performed by the Department or actions performed with HUD financial assistance. This rule will codify this policy and thereby improve consistency and increase transparency by placing the E.O. requirements in regulation. In certain instances, the new wetlands procedures will allow recipients of HUD assistance to use permits issued under section 404 of the Clean Water Act in lieu of five steps of the E.O. 11990's 8 Step Process, thereby streamlining the wetlands decision-making processes. For link to the Federal Register notice, go to: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/pagedetails.action?browsePath=2011%2F12%2F12-12%5C%2F2%2FHousing+and+Urban+Development+Department&granuleId=2011-31629&packageId=FR-2011-12-12&fromBrowse=true USDA Announces Funding for WQ Markets, Seeks Proposals for Projects
USDA NRCS – January 13, 2012
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a funding opportunity that will bring states, USDA and other stakeholders together to enhance the effectiveness of water quality credit trading. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing up to $10 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for these projects, with up to $5 million focused on water quality credit trading in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Proposals for projects are due March 2, 2012. To read full news release, click here. Salazar Announces More Than $20 Million in Grants to Conserve Coastal Wetlands
Contact: Adam Fetcher – FWS News Release – January 3, 2012
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced $20.5 million in grants to support 24 projects in 13 states to conserve and restore coastal wetlands and their fish and wildlife habitat. The grants, awarded under the 2012 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program, will be matched by nearly $21 million in partner contributions from state and local governments, private landowners and conservation groups. “Coastal wetlands serve as some of nature’s most productive fish and wildlife habitat while providing storm protection, improved water quality, and abundant recreational opportunities for local communities,” Salazar said. “I am pleased that with these grants we are able to help our state partners implement some of their high-priority projects that support both conservation and recreation along their coasts.” The grants will be used to acquire, restore or enhance coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands to provide long-term conservation benefits to fish, wildlife and their habitat. States receiving funds include Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia and Washington. For full press release, go to: http://us.vocuspr.com/Newsroom/Query.aspx?SiteName=fws&Entity=PRAsset&SF_PRAsset_PRAssetID_EQ=129241&XSL=PressRelease&Cache=True
STATE NEWSIL: Thirty Years of Quiet Land Conservation
By Yvonne Peters – Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Patch – January 17, 2012
The year was 1981, and plans to develop Lake Bluff’s Wimbledon Road subdivision included the destruction of a small ancient wetland between the then “Bath and Tennis Club” and the nearby railroad tracks. The threat to those wetlands sparked the ire of a number of Lake Bluff residents, including environmentalist Carolyn Goetz. She organized local residents into a successful campaign that eventually saved the beautiful little wetland and white pine plantation from extinction. For full story, go to: http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/thirty-years-of-quiet-land-conservation
GA: Georgia receives wetland grant By Orlando Montoya and Andrea Cervone – GPB News – January 16, 2012
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded Georgia a $1 million grant aimed at preserving a 6,000 acre wetland on the Altamaha River. Officials believe the tract is critical for the river's health. Development, pollution and rising sea levels are threatening coastal wetlands. The grant would help stem the loss by protecting Boyles Island in Wayne County. Deborah Shepard of Altamaha Riverkeeper says, it's a large piece of land that helps support the economy. For full story, go to: http://www.gpb.org/news/2012/01/16/georgia-receives-wetland-grant
WA: Wetlands benefit from federal grants
The Olympian – January 15, 2012
The state will receive almost $7.5 million to conserve and restore Washington coastal wetlands and their fish and wildlife habitat. Among the state projects is a habitat restoration project on the Union River estuary, given a $1 million grant. The grants were part of an announcement by the Department of Interior of $20.5 million in aid to support 24 projects in 13 states The grants were awarded under the 2012 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. They will be matched by nearly $21 million in partner contributions from state and local governments, private landowners and conservation groups. For full story, and list of wetland projects, go to: http://www.theolympian.com/2012/01/15/1949852/wetlands-benefit-from-federal.html
