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NEWS---
---LEGISLATIVE NEWS---
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NEWS---
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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, |
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I was sick for the past month with a cold that dragged on too long. I missed being able to strap on my snowshoes and tromp around in my woods and my dog is getting a fat neck from a lack of walking. We walk down my long driveway to the mailbox and she likes to run full speed back to the house; her paws slip and slide along the icy luge. It’s been very cold lately and I’ve enjoyed having a nice fire in the woodstove, snuggling under an afghan that my aunt knit for me, sipping tea with honey and writing. During the nor’easter just after new years’ eve, a birch tree bowed down to the house and its branches scraped at the window pane. It was late at night and I was watching, “An American Werewolf in London,” which made the storm and the creaky tree all the more exciting. The most recent storm lasted four days and we got over two feet of snow here in southern Maine. Recently I snowshoed a path through the woods and discovered that my dog was riding on the back of one of my snowshoes. Lazy dog!
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World Wetlands Day is just around the corner…February 2nd. This year’s theme is Caring for Wetlands, an Answer to Climate Change. For information, visit:
http://www.ramsar.org/cda/ramsar/display/main/main.jsp?zn=ramsar&cp=1-63-78%5E24106_4000_0__ and http://www.wetlandtrust.org.nz/wwday.html
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ASWM is in the process of developing a new webpage on Improving Wetland Permitting, which will include articles, resources and links to information on the ways states are improving their permitting programs. Keep an eye out for more to be added to this webpage: http://www.aswm.org/swp/improving_wetland_permitting/index.htm |
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| Stay warm and healthy! |
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Leah Stetson
Editor, Wetland Breaking News |
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EDITOR'S
CHOICE
| Lisa Jackson just released a memo that listed the seven key areas that EPA will focus on this year |
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Pollution Equipment News – January 2010
(Memo by Lisa Jackson) Almost one year ago, I began my work as Administrator. It has been a deeply fulfilling 12 months and a wonderful homecoming for me. As our first year together draws to a close, we must now look to the tasks ahead. In my First Day Memo, I outlined five priorities for my time as Administrator. We have made enormous strides on all five, and our achievements reflect your hard work and dedication. By working with our senior policy team, listening to your input and learning from the experiences of the last 12 months, we have strengthened our focus and expanded the list of priorities. Listed below are seven key themes to focus the work of our agency. For full memo, go to: http://www.rimbach.com/scripts/Article/PEN/Number.idc?Number=200
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| EPA Wetland Grants Database Offers States and Tribes Peer-to-Peer Learning Opportunity
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"EPA's Wetland Grants Database (WGD) houses data for Wetland Program Development Grants. This data includes project descriptions, grant amounts, project deliverables and final reports (for closed-out grants), geolocational information, case studies, EPA and grantee contact information, and more. The WGD also features a "Model Products" section, where EPA plans to highlight some of its more valuable grant-created products. EPA hopes the WGD can be a valuable learning tool for potential grantees to learn from what others have done, as well as providing all interested parties general information about what has been developed by Wetland Program Development Grants over time. To access the WGD, please go to:
http://iaspub.epa.gov/pls/grts/f?p=101:1 and click on the link that says, "Click here for Public Access (read-only)." The links on the left-hand sidebar describe the information available in that section of the database. The WGD is administered by EPA's Wetlands Division. Any questions about the WGD may be sent to Romell Nandi of EPA's Wetlands Division at: nandi.romell@epa.gov |
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| Scientists say mountaintop mining should be stopped |
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By David A. Fahrenthold – Washington Post – January 8, 2010
Mountaintop coal mining -- in which Appalachian peaks are blasted off and stream valleys buried under tons of rubble -- is so destructive that the government should stop giving out new permits to do it, a group of scientists said in a paper released Thursday. The group, headed by a University of Maryland researcher, said it performed the most comprehensive study to date of the controversial practice, also known as "mountaintop removal." For full story, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010702530.html?hpid=topnews |
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| Arctic methane emissions jump, hint of warming |
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The Economic Times – January 16, 2010
Arctic emissions
of a powerful greenhouse gas jumped 30% in recent years in a worrying hint that global warming might unlock vast stores frozen in permafrost, scientists said on Friday. "It's too early to call it a trend but if it continues this way there will be serious implications," said Paul Palmer, a scientist at Edinburgh University in Scotland who was among authors of the study of methane emissions from wetlands. For full story, go to: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Global-Warming/Arctic-methane-emissions-jump-hint-of-warming-/articleshow/5453195.cms |
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| FWS: Status Report for the National Wetlands Inventory Program 2009 |
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Edited by Ralph Tiner – FWS – December 2009
The 2009 report on the National Wetlands Inventory Program has been posted on the FWS website. This provides an overview of the NWI program as well as links to new resources available. The NWI Program has come a long way since its beginnings in the mid-1970s. It is much more than a mapping operation, providing data and analyses that allow decision-makers
to make better informed decisions on the fate of wetlands and that have helped educate the American public on wetlands, their values, status, and threats. To read the full report, go to: http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/_documents/gOther/StatusReportNWIProgram2009.pdf |
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The Environment and Natural Disasters |
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Green Cupboard Community (blog article) – January 2010
