Editor's Note

Editor's Choice

National News

Legislative News

State News

Resources/ Publications

Potpourri

Job Openings

Student Jobs

Meetings/ Training

ASWM Calendar

Printable PDF

INDEX:

---EDITOR'S NOTE--

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---

·	EPA, Army Corps Extend Public Comment Period for Joint Rapanos Guidance
·	CORPS Rejects Industry Bid for Retroactive Wetland Permit Reviews
·	Peatland destruction is releasing vast amounts of CO2
·	Banking on Loss
·	Prairie Potholes Face New Threat

---NATIONAL NEWS---

·	USFWS Reopens Comment Period On National Wildlife Refuge Draft Mosquito Policy
·	National Wetlands Awards 2008 Nominations

---LEGISLATIVE NEWS---

·	Senate Passes Farm Bill Strong on Bioenergy, Conservation
·	WETLANDS Senate committee discusses court decisions' impact on Clean Water Act

---STATE NEWS---  

·	VA: White Marsh zoning change approved in Hampton
·	LA: Louisiana's natural defenses at risk
·	NH: Raymond selectmen ready warrant, wetlands mitigation plan
·	MS: Mississippi State Headwaters Forest: Comments Needed by DNR on Draft Plan
·	WA: Updated wetlands protection keeps same buffer zones
·	CA: Half Mooon Bay Council will appeal $36.8 million ruling, hire help
·	VA: Riverkeepers go to court over pollution
·	WA: State cites owner of Winlock wetland for unpermitted land clearing
·	MI: Editorial - Protect St. Clair's canals from wetlands designation
·	CA: Wildlands' Pajaro River Mitigation Bank Approved
·	AK: EPA proposes fines against Anchorage Alaska Developer for CWA Violations
·	CT: Inland Wetlands Agency Members Continue Leidel Hearing to January
·	FL: A vote for wetlands
·	IL: Conservation Stewardship applications available
·	OH: Public Trust in Ohio Threatened by Court Ruling
·	CA: Wetland replacement report a mixed bag
·	CT: RTM Toughens Wetlands Compliance
·	AL: OHV park plans moving forward
·	CA: Final Environmental Documents Released for South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project
·	IL: Endangered whooping cranes take brief shelter in Kane forest preserve
·	MS: Critics howl as Army Corps revives WWII-era water project
·	WA: Yakima County comes in for criticism on critical areas
·	NM: Environment Sec. to Testify in Favor of Clean Water Restoration Act Before Senate
·	OR: Biologists revert farmland to wetlands to sell credit
·	MD: Health of the Bay Declines this Year, Release of “State of the Bay” Annual Report
·	TX: Project purifies murky water to shore up region's supply

---RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS---

·	Stream Barrier Removal Monitoring Guide
·	AMWA Releases Report on Threats to Water Systems From Global Warming

---POTPOURRI---

·	Seeking Restoraiton Grant Program Applications
·	Dead Stuff Makes Mercury More Deadly
·	Wa OpEd: The real answer to climate change is to elave fossil fuels in the ground
·	Volunteers needed to monitor wetland

---JOB OPENINGS---

·	Intertidal Research Assistant
·	Two Natural Areas Biologist Positions – Washington DNR
·	Regulatory Scientist

---STUDENT JOBS ---

---MEETINGS AND TRAINING---

·	Restore America's Estuaries Conference - Call for Proposals
·	National Mitigation & Ecosystem Banking Conference Scholarships Available
·	2008 AWRA Summer Specialty Conference Welcomes Abstracts

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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,