NJ: NJ to offer online applications for two types of freshwater wetlands permits
By John Barna – Gloucester County Times – January 15, 2012
The Department of Environmental Protection has launched a new service that will allow property owners and their contractors to apply online for certain types of freshwater wetlands permits, Commissioner Bob Martin announced. The public can now apply online for two types of general permits - GP-8, which allows for additions to existing houses, and GP-25, which allows for replacements of malfunctioning septic systems. The DEP for years has utilized on-line permit application systems for its air, water and underground storage tanks programs. For full story, go to: http://www.nj.com/south/index.ssf/2012/01/nj_to_offer_online_application.html
FL: Audubon, Water District, join to offer bird tours of nearby Everglades wetlands
By Christine Stapleton – Palm Beach Post – January 15, 2012
Bird lovers and wildlife photographers no longer must drive to a remote wetland south of Lake Okeechobee for an Audubon-guided tour of renowned Everglades wetlands, thanks to a partnership between the South Florida Water Management District and Audubon Society of the Everglades. As part of the collaboration, the district will allow Audubon volunteers to conduct bi-monthly tours of a man-made wetland just 5 miles west of Wellington, off Southern Boulevard. The wetland, called Stormwater Treatment Area 1, is owned and operated by the district to clean water headed for the Everglades and is a haven for thousands of birds. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/audubon-water-district-join-to-offer-bird-tours-2100275.html
CT: State Running Contest for Migratory Bird Stamp Artwork Conn. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection News Release – January 14, 2012
To promote wetlands conservation, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is initiating a contest where artists can enter an original piece of artwork that depicts a waterfowl species (duck, goose or brant) that occurs in Connecticut. The winning entry will be featured on the 2013 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp. For contest details, go to: http://berlin.patch.com/articles/state-running-contest-for-migratory-bird-stamp-artwork
LA: What a dilemma (Opinion)
By Keith Magill – Houma Today – January 14, 2012
What impressed me most as I read the state's latest plan to save its coast is the map. A sea of red, representing an encroaching Gulf of Mexico, consumes almost every inch of every inhabited community south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. And the parts that are left within 50 years look like they would flood so often it would make them impractical to inhabit. Dulac? Gone. Cocodrie. Underwater. Dularge? History. Montegut. A memory. Almost all of southern and central Lafourche would be ringed by the parish's hurricane-protection levee — if it's built high enough and strong enough to hold against the Gulf of Mexico. No wetlands would remain to buffer it from waves and storm surges. For map and full story, go to: http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20120114/OPINION01/120119722/1098/opinion?Title=What-a-dilemma
WA: Prefiled state Senate bills include wetlands, stormwater, oil spills
San Juan Islander – January 12, 2012
The following bills were pre-filed and will be introduced in the state Senate on January 12, 2011. Senate Bill 6011: Charging an application fee for hydraulic project permits - Introduced by Sen. Kevin Ranker, (D-San Juan Island) on January 9, 2012, creates a $150 application fee to the department of fish and wildlife (DFW) for hydraulic project permits. Emergency permit applications and applications for projects done in conjunction with DFW are exempt. This act declares an emergency and takes effect January 1, 2012. Companion Bill: HB 2135. Senate Bill 6012: Promoting thermal energy recovery from fossil-fueled electrical generation facilities - Introduced by Sen. Kevin Ranker, (D-San Juan Island) on January 9, 2012, modifies the definition of "cogeneration credit," related to carbon dioxide mitigation, to include electricity in a stand-alone facility that is used to make thermal energy. This act also modifies the definition of a "mitigation activity" to include the recovery, transmission, and distribution of thermal energy from power generation facilities and commercial waste heat sources. This act also makes other changes in current law to promote thermal energy recovery from specific electrical generation facilities. For full list of bills, go to: http://www.sanjuanislander.com/component/content/article/323-state-government/2537-prefiled-state-senate-bills-include-wetlands-stormwater-oil-spill-legislation-
SC: Environmental group says I-73 project illegal, should be stopped
By Joel Allen – WPDE News Channel (TV) – January 3, 2012