In the wake of the 7.0 Earthquake that struck Haiti last week, there has been quite a bit of chatter as to the causes of such devastating natural disasters. Though some natural forces, such as hurricanes, can be forecasted and preparations can be made against the coming events, earthquakes do not allow for any preparation and strike without warning. One of the many terms flying around in all this chatter is environmental degradation. For full story, go to: http://community.greencupboards.com/articles/the-environment-and-natural-disasters/ |
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NATIONAL
NEWS
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U.S. EPA to Initiate Rulemaking on Stormwater, CAFOs to Reduce Water Pollution, Backstop States in Chesapeake Bay Watershed |
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Pollution Equipment News – January 2010
Lisa P. Jackson EPA Administrator announced that the EPA is initiating new federal rulemaking on stormwater and concentrated animal feeding operations to reduce water pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This action complements ongoing work by EPA and the states to strengthen regulatory controls on major sources of pollutants consistent with shared commitments to implement the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load, the limit on the amount of pollution that can flow into the Bay and its tidal creeks and rivers. "We’re developing the most rigorous framework to date for reducing pollution in the Bay and its watershed," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "These rules will provide critical backstop measures to ensure accountability in state efforts that are the frontline for success in this historic cleanup effort." For full article, go to: http://www.rimbach.com/scripts/Article/PEN/Number.idc?Number=203 |
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| Comments Sought on Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement |
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GreatLakesNews – January 2010
Comments are now being accepted by the Canadian and United States Governments on Governance issues as input to the binational negotiations to amend the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). In addition to the comments already provided through the 2006-7 Review of the GLWQA, we invite you to provide new ideas or suggestions concerning the issue of Governance within the context of binational cooperation in the Great Lakes basin. If you would would like to provide additional input, please submit your comments in writing using the
comment feature at http://binational.net/glwqa_2010_e.html If you are unfamiliar with the findings and recommendations of the 2006-7 Review process, we encourage you to consult the key reference reports online at http://binational.net/glwqa_2007_e.html. Additional comments on Governance are due no later than February 14, 2010 |
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| Appeals court upholds vacating of mining permits |
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Miami Herald – January 22, 2010
A federal appeals court in Atlanta has upheld the decision of a federal district court in Florida to vacate permits for limestone mining along a strip of former wetlands west of Miami. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the opinion Thursday regarding wetlands known as the "Lake Belt." U.S. District Judge Jack Camp, who sat on the panel, wrote in the opinion that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida "did not err" in January 2009 when it vacated the permits issued by the Army Corps of Engineers to several limestone mining companies. For full story, go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1440379.html |
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| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Conservation Fund Announce Nationwide Partnership to Protect Water Resources |
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Army Corps of Engineers Press Release – January 22, 2010
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy and Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund, gathered today on the shores of the Anacostia River to sign a memorandum of understanding announcing a partnership that will promote enhanced conservation and balanced management of the nation's water resources and sustainable development in adjacent communities. "Today's ceremony builds on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' long history of working with The Conservation Fund," said Darcy. "We look forward to continuing to partner with the Fund in finding sustainable water and land management solutions that benefit both the needs of nature and the present and future needs of our human communities." For full press release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-army-corps-of-engineers-and-the-conservation-fund-announce-nationwide-partnership-to-protect-water-resources-82439692.html |
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| USDA Encourages Farmers Within Chesapeake Bay Watershed to Signup for Conservation Program |
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USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service – January 14, 2010
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service's Acting State Conservationist, Dave Brown, is encouraging Pennsylvania agricultural producers located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed to apply for conservation assistance under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI). "CBWI offers technical and financial assistance to help producers implement a system of core conservation practices to help control erosion, and to minimize excess nutrients and sediments in order to restore, preserve, and protect the Chesapeake Bay," said Brown. "Core practices include crop residue management (especially no-till and mulch till systems), crop nutrient management, manure management, cover crops, buffers, and streamside fencing to keep livestock out of streams and protect fish and wildlife habitat. In addition, a limited number of other conservation practices are available to address specific resource problems, such as barnyard runoff." For full story, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usda-encourages-farmers-within-chesapeake-bay-watershed-to-signup-for-conservation-program-81564832.html |
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| Climate Change and Land Protection Planning - Comments Sought On EPA Report |
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| EPA is seeking comments by February 1, 2010 on a draft document titled, ‘‘An Assessment of Decision-Making Processes: The Feasibility of Incorporating Climate Change Information into Land Protection Planning.’’ The report is a review of decision-making processes of selected land protection programs, some of which involve land trusts. The goal is to assess the feasibility of incorporating information on impacts of climate change into program decisions. The report identifies strategies that might be useful for incorporating climate change into decision-making and suggests land protection may become even more important to ameliorate climate change impacts on watersheds, wildlife and other resources. For more information, go to: http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=210027 |
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LEGISLATIVE NEWS
