INDEX:

---EDITOR'S NOTE--

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---

·	CARABELL/RAPANOS Oral Arguments
·	Maine Dam Case Argued at High Court
·	Revised and Expanded Edition of “In Search of Swampland” Now Available
·	Chesapeake Bay Program Seeking Presenters for Workshop
·	Six Wetland Stewards Win 2006 National Wetlands Awards
·	May is American Wetlands Month

---NEWS OF NATIONAL SCOPE---

·	Bush Picks Idaho's Kempthorne for Interior
·	Powell Says Wetlands, Levees Vital to Louisiana
·	Winter Storm Damage Could Affect Whooping Crane Breeding Season

---LEGISLATIAVE NEWS---

·	Budget/Appropriations Update
·	Scientists: Endangered Species Act Rewrite Must Be Science-Based
·	Democrats Want U.S. Budget Bill to Drop Oil Drilling
·	Federal Funding For Great Lakes Restoration Uncertain

---NEWS FROM STATES---  

·	Panhandle Wetlands Bill Drawing Fire
·	FL: 'Compromise' May Scuttle Land-Buying Bill
·	SC: Wetlands Bill Represents Compromise
·	ME: Seasonal Habitat Rules Spark Debate [Vernal Pools]
·	DEQ Wants Tougher Rules On Clearing Great Lakes Beaches
·	CA: Wetlands Project Begins Salt Marsh Restoration
·	Safety of Post-Hurricane Sludge Is Disputed
·	OR: Court upholds Measure 37
·	Tucson Developer Donates 40 Acres Of Open Space To Resolve CWA Violations
·	Michigan’s Beach Walking Decision Will Stand
·	EPA Orders Aquaculture Company To Restore Filled Wetland Area On Molokai

---REPORTS, PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---

·	Backyard Wetland Conservation Webcast Registration Opens
·	[New Book] The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, And The Politics Of Paradise
·	ESA Briefs Press, Congressional Staff On Invasive Species
·	Welcome to the March 2006 edition of the Playa Post!

---EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES --

·	MO Dept. of Cons. Hiring Wetland Services Biol. (Closes 3/31)
·	Kevin L. Erwin Consulting Ecologist, Inc., Hiring Entry and Mid-Level Ecologist and Botanist
·	Director's Wetland Ph.D. Fellowship: Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, OSU
·	Upstate NY SWCD Hiring Fulltime Stream Program Technician and Temporary Interns
·	EPA New England Wetlands Protection Program: 2006 Summer Intern Position
·	Altamont Environmental, Inc. (NC) Hiring Water Resources/Hydrology Professional
·	Hydrologist/Water Resources Engineer/Stream Restoration Designer
·	WA DNR Hiring Estuarine Ecologist
·	Robert J. Goldstein & Associates, Inc. Hiring Stream Restoration Specialist
·	Research Associate in Wetland Biochemistry

---GRANTS--

·	Conservation Fund Accepting Nominations for International Paper Environmental Awards

---POTPOURRI---

·	Service Asks Wildlife Enthusiasts To Support National Survey
·	Pesticides Found In Streams Across The United States
·	Study Finds Endangered Species Act Is A Success!
·	States Look to Regional Cloud-Seeding
·	New URL For West Eugene Wetlands Web Site