An environmental group says a road project that's connected to the proposed Interstate 73 in South Carolina doesn't have the right permits and should be stopped. In a letter to the SC Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, the Southern Environmental Law Center said that a $10 million upgrade to U.S. 501 and 301 in Dillon County wouldn't be undertaken, if it weren't for the fact that it will eventually tie in to I-73. For full story, go to: http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=703342#.TxXUDG87U4w
HI: Backers say trust’s bid for Kaehu Bay ‘a huge victory’ By Chris Hamilton – Maua’i News – January 2, 2012
After years of work, Kaehu Bay supporters think they may be just a few months from changes that will protect the large bay and its wetlands from development and make it a nature preserve forever. More than a dozen bay preservationists clamored outside the courtroom during a foreclosure purchase confirmation hearing a couple weeks ago before 2nd Circuit Court Judge Shackley Raffetto. Laura Ka'akua, native lands field representative for the Trust for Public Land, said the judge still needs to finalize the trust's winning auction bid of $861,171.22. For full story, go to: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/556787/Backers-say-trust-s-bid-for-Kaehu-Bay--a-huge-victory-.html?nav=10
SD: Farm economy puts pheasants in a fix By Dennis Anderson – Minneapolis Star Tribune – January 1, 2012
Habitat loss is happening quickly on South Dakota's prairies, sped by farmers and a "perfect storm" in the ag economy. Caught in the maelstrom: pheasants. In the nearly half-century he's lived in South Dakota, John Cooper has seen countless beautiful prairie sunsets. But none perhaps prettier than one on a recent late afternoon that arched wild hues of orange, red, yellow and crimson across a darkening sky. "I never get tired of that,'' Cooper said, nodding toward the colorful horizon, a 12 gauge double-gun slung over one shoulder and his Labrador retriever walking ahead. However barren in appearance, South Dakota prairies pulse with life. Eagles, hawks, prairie dogs, pheasants, ducks, geese and sharp-tailed grouse thrive here. So do coyotes, a pack of which yipped their singsong appreciation for the coming night as Cooper sleeved his scattergun following a long afternoon's pheasant hunt. For full story, go to: http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/136479833.html
NY: Yorktown enters a new Grace period By Brian Howard – The Journal News – December 31, 2011
Michael Grace’s agenda entering his first term as town supervisor includes revisiting many of his predecessor’s policies and reforms, but he isn’t promising any drastic or overnight changes. “I don’t think anything I want to get done is going to take a couple of weeks,” Grace said from behind his desk at his law offices Friday. Come Tuesday, he’ll relocate right across the street to Town Hall, becoming Yorktown’s fifth supervisor in the less than five years after just three in the prior 28. He and Councilman Nick Bianco and Councilman-elect Dave Paganelli are to be sworn into office January 1st. For full story, go to: http://www.lohud.com/article/20120101/NEWS02/301010055/Yorktown-enters-new-Grace-period
MA: Easton to get grant to preserve former Ames estate
By Justin Graeber – Gate House News/Wicked Local – December 30, 2011
A state grant is the final piece of the puzzle for a new community park. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard Sullivan Jr. announced land conservation grants totaling more than $1.9 million last week. The money will help nine Massachusetts towns, including Easton, purchase 722 acres of farms, wetlands, forests and wildlife habitat. In Easton, the money will be used to help make the 30-acre Governor Ames Estate a public park. The property was formerly the estate of Oliver Ames, the 35th governor of Massachusetts. “Obviously, we’re excited about this,” said Town Administrator David Colton. “They told us that was the one last piece to make this work.” Easton is to receive $500,000 as part of the grant. The town has already committed $500,000 in Community Preservation Act funds in the form of a conservation restriction. The property will be run by the Trustees of Reservation, a nonprofit group that works to preserve and administer open space. The trustees will acquire the fee interest and operate the park, which it anticipates opening to the public in 2013. For full story, go to: http://www.wickedlocal.com/easton/news/x1569729866/Easton-to-get-grant-to-preserve-former-Ames-estate#axzz1jkfk3qBJ
NJ: New Jersey Company Disposes of Asbestos on NY Farm
By Pat Guth – Mesothelioma – December 21, 2011
