AUGUST

VT: State restores lost wetlands to protect Lake Champlain By Candace Page – Burlington Free Press – August 27, 2010 Farmer Bob Forrest used heavy equipment in the 1970s to gouge a network of 5-foot-deep drainage ditches through swampy, low-lying land on the banks of Otter Creek. Muscling Mother Nature did not work very well. “That land floods three, four times a year. I used to plant corn down there and lose it every year. The water would be right over top of the corn,” Forrest groused last week. For full story, go to: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100827/NEWS02/100826026/State-restores-lost-wetlands-to-protect-Lake-Champlain

ME: Engineer: Plugging a hole, culvert to fix wetlands By Mechele Cooper – Kennebec Journal – August 26, 2010 Plugging a hole in a berm and replacing a culvert under a driveway will restore damaged wetlands on Windsor Road, an engineer says. Jim Coffin of E.S. Coffin Engineering & Surveying Inc. in Chelsea has designed a restoration plan to repair wetlands drained during a project meant to prevent the road from flooding. For full story, go to: http://www.kjonline.com/news/engineer-plugging-a-hole-culvert-to-fix-wetlands_2010-08-25.html

NC: Wading through the wetlands By Barbara Hootman – Black Mountain News – August 26, 2010 “Wading through Wetlands” was a recent program presented at the Swannanoa Library and the Black Mountain Library for young children. The program is the traveling North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, with the mission of bringing the museum to the people. For full story, go to: http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100825/BlackMountainNews 0103/308250011/1007/COLUMNISTS

MD: Navy vow to aid Chesapeake Bay cleanup By Alex Dominguez – Associated Press – August 26, 2010 Military leaders pledged Wednesday to do their part in using more hybrid vehicles and reduce polluting runoff from big bases near the Chesapeake Bay, vowing to lead by example on a federally mandated cleanup of the waterway. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, and Gov. Martin O'Malley joined commanders of Bay area bases at the Naval Academy on Wednesday to brainstorm on a call for federal government entities to play a prominent role in the cleanup. For full story, go to: http://www.wishtv.com/dpps/military/Navy-chiefs-vow-to-go-green-to-aid-Bay-cleanup_3563164 For a story about bacteria in Chesapeake Bay, see: Bacteria in bay cause skin and blood infections, intestinal illness http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/24/AR2010082405905.html

MT: MATL wants OK to work near wetlands By Karl Puckett – Great Falls Tribune – August 26, 2010 The developer of a high-voltage power line that was awarded a state permit almost two years ago is seeking an amendment allowing construction activity within 50 feet of wetlands, which the state says would increase its environmental impact. For full story, go to: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100826/NEWS01/8260308/MATL-wants-OK-to-work-near-wetlands

NC: Ducks Unlimited & Partners Complete North Carolina Coastal Wetlands Project AmmoLand.com – August 26, 2010 Ducks Unlimited and partners recently completed wetlands restoration work in east-central North Carolina funded in part by a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant. “This project focuses on enhancing emergent estuarine habitat, a decreasing wetland type,” said Craig LeSchack, Ducks Unlimited director of conservation programs. “These wetlands provide feeding habitat for many wetland-dependent species including migrating and wintering waterfowl in the Atlantic Flyway, neotropical migrants and other migratory and non-migratory waterbirds.” For full article, go to: http://www.ammoland.com/2010/08/26/ducks-unlimited- north-carolina-coastal-wetlands-project/

NY: EPA Issues Order to Tonawanda Coke for Clean Water Act Violations Contact: Elias Rodriguez – EPA News Release – August 26, 2010 In its ongoing efforts to require Tonawanda Coke Corporation (TCC) to comply with environmental regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered the coke manufacturing facility to comply with its Clean Water Act permit.  Among other violations, TCC is discharging industrial wastewater containing cyanide in excess of its permit limits into the town of Tonawanda’s sanitary sewer system, which ultimately discharges into the Niagara River from the town’s wastewater treatment facility. Cyanide is a toxic chemical compound, and excessive amounts may adversely impact human health, fish and wildlife. EPA is also ordering TCC to properly monitor and treat the wastewater that results from the coke-making process. For more information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region02/capp/tonawanda.html

OH: Guest Column: Visiting Beaver Marsh through scientists' eyes By Jennie Vasarhelyi - Cuyahoga Valley National Park – August 25, 2010 This summer, when you visit the Beaver Marsh in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you may see staff or volunteer citizen scientists collecting data as part of major initiative to measure "vital signs" at national parks around the country. Measuring vital signs involves taking inventory and monitoring. While the inventory provides a snapshot of the natural resources, monitoring tracks the health of the natural resources across time. For full story, go to: http://www.the-news-leader.com/news/article/4882878

NJ: Opinion: Loss Of Nature Threatens Area Neighborhoods By Jun Zhong – NJ Today – August 25, 2010 I am writing to express my outrage that one of the few nature areas we have left is being paved over. The woods and wetlands comprising much of the D’Annunzio property in the Dismal Swamp are being bulldozed for more overdevelopment. The surrounding neighborhood along Park Avenue in South Plainfield and Edison has already seen flooding drastically increase over the past decade every time a new development is built. The State of New Jersey recognizes this importance of the Dismal Swamp and designated the entire area as New Jersey’s newest Preservation Area. Yet the Borough of South Plainfield is going against this new law and allowing its zoning board to hear this proposal.  For full opinion, go to: http://njtoday.net/2010/08/25/loss-of-nature-threatens-area-neighborhoods/

MN: Op: Should Congress strengthen the Clean Water Act? Yes: Clean water is a priority By Darrell Gerber – Opinion – Deluth News Tribune – August 25, 2010 Watching the tall ships float through the Duluth-Superior Harbor this summer reminded me of how much we depend on our natural environs. The wind that filled the ship’s sails and the water on which they rode are critical but fickle partners in their journey. The large sailing ships may be no more than a novelty today, but the health of Lake Superior is still critical for our communities. For full opinion, go to: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/177128/group/Opinion/

VA: State opposed to wetlands scheme By Cortney Langley – The Virginia Gazette – August 25, 2010 Virginia’s environmental agency has joined more than 200 citizens opposed to banking the wetlands at Lake Powell. The Army Corps of Engineers recently solicited public comment on the wetlands bank. Around 200 citizens filed more than 400 pages of opposition, compared to only one letter of support. The opposition was bolstered by the official stance of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The agency is concerned that the lake owners no longer own all of the land that they want to bank, since the lake is drained. Homeowners have seized on a 1996 court ruling that the boundaries of the lake are based on where “the water ordinarily and usually” meets the surrounding lot. Since the lake has receded, some homeowners are claiming extensions of their lots. For full story, go to: http://www.vagazette.com/articles/2010/08/25/news/doc4c743fbdacf4e421667934.txt

MN: 7,504 Acres of Wetlands and Grasslands to be Restored The Farmer – August 24, 2010 Private landowners working with their local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and NRCS offices will be busy restoring 7,504 acres of wetlands and grasslands in Minnesota through the RIM-WRP program. A total of $8.37 million in state funds was available, including $6.895 million from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, based on a recommendation by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. Those state dollars made it possible to leverage $13.75 million in federal dollars through the NRCS Wetlands Reserve Program. http://mobile.the-farmer.com/main.aspx?ascxid=cmsNewsStory&rmid=0 &rascxid=&args=&rargs=9&dt=634184228864181250&cmsSid=41381&cmsScid=9

WA: PACIFIC TOPSOILS, INC. v. FORMAN Court of Appeals of Washington, Division Two – August 24, 2010 PTI, a soil processing company, owns property on Smith Island in Snohomish County. Smith Island has large areas of historically documented wetlands. A wetland study previously performed on Smith Island described it as a "mosaic of wetlands." Pacific Topsoils, Inc. (PTI) appeals from a Pollution Control Hearings Board (Board) order upholding fines assessed against PTI by the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) for filling wetlands without proper permits. For full case, go to: http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=inwaco20100824b34

IA: Weather-related disasters: The new normal? By Richard Doak – Des Moines Register – August 22, 2010 People have noticed that "100-year floods" seem to be soaking Iowa every couple of years lately. If there was any doubt that we are living through an extraordinary era in the Earth's history, this extraordinary year should dispel it. When what is supposed to happen on average once a century begins to happen every other year, something has changed. Welcome to post-climate-change Iowa. In Iowa after climate change, torrential summer downpours are the usual, not the exception. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100822/OPINION01/8220306/1/sitemap/ Weather-related-disasters-The-new-normal?-

LA DNR Coastal Zone Boundary Study Released CSO Weekly Report – August 2010 On August 18, 2010, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Office of Coastal Management released the results of a science-based study on the inland boundary of the state’s coastal zone with recommendations on changes to the boundary to ensure it meets the coastal zone management needs of the state and its people. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, at the direction of the state Legislature, authorized the comprehensive study and evaluation of the coastal zone boundary by DNR’s Office of Coastal Management in 2009. According to Louis Buatt, Assistant Secretary with DNR’s Office of Coastal Management, the recommended coastal zone boundary changes more accurately reflect the most up-to-date scientific understanding of the complex systems that shape Louisiana’s coast. For more information about the study and recommendations, including the full report, executive summary, and presentation, visit: http://dnr.louisiana.gov/sec/execdiv/pubinfo/newsr/2010/0818ocm-coastal-zone-bound-study.asp

LA: Vanishing marshes dwarf Gulf oil spill By Ken Wells – Washington Post – August 20, 2010 Claude Luke throttles down his 21-foot aluminum work boat. Off to the left, the snout of an alligator disappears near the mouth of a watery gash in the Louisiana marshland. The 51-year-old Cajun crab fishermen is touring the epicenter of an unfolding environmental disaster that dwarfs the BP spill and predates it by decades, according to state scientists and environmentalists. If unchecked, the destruction threatens to undermine the world’s seventh largest estuary and one of the nation’s most important energy corridors. For full story, go to: http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/20/1341673/vanishing-marshes-dwarf-gulf-oil.html#ixzz0xdBECzr

FWS Proposes Reintroduction of Nonmigratory Whooping Cranes into Southwest Louisiana FWS News Release – August 19, 2010 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today in the Federal Register it is seeking public comment on a proposed rule to reintroduce the endangered whooping crane into habitat in its historic range on the state-owned White Lake Wetland Conservation Area in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. The Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will attempt to establish a non-migratory flock that lives and breeds in the wetlands, marshes and prairies of southwestern Louisiana. If this proposal is approved, the reintroduction effort could begin during early 2011. For more information, go to: http://www.fws.gov/southeast

WA: Ecology helps communities plan for rising sea level By Curt Hart – Washington Dept. of Ecology – August 19, 2010 For the next two years, coastal and Puget Sound communities in Washington will have help available to plan for the long-term effects of rising sea level. Through a partnership of state and federal agencies, Kate Skaggs, a recipient of the prestigious National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Management Fellowship, is working for The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) shorelands and environmental assistance program as a resource for local governments wanting and needing help with coastal planning. For full press release, go to: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2010news/2010-207.html

AK: Line drawn: Decision limits federal reach into urban wetlands Fairbanks Daily News Miner – Editorial – August 15, 2010 A Fairbanks company won an important victory earlier this summer that helps set a reasonable high water mark on the federal government’s power to limit development in certain wetlands in Alaska’s communities. Several years ago, Great Northwest Inc. started a tussle with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about whether the company needed a permit to continue pulling gravel from its land in south Fairbanks. In June, the company won — hands down. No “dredge and fill” permit is necessary, the court said. U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Beistline issued a summary judgment, meaning the facts of the matter were so clear that he didn’t need a long exchange of arguments to explore the conflict. The corps and the U.S. Department of Justice should dismiss any thought of appeal. Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Line drawn Decision limits federal reach into urban wetlands

LA: Many problems linked by one theme - degradation of coastal wetlands By Bob Marshall – Times-Picayune – August 15, 2010 At first glance, three issues percolating in the local outdoor community last week had little in common. An algae bloom that looked like dispersed oil was racing across Breton and Chandeleur sounds. A plan to flood rice fields for ducks in southwest Louisiana made some hunters wonder "Why?" A stiff west wind was pushing water over some roads in Plaquemines Parish. But like almost every story causing concern in coastal Louisiana, when you scratched below the surface, they were linked by a common thread: The destruction and degradation of our coastal wetlands. For full story, go to: http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2010/08/many_problems_linked_by_one_th.htm

KS: A new decision impacting migratory birds Birding Community E-bulletin – August 8, 2010 A federal court decision over dead birds in Kansas oil fields has redefined the coverage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. As a result of this decision violators no longer need to intentionally kill the birds to be convicted. The MBTA makes it illegal to hunt, capture, or kill protected migratory birds. Violators can currently be subject to a maximum penalty of $15,000 and six months in prison for a misdemeanor conviction. Apollo Energies, Inc., and Dale Walker were accused of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act after bird remains were found in both companies' heater-treaters. These devices are used to distill oil pumped from wells. Both companies had appealed convictions for the deaths of a few birds, including Northern Flicker and Common Grackle. Apollo Energies was fined $1,500 and Walker $500. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in late July affirmed these two convictions, one against Apollo and another against Walker. The court ruled that the potential violators could be held responsible even if they didn't intentionally kill any birds. In upholding the conviction against Apollo Energies, the appeals court emphasized that the company acknowledged that it failed to cover some potentially dangerous exhaust pipes as wildlife regulators had suggested following a 2005 inspection. For full Birding Community E-bulletin, go to: http://www.refugenet.org/birding/AugSBC10.html

MI: MI Oil Spill: Media Availability: First Rehabilitated Wildlife to be Released FWS News Release – August 2, 2010 Two rehabilitated soft-shell turtles will be released today into their new home at Binder Park Zoo. The turtles were recovered by wildlife crews as part of the Kalamazoo River/Enbridge oil spill response and stabilized at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Marshall, Mich. For full press release, go to: http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm ?newsId=32EBD28C-D957-4B60-B0018853B1EF8C82

La. marshes damaged by oil, but surprisingly resilient By Rick Jervis – USA Today – August 2, 2010 Eddie Adams has meandered through the dark-green marshes of eastern Barataria Bay, 40 miles south of New Orleans, for most of his life, fishing for speckled trout or guiding other anglers through the shallow waterways and bayous. These days, the salt marshes appear as if in intensive care. Rings of white absorbent boom circle islets stained by oil. Each day, teams of workers replace oiled boom, darkened by waves of crude from the troubled well in the Gulf of Mexico. Miles of smooth cordgrass and other marsh plants lie flat and blackened by the steady pummeling of oil. Full story, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2010-08-02-1Amarshes02_CV_N.htm

Archived News Return to Top of Page

July

MI: Michigan oil leak polluting Kalamazoo River; Governor declares disaster area By Tim Martin – Christian Science Monitor – July 28, 2010 Southern Michigan residents are learning that devastating oil spills aren't limited to the Gulf Coast. Crews were working Wednesday to contain and clean up an estimated 877,000 gallons of oil that coated birds and fish as it poured into a creek and flowed into the Kalamazoo River, one of the state's major waterways. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm toured the area by helicopter Tuesday night and said she wasn't satisfied with the response to the spill. The leak in the 30-inch pipeline, which was built in 1969 and carries about 8 million gallons of oil daily from Griffith, Ind., to Sarnia, Ontario, was detected early Monday. For full story, go to: http://www.csmonitor.com/From-the-news-wires/2010/0728/Michigan-oil-leak-polluting-Kalamazoo-River-Governor-declares-disaster-area

VA: Va. officials better prepared because of gulf spill By Michael Martz, et.al. – Richmond Times-Dispatch – July 28, 2010 A month after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig erupted in flames and began spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico, Steve Parker sat down with federal officials to talk about how to protect fragile marshes along Virginia's Eastern Shore. The five-hour meeting, convened in Nassawaddox in late May, gave Parker an opportunity to consider what could happen if crude oil spilled into the Atlantic Ocean and washed into the barrier islands that include the Virginia Coast Reserve. For full story, go to: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/jul/28/rigg28-ar-352515/

OR: A reprieve for the land-use system By Oregonian Editorial Board – July 27, 2010 When lawyers describe a judicial ruling as a novel interpretation of the law, they aren't paying the judge a compliment. Novelty is not what judges are going for. But until a ruling is appealed, and the appeal is resolved, it's hard to know how novel is novel. This month, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, in effect, that federal Judge Owen Panner's interpretation of property-rights Measure 37 is too novel to stand. In eight sentences, the judges knocked it flat. For full editorial, go to: http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/07/a_reprieve_for_the_land-use_sy.html For the case, go to: A Ninth Circuit U.S. Ct. of Appeals panel unanimously reversed a ruling that Oregon Measure 37 waivers were contracts CITIZENS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL FAIRNESS v. JACKSON COUNTY, No. 09-35653 (9 TH Cir. July 20, 2010) At http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/memoranda/2010/07/20/09-35653.pdf Or http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20100720189

Michigan Oil Spill Among Largest In Midwest History: Kalamazoo Spill SOAKS Wildlife (VIDEO) The Huffington Post – July 27, 2010 As the Gulf Coast deals with the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, the Midwest is now facing an oil spill of its own. A state of emergency has been declared in southwest Michigan's Kalamazoo County as more than 800,000 gallons of oil released into a creek began making its way downstream in the Kalamazoo River, the Kalamazoo Gazette reports. For full story, go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/27/michigan-oil-spill-among_n_661196.html  For related story, go to: Oil From Michigan Spill Could Threaten Important Wetlands http://www.ducks.org/news/2241/OilFromMichiganSpill.html

WI: Moses Creek redirection begins in Schmeeckle Reserve By B.C. Kowalski – Wausau Daily Herald – July 27, 2010 Construction began Monday on a project that would restore a portion of Moses Creek, which runs through Schmeeckle Reserve, to its original form. Or at least as close as crews can get it. For full story, go to: http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20100727/WDH0101/7270446/Moses-Creek-redirection-begins-in-Schmeeckle-Reserve

