INDEX:
---EDITOR'S NOTE---

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---
Scholarships for Watershed Class available through ASWM
Annual Winter Meeting of Wetland State Program Managers Scheduled March 7-9 in Washington, D.C.
SWS Releases Position Paper on Definition of Wetland Restoration

---NATIONAL UPDATES---
BLM Names Head of National Landscape Conservation Office
Studies Show Pesticides Damage Chesapeake Bay
NAHB: EPA, Corps Ignoring The Law With Invalid Tulloch Wetlands Rule `Clarification’
Defenders of Property Rights Urges Supreme Court to Reject "Glancing Goose Test"

---LEGISLATIVE UPDATES---
Last Chance for CARA
Historic Accord Improves Chances of Passing Everglades Legislation
Legislation Would Restore Northwest River Estuaries To Help Salmon

---STATES NEWS---
LA Landowners Awarded $240,000
Tallgrass Prairie Protected in Minnesota
California Island Restored for Wildlife
Ducks Unlimited Helps Protect White River Habitat
New Jersey Dedicates $36 M for Open Space
New Measures Protect New York City Drinking Water
California Pledges $25 M to Buy, Restore Wetlands
Innovative Project Underway In Clermont County, OH
Pesticides Suspected in Eastern Crab, Lobster Deaths
Restoring a Vital Rest Stop
Critical Habitat Proposed for California Red-Legged Frog
Draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed VA Accokeek Creek National Wildlife Refuge Published for Comment and Review
Endangered Brown Pelicans Dying at CA’s Salton Sea

---NEW PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---
Society of Wetland Scientists September Wetlands Journal Abstracts Online
Summer/Fall Edition of "Saving Wetlands", Newsletter of the Audubon Wetlands Campaign
National Park Service’s "Natural Resource Year in Review – 1999" Available

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---
2000
15 September. Wetland Creation and Enhancement: The New Jersey Experience.
2001
22-26 January. Working at Watershed Level.
22-24 February. 2001 Annual Meeting of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society.
25-29 April. The 16th Annual Symposium of the US Regional Chapter of the International
Association of Landscape Ecology

---POTPOURRI---
CA Duck Stamp Calendar Maker Seeks Meeting/Event Dates for 2001
Nature Photographers to Unleash their Wild Side at Corkscrew Swamp Photo Safari
Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFQ) for Administrative, Technical and Scientific Support to the Chesapeake Bay Program
Solicitation Notice: Environmental Education Grants Program; Fiscal Year 2001

EDITOR'S NOTE

Greetings Friends and Colleagues!

Fall has fallen upon us here in the great Northeast, bringing with it juicy, red tomatoes, succulent green peppers, forced hot air and ragweed. Yes, these tears in my eyes aren’t due to the passing of the seasons but instead to the microscopic floaties in the air. September also has provided the needed cooler temperatures in the south and some rains in the fiery west.

As many of you are aware, the 2000 Wetlands Regulatory Workshop will be held October 30-November 3 at the Holiday Inn - Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The purpose of this Workshop is to increase dialogue and foster relationships among federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, scientists and the regulated community. We at the Association of State Wetland Managers will be holding our annual meeting from 5-6:30 October 31 (Halloween!) at the meeting. Half the rooms in the hotel have already been reserved for the duration and, having stayed in the cheaper "inns" nearby, you’ll want to be sure to reserve a room at the Holiday Inn, trust me.

Finally thanks to Jim Rives, LA DNR, who forwarded information about a court case in Louisiana, to Earle Cummings, CA, for the item on the Duck Stamp calendar, and also to the Society of Wetland Scientists who forwarded a position paper on the definition of wetland restoration.

Have a great couple of weeks!
Jennifer Brady-Connor
Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Scholarships for Watershed Class available through ASWM

The Association of State Wetland Managers in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Wetlands Division has two-three scholarships available for participation in a two-week course that provides unique, high quality training in "Healthy Watersheds: Community-based Partnerships for Environmental Decision-making." The cost of the workshop is $3,050. The ASWM scholarship will cover 60% to 100% of the cost of meals/lodging/instruction, but not transportation to and from the conference site. The training is scheduled to be held in Oct. 30-Nov. 10, 2000 in Denver, Colorado. The course is put on by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and is open to everyone. Those interested in applying for the scholarship should contact Jeanne Christie at jeanne.christie@aswm.org. Those interested in participating the course (without the scholarship) can contact Phyllis O’Meara poameara@opm.gov (303) 671-1034.

