Editor's Note

Editor's Choice

National News

Legislative News

State News

Resources/ Publications

Potpourri

Job Openings

Student Jobs

Meetings/ Training

ASWM Calendar

INDEX:

---EDITOR'S NOTE--

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---

·	Transplant Procedure: Scientists, Company Moving Wetland to Save It
·	Fate of Increased Bay Funding in Farm Bill in Senate's Hands
·	10th Annual Watersheds & Wetlands Workshop

---NATIONAL NEWS---

·	Md., Va. Officials: Bay Dies, States Die

---LEGISLATIVE NEWS---

·	Water Bill May Bring $1.8B to Everglades

---STATE NEWS---  

·	MA: Wasted Wetlands: the Vanishing Gulf Coast (OpEd)
·	MI: Corporate Wetlands
·	CA: Conservancy Moves Closer Toward Wetland Restoration
·	MI: Harding: Property Owners Must Fight for Their Rights
·	MA: Rail Trail Wetlands Delineation in Dispute
·	NY: 70-Acre Salt Marsh on Staten Island to be Preserved
·	WI: State Sues Halquist, Says Work on Quarry Site Disturbed Stream, Wetlands
·	MD: White Marsh Law Planned
·	VA: Virginia Beach Appeals Ruling on Indigo Dunes Wetlands
·	MA: Wetlands Decision Declined
·	Navajo Nation: U.S. EPA and Navajo Nation Inspect 40 Underground Tanks on Tribal Lands
·	NJ: Long Abused, New Jersey's Hackensack River Recovers
·	ME: Sears Island Wetlands May Affect Port Plans
·	NY: New York Coastal Aid Program Helps Great South Bay
·	CT: Wetlands Agency Reviews Draft of Regulations Changes
·	TX: Crescent City Sits at Critical Juncture
·	LA: Letter to the Editor: Law Could Benefit Levees, Wetlands
·	WA: Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO): Everybody Wins
·	FL: It's Time for Phosphate Decision
·	FL: City Claim Wetlands Illegally Excavated
·	NJ: DEP Fines Burleigh Storage $260,000 for Filling Wetlands

---RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS---

·	EPA’s Nonpoint Source News-Notes Issue #82, September 2007
·	Encyclopedia of Tidepools and Rocky Shores

---POTPOURRI---

·	Early Fall Waterfowl Habitat Conditions in Canada
·	Student Wetlands Film Wins national Education Honors

---JOB OPENINGS---

·	IBA Site Assessment Coordinator
·	Instream Flow Hydrologist
·	Principle Engineer-Water Resources/Stream Restoration
·	Wetland Scientist

---STUDENT JOBS ---

---MEETINGS AND TRAINING---

·	Sweet Briar Hosts Wetlands Restoration Conference and Workshop
·	2007 Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Symposium and Municipal Workshop
·	Introduction to Planning and Planting Stream  Restoration Projects
·	HGM Classification and Guidebook Development Workshop
·	Essential Elements for Successful Watershed Planning
·	Swamp School: Special Carabell & Rapanos Decision Workshop

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

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Yesterday I swam in Little Sebago Lake for probably the last time this year. The heat and humidity hit a high of 94°F in southern Maine, which is unusually warm; the lake water has cooled to 70°. I swam in a bare cove; all of the camp owners have pulled their docks for the winter. In the distance, two boats sat on the sand bar, which is normally submerged. The lake level has dropped so low in the past two months that the sand on the bar is dry. During July and August, boat motors buzzed and jet skiers zipped along the tip of the popular sand bar. By late September the lake is quiet and calm; I heard an entire conversation between two men—the owners of the boats on the sand bar—carry across to the cove where I kicked through spaghetti reeds, dipped underwater and searched for my snapping turtle, who I have not seen in years, at his old hide-out, Fish Rock. As a reminder, the committee working to develop the National Wetland Mapping Standard is accepting comments. For a direct link to the draft wetland mapping standard, go to: http://www.fws.gov/nwi/Final%20Draft%20Wetlands%20Mapping%20Standard%2003_26_07.pdf Comments may be sent to Margarete Ann Heber, Wetland Division, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; phone (202) 566-1189; fax (202) 566-1349; e-mail Heber.Maragaret@epa.gov Special thanks to the contributors for this issue: Tom Biebighauser, U.S. Forest Service; Kary Phillips, Tetra Tech; Elizabeth Murray, Arkansas Multi-Agency Wetland Planning Team. Happy Autumn.   Leah Stetson Editor, Wetland Breaking News

