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

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---

MA: State Ready To Loosen Wetlands Regulations

Industry Groups Argue for Weakened Clean Water Protections

Exemption for Driveways May Threaten Michigan Wetlands

CA: Protection For Seasonal Wetlands Dies In Committee

FL: Corps Of Engineers To Study Impact Of Wetlands Permits

USDA Announces First Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program Partnership

Reunion of National Wetlands Policy Forum Held

---NATIONAL UPDATES---

Wetland Restoration in the Midwest, Hypoxia Relief in the Gulf of Mexico

New Wetlands Program Offers Opportunities Nationwide

Petition Filed to Protect Rare Salamander

Announced: Funded Wetlands Projects, Additions to National Wildlife Refuges

Landmark Environmental Agreement Signed To Protect Aquatic Resources

In About-Face, Army Scraps Plans For Environmental Cutbacks

Scientists Focus Research on Understanding Causes of Changes in Western Mountains

Can We Restore Wetlands And Leave the Mosquitoes Out?

Sea Turtles: Worth More Alive Than Dead

---LEGISLATIVE UPDATES---

Louisiana: Landrieu, GOP Ally Try New Run At Wetlands Cash

Senate Panel OKs Army Corps Reforms, River Works

Natural Resources Defense Council's LEGISLATIVE WATCH

---STATES NEWS---

Phoenix: Projects Work To Restore The River That Once Ran Through A Desert City

Natio Academy of Sciences to Review Everglades Restorationnal

Grand Jury In Jackson, Mississippi, Charges Three Individuals And Two Corporations With Wetlands Violations

USFWS Probes Pelican Exodus at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge

NRCS, Ducks Unlimited to Convert Arkansas Property to Wetlands

LA: Sentences Handed-Down In Wetlands And Asbestos Cases

MN: Wetlands Program In Limbo Because Of Lawmakers' Inaction

EPA Administrator Launches Wetlands Partnership

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---

Floristic Quality Assessment Index for Vascular Plants and Mosses for Ohio

Izaak Walton League Issues  New Watershed Stewardship Action Kit

Map Your Waters!  A New Version of EnviroMapper is Now Available

PLJV Releases Summer 2004 issue of the Science Circular

Companion Guides Provide Forest Managers and Developers Guidance for Protecting Small Wetlands

Online Training: Fundamentals of the Rosgen Stream Classification System

New Report - Beyond Dams: Options and Alternatives

---POTPOURRI---

Feds Propose Protections For Threatened Bull Trout In Four States

Ecological Consultants Sought by Midwest Firm

Regional Manager, Ecologist Sought by Midwest Firm

Wetland Specialist Sought

Research Associate 3 or 4 - Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute

Postdoctoral Position in Wetland Ecology - University of Akron

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---

For a rolling calendar of meeting, conferences, and other events visit the ASWM calendar.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

Do any of you subscribe to Netflix?  You know, the company that delivers DVDs to your door and charges a low monthly rental fee?  The company with the website encouraging you to rate films you've watched (scaled from "hated" to "loved") and then makes recommendations based on your responses? Well, I recently subscribed.  And, I've become addicted - not to picking out movies and watching them, although that is fun, too - but addicted to RATING movies I've watched.  Enter an actor, a director, or even a genre and a whole new list of movies is generated for rating.  I've rated 635 movies, and every new list NetFlix generates triggers even more memories of movies I've seen.  Even the 1972 B-movie "Frogs" has cropped up for rating (saw it on cable - liked its cheesiness).  Someone once remarked to my sister that our family watches a lot of movies.  Are 635 movies a lot of movies to have watched over the course of 33 years?  In the amount of time spent watching those 635 movies, I probably could have learned to fly a plane, learned to play an instrument, become New York's top birder, or learned to type without looking down at the keyboard . . . Hopefully there's still time for all of those things.  Meanwhile, I'll keep watching - and rating.

Special thanks to everyone who maintains the  e-mail newsletters, list-serves, and websites that keep us informed, and thanks to the individuals that contributed to this Edition, including Terry Bush, Kruggel, Lawton & Company, LLC; Bruce P. Willman, Science Applications International Corporation; and John Mack, Ohio EPA.

Happy Fourth of July!

Jennifer Brady-Connor Editor, Wetland Breaking News

PS: Did you become an ASWM member after last month's Edition of Wetland Breaking News?  You don't have to be a state wetland manager to qualify for membership, just a person interested in wetlands or appreciative of "Wetland Breaking News."  To join now, while you're at the computer and thinking of it, please visit http://www.aswm.org/member/index.htm#app.