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| 2010 Federal Agency Enforcement Budgets Suggest Coming Increase in Regulatory Enforcement |
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By John Irving, Christopher Myers – Holland & Knight – December 18, 2009
On December 17, 2009, President Obama signed the FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes the coming year's budget for the Department of Justice, the FBI, the SEC and other enforcement agencies. The new appropriations follow the EPA's budget, which the President signed in October. The agencies' budget justifications and appropriation levels provide insight into their enforcement priorities and increased capabilities. The information strongly suggests that companies prepare for significantly increased federal government enforcement efforts. For full article, go to: http://www.hklaw.com/id24660/PublicationId2814/ReturnId31/contentid54588
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STATES
NEWS
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TX: Scope of oil spill's damage, cause still a mystery |
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By Jennifer Latson, et.al. – Houston Chronicle – January 25, 2010
As cleanup efforts of Texas' worst oil spill in more than a decade continued today, Coast Guard officials were examining radio transmissions to find out what went wrong in the moments before an 800-foot tanker collided with a barge carrying chemicals off Port Arthur. Saturday morning's collision ripped a 15-by-8-foot hole in the hull of the Eagle Otome, which was loaded with Mexican crude oil intended for a Beaumont Exxon refinery. The crash dumped 462,000 gallons of oil into the intracoastal waterway in what Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said was the biggest Texas oil spill since 1994. For full story, go to: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6833095.html |
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| New Hampshire Aquatic Resource Mitigation Program Extends Grant Application Deadline for the Winnipesaukee River Watershed |
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| The New Hampshire Aquatic Resource Mitigation Program at the Department of Environmental Services has extended the grant application deadline for funding projects within the Winnipesaukee River Watershed. The DES Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) Fund provides an in-lieu fee payment alternative for permit applicants to consider when striving to meet state and federal wetland mitigation requirements. NHDES is pleased to announce that up to $153,000 is available through the ARM Fund for eligible projects within the Winnipesaukee River Watershed. Extended Application Submission Deadline – One hard copy and one copy in PDF format of the completed application and all associated documentation are due at the DES Wetlands Bureau office ( address below ) no later than 4 p.m. on April 30, 2010. Please note DES cannot accept documents larger than 10 MB in size. The application form with instructions is available at www.des.nh.gov; just click on the “A to Z LIST,” select “Wetlands Bureau,” and look for “Mitigation” under “Related Programs” (or see http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wetlands/wmp/index.htm). |
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| FL: EPA Proposes Standards to Protect Florida’s Waters |
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| This action would decrease the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen pollution in Florida waters. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing water quality standards to protect people’s health, aquatic life and the long term recreational uses of Florida’s waters, which are a critical part of the state’s economy. In 2009, EPA entered into a consent decree with the Florida Wildlife Federation to propose limits to this pollution. The proposed action, released for public comment and developed in collaboration with the state, would set a series of numeric limits on the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen, also known as “nutrients,” that would be allowed in Florida’s lakes, rivers, streams, springs and canals. EPA will accept public comments on the proposed standards for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. EPA will also hold three public hearings on the proposed rule in Florida to obtain input and comments on the direction of EPA’s rulemaking. These hearings are scheduled for February 16, 17 and 18, 2010 in Tallahassee, Orlando, and West Palm Beach, respectively. For more on the proposed rule and public hearings, visit: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/rules/florida/ |
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| NY: Editorial: Wetlands need some protection |
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Editorial staff - Poughkeepsie Journal – January 22, 2010
Hyde Park's plan to scrap a wetlands protection law is a dangerous move without a firm back-up proposal in place. The newly seated Town Board should give the matter far more consideration. At bare minimum, if it does repeal the law as expected next week, the new supervisor must make good on his promise to "start from scatch" and put in place some legal protections for these critically important water bodies. For full story, go to: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20100122/OPINION01/1220314/Editorial-Wetlands-need-some-protection |
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| MN: Committee formed to explore white cedar wetland mitigation |
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By Laurel Beager – International Falls Daily Journal – January 21, 2010
A new committee to be formed by Koochiching County will explore whether white cedar stands may be managed to serve as wetland credits. The committee, made up of resource managers, commissioners from Koochiching and Lake of the Woods counties, a state forester, and land surveyors, will develop a plan that would outline management techniques that would allow some or all of the county’s 13,000 acres of white cedar to be used as credits when governments need to mitigate disturbances to wetlands through development. For full story, go to: http://www.ifallsdailyjournal.com/news/county-news/committee-formed-explore-white-cedar-wetland-mitigation-laurel-beager-editor-101 |
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| MT: Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) 2010 Application Deadline Approaching |
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Liberty County Times – January 21, 2010
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces the 2010 offer values for Wetland Reserve Program easements. WRP is a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to landowners and Tribes to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring eligible land from agriculture. For full story, go to: http://highline.townnews.com/articles/2010/01/21/news/news7.txt |
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DE: Delaware Needs Working Wetlands |
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By Molly Murray – News Journal – January 21, 2010