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---

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

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

My husband is so wonderful. I have pushed our personal finances to the limits, I spend almost all my waking time working or thinking about work, and I often bring the tension and frustration of the restaurant home with me. And he continues to be supportive, he highlights the positive, he takes care of the house, the kids, the laundry, and he serves as a sounding board for my ideas, frustrations, and worries. And all he asks in return is a quiet Sunday afternoon to watch NASCAR, so I’ve got to wrap this up quickly (the race is on in 12 minutes!) Pulling this edition of WBN together has yanked me out of the quagmire of restaurant problems (clashing egos, P&Ls, cash flow analysis and tax season) and has reminded me that no matter what problems I am facing it could be worse. The Supreme Court is weighing some heavy issues that could impact our water resources for many generations to come. That is some heavy stuff.   Special thanks to our contributors: Judy Bailey, US EPA; Hunt Durey, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management; Grace Bottita, Ducks Unlimited; Li Zhang, Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park; Patricia Ott, Missouri Department of Conservation; Ralph Tiner, USFWS; Rene Van Schaack, Green County SWCD (NY); Matt Schweisberg, US EPA; and Eric N. Wold, City of Eugene, Parks and Open Space Division (OR). There’s a big announcement due next week, and we’ll send out a special edition of WBN to cover it. Meanwhile, please do not open any e-mails from my address unless they specifically reference Wetland Breaking News. Chances are it’s some evil virus set on wreaking havoc with your computer. Thanks everyone! Jennifer Brady-Connor Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

CARABELL/RAPANOS Oral Arguments

From by Jeanne Christie, ASWM. The oral arguments for the combined case: Rapanos v. United States and Carabell v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers occurred Tuesday, Feb. 21.  In these cases Michigan landowners contend that Congress never intended to have authority over wetlands that are adjacent to or separated by man-made berms from "navigable waters" or their tributaries. It is likely the decision by the Supreme Court will be published in the May-June timeframe.   In the days before and after the oral arguments this combined case received an unprecedented amount of press coverage.  ASWM received call from several reporters trying to identify how the outcome of these cases might affect wetlands and Clean Water Act jurisdiction in various areas of the country. The consensus is that there was no clear indication from the Justices during the arguments to indicate which side will prevail in these cases.  Based on the questions posed by the Justices during the oral arguments most it is likely this will be a narrow 5-4 decision.

NPR summarized the arguments: High Court Hears Challenge to Clean Water Act http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5227030 and did a related story: Wetlands Show Effect of Court's Last Decision" - http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5227033  The complete transcripts of the oral arguments are located online at The complete transcripts of the oral arguments are located online at http://www.supremecourtus.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/04-1034.pdf Endangered Species and Wetlands Report has posted a comprehensive Rapanos/Carabell web page with a complete list of the amicus briefs and other information at: http://www.eswr.com/1105/rapanos/

Maine Dam Case Argued at High Court

By BART JANSEN - A broad question - whether a Maine agency has the authority to regulate the quality of water released from dams - was subjected to a series of narrow observations Tuesday by members of the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice David Souter asked, for example, whether moving a spoonful of water from one part of a river to another would constitute a discharge and trigger government regulations. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg observed that putting food through a processor changed it, perhaps like the turbines of a dam churning water... http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/060222dam.shtml [S.D. Warren oral argument transcript available online at http://www.supremecourtus.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/04-1527.pdf]