LA: Wetland conservation groups ask for navy secretary's help Shreveport Times – July 27, 2010 The America's Wetland Foundation and its environmental and conservation group partners are supporting U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus' position on what to do to protect the Mississippi River Delta region after the BP oil spill is cleaned. http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20100727/NEWS01/7270335/1060

CT: Blumenthal: Logger damaging wetlands By Keith Loria – Legal Newsline – July 26, 2010 Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is seeking an injunction against a logger over alleged illegal tree harvesting, his office announced on Monday. Blumenthal, in coordination with the Department of Environmental Protection, is seeking a court order against Scott Lee, who has contracts to harvest trees at properties in Bethel, Pomfret and Putnam, but allegedly doesn't have the proper permits to do the work. "We are seeking an immediate court order to stop logging that has already destroyed trees, soil and stream channels on nearly 100 acres of land," Blumenthal said. For full story, go to: http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/228103-blumenthal-logger-damaging-wetlands

AL/GA/MS: Five Star Program Awards Nine Wetland Restoration Grants PR Newswire – July 26, 2010 Southern Company (NYSE: SO), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Association of Counties and the Wildlife Habitat Council today announced that nine new wetland, riparian and coastal conservation grants have been awarded in the Southeast through the Five Star Restoration Program. This year, Southern Company provided $238,303 in grants and, combined with partner matching funds, a total of more than $1,458,000 to restore more than 21 wetland acres and 4,019 feet of riparian buffer across nine projects in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Cumulatively, since 2006, Southern Company has contributed $1,058,513 through 50 grants across its service area, which will result in an on-the-ground conservation impact of $3.58 million to restore more than 10,000 acres of wetlands and nearly 50,000 feet of riparian buffer in the Southeast. For full article, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/five-star-program-awards-nine-wetland-restoration-grants-99248179.html

MD: Releasing Exotic Species to Fight Invasive Species: Gambling With Mother Nature? By Tom Pelton – Chesapeake Bay Foundation – July 26, 2010 Up and down the street in Prince George’s County, Maryland, ash trees are dead or dying.  The stately hardwoods are being killed by a shiny green beetle from Asia called the emerald ash borer. It’s an invasive species that has wiped out more than 30 million trees since it hitchhiked from China on a shipping crate more than a decade ago. For full story, go to: http://cbf.typepad.com/bay_daily/2010/07/up-and-down-the-street-in-prince-georges-county-maryland-ash-trees-are-dead-or-dying-the-stately-hardwoods-are-being-ki.html

OH: Cullen Park group opposed to Corps of Engineers plans By Aliyya Swaby – Toledo Blade – July 26, 2010 Behind the small lighthouse replica marking the entrance to Cullen Park in Point Place are weeds several feet high, blocking the view of a scenic bay. A community group, Visions for Cullen Park, is trying to persuade the city to get rid of the weeds and extend the adjacent pedestrian pathway to boost the park's tourism appeal, group founder Vee Stader said. For full story, go to: http://toledoblade.com/article/20100726/NEWS16/7250353/0/OPINION

LA: Environmentalists link oil spill response, coastal restoration By Mark Schleifstein - The Times-Picayune – July 26, 2010 Speed the reconstruction of Louisiana's coastal wetlands by tapping offshore oil revenue and dedicating a significant share of any penalties levied against BP, a group of influential national and local environmental groups urged Navy Secretary and Gulf Coast oil spill recovery leader Ray Mabus in a letter published in The Times-Picayune, the Advocate of Baton Rouge, Washington-based Roll Call magazine, and the online publication Politico. For full story, go to: http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/07/environmentalists_link_oil_spi.html

WA: Ecology approves city of Spokane’s updated Shoreline Master Program Spokesman-Review/Washington Dept. of Ecology – July 26, 2010 Washington Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Director Ted Sturdevant has approved the city of Spokane’s newly updated Shoreline Master Program (SMP) that will protect valuable shorelines for the public and future generations to enjoy. So far, Spokane is the largest city in Washington to have an updated SMP. This approval puts the final stamp on a landmark effort that will significantly increase protection and restoration of water quality in the Spokane River and Hangman Creek. For full press release, go to: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jul/27/shoreline-program-update-approved/

MD: Agricultural and environmental groups launch new farm stewardship certification program By Ike Wilson – Frederick News Post – July 26, 2010 A new farm stewardship program offers farmers one more avenue to protect the Chesapeake Bay. Members of the agricultural and environmental communities launched the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program recently and recognized two farmers who are certified in the program. The program recognizes farmers who are good stewards of their natural resources and are using appropriate best management practices to protect the Chesapeake Bay. For full story, go to: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/art_life/display.htm?StoryID=107784

HI: Sen. Inouye: Climate change requires change July 20, 2010 - From the office of Sen. Daniel Inouye: Climate change affects the well-being of our people, the strength of our economy, and the health of our ecosystems. Where we build, what food we grow, and how we maintain our national security are all affected by gradual changes in our climate spurred by natural and man-made causes. Two years ago, I chaired a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in Honolulu on “Climate Change Impacts and Responses in Island Communities.” The increasing pressures of climate change are evident in Hawaii – from rising sea levels to changes in fish populations and coral reefs. We are both vulnerable and susceptible. For full statement, go to: http://www.hawaii247.com/2010/07/20/inouye-climate-change-requires-change/

LA: Louisiana constructing islands in the gulf to aid in oil cleanup By David A. Fahrenthold – Washington Post – July 19, 2010 ON SAND BERM E-4 IN THE GULF OF MEXICO -- In theory, Louisiana's plan to hold back the BP oil spill sounds awe-inspiring, like an ancient myth made possible with oil-company money: To keep out an offshore invader, the state wants to make new land rise from the sea. To read full article, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/18/AR2010071802838.html?wpisrc=nl_headline

AK: Anchorage developer fined for destroying wetlands Fairbanks Daily News-Miner – July 17, 2010 An Anchorage developer has been fined for destroying wetlands and streams on his property, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said. David D'Amato has been fined $177,500. The EPA says beginning in 2005, he used heavy equipment at the Hunter Heights subdivision to illegally excavate 1,300 feet of streams. He then filled nearly an acre of wetlands on the 29-acre property in the Bear Valley area with the stream material. For full story, go to: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Anchorage developer fined for destroying wetlands

VA: Wetlands cleanup becomes controversial By Oren Liebermann – WAVY – TV News – July 16, 2010 On the banks of the Lafayette River, the spot for a wetlands clean-up will be the scene of a neighborhood dispute. The city approved the area for the Promenade Pointe complex, and developers are bringing in volunteers to clean the environment. "Unfortunately it's out of sight, out of mind," said Dwight Dunton, President of Bonaventure Realty, the developer building the complex. "It's a very beautiful area back there, but it's been neglected." For full story, go to: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/wetlands-cleanup-becomes-controversial

TX: TX Lace Waco Wetlands Go Dry for Improvements By Bonnie Gonzalez – Channel 8 Austin News – July 16, 2010 Even with no water in sight, there is still sounds of life at the Lake Waco Wetlands. Not only are the crickets chirping, but plants are green despite the lack of water in the area. The wetlands' dry environment was created intentionally. For full story, go to: http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/272652/lake-waco-wetlands-goes-dry-for-improvements

MO: Landowners strengthen Missouri wetlands to help birds affected by Gulf spill By Alison Reber – Kansas City Environmental News Examiner – July 16, 2010 Missouri landowners have until Aug. 1 to join a federal initiative to help migratory birds whose winter habitat has been damaged by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently unveiled the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI). For full story, go to: http://www.examiner.com/x-28239-Kansas-City-Environmental-News-Examiner~y2010m7d16-Landowners-strengthen-Missouri-wetlands-to-help-birds-affected-by-Gulf-spill

NJ & DE Series: Program worth Watching By Susan Kennedy – NJ.com – July 2nd  – 18, 2010 To better understand the level of protection being afforded the Delaware Bayshorearea, the Coastal Ocean Coalition recently sponsored a detailed analysis of the Delaware Bay and Estuary. Released two weeks ago and available for download at http://www.shore11.org/delawarebayreport the analysis recognizes the ecological significance of the  Delaware Bay and Estuary, provides an overview of the state and federal statutes that mandate the protection of this resource, and engages in a comprehensive review of the programs put in place by the states of New Jersey and Delaware to carry out these mandates. http://blog.nj.com/njv_susan_kennedy/2010/07/programs_worth_watching.html#incart_rh Programs that Need Fixing: Part I http://blog.nj.com/njv_susan_kennedy/2010/07/programs_worth_fixing.html#incart_rh Programs that Need Fixing: Part II http://blog.nj.com/njv_susan_kennedy/2010/07/programs_that_need_fixing_part_ii.html#incart_rh

MN: Moist soils project provides beneficial wetland habitat for ducks, shorebirds By Brad Dokken – Grand Forks Herald – July 10, 2010 Trying to practice conventional farming on low ground is a challenge during wet years, so managers of the Roseau River Wildlife Management Area in northwestern Minnesota are working to turn the negative into a positive by making the land more attractive for ducks and shorebirds. The 75,000-acre WMA has established a half-dozen “moist soils” habitat sites on 110 acres near refuge headquarters that in recent years has been too wet to grow crops. For full article, go to: http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/168260/

HI:  New Pamphlet & Poster on Hawaii’s Wetlands July 1, 2010 - The Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resource’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife has recently released the first wetland information pamphlet and poster for Hawaii.  Designed to inform the public and schoolchildren about Hawaii’s unique but threatened wetlands, the pamphlet is engaging and informative.  It includes a definition of wetlands, wetland types found in Hawaii, native wetland species, threats to wetlands, and action steps for protection.  The wetland posters contain some of the brochure information in a visual format that’s ideal for school classrooms and public places.  These new informational materials were funded by the Pacific Coast Joint Venture (PCJV) and developed with assistance from the Hawaii Wetland Joint Venture, the state arm of the PCJV.  Access to the materials can be viewed, and downloaded, on the PCJV website at:  http://pcjv.org/hawaii/wetlands/  To learn more about the conservation role of the PCJV go directly to www.pcjv.org

June

NY: Suit Challenging Wetlands Law Ends By Matt Dalen – Lewisboro Ledger – June 11, 2010 One of the most prominent lawsuits in the history of the town of Lewisboro has ended, not with a bang, but with a whimper, as the so-called “wetlands lawsuit,” which had challenged the constitutionality of the town’s wetlands law, missed the opportunity for a final appeal last month. Plaintiffs missed their deadline to apply for Supreme Court review, ending a five-year-long ordeal that had played a prominent role in Lewisboro politics. For full story, go to: http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/lewisboroledger/news/localnews/61359-suit-challenging-wetlands-law-ends.html

IN: Daniels adds to wetlands preservation plan By Mary Beth Schneider – Indiana Star – June 11, 2010 For the second day in a row, Gov. Mitch Daniels has announced a major effort to preserve more Indiana wetlands. This morning, Daniels said the state would target more than 25,600 acres along the Muscatatuck River in Scott, Jackson and Washington counties. For full story, go to: http://www.indystar.com/article/20100611/NEWS05/6110402/Daniels-adds-to-wetlands-preservation-plan

CT: Norton rejects wetlands law again By Michael Gelbwasser – Sun Chronicle – June 11, 2010 Voters have sunk a local wetlands protection bylaw for the second time. Wednesday night's annual town meeting vote followed a heated debate in which conservation officials insisted that critics were misleading the public about the bylaw's implications. Commissioners contend the bylaw would better protect Norton's drinking water, groundwater and wildlife habitats. For full story, go to: http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2010/06/11/news/7522287.txt

MD: Raising Awareness of the Bay Through Open Water Swimming On June 13, 2010, approximately 600 swimmers of all ages will once again attempt to swim across the Chesapeake Bay. The annual event is one of the premier open water events in the United States covering a 4.4 mile course swum mostly between the two spans of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. In addition to providing a venue for a top open water event, the Bay Swim also provides a platform to raise awareness of the Chesapeake Bay and to promote efforts to aide in its restoration. For full story, go to: http://www.buildingagreenmaryland.com/2010/06/articles/chesapeake-bay/raising-awareness-of-the-bay-through-open-water-swimming/

SD: Greater threat to wetlands is development By Jeannette Eichacker-McVay – Argus Leader – June 9, 2010 It was interesting to note in John Pollmann's column in the June 2 Argus Leader regarding installing drain tile in farm ground that there was no mention of non-agricultural development usurping wetlands. Just look in any direction around Sioux Falls and note building expansion going on - in swamps. The same is true of Tea and its surrounding developments. For full opinion, go to: http://www.argusleader.com/article/20100609/VOICES05/6090320/1052/OPINION01

CA: Trade for Degraded Wetlands Complete By Harry Saltzgaver - Grunion Gazette – June 9, 2010 Long Beach now is the proud owner of 34 acres of degraded wetlands property in east Long Beach. Friday saw the close of escrow in a land trade that gave the city the property south of Second Street and east of the Pacific Coast Highway in exchange for 11 acres in industrial west Long Beach that was part of the city's public service yard on San Francisco Avenue. For full story, go to: http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4196888

IA: UNI wetlands slow to take root By Jon Ericson – WCF Courier – June 8, 2010 A year after native species were planted at the new flood retention/nature area north of the UNI-Dome, the same questions get asked. The most general query runs along the lines of "what the heck is it?" But others stem from a misperception that the flood control/wetlands project would be shaped into a traditional park. "There's still the notion out there where people wonder where's the swingset and playground equipment?" said Paul Meyermann, head of facilities planning at the University of Northern Iowa. For full story, go to: http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_a3f97229-e8e8-5c92-99b9-5d6888966a26.html

WA: Dept of Ecology seeks public input about state’s aquatic plant and algae permit Washington Dept. of Ecology – June 8, 2010 The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is holding an open house in Tacoma to gather input about what works and doesn’t work with the state’s current aquatic plants and algae permit. The open house marks the beginning of a public process to update the permit. The Aquatic Plant and Algae Management General Permit covers the discharge of products used to control aquatic plants and algae in Washington lakes. The permit also allows treatment of nuisance emergent plants along roadsides and ditch banks. For full article, go to: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2010news/2010-133.html

FL: BP oil spill clean up: Fearful Florida authorities take matters into their own hands to save beaches By Maryann Tobin – Hernando County Examiner – June 8, 2010 In the Panhandle city of Destin, Florida, community leaders fearing an invasion of oily tar balls on their white sand beaches, have taken matters into their own hands. City tourism director Dawn Molentaro had asked BP for help in protecting Destin's white sand beaches 3 weeks ago, but her requests fell on deaf ears. So community leaders took matters into their own hands and set up their own booms. For full story, go to: http://www.examiner.com/x-17299-Hernando-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2010m6d8-BP-Oil-spill-clean-up-Angry-Florida-authorities-take-matters-into-their-own-hands-to-save-Florida

May

LA: Despite Leak, Louisiana Is Still Devoted to Oil By Campbell Robertson – New York Times – May 22, 2010 In a state that is particularly sensitive to the health of its coastal wetlands, which serve as a barrier against hurricanes, such an attitude might seem odd — even self-defeating. To read full article, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/us/23drill.html

WI: Two Wetland Bills Pass Legislation May 19, 2010 – Wisconsin Wetlands Association On May 18, 2010, Governor Doyle signed two important wetland bills into law. One will help reduce unauthorized wetland fill, while the other will help Wisconsin leverage more federal funding for wetland restoration projects. Both address long-standing wetland problems. For full story, go to: http://www.wisconsinwetlands.org/legislation.htm

CT: Lack of training a continuing problem for some town wetland boards By Matthew Brown – Connecticut Mirror – May 17, 2010 Having an application pending before a municipal inland wetlands commission can be an exercise in pure frustration. At times, simple requests to build a deck, a shed or a garage on one's own property can turn into protracted, off topic discussions or arguments over the development of what a property owner may consider a wet piece of property of little value, but a commission considers a vernal pool. And by 2006, according to the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality, the headaches and misunderstandings were becoming too frequent and painful to ignore. For full story, go to: http://www.ctmirror.org/story/5952/lack-training-problem-some-town-wetland-agencies

CA: Dwindling visitor population doesn't stop wetlands docents By Louis Sahagun – Los Angeles Times – May 16, 2010 At this month's open house, only a handful show up to see the Ballona Wetlands' rare wildlife and scenic vistas. "Most people don't know this place even exists. But they should," a volunteer says. A dozen conservationists gathered at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve on Saturday to introduce visitors to the natural rhythms of life in some 600 acres of restored marshlands that are laced with brackish rivers and hiking trails. For full story, go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-ballona-20100516-20,0,3525129.story

NY: Refuge a great place to observe, enjoy nature By Leo Roth – Democrat & Chronicle – May 16, 2010 The Montezuma Wetlands Complex, historically known as the Montezuma Marsh, has lost 70 percent of its original habitat due to development and agriculture. Still, it provides a major staging, resting and feeding area for thousands of migratory waterfowl, shore and songbirds along the Atlantic Flyway. For full story, go to: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100516/SPORTS0103/5 160370/1007/SPORTS/Refuge-a-great-place-to-observe--enjoy-nature

DE: Native Delaware: Benefits of designed wetland are many By Margo McDonough – Native Delaware – May 16, 2010 Several times a week, Chad Nelson begins his workday with a trek through a wetland near his Townsend Hall office on UD's Newark campus. With spring in full swing, he enjoys the sight of the butterflies, migratory songbirds, mallard ducks and their ducklings, frogs and tadpoles that make the wetland their warm-weather home. For full story, go to: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100516/LIFE/5160309/Benefits+of+designed+ wetland+are+many