The Nanticoke River watershed, one of the most pristine in the state, has lost thousands of acres of wetlands since Colonial times and about 80 percent of its natural streams have been channelized. Some 28 percent of the wetlands that remain are highly fragmented and most are moderately or severely stressed, said Amy Jacobs, an environmental scientist with the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. For full story, go to: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100121/NEWS02/1210349 |
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| LA: Coastal restoration effort moves into higher gear |
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By Mark Schleifstein - The Times-Picayune – January 21, 2010
Embarking on its 20th year of building small to moderate-sized coastal restoration projects, the Breaux Act Task Force on Wednesday added four new projects to its list of 144 active projects and moved five more from design into construction. The decisions will result in more than $115 million being spent on the nine projects, some of which could see construction begin within a few months. For full story, go to: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/coastal_restoration_effort_mov.html |
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| OR: Airplane Crash Claims Lives of Two Fish and Wildlife Service Waterfowl Biologists |
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FWS News Release – January 19, 2010
Two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists died in the crash of their small aircraft on January 17th in western Oregon. Pilot-biologist Vernon Ray (Ray) Bentley, 52, from Blodgett, Oregon, and David Sherwood (Dave) Pitkin, 49, from Bandon, Oregon, died when their plane went down west of Philomath, Oregon. The two were returning from Newport, Oregon, after a day spent flying over estuaries along the Oregon coast, counting ducks, geese and swans for the Service’s annual mid-winter waterfowl survey. For full press release, go to: http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=47C3737C-B35D-099F-611B5E1E5B517371 |
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| CA: 'Outside the box' |
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By Virginie Boone – Press Democrat – January 16, 2010
Ever since he was a boy, Tim Thornhill has looked for ways to do what others have told him can't be done. Case in point: A partner in Mendocino Wine Co. in Ukiah, Thornhill recently built his own wetlands to recycle the winery's wastewater, pulling from his years of experience as an arborist and horticulturist who gained fame for his ability to move gigantic heritage trees that would otherwise have been gone forever. For full story, go to: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100116/LIFESTYLE/100119695?Title=-Outside-the-box-&tc=ar |
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| MS: EPA fines man for wetlands violation: Waveland resident accused of illegally filling property |
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By Donna Melton - The Sun Herald – January 16, 2010
A Waveland man has been fined $100,000 for illegally filling wetlands on his property near Edwards Bayou. The Environmental Protection Agency issued the fine against Rodney O. Corr for a violation against the federal Clean Water Act. The EPA charges that in 2004, Corr, or those acting on his behalf, illegally discharged fill material into about 14 acres of wetlands while clearing a site for commercial development at Mississippi 603 and Favre Lane. The area is adjacent to Edwards Bayou, a tributary to the Jourdan River in Hancock County. For full article, go to: http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/news_display/140082856.html |
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| LA: Students to catalog area's vanishing culture |
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By Nikki Buskey – Houma Today – January 16, 2010
Remembrances of life when the landscapes of Terrebonne and Lafourche were radically different will soon be collected and stored alongside some of New Orleans' most-important historical artifacts. Teachers from Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes attended a workshop Thursday at The Historic New Orleans Collection in the French Quarter to begin a project aimed at gathering stories of the area's vanishing bayou communities from the people who lived them. For full story, go to: http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20100116/ARTICLES/100119504/1026 |
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| FL: Everglades still in decline, group says |
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UPI.com – January 14, 2010
The subtropical Florida Everglades wetlands are still deteriorating a decade after Washington began a multibillion-dollar plan to restore them, advocates say. The Everglades, a victim of a half-century of environmental damage, remains unhealthy, with few species of wildlife other than birds still there and a growing number of invasive species like iguanas, Brazilian pepper plants and Australian pine trees, retired biologist Allen Trefrey told The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post. For full article, go to: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/01/14/Everglades-still-in-decline-group-says/UPI-80471263497235/ |
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| WA: Man concerned with bushes becoming refuge for criminal activity |
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By Candice Boutilier – Columbia Basin Herald – January 14, 2010
Attorney Harold Moberg informed Moses Lake City Council of an area near his law office he says has become a refuge for the homeless and sex offenders. The area is next to his law office on East Riviera Avenue. It’s comprised of thick Russian olive trees and other shrubs. Vagrants have made a home out of the brush complete with an entrance door and pathways. The area is covered in garbage and a broken chair. The area is designated as a protected wetland. For full article, go to: http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/01/14/news/doc4b4f99a874642283733486.txt |
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| NY: Architects Plan 'Amphibious Landscape' for New York City |
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By Nathaniel Gronewold – New York Times – January 11, 2010
What would New York's waterfront look like after a sea level rise of 2 feet or more? Most officials paint a nightmare scenario -- huge swaths of expensive real estate permanently flooded, with frequent storms and the resultant storm surge routinely forcing mass evacuations every few years. But several architects are now painting a more positive picture, and their visions for a post-climate-change new New York have city planners interested. For full story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/01/11/11climatewire-architects-plan-
amphibious-landscape-for-new-45297.html |
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| AK: Rational plan in place to retain, develop wetlands |
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By Chris Stephens – Anchorage Daily News – January 9, 2010
I recently met with an expert on development and preservation of wetlands. Wetlands are protected under federal laws because they are important for flood control, water quality, recreation and animal habitat. For full story, go to: http://www.adn.com/money/story/1086803.html |
