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

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---
FY03 Wetland Program Development Grants Guidelines
EPA Launches the WATERSHED INITIATIVE
Online: “INSIGHTS” from EPA OWOW Wetlands Division
SC Supreme Court to Hear Wetlands Case
NH DOJ Settles $200,00 Cash Penalty Wetlands Case
MI DEQ Permit Allows Temporary Beach Walkways on Great Lakes

---NATIONAL UPDATES---
Bush Administration Reviews NEPA
$80 Million Funds U.S./Mexico Water Conservation
Household Chemicals Harm Chesapeake Bay Fish
USFWS Designates Critical Habitat for the Newcomb’s Snail
Bush Administration Backs Roadless Rule
Special Report: Thirty Years under the Coastal Zone Management Act
Conservation Plans in Development for Select National Wildlife Refuges

---LEGISLATIVE UPDATES---

---STATES NEWS---
Wisconsin’s Coastal Wetlands Featured on New DNR Web Pages
Programmatic Regulations for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
Louisiana Governor Announces Major Campaign To Address Coastal Wetland Crisis
Bush Administration Drops Appeal of CalFed Challenge
240,000 Katahdin Forest Project Creates Unprecedented Partnership
US and Ohio Reach CWA Act Settlement with City of Toledo
EPA and NH DES Fund Purchase of Wetlands in Merrimack, NH
Carbon Sequestration Partnership Creates Red River National Wildlife Refuge    
CA: Wildlife Conservation Board Approves Various Wetland Projects
Alaska Wetlands Conservation Achievements Recognized    
Little Menomonee River Cleanup Scheduled
Army Corps of Engineers Sued Over Rock Mining in the Everglades
EPA to Preserve Marshland in Catano Area of Puerto Rico
Seven Important Bird Areas Named in Connecticut
Corps Suspends Crucial Everglades Restoration
NJ: Town of Wayne Defends Wetlands Plan, but DEP Won't Budge
These Wetland Restorations Are for the Birds

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---
EPA's Water Quality Standards Database Expands
Effects of Vegetation Manipulation on Breeding Waterfowl in Prairie Wetlands — A Literature Review
Now Online: Climate Change and Fisheries in the Gulf of Maine Symposium Proceedings
Chesapeake Bay Report Highlights Restoration Progress and Partnerships
“Drought Toolkit” Presented by American Rivers
Report: Sprawl Compounds Water Crisis in Drought-Stricken Cities
Critical Habitat Proposed for Topeka Shiner
HGM Regional Guidebook Available for the Everglades
Non-native Species in Our Nation's Estuaries: A Framework for an Invasion Monitoring Program
The Wise Use of Floodplains  - EU Life Environment Project
Aquatic Nuisance Species Are on the Menu of New CD

---POTPOURRI---
WI Coastal Management Program Seeks RFPs
Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment Request for Proposals
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Funds Available for Coastal Conservation Projects    
VT DEC Seeks Wetlands Ecologists
MO Dept of Conservation Hiring a Wildlife Services Biologist
Portland, OR Consulting Firm Seeks Biologist – Wetlands/Fisheries
Senior Wildlife Biologist, Everglades National Park

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---
For a rolling calendar of meeting, conferences, and other events visit the ASWM calendar

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

This has been a heck of a summer in the Brady-Connor household.  Full of orchestras, ballets, horse racing, carousels, amusement parks, camping, swimming, walking, birding, boating, county fairs, a Broadway show, gardening, visiting, Nascar and - occasionally - working.  As promised to my various bosses, September 3 is when my “nose-to-the-grindstone” work ethic revives.  So if I owe you something and you are wondering when I’m ever going to finish that report/article/project/web update/letter, it is going to be soon.  I promise.

There is a very interesting article about the relationship between inland and coastal Bald Cypress trees and the Carolina parakeet at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek020822.html

Thanks to our many contributors who make this job easier and more fun, including Scott Hasimann, WI DNR; Connie Cahanap, EPA Wetlands Office; Patricia Ott, MO Dept of Conservation; Ken Kettenring, NH DES; April Mouelart, VT DEC; Scott Jecker, Whitenton Group; Vivian Newman, Sierra Club; Sean McDermott, NOAA; and the wonderful folks who maintain e-mail news list-serves.  Thanks, to all!

Until next time,

Jennifer Brady-Connor
Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Special Hotel Rates Extended Through Sept. 13 for Wetlands 2002

National Symposium: WETLANDS 2002 Restoring Impaired Wetlands and Other Waters, October 7 - 9, 2002, The Westin Hotel, Indianapolis, Indiana. http://www.core4.org/Core4/Wetlands/Wetlands2002.html. The purpose of the symposium will be to assess the successes and failures of science and policy related to restoration of wetlands and related waters and, most importantly, to point to methods for improving future success. A reserved block of rooms are available at The Westin Hotel, located at 50 South Capitol Avenue in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The conference rates are $79 for single occupancy and $109 for double occupancy, plus tax. Registrations must be made by September 13, 2002 (an extension from the previous deadline of Sept. 5) to qualify for the discount. Hotel space is limited and it may be difficult to get a room at the hotel after that date. The reservation phone number is (317) 262-8100. Please be sure to identify yourself as a Wetlands 2002 Symposium attendee.