Brrrrrrrr! We are up to our knees in snow here in southern Maine. It reminds me of winter in my childhood, growing up in coastal Maine. My father used to build massive snow forts with walls tall enough to tower over us both. I recall one such snow fort he built with perfect ninety degree angles, a hallway, secret “storage” spaces for snowballs dug into the thick, frozen walls and tiny windows. I could hide in there all afternoon and eat snow, which explains why I never learned how to lob a proper snowball in battle. Mine were always a little misshapen and half-melted from licking them. As a grown-up, I live for days when I get to commute to work on snowshoe. Our own executive director has even been known to participate in conference calls while tromping through wintry wetlands on snowshoe…not far from the warm office. ASWM is featuring two special holiday pieces on our homepage during the week of Christmas— “Winter Solstice in the Wetlands” and “A December Tale,” both at: www.aswm.org   Special thanks to this issue’s contributors: David Madden, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Cynthia Cheski, American Planning Association;  Sylvia Lewis, Planning Magazine. Good tidings for a joyous holiday and a happy new year! Leah Stetson Editor, Wetland Breaking News

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EDITOR'S CHOICE

EPA, Army Corps Extend Public Comment Period for Joint Rapanos Guidance Contact: Enesta Jones, (202) 564-4355; jones.enesta@epa.gov EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) are extending the public comment period for the interagency joint guidance on the scope of Clean Water Act geographic jurisdiction following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Rapanos v. United States. The public comment period has been extended 45 days and comments on the guidance and experiences with its implementation are now due by January 21, 2008. Comments can be submitted to docket EPA-HQ-OW-2007-0282 through www.regulations.gov. For more information, see: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/CWAwaters.html

CORPS Rejects Industry Bid for Retroactive Wetland Permit Reviews

Inside EPA – (Reprinted with permission from Inside EPA) – November 30, 2007 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is refusing an industry bid to win reviews of permits issued prior to the Supreme Court's controversial Rapanos ruling, despite administrative and legal precedents developers have cited in urging the Corps and EPA to revise a landmark wetlands guidance to let industry seek reviews of the agencies' decisions.  Reviews of permitting decisions in light of the ruling could narrow the agencies' jurisdictional determinations, thereby scaling back the scope of Clean Water Act permit requirements, an attorney says. But the Corps is refusing to apply the 2006 Rapanos, et ux, et al. v. United States ruling retroactively, which could spark an industry lawsuit because it runs contrary to the agencies' historic practice of granting retroactive permit assessments. For full story, go to: http://www.aswm.org/corps_rejects_industry_113007.pdf

Peatland destruction is releasing vast amounts of CO2

By Catherine Brahic – NewScientist Environment – December 11, 2007 Burning, draining, and degrading peat bogs emits carbon dioxide equivalent to more than one tenth of the global emissions released from burning fossil fuels, warns a new report. And two thirds of those emissions come from Southeast Asia, primarily Indonesia. In spite of this, the high-level climate negotiations taking place on the Indonesian island of Bali at the moment are not looking to protect the peatlands. While the figures may look bleak, the good news is that degraded peatlands can be restored, notes a report published by the UN Environment Programme in collaboration with Wetlands International and launched at the Bali climate change meeting in Indonesia on Tuesday. For full story, visit: http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn13034-peatland-destruction-is-releasing-vast-amounts-of-cosub2sub.html  For an additional story on climate change, visit: http://www.voanews.com/english/Science/2007-12-11-voa27.cfm For more information about wetlands and climate change, visit: http://www.aswm.org/science/climate_change/climate_change.htm

Banking on Loss

By Craig Pittman – American Planning Association Magazine – December 2007 About 15 minutes outside the Central Florida town of Clermont is a rolling hillside covered with wildflowers. The sandy hill, full of stunted oaks, rises to about 140 feet above sea level, which means it's about as dry as land in Florida can get. But as far as the government is concerned it's a muddy swamp. Welcome to the Lake Louisa Wetland Mitigation Bank, part of a billion-dollar industry that for more than a decade has been making it easier to replace the nation's dwindling supply of wetlands with new homes, stores, and highways. Instead of making up for the damage to wetlands themselves, builders can write a check to a mitigation banker, buying "wetland credits" that are supposed to equal what's been lost. For full article, visit: http://www.aswm.org/wbn/banking_on_a_loss_planning_dec_07_pittman.pdf  (This has been made accessible with permission from the author and APA’s editor.) For a link to American Planning Association, visit: http://www.planning.org/