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| MN: Dennis Anderson: Past reborn for duck hunting? |
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By Dennis Anderson (Opinion) – Minneapolis Star Tribune – January 9, 2010
The DNR announced Saturday a new tack in its attempt to return ducks to the state. Chief Seattle and George Bird Grinnell, keystones in the foundation of the American conservation movement, would have smiled had they been in Brooklyn Center on Saturday afternoon. Theodore Roosevelt, too. For full opinion article, go to: http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/81076177.html?elr=KArks7
PYDiaK7DUHPYDiaK7DUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU |
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| ID: Boise's innovative plan to build wetlands is being watched across the country |
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By Bethann Stewart – Idaho Statesman – January 9, 2010
Tucked along the Dixie Drain - about four miles from Notus, Wilder and Parma - sits a piece of land that is perfect for so many things. Dean Goodner bought the 49 acres about 14 years ago for duck hunting. His Texas longhorns cluster around hay bales near a trout pond on one side of the drain, which runs to the Boise River. On the other, a pasture waits for spring. But the city of Boise now owns the property - purchased for a totally different reason. For full story, go to: http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/1035267.html |
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| SD: Farmers Fear Expansion of Wetlands Protection |
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By Thom Gabukiewicz – Argus Leader – January 9, 2010
Conservation groups are asking Congress to restore Clean Water Act protection to small wetlands, especially those in the Prairie Pothole region of the Upper Plains. Yet other groups, including property rights and farm and ranching interests, fear the legislation will result only in a federal land grab. The bill, SB 787 or the Clean Water Restoration Act, is at the heart of the debate. The legislation, which would remove the word "navigable" from the Clean Water Act, is awaiting debate on the Senate floor this year. For full story, go to: http://www.argusleader.com/article/20100109/NEWS/1090331/1003/business |
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| MI: Plant, not humans, threatening Detroit River wetlands |
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By David Paulk – The Eastern Echo – January 6, 2010
The wetlands along the Detroit River are in danger, and the enemy is a crafty one. Hiding among its prey like a chameleon on the prowl, this invader is relentless. Usually, the greatest enemies of wetlands are humans, famous for draining or filling them in. But this time, that is not the case. For full story, go to: http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/article/2010/01/plant_not_humans_threatening_detroit_river_wetlands |
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| MI: Editorial: Yes to Greenseams |
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Journal Sentinel - January 1, 2010
Want less flooding, fewer sewer overflows, fewer bypasses into Lake Michigan? Let nature do its job. That's the idea behind a program of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District that preserves green space upstream to prevent flooding downstream in area waterways. It's an idea that deserves support - and copying by municipalities and other sewerage districts. Development can often mean additional flooding for area waterways as water-soaking ground is replaced with concrete. And additional water pouring into sewers can overwhelm a sewage system, resulting in flooded basements and overflows. For full editorial, go to: http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/80418527.html
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| MA: Unclogging the bog |
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By Robert Knox – Boston Globe – December 27, 2009
In a signature effort for the state’s environmental restoration campaign, workers have begun restoring the headwaters of the Eel River, a 5-mile coastal waterway that flows past tourist mecca Plimoth Plantation and into Plymouth Harbor through some of the town’s choicest countryside. Public and private environmental agencies say the ambitious project to return the Eel to its natural state will be good for fish, native plants, and other creatures that depend on a coastal river environment, as well as for people who fish, watch birds, and take nature walks. For full story, go to: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/12/27/massive_effort_to_restore_eel_river_in_plymouth_begins/ |
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| NH: Wetlands need better protection |
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Concord Monitor – December 27, 2009
In a 2006 decision involving a wetlands permit for a subdivision in Greenland, the New Hampshire Supreme Court drew a firm line that may have been on the right side of the law but was on the wrong side of the welfare of the environment. It is a ruling that lawmakers should remedy in the coming legislative session. For full story, go to: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091227/OPINION/912270341/1037/NEWS04 |
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| TX: Wetlands Reserve Program benefits Navarro County |
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Corsicana Daily Sun – December 26, 2009
During a time of possible operational transition for landowners throughout north-central Texas, many have selected conservation programs from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help sustain their land use and the rural landscape so vital to the success of their ranches. For full story, go to: http://www.corsicanadailysun.com/local/local_story_360181356.html
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| FL: Wildlife drama plays out on pristine Panhandle island |
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By Kevin Spear – Orlando Sentinel – December 25, 2009
The bloodstained dirt, the tracks of perhaps a half-dozen attackers and the lethal wounds to an enormous beast spoke of a methodical killing that Thomas Lewis has never forgotten. The federal biologist came across the scene a few years ago in the Florida Panhandle, on an island where antlered creatures five times bigger than native deer spend their days munching lily pads — until they are devoured by a top predator once declared extinct. For full story, go to: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os-incredible-florida-island-20091224,0,5475233.story |
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| LA: YouTube video brings attention to state's coastal conservation |
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By Daniel McBride – Daily Comet – December 24, 2009
In three minutes, Spring Gaines is hoping to save Louisiana's coast. The 24-year-old Nicholls State University graduate recently posted a video on YouTube, a Web site that showcases millions of videos, many of them user-submitted, to viewers around the world. In the video, Gaines calls upon her audience to take an active role to protect Louisiana's rapidly disappearing wetland. For full story, go to: http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20091224/ARTICLES/912239895/1026 |