A North Bergen, NJ-based recycling company was sentenced this week and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine for illegally dumping more than 8,000 tons of asbestos-containing construction debris on an upstate New York farm in 2006. According to a Wall Street Journal article, the company – Eagle Recycling – along with unnamed co-conspirators, carted the debris to a farm near the Mohawk River and discarded the trash, which may have included a variety of old building materials that contained asbestos, such as shingles, tiles, insulation, and more. To cover up the crime, the company crafted a fake state permit that gave them permission to do the dumping. Allegedly, they had planned to continue dumping at the same site near the river’s flood plain for the next five years. For full story, go to: http://www.mesothelioma.com/news/2011/12/new-jersey-company-disposes-of-asbestos-on-ny-farm.htm#ixzz1jkakRIeg
TX: Censored scientist John Anderson on how to restore sound policy-making in Texas and (maybe) save the Texas coast By Michael Barajas – SA Current – December 21, 2011
Two months of sustained outrage from scientists, academics, and newspaper editorial boards may have changed things at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality — at least when it comes to publishing hard, peer-reviewed science. John Anderson, a prominent Rice University professor who in October accused the TCEQ of censorship, says the commission has finally agreed to reinstate references to climate change and sea-level rise the agency chopped from its commissioned report on the health of Galveston Bay, findings that were all gleaned from a decade of peer-reviewed research. For full story, go to: http://sacurrent.com/news/censored-scientist-john-anderson-on-how-to-restore-sound-policy-making-in-texas-and-maybe-save-the-texas-coast-1.1247491
RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONSKY: Local author releases book on wetlands
By Noelle Hunter – Morehead News – January 10, 2012
Normally the do-it-yourself, or DIY, trend applies to homeowners who want toremodel or spruce up the place, but suppose you could DIY a natural wetland that would serve as a sanctuary for flora and fauna and be a help to the environment? That’s what Tom Biebighauser wants people to do, and he’s written a well-illustrated and easy-to-comprehend book to help people get started.
“It’s a cookbook,” said the quite congenial wildlife biologist of his third book, "Wetland Restoration and Construction: a Technical Guide.” For full story, go to: http://themoreheadnews.com/local/x594871441/Local-author-releases-book-on-wetlands For more information on Biebighauser’s efforts locally go to www.wetlandsandstreamrestoration.org. WETLAND SCIENCESouth Florida Alliance Gears Up for Climate Change
By David Gabel – ENN – January 17, 2012
Global action against climate change is often difficult and excruciatingly slow. For the United States, policies to combat a warming Earth are at a virtual standstill. That is why it comes down to local and regional alliances to work together to make a difference. In the US, there are few areas more vulnerable to climate change than southern Florida. It is an area that will be easily inundated with flooding should seas continue to rise and hurricanes continue to batter them. Now, four south Florida counties have teamed together to prepare their communities for the menace that is to come. For full story, go to: http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/43863
NOAA Small Business Innovative Research Funding - Blue Carbon
NOAA News Release – January 11, 2012
One of the challenges facing incorporation of the carbon sequestration ecosystem services of marine coastal wetlands into voluntary markets is lack of scientific information on the actual rates of flux of carbon (emissions and storage). One of the ways to address this challenge is through the development of easy-to-use, in-the-field technology/instrumentation or software that can improve carbon or greenhouse gas quantification, for instance, measuring flux and sequestration rates for different coastal types. The 2012 SBIR solicitation includes a specific sub-topic (research area) on “Quantification of Green House Gas Fluxes in Coastal Ecosystems”. Who can apply? Small businesses, firms, scientific institutes, etc., may apply for funding. Background on the solicitation can be found here. The full solicitation is available here. To find the GHG Quantification sub-topic (8.1.4F) go directly to Pages 34-36. Closing date is February 1, 2012. For further information contact: Joan Clarkston,
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; Phone: 816-426-7469; Fax: 816-274-6980 Study: Salt water can't halt invasive pythons advance across Florida
By Jim Waymer – Florida Today – January 5, 2012