FY03 Wetland Program Development Grants Guidelines

Federal Register, 8/16/02. Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) provide eligible applicants an opportunity to conduct projects that promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. While WPDGs can continue to be used by recipients to build and refine any element of a comprehensive wetland program, priority will be given to funding projects that address the three areas identified by EPA for FY03: Developing a comprehensive monitoring and assessment program; improving the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation; and refining the protection of vulnerable wetlands and aquatic resources. States, Tribes, local governments (S/T/LGs), interstate associations, intertribal consortia, and national non-profit, non-governmental organizations are eligible to apply. This document describes the grant selection and award process for eligible applicants interested in applying for FY03 WPDGs. Contact Connie Cahanap, EPA’s OWOW Wetlands Division (202) 566-1382, Fax: (202) 566-1349 or visit http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a020826c.html

EPA Launches the WATERSHED INITIATIVE

In celebration of the Year of Clean Water and the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, $21 million has been requested for next year's EPA budget for this new Watershed Initiative. EPA plans to select up to 20 watersheds throughout the country for grants to support promising watershed-based efforts toward cleaner water. EPA has issued a call for nominations from Governors and Tribal Leaders of the most meritorious watersheds and accompanying protection or restoration plans.  Focusing on results, broad support and partnerships, innovation, and compatibility with other federal or state programs will be key to a successful nomination proposal. If the FY 2003 appropriations request for the program is approved, awards will range from $300,000 to $1,300,000.  The nomination deadline is 11/21/02. Selections are expected to be announced in January, 2003 so that work to improve watershed health can begin as soon as possible.  http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative.

Online: “INSIGHTS” from EPA OWOW Wetlands Division

The latest Edition of INSIGHTS from EPA’s Wetlands Division [Volume I, Number 2  - Spring/Summer 2002] is available for reading. Insights is a round-up of activities, policy developments, personnel changes, and events from the Wetlands Division. It can be found online at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/insights/insights01-02.html   

SC Supreme Court to Hear Wetlands Case

Via the National Wildlife Federation. Fri, Aug 9, 2002  by Jessica Flathmann - The Gazette. Beaufort, SC. “The S.C. Supreme Court will consider a controversial ruling the state's coastal regulatory office says jeopardizes its ability to protect isolated freshwater wetlands.  At issue is whether the state's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resources Management can factor in such wetlands as it considers permits for development. The Supreme Court's decision this week allows the agency to bypass the state Court of Appeals and take its appeal directly to the state's highest court.  The high court said it would hear the case directly because it "involves an issue of significant public interest." The decision means the case can avoid spending months or even years in the Court of Appeals. The case originally was filed by McFee LLP, which represents a 400-home and commercial project, the Villages at Burnt Church in Myrtle Park, in greater Bluffton. The project was denied state permits because the developer failed to report in the permit application that up to 30 acres of isolated wetlands exist on the site . . . “ http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/1623419p-1650612c.html

NH DOJ Settles $200,00 Cash Penalty Wetlands Case

NH Attorney General press release, 8/29/02. Richard E. Marriott of Washington, D.C. has settled with the NH Attorney General to resolve State claims of trespass on State-owned public waters, alteration of wetlands without a permit, and conversion of a boathouse into a dwelling over public waters. Mr. Marriott allegedly converted his boathouse located over Lake Winnipesaukee in Tuftonboro from a docking facility to living quarters after being advised by the State that what he planned to do was illegal. In the process he allegedly also constructed structures over water adjacent to the boathouse without a wetlands permit, excavated the bank of Lake Winnipesaukee, and dredged and filled more than 10,000 square feet of wetlands. Under the Consent Decree, Mr. Marriott will pay the State a $200,000 civil penalty for the wetlands violations and restore the boathouse, now valued at nearly $500,000, to its original function. In addition, he will restore the wetlands impacted during construction of a septic system. The $200,000 civil penalty is the largest cash penalty ever collected by the State for violations of New Hampshire's Wetlands Act.  According to Ken Kettenring of the NH DES, the $200,000 cash penalty will go into a fund dedicated to the State’s wetlands program. http://www.state.nh.us/nhdoj/Press%20Release/082802%20boathouse.html 