Revised and Expanded Edition of “In Search of Swampland” Now Available
This book authored by wetland ecologist Ralph Tiner and published by Rutgers University Press was named as one of the best science books for junior high and high school readers by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1998.  Since publication, it has been used for introductory wetland courses at major universities.  The book is actually two books in one; first, a primer to wetlands and their origin, ecology, and history, and second, a field guide to identifying wetlands by plants, soils, and other properties.  The primer section introduces readers to wetland definitions and key concepts, wetland hydrology, formation and succession, hydric soils, wetland plant communities, wildlife, wetland functions and values, and wetland conservation.  The widely illustrated field guide portion of the book focuses on wetland plant identification (drawings over 300 species common to eastern wetlands), wildlife identification (over 200 drawings of amphibians, birds, mammals, and several common invertebrates), hydric soil recognition, and on basic techniques for wetland identification and delineation. This revised version has been expanded to provide coverage of Great Lakes wetlands. Available through a number of online sources (e.g. Amazon.com and www.wetlanded.com) as well as directly from the publisher (http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu/).
Chesapeake Bay Program Seeking Presenters for Workshop
The Chesapeake Bay Program is looking for researchers to present their work on wetland enhancement/stream restoration and the role they play in nutrient and sediment reduction.  There is potential for a travel stipend. Please read below and respond to Brent McCloskey McCloskey.Brent@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV. “We are interested in having a wetland/streams workshop focusing on wetland enhancement and stream restoration for nutrient and sediment reduction and wetland enhancement for credit in the Chesapeake Bay Program's model.  We are looking for presenters/researchers who deal with wetland enhancement on a regular basis.  We are looking for a scientific basis for crediting in the model so, ideally, these presenters would be from academia and could present their findings to our group.  If you have any suggestions please reply with names and contact information by COB April 7th.” Brenton D.  McCloskey, Phone: (410)267-9830, Fax: (410) 267-5777
Six Wetland Stewards Win 2006 National Wetlands Awards
ELI news release, 3/13/06. Washington, DC - Six citizens have been recognized nationally for their on-the-ground wetland conservation efforts and decades-long dedication to protecting these important natural resources.  A diverse panel of wetland experts assembled at the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) earlier this month and selected winners of the 2006 National Wetlands Awards.  The 2006 awardees are:
- [State, Tribal, & Local Program Development] Francisco Abarca, an Arizona Game & Fish coordinator who has led tri-national wetland outreach and conservation efforts;
- [Conservation and Restoration] Alan Ammann, a wetland conservationist from New Hampshire who has spearheaded the restoration of hundreds of acres of wetlands;
- [Education and Outreach] Royal Gardner, an attorney and professor at Stetson University in Tampa Bay, Florida who has lectured and published widely on wetland issues;
- [Landowner Stewardship] The Higel Family, a Colorado ranching family that has protected 2,000 acres of prime wildlife and waterfowl habitat;
- [Wetland Community Leadership] Chester McConnell, a southern wetland advocate based in Mobile, Alabama;
- [Science Research] Curtis Richardson, a professor and wetland researcher at Duke University in North Carolina.
On May 10th, they will take a well-deserved break from their efforts to receive their awards at a ceremony on Capitol Hill. For more information on the National Wetlands Awards Program, the 2006 awardees, or the May 10th awards ceremony, visit http://www2.eli.org/nwa/nwaprogram.htm
May is American Wetlands Month
Excerpted from an e-mail from Judy Bailey, US EPA. The days are getting longer, the trees are leafing and the spring peepers will soon be peeping. Spring and American Wetlands Month (AWM) are just around the corner.  I'm writing to let you know about some exciting plans we are working on for American Wetlands Month celebrations during the month of May.  As always, we will be doing a publicity campaign by mail, email and web.  We are working on some great new products for a press packet. We're also planning to schedule some fun events that you will be cordially invited to attend. On May 6, 10-12 p.m., we will join the Retired Senior Volunteer Service, U.S. Park Service, other federal and state agencies and other local groups for a cleanup at Dyke Marsh in Alexandria,VA.  May 10, 6-8 p.m. the National Wetlands Awards will be presented (www.eli.org). On May 20, 2-3 p.m., there will be a fun, family event at the Julie Metz Mitigation Bank in Woodbridge, VA. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. Izaak Walton League of America plans two webcasts on wetlands in May (register now at www.iwla.org) and EPA will have a webcast as well. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to volunteer and join in the fun.  You will find more information on the web at www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/ and www.iwla.org.

