INDEX:

---EDITOR'S NOTE--

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---

·	Developer Avoids Prison In Wetlands Case
·	FL: Legislation Would Delay Restrictions On Building In Wetlands
·	127 Members of Congress Endorse Major Clean Water Legislation
·	Recipients of 2005 National Wetlands Awards Announced
·	Washington Post:  "Definition of 'Ditch' Is Muddy at Best"
·	American Wetlands Month Observed in May

---NATIONAL UPDATES---

·	NRCS: CSP Sign-Up Begins March 28 in 220 Watersheds Nationwide
·	Bush Picks Scientist to Head EPA
·	National Wetlands Inventory Program Marks 30th Anniversary
·	Migratory Bird Conservation Commission Approves Funding for Wetlands Projects, Acquisitions
·	Final List Of Non-Native Bird Species Published
·	$62 Million in Grants to States Awarded to Support Wildlife and Habitats
·	EPA Issues RFP for the National Lakes Assessment Planning Project
·	U.S. Border Fencing Project May Harm Sensitive Ecological Area
·	High Court To Decide Whether To Hear Challenge To Endangered Species Act

---LEGISLATIAVE NEWS---

·	ANWR: Still No Final Resolution
·	Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act Introduced

---STATES NEWS---  

·	Poor Water Quality In Iowa Wetlands May Threaten Migrating Waterfowl
·	FL: Fire Hazard Sparks Cutting Of Wetlands
·	DE/MD: Blueprint Drawn To Save Wildlife Haven
·	Lawsuit Filed To Save Valuable Tennessee Wetlands
·	MA: Innovative DEP Wetland Program is Semifinalist for Award
·	New Fairy Shrimp Species Found in Idaho
·	Agreement to Protect 9,900 Acres in MT
·	MI: Representative Palmer Re-Introduces Bad Wetland Bills
·	Texas Battleground Marsh Restored
·	Santa Barbara County Farming Company To Pay $1.15 Million For Wetlands Violations
·	Organochlorines May Be to Blame

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---

·	NJ Updates Freshwater Technical Manual to include Landscape Maps Version 2.0
·	OH EPA Releases Part 5 of INTEGRATED WETLAND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
·	Study: Wetlands Clean Water And May Control Neighborhood Flood Problems
·	How Much is a Wetland Worth?
·	Research: Beneficial Beetles Battle Pesky Saltcedar
·	Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980-2008
·	[GAO Report] Coordination and Cooperation Are Important for Effective Management of Invasive Weeds

---POTPOURRI---

·	Continuing Success For Migrating Whoopers
·	UC Santa Barbara seeks Director of Ecosystem Management
·	Project Manager position, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
·	Natureserve Currently Recruiting For A Number Of Open Positions
·	Wetland Restoration Team Leader
·	Paid Wetland Restoration Intern Positions (multiple): June 1-August 1
·	Environmental Scientist/Wetlands Scientist/Biologist (Poughkeepsie and/or Newburgh, New York)

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---

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

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

So often in my work I read about people in third-world countries doing without the basic necessities, like food, water, and shelter. I do lead a good life here in the US, much better than my parents and leaps and bounds better than my grandparents.  This is something that my family takes for granted every single day, a point that was driven home last week when I took a couple of my cousins to the movies at their request. I told them they had to pay their own way because Michael and I are trying to cut back our luxury spending. We went to the cinema and afterward I drove the boys home. Of course, I had a half-gallon of soda to drink during the movie and compounded by the pregnancy I had to  "use the facilities" really, really badly by the time we got to the first boy's home.  Imagine my shock when this poor kid said that they had no working toilets in his house, in fact no working plumbing whatsoever. They used to have this basic necessity - what happened? It really humbled and shamed me that I was so incredibly stingy. Maybe this will help me keep my eyes open to the trials of people around me and ways I might help if only a bit.