Prairie Potholes Face New Threat By Jim Leach – USFWS Reporter’s Tip Sheet – December 2007 Almost half of the U.S. duck and geese population is hatched in or near small wetlands in the upper Midwest. Known as Prairie Potholes, these wetlands are some of the most endangered habitat in the country – and today, they are facing a new threat in the rapid expansion of the biofuel industry. The 50th anniversary of the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s Small Wetlands Program in 2008 is a timely reminder of the threat to wetlands – and also what can be done to help. Under the program, millions of acres of essential waterfowl and grassland songbird habitat in the 300,000-square-mile Prairie Pothole Region have been protected. For full tip sheet, go to: http://www.fws.gov/news/tipsheet/november-december-2007/index.html

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NATIONAL NEWS

USFWS Reopens Comment Period On National Wildlife Refuge Draft Mosquito Policy

Contact: Mike Higgins – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service News Release – December 19, 2007 Responding to numerous requests from the public for more time to comment, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has opened an additional 60-day public comment period on a draft mosquito management policy. The document outlines consistent guidance for determining the conditions under which national wildlife refuges will control mosquitoes.  Notification of the public comment period was published in the Federal Register December 19, 2007.The Service received 35 comments during the original 45-day comment period, which closed on November 29, 2007.  Mosquito Control Districts in several states as well as members of the public asked for more time to respond. For full news release, visit: http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=F3B77222-FE72-DEFE-CB7DE42D08848916

National Wetlands Awards 2008 Nominations

The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2008 National Wetlands Awards Program is approaching!  Nomination forms must be emailed or postmarked by January 15, 2008.  The Awards Program honors individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the conservation and restoration of our nation’s wetlands.  Take time to recognize exceptional individual achievement in wetlands conservation by submitting a nomination for a 2008 National Wetlands Award today. The 2008 Awards will be given in six categories: Education and Outreach; Science Research; Conservation and Restoration; Landowner Stewardship; State, Tribal, and Local Program Development; and Wetland Community Leader. Program co-sponsors – the Environmental Law Institute, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Federal Highway Administration – believe that rewarding these efforts helps to ensure that future generations will have quality wetlands, biological diversity, and clean water.  For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit www.nationalwetlandsawards.org

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LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Senate Passes Farm Bill Strong on Bioenergy, Conservation

Environmental News Service – December 17, 2007 The U.S. Senate Friday approved a $286 billion farm bill shepherded through by Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who chairs the Agriculture Committee. The measure improves farm income protection and makes investments for the future in energy, conservation, nutrition and rural development initiatives. Harkin hailed passage of the Food and Energy Security Act of 2007, saying it received more votes than any other farm bill since 1973. The final vote count in the Senate was 79-14. Differences between this bill and the version of the farm bill passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year will now be worked out in conference between the two chambers. For full news story, go to: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2007/2007-12-17-01.asp For more information about wetlands and the farm bill, go to: http://www.aswm.org/fwp/farm_bill/index.htm

WETLANDS: Senate committee discusses court decisions' impact on Clean Water Act

By Katherine Boyle – Environment & Energy Daily – December 14, 2007 The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday discussed the effect of recent Supreme Court decisions on wetland protections in the Clean Water Act. Committee Chair Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) described the hearing as "the opening round" in a series of discussions on Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook Country (SWANCC) and Rapanos-Carabell and their effect on the phrase "waters of the United States" in the Clean Water Act.. In Rapanos-Carabell, the Supreme Court held that government wetland regulation should be limited primarily to navigable waterways and adjacent wetlands and should not extend to man-made ditches and other seasonally or intermittently wet areas. At issue is whether the court decisions preserved the wetland protections in the 1972 Clean Water Act, which uses the phrase "navigable waters of the United States," or whittled them down beyond what Congress had intended. For more information on this, visit: http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_id=b4c06ac4-802a-23ad-4d79-67d143be2df9

