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

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---

·	WA: Wetlands Update - Best Available Science Revisions Underway
·	World Mangrove Atlas Being Revised, Updated; Assistance Needed Now
·	Call for Nominations for 2005 National Wetlands Awards
·	Scientist Discusses Dangers Of Atrazine: Dr. Tyrone Hayes To Keynote Environmental Justice Advocates Meeting

---NATIONAL UPDATES---

·	Mid-Atlantic Wetlands Workgroup (MAWWAG) Convenes To Develop Wetlands Condition Data
·	Precedent-Setting Water Rights Decision over Endangered Species
·	Congress Halts Diversion from Conservation Programs
·	Safe Drinking Water Act In Its Prime at 30
·	Climate Change Affecting Species, Study Shows
·	Bush OKs Ruling That May Endanger Species
·	Bush Nominates Leavitt For Health Secretary
·	Miles Of Migratory Fish Spawning Habitat Opened By Chesapeake Bay Program
·	NRCS Releases Technical Service Provider Assistance Final Rule
·	Army Corps of Engineers Violating Court Order by Allowing Coal Companies to Bury Streams with Mining Waste, Environmentalists Charge
·	Government and Tribal Leaders Agree To Work Together on Great Lakes Cleanup
·	Chesapeake Bay Foundation Released 2004 State Of The Bay Report
·	Dire Warnings From Worldwide Frog Study

---LEGISLATIAVE NEWS---

·	NRDC: Wrap-up of 108th Congress
·	Audubon Society Cheers Congress For Bird Law
·	Congress Passes Harmful Algal Bloom Bill

---STATES NEWS---  

·	MD: Proposed Sale of Wetlands Opposed –North Beach Mayor Cites Restoration
·	MA: Development Groups Agree to Pay $137,500 for Wetlands and Storm Water Violations
·	Mass: Alewife Wetlands Model In The Making
·	VA: Three Firms To Share Paying $32,500 For Disrupting Wetlands
·	Hawai'i Receives $93,750 from EPA to Produce Wetlands Educational Materials
·	LA: Levees Don't Measure Up, Corps Warns; Many Not As High As Previously Thought
·	CA: Groups Alarmed Over Delta Water Plan
·	PR: Bacardi Settles Water Violations with $1 Million Marshland
·	New Jersey Safeguards Whale Creek Wetlands
·	Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Draws $10 Million Fine

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---

·	Great WI Birding Trail - First Viewing Guide Now Available!
·	Development Near Wetlands Creates Tide Of Birds Moving Out
·	New Publication First to Document all 77 Forest Service Experimental Forests and Ranges
·	USAPhotoMaps 2.49
·	Center for Watershed Protection Releases Manual 4: Urban Stream Repair Practices
·	Available Online: ASCE Annual Conference Proceedings for Major Wetland Restoration Projects

---POTPOURRI---

·	(Tennessee) Mid-level Wetland Consultant
·	(Indiana) Job Title: Project Manager
·	Wetland Ecologist - Southeast USA
·	Certified Soil Scientist - Southeast USA
·	Job Announcement - Global Change Research Field Technician, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---

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

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

Two weeks ago the top health risk concerning the Sri Lanka Ministry of Health was the possible presence of avian flu on the island; the natural disaster Sri Lankans wrestled with was the annual monsoon flooding.  What to say? The tragedy of this Sunday’s event along the coastlines of the Indian Ocean cannot be fathomed nor absorbed by my family.  Although we did not lose a single loved one, our hearts break to witness the images of anguish and sorrow etched into the faces of the mothers, fathers, and children suffering losses as a result of the tsunami.  This disaster exemplifies among so many other things the fragility of our lives and the fragility of this planet.  I spent some time on the Center for International Disaster Information website www.cidi.org to learn how best to help; I hope you consider supporting the aid efforts as well.

Thank you all for your support over the past five years, and may the coming year bring you much love, contentedness, and good health.