Speaking of luxuries, this week I'll be attending the New York State Wetlands Forum's annual conference in Queensbury, New York on April 6-7 (tomorrow!). What a wonderful program they have pulled together, and a beautiful venue.  I hope those of you within driving distance plan to join us. The meetings are always interesting and informative. Interested? Visit http://www.wetlandsforum.org/.

Special thanks to this Edition's contributors, including John Mack, OH EPA; Susan Marie-Stedman, NOAA; Judy Bailey, EPA; Kelly Constable, The Chazen Companies; and Ashley Garman, ELI.  And, thanks to all who sent congratulations and kind thoughts my way - thank you.

Until next time, Jennifer Brady-Connor Editor, Wetland Breaking News

P.S.: One for  "Oh, the irony!" file:  "Drainage problem could force delay in opening of The Wetlands course" [golf course]; By KEVIN BLANCHARD kblanchard@theadvocate.com, Acadiana bureau, http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/032505/sub_drainage001.shtml

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Developer Avoids Prison In Wetlands Case

The Bay City Times, 3/16/05. By SARAH KARUSH, Associated Press. DETROIT -  "A Midland developer whose feud over wetlands has lasted more than 15 years was sentenced Tuesday to probation he had already served - despite a higher court's ruling that he should go to prison. John A. Rapanos was convicted in 1995 of illegally filling wetlands in properties he owned in Bay, Midland and Saginaw counties. U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff of Detroit accused the government of going overboard with its insistence on prison, in part because of Rapanos' personality. The judge sentenced Rapanos to three years of probation, 200 hours of community service, and a $185,000 fine. That was identical to the original sentence, and Rapanos already has completed it. The resentencing was scheduled after the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals instructed Zatkoff to impose a sentence of 10 to 16 months. However, the Supreme Court's January ruling striking down mandatory sentencing guidelines meant Zatkoff didn't have to follow the Sixth Circuit's order. Rapanos said Tuesday he was relieved at the outcome but was confident all along that he would not go to prison. The judge said he refers to the case as 'the sandman case' because Rapanos was convicted of moving sand on his property . . .  " http://www.mlive.com/news/bctimes/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1110991558236520.xml

FL: Legislation Would Delay Restrictions On Building In Wetlands

Tallahassee Democrat, 3/30/05.  "Developers in Northwest Florida will continue to face fewer restrictions against building in wetlands under a bill moving through the House. The bill would delay implementation of the Environmental Resource Permit in Northwest Florida from July 1 until 2010. The program was implemented in the rest of the state a decade ago. Environmental groups say the permits are needed to protect water quality and natural resources from development in the booming Florida Panhandle. A coalition of 17 groups in February signed a resolution calling for the program in Northwest Florida. The bill, a committee substitute for HB 759, was introduced last week by Rep. Will Kendrick, D-Carrabelle. Kendrick did not return calls seeking comment. House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, is supporting other representatives who are seeking the delay, said Towson Fraser, a spokesman for Bense." http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/11268822.htm

127 Members of Congress Endorse Major Clean Water Legislation

Earthjustice news release, 3/17/05. Washington DC -  "A bipartisan group of 127 members of the U.S. House of Representatives took action today to ensure that the nation's streams, wetlands, natural ponds and other waters remain protected by the federal Clean Water Act. Led by Representatives James Oberstar (D-MN), James Leach (R-IA), Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), and John Dingell (D-MI), the lawmakers reintroduced the 'Clean Water Authority Restoration Act,' a bill aimed at protecting the thousands of miles of rivers and streams and millions of acres of wetlands that are currently threatened with pollution and destruction from a Bush administration policy that seeks to prevent enforcement of the Clean Water Act. The reintroduction of the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act and its bipartisan leadership drew support from the nation's leading environmental and conservation organizations . . .  " http://www.earthjustice.org/news/print.html?ID=972  - complete bill information located at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.01356:

