Reducing Wildfire Risk and Protecting Our Drinking Water in a Changing Climate

USDA Blog Post:

Posted by Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service and Mike Connor, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, on July 19, 2013 at 12:00 PM

Cross-posted from the White House Council of Environmental Quality blog:

Americans are all too familiar with the devastation catastrophic wildland fires can wreak on the landscape. Fire takes lives, destroys homes, impacts wildlife, and devastates millions of acres of valuable forests and grasslands every year. But what is lesser known is that these fires also severely damage watersheds—the very lands that provide clean and abundant drinking water for millions of Americans every day.

To address this problem, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell this week announced an historic agreement between the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation to focus on proactively restoring forest lands around important watersheds and preventing costly, destructive wildfires in these areas.

The partnership is included in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan as a means to reduce wildfire risk, protect critical infrastructure, and lessen the impacts of climate change, which include higher risks of large and destructive wildfires. The damage caused to rivers, dams, and irrigation systems after a wildfire can be tremendous. Clearing out the sediment and ash left behind is costing the nation millions of dollars every year, and the impacts of climate change are expected to continue to intensify.  Climate change also exacerbates dry conditions, which can slow the natural recovery time after a wildfire.

Through this Western Watershed Enhancement Partnership, our two federal agencies will begin working with water users on both the local government and private sector level to restore healthy forested watersheds across the West. In cooperation with regional Colorado government agencies, our first effort in this partnership will start in the Upper Colorado Headwaters and Big Thompson watersheds. Our goal is to ensure these important watersheds are kept reliable and clean for the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on them for drinking water, farming and electricity.

Heavy rains after a wildfire caused this heavy sediment deposit (Photo Credit: R. H. Meade, U.S. Geological Survey)

On a national level, our partnership will work to restore forest and watershed health and conduct planning for post-wildfire actions and responses. We will strive to protect municipal and agricultural water supplies and water delivery systems from future threats and we invite cities, towns, and rural communities to partner with us.

As land managing agencies, we share an interest in the long-term sustainability of our Nation’s water supplies. These waters are the life blood for American agriculture, the source of drinking water for millions of Americans, and a key component of healthy local economies. By working cooperatively across agency lines, we can keep our forested and grassland watersheds safe for the millions of Americans and wildlife that depend on these clean and abundant water sources.

Tom Tidwell is the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.

Mike Connor is the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.

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EPA Boosts Efforts to Revitalize Richmond’s Bellemeade Community

Press release:

EPA Boosts Efforts to Revitalize Richmond’s Bellemeade Community

(RICHMOND, Va. - September 7, 2012) Funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will support the City of Richmond’s efforts to transform the southside community of Bellemeade into a greener, healthier neighborhood. The City will use the nearly $60,000 EPA urban waters grant to create the Bellemeade Watershed Coalition and assist the group in restoring Bellemeade Creek.

“Restoring urban waters is essential to revitalizing the health, livability and economic future of communities, especially historically underserved neighborhoods like Bellemeade,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “EPA’s funding is helping empower local stakeholders to play an active role in cleaning up their communities and creating neighborhood places that offer recreational and economic value for years to come.”

Bellemeade community members have been working with the City in developing a Watershed Concept Plan for restoring the water quality and health of Bellemeade Creek, making it a key educational resource for a new community school and recreational asset for use by residents.

EPA’s funding will also help build the coalition’s capacity by providing workshops on preventing pollution, creating a web-based interactive watershed map and other activities.

Ellen Gilinsky, a senior advisor in EPA’s national Office of Water, and Jon Capacasa, director of EPA’s regional water protection division, toured the Bellemeade watershed today with Richmond officials and stakeholders who will be part of the new coalition.

EPA’s Urban Waters program helps cities unlock the potential of their waterways and the land around them to better serve the needs of their communities. For more information on EPA’s Urban Waters program visit http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html   

EPA Awards $58,000 to Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to Revitalize Philadelphia-Area Watershed

Press release:

EPA Awards $58,000 to Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to Revitalize Philadelphia-Area Watershed

Green Infrastructure Initiative to Help Restore Clean Water, Support Green Jobs

PHILADELPHIA (August 15, 2012) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society today announced a $58,000 grant for a new initiative for restoring clean water, improving neighborhoods and supporting green jobs in the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford watershed in Philadelphia, Pa.

