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Watershed News
October 2008
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Watershed News is a publication of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. It is designed to provide timely information to groups working at the watershed level.
In this month's newsletter
1) FY2009 Community-based Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Project Grants
2) FY2009 Open Rivers Initiative
3) NOAA General Coral Reef Conservation Grants Program
4) FY09 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grants
5) Final Determination - Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps Project
6) EPA Releases Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Stormwater Discharges
7) Center for Watershed Protection releases its Municipal Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Manual
8) Federal Agencies Map Plans to Address Marine Debris
9) River Network's River Rally - Call for Workshop Proposals
10) Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup on September 20th a Success
11) EPA's Watershed Academy to sponsor free December 3rd Webcast on Implementing a Rain Garden Program to Improve Stormwater Management
12) Green Infrastructure Models and Calculators
13) Lake Icaria, Iowa - Restoration Efforts Repair a Drinking Water Source and Recreational Area
14) Southeast Stormwater Institute
15) WEFTEC.08 Conference
16) EPA's "Getting in Step with Phase II: A Workshop for Stormwater Program Managers"
17) Legal Tools for Pennsylvania Advocates to Clean up the Chesapeake Bay
Funding Opportunities
FY2009 Community-based Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Project Grants
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program (MDP) provides funding to catalyze the implementation of locally driven, community-based marine debris prevention, assessment and removal projects that will benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and NOAA trust resources. Projects funded through the MDP have strong on-the-ground habitat components involving the removal of marine debris and derelict fishing gear, as well as activities that provide social benefits for people and their communities in addition to long-term ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2008.
FY2009 Open Rivers Initiative
The NOAA Open Rivers Initiative (ORI) provides funding to catalyze the implementation of locally-driven projects to remove dams and other river barriers, in order to benefit living marine and coastal resources, particularly diadromous fish. Projects funded through the Open Rivers Initiative have strong on-the-ground habitat restoration components that foster economic, educational, and social benefits for citizens and their communities in addition to long-term ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources. Through the ORI, NOAA provides funding and technical assistance for barrier removal projects. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2008.
NOAA General Coral Reef Conservation Grants Program
The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program / General Coral Reef Conservation Grants Program (GCRCGP) provides funding supporting on-the ground efforts that: (1) Help preserve, sustain and restore the condition of coral reef ecosystems, (2) promote the wise management and sustainable use of coral reef resources, (3) increase public knowledge and awareness of coral reef ecosystems and issues regarding their conservation and (4) develop sound scientific information on the condition of coral reef ecosystems and the threats to such ecosystems. Projects should complement and fill gaps in state, territorial and commonwealth coral reef programs, emphasize community- based conservation, or address local action strategy priorities. The deadline for applications is November 3, 2008.
FY09 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup Grants
The proposal deadline is November 14, 2008.
These grants may be used to address sites contaminated by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum). Please note there have been significant changes to the Proposal Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants. EPA encourages applicants to read the guidelines carefully before applying.
Opportunities for funding are as follows (See Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 66.818):
Brownfields Assessment Grants: (each funded up to $200,000 over three years; $1,000,000 for Assessment Coalitions) provide funding to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement related to brownfield sites;
Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants: (each funded up to $1,000,000 over five years) provide funding to capitalize a revolving fund and to make loans and provide subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites;
Brownfields Cleanup Grants: (each funded up to $200,000 over three years) provide funding for a grant recipient to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites that are owned by the grant recipient.
For additional information on using Brownfields Grants for watershed restoration, visit EPA's Watershed Academy for an archived webcast on: "Using Brownfields Grants for Watershed Restoration and Revitalization." This Webcast highlights funding available to states, communities, and other stakeholders under the Brownfields Program. The Brownfields Program works with these groups to assess, safely clean up, and reuse Brownfields. "Brownfields" are lands that typically have hazardous substances and which are redeveloped and reused under this program. The Webcast showcases the Black Warrior-Cahaba Rivers Land Trust in Jefferson County, Alabama, which received a $200,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant for the Five Mile Creek Project.