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EDITOR'S CHOICE

Transplant Procedure: Scientists, Company Moving Wetland to Save It By Susan Pugh – Nelson County Times – September 4, 2007 What if there were an ancient vernal pool that supports rare species of salamanders and freshwater shrimp? What if the industry that owns the site did not realize its land contained the vernal pool with its rare eco-community, and had plans to expand operations into the very area of the vernal pool? What if two scientists decided to try to save the vernal pool by transplanting it to an area out of the expansion’s path? And what if their idea won not only the blessing of the industry, but also its assistance in making the transplant happen? That’s what has been unfolding in Piney River. For full article, visit: http://www.neweraprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=NEP/MGArticle/NEP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352627577

Fate of Increased Bay Funding in Farm Bill in Senate's Hands Chesapeake Bay Journal – September 2007 The Senate this fall will consider whether its version of the Farm Bill should contain the sharp increases in Chesapeake Bay cleanup funding that were approved by the House in July. The House bill includes $212.5 million over five years in conservation funding specifically directed toward curbing nutrient and sediment pollution from farms in the Chesapeake region. In addition, it boosts spending for other nationwide conservation programs, which could bring tens of millions of additional funds to the region annually. The total value to the Bay over the five-year period covered by the bill could be about $500 million, supporters say. "This landmark effort represents a major new chapter in the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, who earlier had introduced alternative legislation aimed at boosting support for Bay efforts. Parts of that were incorporated in the final bill. "I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that this legislation passes the Congress and is signed into law so that we can provide critical funds to the farmers in the Chesapeake Bay region to support their conservation efforts and help clean up the Bay," Van Hollen said. For full article, visit: http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3156

10th Annual Watersheds & Wetlands Workshop October 22-25, 2007. Carousel Resort Hotel, Ocean City, Maryland. Protection and restoration using the watershed approach makes our tenth workshop an important venue for all who strive to protect our vital aquatic resources. This workshop will increase dialogue and foster partnerships among federal, state, and local agencies, tribal nations, non-governmental organizations, the scientific community, private industry, and all other stakeholders involved in the management of aquatic resources. Topics important to our aquatic resources such as sea-level rise, limited funding for research, monitoring, and restoration, population increase, guidance subsequent to the RAPANOS decision, and other relevant and current issues confronting all interested in aquatic environments are open for discussion. This workshop is a collaboration between the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, Society of Wetland Scientists, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Wetlands & Watersheds Work Group and Remote Data Systems, Inc. For more information on registration and the agenda, visit:  http://www.WetlandsWorkGroup.org

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NATIONAL NEWS

Md., Va. Officials: Bay Dies, States Die By Peter Hardin – Richmond Times-Dispatch – September 27, 2007 To highlight the potential impact of global warming, a Senate panel zeroed in yesterday on the Chesapeake Bay. Govs. Timothy M. Kaine of Virginia and Martin O'Malley of Maryland joined in labeling climate change a serious threat to the Chesapeake Bay and appealed for new policy from Congress. "Each day that legislative action is delayed will have negative consequences for the Chesapeake Bay," Kaine told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "In Maryland, climate change and sea-level rise are at our doorstep," O'Malley testified. Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, the Democrat who chairs the panel, emphasized her view that global warming isn't a problem solely in remote Greenland -- where some members of her committee have traveled -- but also closer to home. "We do not have to travel as far as Greenland to see the impacts of global warming," she said, "we only have to travel a few miles to the Chesapeake Bay." For full story, visit: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-09-27-0183.html  For a second story on this topic, go to: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bay_environment/bal-md.bay27sep27,0,6926433.story