MI DEQ Permit Allows Temporary Beach Walkways on Great Lakes

The MI Department of Environmental Quality is issuing a general permit to authorize the construction and maintenance of temporary access walkways across beach areas with standing water on exposed Great Lakes bottomlands. The lower water levels of the Great Lakes, and particularly Saginaw Bay, have resulted in the exposure of significant areas of Great Lakes bottomlands.  In many areas, these exposed bottomlands are returning to wetland habitat that is valuable for fish and wildlife. The permit will allow the practice of maintaining extensive beach areas by raking, disking, or plowing the sand to control wetlands vegetation, moving sand from seawalls, grading, and removing standing water can be authorized.  The DEQ has worked diligently to develop a compromise position that allows certain activities on Great Lakes bottomlands, while protecting them from any significant impacts. http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3308_3579-47948--,00.html#beach

Free! Four-Day Plant ID Class

16-20 September. Plant Identification. Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge, Kent County. This course covers a broad range of topics relating to plant identification (ID) for use in on-site wetland ID and delineation.  The course is structured with half classroom lecture and half field practice.  Heavy emphasis is placed on the use of botanical manuals, field ID, and other botanical features.  Open to all Federal, State and Local Government employees, plus those working for non-profit agencies. Tuition is free and the class lasts four and a half days.  Please contact Ralph Spagnolo @ (215) 814-2718, or Spagnolo.ralph@epamail.epa.gov for more information.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

Bush Administration Reviews NEPA

ENN Worldwire News, 8/30/02. The Bush administration is reviewing a landmark environmental law [NEPA] both reviled and praised because it requires lengthy studies before foresters cut a tree or developers start to dig. White House officials say they want to modernize the 32-year-old law they blame for bureaucratic gridlock, but environmentalists fear it's a move to roll back crucial protections. http://production.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/08/08302002/ap_48310.asp

$80 Million Funds U.S./Mexico Water Conservation

San Antonio, TX 8/23/02 (ENS) – “The North American Development Bank (NADB) has authorized the creation of an $80 million Water Conservation Fund for financing water conservation projects on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. The Water Conservation Fund, which in part is expected to help finance infrastructure improvement projects for irrigation districts impacting the Rio Grande, will be capitalized with a portion of the NADB's retained earnings. Funds will be distributed equally for projects on both sides of the border . . . “http://ens-news.com/ens/aug2002/2002-08-23-09.asp#anchor3

Household Chemicals Harm Chesapeake Bay Fish

Baltimore, MD 8/21/02 (ENS) – “Traces of ordinary household products may be interfering with sexual development and reproduction of fish in the Chesapeake Bay. The large, shallow Bay, which has an average depth of less than 30 feet and is fed by hundreds of tributaries, offers valuable habitat for fish spawning and hatching. But, as scientists of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) reported at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction this week, runoff water carrying tiny amounts of common home and garden chemicals is now rendering that habitat unsuitable for fish breeding . . . “ http://ens-news.com/ens/aug2002/2002-08-21-09.asp#anchor2

USFWS Designates Critical Habitat for the Newcomb’s Snail

Federal Register, 8/20/02. The USFWS has designated critical habitat for the Newcomb's snail (Erinna newcombi) consisting of eight stream segments and associated tributaries, springs and seeps, and adjacent riparian areas on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, totaling 19.76 kilometers (12.28 miles) of stream channel and 1,812 hectares (4,479 acres). Critical habitat identifies specific areas, both occupied and unoccupied, that are essential to the conservation of a listed species and that may require special management considerations or protection. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-20696-filed

Bush Administration Backs Roadless Rule

Oakland, CA 8/15/02. (ENS) – “ . . . [For] the first time, the Bush administration argued in court in support of the Clinton era roadless rule. In a reversal of its prior stance, the Bush administration provided a legal defense of the environmental impact statement supporting the Roadless Area Conservation rule. The rule, adopted by the Forest Service in January 2000, would protect 58.5 million acres of national forest and grasslands from road building, mining and logging . . . “ http://ens-news.com/ens/aug2002/2002-08-15-09.asp#anchor1

Special Report: Thirty Years under the Coastal Zone Management Act

An article in the Sept/Oct 2002 edition of COASTAL SERVICES magazine reviews the first thirty years of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). As written, “This distinctive piece of legislation has over the past 30 years empowered 34 of 35 coastal states and territories to create coastal zone management programs that specifically address their governance and coastal issues . . . And then there are the differences between the coastal management programs and the 25 National Estuarine Research Reserves that the CZMA also has created. Trying to match up the successes and needs of regulatory and planning programs with this system of protected area research and education programs is much like trying to compare pelicans to dolphins.”  http://www.csc.noaa.gov/magazine/2002/05/czma.html

Conservation Plans in Development for Select National Wildlife Refuges

Federal Register notices. The USFWS intends to gather information necessary to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex is composed of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Desert National Wildlife Range, Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge located in Clark, Lincoln and Nye Counties, Nevada. Established in 1984, the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge comprises 23,000 acres of spring fed wetlands, mesquite bosques, and desert uplands that provide habitat for at least 24 plants and animal species found nowhere else in the world. For details visit  http://desertcomplex.fws.gov