SC: Wetlands species presents ID challenge to botanists By John Nelson – Aiken Standard – May 15, 2010 Wetlands are natural habitats featuring, obviously, some water. Sometimes a lot of water. They come in many varieties, and they provide home for a huge array of plant and animal species. Across North America, unfortunately, many kinds of wetlands are becoming increasingly rare, as they have commonly fallen victim to urbanization and landscape manipulation. Of course, when wetlands are sufficiently disturbed or destroyed, their resident plants and animals also suffer, commonly disappearing. In the last two decades, more research has focused on the plight of wetlands and to efforts protecting them. We would do well to make sure that legislation and public awareness remain to safeguard these precious habitats, in all their diversity. For full article, go to: http://www.aikenstandard.com/FeatureColumns/0516-mystery-plant-column

IN: Notebook: View nature up-close at Camp Scott wetlands Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (blog) – May 14, 2010 Fort Wayne’s Camp Scott wetlands will be open to the public on Thursday, May 20, from 2:00 – 7:00 PM with activities for all ages. Visitors can wander the wetlands or go on a wildflower identification walk, see a demonstration of water quality testing, learn to make compost or participate in other activities. Camp Scott is located at 3615 Oxford Street. The Camp Scott constructed wetlands stores stormwater during rainy periods then releases it to the Maumee River after the storm sewer system has emptied. In addition to providing stormwater storage, the wetlands provide habitat for fish and wildlife. Wildlife seen at Camp Scott includes owls and other birds of prey such as hawks and falcons. For full blog, go to: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100514/BLOGS21/100519729

WA: State asks, what are the most popular saltwater beaches? Dept. of Ecology News Release – May 14, 2010 What are Washington's most popular saltwater beaches? The state wants to know so it can test the water for pollution-caused bacteria that can make people sick. The state BEACH (Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication and Health) Program notifies the public when bacteria results are high, and educates people about what they can do to avoid getting sick from playing in saltwater. The program is jointly coordinated by the Departments of Ecology and Health. It is implemented by local health agencies, tribal nations and volunteers. This summer, the federally funded program proposes to monitor 52 of the state's most popular saltwater beaches. The number is down from 70 beaches it monitored last year and 53 the year before. For full story, go to: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2010news/2010-115.html

LA: Work continues aimed at keeping slick out of wetlands By John DeSantis – Daily Comet – May 13, 2010 A 200-yard streak of oil was confirmed on a Terrebonne Parish barrier island Wednesday, and authorities are trying to confirm whether information about oil on two other Louisiana islands is correct. The confirmation of oil on Whiskey Island brings to three the areas where oil has been confirmed by assessment teams in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. The others are South Pass, off Plaquemines Parish, and the Chandeleur Islands, near the state's eastern border. For full article, go to: http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20100513/ARTICLES/100519633/1292?p=1&tc=pg

DE: Wetland program reaches milestone By Nick Roth – Delmarva Daily Times – May 13, 2010 Twenty years after its start, the Adopt-A-Wetland program has inspired more than 3,000 people to get involved and improve water quality throughout the state. Marlene Mervine of the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said the program recently recorded its 100th adoption. "It's just a wonderful opportunity for people to feel as though they're making a difference for Delaware," she said. For full story, go to: http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20100513/NEWS01/5130373

NY: Toxic threat to nature's nursery? By Allie Wilkinson – LI Herald – May 13, 2010 Part one of a two-part series. Imagine building an incinerator next to a hospital nursery. That, critics say, is about what the Village of Freeport would be doing if it were to build a $550 million waste-to-energy incinerator alongside a wetland in south Freeport, near the Merrick border. Plans for the facility appear in doubt (see related story, "What's up with Freeport's incinerator plans?"). But if eventually approved, the project could have serious consequences for the local environment and human health. Full story, http://www.liherald.com/detail/24945.html?content_source=&category_id=5&search_filter=& event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_ type=&town_id=

TN: Cumberland River Crest Highest in 73 Years Contact: Rodney Knight – USGS News – May 13, 2010 Rivers throughout middle Tennessee crested at record high levels last week.  They exceeded previous highs at many streamgages by as much as 14 feet, according to preliminary estimates released today by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).   The highest flood levels were recorded on May 2 and 3, from Nashville west toward Jackson, extending about 40-miles north and south of Interstate 40, and affecting major tributaries to the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. For full article, go to: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2461 For a related article, go to: In-depth report: Army Corps of Engineers struggled with dams, forecasts http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100509/NEWS01/5090355/-1/nsitemapXML/In-depth- report--Army-Corps-of-Engineers-struggled-with-dams--forecasts

LA: River water pours into wetlands to avert oil Associated Press – May 13, 2010 There's now enough Mississippi River water pouring into Louisiana's wetlands to fill the Superdome once an hour, in hopes of avoiding oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill. Authorities opened all eight gates at the Bayou Lamoque freshwater diversion in Plaqemines Parish on Thursday. Seven diversion projects, created to rebuild wetlands with silt, now funnel fresh water into wetlands in hope of pushing away oil that might enter them. Bayou Lamoque spreads into wetlands next to Black Bay and Breton Sound at the rate of 12,500 cubic feet - or 93,500 gallons - every second. That alone could fill the Superdome in less than three hours. About 34,550 cubic feet of water per second are flowing through the seven projects in St. Charles, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. For a link to this story, go to: http://www.wxvt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12479823

IN: Wetland mitigation improves Jordan River By Hannah Spencer – Indiana Daily Student – May 12, 2010 The expansion of the Eigenmann Hall parking lot is not only diminishing the time students will spend circling parking lots, but also part of the Jordan River, which runs through where the new pavement is set to be poured. To help compensate for this loss of the natural wetlands, IU has hired local sub-contractor Eco Logic to design a stream mitigation project along the Jordan River near the Wright Education Building and the Jordan Avenue Garage. According to IU Environmental Health and Safety Specialist Michael J. Dorsett, it is a requirement for the University to mitigate the stream disturbance. The mitigation site is already blooming, and Eco Logic is confident the local ecosystem will continue to thrive. For full article, go to: http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=75700

TN: Calvin Donaldson Dedicates 'Wetlands' Living Classroom By Jose Ocando – Chattarati – May 12, 2010 Community members gathered Tuesday at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy (CDESA) to dedicate the newly completed Wetlands living classroom. Becky Coleman, CDESA principal, thanked members of the community who were instrumental in the building of the project, including the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Partners in Education, the Hamilton County School Board — particularly board members Linda Mosley and George Ricks — the Hamilton County Water Quality Program, Chattanooga State, Earthscapes, and Engineered Verdant Solutions (EVS). For full story, go to: http://chattarati.com/neighborhoods/st-elmo/2010/5/12/calvin-donaldson-dedicates-wetlands- living-classro/

CA: Wetlands defender honored after death By Britney Barnes – Daily Pilot – May 11, 2010 Jan Vandersloot, a founding member of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, will be honored posthumously for his dedication to preserving the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. The late Newport Beach resident on Sunday will be recognized as an outstanding wetlands community leader by the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C. The award is part of the National Wetlands Awards Program that honors six individuals who have contributed to the preservation of the country’s wetlands through education, restoration or activism. For full story, go to: http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2010/05/11/features/dpt-vandersloot051210.txt

April

CA: Bill to fund efforts to restore bay's wetlands By Carolyn Jones – San Francisco Chronicle – April 23, 2010 A 20-year wish list of San Francisco Bay wetlands restoration projects would finally receive funding under a $1 billion federal bill introduced by a Bay Area congresswoman. The San Francisco Bay Improvement Act of 2010 by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, would fund the restoration of thousands of acres of bay marshes that were filled in or destroyed by levees and other projects in the last century. For full story, go to: http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/22/MN4O1D2VOC.DTL#ixzz0lxKFuKM\

FL: County considers wetland guidelines By Jim Waymer – Florida Today – April 20, 2010 Brevard County commissioners today plan to discuss lifting density restrictions on commercial and industrial development along the St. Johns River, freshwater lakes and freshwater tributaries to the Indian River Lagoon. For full story, go to: http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100420/NEWS01/4200327/1006/County +considers+wetland+guidelines

LA: New Baton Rouge Area Mitigation Bank Now Online – Over 185 Acres of Wetlands Conserved and Protected Contact Kate Wilson – Resource Environmental Solutions/Business Wire – April 20, 2010 First Louisiana Resource, L.L.C. (FLR) a subsidiary of Resource Environmental Solutions L.L.C. (RES), has received approval of the Comite Properties mitigation project located in the Baton Rouge area. The Comite Properties Wetlands Mitigation Bank covers two tracts of land and permanently conserves 185.3 acres in East Baton Rouge Parish, east of Zachary, Louisiana adjacent to the intersection of Milldale Road and Peairs Road. The mitigation bank primarily services the USGS Cataloging Unit 08070202 which covers more than 1,281 square miles and includes portions of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, and St. Helena parishes. For full press release, go to: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/ ?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100420006784&newsLang=en

UT: Opinion: McEntee: Let's not lose the wetlands By Peg McEntee – Salt Lake Tribune – April 20, 2010 Stop on the side of I-80 west of the airport and take a look northward at what seems like a whole lot of nothing dotted with cattle and the occasional broadcast tower. What you won't see from that vantage are birds -- from avocets to harrier hawks, ducks and geese and swans and stately herons -- and the bugs that keep them coming. Right now, this sliver of the Central Flyway is a vast maternity ward, where young are hatched and educated before the great migration south is completed. And Salt Lake City wants to build a mini-SLC out here? At least 70,000 people (just eight miles from downtown!) atop alkaline mud, nasty old landfills and the dust from Kennecott mine tailings. And all too close to the Great Salt Lake, which during the floods of the early 1980s broached the freeway. For full opinion, go to: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14915910

OR: Projects to help offset impacts to wetlands from development Contact: Dana Hicks – Oregon Department of State Lands – April 20, 2010 Oregon’s work to gain federal recognition of a new wetland mitigation option has paid off with the approval of two new projects recently started on the Salmon River near Lincoln City and on a working farm near Forest Grove.  Oregon was the first state in the nation to receive federal approval for the In-Lieu Fee Program (ILF) under 2008 federal mitigation rules.  Impacts to wetlands and other waters in Oregon are often co-regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL).  The ILF program is administered by DSL. The state has a policy of “no net loss” of wetlands.  When projects such as housing, bridges and retail developments will impact more than 50 cubic yards of material in wetlands, project proponents must apply for a removal-fill permit from DSL.  Permit conditions include replacing – or mitigating – lost wetland functions.  For full press release, go to: http://oregonstatelands.us/DSL/DO/news/pr1011_ilf_program.shtml

WV: Volunteers help beautify Williamstown’s wetlands By Jolene Craig – Parkersburg News & Sentinel – April 19, 2010 The Williamstown Wetlands project is coming along with a walking trail and observation deck built as members of Boy Scout Troop and Pack 47 helped plant trees Saturday. The troop has been helping with the wetlands project next to DaVinci's Restaurant on Highland Avenue for several months to learn some of the aspects of Boy Scouts. In November they picked up trash and debris from the wetlands. For full story, go to: http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/528881.html?nav=5061

WI: Volunteers rise early to count cranes By Karen Madden – Central Wisconsin Daily Tribune – April 18, 2010 Bird-watchers fanned out across central Wisconsin's wetlands to participate in a statewide count of sandhill cranes. When the annual count, sponsored by the International Crane Foundation, began about 25 years ago, there were 25 pairs of nesting cranes in Wisconsin, said Gloria Zager, Wood County count coordinator. Last year, about 550 sandhill cranes were spotted in Wood County alone during the annual count. Currently, authorities believe the county has 90 pairs of the birds. For full story, go to: http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20100418/CWS0101/4180680/ 1982/WRT04/Volunteers-rise-early-to-count-cranes

AK: Meet the Migration By Abby Lowell – Juneau Empire – April 16, 2010 The Mendenhall Wetlands are like a truck stop for migrating birds. They exit off their airborne interstate to take advantage of the snacks, of both the vertebrate and invertebrate variety, the lodgings and the opportunity to just refuel. They arrive in waves by the thousands, beginning in early April and lasting into May. Some stay for only a day, others nest and raise young. For all, this nationally recognized important bird habitat is vital to their ability to thrive.  For full story, go to: http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/041610/out_610556848.shtml

MD: Chesapeake Bay’s crab population up 60 percent By Timothy Wheeler – Baltimore Sun – April 14, 2010 The Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population has bounced back from dangerously low levels, Maryland officials announced Wednesday, reporting that a newly completed survey of the crustaceans counted more than have been seen in more than a decade. A jubilant Gov. Martin O'Malley heralded the news from the waterfront deck of a seafood restaurant here, saying the winter crab survey justified the steps he and his counterpart in Virginia took two years ago to clamp down on the commercial catch. Both states shortened the season, slashing watermen's income, and Virginia banned its traditional practice of dredging slumbering female crabs from the bottom during winter. For full story, go to: http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/bs-gr-blue-crab-fishery-20100414,0,5207295.story

AK: Landowners Ordered to Restore Salmon Stream and Wetlands near Haines, Alaska Contact: Mark Jen – EPA News Release – April 14, 2010 Robert and Nancy Loomis of Kilgore, Texas, have been ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency to repair damaged wetlands, restore a salmon stream and better manage stormwater runoff on their property located near Haines, Alaska. The Loomis’ received the Order after EPA alleged they discharged fill material, consisting of mud, dirt, gravel and rock, to this valuable fish and wildlife habitat. http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d96f984dfb3ff7718525735900400c 29/895978ac579056fd85257704007688b1!OpenDocument

TX: There's plenty of water available for North Texas Editorial by Staff – Texas Star Telegram – April 12, 2010 Don't worry about ever reaching for the faucet on your kitchen sink and finding no water there. It's never going to happen to your kids or your grandkids or their grandkids, either. Never. They will make sure you always have a reliable source of clean water. Take it for granted. Who's they? You know, the people who do that sort of thing. […] They detailed where they plan to get the water that 16 North Central Texas counties will need between now and 2060. That's a whole lot of water, but thank goodness plenty of it is available. The list starts with rivers and reservoirs and wells and wetlands like those the region uses now, and it goes all the way to taking the salt out of the virtually limitless water of the Gulf of Mexico and piping it all the way up here for you. For full editorial, go to: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/04/11/2106030/theres-plenty-of-water-available.html#ixzz0kuSgfJ5f

ME: Sierra Club fights CMP project By Tux Turkel - Portland Press Herald – March 25, 2010 Central Maine Power Co.'s proposal to upgrade the reliability of its transmission system faces a new threat: wetlands. The Maine Chapter of the Sierra Club says the $1.6 billion project would destroy 385 acres of wetlands and 1,200 linear feet of streams. In a letter dated March 15, it told the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the agency can't approve construction if there are alternatives that reduce the impact on the environment.A strict standard under the Clean Water Act says the corps cannot issue wetlands permits for any project if a "less environmentally damaging, practicable alternative" exists. In the Sierra Club's view, CMP could meet the objectives of its new line with non-transmission alternatives. The group says it will take legal action, if needed, to enforce the law. For full article, go to: http://www.pressherald.com/news/sierra-club-fights-cmp-project_2010-03-24.html

DE: New public participation guidebook provides actions to protect Delaware's wetlands Delmarva – March 20, 2010 A new guidebook is now available that will help Delawareans protect and conserve our state’s vital wetlands. Just released, the Wetlands Public Participation Guidebook is a comprehensive resource developed to educate and inspire citizens to take actions to protect the health and productivity of the more than 350,000 acres of wetlands that cover our state. For full story, go to: http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20100319/DW01/100319025/-1/DW/DELAWARE--New-public-participation-guidebook-provides-actions-to-protect-Delaware-s-wetlands

VA: Wetlands group fights challenge with challenge By Scott Harper – Virginian-Pilot – March 20, 2010 First, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed a legal challenge to a key federal finding that greenhouse gases are public health threats, contribute to climate change and should be regulated. Now, a Norfolk-based environmental group, Wetlands Watch, has filed a challenge to Cuccinelli's challenge, calling his actions "dangerous" and "a stall tactic" against government attempts to tackle global warming. For full article, go to: http://hamptonroads.com/2010/03/wetlands-group-fights-challenge-challenge-0

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March

ME: Sierra Club fights CMP project By Tux Turkel - Portland Press Herald – March 25, 2010 Central Maine Power Co.'s proposal to upgrade the reliability of its transmission system faces a new threat: wetlands. The Maine Chapter of the Sierra Club says the $1.6 billion project would destroy 385 acres of wetlands and 1,200 linear feet of streams. In a letter dated March 15, it told the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the agency can't approve construction if there are alternatives that reduce the impact on the environment.A strict standard under the Clean Water Act says the corps cannot issue wetlands permits for any project if a "less environmentally damaging, practicable alternative" exists. In the Sierra Club's view, CMP could meet the objectives of its new line with non-transmission alternatives. The group says it will take legal action, if needed, to enforce the law. For full article, go to: http://www.pressherald.com/news/sierra-club-fights-cmp- project_2010-03-24.html

DELAWARE: New public participation guidebook provides actions to protect Delaware's wetlands Delmarva – March 20, 2010 A new guidebook is now available that will help Delawareans protect and conserve our state’s vital wetlands. Just released, the Wetlands Public Participation Guidebook is a comprehensive resource developed to educate and inspire citizens to take actions to protect the health and productivity of the more than 350,000 acres of wetlands that cover our state. For full story, go to: http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20100319/DW01/100319025/-1/DW/ DELAWARE--New-public-participation-guidebook-provides-actions-to-protect- Delaware-s-wetlands

VA: Wetlands group fights challenge with challenge By Scott Harper – Virginian-Pilot – March 20, 2010 First, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed a legal challenge to a key federal finding that greenhouse gases are public health threats, contribute to climate change and should be regulated. Now, a Norfolk-based environmental group, Wetlands Watch, has filed a challenge to Cuccinelli's challenge, calling his actions "dangerous" and "a stall tactic" against government attempts to tackle global warming. For full article, go to: http://hamptonroads.com/2010/03/wetlands-group-fights-challenge-challenge-0