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LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Water Bill May Bring $1.8B to Everglades South Florida Business Journal – September 25, 2007 The U.S. Senate has passed a final version of the Water Resources Development Act, which funds more than $1.8 billion in Everglades restoration projects. The legislation has been stalled since 2002. The last water bill was passed in 2000. The bill also allocates nearly $137.9 million in port projects, including $125 million to the Port of Miami; $7.5 million for a Lake Region Water Treatment Plant in Palm Beach County and $6.25 million for water reuse supply and a pipeline in Miami-Dade County. President George W. Bush has threatened to veto the bill, and Florida senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez have pledged to work to overturn the veto. "No single bill Congress approves will have as much positive impact on Florida's environment than this," Martinez said in a release. "This bill is essential to the vitality of Florida's ecosystem and the management of water quality issues. On Everglades restoration, this bill brings the federal government back to the table as an equal partner." This article can be found at: http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2007/09/24/daily16.html  The bill (H.R. 1495) can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov/, and it must still be signed by the President before becoming law. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas

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STATES NEWS

MA: Wasted Wetlands: the Vanishing Gulf Coast (OpEd) By Stephanie McPherson – The Daily Collegian – September 28, 2007 As you sit in your Biology class, or sociology or theater class, at least one football field's worth of the Louisiana coastal wetlands disappears. But hey, you're sitting safe in your Massachusetts classroom. What do you care what happens 1500 miles to the south? You should care. What occurs on the coast of one of the most culturally rich cities of the United States doesn't only affect its occupants. It affects the entirety of America and its people. The vanishing swamplands of Louisiana have not only depleted a society of much of its fishing industry and robbed people of their homes; they were a large contributing factor to one of the most devastating natural disasters in United States history - Hurricane Katrina. Between 1932 and 2005, the acreage of wetlands that has been eaten away by the Gulf of Mexico is equivalent to that of the entire state of Delaware. By 2050, it will have lost another 700 square miles. Why is this happening? To understand that, it is important to understand how the wetlands were created. The Mississippi River, the central artery of the USA, begins in Minnesota and passes ten states during its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. As it flows, it collects sediments, which are eventually deposited along the Gulf Coast. These sediments form the wetlands. For full OpEd article, go to: http://media.www.dailycollegian.com/media/storage/paper874/news/2007/09/10/EditorialOpinion/Wasted.Wetlands.The.Vanishing.Gulf.Coast-2957482.shtml

MI: Corporate Wetlands By Dennis Archambault – Metromode – September 27, 2007 If you'd asked Chris Lehr what he intended to do with his biology degree after graduating from Eastern Michigan University, the last thing he would have answered is rebuilding the Detroit River shoreline along the city's industrialized Downriver area. If you asked him about creating a "rain garden" on the grounds of a power plant he’d probably think you were crazy. Nurtured in the woods of rural Manchester, Michigan, a hunter and a naturalist, Lehr knew plenty about flora and fauna but little about turning that knowledge into a career. General biology degrees aren't very marketable. After stints with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, United States Department of Agriculture, an environmental consulting firm providing wetland monitoring and mediation, as well as some landscaping, Lehr found his calling as a "restoration" biologist and entrepreneur whose specialty is "ecosystem recovery." For full story, go to: http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/Wetlands0037.aspx

CA: Conservancy Moves Closer Toward Wetland Restoration By Annie Burris – Orange County Register – September 27, 2007 The Huntington Beach Wetland Conservancy will hold a public meeting today to inform residents that they are one step closer to restoring Huntington Beach's wetlands. The conservancy has spent the last 22 years acquiring data and land as part of the Huntington Beach Wetlands Restoration Project, which seeks to repair the wetlands that stretch from the Santa Ana River to Newland Street along Pacific Coast Highway. "It has been a long road and it is nice to see this come to fruition," said Project Manager Gary Gorman. The agency recently submitted permits to the city and various environmental agencies to re-establish an outlet and habitats that will revitalize a migratory resting spot for 80 species of birds and restore the home to the endangered Belding's Savannah sparrow. For full story, visit: http://www.ocregister.com/news/wetlands-project-beach-1853298-huntington-conservancy