Jennifer Brady-Connor Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

WA: Wetlands Update - Best Available Science Revisions Underway

E-mail excerpt from Dana L. Mock, WA DOE.  Final Documents to be Completed by end of January 2005.  “The following is a brief update on the status of the 3 documents listed below.  Volumes 1 and 2 are jointly sponsored by the state departments of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife, whereas the guidance on wetland mitigation is jointly authored by Ecology, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers.  Both projects are funded in part by EPA: Wetlands in Washington State Volume 1 - A Synthesis of the Science - The project team is finishing a responsiveness summary and revising the document in response to comments received during the review period.  The draft is available at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/bas_wetlands. Wetlands in Washington State Volume 2 - Guidance for Protecting and Managing Wetlands - The project team distributed 100 copies and CDs of the draft guidance for public review in August and September 2004.  In addition, greater than 150 people downloaded the document from Ecology's web page.  During the review period, Ecology received a number of comments from individuals and organizations.  The project team has started to write a responsiveness summary and incorporate reviewers' suggestions where appropriate.  The draft is available at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/bas_wetlands. The Guidance on Wetland Mitigation in Washington State - The project team is also developing a responsiveness summary for comments submitted after review of this document, which is also being revised in response to comments received.  The draft is available at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/wet-updatedocs.htm. Our goal is to finalize Volumes 1 and 2 by the end of January 2005 with the guidance on wetland mitigation being completed shortly thereafter.  In the mean time, Ecology staff is available to work with local jurisdictions to develop effective wetland protection programs that include the best available science.  Visit this Web site to get information on contacting the Ecology staff covering your area: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/wetlandcontacts.htm.

World Mangrove Atlas Being Revised, Updated; Assistance Needed Now

Derived from an e-mail posted to the Mangrove List-Serve.  The World Mangrove Atlas was originally published in 1997.  An effort is now underway to update and revise the publication to incorporate the increased knowledge of mangrove size, locations, and ecology in the ensuing years. According to an e-mail posted to the Mangrove list-serve by Mette Wilkie (Global Forest Resources Assessment), six international organizations have partnered “with the aim of publishing a revised World Atlas of Mangroves in late 2006. Funding permitting, the Atlas will be produced in three languages (English, French and Spanish.”  Mangrove specialists are being urged to participate in the revision of the Atlas by visiting www.fao.org/forestry/site/mangrove-atlas. Among research and case studies, information is being sought on “mangrove species and vegetation description for each country, their uses and threats, estimates of current and past extents and the distribution maps. See www.fao.org/forestry/site/25700/en for how you can provide your comments and any additional information you may have.”  Information is preferred by the end of January 2005 – “in time for the next inter-agency meeting on the Atlas. All contributors will of course be duly acknowledged and the selected case study authors will receive a small honorarium.”

Call for Nominations for 2005 National Wetlands Awards

The deadline has been extended for the 2005 National Wetlands Awards. Nomination forms are now due January 15, 2005 (postmarked). The Awards program recognizes six categories; they are: Education and Outreach, Science Research, Conservation and Restoration, Landowner Stewardship, State, Tribal and Local Program Development, and Wetland Community Leader. Organizations and federal employees are not eligible. A committee of wetland experts representing federal and state agencies, academia, conservation groups, and private sector organizations selects the Award winners. For a copy of the 2005 National Wetlands Awards nomination form, visit ELI's website at http://www.eli.org/nwa/nwaprogram.htm and download the form.

Scientist Discusses Dangers Of Atrazine: Dr. Tyrone Hayes To Keynote Environmental Justice Advocates Meeting

Insight News, Friday, December 31, 2004.  “Professor Tyrone Hayes, whose proposed speech to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s annual environmental conference was cancelled after he refused to remove the words “Atrazine” and “pesticide” from his speech on frog abnormalities, will get a chance to speak in Minnesota after all. Hayes, an endocrinologist who studies how chemicals affect amphibians, will provide the keynote address to the January 22 meeting of the Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota (EJAM) at the Minneapolis Urban League . . . “ http://www.insightnews.com/articles.asp?mode=display&articleID=1617 [Dr. Tyrone Hayes, a researcher from University of California Berkeley, recently testified before the Minnesota Senate Environment and Natural Resource Committee regarding his studies on atrazine and frogs.  For a transcript of his testimony visit http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/media/archive/2004/committee/index.shtml#October2004]