NY: NT set to fight DEC over wetlands By Neal Gulley - Tonawanda News – March 18, 2010 The Department of Environmental Conservation has declared its intent to designate roughly 120 acres of newly protected wetlands in and around the City of North Tonawanda. Elected officials past and present have fought for years to keep this day from coming. But their inherent interest has always been in keeping the newly proposed wetlands — located in five separate irregular-shaped areas between Ruie Road south to the canal — open for development. Millions of dollars in tax-funded infrastructure like roads and sewers has been installed in the area and will be wasted, they say. For full story, go to: http://tonawanda-news.com/local/x1112098302/NT-set-to-fight-DEC- over-wetlands

NM: NM panel to hear outstanding waters petition By Susan Montoya Bryan – Business Week – March 18, 2010 New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's administration is pushing ahead with a plan to give special protection to hundreds of miles of rivers and streams and thousands of acres of wetlands despite concern from some farmers and ranchers. Richardson has been seeking a sweeping Outstanding National Resource Waters designation under the federal Clean Water Act since 2008. With the end of his second four-year term looming, he's now one step closer. For full story, go to: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9EH3B400.htm

LA: Federal flood insurance program extension endorsed by House By Bruce Alpert – Times-Picayune – March 18, 2010 The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday for another one-month extension of the federal flood insurance program, along with the temporary continuation of expiring unemployment insurance and federal health insurance subsidies for jobless Americans. The measure, adopted by a voice vote, is the latest in a series of temporary extensions in programs as the House and Senate have been unable to resolve differences about longer term authorizations. The Senate is likely to take up the temporary extension before it recesses next week. For full story, go to: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/03/federal_flood_insurance_ progra.html

IA: A wetlands benefit for taxpayers, too Opinion by Michael Burkart – Des Moines Register – March 17, 2010 I was pleased to read good news in the Feb. 26 Iowa View, "Farm Drainage Proposal Based on Sound Science." The best news for taxpayers is that, "Once the pilot project is over, they [drainage and wetlands] would be installed with money from the landowners, not the government." This will start to reverse the historical destruction of wetlands using government funds and benefiting only landowners. The other good news for taxpayers and scientists is that the plan will include wetland monitoring by institutions engaged in objective science. For full story, go to: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100317/OPINION04/317 0337/1038/Opinion/A-wetlands-benefit-for-taxpayers-too

NH: Panel wants to take closer look at wetlands By Harrison Haas – The Citizen of Laconia – March 17, 2010 The Conservation Commission will be researching the idea of forming a subcommittee to address the modification of the town's wetlands conservation district ordinance. A petitioned article was recently voted down by residents that would have rewritten the current wetlands ordinance. The proposed ordinance called for a 50-foot protective buffer setback on all properties in town. Although the article did not originate with the commission, board members did support it because it was attempting to put regulations in place to help protect the natural resources in town, such as wildlife and the lakes. For full story, go to: http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100317/ GJNEWS02/703179879/-1/CITNEWS

NY: North Tonawanda mayor’s e-mails assailed By Aaron Besecker – Buffalo News – March 16, 2010 Mayor Robert G. Ortt has drawn criticism for what some consider an attempt to get the city’s Environmental Committee to “rubber stamp” a proposed street extension. Ortt wrote an e-mail earlier this month to Brian P. Murphy, committee chairman, seeking the backing of the seven-member advisory board for extending Meadow Drive.  For full story, go to: http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/03/16/ 989007/n-tonawanda-mayors-e-mails-assailed.html

MN: DNR, watersheds discuss ways to clean up lakes By: Julie Buntjer – Daily Globe – March 16, 2010 Representatives of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and local watershed districts gathered in Worthington Monday afternoon to discuss the state of the state’s waters and the work needed to improve or reduce the growing number of impaired lakes, rivers and streams.Skip Wright, DNR regional hydrologist, said roughly 40 percent of the state’s waters are impaired. In southwest Minnesota, it’s closer to 90 percent. For full story, go to: http://www.dglobe.com/event/article/id/33951/

LA: Disappearing birds a troubling omen Editorial – Houma Today – March 16, 2010 Often lost in our thoughts and discussion of wetlands loss is the impact it has on the animals that share this land with us. But just as important is the significant losses those wildlife effects can signal for us. Prime examples are Louisiana's coastal birds, among some of the nation's at-risk because of climate changes and the loss of habitat. That is the disturbing word that came from “The State of the Birds: 2010 Report on Climate Change,” released last week by the U.S. Department of the Interior. For full story, go to: http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20100316/OPINION/100319579/0/ recipes?p=1&tc=pg

WI: Wetlands bill targets construction conflicts By Paul Snyder – Daily Reporter – March 11, 2010 Disputes between the state and builders over construction projects near wetlands have prompted a lawmaker’s attempt to force better communication between the sides. State Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay, has introduced a bill requiring the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provide information about wetlands to landowners, builders and local governments that issue building permits. The bill would establish a $50 fee a landowner can pay for a DNR wetlands map of the property and a $300 fee for a DNR employee to visit a property and mark off wetlands. http://dailyreporter.com/blog/2010/03/11/ bill-aims-to-boost-wetland-information-for-developers-landowners/

NH: Proposed 50-foot wetland buffer prompts debate By Lauren Tiner – Winnisquam Echo – March 3, 2010 The Conservation Commission has put forth petitioned warrant Article 10, asking that the existing Article 15, that establishes the wetlands district ordinance, be replaced with regulations that include a 50-feet wetland buffer – standards not everyone can agree on. This protective buffer setback would be adjacent to wetlands under certain conditions, and would allow for certain uses and activities by special exception applications. This proposed ordinance would also create standards for mitigation, erosion and sedimentation plans. For full story, go to: http://www.winnisquamecho.net/Articles-c-2010- 03-02-150681.113119_Proposed_50foot_wetland_buffer_prompts_ debate.html

KY: Applications now being accepted for Wetlands Reserve Program By Dave Baker – Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources – March 2, 2010 The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Kentucky is now accepting applications for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The Wetlands Reserve Program offers landowners the opportunity to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on their property. Through this voluntary program, NRCS has provided Kentucky landowners with over $29 million to restore more than 17,000 acres of cropland, pastureland and other altered lands to their original wetland conditions. For full story, go to: http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2010/03/02/the_amplifier/recreation/ doc4b797f6816857403185242.txt

UT: State plans burn for invasive reed on lake shore Salt Lake Tribune – March 2, 2010 State crews in Utah hope to burn about 300 acres infested by an invasive reed near the shore of the Great Salt Lake. The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands plans the prescribed burn near Farmington Bay for Tuesday morning, if weather conditions cooperate. The fire is aimed at destroying phragmites, a tall, nonnative reed that crowds out native vegetation and alters the natural state of the wetlands around the lake. Thousands of acres around the lake are infested with phragmites. The burn is part of a larger state plan to eliminate the invasive reed so the wetlands can be restored. The reeds in the area of the burn were treated with an herbicide last year. For full story, go to: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14497304

WA: Vancouver wetland bank first to be certified under new Ecology rules Contact: Curt Hart – WA Dept. of Ecology – March 1, 2010 The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has used its new rule establishing an approval process for wetland mitigation banks to certify the proposed Columbia River Wetland Mitigation Bank at the Port of Vancouver. State and federal laws prohibit the loss of wetlands due to development. In September 2009, Ecology adopted a rule establishing criteria and a certification process for wetland mitigation banks across the state. The Vancouver wetland is the first to be certified under the new rule. It is also the second to be certified under a new federal rule established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency. For full story, go to: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2010news/ 2010-037.html

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February

MN: Farm tax jump jeopardizes woods, wetlands, bluffsides By Sarah Elmquist – Winona Post - February 28, 2010 Winona County Board members sounded off Tuesday on state legislation that will multiply property taxes on thousands of acres of rural land under the newest changes to the Green Acres tax program. The board is expected to approve a resolution stating its opposition to the changes at its meeting Tuesday, when it will hear an update from Winona County Assessor Steve Hacken. Hacken has reportedly been working with the Legislature to try to reduce the higher, state-imposed values on vacant land that he will soon be forced to apply to landowner tax statements.  For full story, go to: http://www.winonapost.com/stock/functions/VDG_Pub/detail.php?choice=35196& home_page=1&archives

ME: Popham Beach Disappearing as Erosion Takes Toll By Tom Porter – MPBN – February 25, 2010 Popham Beach, near Bath, is one of Maine's most popular state parks, visited by an estimated 175,000 people every year. In recent years though, there's been increasingly less beach to visit, especially where the Morse River flows into the ocean. Since 2007, the sea has advanced more than 200 feet in parts, and many local residents are worried. For full story, go to: http://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineNewsArchive/tabid/181/ctl/ViewItem/ mid/3475/ ItemId/11204/Default.aspx A week later, after another storm, this news story stated that the beach is growing because the Morse River split: River Shift Is Great News For Popham Beach http://www.wmtw.com/news/22817521/detail.html The State of Maine passed legislation in April 2009 to address climate change impacts, including sea level rise. For details, go to: http://www.maine.gov/dep/oc/adapt/

IA: Wetland Easements Will Help Reduce Flooding in Iowa This Spring Wallace’s Farmer – February 25, 2010 Flooding will be reduced this spring thanks to the Iowa farmers who are voluntarily restoring nearly 3,000 acres of frequently-flooded cropland to wetlands through the USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service. The cost-sharing funds are provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA. The easements are valued at nearly $9 million, said Rich Sims, State Conservationist with NRCS in Iowa. "As spring approaches, these acres will protect communities and farm ground by helping to reduce the potential of downstream flooding near the easement areas," says Sims. For full article, go to: http://mobile.wallacesfarmer.com/index.aspx?ascxid=cmsNewsStory&rmid=0& rascxid=&args=&rargs=9&dt=634026566730192500&lid=a8yebu2d9qxnz7lo& adms=634026566728786250Xcab226cbc4&cmsSid=35759&cmsScid=9

VA: Wonder Wetlands Cleans, Protects, Educates and Looks Good By Jennifer McManamay – Sweet Briar College - February 18, 2010 About 60 area engineers and government workers attended a Stormwater Wetlands Design Workshop at Sweet Briar College on Thursday, Feb. 18. The course was coordinated by the Robert E. Lee Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with the College, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. The group spent part of the morning indoors focusing on pending state stormwater management regulations aimed at reducing runoff pollution from development. They also learned about innovative techniques for meeting the new rules, including wetlands construction as an alternative to traditional methods. For full story, go to: http://www2.sbc.edu/newsletter/index.php/site/stories/wonder_wetlands_cleans_ protects_educates_and_looks_good

MI: Permits Drag on U.S. Mining Projects By Robert Guy Matthews – Wall Street Journal – February 8, 2010 Obtaining the permits and approvals needed to build a mine in the U.S. takes an average of seven years, among the longest wait time in the world. So despite having vast underground stores of raw materials, the U.S. is one of the last places miners go to start a project. At the proposed Kennecott Eagle nickel mine in Michigan's sparsely populated Upper Peninsula, the wait is at seven years and growing. Global miner Rio Tinto says the project would fill a raw-material gap in the U.S. economy, but the company has yet to produce an ounce of nickel there. For full story, go to: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870382240457 5019123766644644.html?mod=WSJ_article_Moreln

MA: Protecting wetlands in wind turbine siting bill Gate House News Service – February 7, 2010 Legislation adopted last week by the state Senate that streamlines the permitting process for large-scale wind turbine projects includes language proposed by Sen. Robert L. Hedlund that preserves local control over wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas. For full story, go to: http://www.wickedlocal.com/weymouth/news/x1522834599/ Protecting-wetlands-in-wind-turbine-siting-bill

VT: Government, nonprofits move to restore wetlands By Candace Page – Burlington Free Press – February 7, 2010 An unusual public-private coalition is on a search for landowners willing to turn their marginal, boggy farm fields back into wetlands. Time is running out, at least for this year. By March 1, the Vermont office of the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service must commit up to $2.5 million to wetlands restoration, or lose access to the money. In 2009, the local office was able to use only $1.5 million of the $6 million available to it. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100207/NEWS03/2070305

WA: Tides rechanneling Nisqually River By Mike Archbold – News Tribune – February 6, 2010 The tides are back and change is afoot at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. No one knows that better than Jean Takekawa, who manages the 3,000-acre refuge southwest of Tacoma. She is in charge of returning 762 acres of the refuge to a saltwater marsh or estuary after more than 100 years as farmland and freshwater wetlands. For full story, go to: http://www.thenewstribune.com/292/story/105 8924.html?storylink=omni_popular

TN: Legislators must reverse trend, preserve land, water Opinion – The Tennessean – February 5, 2010 As feared, the Tennessee General Assembly has veered from the serious governance of the special session to the antic policymaking of the 2009 regular session. Legislators slid from raising educational standards to pushing an unnecessary constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to hunt and fish. But they could stop the fall into provincialism by focusing on two areas: the budget and the environment. For full story, go to: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100205/OPINION01/ 2050327/1008

FL: Christmas Bird Count Documents 99 Species at Everglades Treatment Wetlands By South Florida Water Management District – Treasure Coast Palm – February 4, 2010 An Everglades restoration project maintained its status as a national bird watching destination as volunteers with the Hendry-Glades Audubon Society partnered with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to document 99 species and nearly 106,000 individual birds during the 110th Christmas Bird Count this January. Known as "citizen science," bird counts are vital to studies of the long-term health and status of bird populations. For full story, go to: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/feb/04/christmas-bird-count- documents-99-species-at-everg/

VA: Forest, tidal wetlands to be protected forever By Rusty Dennen – Fredericksburg News – February 4, 2010 Virginia has been fertile ground for conservation easements, but none can compare to one announced yesterday by The Nature Conservancy. The conservation group purchased 13,350 acres of forest within the Dragon Run and Mattaponi watersheds west of U.S. 17 and the Rappahannock River. Though the parcels are not all contiguous, together they encompass about 20 square miles in Essex, King and Queen, and Middlesex counties. The seller was the Hancock Timber Resource Group. Immediately after the purchase, The Nature Conservancy sold the property to the The Forestland Group, which acquires and manages timberland investments for institutions, families and individuals. http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/022010/020 42010/525574

CA: Wetlands map, guide highlights local areas The Times-Standard – February 4, 2010 Friends of the Dunes has announced the release of the “2010 Humboldt Bay Beaches, Dunes and Wetlands Map and Guide.” The free map and guide highlights natural areas where people can enjoy a variety of coastal habitats while providing in-depth information about local natural history and the importance of conserving the beauty and diversity of the coast. For full story, go to: http://www.times-standard.com/lifestyle/ci_14331642

MN/ND: Environment, wildlife among top concerns By Helmut Schmidt – Inforum – February 4, 2010 Environmental and wildlife concerns tied to building a Red River flood diversion channel in Minnesota or North Dakota were among the top concerns discussed in a meeting Wednesday in Fargo. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials said they heard no serious objections from experts representing both states and several federal agencies on plans to mitigate any problems caused by the diversions. For full story, go to: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/268001/

LA: In Obama's Budget, a Trickle of Money for Louisiana's Disappearing Coast By Harry Shearer – Huffington Post – February 3, 2010 I've been rather consistently critical of the Obama administration's largely MIA stance toward New Orleans, with the singular exception of the appointment of a new FEMA administrator who, by all reports, has cut the red tape and started the long-appropriated funds finally flowing to fix the damage caused by the failure of the federal levees. So it's only fair to acknowledge a small, halting step towards progress in Washington. For full story, go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-shearer/in-obamas- budget-a-trickl_b_447328.html

ELI has developed a report titled, In-Lieu Fee Mitigation: Model Instrument Language and Resources The report offers model language that could be incorporated into in-lieu fee program instruments being developed by state agencies and non-profit organizations and was designed to comply with the 2008 Compensatory Mitigation Rule.  It was developed using the best available information and uses examples from the approved and draft in-lieu fee instruments that were available as of December 2009. The model language should not, however, be seen as a prescriptive approach to the development of in-lieu fee program instruments. The model language offered does not represent official guidance from federal agencies, nor does it eliminate the necessity of working closely with the appropriate Corps district and Interagency Review Team to seek approval for an in-lieu fee program. The report can be downloaded for free here: http://www.elistore.org/reports_detail.asp?ID=11390

USA Today Examines Shortages in State Budgets USA Today on February 3 featured a front-page article on state environmental agency budget issues. (See http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/ 2010-02-02-environment-states-epa_N.htm).