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STATES NEWS

VA: White Marsh zoning change approved in Hampton

By Matthew Sturdevant – Newport News – December 20, 2007 The man who wanted to build a nome in the White Marsh area will have to contend with a number of new zoning changes that restrict his plans. The City Council unanimously approved a series of zoning changes Wednesday to expand a buffer zone to the Chesapeake Bay, which means more restrictive rules on what can be developed in that buffer zone. Specifically, the changes added undeveloped barrier islands to the buffer zone, including a plot where Sebastian Plucinski wants to build a home south of Riley's Way. The zoning changes will have to go through a second hearing before they are official. For a full story, go to: http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/hampton/dp-now-hamptonzoning,0,996206.story

LA: Louisiana's natural defenses at risk

By Rick Jervis – USA Today – December 20, 2007 Swaths of swamps here look healthy: tall, moss-covered Cypress trees, hanging Spanish moss, thick undergrowth and perching egrets and bald eagles. But just a half-mile away, rows of dead Cypress stumps sag in the water and acres of open water sit where land once was. Another ominous sign: schools of freshwater bass in the bayous have all but disappeared, replaced by redfish and speckled trout — saltwater fish. That's a sign that the Gulf of Mexico is creeping closer to the coast. A lot of attention has been given recently to rebuilding levees here. But the withering wetlands are at the center of a growing debate on how to protect New Orleans and other cities from punishing storms, such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and how to pay for it. For full story, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2007-12-19-wetlands_N.htm

NH: Raymond selectmen ready warrant, wetlands mitigation plan

By Toby Henry – Union Leader – December 19, 2007 Selectmen fine-tuned the 2008 town warrant as well as the wording on a proposed wetlands mitigation plan during their last meeting of 2007 on Monday. According to documents, the "pooled mitigation plan" currently being reviewed by town officials aims to create an incentive for developers to build in Raymond while also protecting important environmental areas which could be used for off-site mitigation. Developers who intend to build in the sewer overlay district at Exit 4, a roughly 300-acre parcel, are eligible, and Auburn developer Elmer Pease has already indicated his intention to take part in the program. For full story, visit: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Raymond+selectmen+ready+warrant%2C+wetlands+mitigation+plan&articleId=5a79ece6-e6b4-4cb3-9160-09d4bd9aacd7

MS: Mississippi State Headwaters Forest: Comments Needed by DNR on Draft Plan

Contact: Kevin Proescholdt – Izaak Walton League of America – December 20, 2007 The DNR’s Draft Plan for MHSF classifies the forest as “limited,” rather than “closed.” A limited forest allows some trails posted open to Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs); trails in a closed state forest are closed to all OHVs. This unique wild area includes bog lands and sedge meadows. The Draft Plan covers the MHSF and scattered state forest lands in southwest Beltrami County. The Draft Plan and associated maps can be viewed at: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/input/mgmtplans/ohv/designation/status.html   Comments are due by January 23, 2008.

WA: Updated wetlands protection keeps same buffer zones

By Pat Muir – Yakima Herald – December 19, 2007 Yakima County commissioners passed updated rules Tuesday to protect wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas. Though there was no public comment on the subject at Tuesday's meeting, previous hearings on the subject pitted environmentalists and state agencies against business interests and farmers. The environmental side of the debate argued that the county's policies don't do enough to protect streams and creeks, while the business side argued the regulations are too restrictive. For full story, go to: http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/309442827475067

CA: Half Moon Bay Council will appeal $36.8 million ruling, hire help

By John Cote – San Francisco Chronicle – December 19, 2007 The Half Moon Bay City Council on Tuesday night voted to hire a team of appellate lawyers and announced it would fight a potentially ruinous federal court decision that orders the city to pay $36.8 million to a developer in a property dispute. "The City Council has decided to go forward with an appeal," Mayor Bonnie McClung told a crowd of more than 70 people gathered for the council's first regular meeting since the ruling came down. "We are united in our position at this point that this is the best course of action for us."  For full story, go to: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/19/BA34U0VJK.DTL