EDITOR'S CHOICE

MA: State Ready To Loosen Wetlands Regulations

By Beth Daley, Globe Staff, 6/25/04.  "Department of Environmental Protection officials are rewriting the state's wetland rules -- a move critics say could mean the destruction of even more fragile ecosystems than have already been lost over the last decade. Public comment on the stack of technical regulations ends Monday and new rules could be in place as soon as the fall. The department, suffering from deep budget cuts, says the changes will allow staff members to stop spending their time on relatively minor cases and instead focus on landowners who are illegally filling in large chunks of wetlands.  ''I honestly believe this will result in an increase in environmental protection,' said Robert Golledge Jr., commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection. Environmental advocates, not surprisingly, disagree . . . " http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/06/25/ state_ready_to_loosen_wetlands_regulations/ [The proposed regulatory changes are available at www.mass.gov/dep/new.htm (scroll down to "5/21 Public Notice for Proposed Regulatory Amendments")]

Industry Groups Argue for Weakened Clean Water Protections

Earthjustice news release, June 9th, 2004. Washington DC-- Attorneys for the oil industry filed a motion today seeking to narrow the scope of the federal Clean Water Act as it applies to preventing oil spills in many streams, ponds, wetlands and other waters. If the industry cases are successful, the damage could extend beyond the oil spill program. Specifically, EPA could be required to drastically cut back the scope of the Clean Water Act's protections in other Clean Water Act programs as well, to reach only "traditionally navigable waters" and their adjacent wetlands. Such a result could ultimately leave most of the nation's creeks, wetlands, streams, lakes and ponds without protection under the federal Clean Water Act. With so much of the nation's waters open to unrestricted dredging, filling and pollution discharge, even those few rivers and coastal waters that retained Clean Water Act protections could be seriously threatened. The two cases are pending in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, American Petroleum Institute v. EPA, D.D.C. Civil Action No. 02-2247 PLF; Marathon Oil Company v. EPA, D.D.C. Civil Action No. 02-2249. http://www.earthjustice.org/news/display.html?ID=853

Exemption for Driveways May Threaten Michigan Wetlands

Wetland advocates in Michigan are launching a campaign against MI House Bill 5441 that exempts driveways from Michigan's wetland regulations. According to a Bill Summary from The Michigan Wetland Action Coalition, "HB 5441 would amend Part 303 (Wetlands Protection) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to allow for driveway construction or maintenance in wetlands without a permit. Currently, driveway construction and widening of driveways in wetlands is reviewed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) through the General Permit process - an expedited permit review process with no public notice."  MWAC says the bill ignores sensitive areas, exempts wetland destruction with no review, will encourage fragmentation of habitat, will lead to secondary and cumulative impacts, disables the MI DEQ from considering the project as a whole, and jeopardizes Michigan's assumption of federal wetland program. http://www.michiganwetlands.org/

CA: Protection For Seasonal Wetlands Dies In Committee

John M. Hubbell, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau, 6/23/04. Sacramento - "A bill to extend state oversight to seasonal wetlands that environmentalists say have been left vulnerable due to changes in federal law died in an Assembly committee on Tuesday after Democrats failed to support it. Sen. Byron Sher, D-Palo Alto, said his bill, SB1477, aimed only to plug the gap left by Bush administration rollbacks of federal environmental policy, which for more than 20 years protected wetlands and non-navigable or seasonal streams that do not sit adjacent to major waterways. Until 2001, federal policies regulated fill and discharge into those areas, requiring permits and safeguards against environmental harm . . . In a last-ditch move, Sher offered to amend the bill to remove virtually every provision opposed by agricultural, business and landowner groups. In general, the opposition maintained state water officials had adequately stepped in to cover the gap in federal policy -- and that Sher's bill could expand government's role beyond original federal rules . . . " http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/06/23/BAGRP7AF6I1.DTL

FL: Corps Of Engineers To Study Impact Of Wetlands Permits

By CRAIG PITTMAN, Times Staff Writer, 6/4/040.  "To settle a lawsuit filed by two environmental groups, the Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to study how its wetlands permits have damaged the environment across Florida. The settlement, finalized Wednesday, calls for the corps to study the cumulative impact of thousands of permits it has issued for dredging and filling small wetlands throughout the state, then post the results on the Internet. Lesley Blackner, the Palm Beach attorney who represented the environmental groups, said Thursday she hopes the Internet site will make it easier for everyone to gauge the impact of, and perhaps oppose, future wetlands permits . . ." http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/04/State/Corps_of_Engineers_to.shtml

USDA Announces First Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program Partnership