SC: Catawba makes endangered list By John Marks – Lake Wylie Pilot – February 2, 2010 Different year, different group, same conclusion – the Catawba River is in danger. According the Southern Environmental Law Center, the Catawba ranks among the Top 10 Endangered Places 2010 along with rivers, wetlands, ocean stretches and natural areas from six states. The Cape Fear wetlands in North Carolina and South Carolina’s freshwater wetlands also make the list. According to southernenvironment.org, the group chose the Catawba because threats from “a low-flow scheme for hydroelectric dams that would restrict the flow of water essential to a healthy river system, and the lack of an overarching and coherent plan to protect the ecological integrity of the river and prevent over-allocation of its waters.” For full story, go to: http://www.lakewyliepilot.com/462/story/616593.html

FL: Proposed Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters EPA has proposed numeric nutrient water quality standards for lakes and flowing waters, including canals, within the State of Florida and has proposed regulations to establish a framework for Florida to develop “restoration standards” for impaired waters. EPA issued this proposed rule pursuant to a determination that EPA made on January 14, 2009, under section 303(c)(4)(B) of the Clean Water Act. For full press release, proposed standards and other information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/rules/florida/

WA: Ecology partnership, federal award save coastal wetland habitat Washington Department of Ecology – February 2, 2010 The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has secured five federal grants worth a total of nearly $4 million to help return 1,100 acres of coastal wetlands and connected freshwater and upland habitat areas in Jefferson, Pacific, Thurston and Whatcom counties back to natural conditions. Ecology is working in close partnership with the Lummi Nation, Columbia Land Trust, Capitol Land Trust, Jefferson County Land Trust, Cascade Land Conservancy, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to ensure the acquisitions will be restored and protected. Details about the five wetland restoration and preservation projects on Washington’s outer coast and in Puget Sound are available at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/wetlands/ stewardship/nwcgp.html

SC: Court's ruling protects S.C. wetlands By Sammy Fretwell – The State – February 2, 2010 The S.C. Supreme Court dealt a smashing blow Monday to developers who have tried for years to overturn state rules that safeguard coastal freshwater wetlands from unchecked development. The decision, much anticipated by environmentalists and developers, overturns a 2008 lower-court verdict that declared invalid state rules protecting freshwater wetlands along the coast. For full story, go to: http://www.thestate.com/local/story/1138269.html

MI: Humbug Marsh Will Become Michigan's First Wetland of International Importance Under the Ramsar Convention Contact: Tracy Collin – Michigan Department of Natural Resources Press Release – February 2, 2010 The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. National Ramsar Committee are pleased to announce that Humbug Marsh will become Michigan's first Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. For more information, go to: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/news/release.cfm?rid=170 and for full press release, go to: http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-7251_7253-231028--RSS,00.html

CT: Army Corps: Railroad did not fill Hawleyville wetlands By Melissa Bruen – Stamford Advocate – February 2, 2010 The results are in. After a January site survey of the Housatonic Railroad Co.'s Hawleyville facility, the Army Corps of Engineers ruled no violation of federal law took place on the property. "We have made reasonable inquiry into allegations from other parties that wetlands on the subject property were illegally filled; however, no substantive evidence has been offered," wrote Robert Desista, the chief of the Permits and Enforcement of the Regulatory Division of the Army Corps of Engineers in a Jan. 26 letter to the railroad. For full story, go to: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/?controllerName= search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22 Robert+Desista%22

WA: Environmentalists worry about proposed light rail through wetlands By Marlee Ginter – Komo News – February 1, 2010 Light rail could slice right through a cherished wildlife sanctuary in Bellevue. The city council wants Sound Transit to look at a plan that critics say will drive away wildlife. Right in Bellevue's city limits are more than 320 acres of wildlife habitat along with 7 miles of trails and several bird species. For full story, go to: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/83303462.html

MI: Experts: Preserve Great Lakes wetlands By Chenqi Guo – Traverse City Record-Eagle – February 1, 2010 The Great Lakes face another serious environmental threat besides Asian carp, experts warn: coastal wetlands disturbance. "The development of coastal wetlands is the biggest problem," said James Clift, policy director for the Michigan Environmental Council. "People are coming in and they need places for water fun development. As a result, we are losing wetlands." http://www.record-eagle.com/statenews/local_story_032074029.html

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January

NY: Hyde Park board ready to repeal wetlands law By John Davis – Poughkeepsie Journal – January 25, 2010 Residents can sound off today on the town's plan to repeal the wetlands protection law enacted in August. The newly seated Republican Town Board says the previous Democratic administration did not fully comply with state municipal law in enacting the water resource protection law. For full story, go to: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20100125/NEWS 01/1250320/Hyde-Park-board-ready-to-repeal-wetlands-law

Comments Sought on Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement GreatLakesNews – January 2010 Comments are now being accepted by the Canadian and United States Governments on Governance issues as input to the binational negotiations to amend the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). In addition to the comments already provided through the 2006-7 Review of the GLWQA, we invite you to provide new ideas or suggestions concerning the issue of Governance within the context of binational cooperation in the Great Lakes basin. If you would would like to provide additional input, please submit your comments in writing using the comment feature at http://binational.net/glwqa_2010_e.html  If you are unfamiliar with the findings and recommendations of the 2006-7 Review process, we encourage you to consult the key reference reports online at http://binational.net/glwqa_2007_e.html Additional comments on Governance are due no later than February 14, 2010

TX: Scope of oil spill's damage, cause still a mystery By Jennifer Latson, et.al. – Houston Chronicle – January 25, 2010 As cleanup efforts of Texas' worst oil spill in more than a decade continued today, Coast Guard officials were examining radio transmissions to find out what went wrong in the moments before an 800-foot tanker collided with a barge carrying chemicals off Port Arthur. Saturday morning's collision ripped a 15-by-8-foot hole in the hull of the Eagle Otome, which was loaded with Mexican crude oil intended for a Beaumont Exxon refinery. The crash dumped 462,000 gallons of oil into the intracoastal waterway in what Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said was the biggest Texas oil spill since 1994. For full story, go to: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/ 6833095.html

TX: Breathing life into wetlands: Linking healthy marshes to flood control may help Galveston proposal pass By Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle – January 24, 2010 The destruction of environmentally sensitive wetlands during one of the most recent and largest residential construction projects on Galveston Island galvanized Alice Anne O'Donell. O'Donell watched in dismay as workers surrounded each bit of wetlands with orange plastic fencing. For full article, go to: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6833389.html

New Hampshire Aquatic Resource Mitigation Program Extends Grant Application Deadline for the Winnipesaukee River Watershed The New Hampshire Aquatic Resource Mitigation Program at the Department of Environmental Services has extended the grant application deadline for funding projects within the Winnipesaukee River Watershed. The DES Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) Fund provides an in-lieu fee payment alternative for permit applicants to consider when striving to meet state and federal wetland mitigation requirements. NHDES is pleased to announce that up to $153,000 is available through the ARM Fund for eligible projects within the Winnipesaukee River Watershed. Extended Application Submission Deadline – One hard copy and one copy in PDF format of the completed application and all associated documentation are due at the DES Wetlands Bureau office ( address below ) no later than 4 p.m. on April 30, 2010. Please note DES cannot accept documents larger than 10 MB in size. The application form with instructions is available at www.des.nh.gov; just click on the “A to Z LIST,” select “Wetlands Bureau,” and look for “Mitigation” under “Related Programs” (or see http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wetlands/wmp/index.htm)

FL: EPA Proposes Standards to Protect Florida’s Waters This action would decrease the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen pollution in Florida waters. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing water quality standards to protect people’s health, aquatic life and the long term recreational uses of Florida’s waters, which are a critical part of the state’s economy. In 2009, EPA entered into a consent decree with the Florida Wildlife Federation to propose limits to this pollution. The proposed action, released for public comment and developed in collaboration with the state, would set a series of numeric limits on the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen, also known as “nutrients,” that would be allowed in Florida’s lakes, rivers, streams, springs and canals. EPA will accept public comments on the proposed standards for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. EPA will also hold three public hearings on the proposed rule in Florida to obtain input and comments on the direction of EPA’s rulemaking. These hearings are scheduled for February 16, 17 and 18, 2010 in Tallahassee, Orlando, and West Palm Beach, respectively. For more on the proposed rule and public hearings, visit: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/rules/florida/

NY: Editorial: Wetlands need some protection Editorial staff - Poughkeepsie Journal – January 22, 2010 Hyde Park's plan to scrap a wetlands protection law is a dangerous move without a firm back-up proposal in place. The newly seated Town Board should give the matter far more consideration. At bare minimum, if it does repeal the law as expected next week, the new supervisor must make good on his promise to "start from scatch" and put in place some legal protections for these critically important water bodies. For full story, go to: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20100122/ OPINION01/1220314/Editorial-Wetlands-need-some-protection

MN: Committee formed to explore white cedar wetland mitigation By Laurel Beager – International Falls Daily Journal – January 21, 2010 A new committee to be formed by Koochiching County will explore whether white cedar stands may be managed to serve as wetland credits. The committee, made up of resource managers, commissioners from Koochiching and Lake of the Woods counties, a state forester, and land surveyors, will develop a plan that would outline management techniques that would allow some or all of the county’s 13,000 acres of white cedar to be used as credits when governments need to mitigate disturbances to wetlands through development. For full story, go to: http://www.ifallsdailyjournal.com/news/county-news/committee- formed-explore-white-cedar-wetland-mitigation-laurel- beager-editor-101

MT: Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) 2010 Application Deadline Approaching Liberty County Times – January 21, 2010 Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces the 2010 offer values for Wetland Reserve Program easements. WRP is a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to landowners and Tribes to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring eligible land from agriculture. For full story, go to: http://highline.townnews.com/articles/2010/01/21/news/news7.txt

DE: Delaware Needs Working Wetlands By Molly Murray – News Journal – January 21, 2010 The Nanticoke River watershed, one of the most pristine in the state, has lost thousands of acres of wetlands since Colonial times and about 80 percent of its natural streams have been channelized. Some 28 percent of the wetlands that remain are highly fragmented and most are moderately or severely stressed, said Amy Jacobs, an environmental scientist with the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. For full story, go to: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100121/ NEWS02/1210349

LA: Coastal restoration effort moves into higher gear By Mark Schleifstein - The Times-Picayune – January 21, 2010 Embarking on its 20th year of building small to moderate-sized coastal restoration projects, the Breaux Act Task Force on Wednesday added four new projects to its list of 144 active projects and moved five more from design into construction. The decisions will result in more than $115 million being spent on the nine projects, some of which could see construction begin within a few months. For full story, go to: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/coastal_ restoration_effort_mov.html

OR: Airplane Crash Claims Lives of Two Fish and Wildlife Service Waterfowl Biologists FWS News Release – January 19, 2010 Two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists died in the crash of their small aircraft on January 17th in western Oregon. Pilot-biologist Vernon Ray (Ray) Bentley, 52, from Blodgett, Oregon, and David Sherwood (Dave) Pitkin, 49, from Bandon, Oregon, died when their plane went down west of Philomath, Oregon. The two were returning from Newport, Oregon, after a day spent flying over estuaries along the Oregon coast, counting ducks, geese and swans for the Service’s annual mid-winter waterfowl survey. For full press release, go to: http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews. cfm?newsId=47C3737C-B35D-099F-611B5E1E5B517371

CA: 'Outside the box' By Virginie Boone – Press Democrat – January 16, 2010 Ever since he was a boy, Tim Thornhill has looked for ways to do what others have told him can't be done. Case in point: A partner in Mendocino Wine Co. in Ukiah, Thornhill recently built his own wetlands to recycle the winery's wastewater, pulling from his years of experience as an arborist and horticulturist who gained fame for his ability to move gigantic heritage trees that would otherwise have been gone forever. For full story, go to: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100116/ LIFESTYLE/100119695?Title=-Outside-the-box-&tc=ar

MS: EPA fines man for wetlands violation: Waveland resident accused of illegally filling property By Donna Melton - The Sun Herald – January 16, 2010 A Waveland man has been fined $100,000 for illegally filling wetlands on his property near Edwards Bayou. The Environmental Protection Agency issued the fine against Rodney O. Corr for a violation against the federal Clean Water Act. The EPA charges that in 2004, Corr, or those acting on his behalf, illegally discharged fill material into about 14 acres of wetlands while clearing a site for commercial development at Mississippi 603 and Favre Lane. The area is adjacent to Edwards Bayou, a tributary to the Jourdan River in Hancock County. For full article, go to: http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/ news_display/140082856.html

LA: Students to catalog area's vanishing culture By Nikki Buskey – Houma Today – January 16, 2010 Remembrances of life when the landscapes of Terrebonne and Lafourche were radically different will soon be collected and stored alongside some of New Orleans' most-important historical artifacts. Teachers from Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes attended a workshop Thursday at The Historic New Orleans Collection in the French Quarter to begin a project aimed at gathering stories of the area's vanishing bayou communities from the people who lived them. For full story, go to: http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20100116/ARTICLES/ 100119504/1026

FL: Everglades still in decline, group says UPI.com – January 14, 2010 The subtropical Florida Everglades wetlands are still deteriorating a decade after Washington began a multibillion-dollar plan to restore them, advocates say. The Everglades, a victim of a half-century of environmental damage, remains unhealthy, with few species of wildlife other than birds still there and a growing number of invasive species like iguanas, Brazilian pepper plants and Australian pine trees, retired biologist Allen Trefrey told The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post. For full article, go to: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/01/14/ Everglades-still-in-decline-group-says/UPI-80471263497235/

WA: Man concerned with bushes becoming refuge for criminal activity By Candice Boutilier – Columbia Basin Herald – January 14, 2010 Attorney Harold Moberg informed Moses Lake City Council of an area near his law office he says has become a refuge for the homeless and sex offenders. The area is next to his law office on East Riviera Avenue. It’s comprised of thick Russian olive trees and other shrubs. Vagrants have made a home out of the brush complete with an entrance door and pathways. The area is covered in garbage and a broken chair. The area is designated as a protected wetland. For full article, go to: http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/ articles/2010/01/14/news/doc4b4f99a874642283733486.txt

NY: Architects Plan 'Amphibious Landscape' for New York City By Nathaniel Gronewold – New York Times – January 11, 2010 What would New York's waterfront look like after a sea level rise of 2 feet or more? Most officials paint a nightmare scenario -- huge swaths of expensive real estate permanently flooded, with frequent storms and the resultant storm surge routinely forcing mass evacuations every few years. But several architects are now painting a more positive picture, and their visions for a post-climate-change new New York have city planners interested. For full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/01/11/11climatewire-architects- plan-amphibious-landscape-for-new-45297.html

AK: Rational plan in place to retain, develop wetlands By Chris Stephens – Anchorage Daily News – January 9, 2010 I recently met with an expert on development and preservation of wetlands. Wetlands are protected under federal laws because they are important for flood control, water quality, recreation and animal habitat. For full story, go to: http://www.adn.com/money/story/1086803.html

MN: Dennis Anderson: Past reborn for duck hunting? By Dennis Anderson (Opinion) – Minneapolis Star Tribune – January 9, 2010 The DNR announced Saturday a new tack in its attempt to return ducks to the state. Chief Seattle and George Bird Grinnell, keystones in the foundation of the American conservation movement, would have smiled had they been in Brooklyn Center on Saturday afternoon. Theodore Roosevelt, too. For full opinion article, go to: http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/81076177.html?elr= KArks7PYDiaK7DUHPYDiaK7DUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

ID: Boise's innovative plan to build wetlands is being watched across the country By Bethann Stewart – Idaho Statesman – January 9, 2010 Tucked along the Dixie Drain - about four miles from Notus, Wilder and Parma - sits a piece of land that is perfect for so many things. Dean Goodner bought the 49 acres about 14 years ago for duck hunting. His Texas longhorns cluster around hay bales near a trout pond on one side of the drain, which runs to the Boise River. On the other, a pasture waits for spring. But the city of Boise now owns the property - purchased for a totally different reason. For full story, go to: http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/1035267.html

SD: Farmers Fear Expansion of Wetlands Protection By Thom Gabukiewicz – Argus Leader – January 9, 2010 Conservation groups are asking Congress to restore Clean Water Act protection to small wetlands, especially those in the Prairie Pothole region of the Upper Plains. Yet other groups, including property rights and farm and ranching interests, fear the legislation will result only in a federal land grab. The bill, SB 787 or the Clean Water Restoration Act, is at the heart of the debate. The legislation, which would remove the word "navigable" from the Clean Water Act, is awaiting debate on the Senate floor this year. For full story, go to: http://www.argusleader.com/article/20100109/ NEWS/1090331/1003/business

MI: Plant, not humans, threatening Detroit River wetlands By David Paulk – The Eastern Echo – January 6, 2010 The wetlands along the Detroit River are in danger, and the enemy is a crafty one. Hiding among its prey like a chameleon on the prowl, this invader is relentless. Usually, the greatest enemies of wetlands are humans, famous for draining or filling them in. But this time, that is not the case. For full story, go to: http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/article/2010/01/ plant_not_humans_threatening_detroit_river_wetlands

MI: Editorial: Yes to Greenseams Journal Sentinel - January 1, 2010 Want less flooding, fewer sewer overflows, fewer bypasses into Lake Michigan? Let nature do its job. That's the idea behind a program of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District that preserves green space upstream to prevent flooding downstream in area waterways. It's an idea that deserves support - and copying by municipalities and other sewerage districts. Development can often mean additional flooding for area waterways as water-soaking ground is replaced with concrete. And additional water pouring into sewers can overwhelm a sewage system, resulting in flooded basements and overflows. For full editorial, go to: http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/80418527.html

Return to Top of Page Return to State Wetland Programs

December

MA: Unclogging the bog By Robert Knox – Boston Globe – December 27, 2009 In a signature effort for the state’s environmental restoration campaign, workers have begun restoring the headwaters of the Eel River, a 5-mile coastal waterway that flows past tourist mecca Plimoth Plantation and into Plymouth Harbor through some of the town’s choicest countryside. Public and private environmental agencies say the ambitious project to return the Eel to its natural state will be good for fish, native plants, and other creatures that depend on a coastal river environment, as well as for people who fish, watch birds, and take nature walks. For full story, go to: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/12/27/massive_ effort_to_restore_eel_river_in_plymouth_begins/

NH: Wetlands need better protection Concord Monitor – December 27, 2009 In a 2006 decision involving a wetlands permit for a subdivision in Greenland, the New Hampshire Supreme Court drew a firm line that may have been on the right side of the law but was on the wrong side of the welfare of the environment. It is a ruling that lawmakers should remedy in the coming legislative session. For full story, go to: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/ 20091227/OPINION/912270341/1037/NEWS04

TX: Wetlands Reserve Program benefits Navarro County Corsicana Daily Sun – December 26, 2009 During a time of possible operational transition for landowners throughout north-central Texas, many have selected conservation programs from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help sustain their land use and the rural landscape so vital to the success of their ranches. For full story, go to: http://www.corsicanadailysun.com/local/local_story_360181356.html

FL: Wildlife drama plays out on pristine Panhandle island By Kevin Spear – Orlando Sentinel – December 25, 2009 The bloodstained dirt, the tracks of perhaps a half-dozen attackers and the lethal wounds to an enormous beast spoke of a methodical killing that Thomas Lewis has never forgotten. The federal biologist came across the scene a few years ago in the Florida Panhandle, on an island where antlered creatures five times bigger than native deer spend their days munching lily pads — until they are devoured by a top predator once declared extinct. For full story, go to: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os -incredible-florida-island-20091224,0,5475233.story