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NATIONAL UPDATE

Mid-Atlantic Wetlands Workgroup (MAWWAG) Convenes To Develop Wetlands Condition Data

EPA Region 3 EnviroBytes, 12/24/04.  The Mid-Atlantic Wetlands Workgroup (MAWWG), EPA's Office of Research and Development and EPA's mid-Atlantic Regions met in Baltimore, Md. on Dec.14 and 15 to discuss the status of a statewide assessment and monitoring of wetlands and to strive closer to the goal of developing a wetland condition data for the region. The workgroup committed to provide the necessary scientific leadership to develop monitoring tools for assessing the status, trends and condition of wetland resources within the states and help establish a positive working relationship to ensure the program’s success.

Precedent-Setting Water Rights Decision over Endangered Species

12/22/04 — By Don Thompson, Associated Press.  SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In a precedent-setting decision, the federal government agreed to pay four California water districts $16.7 million for water the government diverted a decade ago to help two rare fish. The settlement announced Tuesday could have implications across the West, where the government often clashes with property owners in attempts to save species on the brink of extinction. The case stemmed from the government's efforts to protect endangered winter-run chinook salmon and threatened delta smelt between 1992 and 1994 by withholding billions of gallons from California farmers. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=656

Congress Halts Diversion from Conservation Programs

December 20, 2004 — By Libby Quaid, Associated Press. WASHINGTON — David Petty plants corn and soybeans along the contours of his farm's rolling hills, trapping runoff water and reducing erosion. He has a sophisticated watering system on his land in Eldora, Iowa, that keeps his cattle moving so they do not overgraze. It's an expensive way to farm, but the government pays him to do it because it is good for the water and for wildlife . . . But not all the federal money has been spent as Congress intended. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=639

Safe Drinking Water Act In Its Prime at 30

EPA news release, 12/16/04.  This week marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Safe Drinking Water Act, one of the most important public health laws ever enacted in the United States. The Act aims to ensure that 170,000 public water supplies, serving 275 million people, meet national standards that protect consumers from harmful contaminants in drinking water. Locally, the Act regulates almost 11,000 public water systems serving nearly 12 million consumers in New England. http://www.epa.gov/region1/pr/2004/dec/sr041207.html

Climate Change Affecting Species, Study Shows

By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, December 15, 2004; Page A17.  “In Richmond, the golden orange prothonotary warbler has been coming back from its Caribbean and South American wintering grounds a day earlier each year for nearly two decades as local temperatures have risen. During the same period, Alaska's porcupine caribou herd has declined as climate changes have made it more difficult for the reindeer to feed and migrate during the spring . . . “ http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64783-2004Dec14  [Global Climate Change and Wildlife in North America is available in PDF format at www.nwf.org/news]

Bush OKs Ruling That May Endanger Species

December 13, 2004 — By John Heilprin, Associated Press. WASHINGTON — The Bush administration said Friday it will allow developers to complete construction and other projects even after belated discoveries that the work could endanger protected species. The new rules from the Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Service restore a Clinton-era initiative known as "no surprises." It will let federal agencies give blanket assurances to home builders, timber and mining companies and other developers that they won't have unforeseen requirements to protect rare species once a project has begun. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=586

Bush Nominates Leavitt For Health Secretary

Monday, December 13, 2004 (CNN) -- President Bush has nominated EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt to replace Tommy Thompson as Health and Human Services secretary. Before joining the Environmental Protection Agency in November 2003, Leavitt, 53, was governor of Utah for 11 years. http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/12/13/bush.cabinet/ [today in Grist:  Taking bets on the new EPA chief -- in Muckraker - http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=3889 ]

Miles Of Migratory Fish Spawning Habitat Opened By Chesapeake Bay Program

EPA Region 3 EnviroBytes, 12/10/04.  “The Chesapeake Bay Program reopened 352 miles of spawning habitat in the tributary states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and District of Columbia this year to migratory fish - surpassing the Chesapeake Bay Program’s five-year goal of 1,357-miles. Fish passages helped migratory fish, like shad, reach freshwater spawning habitat over more than 1,000 miles of tributaries currently blocked by dams, culverts and other obstructions. The updated indicator can be viewed at the Chesapeake Bay Program web site: www.chesapeakebay.net/status.cfm?sid=114 ”