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2004 - Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the first nationally approved Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) partnership.  The $26 million Lower Missouri River WREP project in Nebraska will enhance the state's wetland restoration efforts.  "This partnership brings federal, state and local resources together to restore wetlands, provide habitat for wildlife and improve water quality," said Veneman.  "This project supports the Administration's goal to restore, improve and protect an additional 3 million acres of environmentally sensitive wetlands over the next five years."  Partners in this WREP project set a goal to enroll 18,800 acres for a total cost of $26 million through 2007-$20.4 million for easement purchase and $5.6 million for wetland restoration.  So far, partners have committed $1.9 million to reduce wetland restoration costs to USDA.  The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) approved fiscal year 2004 funding for up to $4 million financial assistance and $212,000 technical assistance. For full story please click on this link http://www.usda.gov/Newsroom/0265.04.html   State and local governments, tribes and organizations interested in WREP should contact the appropriate NRCS state conservationist for information about submitting a proposal.  A list of contacts is online at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/directory/specialists.html under state offices.  Additional information on these programs is at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp.

Reunion of National Wetlands Policy Forum Held

(From EPA Office of Water WaterNews for June 29, 2004)  "On June 25, 2004, EPA reconvened participants and organizations involved in the National Wetlands Policy Forum from 1987-1989.  William K. Reilly, who convened the original Wetlands Forum as Chairman of the World Wildlife Fund, chaired the event.  Administrator Michael Leavitt greeted the participants and discussed the President's wetlands goals. The group discussed the state of the nation's wetlands and programs to protect them.  Many of the participants represented the same organizations that participated in the National Wetlands Policy Forum in the late 1980's.  That Forum published a report fifteen years ago with more than 100 recommendations that included the national goal of 'no overall net loss of wetlands.'  Participants in the Symposium identified a number of areas that warrant additional attention, including: better information on wetland losses, gains and condition; improving regulatory programs to avoid wetland losses and provide quick approval for environmentally sound projects; and developing more opportunities for states, tribes, and private landowners to protect and restore wetlands.  A growing awareness of the importance of wetlands to the nation's economic and environmental health has been reflected in commitments made by recent Administrations.  President George H. W. Bush adopted the National Wetlands Policy Forum's goal of No Net Loss of Wetlands, President Clinton established the target of an annual net gain in the nation's wetlands, and President George W. Bush on Earth Day in April 2004 established a goal of gaining 3 million acres of wetlands by 2009. Wetland losses in the U.S. have declined from a net annual figure of nearly 460,000 acres per year through the mid-1970's to less than 60,000 acres per year today.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

Wetland Restoration in the Midwest, Hypoxia Relief in the Gulf of Mexico

Every year, the Gulf of Mexico suffers a water quality problem of extraordinary proportions that creates a vast "dead zone," an expanse of water that's deficient in oxygen and dangerous for marine life.  Some experts say the "dead zone" would cover less of the gulf if healthy wetlands covered more of the Upper Midwest. They say wetlands could partially remove one of the major forms of pollution that leads to the depletion of oxygen in the Gulf of Mexico every spring.  Earthwatch Radio presents an online article on the role of nitrates in this "dead zone" with a special focus on the way nitrates move through groundwater and how wetland restoration might help clean them up.  The article is based on interviews with faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who specialize in the study of groundwater and the restoration of wetland ecosystems. The article is on the Earthwatch Radio web site at: http://ewradio.org/feature_wetland.aspx

New Wetlands Program Offers Opportunities Nationwide

NACD Buffer Notes, May 2004. "Enrollment in the Farmable Wetlands Program, authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill topped 100,000 acres earlier this year, but there's plenty of room for growth . . . Authorized as a pilot program for the six-state prairie pothole region under CRP in July 2001, FWP allows producers to enroll wet areas in cropland settings. Up to 10 acres of wetlands can be enrolled, with five acres eligible for payment. Buffers of up to three times the size of the wetlands, or an average of 150 feet on either side, can also be enrolled. Up to 40 acres from a tract may be enrolled. Participants agree to restore the hydrology of the wetland to the maximum extent possible. Up to 100,000 acres may be enrolled in any state, and enrollment in a state may be increased to 150,000 acres after three years.   Five states account for the vast majority of current enrollment. They are Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska, five of the six pilot program states in the prairie pothole region . . . " http://nacdnet.org/buffers/04May/wet.htm

Petition Filed to Protect Rare Salamander

TUCSON, Arizona, 6/21/04 (ENS) - "A petition filed last week by a coalition of conservation group seeks federal protection of the Siskiyou Mountains salamander as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The salamander was formerly protected under a provision of the Northwest Forest Plan called the 'Survey and Manage' Program, which required the Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management survey proposed logging areas for rare species associated with old growth forests and to establish logging buffers to protect them.  The Bush administration eliminated the Survey and Manage Program in March 2004 . . . " http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2004/2004-06-21-09.asp [ENS subscribers only; for a complete copy of this article please e-mail Jennifer@aswm.org]