Ready for mammoth Burmese pythons among the Indian River Lagoon marshes? A new federal study says even pint-sized python babies can withstand water as salty as the lagoon for up to five months. And nobody knows how long the big ones can last. Even ocean water isn’t salty enough to blunt the Burmese python’s slither through Florida, according to the study, which appears in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. Python babies that hatch in the Everglades can endure salt water long enough to allow the invasive serpent to expand its range via ocean and estuary habitats, the researchers found. “Salinity is very unlikely to be a barrier,” said Bob Reed, a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, the agency that conducted the study. “They’re certainly well north of Everglades National Park.” For full story, go to: http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120105/NEWS01/301050047/Study-Salt-water-can-t-halt-invasive-pythons-advance-across-Florida?odyssey=nav%7Chead
POTPOURRICA: Species Loneliness
By Michael V. McGinnis – Santa Barbara Independent – January 14, 2012
As a young boy, I played at the Bolsa Chica wetland in Huntington Beach. At that time, the wetland extended deep into the coastal plateau. I remember seeing bobcats hiding along the way in the shadows of the riparian habitat and the sound of seagulls flying overhead. My first halibut was caught one mile from the sea, from the wetland nursery. I brought the fish home in my little red wagon, with mud between my toes. For full story, go to: http://www.independent.com/news/2012/jan/14/species-loneliness/
FL: Henry Swanson: Persistent prophet warned of state's water woes By Kevin Spear – Orlando Sentinel – January 14, 2012
Henry Swanson began a lonely crusade more than a half-century ago, warning that epic fights over scarce water would come to Florida. Most thinking back then about water — from rain, floods and in wetlands — was how to get rid of it. Knowing that he was ahead of the times, Swanson taught himself to memorize the names of people he would cajole regularly, gave hundreds of speeches and would eventually push for a state law to protect Florida's waters. His prediction was on target. For full story, go to: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-water-champion-swanson-dead-20120114,0,1590166.story
MA: Activists warn of potential sea-level rise impacts in BostonBy Jeremy Fox - The Town - January 4, 2012
Some scientists believe climate change could cause Boston Harbor to overflow its banks and return parts of the city to the marshland it once was, but local activists hope an educated public can reduce the impact of rising sea levels and help protect vital resources and communities. The issue is particularly pressing in East Boston now, given the proposals outlined by Mayor Thomas M. Menino last month that would encourage development along the neighborhood’s waterfront, an area that could one day be fully submerged beneath Boston Harbor. In Menino’s annual speech before the Boston Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 6, he cited five waterfront projects that stalled due to financing problems or other difficulties but that he hopes can be jumpstarted by municipal investments in the waterfront. In a December phone interview, community activist Neenah Estrella-Luna cautioned that any new waterfront development has to be done with foresight. “One of my biggest concerns is how are they taking into account climate change in all of these waterfront development projects,” she said. For full article, click here. SWS 2012 Student Research Grants competition - Deadline February 2 A primary goal of the Society of Wetland Scientist is to support student education and research. In 2012, the Student Research Grants competition will be providing partial support for the best wetland-related research conducted by qualified students worldwide. A student is eligible to apply for a Student Research Grant if they are conducting undergraduate or graduate-level research in wetland science at an accredited college or university worldwide. Please note that the student applicant must be a member of SWS to be eligible. For more information, click here. Deadline for applications is February 2, 2012.
MEETINGS AND TRAININGAnnual MN Wetlands Conference
January 18, 2012 from 9a.m.-4p.m. The Annual MN Wetlands Conference is a great place for wetland enthusiasts to gather and discuss wetland regulation, policy, research and more. This conference will be held at the Edinburgh USA Golf Course, 8700 Edinbrook Crossing, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443. For more information on this conference including topics and registration, click here. Webinar: Getting Over Environmentalism Has "environmentalism" gone off course? What does sustainability really have to do with a healthy planet? Join this webinar, Getting Over Environmentalism with Paul Kingsnorth, author of "Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist" in the current issue of Orion, on January 18th at 4 PM Eastern, 1 PM Pacific. Kingsnorth feels that environmentalism has effectively died: on the one hand it has been absorbed by the political left, which has diluted its ecocentric message; on the other, it has been taken over by the vision of a new "sustainable economy," which amounts to business-as-usual without the carbon. The event is free but registration is required. For more information and to register, click here.