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NEWS OF NATIONAL SCOPE

Bush Picks Idaho's Kempthorne for Interior

March 17, 2006 — By Reuters. WASHINGTON — President Bush chose Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne Thursday to replace Gale Norton as Interior secretary, saying his nominee had a "long and abiding love for nature."  If confirmed by the Senate, Kempthorne would become the 49th Interior secretary, whose job is to oversee federal lands. "As secretary of the Interior, Dirk will continue my administration's efforts to conserve our land, water and air resources, reduce the maintenance backlog of our national parks, support historic and cultural sites through our 'Preserve America' initiative, and develop the energy potential of federal lands and waters in environmentally sensitive ways," Bush said. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=10088

Powell Says Wetlands, Levees Vital to Louisiana

February 24, 2006 — By Cain Burdeau, Associated Press. NEW ORLEANS — Building higher levees isn't the sole solution to protecting this city and the rest of low-lying south Louisiana from killer hurricanes, President Bush's adviser on Gulf Coast recovery said Thursday. Other keys, Donald Powell said, are restoring wetlands, upgrading pumping capacities and strengthening existing flood defenses. Powell made his comments at a summit about levees and their importance in rebuilding this hurricane-battered region. The summit was hosted by two regional business groups. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=9948

Winter Storm Damage Could Affect Whooping Crane Breeding Season

USGS news release, 2/16/06. The USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md. suffered major damage to its endangered species captive propagation complex due to the weekend rain and snowstorm. Biologists are concerned that the nearly total destruction to flight pens could impact the current breeding season for the endangered birds at the Center. Patuxent has the largest captive flock of whooping cranes in the world, and also houses an extensive population of sandhill cranes. Because the sandhill cranes are used as surrogate parents to the whooping cranes, both species are critical to the propagation of the endangered whooping crane. The breeding program provides two-thirds of the birds used to restore whooping cranes in North America, a species that was nearly extinct when the breeding program began. http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1446 l

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LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Budget/Appropriations Update

[The following is an excerpt from Natural Resources Defense Council's 3/2/06 edition of LEGISLATIVE WATCH.] On 2/27, Congress began a week of hearings and negotiations on the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, including discussion of funding for environmental programs within the Forest Service, Interior Department, Environmental Protections Agency and National Park Service. The budget President Bush proposed earlier this year would cut funding for environmental programs by an average of 13 percent compared to fiscal year 2006. Congress must now determine whether to accept the cuts or restore funding for a number of environmentally important and politically popular programs such as the State Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The parallel budget resolution process is also underway. The budget resolution, while nonbinding, sets the discretionary cap on spending and helps determine how money is allocated among the various federal spending bills. See NRDC's analysis of some of the energy proposals and environmental programs in the president's proposed budget at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/060209.asp

Scientists: Endangered Species Act Rewrite Must Be Science-Based

WASHINGTON, DC, March 8, 2006 (ENS) - Over 5,700 scientists with biological expertise have signed a letter to the U.S. Senate in an effort to ensure that the Endangered Species Act, which they call the "cornerstone of the United States' most basic environmental protections," continues to conserve biodiversity by using the best available science. The letter, carrying signatures from scientists in every state and over 900 institutions, was hand-delivered to each of the 100 senators today. http://www.ens-newswire.com

Democrats Want U.S. Budget Bill to Drop Oil Drilling

March 16, 2006 — By Tom Doggett, Reuters. WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats will try to remove language from a pending budget bill that calls for the government to raise billions of dollars in leasing fees from oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Republican leaders, with White House support, are using the massive 2007 budget legislation to give oil companies access to the refuge, because budget bills can't be filibustered under Senate rules. The legislation assumes about $6 billion in leasing fees and bonus bids would be paid by energy companies to drill in the refuge. The federal government could keep half the money to fund various programs and the other half would go Alaska. http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=10080

Federal Funding For Great Lakes Restoration Uncertain

By J.R. Pegg, WASHINGTON, DC, March 21, 2006 (ENS) - Congressional support for the effort to clean up the Great Lakes appears to be sinking, four months after federal, state and local leaders announced a new $20 billion strategy for restoration of the world's largest fresh surface water ecosystem. Witnesses at a Senate hearing last week warned that the Great Lakes are deteriorating, but the committee's Republican chairman said the plan is incomplete, overly ambitious and too expensive. http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2006/2006-03-21-10.asp