Announced: Funded Wetlands Projects, Additions to National Wildlife Refuges

USFWS news release, 6/9/04.  (WASHINGTON) - The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved more than $18 million for habitat conservation to benefit migratory birds. At the same time, the Commission also approved the acquisition of more than 3,500 acres of important migratory bird habitat to be added to the National Wildlife Refuge System.  The Commission's action will fund grants to states and other partners through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), to meet important habitat goals for migratory birds. The Commission also allocated revenue from the sale of the Duck Stamp to purchase key tracts of land for the National Wildlife Refuge System in Michigan, Texas and West Virginia. http://news.fws.gov

Landmark Environmental Agreement Signed To Protect Aquatic Resources

Capitol Reports "Environmental NewsLink," SAVANNAH, GA  (06/03/04) - "The first-ever Aquatic Resources Conservation and Management Partnership Agreement has been signed by Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and International Paper. The agreement is a landmark environmental partnership expected to significantly improve freshwater ecosystems across the Southeastern United States. The 10-year agreement covers 5.5 million acres of International Paper forestlands in nine Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Under the agreement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists will provide technical assistance as the company conducts extensive ecological surveys and conservation projects to help recover imperiled aquatic species and restore their habitat . . . " http://www.caprep.com/0604007.htm

In About-Face, Army Scraps Plans For Environmental Cutbacks

ENN Daily News, 5/28/04.  "The Army scrapped plans on Thursday to curtail some environmental protections and contracts after learning from Pentagon budget officials it could make do with cuts elsewhere. The about-face came after a report earlier Thursday about an Army memorandum directing base commanders to shift money out of environmental programs. The Army later said it would carry out other measures - such as a hiring freeze and lower spending for travel and conferences - to help pay for costly military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan . . . " http://www.enn.com/news/2004-05-28/s_24345.asp

Scientists Focus Research on Understanding Causes of Changes in Western Mountains

USGS News Release, 5/27/04.  A group of federal and university scientists today announced the launch of the Western Mountain Initiative, a 5-year effort funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to better understand ongoing changes in the mountains of the western United States. Their aim is to unravel the causes of sudden, often unwanted changes in mountainous areas, such as the recent die-off of trees on millions of acres in New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. www.usgs.gov

Can We Restore Wetlands And Leave the Mosquitoes Out?

University of Arizona, 5/26/04.  Restoring wetlands has a foreseeable and inevitable downside: the creation of mosquito habitat.  Breeding disease-transmitting mosquitoes isn't just a surprising side effect of creating wetlands, but an inevitable and foreseeable consequence that must be acknowledged when planning wetland restoration projects, said Elizabeth Willott, an assistant professor in the department of entomology at the University of Arizona in Tucson.  Wetlands do have benefits for people, she said, "Wetlands clean water, help in flood control, provide habitat and have aesthetic value." Even so, she said that environmental ethics require taking into consideration that after a wetland is restored or created, people's exposure to mosquito-borne diseases may increase. http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/environment_sciences/report-29597.html [Also check out Rutgers University: New Jersey Mosquito Homepage-Mosquito Biology [pdf] http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/mosbiol.htm for general mosquito information]

Sea Turtles: Worth More Alive Than Dead

World Wildlife Federation news release, 5/25/04.  Gland, Switzerland - Marine turtle tourism brings in almost three times as much money as the sale of turtle products such as meat, leather, and eggs, according to a new economic study Money talks: Economic Aspects of Marine Turtle Use and Conservation by WWF. It shows that the worldwide decline in sea turtle populations jeopardizes jobs, tourism, and coastal economies, especially in developing countries, two-thirds of which have sea turtles. http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/press_releases/news.cfm?uNewsID=13184

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Louisiana: Landrieu, GOP Ally Try New Run At Wetlands Cash

NOLA.com, 6/25/04.  By Bruce Alpert, Washington bureau. WASHINGTON - "Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., has a new strategy, a new Republican partner and a modified bill as she makes another run to channel offshore royalty payments toward restoration of Louisiana's dwindling coast and wetlands.  Landrieu joined Thursday with Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and a one-time GOP presidential candidate, to introduce the Americans Outdoors Act.  The bill, and a land and water conservation component the senators plan to add later, would generate about $2 billion a year over six years from offshore royalties. Louisiana and Texas would be the major beneficiaries, which, Landrieu argues, is only fair because they provide the major resources for offshore oil and gas production . . . " http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/108814870792460.xml