Annual Winter Meeting of Wetland State Program Managers Scheduled March 7-9 in Washington, D.C.

The winter meeting of the states is scheduled March 7-9 in Washington DC. The Association of State Managers will co-host the meeting with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Coastal States Organization. Each year this meeting provides an important opportunity for State wetland program managers to get updates from Federal agency and Congressional staff on activities underway and planned for the coming year. This year’s meeting will provide information on the wetland-related priorities of a new Administration and a new Congress. The winter meeting is also an important opportunity for states to meet and hold substantive discussions, compare experiences and gain new ideas on state wetland program administration. This meeting is by invitation only. State wetland agency staff who want to confirm that they will receive an invitation should contact jeanne.christie@aswm.org or (301) 292-4815.

SWS Releases Position Paper on Definition of Wetland Restoration

The Society of Wetland Scientists Wetlands Concerns Committee has released a position paper on the definition of wetland restoration. According to the position statement, "Wetland Restoration is defined as: actions taken in a converted or degraded natural wetland that result in the reestablishment of ecological processes, functions, and biotic/abiotic linkages and lead to a persistent, resilient system integrated within its landscape." To read the entire statement including scientific considerations and literature cited visit http://www.sws.org/wetlandconcerns/restoration.html. The Society's objective is to increase public understanding of wetland issues and to promote sound public policy through the development and communication of position papers that are based upon the best available scientific information.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

BLM Names Head of National Landscape Conservation Office

WASHINGTON, DC, August 28, 2000 (ENS) – "The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has created a new National Landscape Conservation System Office in Washington, D.C. Elaine Marquis Brong, BLM's deputy assistant director for Renewable Resources and Planning, has been named director of the new office. . .The BLM established the National Landscape Conservation System in June to provide general policy and guidance for the management of the agency's new National Monuments, congressionally designated National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, and other environmentally sensitive areas. . ." For full text visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/aug2000/2000L-08-28-09.html

Studies Show Pesticides Damage Chesapeake Bay

WASHINGTON, DC, August 28, 2000 (ENS) – "Pesticides, agricultural runoff and animal byproducts are affecting fish, frogs and the overall state of the Chesapeake Bay[. These were the findings of] several papers presented last week at the 220th national meeting of the American Chemical Society. Gian Gupta, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, discussed the effects of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide recently banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on the eggs of a species of frog that is common in the Bay. . . " For full text visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/aug2000/2000L-08-28-09.html

NAHB: EPA, Corps Ignoring The Law With Invalid Tulloch Wetlands Rule `Clarification’

National Association of Homebuilders Press Release, 8/15/00. – An effort announced [by EPA and the Corps] to "clarify" the invalid Tulloch Rule wetlands regulation directly conflicts with three federal court decisions and could face considerable legal scrutiny in the future, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) predicted today. ‘In coming up with this `clarification’, the Corps is simply putting a new label on an old, illegal regulation,’ NAHB President Robert Mitchell, a home builder from Rockville, Md., said. ‘The agencies must have forgotten that Section 404 of the Clean Water Act regulates activities that add material into wetlands, not removal activities such as excavation. . .’" For the complete text visit http://www.nahb.com/news/clarify.htm

Defenders of Property Rights Urges Supreme Court to Reject "Glancing Goose Test"

Washington (DC)--July 27, 2000— Defenders of Property Rights has filed a brief amicus curiae in the U.S. Supreme Court strongly urging rejection of the "glancing goose" test at issue in Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. United States Army Corps of Engineers, No. 99-1178 ("SWANCC"). Under the glancing goose test (or the Migratory Bird Rule) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ("Corps") asserts jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act over wetlands not connected to any other waters of the United States if the Corps can establish the wetland is used, or could be used, by migratory birds as habitat. For their complete press release visit http://www.defendersproprights.org and scroll down the page to the story.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES:

Last Chance for CARA

Audubon Advisory -- September 8, 2000. "The Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) - one of the greatest and most expansive conservation bills in our nation's history, is facing stiff opposition in the U.S. Senate. The bill provides almost $45 billion over the next 15 years for a broad array of federal, state and local resource-protection programs - programs aimed at protecting America's natural treasures: its birds and other wildlife, parks, coasts, forests, and wetlands. The bill dedicates revenue from offshore oil and gas leases for recreation and conservation education programs each year, including programs aimed at keeping birds, fish and other wildlife off the endangered species list. The House has already passed this measure, and President Clinton has publicly stated he wants to sign the bill into law, but if the Senate fails to act over the next two weeks, this fight is over. You can help encourage the Senate to take action by calling your two U.S. Senators and urging them to take up and vote yes on CARA now. [also visit http://congress.nw.dc.us/cgi-bin/alertpr_oracle.pl?dir=nwf&alert=117 for National Wildlife Federation’s call for action]