LA: YouTube video brings attention to state's coastal conservation By Daniel McBride – Daily Comet – December 24, 2009 In three minutes, Spring Gaines is hoping to save Louisiana's coast. The 24-year-old Nicholls State University graduate recently posted a video on YouTube, a Web site that showcases millions of videos, many of them user-submitted, to viewers around the world. In the video, Gaines calls upon her audience to take an active role to protect Louisiana's rapidly disappearing wetland. For full story, go to: http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20091224/ARTICLES/ 912239895/1026

OH: With dam breach deal, Brentwood’s losing its lake By Brad Dicken – the Chronicle-Telegram – December 23, 2009 A dam at Brentwood Lake in Carlisle Township that state officials have warned was “in danger of catastrophic failure” will be breached by Feb. 1, according to the terms of a settlement reached Tuesday. Spitzer Hardware & Supply Co., which owns the lake, will share the cost of the $60,000 to $70,000 project with the township and the county. Spitzer, a division of Spitzer Management, will pay for engineering and other costs, while the county and township will provide much of the manpower and equipment needed for the project. For full story, go to: http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/12/23/ with-dam-breach-deal-brentwoods-losing-its-lake/

AZ: S.787 – The Clean Water Restoration Act and its potential impact in Arizona Editorial By Gregory McKim – Phoenix Environmental News Examiner – December 21, 2010 A new bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United States has been proposed by Senator Russell Feingold of Wisconsin and currently has 24 co-sponsors in the senate. The bill was introduced and referred to the Environment and Public Works Committee on April 2nd, of 2009. The Open Congress web site dedicated to providing citizens information about the laws being made in Washington D.C. gives the following official summary of the bill. For full article, go to: http://www.examiner.com/x-33690-Phoenix-Environmental-News- Examiner~y2009m12d21-S787--The-Clean-Water-Restoration-Act- and-its-potential-impact-in-Arizona

FL: Editorial: Destroying the Everglades at 25 Cents Per Ton By Alan Farago – Counter Punch – December 21, 2009 In early December, on an unseasonably hot and humid Florida day, I sat under a large tent in a crowd of hundreds at the edge of a man-made canal draining the Everglades. On stage, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, deputy assistant secretary of the Army ‘Rock’ Salt who oversees the Corps of Engineers, Gary Guzy, deputy director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and assorted dignitaries to celebrate the decision by the Obama White House and Congress to invest in the elevation of the roadway—one mile of Tamiami Trail—allowing fresh water to flow and hopefully nourish parts of the Everglades that remain as a pale reminder of spectacular biodiversity. For full editorial, go to: http://www.counterpunch.org/farago12212009.html

VT: Ruling may clear way for upgrade of Route 2 By Peter Hirschfeld  - Times Argus/Vermont Press Bureau – December 21, 2009 Transportation officials say a recent ruling by environmental regulators could clear the way for the first phase of a long-planned upgrade of Route 2, Vermont's major east-west traffic corridor. But opponents of the project say they'll continue to challenge a plan that they believe threatens wetlands and recreational areas in central Vermont. A decade-old proposal to widen and improve three sections of Route 2 between Cabot and Danville was delayed earlier this year when the District 5 Environmental Commission – responsible for ensuring Act 250 compliance – said the Agency of Transportation's plan for wetlands mitigation didn't meet regulatory muster. For full story, visit: http://www.timesargus.com/article/20091221/NEWS01/912210339/ 1002/NEWS01

NJ: West Milford considers wetlands land swap for doomed lake By Barbara Williams – North Jersey – December 20, 2009 Its days are numbered for sure, given the state’s plan to drain it down to a dank swamp. But West Milford Lake may still have a chance to be an asset to the community. Anthony Patire, who owns the 14-acre site including the lake and its shoreline off Marshall Hill Road, wants to turn the property into a mitigation area — where an individual or group pays money to maintain it as an environmentally sensitive area in exchange for disturbing wetlands on their own property. The project must be approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection. For full story, go to: http://www.northjersey.com/news/WEST_MILFORD_CONSIDERS_ WETLANDS_LAND_SWAP.html

CA: Lagoons replenish nature’s splendor By Janet Lavelle – San Diego Union-Tribune – December 20, 2009 Look closely at the string of lagoons along coastal North County and you’ll see it: crisp, bright days of winter promising renewal. It’s at this time of year that bird populations explode in the six lagoons, as migratory fowl wing south along the Pacific Flyway in an inexorable call of breeding and survival. For full story, go to: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/dec/20/lagoons-replenish- natures-splendor/

New Oregon Wetlands Geodatabase Website Launched! A statewide wetlands geodatabase containing wetland mapping and hydric soils mapping based on NWI and SSURGO, but enhanced with extensive additional mapping from state, federal, and local governments, NGOs, nonprofits, and academia. Other datasets include FEMA flood zones, sites in the NRCS Wetland Reserve Program, existing wetland mitigation banks, boundaries of local wetland inventories, and recommended priority sites for use in wetland conservation, enhancement, and mitigation. The Oregon Explorer website is at: http://oregonexplorer.info/wetlands/

IN: Upping the ante on waterway relief By Erika Smith – Indiana Star – December 18, 2009 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been asked to play referee in an escalating fight over the way Indiana protects its waterways from pollution. On Thursday, the Hoosier Environmental Council, Environmental Law & Policy Center and Sierra Club filed a joint petition pushing the EPA to step in and force the state's Department of Environmental Management to change the way it enforces the federal Clean Water Act. For full story, go to: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/ 200912180245/NEWS/912180339

MD: Opinion: Allan Lichtman: Global warming: a state problem? By Allan Lichtman – Maryland Gazette – December 18, 2009 Maryland is one of the most vulnerable of the American states to the devastating effects of global warming. According to Chesapeake Climate Action Network, "The effects of global warming will cause massive changes. Maryland, with over 3,100 miles of coastline, is the third most vulnerable state to sea level rise — after Louisiana and Florida. With just a small rise in sea level rise, Maryland's Chesapeake Bay culture and much of the Eastern Shore will be dramatically impacted." http://www.gazette.net/stories/12182009/policol162612_32555.php

CA: Help restore salt ponds to wetlands By Meenu Gupta – Tri-City Voice – December 16, 2009 Driving over the Dumbarton Bridge and the South Bay shoreline, the salt ponds of the area are clearly visible. These manmade salt ponds were created to harvest salt occurring naturally in the Bay. Material from the Bay floor is dredged up to build the levees and create the salt ponds. For full story, go to: http://www.tricityvoice.com/articlefiledisplay.php?issue= 2009-12-16&file=story2.txt

CT: Brighton committee recommends wetland access for birders By Bill Tremblay – Northumberland News – December 15, 2009 Birders may soon be able to access Brighton's constructed wetlands. Brighton's committee of the whole agreed to recommend to council the creation of a permit for birders to access the wetlands, at its Dec. 14 meeting. The permits will cost $5. The committee of the whole agreed to recommend the permit-generated funds be used to increase environmental education of the wetlands. For full story, go to: http://www.northumberlandnews.com/news/brighton/article/142634

VT: Circumferential Highway Gets New Design By John Dillon – Vermont Public Radio – December 16, 2009 The state Transportation Agency is changing the design of the Circumferential Highway in an effort to win approval from federal agencies. Officials have re-designed the roadway to avoid destroying some wetlands. The change came after the Environmental Protection Agency opposed the original plan for a limited access highway. For full story, go to: http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/86683/

CT: Late Material on Application Causes Problem for Wetlands By Ann Compton – Voices – December 16, 2009 In spite of careful revisions made last year to its regulations, the Inland Wetlands Commission has been handed another hot potato regarding the Wykeham Rise property, the 27-acre site of a former private school at 101 Wykeham Road. The commission closed the public hearing on an application submitted by Wykeham developer Matthew Klauer on November 24 due to statutory time constraints. For full story, go to: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20395725&BRD= 1380&PAG=461&dept_id=157525&rfi=6

FL: Kissimmee River making comeback By Kevin Lollar – News-Press – December 14, 2009 Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series looking at the Everglades Restoration project and its effect on Lee County. An almost day-and-night biological change met passengers last week as the pontoon boat entered the restored section of the Kissimmee River from the C-38 canal. While the 300-foot-wide, laser-straight C-38 was dull and lifeless, the 25- to 50-foot-wide, serpentine, restored river channel exploded with wildlife, especially birds. Among the busy, often-noisy cast were great blue, little blue and tri-color herons, ospreys, wood storks and lots of alligators. http://www.news-press.com/article/20091214/GREEN/91213049/ 1075/Kissimmee-River-making-comeback

NH: N.H. sees increase in shoreland violations By Eric Parry – The Eagle Tribune – December 13, 2009 Maggie Osborn has had state inspectors at her Valcat Lane home three times since she started construction last year. The Department of Environmental Services has come to make sure she didn't violate shoreland protection laws by cutting down too many trees and letting silt wash into Big Island Pond during construction. "We've been targeted for everything," she said. For full story, go to: http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_346183926.html? keyword=secondarystory

KS: Duck season set to go green By Marc Murrell – Topeka-Capital Journal – December 12, 2009 Christmas is just around the corner. But if you're a duck hunter you might think Christmas has come early if you know where to look for some outstanding duck hunting opportunities this month. December in Kansas can provide some of the best waterfowling of the season. Waterfowlers armed with a bit of knowledge set up in the right location come sunrise might find they have a limit of ducks hanging on their duck strap in short order. For full story, go to: http://cjonline.com/sports/outdoors/2009-12-12/duck_season_set_ to_go_green

OK: Weekly Wildlife Report/Outdoor Calendar Bixby Bulletin – December 11, 2009 The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation recently recognized Tillman County Commissioner Joe Don Dickey for his role in the construction of an access road and parking lot at the Hackberry Flat Center. Following Dickey's recognition, the Commission heard a presentation from Melynda Hickman, wildlife diversity biologist for the Wildlife Department, and Alan Stacey, wetland development biologist for the Wildlife Department, on the significance of Hackberry Flat and the on-site Hackberry Flat Center, as well as the success and significance of wetland restoration projects statewide. For full report, go to: http://www.bixbybulletin.com/articles/2009/12/11/news/doc4b 217b6b1849c723641149.txt

OR: Viewing opportunities elevated at wetlands By Dick Mason – The Observer – December 11, 2009 Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area bird watchers are in for a treat. A new wooden viewing platform and walkway is giving visitors a bird’s-eye view of the Tule Lake Public Access Area of Ladd Marsh, 1.25 miles north of Highway 203 on Peach Road. The platform and walkway, mounted on concrete pillars, stand over a over a portion of Ladd Marsh, which is now an expansive sheet of ice. The area under the platform and walkway is almost impossible to walk through without ice skates or cleats. It is equally difficult to get through in the spring and summer when people have to slosh through thick mud and vegetation. For full story, go to: http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/Features/Outdoor/Recreation/ Viewing-opportunities-elevated-at-wetlands

CT: Bristol company fined for violating Clean Water Act By Diane Church – Bristol Press – December 11, 2009 A Bristol construction company was fined $21,600 for violating the Clean Water Act when it allowed unpermitted fill and sediment to enter wetlands in town. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District issued a Class 1 Administrative Penalty against Carpenter Realty Co. of Bristol. The company was issued a permit in May of 2005 authorizing it to place fill material in 999 square feet of wetlands as it built a road for access to an industrial subdivision off Queen Street. For full story, go to: http://www.bristolpress.com/articles/2009/12/11/news/doc4b 23041513930336796909.txt

MO: What's with the ducks By Staff – Constitution Tribune – December 10, 2009 As we enter the last two weeks of the Missouri 2009 North Zone duck season, area waterfowlers are wondering, "What's with the ducks?" Despite reports of a near-record fall flight, based on last May's U.S. Fish & Wildlife nesting ground census, duck hunting in north central Missouri's wetlands could best be termed "spotty." Perhaps we duck hunters had too great an expectation, what with the reported huge numbers of waterfowl poised to come down, and coming off a darn good season last year, even though duck numbers weren't as high. For full story, go to: http://www.chillicothenews.com/sports/x250081266/Whats- with-the-ducks

CA: How California Is Taking Climate Change Seriously By Gina-Marie Cheeseman – Triplepundit – December 10, 2009 California, the most populous state in the Union, takes climate change seriously. Last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled a map of what climate change might do to California. The California Energy Commission and Google.org paid the Stockholm Environment Institute to develop maps with Google Earth so Californians can see what the possible impacts of climate change might be, and how the state will need to adapt. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also released a video last week in which he argued that reducing California’s carbon dioxide levels is not enough. “We must also be prepared for some continued climate change, which is now inevitable,” he said. For full story, go to: http://www.triplepundit.com/2009/12/how-california-is-taking- climate-change-seriously/comment-page-1/

KS: Dec. 15 Approval Date Set for Wetland Applications Kansas Farmer – December 10, 2009 An approval date of Dec. 15 has been set for applications to the Wetlands Reserve Program. Eric Banks, state conservationist for the National Resources Conservation Service, said those applicants that have been determined eligible and have already had site visits will be considered for FY 2010 funding on Dec. 15. There will be a second approval ldate on Feb. 19, 2010 for additional applications. Fields subject to frequent flooding, had drainage systems installed prior to 1985, or ponded water for a period of time may be eligible for WRP.  WRP also has a requirement of land ownership for a period of seven years prior to making application.  For full story, go to: http://kansasfarmer.com/story.aspx?s=33800&c=9

NJ: EPA clears sensitive wetlands deemed off-limits to owner By Steve Prisament – Shore News – December 9, 2009 James Del Cane is not allowed to cut down a single tree on his two acres of wetlands off Pomona Road. Yet, about a month ago, the federal Environmental Protection Agency plowed out about a three-quarter-mile path and installed two wells, according to Del Cane, clearing portions of land where he has spent thousands of dollars on studies about the tree frog, barred owl, copper hawk and pine snake. Del Cane said he received a notice in the mail in early October stating the EPA’s intentions. “I called the guy right away, but he was on vacation,” he said. “I left a message, but he never returned my call.” For full story, go to: http://www.shorenewstoday.com/news.php?id=6301

NC: State digs into wetlands program By Dan Kane – News Observer – December 9, 2009 State leaders said Tuesday that they have ordered reviews of an environmental program that critics say allows double dipping from funds to replace wetlands and streams damaged by development. Gov. Bev Perdue has told her panel assigned to reform the state budget to dig into the state Ecosystem Enhancement Program, while Senate leader Marc Basnight sent the work to the legislature's Program Evaluation Division. Both Democrats said through spokespeople that they are concerned about how the program is operating. For full article, go to: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/232261.html

NY: Wingdale development's environmental review process is in final stages By Michael Woyton – Poughkeepsie Journal – December 9, 2009 Six years after the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center was purchased from the state, the Dover Town Board will begin final steps in the environmental review process Wednesday. Supervisor Ryan Courtien said the board would review the final environmental impact study created for the Knolls of Dover project, a proposal to build a transit-oriented development with homes, stores, offices and recreational facilities on the 931-acre site in Wingdale. For full story, go to: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/ 20091209/NEWS01/912090328

NH: Concord NRC to hold hearing on wetlands regulations Concord Journal – December 9, 2009 The Concord Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will hold a public meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10, to present a draft of the wetlands regulations for approval at Town Meeting 2010. The meeting will be held in the Hearing Room at the Town House, 22 Monument Square, at 7:30 p.m. At Town Meeting 2009, the NRC presented and voters passed a Non-Zoning Wetlands Bylaw to improve the town’s ability to protect Concord’s wetlands and riverfront areas. The bylaw focused on three main areas: protection of certified vernal pools and the 25-foot no disturb zone, and compliance. For full story, go to: http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/ x987136586/Concord-NRC-to-hold-hearing-on-wetlands-regulations

NY: Editorial: What ‘Talking Gardens’ say Editorial Staff – Democrat Herald – December 10, 2009 U.S. Senators John McCain and Tom Coburn were having fun with the federal stimulus program in their latest report, and you can see why Albany’s wastewater wetlands project got on their list of questionable spending of taxpayer dollars. […] It is questionable because it is the result of questionable regulations under the federal Clean Water Act. Regulations based on the act demand that the city do something about the “heat” of its wastewater. This wetlands project is expensive, but city officials say other solutions — cooling towers, for example — would cost even more. For full editorial, go to: http://www.democratherald.com/news/opinion/editorial/ article_c7bba72a-e5f3-11de-841a-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story

CA: Panel OKs permit for soil cap on wetlands site By Joe Segura – Long Beach Press Telegram – December 3, 2009 The city's Planning Commission approved a special permit for the capping of a Los Cerritos Wetlands habitat area Thursday night. The commission, however, added the requirement that the area be restored with plants and trees. The unanimous vote, following three hours of testimony, includes instructions to the city staff to outline options on the level of restoration. Commissioner Donita Van Horik made the motion to require the restoration. "At this point, we need to say, `Enough is enough,"' she said. For full story, go to: http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_13923114

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November

CO: Protection Sought for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout under the Endangered Species Act By Noah Greenwald – ENN – November 24, 2009 "The Colorado River cutthroat trout has been lost from most of its range and needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act," said Noah Greenwald, endangered species program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "The only reason the trout was denied protection was because of a Bush policy that called for ignoring a species' lost historic range when determining whether a species is endangered."  For full story, go to: http://www.enn.com/press_releases/3174

OH: New Wetlands a Legacy to Late Waterfowler By Steve Pollick – Toledo Blade – November 24, 2009 Sometimes wetlands conservationists, faced with the daunting task of restoring and rebuilding the nation's vanishing marshes and wet prairies and woodlands, must feel like the mythical Little Dutch Boy - thumb in the dike, holding back the angry North Sea. Then comes a golden late-autumn afternoon in the sleepy countryside hard by Sandusky Bay, and suddenly prospects for the low-lying world where land and water merge looks a mite brighter. For full story, go to: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091124/COLUMNIST22/911240376/-1/SPORTS06