Senate Panel OKs Army Corps Reforms, River Works

PlanetArk World News, 6/25/04.  WASHINGTON - "Legislation that would subject U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam and flood projects to independent review and require the agency to file an annual progress report with Congress was approved by a Senate panel.  The bill unanimously passed by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee also would spend $2.3 billion to upgrade antiquated locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The improvements have long been sought by farm state lawmakers to speed up shipments of corn, soybeans and wheat . . . " http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/25684/story.htm

Natural Resources Defense Council's LEGISLATIVE WATCH

(June 16, 2004) "On 6/9, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee approved the FY05  spending bill for the Department of Interior (H.R. 4568). The bill contains almost no funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which pays for land acquisition for parks and wildlife refuges and provides grants for land restoration and conservation. Amendments to restore this funding, as well as to ban snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park and to restrict the use of federal funds to build roads in the Tongass National Forest, are expected when the bill hits the House floor. The Senate still has not passed the final FY05 budget resolution agreed to by House and Senate conferees (S. Con. Res. 95) because of a dispute over how tax cuts will be paid for. Sen. Stevens (R-AK), chair of the Appropriations Committee, nevertheless has begun scheduling hearings on appropriations bills and vowed to move these bills forward despite the absence of a final budget resolution.  For more information on the Bush administration's proposed FY05 budget, see NRDC's budget statement, and NRDC's analysis of the budget.  http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/040204b.asp http://www.nrdc.org/media/docs/040204.pdf

"Air, Energy and Climate: On 6/15, the House passed H.R. 4503, the energy bill conference report, by a vote of 244-178. This is the same conference report the House approved late last year as H.R. 6.  Environmentalists oppose the conference report because it would not reduce dependence on foreign oil, but would open fragile lands to oil and gas drilling, raise nuclear proliferation risks, threaten drinking water safety and provide billions to polluting industries while lacking significant energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives. The conference report also includes a provision that would protect MTBE producers from liability for the cost of cleaning up drinking water contaminated by the toxic gasoline additive. The energy bill has been stalled in the Senate since a bipartisan group of senators mounted a filibuster last November. House leaders hope that this latest vote will put pressure on the Senate to approve the energy bill, but senators have indicated an unwillingness to change their positions on the bill.

"Also on 6/15, the House passed H.R. 4513, a bill that would curtail environmental review for renewable energy projects, by a vote of 229-186. The bill would repeal a requirement for consideration of alternative projects or locations that could reduce impacts on land, communities, historical sites and wildlife. The bill also would limit public comment on proposed projects and define renewable energy projects so broadly that garbage incineration and the construction of new dams would be exempt from meaningful environmental review.

"As part if its "Energy Week," the House may vote on bills that would open the Arctic Nationa Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling (H.R. 4529), expedite construction of oil refineries in poor communities with little environmental review (H.R. 4517) and exempt oil companies from paying royalties to the federal government when performing certain types of offshore drilling (H.R. 4515)."

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STATES NEWS

Phoenix: Projects Work To Restore The River That Once Ran Through A Desert City

ENN Daily News for 06/23/2004, 6/23/04.  PHOENIX - "The dust, rocky soil, and blazingly hot summers make it hard to imagine why anyone would have settled here before air conditioners and sprinkler systems. But a century ago, Phoenix was a riverside community, a settlement with sometimes flowing water and even an occasional flood as the Salt River ebbed and flowed with the desert seasons. Eventually, dams upstream tamed the water supply but dried up the riverbed, turning it into a barren ribbon punctuated by gravel mines, abandoned cars, and other junk. Now that is starting to change . . . " http://www.enn.com/news/2004-06-23/s_25119.asp

National Academy of Sciences to Review Everglades Restoration

(ENS) World News, 6/16/04.  JACKSONVILLE, Florida - "The federal government and the state of Florida have agreed to allow an independent scientific panel to review the massive $8 billion, 30 year Everglades restoration plan. The review of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) will be accomplished by the National Academy of Sciences and will produce biennial reports to Congress on the progress of the restoration . . . The panel will produce biennial reports to Congress, which will include an assessment of ecological indicators and other measures of progress in restoration of the Everglades . . . " http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2004/2004-06-16-09.asp#anchor1   [ENS subscribers only; for a complete copy of this article please e-mail Jennifer@aswm.org]

Grand Jury In Jackson, Mississippi, Charges Three Individuals And Two Corporations With Wetlands Violations