Historic Accord Improves Chances of Passing Everglades Legislation

Audubon Advisory -- September 8, 2000. "At press time, the Senate still had not taken action on S.2797, the Restoring the Everglades, an American Legacy Act. However, an agreement reached between environmental groups and a coalition of large agribusiness interests, homebuilders, and water utilities has greatly improved the chances of congressional action. Such action could take place in the Senate as early as next week. The Audubon-supported S.2797 authorizes a series of projects to return the natural quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of freshwater to the Everglades. Returning the natural flow of water to the "River of Grass" will improve the habitat of the 68 threatened or endangered species, and hundreds of other species of birds, other wildlife, and plants that call the Everglades home. This measure has not passed the House, so the Senate must pass it early in September in order to give the House enough time to take action. . . For more information on this bill, please call Shannon Mayorga at 1-800-753-5499 or e-mail smayorga@audubon.org."

Legislation Would Restore Northwest River Estuaries To Help Salmon

American Rivers, 9/7/00. Seattle, WA - U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced legislation in Congress to restore critical wildlife habitat in the Columbia and Tillamook estuaries. The Save the Estuaries Act would earmark $175 million for a multi-year habitat restoration program. Recognition of the region-wide significance of the estuaries has prompted a convergence of interests -- twelve different runs of threatened or endangered salmon and steelhead and 200,000 wintering waterfowl use the Columbia estuary for critical phases of their life cycles. Since 1850 both estuaries have lost over 70% of their historical wetland and riparian (shoreline) habitat, primarily due to the construction of agricultural levees and floodplain development. The Columbia River and its estuary have also been damaged by channelization and dredging for navigation. For additional information visit http://www.amrivers.org/template2.asp?cat=2&page=143&id=2523&filter=362

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STATES NEWS

LA Landowners Awarded $240,000

[submitted by Jim Rives, LA DNR] The US Court of Appeals 5th Circuit upheld a $240,000 award to a couple from Louisiana. Mobil Oil and Phillips Petroleum, the defendants in the case, were ordered to pay the damage award based upon a finding that they failed adequately to maintain spoil banks on canals operated by them, resulting in damage to a freshwater flotant marsh. The two oil companies were also ordered to complete restoration plans for the marsh. Michael and Virginia St. Martin, the plaintiffs in the case, alleged that the oil companies’ use of and failure to maintain the canals caused erosion and other damage to the marsh ecosystem present on their property. The St. Martins contended that gaps in the spoil banks flanking the oil companies’ canals allowed water to flow into and out of their marsh, eroding the floating marsh mat and leaving open ponds. The plaintiffs had originally sued for damages done to the marsh before they purchased it. Read the complete decision and summary at http://www.aswm.org/000913a.htm.

Tallgrass Prairie Protected in Minnesota

CROOKSTON, Minnesota, September 12, 2000 (ENS) – "The Minnesota Chapter of The Nature Conservancy has closed on the option to purchase almost 25,000 acres, one third of which is tallgrass prairie. The property, outside of Crookston, harbors sandhill cranes and dozens of other waterfowl and upland bird species. The project is being billed as the "largest northern tallgrass prairie restoration opportunity in history", and is home to a diversity of species from moose to butterflies. Several prairie dependent plants also reside on the site, including the threatened western prairie fringed orchid. . . Most of the property will be leased [but a] number of tracts will be enrolled in the federal wetland reserve program, and others may be placed under conservation easement." For full text and graphics visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/sep2000/2000L-09-12-09.html

California Island Restored for Wildlife

NEWARK, California, August 29, 2000 (ENS) – "Bair Island, 3,200 acres of wetlands on the shores of south San Francisco Bay, is being restored to protect native wildlife and migratory birds thanks to a unique partnership among Federal and State wildlife agencies, the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and others. A combination of public and private funds was used to purchase the wildlife rich island. In addition to POST, key organizations in the protection of Bair Island were the Audubon Society, Citizens to Complete the Refuge, and Friends of Redwood City. Bair Island is a major migration stopover for birds flying along the Pacific Flyway. More than 125 species of birds, 13 mammals and 63 species of fish have been sighted on the island. . ." For full text and graphics visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/aug2000/2000L-08-29-09.html.