“EPA is committed to restoring our urban waters and supporting green techniques to control pollution,” said EPA Deputy Regional Administrator William C. Early. “This funding will benefit waterways, neighborhoods and livelihoods in the watershed.”

The funding will support green projects for controlling stormwater pollution to streams, creeks and rivers in the watershed. EPA is providing the funding from its Urban Waters program to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society for 10 green infrastructure projects to help restore local waterways, and for training, outreach and educational activities teaching green skills and promoting green jobs. In addition to the federal grant, PHS is also providing $10,500 for this initiative.

“PHS is looking forward to working with the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Greentreks Network, the Philadelphia Water Department, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and communities throughout the city on creative and sustainable approaches to storm water management,” said PHS President Drew Becher. “We are very grateful to EPA for supporting this environmental work and the creation of green jobs.”

Project highlights include:

• Ten green infrastructure projects supported through hands-on training.       One of the projects will help prevent flooding and restore the section of the Tacony Creek behind Friends Hospital on Roosevelt Boulevard, the site of today’s announcement.

• Training, outreach and education in green infrastructure techniques, including an economic development video; a skills training curriculum; targeted group presentations for approximately 150 people, including 40 green job trainees; and on-line resources designed to help participants implement green infrastructure projects.

The initiative is designed to link community priorities, such as neighborhood beautification, improved recreational amenities, crime reduction and employment with environmental improvements. The Tookany/Tacony-Frankford watershed includes neighborhoods in North, Northeast and Northwest Philadelphia, and parts of Montgomery County.

EPA’s Urban Waters program funding supports communities’ efforts to access, improve and benefit from their urban waters and surrounding land.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, economic, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities.

Information on EPA’s Urban Waters program: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html.

EPA Awards $175,000 to the Cherokee Nation to Support Its Water Quality Program

Press release:

EPA Awards $175,000 to the Cherokee Nation

to Support Its Water Quality Program

(DALLAS – July 11, 2012) The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma $175,000 to provide continued support for the Tribe’s water pollution control program. The funds will be used to take water samples to assess surface water quality on Tribal lands and compile data which may show changes over time and to determine if a more thorough watershed management program is needed. Sampling data will determine whether water quality standards are being met, note any changes in the quality or condition of the Cherokee Nation’s water and provide planning tools to improve the function and health of stream ecosystems.

The mission of the EPA is to protect public health. The EPA supports our nations’ tribes in all aspects of the work needed to improve the water quality of tribal land watersheds. This cooperative spirit supports work to protect water quality that ensures the health of watersheds that cross state and tribal boundaries.

Additional Information on EPA grants is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

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EPA Evaluates States’ Final Phase II Watershed Implementation Plans for Restoring the Chesapeake Bay

News release:

EPA Evaluates States’ Final Phase II Watershed Implementation Plans for Restoring the Chesapeake Bay

(PHILADELPHIA May 31, 2012) – Today, EPA released its evaluations of the final Phase II Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Completion of the plans marks a significant stage in the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort, and represents the local level planning needed to continue accelerating implementation of the necessary practices to restore the health and economic engine of the Bay watershed’s streams and rivers. 

The plans were developed by the states and the District with support from EPA, and in collaboration with local governments and conservation districts. They outline steps each jurisdiction will take toward restoring clean water to the thousands of streams and rivers that make up the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and improving the quality of life for the more than 17 million people who live in the watershed.

“While significant progress continues to be made across the watershed, the Phase II WIPs represent a transition from planning to implementing the necessary practices at the local level,” said EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin during a conference call with reporters today. “We will continue to work closely with the states and the District as we reaffirm our shared commitment for restoring this incredibly valuable national resource.”

Regional Administrator Garvin acknowledged that the jurisdictions are already doing much of this work, consistent with their Phase I WIP commitments. He added that the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, including state and federal officials, have committed to having all of the needed pollution control measures in place to fully restore the Bay by no later than 2025.

Mystic River Water Quality Receives a “D”

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
May 20, 2012

Contact: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

Mystic River Water Quality Receives a “D”
Ongoing efforts, analysis highlight problem areas

(Boston, Mass. – May 20, 2012) – At the Mystic River Watershed Association’s 16th annual Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle, EPA and the Mystic River Watershed Association announced the sixth public reporting on the condition of the Mystic River since kicking off a collaborative effort addressing water quality issues in the urban river in 2006.