VA: Riverkeepers go to court over pollution

By Gene Mueller – Washington Times – December 19, 2007 The Shenandoah Riverkeeper, the Potomac Riverkeeper and their resource organization, the Waterkeeper Alliance, have filed an appeal prompted by the apparent agreement between the state of Virginia and the town of Broadway that would permit continued pollution from a wastewater treatment plant to enter the North Fork of the Shenandoah River for three more years. How any state official — including the governor — could allow this to happen is a mystery. For full article, go to: http://washingtontimes.com/article/20071219/SPORTS09/379131994/1005/sports

WA: State cites owner of Winlock wetland for unpermitted land clearing

By Kim Schmanke – Washington Department of Ecology – December 18, 2007 The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has stepped up its actions against a landowner responsible for sending muddy water into Lacamas Creek while clearing a 190-acre site mainly consisting of wetlands near Winlock in early October. Ecology is issuing an administrative order to Phil Smith of Chehalis requiring him to immediately cease all ground-disturbing activities at the site and apply for a construction stormwater permit. Ecology also requires Smith to implement a plan to stabilize soils on the property within 20 days of receiving this order. Muddy water is a problem for salmon-bearing Lacamas Creek because it irritates fish gills, smothers eggs interferes with navigation and feeding and food sources. Lacamas Creek is home to coho and Chinook salmon, winter-run steelhead and sea-run cutthroat. For full news release, visit: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2007news/2007-371.html

MI: Editorial - Protect St. Clair's canals from wetlands designation

The Detroit News – December 18, 2007 Wetlands have a habit of turning up in funny places in Michigan -- such as canals. Fortunately, local officials appear to have worked out a deal to keep the canals designated as canals. But the continuing threat of having property declared a wetland can't be good for this state's property values. The state Department of Environmental Quality recently proposed reclassifying a canal in St. Clair Shores as a wetland. When property is declared a wetland, owners are forbidden from dredging it, filling it, or doing much of anything with it. The particular canal in question is known as the Benjamin Street canal. Once residents of municipalities bordering Lake St. Clair heard of the plan, they became alarmed. Low lake and river levels have left waterway beds exposed, creating the risk that more could be declared wetlands. For full story, http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071218/OPINION01/712180318/1008

CA: Wildlands’ Pajaro River Mitigation Bank Approved

Contact: Jeff Mathews – Wildlands, Inc. Press Release – December 18, 2007 Wildlands, Inc. is proud to announce the approval of the 273-acre Pajaro River Mitigation Bank located in San Benito County, California. The bank includes nearly 150 acres of created seasonal wetland credits and serves a four county area including portions of Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Seasonal wetlands are created to offset impacts to wetland habitats by land development projects. The federal “no net loss” of wetlands policy requires that their loss must be offset by saving, restoring or creating a comparable amount of wetlands elsewhere. “The Pajaro River Mitigation Bank will contribute to the overall health of Pajaro River watershed, while allowing public and private development project to responsibly comply with federal law,” said Wildlands CEO Steve Morgan. For full story, go to: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071218006316&newsLang=en

AK: EPA proposes fines against Anchorage Alaska Developer for CWA Violations

Contact: Ankur Tohan – EPA News Release – December 18, 2007 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has commenced an administrative penalty action against Anthony Lerma for violations of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The violations occurred at Lerma’s construction site located at 5151 Lake Otis and East 52nd Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska. Under the CWA, EPA may assess administrative civil penalties within a range up to $157,500. EPA alleges that Lerma violated the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Storm Water Construction General Permit (CGP). CGP authorization is required for discharges of storm water from any construction site with at least one acre of disturbed land. For full release, go to: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/23e3c992b973ed5d852573b5005e49c0!OpenDocument