The USFWS has also initiated the planning process for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge for the conservation and enhancement of their natural resources. Covering approximately 140,000 acres, the Merritt Island refuge is generally located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, near the city of Titusville, Florida. The Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is in southern Sacramento County, California. The approved refuge boundary is 18,000 acres with the refuge currently owning or managing more than 4,000 acres. For details on both of these notices visit http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a020826c.html 

The USFWS has also initiated the planning process for Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex, located in Aransas, Refugio and Calhoun Counties, Texas. This refuge encompasses 115,670 acres of coastal prairie, oak woodland and savannah, barrier island and salt and freshwater marshes. The CCP will provide other agencies and the public with a clear understanding of the desired conditions for the Refuge and how the Service will implement management strategies for the conservation and development of these natural resources. http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a020830c.html

Finally, public access will be allowed for the first time in 16 years at the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge under a new Comprehensive Conservation Plan released today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge in Contra Costa County, California, has been closed to the public since 1986 to protect its rare species. http://news.fws.gov

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES:

SUMMER RECESS – The House is in recess from July 29 until September 3, 2002 The Senate is in recess from August 5 until September 3, 2002.

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STATES NEWS

Wisconsin’s Coastal Wetlands Featured on New DNR Web Pages

Fifty-seven coastal wetlands along Lake Michigan and Lake Superior that have ecological significance are featured on new DNR Web site pages that convey important information about these wetlands. The pages summarize results of a three-year project on the Coastal Wetlands of Wisconsin’s Great Lakes and include a short description of each site plus a set of photos and list of rare species and communities documented at those sites. The new pages also contain background and reference information, as well as additional links to other coastal wetlands information. An accompanying report is also available for download. An earlier report detailing inventory results for the Lake Superior Coastal Wetlands is also available on the Web. http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/publications/cw/

Programmatic Regulations for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan

Federal Register, 8/29/02. The Army Corps of Engineers will hold public meetings in South Florida on the proposed rule to establish programmatic regulations for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan [CERP]. The proposed regulations establish processes and procedures that will guide the Army Corps of Engineers and its partners in the implementation of the CERP. Congress approved the CERP, which was enacted into law on December 11, 2000. The Act requires the Secretary of the Army to promulgate programmatic regulations within two years to ensure that the goals and purposes of the CERP are achieved. http://www.evergladesplan.org 

Louisiana Governor Announces Major Campaign To Address Coastal Wetland Crisis

Ducks Unlimited press release, 8/27/02. Memphis, TN - Unrelenting wetland loss on the coast of Louisiana is a problem that merits national attention, said Mike Foster, Governor of Louisiana, while speaking at the annual conference of southern governors on August 27. Wetland loss in the United States is most dramatic in Louisiana, where 25-35 square miles of coastal marshes are lost every year. "The impact of such extreme wetland loss extends well beyond our borders," said Foster. "Our campaign, entitled 'America's Wetland: The Campaign to Save Coastal Louisiana,' will focus on the significance to the nation's wildlife, the economy and energy security," said Foster.  http://www.ducks.org/news/costal_wetland_crisis_august_2002.asp Also visit http://www.lacoast.gov/press/2002-08-29.htm

Bush Administration Drops Appeal of CalFed Challenge

San Francisco, CA 8/27/02 (ENS) – “The Bush administration is dropping its appeal of a federal judge's ruling that environmental groups say could harm a widely supported California water plan. At stake is the state-federal CalFed plan, which is designed to restore the San Francisco Bay-Delta and improve water supply reliability for California. Congress is now considering legislation to authorize funding for the CalFed plan. But in February, a federal judge in Fresno ruled that federal regulators improperly allocated water to fish and wildlife. If upheld, the decision will reduce the amount of water available for protecting the environment. . . “ http://ens-news.com/ens/aug2002/2002-08-27-09.asp#anchor1

240,000 Katahdin Forest Project Creates Unprecedented Partnership

The Nature Conservancy press release, 8/27/02. Millinocket, ME - Great Northern Paper, Inc. and The Nature Conservancy announced an unprecedented partnership designed to protect both jobs and forestland around Mount Katahdin. The non-profit conservation group has agreed to provide low-cost, long-term financing for Great Northern Paper. The company will place a conservation easement on 200,000 acres of forestland around Mount Katahdin, which will guarantee public access, traditional recreational uses, sustainable forestry, and no future development. In addition, the company will transfer 41,000 acres in the fabled Debsconeag Lakes wilderness area to the conservation group. http://nature.org/pressroom/press/press742.html