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| OH: With dam breach deal, Brentwood’s losing its lake |
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By Brad Dicken – the Chronicle-Telegram – December 23, 2009
A dam at Brentwood Lake in Carlisle Township that state officials have warned was “in danger of catastrophic failure” will be breached by Feb. 1, according to the terms of a settlement reached Tuesday. Spitzer Hardware & Supply Co., which owns the lake, will share the cost of the $60,000 to $70,000 project with the township and the county. Spitzer, a division of Spitzer Management, will pay for engineering and other costs, while the county and township will provide much of the manpower and equipment needed for the project. For full story, go to: http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/12/23/with-dam-breach-deal-brentwoods-losing-its-lake/ |
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| AZ: S.787 – The Clean Water Restoration Act and its potential impact in Arizona |
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Editorial By Gregory McKim – Phoenix Environmental News Examiner – December 21, 2010
A new bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United States has been proposed by Senator Russell Feingold of Wisconsin and currently has 24 co-sponsors in the senate. The bill was introduced and referred to the Environment and Public Works Committee on April 2nd, of 2009. The Open Congress web site dedicated to providing citizens information about the laws being made in Washington D.C. gives the following official summary of the bill. For full article, go to: http://www.examiner.com/x-33690-Phoenix-Environmental-News-Examiner~y2009m12d21-S787--The-Clean-Water-Restoration-Act-and-its-potential-impact-in-Arizona |
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| FL: Editorial: Destroying the Everglades at 25 Cents Per Ton |
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By Alan Farago – Counter Punch – December 21, 2009
In early December, on an unseasonably hot and humid Florida day, I sat under a large tent in a crowd of hundreds at the edge of a man-made canal draining the Everglades. On stage, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, deputy assistant secretary of the Army ‘Rock’ Salt who oversees the Corps of Engineers, Gary Guzy, deputy director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and assorted dignitaries to celebrate the decision by the Obama White House and Congress to invest in the elevation of the roadway—one mile of Tamiami Trail—allowing fresh water to flow and hopefully nourish parts of the Everglades that remain as a pale reminder of spectacular biodiversity. For full editorial, go to: http://www.counterpunch.org/farago12212009.html |
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| VT: Ruling may clear way for upgrade of Route 2 |
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By Peter Hirschfeld - Times Argus/Vermont Press Bureau – December 21, 2009
Transportation officials say a recent ruling by environmental regulators could clear the way for the first phase of a long-planned upgrade of Route 2, Vermont's major east-west traffic corridor.
But opponents of the project say they'll continue to challenge a plan that they believe threatens wetlands and recreational areas in central Vermont. A decade-old proposal to widen and improve three sections of Route 2 between Cabot and Danville was delayed earlier this year when the District 5 Environmental Commission – responsible for ensuring Act 250 compliance – said the Agency of Transportation's plan for wetlands mitigation didn't meet regulatory muster. For full story, visit: http://www.timesargus.com/article/20091221/NEWS01/912210339/1002/NEWS01 |
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| NJ: West Milford considers wetlands land swap for doomed lake |
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By Barbara Williams – North Jersey – December 20, 2009
Its days are numbered for sure, given the state’s plan to drain it down to a dank swamp. But West Milford Lake may still have a chance to be an asset to the community. Anthony Patire, who owns the 14-acre site including the lake and its shoreline off Marshall Hill Road, wants to turn the property into a mitigation area — where an individual or group pays money to maintain it as an environmentally sensitive area in exchange for disturbing wetlands on their own property. The project must be approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection. For full story, go to: http://www.northjersey.com/news/WEST_MILFORD_CONSIDERS_WETLANDS_LAND_SWAP.html |
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| CA: Lagoons replenish nature’s splendor |
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By Janet Lavelle – San Diego Union-Tribune – December 20, 2009
Look closely at the string of lagoons along coastal North County and you’ll see it: crisp, bright days of winter promising renewal. It’s at this time of year that bird populations explode in the six lagoons, as migratory fowl wing south along the Pacific Flyway in an inexorable call of breeding and survival. For full story, go to: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/dec/20/lagoons-replenish-natures-splendor/ |
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RESOURCES
and
PUBLICATIONS
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NRC Opportunity for Research on Ecosystem Services in Estuaries |
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A National Research Council (NRC) Senior Research Associateship is being offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Western Ecology Division, Pacific Coastal Ecology Branch in Newport, Oregon. The research topic area is: Cumulative effects of habitat alteration on ecosystem services in estuaries.For a description of the opportunity see:
http://nrc58.nas.edu/RAPLab10/Opportunity/Opportunity.aspx?LabCode=
AC&ROPCD=AC0209&RONum=B6574 For NRC/Research Associate Programs (RAP) information see:
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/RAP/index.htm For U.S. EPA program information see:
http://nrc58.nas.edu/RAPLab10/Opportunity/Program.aspx?LabCode=
22&ReturnURL=%2fRAPLab10%2fOpportunity%2fPrograms.aspx%3fLabCode%3d22 |
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| Selecting Mitigation Sites Using a Watershed Approach |
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| By Thomas Hruby, Kim Harper, Stephen Stanley – December 2009 - Washington Department of Ecology has released a new publication, “Selecting Mitigation Sites Using a Watershed Approach.” The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District (Corps), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 (EPA) (collectively the Agencies) prepared this guide on selecting mitigation sites for unavoidable wetland impacts. The Agencies encourage state, federal, and local decision-makers, as well as project applicants, to use this guide as one step in the process of making decisions on compensatory mitigation projects. The goals of this guide are to improve mitigation success and to better address the ecological priorities of Washington’s watersheds. For a direct link to the document, go to: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0906032.html |