News
Final Determination - Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps Project
On August 31, 2008, EPA signed the Final Determination prohibiting the discharge of dredged or fill material into wetlands and other waters of the United States in connection with the construction of the proposed Yazoo Backwater Area Pumps Project. The proposed project is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) Civil Works project designed to address flooding concerns in a 630,000 acre area situated between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers in west-central Mississippi (Yazoo Backwater Area). The primary component of this project is a 14,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) pumping station that would pump surface water out of the Yazoo Backwater Area during high water events on the Mississippi River. Construction and operation of the proposed pumping station would adversely impact at least 67,000 acres of wetlands and other waters of the United States. EPA has determined that these impacts would result in unacceptable adverse effects on fishery areas and wildlife. EPA continues to support the goal of providing improved flood protection for the residents of the Mississippi Delta; however, it believes that this vital objective can be accomplished consistent with ensuring effective protection for the area's valuable natural resources.
EPA Releases Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Stormwater Discharges
EPA is issuing a new Stormwater Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) that will cover an estimated 4,100 industrial facilities that require NPDES permit coverage. EPA's MSGP applies to facilities in states and territories not authorized to implement the NPDES permit program, including Alaska, Idaho, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, most U.S. territories, most Indian country lands, and several other locations. The new permit offers several improvements from the previous MSGP, including easy to understand discharge requirements; fast and easy electronic filing of Notices of Intent (NOIs) and monitoring reports; and several new web-based tools.
Center for Watershed Protection releases its Municipal Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Manual 
The Center for Watershed Protection is pleased to release the final installment of the Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series, Manual 9: Municipal Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Practices. Historically, most communities have had little reason to consider the stormwater pollution generated by their own municipal operations. Over the last decade, this reality has begun to change as the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) spurred communities across the country to begin developing comprehensive pollution prevention/good housekeeping programs. Manual 9 provides "how to" guidance, and outlines the Center's most recent ideas on how municipal pollution prevention/good housekeeping practices can be used to address local water quality issues and watershed restoration goals. The manual is available for free download.
Federal Agencies Map Plans to Address Marine Debris
EPA, NOAA and nine other federal agencies have announced the completion of an interagency report that guides the strategies of individual federal agencies and of the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee (IMDCC) to prevent and reduce marine debris. The report also discusses marine debris efforts, recent progress and innovative ways to reduce the problem in the future.
Marine debris, which includes improperly discarded plastic grocery bags, bottles, ropes, tires, soda rings and lost fishing gear, is found in the ocean and along coasts around the world. Marine debris threatens public safety, hurts the economy with costly cleanups and deterred tourism, and harms and kills marine life such as seals, sea turtles, sea birds and coral reefs. The recommendations in the IMDCC's report focus on prevention, response to debris already in the environment, research and development, and coordination. IMDCC Marine Debris Report.
River Network's River Rally - Call for Workshop Proposals
Have you ever attended a River Rally workshop and thought: Wow - I could do this! Not only do I love public speaking and waxing eloquently
to river-loving people, I also actually know stuff that would interest others! If that sounds like you, consider submitting a proposal to
present a River Rally 2009 Workshop. The deadline for submission is October 24, 2008. River Network is currently accepting workshop
proposals online at the River Rally 2009 Call for Workshops Web site.
Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup on September 20th a Success
As part of Ocean Conservancy's annual International Coastal Cleanup, Girl Scout Troop #2288 from Silver Spring, Maryland and Troop #4010
from Fairfax Virginia participated in a cleanup along Washington D.C.'s Anacostia River. Approximately 125 volunteers collected 2,700 pounds
of trash from the river and nearby Anacostia Park. EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water, Benjamin Grumbles, assisted with the cleanup and
awarded patches to the Girl Scouts. Aside from the usual river debris of cigarettes, food containers, plastic bags and plastic bottles,
participants removed a grill, a shopping cart and a few lawn chairs from the nearby woods. Although overall tallies are not in for this
year's cleanup, last year approximately 378,000 volunteers from 76 countries collected over 6 million pounds of trash.