NRCS Releases Technical Service Provider Assistance Final Rule

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2004 - Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Bruce Knight today announced the release of the final rule that will allow USDA to certify third parties that can provide conservation technical services to the nation’s farmers and ranchers. The 2002 Farm Bill expanded the availability of technical assistance to producers by encouraging the use of third parties—called technical service providers (TSPs)—to assist USDA in delivering conservation technical services. The final rule for technical service provider assistance, published in the Federal Register on Nov. 29, 2004, is located at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr.

Army Corps of Engineers Violating Court Order by Allowing Coal Companies to Bury Streams with Mining Waste, Environmentalists Charge

Natural Resources Defense Council news release, 12/6/04. WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has violated a court order halting the agency from allowing coal companies to bury streams with mining waste, according to a contempt motion filed last Friday by environmental groups. The groups filed the motion in federal district court in Charleston, West Virginia. http://www.enn.com/aff.html?id=234

Government and Tribal Leaders Agree To Work Together on Great Lakes Cleanup

December 06, 2004 By Maura Kelly Lannan, Associated Press, CHICAGO "Dozens of governement and tribal leaders are joining forces to preserve the Great Lakes from environmental dangers, but some say more money and a clear action plan are still needed to make sure the job gets done. Friday's gathering, where participants signed a declaration of support for cleaning up the Great Lakes, was prompted by an executive order issued in May by President Bush. He named a 10-member Cabinet-level task force, shaired by Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Leavitt, to coordinate cleanup among states, federal agencies and Canada. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=534; EPA news release: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/b1ab9f485b098972852562e7004dc686/27b8a029af7417bb 85256f5f00583fe0!OpenDocument

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Released 2004 State Of The Bay Report

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation released its 2004 State of the Bay Report today. This year's report grades the Bay a “D,” with a health index rating of 27, the same as last year’s score. The State of the Bay Report is a comprehensive measure of the Bay's health. To create the report, CBF evaluates 13 indicators. Taken together, these indicators offer an assessment of Bay health. The unspoiled Bay—with its extensive forests and wetlands, clear water, abundant fish and oysters, and lush underwater grasses—serves as CBF's benchmark. CBF does not expect to see the Bay regain the pristine state of 100. But the current rating of 27 is unacceptable.  http://www.cbf.org/site/R?i=ZsTs4PgyaTjhTaSJj_qCIg.

Dire Warnings From Worldwide Frog Study

Erin Toner, November 29, 2004. The most comprehensive study of amphibians ever done shows nearly a third of species are theatened with extinction. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Erin Toner reports: More than five hundred scientists from more than sixty nations were involved in the recent Global Amphibian Assessment. The three-year study looked at the status of more than 5700 known species of frogs, toads, caecilians, and salamaders. It found out that more than thirty percent of them are near extinction. In the Americas and Australia, outbreaks of a highly infectious fungal disease have hurt amphibian populations. But worldwide, the report says the biggest factors for the decline are habitat destruction and pollution. It also says since amphibians depend on freshwater to survive, the loss of species shows the Earth's freshwater supply is in danger. But scientists say the negative trend could reverse with a swift commitment of resources, such as creating new protective areas and captive breeding grounds, and better protection of fresh water. For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I'm Erin Toner.  © 2004 Great Lakes Radio Consortium [Visit http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchusa/content_decline-11-04.cfm for more info]

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LEGISLATIVE NEWS

NRDC: Wrap-up of 108th Congress

December 22, 2004. The 108th Congress was called to order on January 7, 2003, and adjourned on December 8, 2004 (more than two full months after scheduled adjournment). We recount the major environmental battles and outcomes, and take a look ahead to the 109th Congress, at http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/legwatch.asp