Recipients of 2005 National Wetlands Awards Announced

ELI news release, 3/29/05. Seven wetlands educators, scientists, and conservationists were selected as recipients of the 2005 National Wetlands Awards for exemplary contributions in conserving or restoring the Nation's wetlands. They will be honored at a Capitol Hill presentation on May 18th in Room B339 of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC. This year' s awardees are: Barbara Bedford (New York), Neil Bien (South Dakota), Barth Crouch (Kansas), Tom Foti (Arkansas), Catherine MacDonald (Oregon), Martin Main (Florida), and Hazel Sinclair (Louisiana). The National Wetlands Awards Program celebrates individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication, innovation or excellence in wetlands conservation.  Awardees hail from all regions of the country, and their work accomplishes wetland protection at the regional, state and local levels. For more information contact Maria Placht at the Environmental Law Institute at (202) 939-3860 or wetlandsawards@eli.org. http://www2.eli.org/nwa/nwaprogram.htm

Washington Post:  "Definition of 'Ditch' Is Muddy at Best"

By Cindy Skrzycki, Tuesday, March 29, 2005; Page E01.  "Everyone is digging his own ditch in this debate. Under the 1972 Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have jurisdiction over whether a ditch qualifies to be protected as a wetland. The Corps considers whether a ditch is an isolated, non-navigable waterway open to development or a navigable U.S. waterway that deserves protection. This can include consideration of whether a ditch is a tributary, as some courts have ruled, and, thus, part of a U.S. waterway. Seem a little confusing? The distinctions and interpretations are left up to the Corps, which issues permits to protect wetlands from pollutants . . .  " http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8362-2005Mar28.html

American Wetlands Month Observed in May

During the month of May, the nation will celebrate American Wetlands Month, focusing on the economic benefits that wetlands provide. The Environmental Protection Agency joins with other Federal, State, and local agencies to recognize the wonderful ways that wetlands enrich the environment and society. Events are scheduled all across the country to educate and involve Americans in better understanding the importance of one of Earth's most valuable and fragile ecosystems. Also known as marshes, swamps and bogs, wetlands are important for flood control, acting as buffers to absorb and reduce damage caused by floodwaters. They are productive ecosystems that support sometimes rare plant and animal habitat. Wetlands also help to remove pollutants from water, cleaning streams and lakes, thereby reducing the cost of drinking water treatment. Wetlands are important to the multi-billion dollar commercial fishing industry and provide a boost to recreation industry activities such as fishing, birding, canoeing and hunting. While more than half of the nation's original wetlands have been lost or converted to other uses in the lower 48 states, EPA's goal is to help increase the quantity and quality of wetlands nationwide. To learn more about activities for American Wetlands Month, go to: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands and http://www.iwla.org/sos/awm/events/. Information on wetlands is available at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/

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NATIONAL UPDATE

NRCS: CSP Sign-Up Begins March 28 in 220 Watersheds Nationwide

USDA news release, 3/17/05. WASHINGTON - NRCS will write an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 contracts as part of a nationwide sign-up for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) that will be available to approximately 235,000 farmers and ranchers in 220 watersheds. These 220 watersheds represent more than 185 million acres in every state and the Caribbean Area. The 2005 CSP sign-up includes the 202 watersheds announced by USDA on Nov. 2, 2004, and the 18 pioneer watersheds from the fiscal year 2004 sign-up. Producers who have a current CSP contract are not eligible for this sign-up. Most working agricultural lands will be eligible, including cropland, orchards, vineyards, pasture and range. Sign-up will be held March 28 to May 27. The sign-up announcement and an amendment to the CSP interim final rule that details specific program requirements is available online at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/.