US DOJ news release, 6/10/04. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Three individuals and two corporations were charged with crimes arising from their development of a large tract of wetland in southern Mississippi. In a 41 count indictment, Robert Lucas, Jr., of Lucedale, Mississippi; his daughter, Robbie Lucas Wrigley of Ocean Springs, Mississippi; and M. E. Thompson, Jr., of D' Iberville, Mississippi, were charged with having violated the Clean Water Act in having developed wetlands in a 2600 acre subdivision on property in Vancleave, Mississippi, known as Big Hill Acres. In addition, they and Lucas corporations Big Hill Acres, Inc., and Consolidated Investments, Inc., were also charged with conspiracy and mail fraud for allegedly having sold to hundreds of families home sites in wetlands in spite of numerous warnings from public health officials that they were illegally installing septic systems in saturated soil that were likely to fail and to contaminate the property and the drinking water aquifer below it. http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2004/June/04_enrd_396.htm

USFWS Probes Pelican Exodus at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge

USFWS news release, 6/10/04.  Biologists are trying to determine what caused the disappearance of thousands of white pelicans from nesting sites at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge in late May, and where the pelicans may have gone. Population counts conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on two of the three nesting sites at the refuge revealed a drop from about 27,000 pelicans on May 20 to 80 birds on May 28.  A flight over the surrounding area on June 2 did not find any large numbers of pelicans.  A third nesting site on the refuge is reportedly normal, with about 2,500 pelicans present. http://news.fws.gov

NRCS, Ducks Unlimited to Convert Arkansas Property to Wetlands

NRCS This Week, 6/9/04.  "Ducks Unlimited recently purchased 800 acres of land near Dyer in Kibler Bottoms, Arkansas, that will be converted into wetlands for waterfowl and hunting.  Craig Hilburn, director of Conservation Programs for the Arkansas Field Station of Ducks Unlimited, said he hopes the area will be ready for hunting in November.  The property was purchased through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Wetlands Reserve Program . . . The area, which rests beside the Arkansas River, will be developed specifically for waterfowl . . . " http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/thisweek/2004/040609/duwrp.html

LA: Sentences Handed-Down In Wetlands And Asbestos Cases

Capitol Reports "Environmental NewsLink," WASHINGTON (06/08/04) - "A Louisiana man has been sentenced to serve 21 months in prison for violating the Clean Water Act by illegally filling wetlands. Terry P. LeBlanc of Lafayette, La. must also serve 12 months supervised probation and pay a $3,000 criminal fine.  On November 19, 2002, LeBlanc dumped large quantities of construction debris and roofing shingles into wetlands located in the "St. Martinville Road" area near Lafayette. Subsequent investigations by EPA uncovered a history of repeated violations at this site by LeBlanc . . . " http://www.caprep.com/0604014.htm

MN: Wetlands Program In Limbo Because Of Lawmakers' Inaction

Agri News, 5/26/04. ST. PAUL (AP) - "Agriculture and environmental groups had finally agreed on how the wetlands restoration program should work. The House, Senate and governor had recommended funding. The feds were poised to pony up nearly $200 million over the next several years.  Then, the Legislature finished the 2004 session without passing a bonding bill.  "I don't know that anybody thought this would be the holdup," said John Monson, executive director of the Farm Service Agency office in Minnesota.  Overall, the project Gov. Tim Pawlenty outlined last year would mean $236 million for farmers who set aside up to 120,000 acres in watersheds in southeast, southwest, and northwest Minnesota . . . " http://webstar.postbulletin.com/agrinews/280597775781499.bsp

EPA Administrator Launches Wetlands Partnership

EPA Region 3 "EnviroBytes" 5/21/04.   "EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt delivered keynote remarks at a May 20 kickoff event in Wilmington, Del. launching the Delaware Chapter of the Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, an arm of the Coastal America organization. The partnership is a public-private initiative that brings together businesses, government agencies, conservation organizations, community groups and academia to protect, enhance and restore our nation's critically important wetlands and coastal aquatic resources."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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NEW PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

Floristic Quality Assessment Index for Vascular Plants and Mosses for Ohio

John Mack, Ohio EPA, announces the availability of the Floristic Quality Assessment Index for Vascular Plants and Mosses for Ohio. The document and its appendices are available at http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/wetlands/wetland_bioassess.html.  Hard copies are being printed and will be available from the authors by mid to late summer.  Contact John at john.mack@epa.state.oh.us

Izaak Walton League Issues  New Watershed Stewardship Action Kit

The Izaak Walton League has issued its all-new, totally revised and updated Watershed Stewardship Action Kit for clean water advocates and activists. The toolkit is a central element to the League's longstanding Save Our Streams program, which has pioneered stream and wetland education for citizens since 1969. SOS has educated and motivated citizens to clean-up stream corridors, monitor stream health, restore degraded stream banks and protect dwindling wetland acreage. The toolkit includes a number of fact sheets on wetlands, the Clean Water Act, and watershed action plans. It also provides background on how to develop, fund, conduct, and get publicity for watershed protection projects in local communities. It also includes a list of relevant publications from the Environmental Protection Agency with directions on they can be acquired. To get the toolkit go to www.iwla.org/merchant2 and click on Books, or click on the "search" button and type in "watershed stewardship action kit."