Audubon Society Cheers Congress For Bird Law

12/13/04.  “The U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed in 1917 to protect native birds, such as the woodpecker, the Baltimore Oriole, and the American Black Duck. But a court ruling earlier this year changed the law, by extending protections to all birds, including non-native species. National Audubon Society spokesman John Bianchi says invasive species like the European Starling are pushing out native birds. ‘That is hard for people to understand, but the equation there is that pushing out means killing. A European Starling pushing a woodpecker out of its nest means that that woodpecker will not breed that year.’ As part of a recent spending bill, Congress amended the law to once again only protect native migratory birds. That provides millions of dollars a year for protection efforts, which can include trapping and removing non-native birds, or killing them.” http://www.glrc.org/transcript.php3?story_id=2492

Congress Passes Harmful Algal Bloom Bill

The CSO Weekly Report, December 3, 2004 / Issue 04.93, Coastal States Organization, http://www.coastalstates.org.  “Last week, Congress passed the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research Amendments Act (S. 3014), which provides $197 million over four years to study harmful algal blooms and improve the government’s response to them. The bill retains the Interagency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia and requires the Task Force to develop assessments, reports, and plans in consultation with the coastal States, Indian tribes, local governments and appropriate industries. The bill requires the President, in conjunction with state Governors, to develop and submit to Congress a Prediction and Response Plan to protect environmental and public health from the impacts of harmful algal blooms.  S. 3014 also requires the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Task Force, to provide for local and regional assessments of hypoxia and harmful algal blooms as requested by States and provide guidelines for such assessments.  It also would require the Interagency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia to conduct a scientific assessment of Great Lakes harmful algal blooms within 24 months of enactment and a scientific assessment of hypoxia and harmful algal blooms in all U.S. waters once every five years.”

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STATES NEWS

MD: Proposed Sale of Wetlands Opposed –North Beach Mayor Cites Restoration

By Amit R. Paley, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, December 26, 2004; Page SM01.  The proposed sale of a small state-owned tract could endanger a 440-acre wetlands restoration project on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, local officials said.  North Beach Mayor Mark R. Frazer said the sale of 1.4 acres in the town could threaten the environmentally sensitive area. He said he is lobbying the state to donate the land to the town instead of selling it to private citizens.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23716-2004Dec23.html

MA: Development Groups Agree to Pay $137,500 for Wetlands and Storm Water Violations

12/23/04.  BOSTON – Three parties involved in developing a 244-acre parcel in Taunton, Mass. have agreed to pay $137,500 to settle claims by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that they violated the federal Clean Water Act when they filled in nine acres of wetlands and failed to obtain proper permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA. The parties had previously restored approximately 6.5 of the nine acres that had been filled, in response to an order issued by the EPA. http://www.epa.gov/region1/pr/2004/dec/sr041208.html

Mass: Alewife Wetlands Model In The Making

Belmont Citizen’s Herald, By Ellen Mass, Friday, December 10, 2004. “An amazing wetland model for New England by the city of Cambridge and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) correlates with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation's Master Plan for Alewife. . . . [Over] 68,000 plants have been chosen as appropriate to existing ecosystems: emergent marsh, low and high marsh, broad-leafed floodplain, riparian woodland (two types), and shrub-shrub. The entire storm water project complies with the recent national pollution discharge elimination standards (NPDES) of EPA. The low flow river and lack of successful hydrology on stagnant marsh lands create invasive conditions. The storm water plan will change all this with moving water and newly constructed marsh ecosystems with fresh soil which will keep the marshes healthy and free from invasive species . . . “ http://www2.townonline.com/belmont/opinion/view.bg?articleid=141841

VA: Three Firms To Share Paying $32,500 For Disrupting Wetlands

By SCOTT HARPER, The Virginian-Pilot, December 9, 2004.  SUFFOLK — Three local companies have agreed to jointly pay a $32,500 fine to settle a federal complaint that they filled more than 8 acres of ecologically sensitive wetlands to build a new road near the Suffolk-Chesapeake line. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the settlement Wednesday , coming more than three years after the alleged violations occurred.  http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=79118&ran=161678