Climate Leadership Conference February 20-March1, 2012. The first annual Climate Leadership Conference will be held from February 29-March 1, 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The conference will bring together leaders from business, government and academic institutions, and the non-profit community interested in exchanging ideas and information on how to address climate change while simultaneously running their operations more competitively and sustainably. For more information, go to http://www.climateleadershipconference.org/
Live Webinar: 2012 Nationwide Wetland Permit March 1, 2012 from 11 a.m.-1:00 p.m. EST. On March 18, 2012 the current U.S. Army Corp of Engineers 2008 Nationwide permits are set to expire. The 2012 permits have been out for public comment and are soon to be released. The Swamp School will hold this workshop which will cover all the new and proposed Nationwide permits. Some of the highlights we will discuss are the new coal mining permit (NW50) and the land based (NW-A) and water based (NW-B) permits for renewable energy sources. Get up to speed with this mini course on the new 2012 US Army Corps of Engineers Permits today. The workshop will be presented as a live webinar and is accessible anywhere you have internet. It is fully PC and Mac compatible. The workshop is live so you will have an opportunity to ask question and participate. Space is limited. Registration Fee: $47.00. For more information and how to register, click here.
Annual Conference of the Society of Ecological Restoration
March 23-24, 2012. The 7th Annual SER Mid-Atlantic Conference, Restoration on the Edge: Exploring the frontiers of restoration, collaboration, and resilience in changing ecosystems, will be held at Brooklyn College, New York, New York. For more information, click here. 15th National Mitigation & Ecosystem Banking Conference May 8-11, 2012. Join attendees from across the U.S. and abroad for the 15th National Mitigation & Ecosystem Banking Conference to be held in Sacramento, California. You will hear from key government and private sector officials on mitigation, conservation and ecosystem banking at three special plenaries to include banking in California, Trends in Banking, and Legislative, Litigation and Regulatory Update --PLUS sessions on Conservation, Species, Habitat & Fish Banking, Corps Implementation of the Mitigation Rule, Stewardship & Sustainability, Stream & Wetland Banking, Tracking and Assessment, Emerging Markets, Mitigation Planning, Success Stories & Lessons Learned, The Business of Banking, The Science of Banking, Users/Customers -- Needs & Challenges. For more information, go to: http://www.mitigationbankingconference.com/
Inland Wetland Plant Identification May 24, 2012 from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. This workshop is Part 1 of 2 of the 2012 Identifying Freshwater Wetlands in the Landscape series. This introduction to inland wetland plant identification begins with an overview of the major characteristics of woody and non-woody vegetation used for identification in most plant keys. Guided exercises will be used in a classroom/ laboratory setting to practice keying out plant specimens collected from local wetland sources. An afternoon field trip to a local wetland will allow opportunity to practice identification skills in a natural setting. Related topics such as plant adaptations to wetland hydrology and the concept of “hydrophytic” vegetation will also be discussed. The cost of workshop is $100. For more information and to register, click here. Part 2, Identifying Inland Wetland Soils, will be held on May 31, 2012.
Fourth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts and Responses July 12-13, 2012. The Fourth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts and Responses will be held at The University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. The Climate Change Conference is for any person with an interest in, and concern for, scientific, policy and strategic perspectives in climate change. It will address a range of critically important themes relating to the vexing question of climate change. Plenary speakers will include some of the world’s leading thinkers in the fields of climatology and environmental science, as well as numerous paper, workshop and colloquium presentations by researchers and practitioners. For more information, click here.
Rally 2012--Call for Presentations September 29-October 2, 2012. Rally 2012: The National Land Conservation Conference will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. For information, click here. Call for presentations deadline is February 27, 2012, click here for information. 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 listservs, 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 25 years.
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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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