This year, the Mystic River Watershed received a grade of “D” for the calendar year 2011, a slight improvement from the 2010 grade. The grade is based on bacterial contamination and was based on monitoring data over the past year showing that water quality met swimming standards only 46 percent of the time, while boating standards were met 87 percent of the time.

EPA New England joined community members and environmental advocates at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse in Somerville, Mass. to announce the grade and celebrate the return of the herring to the Mystic.
“Although our grade is not where we would like it to be, we are continuing  to focus on problem areas and apply all our available tools to improving water quality in the Mystic River,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.  “We need to redouble our efforts and stay the course over the next several years to ensure the water quality in the Mystic River Watershed improves.”
While a slight improvement was seen during 2008 and 2009 when the watershed earned a grade of “C-“, water quality in the river has generally been a “D”, and was no different during the 2011 calendar year. 
The past year saw continued efforts to improve water quality conditions in the watershed. Both EPA and MassDEP continue to pursue a number of active enforcement actions targeted at improving water quality in the Mystic River Watershed. These enforcement efforts have resulted in the removal of a number of illicit discharges of sewage to storm drains throughout the watershed.  Enforcement efforts have resulted in the removal of over 14,000 gallons per day of sewage from storm drains in the Mystic River Watershed, with numerous additional illicit connections that have been identified and are scheduled to be removed this year. A number of additional repairs have been made that have prevented tens of thousands of gallons of sewage from discharging to the river during rain events.  These aggressive efforts continue to address violations of water quality with regard to bacteria.
“This year’s grade shows that persistent impairment of water quality caused by ancient sewer and stormwater systems continues to bedevil the Mystic River Watershed,” said EkOngKar Singh Khalsa, Executive Director of the Mystic River Watershed Association. “These water quality problems will be severely compounded by the increased flooding and larger numbers of severe storm cycles that are anticipated to occur as a result of New England’s changing climate. Fortunately the solutions to the problems we face are well understood and implementation of these solutions will produce honest work and good jobs for local residents. The Mystic River Watershed Association, through its Monitoring Network, is working to develop a clear understanding of the watershed’s current physical and environmental conditions.  This understanding will insure that precious financial and human resources engaged to restore our area infrastructure and the local natural environment will be deployed effectively.”
Long-term efforts to improve this watershed will be achieved through a collaborative effort amongst all stakeholders.  Last year, the Mystic River Watershed Initiative Steering Committee signed onto a mission and set of priorities that will guide its actions for the next year.  The focus is on water quality as well as open space and public access.  The Water Quality group intends to focus on reducing and eliminating sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) in the watershed, providing stormwater technical assistance to municipalities, reducing nutrient inputs to the watershed, and better understanding and remediating legacy pollution in the Malden River area.
When assessing water quality to assign a grade to the Mystic River Watershed, EPA uses similar criteria as for the Charles River Initiative, as follows:
A – meet swimming and boating standards nearly all of the time
B -- meet swimming and boating standards most of the time
C -- meet swimming standards some of the time, and boating standards most of the time
D -- meet swimming and boating standards some of the time
F -- fail swimming and boating standards most of the time
EPA's Administrator, Lisa Jackson, has made environmental justice and the restoration of urban waters clear priorities. She has stated that environmental justice “is not an issue we can afford to relegate to the margins. It has to be part of our thinking in every decision we make.” Environmental justice is an important consideration in EPA New England’s urban rivers strategy and is a clear objective of the Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee.
More Information: EPA’s Mystic River Web site (www.epa.gov/mysticriver)

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EPA releases for public comment draft scientific study of Bristol Bay Watershed

EPA releases for public comment draft scientific study of Bristol Bay Watershed

Report assesses potential impacts of mining activity in the area         

CONTACT: Hanady Kader, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-0454, 206-225-8127(cell), kader.hanady@epa.gov

(May 18, 2012—Seattle) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released for public comment a draft scientific study of the Bristol Bay watershed and its natural resources. EPA’s report responds to growing interest in large-scale mining in the watershed from a number of stakeholders and local communities with a range of views and will lead to a better understanding of potential environmental impacts of these activities on the watershed. Under the Clean Water Act, EPA has the authority and responsibility to protect the nation’s water and perform scientific studies that enhance the agency’s and the public’s knowledge of water resources. EPA's focus in the assessment is scientific and technical; the agency has made no judgments about the use of its regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act and the draft study in no way prejudges future consideration of proposed mining activities.