Hawai'i Receives $93,750 from EPA to Produce Wetlands Educational Materials

EPA Region 9 news release,12/7/04.  HONOLULU - EPA recently awarded $93,750 to the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources to produce a wetland plant field guide. The grant will support the writing, review and production of the Hawai'i Wetland Plant Field Guide, which will be an ecological and identification guide to wetlands and wetland plants of the Hawaiian Islands. The field guide will illustrate the types of wetland plants and identify the native species that will be ideal to use when restoring wetland areas in Hawai'i. A focus of the guide will be on the lower elevation wetlands because these areas are particularly vulnerable to the impacts associated with urban and rural development and the spread of invasive species. The guide will be presented at the Hawai'i Wetlands Conference and at the Hawai'i Conservation Conference in 2005. http://www.epa.gov/region9/

LA: Levees Don't Measure Up, Corps Warns; Many Not As High As Previously Thought

Friday, December 03, 2004, By Mark Schleifstein, Staff writer, Times-Picayune.  “ . . . Army Corps of Engineers experts this week told coastal Louisiana levee officials that some of them can expect visits in the next few months by corps officials explaining how their levees aren't really as high as they think. . . . Measurements at official benchmarks, which engineers use as a guide in building levees, have been out of date for years. They are only now being revised to take into account the effects of sinking ground beneath the levees, the rising sea level in the Gulf of Mexico and the erosion of wetlands . . . Levees most affected will be those that protect New Orleans and other communities from hurricane storm surge, although Mississippi River, Atchafalaya Basin and other riverside levees also are involved . . . “ http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1102058923126310.xml

CA: Groups Alarmed Over Delta Water Plan

December 02, 2004 — By Don Thompson, Associated Press, SACRAMENTO, Calif. " A proposed change in how the federal government measures water for fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin river delta has environmental groups alarmed and California officials concerned about potential harm to wildlife habitat. A coalition of 22 environmental groups said Wednesday the plan would shift some of the federal water burden -- and potentially more than $20 million in expenses in some years -- onto the state-controlled water supply. In some years, hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water might not be available for wildlife, the groups said.  http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=515

PR: Bacardi Settles Water Violations with $1 Million Marshland

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, November 30, 2004 (ENS) - Bacardi Corporation, the rum distiller, has transferred 10 acres of land in Las Cucharillas Marsh worth about $1 million to the Universidad Metropolitana for a land restoration and preservation project. Las Cucharillas Marsh is part of the San Juan Bay Estuary Watershed. This environmental restoration project is part of a settlement reached by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with Bacardi for violations of the company's wastewater discharge permit under the Clean Water Act, at its Cataño, Puerto Rico facility . . . The transferred land, valued at about $1 million is located in the sensitive watershed of Las Cucharillas marsh in Palmas Ward, Cataño. Las Cucharillas Marsh is located at the intersection of the municipalities of Cataño, Guaynabo and Bayamon and covers 1,236 acres of mangroves, forests, wetlands and open water areas. . . “ http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2004/2004-11-30-09.asp#anchor2

New Jersey Safeguards Whale Creek Wetlands

TRENTON, New Jersey, November 29, 2004 (ENS) - Preservation of a nine acre parcel on Whale Creek in Aberdeen, New Jersey might seem too small to be of much conservation benefit, but state officials see the parcel as well worth the $613,000 they paid for it.  Last week, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Green Acres Program purchased the $1.1 million Whale Creek property through a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  The DEP Green Acres program contributed $613,000 and U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg and Congressman Frank Pallone provided a $487,000 NOAA Federal Assistance Award to the DEP Coastal Management Program. http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2004/2004-11-29-09.asp#anchor8

Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Draws $10 Million Fine

BOSTON, Massachusetts, November 29, 2004 (ENS) - The Bouchard Transportation Company of Hicksville, New York has been ordered to pay a fine of $10 million for an April 2003 oil spill in Buzzards Bay on the western portion of Cape Cod, the second highest fine levied on a company for an oil spill in U.S. waters. Only that imposed for the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska was higher . . . Seven million dollars of the fine have been deposited in the North American Wetlands Conservation Act Fund, which is used by the Interior Department to finance public-private conservation partnerships that enhance habitat for the migratory birds, fish and wildlife. The court endorsed the government's recommendation that the money ought to be spent in the Buzzards Bay Watershed, the area directly affected by the spill . . . “ http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2004/2004-11-29-09.asp#anch

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PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

Great WI Birding Trail - First Viewing Guide Now Available!