US and Ohio Reach CWA Act Settlement with City of Toledo

US DOJ press release, 8/28/02. Washington, DC - The US EPA, Department of Justice and the state of Ohio today announced a Clean Water Act settlement in which the city of Toledo, Ohio, agreed to make extensive improvements to its sewage treatment plant and its sewage collection and transportation system. The settlement requires the city of Toledo to end its long-standing practice of discharging raw sewage into Swan Creek and the Maumee and Ottawa Rivers. The city will also pay a $500,000 penalty and spend at least $1 million to restore and provide public access to wetlands in the Duck Creek basin near the east bank of the Maumee River, and to clean up contaminated properties near the Ottawa River. http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2002/August/02_enrd_496.htm

EPA and NH DES Fund Purchase of Wetlands in Merrimack, NH

EPA Region 1 press release, 8/27/02. Boston, MA – EPA and the N.H. Department of Environmental Services announced the awarding of $254,000 towards the purchase of about 50 acres of the Greens Pond wetland area in Merrimack, N.H. The 50-acre parcel is part of about 563 acres of forests and wetlands that the town of Merrimack purchased last month for $4.2 million The property includes White Pine Swamp and a large unnamed wetland near Naticook Road. The federal and state contribution is being used exclusively for the purchase of the large unnamed wetland and associated uplands near Naticook Road in the southeastern portion of the 563-acre Greens Pond property. http://www.epa.gov/region1/pr/2002/aug/020820.html

Carbon Sequestration Partnership Creates Red River National Wildlife Refuge    

USFWS news release, 8/26/02. Natchitoches, LA - The nation's newest wildlife refuge was dedicated in a ceremony highlighting the partnerships that made it possible. The Red River National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana owes its existence to Entergy Corporation, The Conservation Fund, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other volunteers. The refuge is the product of a carbon sequestration project that will offset the environmental impacts of fossil fuel emissions, provide new fish and wildlife habitat, and bring recreation-driven economic benefits to northwest Louisiana along the Red River Valley in Natchitoches Parish near Shreveport. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases 

CA: Wildlife Conservation Board Approves Various Wetland Projects

8/26/02. Sacramento, CA - The California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved the allocation of a grant to the American Land Conservancy (ALC) to protect more than 6,350 acres of wildlife habitat while encouraging compatible agricultural practices on nearby property. The project will continue to support significant acres of wetland areas used by a variety of wetland-dependent species. During its regularly scheduled Aug. 22 meeting the Board also approved the allocation of a grant to the California Waterfowl Association (CWA) for a cooperative project to restore approximately 37 acres of wetland wildlife habitat, 10 acres of uplands, and 10 acres of irrigated pasture located five miles west of the city of Lincoln on land owned by Lincoln High School. For details about these and other projects visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news02/02101.html 

Alaska Wetlands Conservation Achievements Recognized    

USFWS news release, 8/23/02. The USFWS announced that three Alaska conservation organizations have received 2002 National Wetlands Conservation Awards for outstanding efforts in restoring, protecting and enhancing Alaska’s wetlands. One award was presented to the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association for its pivotal role in the removal of the defunct Davidson Ditch Diversion Dam on the Chatanika River. The Runner-up Award went to the Great Land Trust in recognition of its leadership in numerous wetland conservation projects in the Anchorage Bowl and Matanuska-Susitna Valley. And an award was presented to The Conservation Fund for its landscape wetlands conservation efforts in Southwest Alaska National Wildlife Refuges. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases

Little Menomonee River Cleanup Scheduled

Milwaukee, WI 8/21/02 (ENS) – “A 1.2 mile segment of Milwaukee's Little Menomonee River will be rerouted this fall to allow Kerr-McGee Chemical to remove contaminated river sediments. The sediment contains high levels of cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or CPAHs. Kerr-McGee Chemical, which is doing the work under oversight by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will restore any disturbed vegetation and ecological habitat, and stabilize the new river channel . . . “ http://ens-news.com/ens/aug2002/2002-08-21-09.asp#anchor8

Army Corps of Engineers Sued Over Rock Mining in the Everglades

NRDC press release. Washington, DC 8/20/02. The NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Sierra Club and NPCA (National Parks Conservation Association) filed suit in federal district court in Washington D.C. to reverse an Army Corps decision approving deep-pit limestone mining on over 5,000 acres of Everglades wetlands. The approvals are part of the mining industry's long-term plans for a total of over 22,000 acres of mining in the eastern Everglades, an area the size of the City of Miami. The Army Corps has issued the twelve permit approvals to ten companies over the last several months since announcing its 4/11/02 decision. http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/020820.asp

EPA to Preserve Marshland in Catano Area of Puerto Rico

EPA press release, 8/19/02. EPA announced the formal approval of a workplan for the Las Cucharillas Land Acquisition Project, through which undeveloped nature reserves in the Catano area will be acquired and maintained. The $3.4 million project to acquire sensitive ecosystems in the Las Cucharillas Marsh area over the next few years will be funded and implemented by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA). The project was developed as a supplemental benefit to the community under a 1999 Consent Decree between PREPA and EPA for violations at PREPA facilities. http://www.epa.gov/region2/news/2002/02073.htm