MI: Harding: Property Owners Must Fight for Their Rights By Julie Knauf – Escanaba Daily Press – September 27, 2007 Local landowners are concerned about their property rights — and they should be, said Russ Harding, senior environmental policy analyst for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland. Harding, former Department of Environmental Quality director, discussed property rights and how government has abused them during a meeting at the Terrace Bluff Country Club Wednesday afternoon. “Far more dangerous than the physical taking of property (which the Michigan law no longer allows) is the regulatory taking,” he said. Regulatory takings include environmental protection programs and zoning by local governments, said Harding. While many are in place for good cause, others are unnecessary, he said. Owning private property is a basic right and deciding how residents wish to manage that property, within reason, should also be a basic right, he added. Environmental protection programs and zoning also limit the possibility for economic growth, he said. Michigan has plenty to offer via its natural resources. “Especially because of the state’s economic problems, it’s critical that owners be able to use their property for economic purposes. If we aren’t able to make land, with good conservation practices, available for use, we’re killing ourselves economically,” he said. For full story, go to: http://www.dailypress.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=13837

MA: Rail Trail Wetlands Delineation in Dispute By Kerri Roche – The Concord Journal – September 27, 2007 Two independent consultants hired by a group calling themselves “concerned citizens of Concord” say they have found flaws with the delineation of wetlands provided by consultants for the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. At the Wednesday, Sept. 19, meeting of the Natural Resources Commission, representatives from Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. submitted an Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation on behalf of the town. As a whole, these documents are intended to outline and describe wetland resources for the entire length of the trail. After the firm made its presentation, two wetland consultants and a representing attorney submitted reviews of the consultants’ work on behalf of an unidentified group of residents. According to Natural Resource Administrator Delia Kaye, it is typical for residents to hire outside consultants in projects with heightened public attention. For full story, go to: http://www.townonline.com/concord/homepage/x775333059

NY: 70-Acre Salt Marsh on Staten Island to be Preserved The Associated Press (Newsday.com) - September 26, 2007 Control of a 70-acre natural salt marsh on State Island is being transferred to the Department of Parks and Recreation for its preservaton. Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the transfer of teh Arlington Marsh wetlands comlex from the city Economic Development Corporation to the parks department will protect it from development. Bloomberg says Arlington Marsh is one of the last remaining natural wetlands in the city and ists preservation is a major step forward in his effort to protect natural ecological resources. For full story, go to: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--wetlandspreservat0926sep26,0,3558732.story

WI: State Sues Halquist, Says Work on Quarry Site Disturbed Stream, Wetlands By Jim Stevens – Sussex Sun – September 26, 2007 The suit asks Waukesha County Circuit Court to impose a fine on the Lisbon firm and Wood-Land Contractors of Lannon for disturbing about 10,000 square feet along Willow Springs Creek. The Attorney General's Office filed the suit Thursday on behalf of the DNR, claiming the two companies "were involved in a project in which material was placed in a wetland, heavy equipment was driven on the bed of a navigable waterway, and over 10,000 square feet along the bed and banks of the (river) were disturbed." The suit said the work was done without a DNR permit. A representative of Halquist did not return a reporter's call by press time Tuesday morning. For full article, visit: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18852419&BRD=1401&PAG=461&dept_id=173345&rfi=6