Map Your Waters!  A New Version of EnviroMapper is Now Available

EPA's Office of Water has just released a new version of EnviroMapper for Water (http://www.epa.gov/waters/enviromapper/).  EnviroMapper for Water provides a Web-based mapping connection to a wealth of water data. You can use it to view and map data such as the uses assigned to local waters by your state (fishing, swimming, etc), waters that are impaired and do not support their assigned uses, the reasons why waters are impaired, water quality monitoring information, closures of swimming beaches, and the location of dischargers. Maps can be viewed at the national, regional, state or local levels. This latest release of EnviroMapper for Water (Version 3.0) features several new layers of water data including EPA's national water quality database STORET, National Estuary Program study areas, and the location of nonpoint source projects.   Other enhancements make it easier to locate and view these data, and instructions are included describing how to incorporate the resulting map into your own Web page. For more information, contact Tommy Dewald at dewald.tommy@epa.gov or 202-566-1178.

PLJV Releases Summer 2004 issue of the Science Circular

The Summer 2004 issue of the Science Circular, a publication of the Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV), is available online at http://www.pljv.org/newsarchive/ScienceCircular/SCSummer2004.html  In this issue: 1. PLJV Planning Enters Phase II 2. Bird Planning Teams Spread their Wings 3. PLJV Unveils New All-Bird Planning Tool 4. New GIS Partnership, Analyst Hard at Work in Nebraska 5. Latest Publications from PLJV Partners 6. Upcoming Conferences and Meetings The Science Circular is intended for biologists, researchers, resource managers, planning partners and habitat project implementers involved or interested in PLJV science issues. You are receiving the Science Circular because either you are a PLJV partner or were referred to us by one of your colleagues. We hope you enjoy the publication, but should you wish to unsubscribe, please send an email to ScienceCircular@pljv.org indicating your cancellation.

Companion Guides Provide Forest Managers and Developers Guidance for Protecting Small Wetlands

HerpDigest Volume # 4 Issue # 42.  "A new 2004 publication entitled Forestry Habitat Management Guidelines (HMG's) for Vernal Pool Wildlife provides guidance to landowners and forest managers interested in conserving vernal pool wildlife in managed forests of the Northeast.  Authored by A. Calhoun and P. deMaynadier, the HMG's . . . balance the best available science on vernal pool-forestry relationships with the interests of the forest management community to produce guidelines that are both biologically meaningful and practical. . . . The HMG's are intended to serve as a companion to a related document entitled Best Development Practices: Conserving pool-breeding amphibians in residential and commercial developments in the northeastern U.S. by A. Calhoun and M. Klemens (2002).  Together, these publications provide techniques and recommendations designed to help maintain functioning vernal pool landscapes throughout the glaciated Northeast . . . " Contact Nick Miller of the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance (Wildlife Conservation Society) at 914-925-9175."

Online Training: Fundamentals of the Rosgen Stream Classification System

Posted by Alice Mayo, EPA, to NPS Info list-serve.  The newest watershed academy online module is now accessible at http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/stream_class/.  The module summarizes the basic Level 1 and Level 2 techniques for classifying stream channel types according to the Rosgen classification system, which is one of the most widely used methods for stream classification in the country.  The popularity of this system is due to its basis in fluvial geomorphology and natural stream formative processes, its use of common geomorphic principles and field measurement techniques, its relationship to stability or instability of the stream channel and channel evolution, and relating all of the above to stream restoration principles and practices.