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NEWS FROM STATES

Panhandle Wetlands Bill Drawing Fire
By Aaron Deslatte, Tallahassee Democrat CAPITOL BUREAU. “For more than a decade, powerful Panhandle politicians have blocked the state from spreading state wetlands and stormwater regulations in Northwest Florida. That could change in the next six weeks. The House Environmental Regulation Committee passed a bill today that devotes $2.7 million to creating a stormwater and wetlands permitting program for the swath of the Panhandle from Escambia to Jefferson counties. The movement is the fulfillment of a pledge last May by House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, to Gov. Jeb Bush to implement a program after the Legislature refused to do so last year. But already, environmental groups are protesting … “ http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060322/BREAKINGNEWS/603220349
FL: 'Compromise' May Scuttle Land-Buying Bill
By Aaron Deslatte, Tallahassee Democrat CAPITOL BUREAU. 3/18/06. “In Florida's annual political fisticuffs over its sprawling growth, Rep. Trudi Williams thought she had a way to please developers and environmentalists alike. When the Fort Myers Republican took a bill last week to double state spending on environmental land purchases and inserted language making it easier to fill in wetlands with driveways and houses, she expected it to make everyone happy… Instead, builders are ambivalent, and the environmental community she wanted to please could pull the plug on one of its top legislative priorities: to find a successor to the $3 billion, 10-year Florida Forever land-buying program … “ http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060318/CAPITOLNEWS/603180326/1010/NEWS01
SC: Wetlands Bill Represents Compromise
By Bo Petersen, The Post and Courier, 3/7/06. Charleston, SC - Protecting isolated wetlands, a flash point in a regulatory war being fought by conservationists and property-rights proponents, goes to a state Senate committee hearing Wednesday. The new bill is in some ways stronger and some ways weaker than a bill that stalled two years ago. It's stronger because it protects wetlands as small as half an acre; the stalled bill proposed protecting wetlands 5 acres or larger. But the new bill is weakened by its leeway for farming, mining and other development and by its requirements for regulators, environmentalists say … Maybe the best chance the new bill has of getting passed is that nobody likes all of it. It is being introduced to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources committee by committee chairman Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, who opposed previous wetlands bills… “ http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=74416&section=localnews
ME: Seasonal Habitat Rules Spark Debate [Vernal Pools]
By JOHN RICHARDSON, Portland Press Herald Writer, Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. AUGUSTA — “Wildlife advocates called on lawmakers Tuesday to finally give vernal pools their due and protect the seasonal wetlands as one of the state's critical habitats. A proposed rule also drew opposition, from those who warned that it could hurt property values or create hardships for Mainers who want to build houses or sell lots … The Legislature's Natural Resources Committee listened to the arguments during a three-hour public hearing Tuesday. The rule, already endorsed by Maine's Board of Environmental Protection, would require a special permit for any development within 250 feet of a significant vernal pool … About half of the vernal pools in the state are expected to meet the definition as significant habitat - home to significant populations of wood frogs and salamanders or to the less common fairy shrimp. The DEP's staff or private consultants would visit a pool in the spring to make the determination … The Natural Resources Committee will discuss the proposal Feb. 28. If approved by the full Legislature, the rules could take effect as soon as this spring.” http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/statehouse/060215habit.shtml
DEQ Wants Tougher Rules On Clearing Great Lakes Beaches
By JOHN FLESHER, The Associated Press, Mlive.com, 3/21/06. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Tighter restrictions should be imposed on clearing vegetation from Great Lakes shorelines because it alters water chemistry and damages fish habitat, state regulators said. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality on Monday said a recent scientific analysis showed that uprooting aquatic plants in coastal wetlands harms young game fish such as yellow perch and bass. It also reduces populations of invertebrates such as insects and snails that form crucial links in the aquatic food chain, the agency said. "This research has shown that protecting coastal wetlands and maintaining the integrity of the vegetation is more important ecologically than we ever knew before," said Wil Cwikiel, assistant chief of the DEQ's land and water management division. … http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/business/index.ssf?/base/news-33/1142953753188250.xml&storylist=mibusiness
CA: Wetlands Project Begins Salt Marsh Restoration
By PAUL ROGERS, San Jose Mercury News, 3/18/06. “Efforts to restore thousands of acres of former industrial salt ponds ringing San Francisco Bay to tidal marshes for birds and fish are taking a significant step forward. Working with a floating steam shovel, federal construction crews spent the past three weeks tearing out sections of earthen levees along three former Cargill salt ponds in the bay between Alviso and Fremont. When the levees are gone, silt in bay waters is expected to naturally fill in the three-foot-deep ponds, leading to bulrushes and other plants in a few years, followed by fish, ducks and shorebirds -- the first such restoration of ponds that were part of a Cargill sale to the public three years ago. Previous restorations of other ponds only involved installing tidal gates that could be opened to let in bay waters, not breaching the levees … “ http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/14130274.htm
Safety of Post-Hurricane Sludge Is Disputed
By Spencer S. Hsu and Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Staff Writers, Thursday, February 23, 2006; Page A03. “Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina deposited arsenic, lead and petrochemical compounds across greater New Orleans in amounts that are potentially dangerous to human health despite federal and state assurances that the sludge is safe, according to a new study based on Environmental Protection Agency data. The study, which was conducted by the Natural Resources Defense Council and is being released today, urges the government to clean up the waste before permitting young children to return to the struggling city. The NRDC report, which was obtained by The Washington Post, comes as a new internal report of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggests that as much as 350,000 gallons of hazardous materials are threatening the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Rita. . . “  http://www.grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=6499
OR: Court upholds Measure 37
Tuesday, February 21, 2006, LAURA OPPENHEIMER, The Oregonian. “Oregon's Supreme Court has resuscitated the controversial property rights law that could redefine rural Oregon. Measure 37 did not violate state and federal constitutions as a lower court thought, justices said this morning in a sweeping, unanimous opinion. Their decision -- which will be dissected across the nation -- jump-starts more than 2,500 applications to develop land controlled by government regulations. http://www.grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=6493
Tucson Developer Donates 40 Acres Of Open Space To Resolve CWA Violations
EPA news release, 2/16/06. San Francisco, Calif. – EPA has reached an agreement with Tucson, Ariz. Developer Whetstone Development Corp. and its general contractor K.E. & G. Development to pay penalties totaling $110,000 to settle Clean Water Act violations. Whetstone Development Corp has also agreed to donate 40 acres of open space as part of the settlement. The EPA's agreement with Whetstone Development Corp. compensates for the permanent loss of approximately 0.25 acres of desert streams, or ephemeral washes, which were filled without a permit during construction activities at “The Canyons at Whetstone Ranch” residential development in Benson, Ariz. The affected area is part of the San Pedro River watershed, a vital ecological resource in Arizona. http://www.epa.gov/region09/enforcement/pubnotices/index.html
Michigan’s Beach Walking Decision Will Stand
Michigan Wetlands Action Coalition e-newsletter, 2/24/06. The U.S. Supreme Court decided this week that they will not take up the Michigan “beach walking” case.  The U.S. Supreme Court Justices left undisturbed the Michigan Supreme Court ruling that upheld the Public Trust doctrine allowing people to walk along the Great Lakes shorelines. The Michigan Supreme Court ruled last summer that walking the Great Lakes shoreline in front of private property is legal. Upholding the Public Trust Doctrine, the Court recognized that large bodies of navigable water, including the Great Lakes, are natural resources that belong to the public.  In addition, the Court recognized that under Michigan common law, the state “has an obligation to protect and preserve the waters of the Great Lakes and the lands beneath them for the public.” Despite the name, Save Our Shoreline (SOS) once again tried to restrict public access and engage in another effort to do anything but save Michigan's shoreline. SOS, on behalf of property owners, requested the high court review the U.S Supreme Court ruling stating the Michigan Supreme Court decision committed a taking of private property that would be in violation of the Constitution. Hopefully, the refusal by the U.S Supreme Court to hear this case will bury the issue in the sand for good.
EPA Orders Aquaculture Company To Restore Filled Wetland Area On Molokai
EPA news release, 03/16/06. HONOLULU – The US EPA has ordered D & J Ocean Farm, Inc. to restore sensitive wetlands at Kalaeloa on Molokai that were illegally filled. The order requires the company to remove soil and other fill on the property created while cutting a new channel for Keawanui Stream. The affected wetlands will be revegetated with native akulikuli-kai plants. Between January 2002 and early 2003 the company filled about a quarter acre of wetlands while cutting the new stream channel to prevent flooding at the shrimp farm. D & J Ocean Farms is an aquaculture facility that produces shrimp, ogo and tilapia. Under the EPA’s order, the company will need to submit plans to remove the fill material and to restore the wetland. D & J will also have to submit progress reports to the EPA on the fill removal and restoration work.