MD: White Marsh Law Planned By Matthew Sturdevant – Hampton Roads Daily Press – September 26, 2007 Dressed in T-shirts asking to "Save White Marsh," dozens of people crowded into City Hall's council chambers two weeks ago seeking action. Today they'll get an answer. Hampton will draft legislation in hopes of blocking development on White Marsh — a section of Grandview on the Chesapeake Bay. State Del. Tom Gear, R-Hampton, agreed to introduce the city-drafted legislation when the General Assembly meets in January. Anyone interested in the city's legislative strategy may pick up a handout at today's council meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on the 8th floor of City Hall, 22 Lincoln St. City Attorney Cynthia E. Hudson brought up the issue at a special council meeting Monday regarding legislative priorities for the upcoming year. Hudson said White Marsh could be protected with legislation that puts the marsh under an umbrella of existing state and federal guidelines intended to protect coastal sand dunes, or wetlands, or some other natural feature. One possibility is to draft legislation referencing a wide range of technical details in the federal Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982, which has limitations for development in flood-prone areas. For full story, go to: http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/hampton/dp-news_whitemarsh_0926sep26,0,7336923.story

VA: Virginia Beach Appeals Ruling on Indigo Dunes Wetlands By Deirdre Fernandez – Virginian Pilot – September 26, 2007 Officials with the city of Virginia Beach have filed an appeal of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission decision to allow a developer to build on wetlands off Shore Drive as part of a controversial housing development. The city filed its appeal in Circuit Court last week. The court documents contend that the state commission should not have reversed the Virginia Beach Wetlands Board's vote to deny L.M. Sandler & Sons a permit. The proposed 1,063-home development called Indigo Dunes does not have to be in the wetlands, the city argued. Sandler officials also failed to show that they considered other site options or that the wetlands had to be filled, according to the documents. For full story, go to: http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=133269&ran=1025

MA: Wetlands Decision Declined By David Vallette – The Republican – September 24, 2007 The Conservation Commission last night voted not to take a position on the city's bid to ease wetlands restrictions to facilitate development. "I don't think we should get involved ... We're supposed to be neutral," commission member Charles N. Koch said. At issue is a proposal submitted to the Town Council to reduce the river protection zone along two streams next to the Mohawk Trail west of Interstate 91. Also, there is another plan to give the commission the authority to waive requirements in the city's wetlands protection bylaw. For full story, go to: http://www.masslive.com/hampfrank/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1190792135325530.xml&coll=1

Navajo Nation: U.S. EPA and Navajo Nation Inspect 40 Underground Tanks on Tribal Lands Contact: Margot Perez-Sullivan – EPA News Release – September 24, 2007 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency recently inspected 40 underground fuel tank sites in an effort to increase compliance and prevent petroleum releases to the environment. Between March and June of this year, the agencies together inspected fuel tanks located in areas of interest to the Navajo Tribe, issuing 20 field citations for a total combined penalty of $8,200 for violations of underground storage tank regulations. The field citations were issued for operation, maintenance and record keeping violations. “The EPA and the Navajo EPA are committed to enforcing underground tank regulations,” said Nancy Lindsay, the EPA’s acting Waste Management Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. “Leak prevention is essential in protecting the Navajo Nation’s precious ground water supplies. A hole the size of a pinhead in an underground storage tank can release 400 gallons of fuel in a year’s time, enough to foul millions of gallons of fresh water.” For full news release, go to: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/a883dc3da7094f97852572a00065d7d8/c6c541d7b6026d0f852573600068cfa8!OpenDocument

NJ: Long Abused, New Jersey's Hackensack River Recovers Environmental News Service (ENS) – September 24, 2007 The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, NJMC, approved the purchase of 35 acres of wetlands along the Hackensack River on Wednesday over the objections of builders, who said part of the property could be a site for affordable housing. The $2.5 million purchase pre-empts development on an ecologically valuable property where apartments and condos were proposed in the past, commission officials said. However, all but a few acres are covered with water at high tide. The Hackensack River has been polluted and poisoned by chemicals, industrial waste and sewage for decades, but now, under the care of the commission and many citizens groups the river is coming back to life.  For full story, go to: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2007/2007-09-24-097.asp

ME: Sears Island Wetlands May Affect Port Plans By Tom Groening – Bangor Daily News – September 21, 2007 A committee charged with delineating acreage on Sears Island for a possible port and a conservation area may run into the same obstacles that led the state to drop a port proposal there in 1997. At its meeting Thursday, the second since a yearlong planning initiative reached consensus on dividing the island between port and conservation, the group heard reports about the natural resources on the 941-acre island. According to officials from various state agencies, there are 73 identified wetlands on the island, totaling about 223 acres. The impact a potential port on the northwest side of the island would have on those wet areas could create permitting hurdles. The island has three vernal pools that were, ironically, created in the early 1990s after a contractor working for the state inadvertently filled wetlands near the site of the planned port. Those pools continue to function as wildlife habitat for species such as frogs and salamanders, resource specialists told the committee. For full article, go to: http://www.bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=154479&zoneid=500 For an alternate story on this topic, visit: http://waldo.villagesoup.com/Government/story.cfm?storyID=100264

NY: New York Coastal Aid Program Helps Great South Bay By Jennifer Smith – Newsday – September 20, 2007 Some of the first steps of an ambitious plan to revamp the way New York manages state waters have taken place in the Great South Bay, where efforts to restore hard clams and eelgrass beds are serving as a pilot program for more sweeping statewide changes. Last year's New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Act mapped out a new, more holistic approach for the state. Instead of focusing on one species or use of a particular stretch of coastline, agencies such as the environmental conservation and transportation departments must learn to work together to manage human impacts on coastal health. For full story, go to: http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsfish205382142sep20,0,5194508.story

CT: Wetlands Agency Reviews Draft of Regulations Changes By Mike Russo – Voices – September 19, 2007 The Inland Wetlands Agency reviewed a draft Monday, September 10, of proposed revisions to inland wetlands regulations. Inland Wetlands Agency Chair Mary Tyrrell said the goal of the proposed revisions is to bring the current regulations in-line with state statutes and recent case law pertaining to land use issues. "We are trying to update the regulations with state guidelines and we felt it was time to overhaul the whole document." she said. The current inland wetlands regulations were adopted in 1984 and revised in 2003. Ms. Tyrrell said that during the three-year revision process the agency used examples from surrounding towns and sample regulations from the state Department of Environmental Protection to assemble the proposed draft. For full story, visit: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18829112&BRD=1380&PAG=461&dept_id=157533&rfi=6

TX: Crescent City Sits at Critical Juncture By Allan Turner – Houston Chronicle – September 19, 2007 Two years after Hurricane Katrina blasted into the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts to create the costliest natural disaster in the nation's history, New Orleans stands at a crucial crossroads. In one direction looms a future as a casino-driven adult entertainment mecca, said historian Douglas Brinkley. In the other, the promise of rebirth as a cultural capital and city of stable, close-knit neighborhoods. Key to the city's fate, said Brinkley, is whether the American public is prepared to commit $50 billion or more to enhancing the city's levees and restoring eroded wetlands that shield the largely below-sea-level city from nature's fury. "The next president will be the one to make the decision," Brinkley said. "By 2012 — one more administration after this — it will be apparent in which direction New Orleans will go." For full story, go to: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5146894.html

LA: Letter to the Editor: Law Could Benefit Levees, Wetlands By Sidney Coffee, chairwoman, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge The Advocate - September 12, 2007 Over the past few months, several national publications have asserted that repeating decades of mistakes in the construction of levees in south Louisiana does not make sense. Bashing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for building bad levees is a popular pastime these days. But many, including the inimitable Time magazine, have missed the point. Although it is true that the state’s protective coastal wetlands must be restored, the state of Louisiana is not leaving the Corps of Engineers to its own devices. It is sheer folly and intellectual dishonesty to suggest that coastal restoration alone can prevent the type of disaster that befell New Orleans or could befall any other coastal community in Louisiana. It is also folly to suggest that levees alone can do the job. Of course, the advocates of each would have you believe differently. Instead, the full integration of both levees and coastal restoration will ultimately overcome the mistakes of the past in Louisiana. Doing so will preserve our environment and the economic and energy security of America. Balancing these objectives is at the heart of Louisiana’s comprehensive coastal restoration and protection master plan. For full letter, go to: http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/9726377.html

WA: Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO): Everybody Wins By Kirke Sievers – The Seattle Times – September 12, 2007 Snohomish County's recently adopted Critical Areas Ordinance is not only a win for the environment; it is also a testament to what can be accomplished through an open, deliberative process. Over the past four years, numerous stakeholders came to the table as the county reviewed best available science and debated how best to protect our county's critical areas. These include everything from habitat for fish and wildlife to wetlands and so-called aquifer-recharge areas important for replenishing groundwater supplies. Protecting the environment is especially important in light of the unprecedented growth we have seen here in Snohomish County. It is also a key requirement of our state Growth Management Act. Looking back, we can all be proud of the process that was used to draft our Critical Areas Ordinance. For full story, go to: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003881079_snosievers12.html

FL: It's Time for Phosphate Decision By Rosalie Shaffer – Bradenton Herald – September 10, 2007 After six years of review, the controversial proposal by the Mosaic Company to mine for phosphate in Altman Tract Parcel 4 could finally see an up-or-down vote this fall. In 10 days, the Manatee County Planning Commission has set a hearing before making its recommendation on the proposed zoning change to the Board of County Commission. The hearing, which was once set for July 19, is scheduled to take place Sept. 20. Mosaic requested the delay to address county staff objections to the land use change. The Board of County Commissioners is currently scheduled to hear the issue Nov. 13. The land-use change would allow mining on the company's 2,048 acre property located adjacent to the Four Corners mining complex in northeastern Manatee County. The decision on the Altman Tract could be an important one. While in the past, mining has been proposed mostly in areas that had already been affected by human activities, such as agriculture, this proposal would include the excavation of 397 acres of pristine wetlands. For full story, go to: http://www.bradenton.com/280/story/142455.html

FL: City Claim Wetlands Illegally Excavated By Jim Waymer – Florida Today – September 10, 2007 The St. Johns River Water Management District has accused one of Brevard's biggest landowners of illegally excavating ditches that drained roughly two square miles of ecologically essential wetlands just north of Lake Washington. A. Duda & Sons, the powerful family-owned agricultural company behind the development of Viera, could face tens of thousands of dollars in daily fines for filling in or causing "adverse effects" to the 1,400 acres of wetlands in West Viera. Some environmentalists say the damage to the wetlands, which provide habitat for wildlife, absorb flooding and filter contaminants from rivers and drinking water supplies, raises concerns about Duda's stewardship of other sensitive lands as West Viera is developed. For full story, go to: http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070910/NEWS01/709100335/1006

NJ: DEP Fines Burleigh Storage $260,000 for Filling Wetlands By Brian Ianieri – Press of Atlantic City – September 7, 2007 A self-storage garage facility was slapped with a $260,000 fine for destroying seven acres of freshwater wetlands and buffers, the state Department of Environmental Protection said Thursday. The DEP assessed the fine against Burleigh Storage on 663 Shunpike Road. The owner, identified as Monterey Motel Inc., trading as Burleigh Storage, is also required to restore the disturbed wetlands. "This site needs to be restored in short order. That's our conclusion here," said Scott Brubaker, chief of the DEP's Bureau of Coastal and Land Use Compliance and Enforcement. The DEP says wetlands were cleared of vegetation, graded and leveled off and were filled in, likely sometime last year. For full story, go to: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/capemay/story/7500290p-7397168c.html

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RESOURCES and PUBLICATIONS

Just Released: EPA’s Nonpoint Source News-Notes Issue #82, September 2007 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently released its Nonpoint Source News-Notes, which highlights innovative and interesting projects around the country, and reports on new and useful resources related to the condition of the water-related environment, the control of nonpoint sources of water pollution, and the ecological management and restoration of watersheds.  The most recent issue includes the following articles:  (1) EPA Promotes “Green Infrastructure” Solutions to Water Pollution (2) New Watershed Plan Builder Saves Time and Money (3) EPA’s New Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox Strengthens Local Outreach (4) National Estuary Program Condition Report Released (5) Hydromodification Management Measures Guidance Released (6) Seattle Projects Seek to Mimic Mother Nature (7) Indian Tribes Achieve Environmental Improvement (8) Cumberland River Compact is Building Outside the Box (9) EPA Simplifies Access to BASINS Software (10) Root Zone Water Quality Model Upgraded  The issue also includes links to and short descriptions of more than 20 additional new resources, including books, guidance documents, curricula, press releases, relevant periodical articles, and websites. For more information and to view the current issue, go to: http://www.epa.gov/newsnotes/  For EPA’s Watershed News, visit: http://www.epa.gov/watershed/news.html