Ducks Unlimited Helps Protect White River Habitat

Ducks Unlimited Press Release. A team of lawyers, biologists and landowners closed on a land deal on August 31 that will protect more than five thousand acres of wildlife habitat in Arkansas. The majority of the land is located in the White River ecosystem. Ducks Unlimited is taking a lead role in the acquisition and restoration of two tracts of land, including Raft Creek, 4,165 acres, which is part of the White River ecosystem, and the Hatchiecoon tract, consisting of 900 acres. David Marrone, an attorney and Manager of Conservation Lands at Ducks Unlimited, characterized the deal as "hugely important." The two tracts, said Marrone, "support one of the largest concentrations of wintering waterfowl in Arkansas." Partners in the acquisition include the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National Wild Turkey Federation, and numerous private donors. For more information visit http://www.ducks.org/news/arkansas_land.asp

New Jersey Dedicates $36 M for Open Space

TRENTON, New Jersey, September 1, 2000 (ENS) – "New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman has signed two pieces of legislation authorizing more than $36 million for open space acquisition and other environmental projects. ‘I am very pleased to join you this morning to celebrate another step in the rebirth of Asbury Park,’ said Whitman on Thursday. ‘To date, we have preserved nearly 150,000 acres of open space and farmland, which is halfway toward my personal goal of 300,000 acres by the time I leave office.’ One of the bills (S-1378) approves more than $7 million for open space acquisition and park development funds for urban aid projects. The bill also includes $500,000 from the Garden State Preservation Trust to help restore Asbury Park's boardwalk." For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/sep2000/2000L-09-01-09.html

New Measures Protect New York City Drinking Water

NEW YORK, New York, September 8, 2000 (ENS) – "The [ACOE] New York District is taking stronger measures to protect waters and wetlands in the New York City watershed. These regulations, which took effect Thursday, reflect the Corps’ commitment to protecting the environmental integrity of this watershed. . . The New York City Council passed a resolution requesting the Corps to require individual Clean Water Act permits prior to the dredging or filling of wetlands in order to protect the public health of almost nine million New Yorkers who rely on the New York City drinking water supply. ‘The wetlands are the kidneys of many of our ecosystems,’ said Rich Tomer, acting regulatory branch chief for the Corps' New York District. . ." For full text and graphics visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/sep2000/2000L-09-08-09.html

California Pledges $25 M to Buy, Restore Wetlands

SACRAMENTO, California, September 11, 2000 (ENS) – "California Governor Gray Davis has signed a bill authorizing $25 million in state funds to buy and restore up to 19,000 acres of wetlands and open space around San Francisco Bay. . . Davis reduced the amount of the acquisition from $30 million to $25 million, hoping to prompt the federal government to provide additional funds for more wetlands acquisitions. . . Davis asked for federal help in meeting the $300 million price tag that Cargill Salt Company has placed on its historic wetlands, now diked and drained for use in salt production. . .The Cargill Salt Ponds are located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay in Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, and adjoin the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge." For full text and graphics visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/sep2000/2000L-09-11-09.html

Innovative Project Underway In Clermont County, OH

On Sept. 6, Clermont County, Ohio entered into a multi-phase agreement with the US EPA and the Ohio EPA to develop an innovative plan that will help support economic growth while improving the environment and preserving the rural character of one of Ohio's fastest developing areas. The county proposes to replace the current regulatory framework with a collaborative goal setting approach to improve water quality in the East Fork of the Little Miami River mainstream and tributaries and Harsha Lake. The agreement includes several phases, beginning with the creation of a comprehensive watershed management plan. The county then hopes to use an effluent trading system in which pollution credits may be exchanged between point and nonpoint sources. The potential environmental benefits of the Project XLC agreement include Smart Growth management strategies, wetlands protection and restoration, and enhanced protection of the county's drinking water supply. The agreement was reached under Project XLC, a program for communities that participate in Project XL, which stands for eXcellence and Leadership. Further information is available at: http://www.epa.gov/projectxl.