The report assesses the watershed’s natural resources and the economic benefits associated with those resources, including the largest undisturbed wild sockeye salmon run in the world. EPA’s draft study does not provide an in-depth assessment of any specific mining project, but instead assesses the potential environmental impacts associated with mining activities at a scale and with the characteristics that are realistically anticipated, given the nature of mineral deposits in the watershed, the requirements for successful mining development, and publicly available information about potential mining activity. The report concludes that there is potential for certain activities associated with large-scale mining to have adverse impacts on the productivity and sustainability of the salmon fishery in the watershed. Potential impacts could include loss of habitat used for salmon spawning and rearing. The assessment, when finalized following the important public comment and independent peer review, could help inform future decisions on any large-scale mining in Bristol Bay by both federal and non-federal decision-makers.

The draft assessment focused on the Nushagak and Kvichak watersheds, which produce up to half of all Bristol Bay salmon and are open to mining development under Alaska law.

Key findings in EPA’s draft assessment include:

• All five species of North American Pacific salmon are found in Bristol Bay. The Bristol Bay watershed supports the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. The Kvichak River produces more sockeye salmon than any other river in the world. The Nushagak River is the fourth largest producer of Chinook salmon in North America.
• Bristol Bay’s wild salmon fishery and other ecological resources provide at least 14,000 full and part-time jobs and is valued at about $480 million annually.
• The average annual run of sockeye salmon is about 37.5 million fish.
• Bristol Bay provides habitat for numerous animal species, including 35 fish species, more than 190 bird species and 40 animal species.

EPA also examined the importance of Bristol Bay salmon in sustaining the traditional subsistence lifestyle of Alaska Native Villages in the watershed. The assessment includes detailed reports on Bristol Bay indigenous culture, wildlife and economics, as well as salmon and other fish.

EPA will take public comment on the draft assessment until July 23. The agency has also scheduled public meetings in Alaska in June and will host webinars for people interested in learning more about the assessment. EPA is also submitting the draft assessment for independent scientific peer review. All of this information will help guide a final report. For information on public meetings and how to submit comments, visit our website: http://www.epa.gov/region10/bristolbay/.

For more information on EPA’s Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment and to read the assessment, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region10/bristolbay/

News Release from EPA Region 3

EPA Announces $4 Million in New Funding to Assist

Local Governments with Bay Cleanup

(PHILADELPHIA – March13, 2012)The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced a new $4 million EPA-funded initiative providing financial and technical assistance to local governments needing to reduce water pollution to help restore the Chesapeake Bay.

“Now more than ever, the Chesapeake Bay needs the creativity, innovation and ingenuity of local governments,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.  “This new EPA funding will enable local governments to implement the best solutions to on-the-ground challenges they face in helping to restore the Bay, and share those approaches with other towns throughout the entire watershed.”

As local governments work to implement the Chesapeake Bay TMDL or ‘pollution diet,’ the Local Government Green Infrastructure Initiative will support them by making grants of up to $750,000 available.   The grants will be administered by NFWF through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, and competitively awarded to local governments to design and implement projects demonstrating the integration of green infrastructure into existing programs to meet community needs and improve local waterways and the Bay.

“A growing number of local governments are viewing community improvement projects—from street and park enhancements to public facility renovations—as an opportunity to green their community and help the Bay,” said David J. O’Neill, Director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Eastern Partnership Office. “This initiative will help more local governments meet their jobs, mobility, and recreation needs, while simultaneously helping them restore local creeks and streams and the Chesapeake Bay.”

With a combination of grants and technical assistance, the initiative aims to help local governments overcome obstacles to meeting pollution reduction goals for local waters and the Bay. The Bay TMDL provides states and local governments with considerable flexibility in how they achieve these objectives.

“Local government is an important driver; able to quickly turn policy into practice,” said Harford County Councilwoman Mary Ann Lisanti, chair of the Chesapeake Bay Partnership’s Local Government Advisory Committee. “We are confident that by showcasing the good things that are happening in communities and neighborhoods that more people will be motivated to do their part”

Grants will be awarded for green infrastructure initiatives such as capital improvements, road maintenance programs, flood plain management, and other projects that produce measurable water quality improvements in local rivers and streams, and ultimately the Bay. The Bay TMDL requires approximately 25 percent reductions in nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution, with all of the of the pollution reduction measures needed for restoring the Bay in place by 2025.

“This critical program will enable local governments to design and implement projects that will achieve measurable goals in restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed,” said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee.  “It offers localities an opportunity to integrate innovative practices into already existing programs to improve efforts to clean up the Bay.”

“Protecting the Chesapeake Bay means protecting jobs,” said Congressman Ruppersberger. “The Bay generates $1 trillion for its watershed each year through fishing, tourism, higher property values and shipping. This new grant program will help local governments clean up local rivers and streams that feed into the Bay, helping to preserve this environmental and economical treasure for generations to come.”

In addition to grant awards, local governments are eligible to receive technical assistance for specific challenges they identify as barriers to improving water quality, including financing assistance, project design and implementation, and stormwater and land use management. Selected localities will represent the diverse characteristics of local governments throughout the 64,000 square-mile watershed – including rural counties, predominantly agricultural communities, rapidly growing suburban localities, smaller cities, and urban municipalities.

In partnership with the Local Government Advisory Committee, resources will also be made available for local governments to share information and experiences. Through forums and workshops, local governments will gain access to information about best practices and evolving strategies for achieving water quality goals for local waters and the Bay.

Since 2000, the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund has offered $68.9 million in grants for over 700 projects across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The goal of the fund is to accelerate local implementation of the most innovative, sustainable and cost-effective strategies for restoring and protecting water quality and vital habitats within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

For more information about the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund programs and grant opportunities, visit www.nfwf.org/chesapeake. 

Anacostia River Revitalization Fund

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 9, 2012

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson Announces Creation of Anacostia River Revitalization Fund
 

EPA Administrator was joined by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to announce $1 million fund

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and David O’Neill of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) joined Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton of the District of Columbia this morning at Marvin Gaye Park to announce the creation of The Anacostia River Revitalization Fund.  The fund, which will invest $1 million in restoration activities this year, with a total goal of investing  $5 million over the next three years, will be used protect and restore the Anacostia River and to create a national model for watershed conservation. NFWF, in partnership with EPA and the DC Department of the Environment and with funding from corporate sponsors, created the fund, which will award grants to local partnering organizations.

"Clean waters and outdoor recreation can boost urban communities' human, environmental and economic health," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Through the Anacostia River Revitalization Fund, we're able to partner with state and local government agencies, private foundations and corporate sponsors to make the most of our resources and ensure our restoration efforts are as effective as possible."

“We are proud to be a partnering with EPA, the DC government, and our corporate sponsors to help restore this important river – for fish and wildlife, for clean water, for the residents of DC and for its neighborhoods where people live, work and play,” said David O’Neill of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “It is our goal to build this Fund so that it attracts new investments that will accelerate the restoration of the Anacostia and result in meaningful and measurable improvements to the river and to the communities that rest along its banks.”

"I'm excited and pleased that the Environmental Protection Agency is joining the District of Columbia and regional partners in our ongoing efforts to revitalize the Anacostia River," D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray said. "This important natural resource was neglected for too many years -- but it is central to our city's geography and increasingly to its identity as a beautiful, sustainable, livable city with miles of waterfront ripe for public use and private development."

“This important funding comes at a critical time, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the District and Maryland in the early stages of implementation of the 10-year Anacostia River cleanup plan mandated by my bill, the Anacostia Watershed Initiative Act”, said Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. These funds will move the District forward with the message that the city is serious about cleaning up the Anacostia River.”  
Specific grant selection criteria will be mutually agreed upon by NFWF, EPA, DDOE and other funding partners.  Priority will be given to projects focused on key tenants of the fund – improving water quality in the Anacostia River and its tributaries; achieving habitat restoration priorities for the Anacostia; engaging, employing and educating local residents and businesses; connecting the public to the Anacostia and its tributaries through enhanced outdoor recreation and volunteer opportunities; leveraging public and private funding to make the greatest conservation impact; and emphasizing the neighborhood benefits of watershed restoration to local economic development, public health, livability and as a neighborhood asset.

The establishment of the Anacostia River Restoration Fund is another step in advancing President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative. Through AGO, the administration is opening up access to millions of acres for recreation, designating thousands of miles of new land and water trails, increasing youth employment in conservation jobs, helping parks and green space become more accessible and clean in urban areas, and making historic investments in large landscapes such as the Everglades.

The Anacostia River is one of seven pilot locations as part of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, an innovative union of 11 federal agencies, led by EPA, that focus on both natural resources and economic development and aims to use environmental restoration to protect people’s health and maximize economic growth.

Today’s announcement in Anacostia is one of several conservation announcements made nationwide over the past two weeks as part of the White House Conference on Conservation—Growing America’s Outdoor Heritage and Economy.  Last Friday’s conference convened hundreds of boaters, hunters, anglers, farmers, ranchers, land conservationists, historic preservationists, outdoor recreationists, small business owners, local governments, tribal leaders and other key stakeholders, strengthening partnerships and identifying next steps in tackling issues surrounding conservation and the great outdoors in urban cities and rural communities. During the conference, Washington, DC Mayor Vincent Gray participated in a panel discussion led by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, highlighting the importance of rivers and clean water to our cities.

News Release from EPA - Help for Water & Wastewater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASEMarch 2, 2012 

EPA Provides $15 Million to Help Small Drinking Water and Wastewater Systems Across the Country

Funding will help small systems better serve local communities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it will provide up to $15 million in funding for training and technical assistance to small drinking and wastewater systems, defined as systems that serve fewer than 10,000 people, and private well owners. The funding will help provide water system staff with training and tools to enhance system operations and management practices, and supports EPA’s continuing efforts to protect public health, restore watersheds and promote sustainability in small communities.

Most of the funding, up to $14.5 million, will provide training and technical assistance to small public water systems to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and to small publicly-owned wastewater systems, communities served by on-site systems, and private well owners to improve water quality.

More than 97 percent of the nation’s 157,000 public water systems serve fewer than 10,000 people, and more than 80 percent of these systems serve fewer than 500 people. Many small systems face unique challenges in providing reliable drinking water and wastewater services that meet federal and state regulations. These challenges can include a lack of financial resources, aging infrastructure, management limitations and high staff turnover.

EPA expects to make available up to $500,000 to provide training and technical assistance to tribally-owned and operated public water systems.

Applications must be received by EPA by April 9, 2012. EPA expects to award these cooperative agreements by Summer 2012. For more information about these competitive announcements, visit:

http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/sdwa/smallsystemsrfa.cfm 

For more information on EPA’s programs and tools to help small water systems, visit:

http://water.epa.gov/type/drink/pws/smallsystems/index.cfm

Yellowdog Creek Nursed Back to Health

North Idaho’s Yellowdog Creek Nursed Back to Health by Local, State and Federal Partnership

Contact: USDA/USFS Jason Kirchner, Forest Public Affairs Officer, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Office: (208) 765-7211 Cell: (208) 661-8080, jdkirchner@fs.fed.us; Kajsa Eagle Stromberg, Watershed Coordinator, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, General: (208) 769-1422 Direct: (208) 666-4633, Kajsa.Stromberg@deq.idaho.gov; Mark MacIntyre, Senior Public Affairs Officer, U.S. EPA, Desk: (206) 553-7302 or Cell: 369-7999, macintyre.mark@epa.gov 

(Coeur d’Alene, ID – February 28, 2012) Northern Idaho’s Yellowdog Creek, impaired for decades by eroding forest road sediment, is coming back to life thanks to the work of local partnership between the U.S. Forest Service, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (Idaho DEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to Mary Farnsworth, Idaho Panhandle National Forests Supervisor, several USFS-led watershed restoration projects have stabilized erosion prone areas, helped bring back stream-cooling vegetation and allowed native cutthroat trout to thrive once again.   The watershed restoration efforts also helped to support the local economy by employing local companies to implement stream improvement and road removal projects.

"Our work in Yellowdog Creek is just one of many great examples where restoration is making a difference on our lands and for the local communities that rely on them," said Farnsworth. "In the coming months and years our communities can expect to see more projects that emphasize restoring the health of our treasured National Forests while also creating social and economic benefits for our communities."

Yellowdog Creek is part of the North Fork Coeur d’Alene River system, draining the Coeur d'Alene Mountains of northern Idaho. Most of the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene (North Fork) and its tributaries lie within the Coeur d'Alene National Forest, managed by the USFS. Intensive timber harvest and road building occurred through much of the area from 1890 until the early 2000s. Over the years, runoff and floodwaters continued to erode and wash out roads, particularly those near or adjacent to streams. The sediment negatively affected the region’s important fisheries by degrading habitat and suffocating insects and fish eggs.

Stream assessments beginning in the early 1990’s told a somber story of an unhealthy stream, choked with sediment and declining populations of insects and fish. To address the stream’s poor health, Idaho DEQ developed a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or “pollution budget” for Yellowdog Creek and nearby streams. The TMDL helped guide restoration by creating tangible targets for sediment reduction.

The USFS conducted a multi-pronged restoration campaign between 2000 and 2006, dramatically reducing sediment in the stream. A 2009 survey identified diverse aquatic insect communities, and a burgeoning fish population featuring sculpin, westslope cutthroat trout and longnose dace—all native species that are typically associated with cold, clear and healthy waters. The profound improvement has even allowed Idaho DEQ to propose removal of Yellowdog Creek from the state’s list of sediment impaired waters this year!

Those familiar with the project are crediting sound stream science, a problem-solving attitude and a commitment by all partners to “pull on the rope in the same direction” as the keys to success in Yellowdog Creek. The Idaho DEQ Nonpoint Source Management Program, together with the USFS crafted and launched an ambitious plan that featured numerous restoration projects in the Yellowdog Creek and the adjacent Downey Creek watersheds. For funding, the partners leveraged nearly $1 million in funding from timber sale receipts to fuel watershed restoration in Yellowdog and Downey creeks along the North Fork.

The funding allowed the USFS to implement restoration work throughout the watershed that included:

*Rerouting roads to maintain public access while reducing road density in the watershed by 60 percent.

*Reducing sediment pollution by stabilizing eroding stream banks and re-planting road surfaces and riparian areas.

*Removing two miles of road directly adjacent to the stream in the lower watershed and removing 111 stream crossings

*Restoring stream banks and replenishing riparian areas by anchoring more than 750 logs in the stream channel and installing boulders to create 100 pool-forming structures.

(The logs and boulder structures helped to stabilize the stream by providing a gentler grade and offering cover for all stages of fish and insect life.)

Kajsa Stromberg, Idaho DEQ Watershed Coordinator applauds the USFS efforts.

“The recovery in Yellowdog Creek demonstrates how a good, coordinated watershed restoration project can bring a degraded mountain stream back to life. Thanks to the hard work of a lot of folks, especially the North Fork Coeur d’Alene River Watershed Advisory Group, Yellowdog Creek is living proof that recovery is possible.“

Numerous partners participated with USFS in planning and implementation, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Idaho DEQ, Idaho Department of Water Resources, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, North Idaho Fly Casters and the Kootenai Environmental Alliance. USEPA provided funds to monitor stream health and measure the water quality benefits of road improvement projects.

Encouraged by the revival of Yellowdog Creek the USFS and its partners vow to “work their restoration magic” and revitalize many more streams along the North Fork Coeur d’Alene River.

EPA Senior Natural Resource Advisor, Don Martin summed it up:

“The US Forest Service and Idaho DEQ deserve a lot of credit for their vision, leadership and years of hard work,” said Martin. “By restoring Yellowdog Creek, an important tributary, they are helping the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene run clean, cold and healthy.”

Green Streets, Jobs, & Towns Grants Available

News release from EPA:

Green Streets-Green Jobs-Green Towns Grants Available to Improve Chesapeake Bay Water Quality, Cities, and Towns

                                                                                 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 Contact: Molly Alton Mullins 410.974.2941, Ext. 107  

EPA: Terri White 215-814-5523 white.terri@epa.gov

                                                                                          

(ANNAPOLIS, Md. – February 8, 2012) Today the Chesapeake Bay Trust, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the state of Maryland unveiled an expanded Green Streets-Green Jobs-Green Towns grant initiative to help cities and towns in the Chesapeake Bay watershed accelerate greening efforts that improve watershed protection, community livability, and economic vitality. Building on the success of the initial round of grants, this public-private partnership will award more than $400,000 in 2012, double the funding from 2011.

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“To meet tomorrow’s challenges, we need to apply cost-effective solutions for improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the economy of our communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “Green streets and green infrastructure are investments that create jobs and save money while also providing multiple environmental and quality of life benefits. By helping towns accelerate their local greening efforts, we’re moving ahead in creating an America built to last.”

At a roundtable meeting today in Forest Heights, Md., Garvin heard from a group of mayors whose towns were Green Streets-Green Jobs grant recipients last year. The mayors discussed best practices and lessons learned in developing green infrastructure and green streets, focusing on economic development, energy efficiency and building sustainable communities.

The grant program is open to local governments and non-profit organizations in urban and suburban watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland, D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia who are interested in pursuing green streets, green infrastructure, and green jobs as part of their community or watershed planning.

Grant assistance up to $35,000 is available for infrastructure project planning and design, and up to $100,000 for implementation and construction. The strongest proposals will incorporate innovative green infrastructure and best management practices that maximize cost-effectiveness.

Projects selected will enhance sustainable watershed protection and green infrastructure stormwater management through low impact development practices, renewable energy use, local livability and green job creation. The request for proposals is available at www.cbtrust.org with a deadline of March 9, 2012 for all applications.

“Many small to mid-sized communities around the Chesapeake Bay watershed are looking for ways to boost local economies while also protecting water resources and expand greening efforts,” said Allen Hance, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “Building green streets and urban green infrastructure projects marry three important issues that these towns face: jobs, livability, and the environment.”

In April 2011, the Chesapeake Bay Trust announced the first-ever grant recipients of this Green Streets-Green Jobs partnership. In total, 10 cities and towns were awarded $25,000-$35,000 grants to fund the planning and design of green infrastructure projects within the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia watersheds.

“We have seen demand for green infrastructure funding accelerate as more and more jurisdictions understand the connection between green development and economic improvement,” said John R. Griffin, secretary of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. “These projects will stimulate the green jobs market and enable families to work where they live and play while also empowering communities to gain better access to restoration resources that support Chesapeake Bay protection.”

The Green Streets-Green Jobs-Green Towns Initiative, administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust, supports President Obama’s Executive Order for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay through the creation of “green streets.”

The Chesapeake Bay Green Streets- Green Jobs-Green Towns Academy will also host a webinar: “Tools for Greening Chesapeake Bay Communities”

1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 15. To register visit: http://mp118885.cdn.mediaplatform.com/118885/ml/mp/4000/5345/5417/12575/Lobby/default.htm

For more information on the Green Streets grant program please visit cbtrust.org.

EPA Releases New Water Pollution Tool

News Release form EPA Headquarters:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2012

EPA Releases New Tool with Information about Water Pollution Across the U.S.

EPA to host webinar on how to use tool to access information on pollutants released into local waterways

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of a new tool that provides the public with important information about pollutants that are released into local waterways. Developed under President Obama’s transparency initiative, the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Pollutant Loading Tool brings together millions of records and allows for easy searching and mapping of water pollution by local area, watershed, company, industry sector, and pollutant. Americans can use this new tool to protect their health and the health of their communities.

“Transparency leads to greater accountability and better information about pollution in our nation’s communities,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By making the data we collect available in easy to use tools, we are keeping Americans informed about the health of the environment in their neighborhoods.”

Searches using the DMR Pollutant Loading Tool result in “top ten” lists to help users easily identify facilities and industries that are discharging the most pollution and impacted waterbodies. When discharges are above permitted levels, users can view the violations and link to details about enforcement actions that EPA and states have taken to address these violations.

Facilities releasing water pollution directly into our nation’s waterways, such as wastewater treatment plants or industrial manufacturers, must receive a permit to discharge under the Clean Water Act. Each permit sets specific limits for how much can be discharged. It also requires the permittee to frequently sample their wastewater discharges and report the data to their state or EPA permitting authority.

A link to the new tool can be found on EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) website, which provides information about inspections, facility compliance, and state and federal enforcement actions. EPA has also released several new ECHO features, including a search for criminal enforcement cases and web developer tools that make it easy to tap into ECHO reports and maps.

Information about the webinar:

WHAT: A webinar to demonstrate how to use the new Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Pollutant Loading Tool.

WHO: Members of the media, non-profit organizations, industry, business, and citizens interested in learning how to use the tool are encouraged to participate.

WHEN: Thursday, January 26, 2012, 10 a.m., Eastern Time

HOW: To participate, please use the following dial-in numbers.

Audio Contact Instruction:

(1) Dial the toll-free dial-in number: (866) 358 1366

(2) At the recorded prompt, enter the Conference Code (2025661014) and the "#" sign, using the telephone keypad.
(3) Wait for the Leader to join and the conference to begin.
(4) To disconnect, hang up the telephone.

To access the Webinar use GoToWebinar link: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/192410536

*** YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE TO ACCESS THE WEBINAR***

DMR Pollutant Loading Tool: http://www.epa.gov/pollutantdischarges

ECHO: http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo

More information about new features in ECHO: http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/recent_additions.html