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| Reconnection plan to cut flood risk? |
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Sideways News – December 29, 2009
Connecting flood plains to rivers could help reduce the risk of more flooding in the coming years, according to a new study. Research conducted by the Nature Conservancy's Global Freshwater Team and detailed in Science highlights that allowing such areas to go underwater during storms would reduce the risk of flooding in nearby urban communities, reports the BBC. The study's authors cited the example of California, where the flood season and the growing season do not coincide, meaning that if farmland was submerged during heavy rainfall then there would be no permanent damage to any crops or fields. However, local towns and villages may be offered some protection. For full article, go to: http://www.sidewaysnews.com/environment-nature/reconnection-plan-cut-flood-risk for more information on the Nature Conservancy’s Freshwater Conservation initiatives, go to: http://www.nature.org/initiatives/freshwater/ |
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| Flood Pulsing in Wetlands: Restoring the Natural Hydrological Balance |
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| By Beth A. Middleton - Flood pulsing is a natural hydrolic occurrence in ecosystems of rivers, streams, and cypress swamps, and plays an important role in seed dispersal and thus successful long term restoration. This book bridges the information gap between universities and the public and private sectors by presenting timely and useful research in an area of restoration where until recently, there has been very little information. For more information and to download this e-book, go to: http://ebooks4science.blogspot.com/2010/01/flood-pulsing-in-wetlands-restoring.html |
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| Coastal Services (NOAA Magazine) – February 2010 Issue Available |
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| The NOAA Magazine, Coastal Services, has posted its February 2010 issue online. To download this issue, go to: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/magazine/2010/01/issue.pdf |
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| New Ecosystem-based Management Roadmap Website |
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ACZISC Coastal Update E-newsletter – January 2010
The EBM Roadmap website has been established to provide practical support for ecosystem-based management (EBM). It provides access to readings, case studies, methods, tools, and data to address the core elements of EBM: Nature's Services; Scientific Evidence; Geographic Scales; Ecological Linkages; Cumulative Impacts; Tradeoffs Among Human Activities; Adaptive Management; and a Network of People and Information. For more information, visit: http://www.ebmtools.org/roadmap.html. |
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| Advanced Septic System Regulations White Paper by Wetlands Watch |
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By Skip Stiles – Wetlands Watch – December 14, 2009
Until recently, septic systems were kept away from most wetlands and nearby soggy soils because the soils wouldn’t “perc” – or percolate. If the “perc” rate was wrong, the soil didn’t allow the sewage effluent to move through soil at the right speed: too fast and the effluent would reach ground and surface water before it finished decomposing; too slow and the effluent would pond up on the surface of the soil. In the 2009 Session of the General Assembly, two additional actions were taken to change the regulation of septic systems. For a link to this white paper, visit: http://www.wetlandswatch.org/petition/overview_septic_wp2.pdf
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Information and Tools for Land Managers – New Resource at USDA Forest Service |
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| The Climate Change Resource Center (CCRC) is a reference website for resource managers and decision-makers who need information and tools to address climate change in planning and project implementation. To visit, go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/ccrc/ |
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POTPOURRI
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Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Announces More Than $19 Million in Grants to Protect Coastal Wetlands Across the Nation
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| Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today the award of $19.2 million to support 25 conservation projects benefiting fish and wildlife on more than 6,100 acres of coastal habitat in 11 states through the 2010 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. The federal grants will be matched by nearly $26 million in partner contributions from state and local governments, private landowners and conservation groups. The grants will be used to acquire, restore or enhance coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands to provide long-term conservation benefits to fish, wildlife and their habitat. States receiving funds include California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. For full press release, go to: http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=DBF01AE6-EEDA-3551-7392A373D2209C7C |
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How Wetlands Worsen Climate Change (a look at methane) |
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By Bryan Walsh – Time – January 14, 2010
Big, bad carbon dioxide gets most of the attention when it comes to greenhouse gases, but it's not the only one that's warming the earth. Methane — a gas that is found in everything from landfills to cow stomachs — also plays a big role. Although global methane-emissions levels are much lower than CO 2 emissions, pound for pound methane is a more powerful greenhouse gas; a ton of it has 23 times the warming effect of a ton of CO 2. Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1953751,00.html#ixzz0chWUeUWv |
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Climate change challenge
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By Josh Johnson – The Daily News – January 9, 2010
The Copenhagen Accord was drafted by the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa and "recognized" by a majority of all the participating countries at the United Nations Climate Change Conference last month in Copenhagen. It states that "climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time" and that "deep cuts in global emissions are required according to science, and as documented by the IPCC (International Panel for Climate Change) ... to hold the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit)." Here are the facts: Pre-industrial CO2 levels were 251 ppm, and now they are 385 ppm. They will be 450 ppm if emissions trends persist. To put this in perspective, scientists have studied the Antarctic ice core record, which extends back 800,000 years. For full article, go to: http://www.tdn.com/news/opinion/