Pesticides Suspected in Eastern Crab, Lobster Deaths

NEW YORK, New York, September 1, 2000 (ENS) – "The environmental organization FISH Unlimited is calling for an independent investigative committee to look into any possible health or environmental consequences of pesticide spraying in New York and Connecticut in 1999 and 2000. This call comes after the discovery of hundreds of dead blueclaw crabs found in the marshes adjacent to areas sprayed in Great South Bay. Any oversight committee should be made up of user groups, elected officials, environmentalists and others with a history in the mosquito spraying issue, said Bill Smith, executive director of FISH Unlimited. With the deaths of lobsters in western Long Island Sound, crabs in Great South Bay, and fish in Staten Island, Smith will no longer take the word of the [ACOE], Suffolk County Vector Control, New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani and state agencies that all is well. . ." For full text and graphics visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/sep2000/2000L-09-01-09.html

Restoring a Vital Rest Stop

Sept 2000 Environmental Defense Newsletter -- Electronic Edition. Saving a spring stopover spot on the Platte River for some 200 endangered whooping cranes and half a million sandhill cranes is in the offing as the result of an agreement, brokered by Environmental Defense between Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming and the Interior Department, to restore river habitat. Read all about it at http://www.ProcessRequest.com/apps/redir.asp?link=6367,YccgcbabgCA

Critical Habitat Proposed for California Red-Legged Frog

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–In response to a court order, the USFWS proposed to designate critical habitat for the threatened California red-legged frog. This native amphibian is widely believed to have inspired Mark Twain’s fabled short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." The species breeds in aquatic habitats such as streams, ponds, marshes and stock ponds. Although the Service’s proposal covers 5,373,650 acres of critical habitat within 31 units, not all areas within the proposed critical habitat units have habitat features that would require Federal agencies to consult with the Service. For example, existing shopping centers, roads and similar features do not contain specific habitat features that the frog needs. These types of man-made structures are included within the proposed boundaries for critical habitat because of the difficulty of mapping at a scale minute enough to exclude all such areas. However, these developed areas are not being designated as critical habitat. View the 9/11/00 Federal Register notice at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2000_register&docid=00-22860-filed

Draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed VA Accokeek Creek National Wildlife Refuge Published for Comment and Review

USFWS Press Release, 9/5/00. The USFWS has released the draft environmental assessment for the proposed Accokeek Creek National Wildlife Refuge located in Stafford County, Virginia. The proposed 6,700-acre refuge would incorporate the peninsula known as Crow's Nest, the freshwater marsh and adjacent upland habitat in Accokeek and Potomac creeks. The Crow's Nest Peninsula is 4,500 acres of mature hardwood forest surrounded by 700 acres of freshwater tidal marshes. The document is available online at http://northeast.fws.gov/refuges/accokeek.html. For the complete press release visit http://northeast.fws.gov/newsrel/accokeek.html.

Endangered Brown Pelicans Dying at CA’s Salton Sea

SALTON SEA, California, August 30, 2000 (ENS) - At least 339 endangered brown pelicans have died at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge so far this year. The dead birds are victims of avian botulism, an annual problem that plagues the Salton Sea, one of the most important stopovers from migratory birds flying along the Pacific coast of North America. . ." For full text and graphics visit http://ens.lycos.com/ens/aug2000/2000L-08-30-07.html

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NEW PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

Society of Wetland Scientists September Wetlands Journal Abstracts Online

The abstracts of the new edition of SWS Wetlands Journal for September are available online at http://www.sws.org/wetlands/toc/TOCV20n3.html. ‘Wetlands’ is an international journal concerned with all aspects of wetland biology, ecology, hydrology, water chemistry, soil and sediment characteristics, management, and laws and regulations. The journal is published quarterly, with the goal of centralizing the publication of pioneering wetland work that is otherwise spread among a myriad of journals. All papers published in Wetlands are reviewed by two qualified peers, an Associate Editor, and the Editor-in-Chief prior to acceptance and publication. All papers must present new information, must be factual and original, and must not have been published elsewhere.

Summer/Fall Edition of "Saving Wetlands", Newsletter of the Audubon Wetlands Campaign available online at http://www.audubon.org/campaign/wetland/newsletter/summerfall2000.htm

National Park Service’s "Natural Resource Year in Review – 1999" Available

NPS Press Release, 8/31/00. National Park Service (NPS) Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Mike Soukup announced the availability of the report Natural Resource Year in Review-1999. Now in its fourth year, the Year in Review summarizes and analyzes significant natural resource preservation issues and trends in the national park system for the calendar year. Applied science and resource management developments are reviewed with the objective of increasing interest in, understanding of, and support for the natural resource stewardship and science role of the National Park Service. The 72-page, two-color report contains approximately 70 photographs. The Year in Review will be accessible on-line at http://www.nature.nps.gov/pubs/yir/yir99 in the near future.