Webcasts
EPA's Watershed Academy to sponsor free December 3rd Webcast on Implementing a Rain Garden Program to Improve Stormwater Management
EPA's Watershed Academy sponsors free monthly Webcasts for watershed practitioners from around the globe. On Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008, Jenny Biddle, with EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds; Lynn Hinkle with Kansas City's 10,000Rain Gardens Initiative; and Pamela Rowe from the Montgomery County, MD Rain Garden Incentive Program will discuss the benefits of rain gardens, how to build them, and how to develop and implement a successful rain garden program. Registration will open the third week of November. Archived audio versions of past webcasts are also available.
Watershed Tool of the Month
Green Infrastructure Models and Calculators
Green Infrastructure is associated with a variety of environmental, economic, and human health benefits, many of which go hand-in-hand with one another. The benefits of green infrastructure are particularly accentuated in urban and suburban areas where green space is limited and environmental damage is more extensive. EPA's Green Infrastructure Web page features links to predictive models and calculators to assist in modeling stormwater runoff, water quality impacts from land use changes, benefits of urban tree coverage and pollutant load reductions from LID techniques. The calculators can assist with quantifying costs and benefits of green infrastructure investments.
Spotlight: Watersheds at Work
Lake Icaria, Iowa - Restoration Efforts Repair a Drinking Water Source and Recreational Area
Erosion from heavily grazed pasture lands and intensively farmed cropland caused excessive siltation in Iowa's Lake Icaria, triggering the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to place the lake on the state's 1998 303(d) list of impaired waters. The local Soil and Water Conservation District realized that the lake, which serves as both an important water supply and recreation area, was being slowly degraded. They began working with landowners in the upper reaches of the watershed to install agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that reduce soil erosion. Their efforts were successful-water quality improved, and IDNR removed Lake Icaria from Iowa's 2008 303(d) list of impaired waters for sediment.
Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
Southeast Stormwater Institute
October 14-16, 2008, Savannah, GA. The Southeast Stormwater Institute at the Coastal Georgia Center is an intensive, interactive three-day learning experience specifically designed to help public and private sector stormwater professionals develop or improve municipal stormwater programs, particularly NPDES Phase II permit programs; strengthen stormwater design, construction, and maintenance skills for innovative practices in coastal and non-coastal settings; and understand and apply volume reduction criteria, green infrastructure credits, and the new Georgia Coastal Stormwater Supplement.
WEFTEC.08 Conference
October 18-22, 2008, Chicago, IL. The 81st Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference is the largest conference of its kind in North America and offers water quality professionals from around the world water quality education and training. Learn from your peers about the latest practices, technologies, solutions and regulations in the water quality field. Earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by participating in workshops and earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs) by attending technical sessions.
EPA's "Getting in Step with Phase II: A Workshop for Stormwater Program Managers"
November 6-7, 2008, Albuquerque, NM. During the first day of this workshop you will learn how to develop and implement effective construction and post-construction stormwater programs. You will also learn how to incorporate LID concepts into your stormwater design requirements and how to make the link between stormwater management and local land use planning. On the second day, you will discover what it takes to educate various audiences on stormwater pollution prevention and promote behavior change. We will also discuss evaluating and funding your stormwater program.
Legal Tools for Pennsylvania Advocates to Clean up the Chesapeake Bay
November 15, 2008, Harrisburg Area Community College. PennFuture hosts an opportunity to learn how local groups can repair and protect local streams, rivers, wetlands and land in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This workshop will give grassroots watershed groups, conservancies, municipal government officials, hunting and fishing groups, and volunteers the legal tools to address stormwater management and agricultural pollution to protect the watershed and water quality. Registration ends November 7th, 2008.