article_7ec097da-fccb-11de-9b85-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story |
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The Source Water, Climate & Carbon Connection |
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By G. Tracy Mehan III, Dr. Chi Ho Sham, Charles Hernick & Jane Obbagy
Source water protection, an analogue to watershed management, is a concept promoted by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which required states to assess all waters used as sources of public drinking water for human consumption. For direct link to this article, go to: http://www.wwdmag.com/The-Source-Water-Climate-Carbon-Connection-article11236 |
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Fisheries and aquaculture: multiple risks from climate change
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Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – December 11, 2009
The FAO study entitled "Climate change implications for fisheries and aquaculture" is a comprehensive survey of existing scientific knowledge on the impacts of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture. It.includes contributions from experts from around the world, including from the Worldfish Centre, Globec, NACA, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the University of East Anglia. For more information, visit: http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/38060/icode/ |
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| Scientists Map Speed of Climate Change for Different Ecosystems |
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Science News – December 24, 2009
A team of scientists has calculated that climate change will cause the world's ecosystems to move at an average speed of 0.42 kilometres per year to keep up with temperature changes and that the projected speed will vary from one ecosystem to another - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091223133337.htm. The study was published in the December 24, 2009 issue of Nature - http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v462/n7276/abs/nature08649.html |
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JOB
OPENINGS
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Ecology and botany project lead positions-Montana
The Montana Natural Heritage Program seeks experienced project leads for wetland condition assessment projects throughout Montana. All projects require field botany or field ecology skills. Knowledge of plant taxonomy and species identification and experience in wetland ecology required. Experience identifying Montana flora preferred. there are also several field technician positions available. Position will last from 3-7 months (approx. May-December 2010). To apply: Position(s) will remain open and will be filled as suitable applicants are found.
For more information on both posiions, go to: http://mtnhp.org/about/employ/employ.asp
Application materials must be received by 5 p.m. March 31, 2010. Send resume, cover letter, and 3 references (with phone numbers) to:
Contact: Karen Newlon, Montana Natural Heritage Program, 1515 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, MT 59620. Or, preferably, by email as an attachment to: knewlon@mt.gov.
Announcement will remain open until all positions are filled. |
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| Ecologist and Water Resource Specialist Positions |
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The Federal Highway Administration has two GS 13/14 openings in its Washington, DC Headquarters office. These are interesting and challenging positions that span the range from developing and interpreting environmental policy, to creating and improving environmental programs, to problem-solving on individual projects. In short, the positions provide great opportunities to protect the environment while helping FHWA meet its mission of improving mobility on our nation's highways. Click on the links below to access the job announcements.
Civil Engineer (Water Quality Specialist)
Ecologist
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| Wetland Restoration Interns |
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| (Multiple positions available): June 1 - August 15th, 2010. Environmental Concern Inc. is seeking to hire highly motivated interns to help restore a 14 acre tidal wetland on Fishing Bay in Dorchester County Maryland. This restoration will include planting approximately 350,000 marsh plantings. This wetland restoration effort is funded by the EPA under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The grant is administered by the Maryland Department of the Environment. Interns must not be afraid of hard physical labor. Former wetland experience and interest a plus. For more information, visit: http://www.wetland.org/downloads/2010%20internship%20position.pdf To apply, send resume and cover letter to Jessica Lister, Wetland Restoration Project Manager restorewetlands@wetland.org |
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STUDENT
JOBS (updated on 1/20/10)
MEETINGS
AND TRAINING
For a rolling calendar of meeting, conferences, and other events visit
the ASWM
calendar.
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| From the Rooftop to the Bay: Stormwater Management Strategies Workshop |
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| March 9 – 11, 2010 – Stonewall Jackson Hotel, Staunton, VA. The Center for Watershed Protection will host a workshop designed to help public and private sector stormwater professionals implement stormwater management strategies. For more information and to register, go to: http://www.cwp.org/ |
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2010 AWRA Summer Specialty Conference |
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| August 30 - September 1, 2010 Gran Melia Puerto Rico l Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The 2010 American Water Resources Association’s (AWRA) conference theme is Tropical Hydrology & Sustainable Water Resources in a Changing Climate. Submit Your Abstract by: April 12, 2010. For more information, or to submit an abstract, visit: http://www.awra.org/meetings/Florida2010/index.html |
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Association of State Wetland Managers' Wetland Breaking News - Providing a monthly briefing about the news and events concerning America's wetlands. Wetland Breaking News is an edited compilation of wetland-related information submitted by readers and gleaned from list-serves, press releases, and web sites from throughout the United States. The items presented in Wetland Breaking News do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or of the Association of State Wetland Managers. Send your news items, comments, corrections, or suggestions to news@aswm.org.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send Internet e-mail to aswm-wbn-request@aswm.org. Type as the subject "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" (without quote marks).
"WETLAND BREAKING NEWS" Compiled and Edited by: Leah Stetson. Assistant Editor: Jeanne Christie.
Association of State Wetland Managers, 2 Basin Road, Windham, ME 04062. Telephone: 207-892-3399;
Fax: 207-892-3089
Printable PDF - January 25, 2010
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