Seven Important Bird Areas Named in Connecticut

West Haven, CT 8/19/02 (ENS) – “Seven new Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been designated in eight towns throughout Connecticut, Audubon Connecticut announced last week. . . IBAs are sites that provide habitat essential for the breeding, feeding, wintering or migration of one or more species of birds. To be designated an IBA, a site is nominated and then evaluated by a technical committee composed of the state's top ornithologists who assess its statewide significance for birds. Sites may be nominated by land managers, scientists, and the general public . . . “http://ens-news.com/ens/aug2002/2002-08-19-09.asp#anchor7

Corps Suspends Crucial Everglades Restoration

8/16/02, The Palm Beach Post. “A long-running land dispute in Miami-Dade County is halting a crucial part of the Everglades restoration, just as many of the project's supporters have warned for years. The Army Corps of Engineers announced this week that it's suspending all planning on efforts to re-create natural flow in the heart of the Everglades by 2016, possibly the most ecologically important element of the $8.4 billion restoration. The work can't continue until Congress, the courts or someone decides what to do about more than 300 homes on the marshy eastern fringes of Everglades National Park, corps restoration project manager Dennis Duke said Wednesday . . . “ http://www.miami.com/mld/miami/3872462.htm

NJ: Town of Wayne Defends Wetlands Plan, but DEP Won't Budge

8/15/02. Newark, NJ – “State law allows some development on protected wetlands if its value is overwhelmingly important to the community, according to Wayne township lawyers. And that, they argued in court Wednesday, is why the township should be allowed to sacrifice 4.6 acres of wetlands in its urban renewal zone in favor of a $250 million hotel/commercial complex that would bring in millions in tax dollars and create hundreds of jobs. That line of reasoning was evident in the questions that lawyers from the township and developer Farcal Realty threw at a witness for the state Department of Environmental Protection. But the state official stood firm that the township had not provided compelling evidence to outweigh the DEP's denial of a wetlands building permit for the site off Routes 80 and 23 . . . “ http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?level_3_id=5&page=4645045

These Wetland Restorations Are for the Birds

8/15/02. “ . . . Maintaining healthy grassland/wetland ecosystems in the intensively farmed agricultural landscape of south-central Nebraska is a formidable challenge for today's resource managers. Known as the Rainwater Basin, this 17-county area derives its name from the numerous shallow, rain-filled, playalike wetlands scattered across the landscape. Roughly 90 percent of the original wetlands have been converted to other uses. [However one] activity gaining momentum is the restoration and enhancement of wetland habitat on state-owned wildlife management areas . . . “ http://enn.com/news/enn-stories/2002/08/08152002/s_47750.asp

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NEW PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

EPA's Water Quality Standards Database Expands

EPA is developing a National Water Quality Standards Database (WQSDB) to improve public access to information on standards. EPA's August update to the Water Quality Standards Database included new or revised information for nine States and one Tribe, bringing the total number of jurisdictions covered in the database to twenty-five. When completed, the WQSDB will allow access to maps and tables for all of the approximately 2.7 million surface water bodies across the nation. Visit the updated database at http://www.epa.gov/wqsdatabase/

Effects of Vegetation Manipulation on Breeding Waterfowl in Prairie Wetlands — A Literature Review

“Effects of Vegetation Manipulation on Breeding Waterfowl in Prairie Wetlands — A Literature Review” focuses on the effects of fire and grazing on the wetlands used by breeding prairie waterfowl. Nearly all previous studies indicate that reductions in height and density of tall, emergent hydrophytes by fire and grazing (unless very intensive) generally benefit breeding waterfowl. Research needs are great because of the drastic changes that have accrued to prairie wetlands through fire suppression, cultivation, and other factors. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/2002/vegmanip/vegmanip.htm

Now Online: Climate Change and Fisheries in the Gulf of Maine Symposium Proceedings

The Sierra Club has posted white papers and other products from the April 5, 2002 Symposium, Climate Change and Fisheries in the Gulf of Maine. The Sierra Club National Marine Wildlife and Habitat Committee sponsored the Symposium, and cooperating parties included College of the Atlantic and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Some of the White Paper topics include “Potential Consequences of Climate Change for the Fish Resources in the Mid-Atlantic Region”, “Possible Effects of Global Climate Change on Harmful Estuarine and Marine Microalgae”, and “Gulf of Maine Coastal Habitats and Climate Change: What Does the Future Hold?”  http://www.sierraclub.org/marine/fisheries/symposium02

Chesapeake Bay Report Highlights Restoration Progress and Partnerships

Chesapeake Bay Program pres release, 8/28/02. Annapolis, MD  – The Chesapeake Bay Program released its State of the Chesapeake Bay, a 58-page report on the cooperative efforts working to protect and restore North America's largest estuary. The report highlights the protection and restoration efforts made since the Chesapeake 2000 agreement was adopted by Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission in June 2000. The agreement and its 103 commitments serve as a blueprint for the Bay's restoration over the next 10 years. http://www.chesapeakebay.net/press.htm

“Drought Toolkit” Presented by American Rivers

American Rivers has prepared a "Drought Tool Kit" as a resource to suggest new aspects and sources of information for this topic. With some of these materials, we steer journalists to the answers to their most frequently asked questions -- where to find information about stream levels, water consumption, and historical precipitation averages. Other materials are prepared as a thought-provoking list of issues to explore rather than definitive answers to your questions -- recognizing that some drought effects are highly variable from watershed to watershed. http://www.amrivers.org/instreamflowtoolkit/droughttoolkit.htm

Report: Sprawl Compounds Water Crisis in Drought-Stricken Cities

American Rivers press release, 8/28/02. Washington, DC - Sprawl development is making the nation's drought even more painful by impairing the landscape's ability to recharge aquifers and surface waters, according to a new report released today.  Nationwide, paved-over land sends billions of gallons of water into streams and rivers as polluted runoff, rather than into the soil to replenish groundwater. This groundbreaking report, Paving our Way to Water Shortages: How Sprawl Aggravates Drought, estimates the extent of this phenomenon in 18 rapidly growing cities. The authors urge communities to adopt "smart growth" policies to reign in sprawl and protect water supplies and watersheds into the future. http://www.americanrivers.org/landuse/sprawldroughtreport.htm

Critical Habitat Proposed for Topeka Shiner

Ctr. For Biological Diversity press release, 8/22/02. The USFWS has proposed to designate critical habitat for the imperiled Topeka Shiner over approximately 2,230 river miles in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota and South Dakota. The Topeka shiner is a small fish which was once abundant throughout the Central Great Plains and western tallgrass prairies, the Topeka shiner is now found in less than ten percent of its original range due to siltation of spawning habitat, water pollution, pesticide runoff, dams and diversions . It is currently isolated in disconnected tributary streams in Kansas (Kansas and Cottonwood river basins), Missouri (Missouri, Grand, Lamine, Chariton, and Des Moines river basins), Iowa (North Raccoon and Rock river basins), South Dakota (James, Big Sioux and Vermillion river watersheds), and Minnesota (Rock and Big Sioux river watersheds). http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/press/topekashiner8-22-02.html

HGM Regional Guidebook Available for the Everglades

"A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetland Functions of Flats Wetlands in the Everglades" is now available. The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Approach is a method for developing functional indices and the protocols used to apply these indices to the assessment of wetland functions at a site-specific scale. This Regional Guidebook was developed to (a) characterize the Everglades Flats Wetlands in Florida, (b) provide the rationale used to select functions for the marl, rocky, and organic subclasses, (c) provide the rationale used to select model variables and metrics, (d) provide the rationale used to develop assessment models, (e) provide data from reference wetlands and document its use in calibrating model variables and assessment models, and (f) outline the necessary protocols for applying the functional indices to the assessment of wetland functions. http://libweb.wes.army.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/EL-TR-02-19.pdf

Non-native Species in Our Nation's Estuaries: A Framework for an Invasion Monitoring Program

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (USA) recently completed a report on broad-scale invasion monitoring programs, based on a workshop held in January 2002.  The Executive Summary for “Non-native Species in Our Nation's Estuaries: A Framework for an Invasion Monitoring Program” is located online at http://www.ocrm.nos.noaa.gov/nerr/resource.html

The Wise Use of Floodplains  - EU Life Environment Project

European Water Management News, 8/28/02. The Wise Use of Floodplain project was a trans-national partnership involving government departments, research organizations and non-government organizations (NGO's), in six project areas throughout England, Scotland, Ireland and France. The project's aim was to demonstrate how floodplain wetlands could contribute to the sustainable management of water within river basins. It has developed and tested tools that will help Member States to meet some of the requirements of the WFD. The main results have been developed into simple guidance notes that will form part of a toolkit to assist with river basin planning. These, and other background papers and Technical reports are available at http://www.floodplains.org.uk.

Aquatic Nuisance Species Are on the Menu of New CD

MN Sea Grant news release, 8/12/02. "Exotics To Go! Presentations and Publications to Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species," an informational compact disk developed by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, is billed as the equivalent of "fast food" for people who need outreach materials about aquatic nuisance species (ANS).  The convenient package of information is designed to help lake associations, natural resource agency staff, extension educators, and teachers distribute accurate, timely, and important information about ANS. Available from Minnesota Sea Grant for $2.50 plus tax.  http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/exotics/exoticstogo.html.

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POTPOURRI

WI Coastal Management Program Seeks RFPs

The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program announces that $1.6 million in federal funds is available for Coastal Management Grants to protect and enhance access to the Great Lakes and their coasts. Applications are due November 8, 2002. The grants will be awarded to local and tribal governments, state agencies and non-profit organizations working in the 15 Great Lakes coastal counties. The grants may be used for land acquisition, wetland protection, habitat restoration, run-off pollution control, community planning, education, public access to the Great Lakes and preserving historic and archaeological resources. The projects require local matching contributions. http://www.doa.state.wi.us/dhir/boir/coastal/grants/

Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment Request for Proposals

This grant offering is the second year of a three-year partnership between the US Association of Delegates to the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (the Council) and the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Community-based Restoration Program. Non-governmental organizations, municipalities, schools, and tribal and state governments are eligible to compete for funding made available through this grant.. The proposed project must be located within the United States portion of the Gulf of Maine watershed. Projects beyond this geographic range may be considered if it is shown that the proposed project will provide direct benefits to the GOM ecosystem. The full grant application is available online at www.gulfofmaine.org.  

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Funds Available for Coastal Conservation Projects    

USFWS news release, 8/27/02. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is once again offering grants to support local cooperative conservation projects in coastal areas, including the Great Lakes. About $230,000 will be available this fall in the Great Lakes region, and the Service is urging interested groups to apply for funding. Deadline for application is October 31, 2002. This is the third year the Service has offered grants for conservation projects aimed at restoring and conserving Great Lakes coastal areas and habitats. It is recommended that requests for coastal conservation grants are capped at $20,000. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases

VT DEC Seeks Wetlands Ecologists

Title Code – 145806. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Water Quality, seeks two Wetlands Ecologists for its statewide wetlands protection program.  The new hires will be responsible for the evaluation and regulation of wetlands in the state, including permit review and enforcement of regulations; review and delineate wetland boundaries; advise landowners of state and federal permit requirements; coordinate with other state departments in the review of Act 250 permits impacting wetlands; and educate a broad audience on wetland ecology and protection.  Bachelor's degree in related field and three years of professional experience in environmental biology, microbiology or chemistry, or ecology, soils science, geology or hydrogeology OR Bachelor's degree in any biological-life or physical science and four years of professional experience in environmental biology, microbiology or chemistry, or ecology, soils science, geology, or hydrogeology. NOTE: Graduate level coursework in environmental biology, microbiology or chemistry, or ecology, soils science, geology or hydrogeology may be substituted for up to two years of the experience requirement on a semester for six month basis. OR  Experience: Two years experience as an Environmental Scientist II.  Preferred Requirements: Master’s degree and field experience in wetlands. For additional information contact April Moulaert at (802) 241-3770. Application deadline: September 27, 2002

MO Dept of Conservation Hiring a Wildlife Services Biologist

Closing date: 9/19/02. The Missouri Department of Conservation has a position available for a Wildlife Services Biologist in Palmyra, Missouri. SALARY RANGE:  Monthly $2,702 - $4,798; Annually $32,424 - $57,576. Duties include working as a member of the NRCS area office staff to provide biological training and technical support to NRCS/SWCD staff in 20-26 counties including workshops, seminars and field exercises with groups as well as one-on-one training. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries, Forestry, Wildlife, the Biological Sciences or closely-related subjects and three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in fisheries, forestry, wildlife or closely-related work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferred. Approval as Certified Wildlife Biologist by the Wildlife Society is
desired. For an application, contact the Missouri Department of Conservation, Human Resources Division, 2901 West Truman  Blvd., Jefferson City,Missouri 65102 (573/751 4115).  www.Conservation.state.mo.us/about/jobs/.

Portland, OR Consulting Firm Seeks Biologist – Wetlands/Fisheries

Adolfson Associates, Inc., a growing regional leader in environmental consulting with an excellent reputation, seeks a PROJECT BIOLOGIST for its Portland office.  BS, MS and 5+ years experience in wetlands, fisheries or related experience required.  Prior consulting or experience with a regulatory or resource agency preferred.  Excellent writing and verbal skills required.  Competitive benefits and salary DOE.  Please send resumes to aduhrkoop@adolfson.com, or mail to Adolfson Associates, Inc., 333 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Portland, OR 97204-1743.  www.adolfson.com.

Senior Wildlife Biologist, Everglades National Park

(OPM # 150068) Closing Date: 10/15/02 A position is available with the South Florida Natural Resources Center of the National Park Service in Homestead Florida [12 miles from Everglades National Park] for a senior wildlife biologist (GS-12/13). Participate with biologists and other scientists in furthering the goals of Everglades restoration. Supervise 7 professional staff responsible for freshwater, upland and estuarine wildlife monitoring, resource management assessments and analysis of wildlife monitoring databases relative to hydrological restoration alternatives. To apply, consult http://www.usajobs.opm.gov. For more information on technical aspects of the position contact Dr. Tom Armentano at (305) 242-7801 or tom_armentano@nps.gov.

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