New Report - Beyond Dams: Options and Alternatives

American Rivers news release, 6/16/04.  A new report by American Rivers -- "Beyond Dams: Options and Alternatives" -- provides stakeholders and decision-makers with an overview of low-impact and non-structural alternatives to dams. It is designed as a reference for anyone interested in exploring options for replacing a function served by an existing dam or replacing a function to be served by a proposed dam.  The report focuses on main functions that dams can serve and alternative means of fulfilling those uses: water diversion and supply, flood management, and energy. http://www.amrivers.org/beyonddams.html

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POTPOURRI

Feds Propose Protections For Threatened Bull Trout In Four States

ENN Daily News, 6/25/04.  RENO, Nevada - "Populations of bull trout in four states would be declared critical habitat for the threatened fish under a federal proposal announced this week . . .  [The proposal] targets 131 miles of the Jarbridge River and its tributaries in northeastern Nevada and southwestern Idaho, home to the southernmost surviving population of bull trout in North America.  In Washington, the proposal identifies 2,300 miles of streams, 52,500 acres of lakes, and 985 miles of marine habitat along the coast. Habitat in Montana would encompass 88 miles of streams and 6,300 acres of lakes . . . " http://www.enn.com/news/2004-06-25/s_25256.asp

Regional Manager, Ecologist Sought by Midwest Firm

A progressive and rapidly growing ecological services and environmental engineering consulting firm, specializing in watershed management, ecological restoration, wetlands, and natural resource consulting, is seeking to fill positions in the following areas: Regional Manager. Leading and growing the ecological and natural resource consulting practice for the office; Supporting and guiding team members, and direct involvement in higher-profile and strategically important projects; etc. Ecologist.  Ecologists conduct fieldwork; coordinate projects directly with clients and with colleagues; and directly contribute to the growth and success of the firm. With multiple Midwestern locations, the firm's talented professionals provide a wide range of services to corporations, federal, state, and municipal governments, as well as private landowners.  Contact Terry J. Bush, SPHR, Director of Human Resource Services, Kruggel, Lawton & Company, LLC, www.klcpas.com, tbush@klcpas.com , 574.289.4011, ext. 231; Mobile 574.292.6359

Wetland Specialist Sought

Jones & Stokes is accepting resumes to fill a permanent Wetland Specialist position for applicants who meet the following criteria: able to perform wetland delineations; State and Federal wetland permitting experience; basic wetland plant identification; 1-2 years of experience preferred; good writing skills; attention to detail; familiarity with basic computer applications, particularly Excel and Word; AutoCAD a bonus; Oregon drivers license required.  Direct resumes to Shane Latimer at slatimer@jsanet.com. Jones & Stokes is an employee-owned environmental consulting firm founded in 1970 that specializes in natural resource science and planning in the western United States. Headquartered in Sacramento, California, Jones & Stokes maintains offices in Portland and Ashland, Oregon; Bellevue, Washington; San José, Las Angeles, Oakland, and Irvine, California; and Phoenix, Arizona.

Research Associate 3 or 4 - Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute

Required Qualifications:  (RA3) Master's degree or (RA4) Ph.D. in Biology, Agronomy, Marine Science, Forestry, and Wildlife or closely related field. Additional Qualifications Desired:  (RA 3 or 4):  Experience in field sampling of wetlands, water, soil and plant chemical analysis, and statistical analyses, knowledge of SAS and plant and soil ecology.  Special Requirements:  Ability to travel for field trips in and out of Louisiana; ability to perform physical demands in the field including high heat and humidity; work hours may go into the evening during field trips. Anticipated hire date is August 1, 2004.  Application deadline is July 15, 2004 or until candidate is selected.  Submit letter of application and resume (including e-mail address) to: Karen Gros, Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute, Room 103A, Louisiana State University, REF #026518, Baton Rouge, LA  70803-7511.

Postdoctoral Position in Wetland Ecology - University of Akron

The University of Akron seeks a postdoctoral scientist with broad, collaborative, interdisciplinary interests in wetland ecology for a one-year postdoctoral fellowship supported by a grant from the Department of the Interior.  The primary goal of the project is to develop a long-term monitoring protocol for the assessment of wetland health in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (http://www.nps.gov/cuva/).  The postdoctoral scientist will be responsible for data management, analysis, and interpretation of a comprehensive multi-wetland monitoring project conducted in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  The candidate will interact with National Park Service scientists stationed at the Science and Resource Management Division of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  There is opportunity for independent research on some aspect of wetland biological indicators.  The ideal candidate will also provide guidance to graduate trainees through mentoring and collaborative projects.  Additional responsibilities of the postdoc include participation in scientific conferences, and assisting with administration of Dr. Lauchlan Fraser's lab at the University of Akron (http://www3.uakron.edu/biology/fraser/Publish/index.html). The postdoctoral scientist will receive $30,000, and a generous benefits package. Start date is September 1, 2004.  To apply send (1) Curriculum vitae; (2) A short statement of current research interests (no more than 2 single-spaced pages); and, (3) Three letters of recommendation. Please address preliminary inquiries and send electronic application materials to Dr. Lauchlan Fraser: lfraser@uakron.edu.

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