Encyclopedia of Tidepools and Rocky Shores Authors: Mark W. Denny, Professor of Marine Sciences at Stanford University and Steven D. Gaines is Director of the Marine Science Institute at the University of California. Tidepools and rocky shores are among the most physically stressful environments on earth. When the tide is high, waves can sweep over plants and animals at velocities as high as 60 miles per hour, while at low tide, the same organisms dry up and bake in the sun. Yet despite this seeming inhospitality, tidepools and rocky shores are exceptionally complex and biologically diverse. This comprehensive encyclopedia is an authoritative, one-stop reference for everyone interested in the biology and ecology of this fascinating and uniquely accessible environment. University of California Press. For more information on this book, go to: http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10341.html

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POTPOURRI

Early Fall Waterfowl Habitat Conditions in Canada

By Ducks Unlimited – Chattanoogan – September 26, 2007 The prospects for the fall flight are generally good across Canada this fall and numbers of waterfowl are building in southern areas. Wetland conditions are deteriorating in many regions with recent dry weather, but are still providing adequate habitat for migrating waterfowl. Wetlands in the coastal region of British Columbia are reaching seasonal lows after a generally cool and wet summer. Agricultural crops are being harvested in the region and residual vegetables will provide important food for migrating and wintering waterfowl. For full story, go to: http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_114082.asp

Student Wetlands Film Wins National Education Honors

Lamar University News Release – September 19, 2007 Texas Wetlands, a film produced by the students and faculty of Lamar University, won first place in the student/amateur category of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)/Pierce Foundation Environmental Education Film and Video Festival. “It is honoring to be able to go to a school like Lamar that is not that well known and still be able to win such a prestigious award,” said Daniel McLemore, producer and lead editor of Texas Wetlands and a junior communication major at Lamar. “I had no idea if the film was going to win or how good it was going to do. I was completely and totally surprised it did so well.” Texas Wetlands is an education film created for the JASON Alliance of Southeast Texas (JASET). Its purpose is to explain why the Texas wetlands are important and encourage people to protect them. For full story, go to: http://www.lamar.edu/newsevents/news/207_5675.htm

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JOB OPENINGS

IBA Site Assessment Coordinator

Audubon’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program seeks candidates for a site assessment coordinator to be based at the Audubon Science Office, Ivyland, Pennsylvania, 18974. The coordinator will be responsible for leading Audubon's efforts in developing and implementing the approach to assessing the state, pressure, and response of Important Bird Areas (IBA) in the U.S.  Modeled after BirdLife International's IBA monitoring framework, Audubon's site assessment tools will allow for a unified approach to understanding the major threats, bird population status, habitat condition and significant conservation actions occurring at IBAs. A master’s degree or higher degree in conservation biology is preferred. For more information about this position, and to apply, contact John Cecil, Director, Important Bird Areas Program, National Audubon Society - jcecil@audubon.org ph. 215-355-9588 x15

Instream Flow Hydrologist The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is seeking a Hydrologist/Engineer to join the Instream Flow Program team in the Surface Water Resources Division at the agency’s headquarters in Austin, Texas.  The Instream Flow Team is one section within a highly technical division of the agency, which is charged with maintaining an instream flow data collection and evaluation program focused on developing appropriate methodologies to determine flow conditions in rivers and streams that will support a sound ecological environment. This program is part of a tri-agency initiative with the Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.   Salary range: $3,843- $6,862   *Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. For more information, visit: http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/home/index.asp