RI: Mistake in Mapping Results in Wetlands Violation by Provincetown By Kevin Mullaney – Wicked Local Provincetown – November 23, 2009 An alleged mapping error by the town is being blamed for the clearing of vegetation within the 100-foot buffer zone of a wetland along Route 6 without permission from the town’s conservation commission, an error that has infuriated some residents, the board of selectmen and the conservation commission. The issue was brought before selectmen last Monday by Miriam Collinson, owner of the Dunes Edge Campground, on the south side of Route 6. For full story, go to: http://www.wickedlocal.com/provincetown/town_info/government/x1792903421/Mistake-in-mapping-results-in-wetlands-violation-by-Provincetown

LA: State Asks Feds to Use Dredged Sediment for Wetland Repairs By Scott Satchfield – WWLTV News – November 23, 2009 Louisiana officials believe the key to saving the state's coastal wetlands sits along the bottom of the Mississippi River. Problem is, instead of using river sediment for our benefit, officials point out that the Army Corps of Engineers discards it. "The corps dredges millions of cubic yards each year -- sediment that should be going to restore our coast, instead is being washed out into the gulf," said Scott Angelle, who heads up the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. For full story, go to: http://www.wwltv.com/news/State-asks-Feds-to-use-dredged-sediment-for-wetland-repairs-71932802.html

WA: Salmon Center Embraces New Belfair Farm Home By Christopher Dunagan – Kitsap Sun – November 22, 2009 Growing crops and rearing alpacas have been added to the list of programs being conducted by Pacific Northwest Salmon Center, which recently moved into its new home near the Belfair wetlands. For the first time in years, staffers from the salmon center and Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group are located together in offices and laboratories at a single location — specifically the old Jack Johnson farm, which was acquired with state grants and local contributions. An open house has been scheduled for Dec. 9 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the center, which is located at the end of Roessel Road in Belfair. “It’s been a long path,” said salmon center President Fred Barrett, “but we’re finally here.” Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/nov/22/salmon-center-embraces-new-farm-home/#ixzz0XodvNwSu

NY: Town's Lax Tree Laws Fuel Anger By Sandra Tan – Buffalo Times – November 22, 2009 William Huntress has spent much of the last three years cutting down thousands of trees, filling in wetlands and digging drainage ditches on property he owns near Wehrle Drive in Amherst — all in violation of town and federal law. Yet flouting the community and the law has come fairly cheaply: a $1,000 fine. "This is really a joke, and Huntress knows it's a joke," said Ann Suchyna, one of Huntress' most outspoken critics. "It's such an insult to the taxpayers, the Amherst residents. He basically has wiped out the forest." For full story, go to: http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/869741.html

NJ: Kinnelon Acquires Wetlands By Scott Fallon – North Jersey Record – November 21, 2009 The Borough Council approved the purchase and preservation of a 169-acre tract of wetlands and forest Thursday night for $2.8 million, ending a long debate over its future. Known as the Weber Tract, the land was the last large developable parcel in the borough. The property, adjacent to Silas Condict Park, near Maple Lake and Kinnelon roads, was slated for a 150-unit town house development for seniors. However, the 2004 Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act effectively smothered the proposal with new regulations aimed at protecting key water-generating lands. For full story, go to: http://www.northjersey.com/news/environment/70684937.html

KS: Fall Family Field Trip to Wakarusa Wetlands Opinion by Alison Reber – Kansas City Environmental News Examiner – November 20, 2009 Take a fall break family field trip to Baker Wetlands (Lawrence), one of the regions most celebrated habitat restoration and outdoor education sites.   Baker University Wetlands, south of Lawrence, along with adjacent wetlands on the Haskell Indian Nations University campus are but small remenants of what was once a vast wetland complex along the Wakarusa River.   Over the last 100 years, wetlands in the Wakarusa River watershed have been largely drained and altered for agricultural and development purposes. However, intensive farming was abandoned in the Haskell Bottoms area nearly 35 years ago and habitat restoration efforts began in the mid-'80s. For full story, go to: http://www.examiner.com/x-28239-Kansas-City-Environmental-News-Examiner~y2009m11d20-Fall-Family-Field-Trip-to-Wakarusa-Wetlands

NC: When is Credit Stacking a Souble Dip? By Alice Kenny – Ecosystem Marketplace – November 16, 2009 In North Carolina's Neuse River Basin, where stunning vistas of overhanging birch branches and sandstone bluffs compete with a river tainted by polluted runoff, two titans of the mitigation banking industry wage a battle for the conscience, credibility –and cash – of the emerging mitigation banking business. Call it the Battle of the Georges – George Kelly, that is, founder of Environmental Banc and Exchange, or EBX, and current president of the National Mitigation Banking Association; and George Howard, former director of the association and co-founder and president of Restoration Systems. For full story, go to: http://ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/article.news.php? component_id=7229&component_version_id=11034&language_id=12e

LA: Coastal restoration projects demand unified effort, Louisiana leaders say by Bruce Alpert – Louisiana Politics – November 4, 2009 The Obama administration should quickly establish a system to coordinate hundreds of millions of dollars in anticipated federal financing for coastal restoration, Louisiana political and business leaders said Wednesday in Washington, D.C. http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/11/coastal_restoration_projects_d.html

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October

DE: Green light for dredging of Delaware By Thomas Fitzgerald – Philidelphia Inquierer – October 26, 2009 The Army Corps of Engineers has decided to allow dredging to deepen the shipping channel of the Delaware River despite objections from Delaware state officials, clearing the way for a project long sought to benefit ports in the Philadelphia region. Jo-Ellen Darcy, assistant Army secretary for civil works, decided Friday to continue to rely on her predecessor's determination that a permit from Delaware was not needed to proceed, according to officials familiar with the issue. "It's a giant matter of jobs," said Sen. Arlen Specter (D., Pa.), who took the lead in pushing for the decision with Gov. Rendell and Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.). "I think the merits are pretty plain, and there are no environmental downsides." For full story, go to: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20091026_Green_light_for_ dredging_of_Delaware.html

FL: Wetland Mitigation Bank Acknowledged by Ramsar The Wetlandsbank Group is proud to be acknowledged for another milestone reached by the Mitigation Banking Industry.  The associated Panther Island Mitigation Bank pantherisland.blogspot.com project has become the first wetland mitigation bank to be certified as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in its association with Audubon of Florida's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary corkscrew.audubon.org, home of the largest stand of Bald Cypress trees in the world. For more information, visit: wetlandsbank.com

MD: Beaver dam removal prompts concern over wetland By Andrea Noble – Business Gazette – October 22, 2009 Bill Greene used to enjoy the tranquility of the pond that once backed up to his and about 20 other houses in the Olde Stage Knolls neighborhood in Bowie. The pond, which was there before the housing development was built more than 18 years ago, was made by a beaver dam, said Greene and his neighbor, Jeanette Rodkey. But the beavers and the dam were removed and the pond consequently drained in March at the request the Olde Stage Homeowners Association, HOA president David Perroto said. For full story, go to: http://www.gazette.net/stories/10222009/bowinew111217_32524.shtml

MD: Nutria Control Legislation Presented By Greg Latshaw – Delmarva Daily Times – October 22, 2009 Nutria are pudgy, semi-aquatic rodents who aren't native to Maryland but have made their presence known because of their appetite for wetland plants. On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Frank M. Kratovil, D-1st-Md., and Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., took aim at them by introducing the Nutria radication and Control Act of 2009. The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to fund programs that coastal states are using to control nutria populations. For full story, go to: http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20091022/NEWS01/910220345/-1/newsfront2/Nutria-control-legislation-presented

MD: Senator discusses conflict between farming and watershed By Jack Brubaker – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal – October 21, 2009 Can Lancaster County's farmers help clean up the Chesapeake Bay's watershed without damaging the agricultural economy? State Sen. Mike Brubaker asked nearly 100 people attending the county's first agricultural summit how many think that dual goal is impossible. No hands went up in the air. Brubaker was "preaching to the choir," as someone later characterized the county commissioners, township supervisors, planners, farmers, agri-business representatives and others attending the summit. For full story, go to: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/243735#

CT: Railroad environmentalist acknowledges wetlands By Melissa Bruen – Danbury News-Times – October 21, 2009 An environmentalist hired by Housatonic Railroad identified three areas of wetland and a Pond Brook tributary on the railroad's Hawleyville property -- where the railroad wants to expand its waste transfer facility -- in addition to a primary wetland on a neighboring site. "What is important to this process is the fact that regardless of the outcome of the permit process now before the (Department of Environmental Protection), our railroad, like the trucks we compete with, must serve its customers and must meet its common carrier obligations," F. Colin Pease, vice president of the railroad, said at the Oct. 14 Inland Wetlands Commission hearing. […] Stevens noted the possibility this area may support obligate vernal pool species -- meaning wood frogs, spotted salamanders and fairy shrimp -- but that cannot be determined at this time of year. "The dominant wetland functions provided by this small, isolated wetland area…” For full article, go to: http://www.newstimes.com/latestnews/ci_13602736

CA: Menlo Park to consider a stand on Cargill project By Shaun Bishop – San Jose Mercury News – October 21, 2009 Menlo Park should consider taking a stand on the controversial proposal to build a massive development on the Cargill salt lands, even though the project is located in Redwood City, city council members said Tuesday. The council voted 4-1 to place on a future council agenda a resolution opposing the Cargill project, which includes up to 12,000 homes on 1,436 acres of land just north of Menlo Park's Bayfront Park. Council members Andy Cohen and Kelly Fergusson proposed the resolution, which says in part that the proposal "seeks to reverse long-standing regional and local policies to protect the Bay and its wetlands." For full story, go to: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_13607568

LA: Study: The Big Muddy can save coastal Louisiana By Cain Burdeau – Houston Chronicle – October 20, 2009 A study released Tuesday estimates that there is enough sediment in the Mississippi River to save large areas of coastal Louisiana from sinking into the Gulf of Mexico if half of the river's muddy waters were diverted into the disappearing wetlands on either side of the river. The study, in a publication by the American Geophysical Union, predicted that between 271 square miles and 470 square miles of land could be built in a century by diverting 45 percent of the Mississippi's flow into two badly degraded basins south of New Orleans. For full story, go to: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6677540.html

FL: Wetlands buffer relaxed; environmentalists peeved By Will Hobson – News Herald – October 21, 2009 The Bay County Commission approved an amended comprehensive plan Tuesday which relaxed the buffer requirements set around wetlands. Local environmental activists said this could further erode land preservation laws, which they say are already inadequate. Representatives of the St. Andrew Bay Resource Management Association protested a change to the comprehensive plan’s 30-foot buffer zone, which requires 30 feet of untouched land between a development and wetlands. For full story, go to: http://www.newsherald.com/news/relaxed-78445-buffer-wetlands.html

MA: Study Points to Potentially Harmful Increase in Golf Course Stream Temperatures Contact: Evan Lubofsky – Onset Computer Corporation Press Release – October 20, 2009 The green movement impacts many aspects of the golfing industry, and has led to a heightened focus on the role courses have on local environments. While researchers have traditionally looked at the impact of course runoff and potential non-point source pollution on stream chemistry, significantly less work has been done on studying their effects on physical characteristics like stream water temperature. Kevin Ashman, a researcher with Georgia Southern University, and his team recently studied a comparative analysis of stream water temperatures at six different golf courses in Greenville, South Carolina. For full press release, go to:  http://www.onsetcomp.com/corporate/press_releases/study-points-to-potentially-harmful-increase-in-golf-course-stream-temperatures#   For a photo of the researchers doing the study, go to: http://www.onsetcomp.com/sites/all/themes/foliage/images/pressReleases/golf-stream-temp-300dpi.jpg

MN: Families learn during Wildlife Refuge Week By Tom Hintgen – Fergus Falls Daily Journal – October 19, 2009 Grandparents hosting children and grandchildren over the weekend knew that a visit to the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, as part of National Wildlife Refuge Week, was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up. “This was well worth the half hour drive,” said Nelsene McGinn who lives at East Lost Lake. Her daughter, Adrienne Hawkinson, and grandsons Gavin and Jack, enjoyed taking part in several activities Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the wetlands learning center on the south side of Fergus Falls. For full story, go to: http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2009/oct/19/families-learn-during-wildlife-refuge-week/# For more information on events that occurred around the nation for Wildlife Refuge Week, go to:  http://aswm.org/wordpress/?p=504

Obama Told Only "Robust and Effective Federal Effort" Can Ensure "Coastal Louisiana's Survival" ENN – October 14, 2009 On the eve of President Obama's visit to New Orleans on Thursday, Louisiana elected officials, local, state and national group leaders today sent the president a letter advising him that "a robust and effective federal effort...is necessary" to ensure "coastal Louisiana's survival." The letter signers include Governor Bobby Jindal, U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, U.S. Reps. Steve Scalise, Joseph Cao, Charlie Melancon, and Charles Boustany, Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp, National Audubon Society President John Flicker and National Wildlife Federation President Larry Schweiger, among others. For full story, go to: http://world-wire.com/news/0910140002.html

VA: Biologists, company work together to save wetlands, mole salamander By Liz Barry – Lynchburg News & Advance – October 12, 2009 There’s an eerie silence at the edge of the quarry, where barren rock meets the forest’s end. About 20 feet back, under a canopy of willow oaks and red maples, lies the breeding ground of one of Virginia’s rarest amphibians: the mole salamander. In 15 to 20 years, as the Boxley Materials Company mines rock for sidewalks and roads, the quarry edges in Nelson County will extend into the forest, swallowing the wetlands where the salamanders reproduce. For full story, go to: http://www2.newsadvance.com/lna/news/local/article/biologists_company_work_ together_to_save_wetlands_mole_salamander/20301/

NY: DEC Proposes Tidal Wetlands Guidance Documents Contact: Bill Fonda – New York DEC  News Release – October 9, 2009 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced the availability of a new set of guidance documents to assist the public and DEC in the preparation and review of tidal wetlands permits. "The guidance documents are intended to help give the public a better understanding of the requirements and terminology used in the tidal wetlands permitting process," Commissioner Grannis said. "If applicants and other landowners know up-front what will be considered during a DEC permit review, they will be better able to design their projects to meet the standards contained in state regulations and ultimately help in maintaining our wetlands as productive, cleansing, and protective ecosystems." Public Comment Period on the Proposed Changes Runs Until Nov. 6, 2009. For full news release, go to: http://readme.readmedia.com/news/show/DEC-Proposes-Tidal-Wetlands-Guidance-Documents/966271

NY: Invasives a growing threat to Adirondacks By Martha Foley – North Country Public Radio – October 9, 2009 Adirondack Park Agency commissioners were given a status report yesterday on what’s considered to be the biggest threat to the ecology of the Adirondacks. Invasive species like milfoil and phragmities are spreading fast throughout the Park, clogging waterways and taking over wetlands. Hillary Smith is director of the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program. “This threat of invasive species is worsening,” she said. “I saw a real window of opportunity in the Adirondacks and even in my short time here that window is closing. There still are lots of opportunities for us. But the reality is the situation is very much an urgent one and it’s a growing problem.” For full story, go to: http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/14504/invasives-a-growing-threat-to-adirondacks%20

Queen of the marsh By Jennifer Anderson – Sustainable Life – October 8, 2009 As executive director of The Wetlands Conservancy, a statewide nonprofit based in Tualatin, Lev is one of the region’s prominent conservationists, known for her standout people skills. Over the past 18 years, Lev has worked to restore and preserve ’s wetlands – marshy areas that provide vital wildlife habitat and the potential to forestall climate change. “A lot of being effective in any area is the ability to have big ideas, get other people inspired by big ideas,” says Jeanne Christie, executive director of the New York-based Association of State Wetland Managers. “I think Esther’s demonstrated that many times over the years.” For full article, go to: http://www.sherwoodgazette.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=125477770743001900

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September

Ecology adopts wetland mitigation banking rule Othello Outlook – September 24, 2009 The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has adopted a new rule that establishes criteria and a certification process for wetland mitigation banks across the state. Lauren Driscoll, who oversees Ecology’s wetland mitigation banking program, said the final rule contains provisions to ensure mitigation bank sites comply with and support local shoreline regulations, as well as support local salmon recovery, surface water recovery and watershed management plans. For full article, go to: http://othellooutlook.com/?p=4893

IN: New Geology Course Takes Learning to Next Level with Wetlands Research

By Bailee Souder – Indiana State University – September 18, 2009 Two charter buses filled with Indiana State University students headed into West Terre Haute Saturday (Sept. 12) to get down and dirty with wetlands research. Upon arrival, the students of the newly added geology course, Introduction to Environmental Science, headed out into the woods to take on a day of hands-on learning and a few mosquito bites. Walking down small, underdeveloped trails and stomping through mud in Vigo County's wetlands to collect water and soil samples was part of the day-long learning experience for the students. Jim Speer and Jennifer Latimer, assistant professors in the department of geography, geology and anthropology, received funding for the trip from the Center for Public Service and Community Engagement. For full story, go to: http://www.indstate.edu/news/news.php?newsid=1929

CO: Garfield County continues to debate resolution on DeGette's FRAC Act

By David Williams – Real Vale – September 18, 2009 “[The Colorado rule] is going to allow those leases to be developed and eviscerate the Thompson Creek roadless area, which is Carbondale’s backyard and a Colorado watershed,” Shoemaker told RealVail.com last year.   http://www.realvail.com/RealBiz/821/Garfield-County-continues-to-debate-resolution-on- DeGettes-FRAC-Act.html  For information on the state’s proposal, visit: http://dontsellcoshort.org/?page_id=5

CA: Wetlands numbers already for birds

By Peter Ottesen – Stockton Record – September 16, 2009 With elegant silhouettes that blacken the sky, and calls and whistles that break the early-morning silence, the fall migration of millions of waterfowl into California's Central Valley brings solace to outdoors enthusiasts that all is well with the natural world. At least the world of ducks and geese. At a time when there is so much wrong with our environment, these amazing birds, some of which fly 2,000 miles and more without stopping to rest, are proof that hunter-conservationists and habitat managers do make a difference. A huge difference. For full story, go to: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090916/A_SPORTS03/909 160327/-1/NEWSMAP#STS=fzr5u074.1l4n