E-mail posted to GLIN list-serve.  The Wisconsin DNR - Endangered Resources Program is pleased to announce that the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail: Lake Superior/North Woods viewing guide is now available! This full color, 72 page viewing guide contains information and maps for 88 sites in the northern 18 counties of Wisconsin. All of the sites for this project were collected via the "Birding and Nature Trail" link on the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI) website www.wisconsinbirds.org/trail/. Copies of the guide are available from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, one of our important partners in this venture. Other partners included WBCI, WDNR - Endangered Resources, and the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.  To get your free copy, contact 1-800-432-TRIP or http://www.travelwisconsin.com/d2k/search/kits.html. To access the guide online, go to http://www.travelwisconsin.com/thingstodo/birding.htm

Development Near Wetlands Creates Tide Of Birds Moving Out

Chesapeake Bay Journal, December 2004, By Karl Blankenship.  When lawns, roads and buildings begin moving closer to tidal marshes, it means many of the birds living in those areas will soon be moving out. New research, which examined marshes from the mouth of the Chesapeake to the head of the Bay, revealed a clear link between even small levels of development in areas surrounding tidal wetlands and the loss of many marsh-dwelling birds.  http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=2429

New Publication First to Document all 77 Forest Service Experimental Forests and Ranges

USFS news release, 11/30/04.  Newtown Square, PA ­ A network of 77 experimental forests and ranges, managed by the USDA Forest Service, are unique and valuable living laboratories where long-term ecological research is conducted.  That's the conclusion of a new book "Experimental Forests and Ranges of the USDA Forest Service," compiled by three USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station employees in Parsons, West Virginia.  The book describes each of the research sites within the network and, provides information about history, climate, vegetation, soils, long-term data, research history and research products.  For a copy of "Experimental Forests and Ranges of the USDA Forest Service" please contact the Northeastern Research Station's Publications Office at 740-368-0120. www.fs.fed.us/ne/

USAPhotoMaps 2.49

http://www.jdmcox.com/  Designed for those who have a need for maps from the United States Geological Survey, this helpful application will be of general interest to numerous other parties as well. With this program, visitors can download aerial photographs and topographic maps from Microsoft's Terraserver website. After completing this step, visitors can scroll through the maps, mark waypoints, and center the map on any particular waypoint. This version of USAPhotoMaps is compatible with operating systems running Windows 98 and higher. From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2004. http://scout.wisc.edu/

Center for Watershed Protection Releases Manual #4: Urban Stream Repair Practices

Available for FREE in its Electronic Version for a LIMITED TIME! This stream repair manual concentrates on practices used to enhance the appearance, stability, structure, or function of urban streams. The manual provides guidance on: three broad approaches to urban stream repair - stream cleanups, simple repairs, and more sophisticated comprehensive repair applications; powerful and relentless forces at work in urban streams, which must always be carefully evaluated in design; setting appropriate restoration goals for your stream, and how to choose the best combination of stream repair practices to meet them; methods to assess stream repair potential at the subwatershed level, including basic stream reach analysis, more detailed project investigations, and priority screenings; and designing, permitting, constructing and maintaining stream repair practices in a series of more than 30 profile sheets. The hard copy will be available very shortly. http://rd.bcentral.com/?ID=2391334&s=9459889

Available Online: ASCE Annual Conference Proceedings for Major Wetland Restoration Projects

EWRI/ASCE NEWS, 10/04. Presentations on Major Wetland Restoration Projects (Everglades, CALFED, Coastal Louisiana, and Mesopotamian Marshes) - Presented as a part of the EWRI Program for ASCE Annual Conference - Oct 22, 2004.  A key topic of discussion at the ASCE Annual Conference was EWRI Program focusing on Major Wetland Restoration Projects. The wetland restoration sessions were structured to offer perspectives on major restoration projects that might inform coop eration in the Tigris-Euphrates River Basin and discussions on the Mesopotamian Wetlands Restoration. Visit www.ewrinstitute.org to view the presentations on Major Wetland Restoration Projects.