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MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES

Stay on top of wetland, water, and conservation related events via the ASWM Calendar

2000

15 September. Wetland Creation and Enhancement: The New Jersey Experience. Lyndhurst, Bergen County, NJ. Annual Conference of the New Jersey Section of the American Water Resources Association. Includes morning speakers and afternoon field trip. For agenda and registration visit http://www.awra.org/state/new_jersey, 973-353-5026, kbarrett@cimic.rutgers.edu.

2001

22-26 January. Working at Watershed Level. Fresno, CA. This is the course developed by the interagency watershed training cooperative ad it is a week-long basic watershed planning/management training course. For details, visit http://wwwdpla.water.ca.gov/sjd/sjrmp/workshop/index-2001.html

22-24 February. 2001 Annual Meeting of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society. Radisson Hotel, Sacramento, California CALL FOR PAPERS Call 916-653-1738 (FAX 916-653-1019).

25-29 April. The 16th Annual Symposium of the US Regional Chapter of the International Association of Landscape Ecology (US-IALE). Memorial Union, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. For details visit http://www.west.asu.edu/LEML/iale2001).

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POTPOURRI . . .
CA Duck Stamp Calendar Maker Seeks Meeting/Event Dates for 2001

[from Earle Cummings, CA] The CA Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture has created a Federal Junior Duck Stamp Artwork calendar for 2001, and would appreciate your help. Please send them any dates (statewide) for events (festivals, workshops, "greenwing" events, sporting fairs, refuge week, outdoor kids sporting camps etc) that your agency or organization is sponsoring and would like to see listed in the calendar. Keep submissions within a waterfowl/ wetlands/ migratory bird theme with kids in mind. Include a phone number that people may call to find out more information about the event, and/or a webpage if applicable. They will be including some information about the CVHJV with list of partner names and websites, information about the Federal Junior Duck Stamp program (how to compete and where the purchased duck stamp money goes), selected artwork from the 2000 competition with artists' credits, some information about the importance of wetlands, and a brief biological description of the featured "bird of the month". Contact Ruth Ostroff, Central Valley Habitat Joint Venture, 916/414-6460 or Ruth_Ostroff@r1.fws.gov.

Nature Photographers to Unleash their Wild Side at Corkscrew Swamp Photo Safari

Audubon Press Release, 9/1/00. Nature photographers, beginners to experts, will snap some unique photos and compete for prizes at Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary during the 4th Annual Corkscrew Swamp Photo Safari, January 19-22, 2001. Photos taken during the event can be submitted to a panel of judges who will choose a selection to appear in a future issue of Audubon magazine. The photo contest grand prize-winner will receive a Bronica Medium Format Camera. Other prizes include top-of-the-line camera equipment. Corkscrew Swamp- the crown jewel of National Audubon Society’s sanctuary system- is a 11,000 acre natural art studio. Home to ancient cypress trees, endangered Wood Storks, Black bear, Florida Panther, alligators, tropical plants, and butterflies, the sanctuary is located just 30 miles northeast of Naples. For additional information visit http://www.audubon.org/news/release/corkscrew.html

Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFQ) for Administrative, Technical and Scientific Support to the Chesapeake Bay Program

9/7/0 Federal Register. EPA is issuing a request for statement of qualifications for organizations interested in assisting the Chesapeake Bay Program in its effort to provide the administrative, technical and scientific support for the Bay Program partnership. Applicants must be a local, state, interstate agencies, academic institution, or other nonprofit organizations. Note, this is a request for qualifications for the benefit of the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership and not for direct benefit to EPA. Funding will be provided to an organization under the authority of the Clean Water Act, section 117. The RFQ is available at http://ww.epa.gov/r3chespk/. The entire Federal Register notice is available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2000_register&docid=00-22967-filed

Solicitation Notice: Environmental Education Grants Program; Fiscal Year 2001

8/31/00 Federal Register. EPA is soliciting grant proposals from education institutions, environmental and educational public agencies, and not-for-profit organizations to support environmental education projects. These grants require non-federal matching funds for at least 25% of the total cost of the project. The Environmental Education Grants Program provides financial support for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, including assessing environmental and ecological conditions or specific environmental issues or problems. Due Date--November 15, 2000.For the complete Federal Register notice visit http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2000_register&docid=00-22384-filed