CT: Inland Wetlands Agency Members Continue Leidel Hearing to January

By Jaimie Cura – Voices – December 15, 2007 The Inland Wetlands Agency, at its Monday, December 10, meeting, scheduled a site walk for Tom Savundraneyagam's proposal for a four-lot open space subdivision at Westwood and Stonepit Road. The site walk will take place at 9 a.m. Sunday, January 13. The agency will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, January 14, for its regular meeting at the Annex Conference Room. The public hearing for the Leidel application for an 11-lot subdivision at 39 Terrell Rd. was continued until January. Agency members expressed concerns on proximity to vernal pools, blasting and the proposed standard subdivision, as opposed to an open space subdivision. For full story, go to: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19116346&BRD=1380&PAG=461&dept_id=157533&rfi=6

FL: A vote for wetlands

Herald Tribune – December 15, 2007 Officials at Mosaic Co. have been dangling promises to build a new park and fire station in hopes of winning the Manatee County government's support for strip-mining some 400 acres of wetlands for phosphate near Duette. Fortunately, the county's Planning Commission hasn't allowed itself to be dazzled by the potential gifts. On a split vote this week, the panel recommended honoring county regulations that stipulate that wetlands cannot be destroyed unless there is an "overriding public benefit." For full story, visit: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20071215/OPINION/712150547/1030

IL: Conservation Stewardship applications available

Salem Times Commoner – December 14, 2007 Conservation Stewardship Program applications are now available to rural landowners, but must be completed by January 1, 2008, according to State Senator John O. Jones (R-Mt. Vernon). The new stewardship program was created as a result of Senate Bill 17. The measure was designed to correct problems that resulted from a 2004 change in state policy. That change significantly increased assessments for woodlands, prairie, wetlands and other vacant and undeveloped land. Landowners may apply online or obtain an application by visiting the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Web site at www.dnr.state.il.us/stewardship.htm For more information, go to: http://www.salem-tc.com/news/2007/1214/Front_Page/006.html

OH: Public Trust in Ohio Threatened by Court Ruling

By Jennifer McKay – Michigan Action Wetland Coalition – December 14, 2007 In 2005, the Michigan Supreme Court upheld the public's right to walk the Great Lakes shoreline below the ordinary high water mark. The Court held that walking along the shore falls within the scope of the public trust doctrine. The public trust doctrine, which dates back to the Romans, has long recognized that large bodies of navigable water, including the Great Lakes, are natural resources that belong to the public. As a result, the public trust doctrine serves to protect resources shared in common by the public and the public rights of fishing, hunting, and navigation for commerce or pleasure.  This decision was a huge victory for the citizens of Michigan.  Ohio, who also has experienced similar conflict over public access and property rights along the Great Lakes shoreline, did not fare as well as Michigan. Unfortunately for Ohioans, a judge recently limited the extent of the public trust doctrine along Lake Erie’s shoreline. For a link to the MAWC website, with links to newsletter back issues, visit: http://www.michiganwetlands.org/index.html For an additional story on the Ohio court ruling, go to: http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/119771122821310.xml&coll=2   and for more information, go to: http://www.olemiss.edu/orgs/SGLC/National/SandBar/3.1ohio.htm

CA: Wetland replacement report a mixed bag

By Larry Parsons – Monterey Herald – December 14, 2007 A new state report on wetland replacement projects required of California developers shows the program has produced mixed results. Developers, for the most part, comply with requirements to replace lost wetlands with other acreage, but the biological health of replacement wetlands is seldom optimal, said the study released Thursday by the state Water Resources Control Board. The 382-page study looked at 143 randomly selected projects throughout the state that needed so-called 401 permits between 1991 and 2002 because of their impacts on federally protected wetlands. For full story, visit: http://origin.montereyherald.com/ci_7719738?nclick_check=1

CT: RTM Toughens Wetlands Compliance

By Anne Semmes – Greenwich Citizen – December 14, 2007 Property owners, contractors and subcontractors are on notice that they face considerable fines for any destruction or damage to wetland areas, so deemed by the Representative Town Meeting Monday night at Central Middle School. Tom Baptist, chairman of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency, looked on as the vote went through to establish a municipal fine for inland wetlands violations. Violators of the new ordinance, which puts tough new teeth in the enforcement of the Wetlands agency guidelines, will also find themselves listed in the newspaper, as so designated in the new ruling. For full story, visit: http://www.greenwichcitizen.com/localnews/ci_7722886