Bush Picks Scientist to Head EPA

Planet Ark World News, 3/7/05. WASHINGTON -  "US President George W. Bush nominated Acting Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Steve Johnson on Friday to be the first career EPA employee to head the agency. Johnson, who has worked at the EPA for 24 years, would be the first professional scientist to lead the agency. Bush said in an announcement at the White House that Johnson was 'a talented scientist and skilled manager with a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.' He said one of Johnson's responsibilities would be to push Congress to pass the administration's 'Clear Skies' plan that is designed to reduce power plant pollution by 70 percent. That plan is currently stalled in a Senate committee because of a deadlock on the issue . . .  " http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29834/story.htm

National Wetlands Inventory Program Marks 30th Anniversary

USFWS news release, 5/25/05. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory marked its 30th anniversary March 23 with an awards reception that honored 16 states and individuals for their contributions to wetlands management and conservation. Matt Hogan, Acting Director of the USFWS, said that the Service and conservationists in general face natural resource challenges and choices today that did not exist when the NWI was created three decades ago. The NWI was initiated by the Service in 1975 in response to a dramatic loss of wetlands across the United States, and provides detailed information on wetlands throughout the U.S. To date, over 90 percent of the lower 48 states and over 50 percent of Alaska has been inventoried. http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases

Migratory Bird Conservation Commission Approves Funding for Wetlands Projects, Acquisitions

USFWS news release, 3/16/05. The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved more than $18 million for habitat conservation in the United States and Mexico to benefit migratory birds. At the same time, the Commission also approved the acquisition of nearly 1,200 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 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) to purchase key tracts of land for the Service's National Wildlife Refuge System in three states. http://birdhabitat.fws.gov/NAWCA/projects/USprojects/ standardgrants031605/USstandardgrantsprojects.html

Final List Of Non-Native Bird Species Published

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today published in the Federal Register a final list of the bird species to which the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) does not apply because they are not native to the United States and have been introduced by humans everywhere they occur in the nation. The list is required by the Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act of 2004. Most migratory bird species in the United States are protected by the MBTA, which prohibits take of protected species, their nests and eggs except as permitted by regulation. The MBTA implements treaties for the protection of shared migratory bird resources signed by the United States with Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Russia. The notice is available at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov.

$62 Million in Grants to States Awarded to Support Wildlife and Habitats

USFWS news release, 3/4/05. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced more than $62 million in wildlife grants to State and Territorial wildlife agencies. The State Wildlife Grants are designed to assist State-specific programs that benefit declining wildlife and their habitat. The Grants are funded under the 2005 Interior Department Appropriations Act. The Service is working closely with State planners to develop Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies. To be further eligible in FY 2006 for State Wildlife Grant funds, each State must complete a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy by October 1, 2005. To access a complete list of grants by State, please visit http://federalaid.fws.gov.

EPA Issues RFP for the National Lakes Assessment Planning Project

Anne Weinberg, EPA. On March 3, EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (OWOW) issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the National Lakes Assessment Planning Project (NLAPP).  This assistance funding, offered as cooperative agreements, will provide eligible applicants an opportunity to develop pilot projects to contribute to design of a future national lakes assessment.  These projects may include evaluations of indicators of lake condition, sampling methods, interpretation tools and organization of a lake assessment practitioners conference or workshop. It is anticipated that up to five projects may be selected.  Awards will likely range from $100,000 to $300,000 for each applicant.  Proposals are due by April 17, 2005. The complete RFP is posted at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html.

U.S. Border Fencing Project May Harm Sensitive Ecological Area

The Daily Grist, 3/11/05.  "A half-mile-wide canyon and estuary situated on the U.S.-Mexico border just 12 miles from San Diego, Calif., is the locus of a conflict between environmentalists and the feds.  The ecologically sensitive marshland is part of a 3.5-mile gap in secondary fencing at the border, making it a sweet spot for illegal immigrants and, speculate Homeland Security officials, al Qaeda operatives.  Federal officials plan to speed up efforts to add fencing by leveling mesas in the area to backfill the canyon, a move that conservation activists -- who have fought the project for years -- say could cause flooding, erosion, and habitat destruction.  Pending immigration legislation, which includes provisions for finishing the project, would allow the feds to largely ignore environmental and labor laws to do so.  It could also pave the way for other projects that circumvent environmental regulations in the name of national security, according to J. Robert Shull of the nonprofit OMB Watch. 'It's completely unnecessary,' he said.  'It's mind-boggling.'" [ also see The WashingtonPost, Kimberly Edds, 10 Mar 2005 http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4530; see also, in Grist: Borderline Insanity -- An INS project threatens Southern California lands -- by Deborah Knight http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4537 ]

High Court To Decide Whether To Hear Challenge To Endangered Species Act

The Daily Grist, 3/28/05.  "The fate of the Endangered Species Act may rest in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, if they decide in coming weeks to hear a case from a Texas man hoping to remove development restrictions on his land. Revoking the ESA protection of the tiny cave bugs inhabiting Fred Purcell's property would, of course, also affect protection for some 600 other species. Financed by the American Land Foundation, which uses landowner donations to fight development restrictions, Purcell's lawsuit began in 1999 and argues that the government should never have been given the right to protect rare species like the cave bugs, which have no commercial value and are found only in Texas -- meaning they don't cross state lines and, Purcell's lawyers argue, should be a state matter. Although the Supreme Court has rejected similar cases in the past and greens say chances are slim that the case will be heard, property-rights advocates are hopeful that this is the case they've been waiting for to undermine the ESA." [see Los Angeles Times, Scott Gold, 28 Mar 2005 http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4645 ]

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LEGISLATIVE NEWS

ANWR: Still No Final Resolution

According to The Audubon Advisory, even though the Senate passed a budget resolution that included revenues from Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil drilling, it is not yet a done deal.  On April 4 a Congressional conference committee will convene to work out differences between the budget resolution passed by the Senate and the budget resolution passed by the House, which does not include revenues from ANWR drilling.  ANWR drilling has not made it through this process in either of the past two years, and some hope that it will be dropped from the final bill that goes to the President.  See "Audubon's Twice-Monthly Legislative Update," MARCH 25, 2005 (Vol. 2005, Issue 6). http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/summary.asp?subject=354 [ also see FACTBOX-Key Facts About ANWR's Land, Oil, Wildlife, http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/29968/story.htm ]

Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act Introduced

Joint press release, Senators Levin and Stabenow, 3/7/05. WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., joined five of their Senate colleagues last week in sponsoring bipartisan legislation to increase funding for Great Lakes ecosystem restoration. The Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act, S. 508, would authorize $6 billion over 10 years for new Great Lakes grants. The legislation would also codify into law the Great Lakes Federal Interagency Task Force, created by Executive Order in May 2004, to strengthen coordination of federal Great Lakes activities. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2005/030705GreatLakesRestorationAct.htm

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STATES NEWS

Poor Water Quality In Iowa Wetlands May Threaten Migrating Waterfowl

By:Lowell Washburn, Iowa DNR April 01, 2005. KEOKUK -  "This year's spring migration has gathered a full head of steam. Hundreds of thousands of waterfowl are currently winging their way northward across Iowa. Twenty years ago, the lesser scaup was one of our most common spring visitors. Recently, however, scaup populations have continued to show an alarming, downhill slide. The total number of breeding scaup (also referred to as bluebills) has declined from more than 6 million birds during the 1970s, to an average of just under 4 million during the past 10 years. No one can say for sure why these popular waterfowl are on the wane. But ongoing investigations are beginning to point a finger at declining water quality values in Iowa wetlands . . .  " http://www.amestrib.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2035&dept _id=416044&newsid=14266436&PAG=461&rfi=9

FL: Fire Hazard Sparks Cutting Of Wetlands

By Chris Chatelain, Gulf Breeze News, 3/23/05.  "Machines called  "gyrotracs" have been busy clearing fire breaks in the Gulf Breeze wetlands between the bay and Shoreline Dr. First Hurricane Ivan inundated Gulf Breeze's protected wetlands with a surge of salt water and plethora of debris, and now Florida Division of Forestry machines are busy cutting paths through the wetlands because of Ivan's impact. The sounds of machinery roaring and vegetation snapping and popping could be heard throughout the Shoreline Drive area last week as the Florida Division of Forestry workers worked to cut fire breaks, or cleared paths, after the wetlands were declared a fire hazard by the agency . . . The determining factor was the fact that most of the wetland's vegetation and underbrush has died of been stressed by the debris and by the saltwater from the storm. http://www.gulfbreezenews.com/news/2005/0323/Front_Page/002.html

DE/MD: Blueprint Drawn To Save Wildlife Haven

By MOLLY MURRAY, The News Journal, 03/22/2005.  "From the air, the 50,000 acres appear as a band of green stretching across the midsection of the Delmarva Peninsula, a belt of nature full of streams, mature forests, tidal wetlands and wild fields. It wouldn't be here, sandwiched between the farms and sprawl south of Middletown, and a swath of housing and farms north of Smyrna, if much of the land were not wet a lot of the time. But the corridor along Blackbird Creek in Delaware and Cypress Branch in Maryland never lent itself well to farming. Many owners cherished it for privacy, recreation and the assortment of wildlife drawn to it. Now, a group of government agencies, conservationists and local residents has produced a plan to preserve and enhance what is known as the Blackbird-Millington Corridor . . .  " http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2005/03/22blueprintdrawnt.html

Lawsuit Filed To Save Valuable Tennessee Wetlands

NWF - Sierra Club press release. Cumberland Plateau, TN (March 17) - To prevent wetlands in the scenic Falling Water River basin in Tennessee from being destroyed, a number of environmental and conservation groups filed suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for failing to uphold the Clean Water Act. The suit asserts that the wetlands, situated on the Highland Rim of the Nashville basin, will be destroyed if the Corps and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) do not enforce Clean Water Act safeguards. The valuable wetlands at risk are located to the east of the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport (UCRA) and feed into the Falling Water River in the Cumberland Plateau region. UCRA is planning an expansion that will cover the wetlands with pavement. http://www.nwf.org/news/story.cfm?pageId= B2201FAE%2D65BF%2D09FE%2DB7B7820EA4F24F5B

MA: Innovative DEP Wetland Program is Semifinalist for Award

Mass. DEP news release, 3/16/05. An innovative wetlands protection initiative implemented by the MA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been selected as one of 50 semifinalists for the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award. The DEP initiative, "Groundtruthing Wetlands Protection: Aerial Surveillance," uses new computer technology and digital aerial imagery to systematically measure wetland destruction and identify illegal fill of wetlands. The program allowed DEP to computerize aerial photographic images from the mid-1990s to accurately define wetland boundaries across the state, and then utilize updated aerial photos to determine the amount of wetlands loss actually occurring on the ground. Using this data, DEP discovered that Massachusetts was losing more wetlands than originally thought - with more than 50 percent being un-permitted loss. http://www.mass.gov/dep/pao/news/innovati.htm

New Fairy Shrimp Species Found in Idaho

March 16, 2005 - By Rebecca Boone, Associated Press. BOISE, Idaho - "Biologists with the Idaho National Guard have discovered a new species of fairy shrimp living in the oft-dry lake beds of Idaho's desert. Though they look delicate enough to match their name, they are strong enough to survive, unhatched, for years in the baking heat of summer and the frozen tundra of winter until enough rain falls and the pools return. Once they awaken they live a few frenzied weeks, mating and leaving behind tiny cyst-like offspring, and die . . . .  "  http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=7339  Fewer Frogs in Illinois:

Agreement to Protect 9,900 Acres in MT

TPL news release, 3/15/05. DILLON, Montana - The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), two national land conservation groups, today announced they have reached an agreement with Roger and Carrie Peters, owners of the Dragging Y Cattle Company, to conserve 9,900 acres of prime wildlife habitat and recreational land near Dillon. The land to be conserved consists of three different properties and includes almost four miles of Selway Creek and a rich, riparian bottomland ecosystem, which provides exceptional habitat for a variety of fish and game species. http://www.tpl.org/tier2_cl.cfm?folder_id=186

MI: Representative Palmer Re-Introduces Bad Wetland Bills

Michigan Wetland Action Coalition e- Newsletter 3/11/2005.  "Like zombies rising from their graves, foaming at the mouth and headed straight for the nearest  "isolated" or coastal wetland, House Bills 4372 and 4373 (killed last year as HB 6066 and HB 5945 respectively) have been re-introduced by State Representative Brian Palmer. While we have no indication that these bills will move, Michigan's wetland advocates must be ready to voice our opposition should the need arise. HB 4372 - This bill would change the definition of  "wetland" in the Wetland Protection Act by linking the definition directly to the federal (Section 404 of the Clean Water Act) definition. While this may sound innocuous, it would require a complete overhaul of the wetland program and could have the effect of restricting DEQ's jurisdiction over  "isolated" wetlands. The bill also sharply discriminates against local units of government that wish to regulate wetlands in counties having a population of less than 100,000. HB 4373 - This bill would allow commercial shoreline property owners along Grand Traverse Bay and Saginaw Bay to remove wetland vegetation from the entire width of the property. Click here http://www.michiganwetlands.org/bill_summary_4372(3).pdf for a more detailed bill summary."

Texas Battleground Marsh Restored

NRCS This Week, 3/9/05. Coastal America, a partnership of Federal, State, and local agencies and private organizations, recently presented Eddie Seidensticker, NRCS soil conservationist in Anahuac, Texas, with the 2004 Coastal America Partnership Award for his role in helping restore the San Jacinto Marsh in La Porte, Texas. The partners restored the tidal marsh at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site to its 1836 appearance and function. The historic marshes bogged down General Santa Anna's troops many of whom drowned resulting in a victory for Sam Houston's army and freedom from Mexico for Texas. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/thisweek/2005/030905/sanjacinto.html

Santa Barbara County Farming Company To Pay $1.15 Million For Wetlands Violations

EA news release, 3/7/05. SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached an agreement with Adam Brothers Farming, Inc. for the payment of $1.15 million in penalties and conservation projects, and the preservation of approximately 20 acres of wetlands, creeks, and riparian habitat on their property in Santa Barbara County. The agreement represents a full settlement of a civil enforcement action brought by the United States alleging that the company unlawfully filled 70 acres of federally-regulated waters in the late 1990's, including portions of Orcutt Creek. http://yosemite.epa.gov/r9/r9press.nsf/newsbyyear?ReadForm&year=2005

Organochlorines May Be to Blame

Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 113, Number 3, March 2005.  "To understand the worldwide decline in amphibian populations, many researchers are looking at the current use of industrial compounds that disrupt endocrine function and lead to impaired reproduction. But a group of researchers in Illinois thought a historic perspective might offer some additional clues [EHP 113: 261-265]. What they found reveals a new possibility as to why the cricket frog, indigenous to the eastern half of the United States, has experienced a marked population decline in recent decades . . .  " http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2005/113-3/ss.html

 

 

 

 

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PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

NJ Updates Freshwater Technical Manual to include Landscape Maps Version 2.0

NJ DEP news release, 2/17/2004. The NJ Department of Environmental Protection has revised and updated the  "Landscape Maps of Habitat for Endangered, Threatened and Other Priority Wildlife" (also known as "Landscape Maps" and  "Landscape Project Maps"). The revisions are contained within the portion of the Freshwater Wetlands Technical Manual entitled "Protocols for the establishment of exceptional resource wetlands pursuant to the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act (N.J.S.A. 13:9B-1 et seq.) based on ocumentation of state or Federal endangered or threatened species." For details and links visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/landuse/announce.html#021704a

OH EPA Releases Part 5 of INTEGRATED WETLAND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

E-mail communication from John J. Mack, OH EPA. Ohio EPA is pleased to announce the availability of the following report: INTEGRATED WETLAND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.  PART 5: Biogeochemical and Hydrological Investigations of Natural and Mitigation Wetlands. Based on the results of this study, several indicators could serve as measures of mitigation performance relative to natural wetlands:  1) soil chemical and physical characteristics especially soil organic carbon and soil nitrogen content and percent solids in the soil or bulk density; 2) hydrological characteristics including mean depth to ground water and percent time water is found in the root zone; and 3) multimetric indices developed from natural reference wetland data sets. For the complete study visit http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/wetlands/Part5_Mitigation_Study.pdf

Study: Wetlands Clean Water And May Control Neighborhood Flood Problems

Purdue University news release, 3/1/05. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Constructed wetlands in planned communities can aid in surface water cleanup and flood prevention, according to Purdue University scientists who completed a five-year study on the management system. The research, begun in 1998 on three constructed ponds, or wetland cells, on a newly renovated golf course on the university campus, showed that 11 of 17 measurable chemicals in surface water were reduced after running through the system, said Ron Turco, soil microbiologist and senior author of the report. Study results are published in the February issue of the journal Ecological Engineering. http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/2005/050301.Turco.wetlands.html

How Much is a Wetland Worth?

MI Seagrant  "Upwellings" newsletter.  "In order to protect wetlands, it helps to know what people are thinking. For instance: What do people generally know about wetlands and what features do they value? Often, says researcher Michael Kaplowitz of Michigan State University, wetland assessment decisions are based on easily measured features such as acreage and water flows. Yet other traits, sometimes called ecological services, are typically more important to the average person . . . Kaplowitz, and researchers Frank Lupi and John Hoehn, also of MSU, are conducting a specially designed survey on Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Funded by Michigan Sea Grant and other partners, the survey draws upon several years of research and numerous focus groups and will be mailed to more than 3,800 Michigan residents in three phases. Ultimately, the researchers hope to identify how people value Michigan's coastal wetlands and the protection programs they're willing to support . . .  "   http://miseagrant.umich.edu/pubs/up/mar05/mar05-7.html

Research: Beneficial Beetles Battle Pesky Saltcedar

Agricultural Research Service. By Marcia Wood, 4/1/05.  "Tiny beetles that munch on saltcedar leaves, shoots and twig bark are helping stop the spread of this rugged, aggressive weed. Also known as tamarisk, saltcedar was brought into the United States in the 1800s to help control erosion. By the mid-1900s, however, saltcedar had become an out-of-control pest, crowding native plants, such as cottonwoods and willows, along streambanks and river channels throughout the American West. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) entomologist C. Jack DeLoach, ARS ecologist Raymond I. Carruthers, and their co-investigators have found that a leafbeetle that they've investigated and helped import, Diorhabda elongata, has now defoliated hundreds of acres of saltcedar-infested test sites in Colorado, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Yet the beetle poses no hazard to people, pets or crops . . .  " http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2005/050401.htm

Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980-2008

Susan Marie-Stedman, NOAA. On March 1, 2005, NOAA released Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980-2008 (pdf, 4.6 mb, 54 pp), a report that presents an overview of coastal population trends from 1980 to 2003 and projected change in coastal population by 2008. This publication from the Special Projects Office of NOAA's National Ocean Service updates an earlier version of the report that was compiled over a decade ago as part of a Coastal Trends Report Series. The report provides coastal resource managers and stakeholders with information to enhance coastal management decision making. http://www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/programs/mb/supp_cstl_population.html

[GAO Report] Coordination and Cooperation Are Important for Effective Management of Invasive Weeds

GAO-05-185, February 25.  "While the federal investment in combating invasive species is substantial most has been concentrated on agricultural lands, not on natural areas. n this report, GAO describes (1) the entities that address invasive weeds in natural areas and the funding sources they use; (2) federal, state, and local weed management officials' views on the barriers to weed management; and (3) their opinions about how additional resources for weed management could be distributed."