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REPORTS, PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

Backyard Wetland Conservation Webcast Registration Opens

IWLA news release, 2/27/06. Join the Izaak Walton League for two live Webcasts this spring that will help you conserve wetlands and provide a home for wildlife while creating beautiful landscaping for your home, office or schoolyard. Wetland-Friendly Backyard (March 28, 8:00-10:00pm, EST) includes information on how to create rain gardens, install rain barrels, landscape with native plants, and reduce pesticide and fertilizer use. Wet Spots into Wonderlands (April 25, 8:00-10:00pm, EST) will show the benefits of having wetlands on your property, how to protect those wetlands, and how to create vernal pools or bog gardens. In addition to the live programs, there will be various  resources available on the League's Web site on these projects. These programs will also be broadcast on cable and satellite television stations in North Carolina and may also be broadcast on other stations across the country; also available live online. Visit http://www.iwla.org/ and click on Webcasts for complete details or to register.

[New Book] The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, And The Politics Of Paradise

By Bret Schulte, U.S. News and World Report, 3/13/06. “As a reporter covering the environment for the Washington Post, Michael Grunwald spent a year slogging through the Florida Everglades while also wading into the region's rich natural and political history. His goal: to understand and document the unprecedented $8 billion effort to restore the dying 3 million-acre ecosystem, which once blanketed the peninsula south of Lake Okeechobee. What he found was a man vs. nature tale that predates the arrival of Europeans. Today, half the Everglades is gone, thanks to a massive mid-20th-century flood-control and drainage project by the Army Corps of Engineers and a booming agricultural economy, which together with other changes brought 7 million residents to south Florida. As the state's restoration project continues--and Louisiana struggles with its own plans to restore wetlands--Grunwald's new book, The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise, offers plenty of cautionary lessons about government efforts to fool with Mother Nature. Grunwald spoke to U.S. News last week. Excerpts: “  http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060313/13qa.htm

ESA Briefs Press, Congressional Staff On Invasive Species

3/13/06 Policy News from ESA's Public Affairs Office. ESA Rapid Response Team members David Lodge, Dick Mack, and Susan Williams briefed members of the press, federal agency representatives, and congressional staff on the Ecological Society of America's scientific position paper, Biological Invasions:  Recommendations for U.S. Policy and Management.  Lodge, Mack, and Williams, three of the paper's twelve co-authors, highlighted six recommendations for the federal government to take, in cooperation with state, local, tribal, and international governments, to prevent, eradicate, and control invasive species.  Their recommendations included the implementation of quantitative risk analysis procedures, creation of a federal rapid response fund for eradicating invaders, and the establishment of a National Center for Invasive Species Management to coordinate federal and state efforts. "The nation often simply bears the costs," said Lodge. "But we recommend a much more cost-effective system of prevention, early detection, and rapid response - before the damages are irreversible." The ESA Position paper, as well as a copy of the briefing's presentation slides, can be found at:  http://www.esa.org/pao/esaPositions/

Welcome to the March 2006 edition of the Playa Post!

In this issue: 1.  PLJV Works to Get Ahead of CRP Turnover 2.  Friendly Fire: Prescribed Burns Benefit Prairie Ecosystem 3.  Landowner Survey Hits PLJV Region 4.  Playa Country Radio Features Local Partnerships 5.  Follow the Money: EPA Wetlands Program Development Grants, Conservation Security Program, Nature of Learning Grants, EPA Region 7 Watershed Improvement Grants, EPA Meetings, Conferences and Workshops Grants 6.  Happenings Around the PLJV Follow this link for the Playa Post: http://www.pljv.org/newsarchive/PlayaPost/post0306.html

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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MO Dept. of Cons. Hiring Wetland Services Biol. (Closes 3/31)

The Missouri Department of Conservation has a position available in Warrensburg, Missouri for a Wetland Services Biologist. Beginning salary will be $33,024 to $38,580 depending on qualifications. New hire works as a member of the NRCS Wetland Emphasis Team (WET) staff that is responsible for forty counties. Provides wetland restoration, enhancement, design, and management, as well as evaluation and technical assistance to landowners in conjunction with USDA-NRCS and USDA-FSA programs and initiatives such as WRP, EWP-Floodplain Easements and CRP wetland orientated programs. CLOSING DATE:  March 31, 2006. For additional duties or to apply online see full job announcement at www.mdc.mo.gov/about/jobs.

Kevin L. Erwin Consulting Ecologist, Inc., Hiring Entry and Mid-Level Ecologist and Botanist

Kevin L. Erwin Consulting Ecologist, Inc. has immediate openings for an entry and mid-level ecologist and botanist. The positions typically require an advanced degree, one to four years of recent experience, good oral and written communication skills, with knowledge of one or more of the following areas; habitat evaluation, monitoring techniques, permitting, field botany, and utilization of survey grade GPS equipment. Excellent benefits are provided including a generous retirement plan, paid vacation, paid medical and dental insurance and an outstanding professional environment in beautiful southwest Florida. Competitive salary opportunities for exist for the right individuals commensurate with ability and experience. Over the past 25 years the firm has maintained its role as a respected advocate for conservation and habitat restoration around the world. If you are looking for a rewarding and challenging career opportunity email a confidential letter of introduction, resume and three references to klerwin@environment.com.

Director's Wetland Ph.D. Fellowship: Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, OSU

The Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park (ORWRP) at The Ohio State University is pleased to announce the first Director's Wetland Research Fellowship competition for potential Ph.D. students interested in wetland ecology, science, engineering, and/or policy at the ORWRP at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.  Research will be conducted in programs at the ORWRP and can be at any of a number of local and/or international wetland research sites by mutual agreement between the successful candidate and the ORWRP Director.  The 2006-07 stipend is for $20,000 per year (4 quarters) in addition to tuition and fees.  Funding for subsequent years will be dependent on successful academic and research progress. The successful student must be accepted in one of several appropriate academic programs at The Ohio State University (http://www.osu.edu/), with preference given to applicants to the School of Environment and Natural Resources or the Environmental Science Graduate Program. For more information, and to express interest, please contact Director William J. Mitsch at mitsch.1@osu.edu or 614-292-9774.  Please provide a letter application stating interest in the program (described in detail at http://swamp.osu.edu), GRE and GPA scores, and three letters of reference (which can be forwarded copies of letters submitted with your academic application).  Mail application material to: Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, The Ohio State University, 352 W. Dodridge Street, Columbus, OH  43221 USA.  Attn:  W.J. Mitsch.  Applications are due April 20, 2006.