AL: OHV park plans moving forward

By Karen Williamson – Cullman Times – December 14, 2007 Cullman County Economic Development Director Sam Danford told County Commissioners this week that plans for the Off-Highway Vehicles Park are moving ahead. Commissioners approved the master plan on Tuesday which designates building sites and trails. Danford, who is in charge of the project, said the next step is to work with the Corps of Engineers on wetlands delineation and archeologists who will have to check trail sites for remains and artifacts. For full story, go to: http://www.cullmantimes.com/local/local_story_348215238.html

CA: Final Environmental Documents Released for South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project

Contact: Clyde Morris – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – December 14, 2007 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) today for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (SBSPRP). The Final EIS/EIR evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the SBSPRP and culminates a four-year planning process for the restoration. The historic decline in tidal habitats in San Francisco Bay has resulted in reduced marsh-dependent fish and wildlife, as well as decreased water quality and increased risk of local flooding. "Restoration of the South Bay Salt Ponds provides an opportunity to begin to reverse these trends by improving the health of San Francisco Bay for years to come," said Clyde Morris, refuge manager for the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR. For full news release, go to: http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=DAE5AF7F-9161-44AA-60E4FD7B67AC1044

IL: Endangered whooping cranes take brief shelter in Kane forest preserve

By William Presecky – Chicago Tribune – December 14, 2007 Christmas has come early for Kane County's forest preserve chief and he's whooping it up. "It was something I dreamed about for a long time," said Director of Natural Resources Drew Ullberg, recounting with wonder what officials described as the first recorded sighting of endangered whooping cranes in Kane County. "Seeing them in the wild, in one of our preserves, is like observing Halley's Comet. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime treat." A pair of the migrating 5-foot-tall birds rested and foraged for about a week late last month in the Sauer Family Prairie Kame Forest Preserve near Sugar Grove, a man-made wetland that until a year ago was a 100-year-old farm. The fact that the birds stopped there demonstrates the value of restoring and re-creating wetlands, forest officials said. For full story, go to: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cranesdec14,1,7269885.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

MS: Critics howl as Army Corps revives WWII-era water project

By Daniel Cusick – Earth News – December 13, 2007 A proposed federal water-diversion project in Mississippi’s Yazoo River Basin is drawing strong opposition from environmentalists for its $220 million price tag and potential for destroying large swaths of wetlands. Critics say the Army Corps of Engineers’ “Yazoo Backwater Project” — which updates a plan crafted in 1941 — would drain as much as 200,000 acres of bottomland forest and other wetlands in the Lower Mississippi Delta, a vast alluvial plain that supports some of the nation’s most productive farmland and is home to some of its poorest communities. For full story, go to: http://www.earthportal.org/news/?p=736 And MS: Environmentalists seek pumps veto at: http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2007/12/12/news/news03.txt

WA: Yakima County comes in for criticism on critical areas

By David Lester – Yakima Herald – December 13, 2007 State agencies and environmentalists Thursday blasted Yakima County's proposed rules to protect creeks and wetlands as grossly inadequate. But some property owners and business representatives argued that the measures are too restrictive. The criticisms came during a four-hour hearing at the Yakima Convention Center that covered a variety of issues in the county's lengthy update to its comprehensive plan mandated by the state Growth Management Act. For full story, visit: http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/297613587516685

NM: Environment Sec. to Testify in Favor of Clean Water Restoration Act Before Senate

Contact: Marissa Stone – State of New Mexico, Governor’s Office – December 12, 2007 New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry will testify before a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday in Washington D.C. to urge federal lawmakers to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007 to restore protections for surface waters in New Mexico and across the nation. S. 1870, the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007, would restore protections for surface waters under the Clean Water Act that were narrowed after recent Supreme Court rulings, Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. US Army (SWANCC) in 2001 and Rapanos v. US (Rapanos) in 2006.  S. 1870 is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI). “The citizens of New Mexico rely on federal and state protections that ensure a clean environment and a sustainable water supply,” Governor Richardson said. “This legislation would restore the Clean Water Act and would protect New Mexico’s and the nation’s waters now and for future generations.” For full press release, go to: http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press/2007/dec/121207_01.pdf