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POTPOURRI

(Tennessee) Mid-level Wetland Consultant

Job Description: Mid-level consultant position with a Memphis, Tennessee wetland consulting firm. Work would include performing wetland delineations, stream determinations, preparing federal and state wetland-related permits, practicable alternatives analyses and mitigation designs.  Working directly with clients, agency personnel and staff members on multiple projects both in the office and in the field, as well as supervising staff members doing the same tasks. Work is approximately 50% office work and 50% field work. The applicant should have a Masters Degree or greater in field biology or a related field, have a minimum of 3 years experience in wetland delineation and 3 years experience in wetland permitting, have strong ability to communicate well with a wide range of clients and agency personnel, have strong writing skills, have a working knowledge of the Corps of Engineers' wetland regulations and have the ability to work on many projects a the same time. Also, the applicant needs to be physically strong, be willing to work hard, be able to thrive in very difficult field conditions, be able to work independently, be energetic, innovative, self starting and be interested in moving up in the company. Salary will depend on qualifications. Position is immediately available. Those interested should send a letter of interest and a resume to heineke@bellsouth.net. Tom Heineke, Heineke & Associates, Inc.

(Indiana) Job Title: Project Manager

Buck Engineering, a leading environmental engineering firm specializing in stream and wetland restoration, is seeking a project manager for its Ecosystem Restoration Team in the Cary office.  The Buck team has built a strong reputation as a technical leader by providing our clients with innovative, successful design solutions and responsive, high quality service.  Candidates must have at a minimum a BS degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology, Soil Science, or related discipline and at least 3 years of related work experience.  The ideal candidate will have a professional license, a passion for the work they do, have implemented successful restoration designs, be comfortable working in a team environment, and be considered one of the best and brightest in their respective field. Buck is committed to employee growth and offers an excellent compensation and benefits package, including 401(k) and bonus programs. Visit us at our website, http://www.buckengineering.com, and submit your resume.

Wetland Ecologist - Southeast USA

Environmental Services, Inc seeks application for wetland ecologist for positions from entry to senior managers.  ESI is a fast growing firm with opportunities for diligent employees with experience in the area of wetland assessment and permitting including mitigation planning, protected species, stream assessment and restoration, client care, contamination assessment, and cultural resources.  We are currently seeking qualified personnel at all levels. Please visit www.esinc.cc to find out more about our office locations.  Send letter of interest and resume to Melissa Frankie, Environmental Services, Inc. 7220 Financial Way, Suite 100 Jacksonville, Florida 32256.

Certified Soil Scientist - Southeast USA)

Environmental Services, Inc., in Jacksonville, Florida, is seeking a certified soil scientist with a thorough understanding of soil properties and characteristics as they relate to wetland jurisdictional criteria of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, St Johns River Water Management District, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Knowledge of flora, fauna and ecosystems of the southeastern United States, and experience in wetland delineation is desired. Three to five years of relevant experience is preferred.  Must be capable of working in teams or alone in the field, and in an office environment.  Please visit www.esinc.cc to find out more about our company.  Please e-mail resumes to mfrankie@esinc.cc.

Job Announcement - Global Change Research Field Technician, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Via e-mail to Ecology list-serve. Seeking a full-time technician to operate a field-based study of elevated CO2 on soil carbon sequestration a wetland ecosystem. Duties include operating analytical equipment such as an infrared gas analyzer and a computer data collection system, constructing and maintaining experimental field chambers, and data management. Field work requires collecting and processing samples of water, plants and soils. The ideal candidate would have expertise with analytical equipment, the ability to use power tools to construct research equipment, and knowledge of biology or environmental chemistry.  Appointment is one year and may be renewed for 3.5 additional years. The starting salary ranges from $36,000 to 42,000 depending on experience. The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center is a 1200 hectare complex of upland forest, farmland and wetlands (see www.serc.si.edu for more details). The Center's 100+ full-time employees commute from nearby Annapolis, MD and Washington, DC.  To apply, e-mail or snail-mail a letter of interest and resume by January 31st to: Dr. Patrick Megonigal, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, P.O. Box 28, Edgewater, MD 21037-0028, megonigal@serc.si.edu or 443-482-2346

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