VA: 'Learning Barge' ready to teach about wetlands on the river

By Scott Harper – Virginian Pilot – September 15, 2009 It looks like a giant floating garden - big, wide and gray - with marsh plants growing on its deck amid walkways and oyster shells. Among its features: solar panels, compost toilets, sun-powered lights shaped like little fish, recycled water spouts, and two wind turbines whirling on top. This quirky behemoth is called the Learning Barge, a $1.2 million vessel dedicated to environmental education and designed for a zero ecological footprint. For full story, go to: http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/learning-barge-ready-educate

MS: Delta wetlands project approved

Sun Herald – September 15, 2009 More than $921,000 in grants will be provided for a public-private project to protect 2,800 acres of wetlands in Mississippi's Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex. U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran says the funds were approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. Cochran, a commission member, says the funds will be matched with almost $2.5 million in private money from Ducks Unlimited, Wetlands American Trust, Walker Foundation, and three private landowners. The private sector participants are contributing 1,952 acres. Another 840 acres is part of Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and Morgan Brake National Wildlife Refuge.  For full story, go to: http://www.sunherald.com/218/story/1605790.html

OK: A Return to Dry Land

Wide Angles – National Wildlife Refuge System – September 10, 2009 More than sixty-five years ago the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Washita River in southern Oklahoma, submerging much of the 13,000-acre Washita Farm beneath Lake Texoma. Today, rooftops of the former agricultural showplace poke through the lake — evocative features of Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, one of very few refuges to boast an underwater ghost town. But the land is fighting back. The lake is silting so heavily that it could disappear in 25 to 50 years. And that worries some local residents, who’ve come to depend on it for fishing (they use the rooftops to cast for crappie, white bass and catfish). It also poses a conservation challenge for the refuge, created to protect migratory birds. For full story, go to: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/MediaTipSheet/September_2009/01.html

MA: New wetlands bylaw proposed in Norton

By Merideth Holford – Norton Mirror – September 9, 2009 Pamphlets explaining a proposed wetlands bylaw, which will strengthen the restrictions that safeguard the town’s water supply, are available at the conservation office. Town conservation agent Jennifer Carlino told selectmen, however, the bylaw, an expansion of regulations already mandated by the state, will not halt development. More than half of Massachusetts communities have wetlands protection bylaws specific to that town, but Norton so far has gotten by with setback and buffer zone protections that, although rarely appealed, offer the town little real legal protection. For full story, go to: http://www.wickedlocal.com/norton/news/x939037679/New-wetlands-bylaw- proposed-in-Norton

LA: Corps issues permit for I-12 interchange near Mandeville

By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch - The Times-Picayune – September 8, 2009 The Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday granted a permit that clears the way for construction of a long-awaited interchange at Interstate 12 and Louisiana 1088 near Mandeville. The $20 million project has been in the works for nearly two decades, initially spurred by traffic concerns in rapidly growing St. Tammany Parish. Finally, its need was exacerbated by the Aug. 7 opening of the new Lakeshore High School along Louisiana 1088 north of I-12. St. Tammany Parish schools Superintendent Gayle Sloan had hoped the interchange would be in place for the school's opening. Instead, students and employees have had to take a circuitous route to get to the $47 million school. For full story, go to: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/09/corps_issues_permit_for_i12_in.html

CA: Wetlands backers race against time

By Joe Segura – Long Beach Press-Telegram – September 8, 2009 Environmentalists hope to beat a Thursday deadline to keep the door open for future reviews on the potential impacts of projects at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. City Hall officials have repeatedly expressed support for efforts to restore the sensitive habitat, but during the heated debate over a proposed land swap deal they filed for a categorical exemption to environmental impact reviews - drastically blocking future examinations, unless a challenge is filed by Thursday. Deputy City Attorney Mike Mais said the exemption is allowed if there is simply a preservation of a space or natural area. "The purpose is to preserve the wetlands," he said Tuesday. For full story, go to: http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_13293979

Are Bonaire’s Mangroves Slipping Away? Can they be Restored?

By Pauline Kayes – Bonaire Reporter – September 4, 2009 Roy “Robin” Lewis, wetland ecologist, offered a frank assessment of the condition of the mangrove forest at Lac Bay recently “It is in big trouble. Many mangroves have died because of the impact of animals (mostly goats) and humans. Left alone it will die. It needs recovery yesterday!” This grim verdict follows marine biologist Brian La Pointe’s statement two years ago that Bonaire’s reefs were at the “point of no return.” For full story, go to: http://aswm.org/wbn/sept09/lewis_bonaire_article_reporter0821.pdf

WA: Washington Department of Ecology Adopts New Wetland Banking Rule

By Ashley DeForest – Washington Dept. of Ecology – September 4, 2009 The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) adopted a new rule establishing criteria and a certification process for wetland mitigation banks across the state according to a press release issued yesterday. Lauren Driscoll, who oversees Ecology’s wetland mitigation banking program, said the final rule contains provisions to ensure mitigation bank sites comply with and support local shoreline regulations, as well as support local salmon recovery, surface water recovery and watershed management plans. For full press release, go to: http://www.northwesthub.org/ecology-wetland-mitigation-bank-rule-132

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August

OH: Filling of wetlands continues as developers protest proposed rules More than 477 acres have been covered since plan stalled in 2006

By Spencer Hunt – Columbus Dispatch – August 30, 2009 A state plan to better protect streams and wetlands from development stalled three years ago after business groups complained that it would cost too much to comply. In the meantime, from 2006 to 2008, more than 477 acres of wetlands and 106 miles of streams were filled in, according to Ohio Environmental Protection Agency records. "It's become more and more frustrating," said Trent Dougherty, staff attorney for the Ohio Environmental Council. "We're still living under rules that ultimately aren't as protective as these new rules would be. http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/08/30/ stalled.html?sid=101

LA: Opinion: Four years after Katrina, a mix of progress and inertia

USA Today – August 28, 2009 Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast four years ago, was an eye-opener for all Americans. The inability of New Orleans to cope was shocking. The levees built to protect the city were failures. The follies of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were maddening. Surely a tragedy of this scale (more than 1,600 deaths in Louisiana and Mississippi), a humiliation of this magnitude, would prompt officials to prepare better for the next major hurricane. With Tropical Storm Danny threatening the Northeast this weekend, and other storms potentially to come this hurricane season, it would be nice to believe that Katrina's lessons have been learned. For full editorial, go to: http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/08/our-opinion-four-years-after-katrina.html#more

FL: Discharge: Where IP stands

Pensacola News Journal – August 17, 2009 The main question about Perdido Bay-area residents’ challenge to a proposed wastewater discharge permit for the International Paper Co. mill in Cantonment? Whether it really matters. Critics — who have carried challenges through two administrative hearings — say the ultimate problem is that Perdido Bay is too small to handle the approximately 20 million gallons a day of wastewater expected. Today, they say, the mill — opened in 1941 — couldn’t get a permit to dump wastewater into the bay. For full story, go to: http://www.pnj.com/article/99999999/NEWS10/90814016

UT: Snowbird Owner Threatens Own Resort, All Skiing, With Alaska Coal Mine Proposal

Contact: Bruce Baizel – Earthworks – August 17, 2009 A huge coal strip-mining operation proposed on Alaska's Chuitna River by the owner of the Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort in Utah has drawn the ire of groups concerned about the mine's contribution to global warming. Richard Bass, who owns the prominent Utah resort, has partnered with William H. Hunt to form PacRim Coal LLC, which has submitted permit applications to build a coal mine directly on top of 11 miles of prime salmon fisheries feeding the Cook Inlet. Nearly all the coal excavated from the mine, located about 45 miles from Anchorage, would be exported to coal markets in China and other Pacific Rim countries. The Chuitna mine would produce more than 12 million tons of coal annually, which when burned, would emit more than 27 million tons of carbon dioxide. For full article, go to: http://www.earthworksaction.org/PR_Snowbird-Chuitna.cfm

NY: Plan to protect wetlands presses on in Hyde Park

By John Davis – Poughkeepsie Journal – August 17, 2009 Some in town applaud revisions to a proposed wetlands protection law as making it less burdensome to landowners. Others say the ordinance would still be too restrictive or unfair. Supporters and critics of the latest draft of the water resources protection law sounded off last week at a town hall hearing. "We've come up with a law maybe not everyone is crazy about, but one which everyone can live with," Michael Rubbo, a member of the Hyde Park Conservation Advisory Council, said at the town hall hearing last week. For full story, go to: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090817/NEWS01/908170319/1006

NV: Union Pacific Agrees to Restore Nevada Streams, Wetlands

ENS – August 17, 2009 Union Pacific Railroad Company has agreed to settle alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act in Nevada by restoring 122 acres of mountain desert streams and wetlands at an estimated cost of $31 million. As part of the settlement, the railroad will also implement stormwater controls at its construction sites and pay an $800,000 civil penalty. The settlement resolves a complaint filed August 6 by the United States against Union Pacific alleging multiple violations of the Clean Water Act stemming from the railroad's activities in Clover Creek and Meadow Valley Wash in 2005. For full story, go to: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2009/2009-08-17-091.asp

CA: Friends of Ballona Wetlands receives SCE grant

Daily Breeze – August 17, 2009 Friends of Ballona Wetlands received a $40,000 grant Monday from Southern California Edison to help fund community outreach and education programs, the nonprofit group announced. "People need to understand how important these remaining wetlands are to the entire region," said Lisa Fimiani, co-executive director of Friends of Ballona Wetlands, which was created in 1978 to protect the roughly 600 acres of wetlands that are home to hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife. For full article, go to: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_13145816

VA: Opinion: Ann Jennings and William Street: Stormwater Regs Will Help Save the Bay

By Ann Jennings and William Street - Richmond Times-Dispatch – August 16, 2009 Cleanup of Virginia's rivers and the Chesapeake Bay is being overwhelmed by stormwater pollution -- the water that runs off rooftops, lawns, parking lots, and streets into state waterways whenever it rains. Stormwater runoff often contains dirt, bacteria, fertilizers, and chemicals and is a major reason why more than 9,000 miles of state rivers and streams and the Bay are so polluted they are deemed not "fishable and swimmable" by Virginia and the federal EPA. For full story, go to: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/op_ed/article/ED-STORM16_20090814-201802/286071/

MI: Opinion: Senator's idea could save wetlands act

South Bend Tribune – August 16, 2009 Few goals are as important to Michigan as ensuring the health of its unique and fragile eco-system. Any other time, a compromise on wetlands protection would be unthinkable. This year, state Sen. Patricia Birkholz's proposal to save Michigan's program is worth exploring. Facing a $1.6 billion budget deficit, Gov. Jennifer Granholm has proposed repeal of Michigan's Wetlands Protection Act and returning regulatory duties to the federal government. For full story, go to: http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20090816/Opinion/908169962/1062/Opinion

TN: Effect on wetlands from Tenn. 385 expands costs

By Tom Charlier – Memphis Commercial Appeal – August 16, 2009 To build the last 7.7-mile stretch of the Tenn. 385 highway loop around Memphis, the state will pay for more than just asphalt, concrete and steel. Because the project will cause the most environmental damage of any area road in recent memory, the Tennessee Department of Transportation also must invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in efforts to restore wetlands and streams. For full story, go to: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/ aug/16/effect-on-wetlands-from-tenn-385-expands-03/

VA: King William Reservoir: How did Newport News spend $51.2M?

By Sabine Hirschauer – Daily Press – August 16, 2009 As of June 2, the city has purchased 38 pieces of land totaling 821.86 acres and has eight pieces of land under contract, according to city records. This accounts for about 20 percent of all the land needed for the reservoir, said Dave Morris, the project manager. The land includes property needed to build the reservoir, as well as land to mitigate the loss of more than 400 acres of wetlands. In many instances, the city paid much more than appraised value to avoid court battles, Morris said. For full story, go to: http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_kwreservoirbar_0816aug16,0,6367601.story

MD: Our Bay: Dredging dilemma

By Pamela Wood – The Capital – August 15, 2009 Any attempt to bring back the Chesapeake Bay's flagging oyster population requires a key ingredient: oyster shells. The shells are a key part of the recipe for growing and planting oysters: baby oysters created in a lab attach to old shells; the shells are used to build up the base of sanctuary oyster reefs; and they're the centerpiece of a controversial shell-moving program called repletion that benefits watermen. For full story, go to: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/env/2009/08/15-17/Our-Bay-Dredging- dilemma.html

VA: VIMS Wants to use Federal Grant to Buy Marshy Island

By Matt Sabo – Newport News – August 15, 2009 The Virginia Institute of Marine Science is poised to buy 455 acres of marshy York River islands from a developer in order to safeguard years of ongoing research in what could be a $1.45 million deal for land that's already protected by a conservation easement. For full story, go to: http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_catlettislands_0815aug15,0,5735219.story

IA: Saving wetlands may fall to waterfowlers

By Tim Ackarman – Globe Gazette – August 15, 2009 The Waterfowl Association of Iowa (WAI) held its fifth annual Iowa Waterfowl Summit in North Iowa last Saturday. Wildlife biologist Greg Hanson with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) led a tour of Union Hills Waterfowl Production Area south of Clear Lake. The area features more than 2,000 acres including prairie potholes, uplands, food plots and limited production agriculture. For full story, go to: http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2009/08/15/news/latest/doc4a86486edb 81f907756685.txt

NJ: Beetles feasting on pretty weeds threatening N.J. wetlands

By Brian Murray – The Star-Ledger – August 14, 2009 Purple loosestrife has raised its pretty head again this summer. But agricultural officials say the invasive and troublesome swamp plant that once threatened to choke off Garden State wetlands does not stand a chance of getting past a tiny army of weed killers New Jersey agricultural agents are releasing. While the hue of the loosestrife's magenta blooms may occasionally taint roadside ditchess and wetlands, it has faded on the landscape because of thousands of tiny beetles munching away at the weeds. For full story, go to: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/beetles_feasting_on_pretty_wee.html

MS:  Mississippi River Gulf Outlet wetlands restoration topic of discussion in Chalmette

By Times-Picayune – August 11, 2009 The "MRGO Must GO" coalition held a community forum in Chalmette on August 11th to discuss wetlands restoration. The Army Corps of Engineers recently shut down the controversial Mississippi River Gulf Outlet with a rock barrier at Bayou La Loutre. Part of the corps' closure plan includes restoration of some of the wetlands destroyed by the MRGO.  For full story, go to: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/mississippi_river_gulf_outlet_2.html

FL: Florida Cabinet OK's first new nuclear plant in 33 years

By Shannon Colavecchio – Miami Herald – August 11, 2009 Critics have complained about the site the company picked. In many places, the water table on the site is above ground for half the year or longer, according to documents the company filed with the NRC. Most of the site lies in the 100-year floodplain, meaning after heavy rain, it is likely to remain inundated for some time. ``Any hurricane event would inundate the vicinity of the plant with storm surge,'' the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council noted in a report. ``On-site, the plant and associated facilities may be especially vulnerable to flood hazard.''  For full story, go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/1181125-p2.html

WY: Caution: Elk Playing Jackstraw

Wild Angles (National Wildlife Refuge System) – August 10, 2009 Can a variation on a kids’ game keep rapacious elk from devouring bird and fish habitat? Conservationists at National Elk Refuge, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, have embarked on a three-year experiment to find out. On a recent June weekend, representatives from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife, Wyoming Wetlands Society and Trout Unlimited converged on the banks of Flat Creek to launch an experiment, while restoring willow on the refuge. For details, go to: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/mediatipsheet/August_2009/02.html

LA: Taking Down Levees

By Samara Freemark – The Environment Report – August 10, 2009 Man made levees line the banks of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. They protect towns and they allow farmers to plow the bottomlands. But levees come at a price: habitat destruction and worse flooding downstream. Now, more people are calling for taking down levees and returning floodplain areas to their natural state. Samara Freemark reports from Louisiana - the end of the line for the water that drains from the middle of the nation: The Mollicy Farms site in Northern LA provides a striking example of just how dramatically a levee can remake a landscape. For full story, go to: http://environmentreport.org/story.php?story_id=4612  For a related story, Destroying Levees in a State Usually Clamoring for Them, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/science/earth/20levee.html?_r=1

VA: Woman finally protects her land

By Frank Delano – Fredericksburg Freelance Star – August 10, 2009 Like many people in the Northern Neck, Sharon Faina loves her land. Now she has helped create a new way to protect it forever. She calls her 23 acres on Lancaster Creek in Richmond County "a true environmentalist dream property: a bluff overlooking the waterfront, a tidal pond, marsh, swamp, upland wooded area and former cropland now planted in pine trees." But when she started exploring ways to protect the property with a conservation easement, she found little interest from state agencies or conservation groups. For full story, go to: http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/082009/08102009/484960

MI: Slither This Way

Wild Angles – (National Wildlife Refuge System) – August 10, 2009 It may not be your idea of a dream assignment, but it suits Kile R. Kucher. The graduate student at Central Michigan University is deep into his second year of field work at nearby Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge following a species that the state lists as threatened and that the refuge hopes to better integrate into its habitat management program. In other words, says Kucher, “I’m tromping around in marsh water that’s sometimes up to my waist or higher tracking Eastern fox snakes.” For full story, go to: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/mediatipsheet/August_2009/04.html

LA Updated maps help document wetland loss in Louisiana

Daily Comet – August 8, 2009 Scientists in Lafayette are creating updated, super-detailed maps to help show how land loss has changed wetlands all along the Louisiana coast. The U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center is developing the maps with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetland Inventory, a program that maps wetland and aquatic habitats. The information is provided to governments, universities and private companies for coastal restoration research and planning. The National Wetland Inventory mapped wetlands across the country, including Louisiana, in 1978 and again in 1988. The data hasn’t been updated for 21 years until now. For full story, go to: http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20090808/HURBLOG/ 908089950?Title=Updated-maps-help-document-wetland-loss-in-Louisiana

OH: MetroParks