OR: Biologists revert farmland to wetlands to sell credit

Argus Observer – December 10, 2007 As Canada geese bank westward above the green and blue expanse of Muddy Creek Wetland, wood ducks, mallards, pintails and northern shovelers paddle on the shallow ponds below. The 108 acres near Monroe used to be a rye grass farm and was a cattle ranch before that. Now low soil berms hold rainwater in ponds and indigenous prairie grasses poke up through the mud. For full story, go to: http://www.argusobserver.com/articles/2007/12/10/news/doc475d8c3e462f9001552896.txt

MD: Health of the Bay Declines this Year, Release of “State of the Bay” Annual Report

Contact John Surrick – Chesapeake Bay Foundation – December 3, 2007 In the past year, each of the principal Bay states—Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania—passed important legislation that promises to reduce pollution and improve water quality in the region’s rivers and streams and the Chesapeake Bay. CBF thanks Governors Kaine, O’Malley, and Rendell, and each of the state legislatures for these significant steps.  Unfortunately, these milestones are—as yet—just markers. Rather than improving, the Bay’s health declined this year as the states’ investments have yet to pay notable returns. There is still a long way to go if we are to restore the Bay and its rivers and streams. For more information, visit: http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=exp_sub_resources_publications_sotb&JServSessionIdr012=8m45v4nof1.app20a  For a link to the annual report, go to: http://www.cbf.org and click on the 2007 report title.

TX: Project purifies murky water to shore up region's supply

By Max Baker – Star-Telegram – November 22, 2007 The Trinity River's reputation in Fort Worth as a murky fish-killing ditch makes it hard to imagine the river as a source of drinking water. But near Corsicana lies a sprawling man-made wetland that scientists predict will clean and recycle up to 100 million gallons of water a day that can be shipped back for use in Fort Worth. "I get a lot of phone calls when you tell people you are going to put Trinity River water back into the system," said Darrel Andrews, assistant environmental director for the Tarrant Regional Water District. "But when they come out here and see it, they want us to do more of it. The project really sells itself," Andrews said. The district is building this one-of-a-kind wetland, a $53 million reproduction of nature's own water recycling and purification system, near the Richland-Chambers Reservoir. It is scheduled to be in operation next year. For full story, visit: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/316713.html

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RESOURCES and PUBLICATIONS

Stream Barrier Removal Monitoring Guide

The River Restoration Monitoring Committee of the Gulf of Maine Council is pleased to announce the publication of the Stream Barrier Removal Monitoring Guide. The Stream Barrier Removal Monitoring Guide presents a standardized framework for monitoring the ecological changes that occur when dams, culverts, and other stream barriers are removed. Developed collaboratively by more than 70 people from government agencies and non-governmental organizations, the framework is based on 8 critical monitoring parameters. This document is available at: http://gulfofmaine.org/streambarrierremoval

AMWA Releases Report on Threats to Water Systems From Global Warming

Global warming will raise the risk of water pollution and flood damage to urban water systems, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) said in a report yesterday titled "Implications of Climate Change for Urban Water Utilities". The association of publicly owned drinking-water systems predicts rising temperatures will increase evaporation and rainfall and decrease snowpack. Nationwide, increased precipitation and flooding could overwhelm wastewater treatment facilities, the report says. Citing U.S. EPA research, the report says most treatment plants and overflow-control programs were designed according to historic water flows and do not take into account sea level rise spurred by rising temperatures. "As a result, it is conceivable that water suppliers will face a continually increased influent challenge from sewage overflows producing high concentrations of Giardia, Cryptosporidium and coliforms," the report says. The report urges planners to consider methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including a re-examination of water transmission and distribution methods to reduce electricity use during peak periods, as well as integrating renewable energy sources like solar or wind-powered pumping. To see the report go to: