Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
ENVIRO-NEWS: EPA Improves Access to Information on Hundreds of Chemicals
Here is some need to know info.
AP
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 15, 2011 1:53 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Improves Access to Information on Hundreds of Chemicals
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From: U.S. EPA [mailto:usaepa@govdelivery.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 12:58 PM
Subject: Research News Release (HQ): EPA Improves Access to Information
on Hundreds of Chemicals
CONTACT:
Mollie Lemon (News Media Only)
lemon.mollie@epa.gov
202-564-2039
202-564-4355
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2011
EPA Improves Access to Information on Hundreds of Chemicals
Searchable databases on chemical toxicity and exposure data now
available
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making it
easier to find data about chemicals. EPA is releasing two databases -
the Toxicity Forecaster database (ToxCastDB) and a database of chemical
exposure studies (ExpoCastDB) - that scientists and the public can use
to access chemical toxicity and exposure data. Improved access supports
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's priorities of protecting Americans'
health by assuring the safety of chemicals and expanding the
conversation on environmentalism.
"Chemical safety is a major priority of EPA and its research," said Dr.
Paul Anastas, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Research and
Development. "These databases provide the public access to chemical
information, data and results that we can use to make better-informed
and timelier decisions about chemicals to better protect people's
health."
ToxCastDB users can search and download data from over 500 rapid
chemical tests conducted on more than 300 environmental chemicals.
ToxCast uses advanced scientific tools to predict the potential toxicity
of chemicals and to provide a cost-effective approach to prioritizing
which chemicals of the thousands in use require further testing. ToxCast
is currently screening 700 additional chemicals, and the data will be
available in 2012.
ExpoCastDB consolidates human exposure data from studies that have
collected chemical measurements from homes and child care centers. Data
include the amounts of chemicals found in food, drinking water, air,
dust, indoor surfaces and urine. ExpoCastDB users can obtain summary
statistics of exposure data and download datasets. EPA will continue to
add internal and external chemical exposure data and advanced user
interface features to ExpoCastDB.
The new databases link together two important pieces of chemical
research - exposure and toxicity data - both of which are required when
considering potential risks posed by chemicals. The databases are
connected through EPA's Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource
(ACToR), an online data warehouse that collects data on over 500,000
chemicals from over 500 public sources.
Users can now access 30 years worth of animal chemical toxicity studies
that were previously only found in paper documents, data from rapid
chemical testing, and various chemical exposure measurements through one
online resource. The ability to link and compare these different types
of data better informs EPA's decisions about chemical safety.
More information about the databases:
ToxCastDB: http://actor.epa.gov/actor/faces/ToxCastDB/Home.jsp
ExpoCastDB: http://actor.epa.gov/actor/faces/ExpoCastDB/Home.jsp
ACToR: http://actor.epa.gov
R202
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 15, 2011 1:53 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Improves Access to Information on Hundreds of Chemicals
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From: U.S. EPA [mailto:usaepa@govdelivery.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 12:58 PM
Subject: Research News Release (HQ): EPA Improves Access to Information
on Hundreds of Chemicals
CONTACT:
Mollie Lemon (News Media Only)
lemon.mollie@epa.gov
202-564-2039
202-564-4355
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2011
EPA Improves Access to Information on Hundreds of Chemicals
Searchable databases on chemical toxicity and exposure data now
available
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making it
easier to find data about chemicals. EPA is releasing two databases -
the Toxicity Forecaster database (ToxCastDB) and a database of chemical
exposure studies (ExpoCastDB) - that scientists and the public can use
to access chemical toxicity and exposure data. Improved access supports
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's priorities of protecting Americans'
health by assuring the safety of chemicals and expanding the
conversation on environmentalism.
"Chemical safety is a major priority of EPA and its research," said Dr.
Paul Anastas, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Research and
Development. "These databases provide the public access to chemical
information, data and results that we can use to make better-informed
and timelier decisions about chemicals to better protect people's
health."
ToxCastDB users can search and download data from over 500 rapid
chemical tests conducted on more than 300 environmental chemicals.
ToxCast uses advanced scientific tools to predict the potential toxicity
of chemicals and to provide a cost-effective approach to prioritizing
which chemicals of the thousands in use require further testing. ToxCast
is currently screening 700 additional chemicals, and the data will be
available in 2012.
ExpoCastDB consolidates human exposure data from studies that have
collected chemical measurements from homes and child care centers. Data
include the amounts of chemicals found in food, drinking water, air,
dust, indoor surfaces and urine. ExpoCastDB users can obtain summary
statistics of exposure data and download datasets. EPA will continue to
add internal and external chemical exposure data and advanced user
interface features to ExpoCastDB.
The new databases link together two important pieces of chemical
research - exposure and toxicity data - both of which are required when
considering potential risks posed by chemicals. The databases are
connected through EPA's Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource
(ACToR), an online data warehouse that collects data on over 500,000
chemicals from over 500 public sources.
Users can now access 30 years worth of animal chemical toxicity studies
that were previously only found in paper documents, data from rapid
chemical testing, and various chemical exposure measurements through one
online resource. The ability to link and compare these different types
of data better informs EPA's decisions about chemical safety.
More information about the databases:
ToxCastDB: http://actor.epa.gov/actor/faces/ToxCastDB/Home.jsp
ExpoCastDB: http://actor.epa.gov/actor/faces/ExpoCastDB/Home.jsp
ACToR: http://actor.epa.gov
R202
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
ENVIRO-NEWS: EPA Water Headlines for the week of June 13, 2011
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 14, 2011 4:10 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Water Headlines for the week of June 13, 2011
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Travis Loop [mailto:loop.travis@epa.gov]
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 9:34 PM
Subject: [waterheadlines] Water Headlines for the week of June 13, 2011
Water Headlines for the week of June 13, 2011
Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces
publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Water
In This Week's Water Headlines:
1) U.S. EPA, NOAA Increase Protection of Public, Property in Coastal
Communities through New Partnership
2) EPA Extends Comment Period for Draft Construction General Permit
3) Join EPA for its "Introduction to the National Pretreatment Program"
Webcast
[deletions]
1) U.S. EPA, NOAA Increase Protection of Public, Property in Coastal
Communities through New Partnership
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a joint agreement that
will protect the safety, health and property of people living in or
visiting coastal communities around the nation. Under the agreement,
the two agencies will partner with local governmental entities to
improve the sustainability of waterfront communities and protect coastal
ecosystems, including anticipating and reducing impacts of climate
change.
As part of the agreement, EPA and NOAA will provide technical assistance
and training to implement more sustainable construction and land use
practices, develop Innovative, web-based tools to better provide the
public and local government with essential scientific and technical
information, collaborate on the development of the National Coastal
Condition Assessment and Reports which depict the condition of the
nation's coastal waters based on data collected and analyzed by state
agencies, and support place-based projects focused on equitable
development and climate adaptation in coastal urban watersheds.
This agreement builds on a 2005-2010 EPA-NOAA partnership which
provided training on resilience and smart growth to over 400 coastal
community officials and developed the publication Smart Growth for
Coastal and Waterfront Communities.
For more information about the new agreement, please visit
www.csc.noaa.gov/publications/2011-EPA-NOAA-MOA.pdf
2) EPA Extends Comment Period for Draft Construction General Permit
EPA is extending the public comment period for the draft Construction
General Permit (CGP) from June 24, 2011, to July 11, 2011, to give
stakeholders additional time to review the draft permit and provide
comments. The draft permit, published on April 25, 2011, regulates the
discharge of stormwater from construction sites that disturb one acre or
more of land and from smaller sites that are part of a larger common
plan of development in areas where EPA is the permitting authority,
including four states (Idaho, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Idaho);
Washington, D.C.; most territories; and most Indian country lands. The
draft CGP includes a number of modifications to the current permit, many
of which are necessary to implement the new Effluent Limitations
Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for Construction and
Development point sources, known as the "C&D rule."
For additional information on the Construction General Permit and to
view a copy of the Federal Register notice announcing the comment period
extension, please visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/cgp.cfm.
3) Join EPA for its "Introduction to the National Pretreatment Program"
Webcast
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a webcast
titled, "Introduction to the National Pretreatment Program," on
Thursday, June 30, 2011, from 1:00-3:00 PM Eastern time. The webcast is
designed to provide a brief overview of the National Pretreatment
Program for interested parties, including but not limited to states,
publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and industry stakeholders, who
are unfamiliar with the program's requirements.
The National Pretreatment Program is a cooperative effort of federal,
state, and local regulatory environmental agencies established to
protect water quality. The program is designed to reduce the level of
pollutants discharged by industry and other non-domestic wastewater
sources into municipal sewer systems, and, thereby, reduce the amount of
pollutants released into the environment through wastewater. The
objectives of the program are to protect POTWs from pollutants that may
interfere with plant operation, to prevent pollutants that may pass
through untreated from being introduced into POTWs, and to improve
opportunities for POTWs to reuse wastewater and sludges that are
generated.
Topics covered during the webcast will include: how the Clean Water Act
pertains to the National Pretreatment Program, an overview of the
general pretreatment regulations (40 CFR Part 403), and POTW
pretreatment program implementation requirements.
For more information on the webcast, including information on speakers
and instructions on how to register, please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/npdes/training. For additional information on EPA's
National Pretreatment Program, visit:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=3.
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 14, 2011 4:10 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Water Headlines for the week of June 13, 2011
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Travis Loop [mailto:loop.travis@epa.gov]
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 9:34 PM
Subject: [waterheadlines] Water Headlines for the week of June 13, 2011
Water Headlines for the week of June 13, 2011
Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces
publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Water
In This Week's Water Headlines:
1) U.S. EPA, NOAA Increase Protection of Public, Property in Coastal
Communities through New Partnership
2) EPA Extends Comment Period for Draft Construction General Permit
3) Join EPA for its "Introduction to the National Pretreatment Program"
Webcast
[deletions]
1) U.S. EPA, NOAA Increase Protection of Public, Property in Coastal
Communities through New Partnership
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a joint agreement that
will protect the safety, health and property of people living in or
visiting coastal communities around the nation. Under the agreement,
the two agencies will partner with local governmental entities to
improve the sustainability of waterfront communities and protect coastal
ecosystems, including anticipating and reducing impacts of climate
change.
As part of the agreement, EPA and NOAA will provide technical assistance
and training to implement more sustainable construction and land use
practices, develop Innovative, web-based tools to better provide the
public and local government with essential scientific and technical
information, collaborate on the development of the National Coastal
Condition Assessment and Reports which depict the condition of the
nation's coastal waters based on data collected and analyzed by state
agencies, and support place-based projects focused on equitable
development and climate adaptation in coastal urban watersheds.
This agreement builds on a 2005-2010 EPA-NOAA partnership which
provided training on resilience and smart growth to over 400 coastal
community officials and developed the publication Smart Growth for
Coastal and Waterfront Communities.
For more information about the new agreement, please visit
www.csc.noaa.gov/publications/2011-EPA-NOAA-MOA.pdf
2) EPA Extends Comment Period for Draft Construction General Permit
EPA is extending the public comment period for the draft Construction
General Permit (CGP) from June 24, 2011, to July 11, 2011, to give
stakeholders additional time to review the draft permit and provide
comments. The draft permit, published on April 25, 2011, regulates the
discharge of stormwater from construction sites that disturb one acre or
more of land and from smaller sites that are part of a larger common
plan of development in areas where EPA is the permitting authority,
including four states (Idaho, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Idaho);
Washington, D.C.; most territories; and most Indian country lands. The
draft CGP includes a number of modifications to the current permit, many
of which are necessary to implement the new Effluent Limitations
Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for Construction and
Development point sources, known as the "C&D rule."
For additional information on the Construction General Permit and to
view a copy of the Federal Register notice announcing the comment period
extension, please visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/cgp.cfm.
3) Join EPA for its "Introduction to the National Pretreatment Program"
Webcast
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a webcast
titled, "Introduction to the National Pretreatment Program," on
Thursday, June 30, 2011, from 1:00-3:00 PM Eastern time. The webcast is
designed to provide a brief overview of the National Pretreatment
Program for interested parties, including but not limited to states,
publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and industry stakeholders, who
are unfamiliar with the program's requirements.
The National Pretreatment Program is a cooperative effort of federal,
state, and local regulatory environmental agencies established to
protect water quality. The program is designed to reduce the level of
pollutants discharged by industry and other non-domestic wastewater
sources into municipal sewer systems, and, thereby, reduce the amount of
pollutants released into the environment through wastewater. The
objectives of the program are to protect POTWs from pollutants that may
interfere with plant operation, to prevent pollutants that may pass
through untreated from being introduced into POTWs, and to improve
opportunities for POTWs to reuse wastewater and sludges that are
generated.
Topics covered during the webcast will include: how the Clean Water Act
pertains to the National Pretreatment Program, an overview of the
general pretreatment regulations (40 CFR Part 403), and POTW
pretreatment program implementation requirements.
For more information on the webcast, including information on speakers
and instructions on how to register, please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/npdes/training. For additional information on EPA's
National Pretreatment Program, visit:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=3.
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
Saturday, June 11, 2011
ENVIRO-NEWS
"USGS Study Finds Recent Snowpack Declines in the Rocky Mountains Unusual Compared to Past Few Centuries".
We are witnessing the rapid and certain decline in winter snowpack on a global scale. These annual accumulations of frozen precipitation have been a consistent source of fresh water throughout recorded human history. Regardless of the cause, changes are occurring and we need to look at this reality for what it is; and be proactive in planning for a future that will be very different from what we have become accustomed to.
AP
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 10, 2011 2:39 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] USGS Study Finds Recent Snowpack Declines in the Rocky Mountains Unusual Compared to Past Few Centuries
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
Forwarded from
http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/USGS-Study-Finds-Recent-Snowpack-Declines-in-the-Rocky-Mountains-Unusual-Compared-to-Past-Few-Centuries.cfm#
[also available at
http://go.usa.gov/WaY ]
USGS Study Finds Recent Snowpack Declines in the Rocky Mountains Unusual Compared to Past Few Centuries
06/09/2011
Contact: Kendra Barkoff (DOI) 202-208-6416
Suzanna Soileau (USGS) 406-994-7257
WASHINGTON - A USGS study released today suggests that snowpack declines in the Rocky Mountains over the last 30 years are unusual compared to the past few centuries. Prior studies by the USGS and other institutions attribute the decline to unusual springtime warming, more precipitation falling now as rain rather than snow and earlier snowmelt.
The warming and snowpack decline are projected to worsen through the 21st century, foreshadowing a strain on water supplies. Runoff from winter snowpack - layers of snow that accumulate at high altitude - accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the annual water supply for more than 70 million people living in the western United States.
"This scientific work is critical to understanding how climate change is affecting western water supplies," Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. "It helps land managers adapt to changing conditions on the ground, assists water managers with planning for the future, and gives all of us a better understanding of the real impacts that carbon pollution is having on our resources and our way of life."
USGS scientists, with partners at the Universities of Arizona, Washington, Wyoming, and Western Ontario, led the study that evaluated the recent declines using snowpack reconstructions from 66 tree-ring chronologies, looking back 500 to more than 1,000 years. The network of sites was chosen strategically to characterize the range of natural snowpack variability over the long term, and from north to south in the Rocky Mountains.
With a few exceptions (the mid-14th and early 15th centuries), the snowpack reconstructions show that the northern Rocky Mountains experience large snowpacks when the southern Rockies experience meager ones, and vice versa. Since the 1980s, however, there were simultaneous declines along the entire length of the Rocky Mountains, and unusually severe declines in the north.
"Over most of the 20th century, and especially since the 1980s, the northern Rockies have borne the brunt of the snowpack losses," said USGS scientist Gregory Pederson, the lead author of the study. "Most of the land and snow in the northern Rockies sits at lower and warmer elevations than the southern Rockies, making the snowpack more sensitive to seemingly small increases in temperature. Also, winter storm tracks were displaced to the south in the early 20th century and post-1980s. Forest fires were larger, more frequent and harder to fight, while Glacier National Park lost 125 of its 150 glaciers."
USGS scientist and co-author Julio Betancourt explains that "The difference in snowpack along the north and south changed in the 1980s, as the unprecedented warming in the springtime began to overwhelm the precipitation effect, causing snowpack to decline simultaneously in the north and south. Throughout the West, springtime tends to be warmer during El Niño than La Niña years, but the warming prior to the 1980s was usually not enough to offset the strong influence of precipitation on snowpack."
The La Niña episode this year is an example with lots of snow in the north while severe drought afflicts the south. But, in the north, this year's gains are only a small blip on a century-long snowpack decline.
In the West, the average position of the winter storm tracks tend to fluctuate north and south around a latitudinal line connecting Denver, Salt Lake City and Sacramento. In El Niño years, winter storms track south of that line, while in La Niña years, they track to the north.
This study supports research by others estimating that between 30-60 percent of the declines in the late 20th century are likely due to greenhouse gas emissions. The remaining part of the trend can be attributed to natural decadal variability in the ocean and atmosphere, which is making springtime temperatures that much warmer.
"What we have seen in the last few decades may signal a fundamental shift from precipitation to temperature as the dominant influence on western snowpack." Pederson said.
The study, The unusual nature of recent snowpack declines in the North American Cordillera, is online at Science magazine http://www.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1201570.
USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information visit www.usgs.gov.
###
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 10, 2011 2:39 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] USGS Study Finds Recent Snowpack Declines in the Rocky Mountains Unusual Compared to Past Few Centuries
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
Forwarded from
http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/USGS-Study-Finds-Recent-Snowpack-Declines-in-the-Rocky-Mountains-Unusual-Compared-to-Past-Few-Centuries.cfm#
[also available at
http://go.usa.gov/WaY ]
USGS Study Finds Recent Snowpack Declines in the Rocky Mountains Unusual Compared to Past Few Centuries
06/09/2011
Contact: Kendra Barkoff (DOI) 202-208-6416
Suzanna Soileau (USGS) 406-994-7257
WASHINGTON - A USGS study released today suggests that snowpack declines in the Rocky Mountains over the last 30 years are unusual compared to the past few centuries. Prior studies by the USGS and other institutions attribute the decline to unusual springtime warming, more precipitation falling now as rain rather than snow and earlier snowmelt.
The warming and snowpack decline are projected to worsen through the 21st century, foreshadowing a strain on water supplies. Runoff from winter snowpack - layers of snow that accumulate at high altitude - accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the annual water supply for more than 70 million people living in the western United States.
"This scientific work is critical to understanding how climate change is affecting western water supplies," Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. "It helps land managers adapt to changing conditions on the ground, assists water managers with planning for the future, and gives all of us a better understanding of the real impacts that carbon pollution is having on our resources and our way of life."
USGS scientists, with partners at the Universities of Arizona, Washington, Wyoming, and Western Ontario, led the study that evaluated the recent declines using snowpack reconstructions from 66 tree-ring chronologies, looking back 500 to more than 1,000 years. The network of sites was chosen strategically to characterize the range of natural snowpack variability over the long term, and from north to south in the Rocky Mountains.
With a few exceptions (the mid-14th and early 15th centuries), the snowpack reconstructions show that the northern Rocky Mountains experience large snowpacks when the southern Rockies experience meager ones, and vice versa. Since the 1980s, however, there were simultaneous declines along the entire length of the Rocky Mountains, and unusually severe declines in the north.
"Over most of the 20th century, and especially since the 1980s, the northern Rockies have borne the brunt of the snowpack losses," said USGS scientist Gregory Pederson, the lead author of the study. "Most of the land and snow in the northern Rockies sits at lower and warmer elevations than the southern Rockies, making the snowpack more sensitive to seemingly small increases in temperature. Also, winter storm tracks were displaced to the south in the early 20th century and post-1980s. Forest fires were larger, more frequent and harder to fight, while Glacier National Park lost 125 of its 150 glaciers."
USGS scientist and co-author Julio Betancourt explains that "The difference in snowpack along the north and south changed in the 1980s, as the unprecedented warming in the springtime began to overwhelm the precipitation effect, causing snowpack to decline simultaneously in the north and south. Throughout the West, springtime tends to be warmer during El Niño than La Niña years, but the warming prior to the 1980s was usually not enough to offset the strong influence of precipitation on snowpack."
The La Niña episode this year is an example with lots of snow in the north while severe drought afflicts the south. But, in the north, this year's gains are only a small blip on a century-long snowpack decline.
In the West, the average position of the winter storm tracks tend to fluctuate north and south around a latitudinal line connecting Denver, Salt Lake City and Sacramento. In El Niño years, winter storms track south of that line, while in La Niña years, they track to the north.
This study supports research by others estimating that between 30-60 percent of the declines in the late 20th century are likely due to greenhouse gas emissions. The remaining part of the trend can be attributed to natural decadal variability in the ocean and atmosphere, which is making springtime temperatures that much warmer.
"What we have seen in the last few decades may signal a fundamental shift from precipitation to temperature as the dominant influence on western snowpack." Pederson said.
The study, The unusual nature of recent snowpack declines in the North American Cordillera, is online at Science magazine http://www.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1201570.
USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information visit www.usgs.gov.
###
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Fwd: ENVIRO-NEWS: Draft Plan to Protect Water Quality and Availability from Climate Change Impacts - Comments requested by July 15
The EPA is looking for public input for this draft plan. Please review the document and exercise your rights as a citizen.
AP
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 8, 2011 10:04 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] Draft Plan to Protect Water Quality and Availability from Climate Change Impacts - Comments requested by July 15
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Water Quality Discussion List [mailto:WQ-L@LISTSERV.URI.EDU] On Behalf Of Rozum, Mary
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 7:13 PM
To: WQ-L@LISTSERV.URI.EDU
Subject: Council on Environmental Quality Releases Draft Plan to Protect Water Quality and Availability from Climate Change Impacts - Comments requested by July 15
________________________________
From: Pixie A Hamilton
To: Pixie A Hamilton
Cc: Matthew C Larsen ; William H Werkheiser
Sent: Tue Jun 07 18:02:33 2011
Subject: FYI - Council on Environmental Quality Releases Draft Plan to Protect Water Quality and Availability from Climate Change Impacts - Comments requested by July 15
To Water and Climate Colleagues (from Matt Larsen, Associate Director, Climate and Land Use Change)
CEQ released the draft National Action Plan on June 2, with a request for comments by July 15. The plan and a press release are available via the URL below. Comments can be sent to the website directly. CEQ will post the comments on the website within several days after they are received.
Please forward this information and the request for comments on the draft Plan widely to any interested parties. A key next step for the public comment period is to organize a new round of listening sessions, to be scheduled between now and mid July.
Thanks for any input you or colleagues would like to offer on this draft plan.
Matt
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/adaptation
___________________________________
Matthew C. Larsen
Associate Director, Climate & Land Use Change
U.S. Geological Survey, 409 National Center
Reston, VA 20192 tel.703-648-5215
mclarsen@usgs.gov http://www.usgs.gov <http://www.usgs.gov/>
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 8, 2011 10:04 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] Draft Plan to Protect Water Quality and Availability from Climate Change Impacts - Comments requested by July 15
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Water Quality Discussion List [mailto:WQ-L@LISTSERV.URI.EDU] On Behalf Of Rozum, Mary
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 7:13 PM
To: WQ-L@LISTSERV.URI.EDU
Subject: Council on Environmental Quality Releases Draft Plan to Protect Water Quality and Availability from Climate Change Impacts - Comments requested by July 15
________________________________
From: Pixie A Hamilton
To: Pixie A Hamilton
Cc: Matthew C Larsen ; William H Werkheiser
Sent: Tue Jun 07 18:02:33 2011
Subject: FYI - Council on Environmental Quality Releases Draft Plan to Protect Water Quality and Availability from Climate Change Impacts - Comments requested by July 15
To Water and Climate Colleagues (from Matt Larsen, Associate Director, Climate and Land Use Change)
CEQ released the draft National Action Plan on June 2, with a request for comments by July 15. The plan and a press release are available via the URL below. Comments can be sent to the website directly. CEQ will post the comments on the website within several days after they are received.
Please forward this information and the request for comments on the draft Plan widely to any interested parties. A key next step for the public comment period is to organize a new round of listening sessions, to be scheduled between now and mid July.
Thanks for any input you or colleagues would like to offer on this draft plan.
Matt
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/adaptation
___________________________________
Matthew C. Larsen
Associate Director, Climate & Land Use Change
U.S. Geological Survey, 409 National Center
Reston, VA 20192 tel.703-648-5215
mclarsen@usgs.gov http://www.usgs.gov <http://www.usgs.gov/>
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
ENVIRO-NEWS
EPA Water Headlines for the week of June 6, 2011
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 7, 2011 9:37 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Water Headlines for the week of June 6, 2011
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Han [mailto:han.amy@epamail.epa.gov]
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 6:45 PM
Subject: [waterheadlines] Water Headlines for the week of June 6, 2011
Water Headlines for the week of June 6, 2011
Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces
publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Water
In This Week's Water Headlines:
1) EPA's Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Operation, Maintenance, and
Management Training for Tribal Operators and Leaders
2) EPA-Supported Water Purification Eco-Center Demonstration Project to
Launch this Month
3) Office of Water's Acting Assistant Administrator Blogs on Waters of
the U.S.
[deletions]
1) EPA's Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Operation, Maintenance, and
Management Training for Tribal Operators and Leaders
From June to October 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) will be sponsoring a series of in-person training workshops for
federally recognized tribes and Alaskan Native Villages across the
country to help increase participants' skills and knowledge in the
operation of wastewater and drinking water treatment systems. The
training is intended for water system operators, wastewater system
operators, tribal utility managers, tribal council members and leaders
involved with water utility management.
While there is no registration fee for the workshops, there is a cap of
50 participants at each session, and tribes and Alaskan Native Villages
that received 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds
will be given registration priority. Travel, hotel, and per diem costs
for attendees from tribal reservations may be covered by a participant's
local Indian Health Service (IHS) Area office. Participants can contact
their local IHS office for additional details.
The first training workshop will be in Seattle, June 21-23, 2011.
Registration is open until 24 hours prior to the workshop. Early
registration is encouraged.
For more information, including how to register, please go to:
http://water.epa.gov/learn/training/tribaltraining/tcourse7_2011.cfm.
For questions about the training, please contact Leon Latino by e-mail
at latino.leon@epa.gov or by phone at (202) 564-1997; or Matthew
Richardson by e-mail at richardson.matthew@epa.gov or by phone at (202)
564-2947.
2) EPA-Supported Water Purification Eco-Center Demonstration Project to
Launch this Month
On June 16, 2011, the Rodale Institute will hold a ribbon-cutting
ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new Water Purification
Eco-Center located on its research farm in Kutztown, PA. The center,
supported in part through a $695,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), will serve as a model on-site wastewater
treatment system. The system incorporates an experimental wetland-based
treatment and reuse facility that captures rainwater and reuses it
several times before returning it to the soil as clean water. The
system, which serves as an alternative to standard septic and sand mound
on-lot sewage systems, is scalable and can be used in sustainable
landscapes for residential and small commercial entities. This project
will help promote the adoption of wetlands-based residential and
institutional wastewater treatment systems to help encourage homeowners
and businesses to seek out more sustainable and water-efficient
wastewater treatment options.
For additional information or to register to attend the ribbon-cutting
ceremony, please visit the Rodale Institute website at:
http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/water-purification-eco-center. For
additional project information, please contact Bob Bastian, EPA Office
of Wastewater Management, by phone at (202) 564-0677 or via e-mail at
bastian.robert@epa.gov.
3) Office of Water's Acting Assistant Administrator Blogs on Waters of
the U.S.
Acting Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) Office of Water, Nancy Stoner, recently posted a blog on
Waters of the U.S. In the blog, Ms. Stoner discusses her experience
growing up near the water and EPA's work to protect the nation's waters
by proposing a draft guidance that identifies waters protected by the
Clean Water Act.
To read the blog:
http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2011/06/02/waters-of-the-us/?utm_source=feedbur
ner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Greenversations_main+%28U.S.+EP
A%3A+Greenversations%29 [or http://go.usa.gov/Dsi ]
For information on the draft guidance:
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Jun 7, 2011 9:37 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Water Headlines for the week of June 6, 2011
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Han [mailto:han.amy@epamail.epa.gov]
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 6:45 PM
Subject: [waterheadlines] Water Headlines for the week of June 6, 2011
Water Headlines for the week of June 6, 2011
Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces
publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Water
In This Week's Water Headlines:
1) EPA's Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Operation, Maintenance, and
Management Training for Tribal Operators and Leaders
2) EPA-Supported Water Purification Eco-Center Demonstration Project to
Launch this Month
3) Office of Water's Acting Assistant Administrator Blogs on Waters of
the U.S.
[deletions]
1) EPA's Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Operation, Maintenance, and
Management Training for Tribal Operators and Leaders
From June to October 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) will be sponsoring a series of in-person training workshops for
federally recognized tribes and Alaskan Native Villages across the
country to help increase participants' skills and knowledge in the
operation of wastewater and drinking water treatment systems. The
training is intended for water system operators, wastewater system
operators, tribal utility managers, tribal council members and leaders
involved with water utility management.
While there is no registration fee for the workshops, there is a cap of
50 participants at each session, and tribes and Alaskan Native Villages
that received 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds
will be given registration priority. Travel, hotel, and per diem costs
for attendees from tribal reservations may be covered by a participant's
local Indian Health Service (IHS) Area office. Participants can contact
their local IHS office for additional details.
The first training workshop will be in Seattle, June 21-23, 2011.
Registration is open until 24 hours prior to the workshop. Early
registration is encouraged.
For more information, including how to register, please go to:
http://water.epa.gov/learn/training/tribaltraining/tcourse7_2011.cfm.
For questions about the training, please contact Leon Latino by e-mail
at latino.leon@epa.gov or by phone at (202) 564-1997; or Matthew
Richardson by e-mail at richardson.matthew@epa.gov or by phone at (202)
564-2947.
2) EPA-Supported Water Purification Eco-Center Demonstration Project to
Launch this Month
On June 16, 2011, the Rodale Institute will hold a ribbon-cutting
ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new Water Purification
Eco-Center located on its research farm in Kutztown, PA. The center,
supported in part through a $695,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), will serve as a model on-site wastewater
treatment system. The system incorporates an experimental wetland-based
treatment and reuse facility that captures rainwater and reuses it
several times before returning it to the soil as clean water. The
system, which serves as an alternative to standard septic and sand mound
on-lot sewage systems, is scalable and can be used in sustainable
landscapes for residential and small commercial entities. This project
will help promote the adoption of wetlands-based residential and
institutional wastewater treatment systems to help encourage homeowners
and businesses to seek out more sustainable and water-efficient
wastewater treatment options.
For additional information or to register to attend the ribbon-cutting
ceremony, please visit the Rodale Institute website at:
http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/water-purification-eco-center. For
additional project information, please contact Bob Bastian, EPA Office
of Wastewater Management, by phone at (202) 564-0677 or via e-mail at
bastian.robert@epa.gov.
3) Office of Water's Acting Assistant Administrator Blogs on Waters of
the U.S.
Acting Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) Office of Water, Nancy Stoner, recently posted a blog on
Waters of the U.S. In the blog, Ms. Stoner discusses her experience
growing up near the water and EPA's work to protect the nation's waters
by proposing a draft guidance that identifies waters protected by the
Clean Water Act.
To read the blog:
http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2011/06/02/waters-of-the-us/?utm_source=feedbur
ner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Greenversations_main+%28U.S.+EP
A%3A+Greenversations%29 [or http://go.usa.gov/Dsi ]
For information on the draft guidance:
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
WaterSense® completes revision to "Specification for Tank Type Toilets"
The official word is out on what a WaterSense® labeld toilet means to manufacturers and consumers. Here are the links to EPA WaterSense® pdf documents for review.
WaterSense® Specification for Tank-Type Toilets: PDF
Summary of Revisions to the WaterSense® Specification: PDF
AP
www.AskAquaPro.com
AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com
www.AquaEnvi.org
www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com
WaterSense® Specification for Tank-Type Toilets: PDF
Summary of Revisions to the WaterSense® Specification: PDF
AP
www.AquaEnvi.org
www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com
Thursday, April 28, 2011
EPA water pollution guidelines run afoul of state authority
So where do you stand on the issue of federal control of fresh water sources? I prefer federal oversite rather than state, and most certainly rather than the continued privitization of fresh water supplies by corporate conglomerates. Oh wait; our government is essentially run by corporate entities rather than "We The People"! Almost missed that thought. Maybe it is better to keep state control and allow for autonomy; wait corporation's pretty much run state government as well!! Looks like a no win situation for the rights of the people. I just want my right to clean water left alone but there is to much money to be made and I can't think of more effective power play than to CONTROL THE FLOW AND DISTRULIBUTION OF WATER! Wake up "We The People" the well will soon be a source through which you do as you are told or will you go thirsty.
Comment is encouraged, dialogue is absolutely necessary.
AP
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
ENVIRO-NEWS
Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment to Clean Water
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Apr 27, 2011 1:37 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment to Clean Water
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From: U.S. EPA [mailto:usaepa@govdelivery.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 12:35 PM
Subject: Water News Release (HQ): Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment to Clean Water
CONTACTS:
(CEQ) Taryn Tuss, 202-456-6998
(EPA) 202-564-6794; press@epa.gov
(USDA) 202-720-4623
(DOI) Kendra Barkoff, 202-208-6416
(DOA) Moira Kelley, 703-614-3992
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2011
Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment to Clean Water
WASHINGTON - Recognizing the importance of clean water and healthy watersheds to our economy, environment and communities, the Obama administration released a national clean water framework today that showcases its comprehensive commitment to protecting the health of America's waters. The framework emphasizes the importance of partnerships and coordination with states, local communities, stakeholders and the public to protect public health and water quality, and promote the nation's energy and economic security.
For nearly 40 years, the Clean Water Act, along with other important federal measures, has been a cornerstone of our effort to ensure that Americans have clean and healthy waters. The administration's framework outlines a series of actions underway and planned across federal agencies to ensure the integrity of the waters Americans rely on every day for drinking, swimming, and fishing, and that support farming, recreation, tourism and economic growth. It includes draft federal guidance to clarify which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act nationwide; innovative partnerships and programs to improve water quality and water efficiency; and initiatives to revitalize communities and economies by restoring rivers and critical watersheds.
"Clean water and healthy waterways are vital to the health and vibrancy of our communities and the strength of our economy," said Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "Working with our partners across communities, governments and sectors, we are taking comprehensive action to ensure Americans have the clean and healthy waters they need and deserve."
"The steps we're outlining today will be instrumental to protecting the waters of the United States, and ensuring that the vital natural resources our communities depend on for their health and their economy are safeguarded for generations to come," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "After four decades of progress on clean water, there is still work to be done to address unfinished business and tackle new threats to our waters. American families and businesses are counting on us to maintain and improve the rivers, lakes, streams and other waters that support thousands of communities and millions of jobs across the country."
"Healthy rivers and clean waters are fundamental to our economy, our health, and our way of life," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "With growing pressures on our natural systems, we must work to secure cleaner, safer, and more reliable water supplies for our communities."
"As our nation's foremost conservationists, farmers, ranchers and forest owners have a values system rooted in rural America that recognizes we cannot continue to take from the land without giving something back," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "At USDA, we are working with farmers, ranchers and forest owners to conserve land, plant stream buffers for cleaner water, and install other conservation practices. We also will continue to invest in rural water and community facility projects that help small towns ensure their citizens have access to safe and reliable drinking water. The draft Clean Water Act guidance released today reflects USDA's work with our federal partners by maintaining existing exemptions for ongoing agricultural and forestry activities, thereby providing farmers, ranchers and forest landowners with certainty that current agricultural and forestry activities can continue."
"The Army is very proud of our ecosystem restoration efforts across the nation," said Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy. "The proposed joint EPA and Army guidance will clarify Clean Water Act jurisdiction and help the Corps and its partner agencies protect important aquatic resources and watersheds that communities rely on for their quality of life and essential services."
Clean water provides critical health, economic and livability benefits to American communities. Since 1972, the Clean Water Act has kept billions of pounds of pollution out of American waters, doubling the number of waters that meet safety standards for swimming and fishing. Despite the dramatic progress in restoring the health of the nation's waters, an estimated one-third of American waters still do not meet the swimmable and fishable standards of the Clean Water Act. Additionally, new pollution and development challenges threaten to erode our gains, and demand innovative and strong action in partnership with federal agencies, states, and the public to ensure clean and healthy water for American families, businesses, and communities.
The Obama administration is safeguarding clean water by:
Promoting Innovative Partnerships
Federal agencies are partnering with states, tribes, local governments and diverse stakeholders on innovative approaches to restore urban waters, promote sustainable water supplies, and develop new incentives for farmers to protect clean water.
Enhancing Communities and Economies by Restoring Important Water Bodies
The Obama administration is dedicating unprecedented attention to restoring iconic places like the Chesapeake Bay, California Bay-Delta, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and Everglades, investing in action and helping states, local governments and stakeholders find pollution control solutions that are tailored to their specific needs.
Innovating for More Water Efficient Communities
The administration is working with policymakers, consumers, farmers and businesses to save water - and save money - through 21st century water management policies and technology.
Ensuring Clean Water to Protect Public Health
The Obama administration is aggressively pursuing new ways to protect public health by reducing contaminants in Americans' drinking water. We are updating drinking water standards, protecting drinking water sources, modernizing the tools available to communities to meet their clean water requirements, and providing affordable clean water services in rural communities.
Enhancing Use and Enjoyment of our Waters
The administration is promoting stewardship of America's waters through innovative programs and partnerships. These efforts include expanding access to waterways for recreation, protecting rural landscapes, and promoting public access to private lands for hunting, fishing and other recreational activities.
Updating the Nation's Water Policies
The administration is strengthening protection of America's waters and American communities. We are modernizing water resources guidelines, and updating federal guidance on where the Clean Water Act applies nationwide. The draft guidance will protect waters that many communities depend upon for drinking, swimming, and fishing, and provide clearer, more predictable guidelines for determining which water bodies are protected from pollution under the Clean Water Act. The guidance is open for 60 days of public comment to all allow all stakeholders to provide input and feedback before it is finalized.
Supporting Science to Solve Water Problems
The administration is using the latest science and research to improve water policies and programs and identify and address emerging pollution challenges.
More information and to read the Obama administration's clean water framework:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/clean-water
R150
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Apr 27, 2011 1:37 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment to Clean Water
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From: U.S. EPA [mailto:usaepa@govdelivery.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 12:35 PM
Subject: Water News Release (HQ): Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment to Clean Water
CONTACTS:
(CEQ) Taryn Tuss, 202-456-6998
(EPA) 202-564-6794; press@epa.gov
(USDA) 202-720-4623
(DOI) Kendra Barkoff, 202-208-6416
(DOA) Moira Kelley, 703-614-3992
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2011
Obama Administration Affirms Comprehensive Commitment to Clean Water
WASHINGTON - Recognizing the importance of clean water and healthy watersheds to our economy, environment and communities, the Obama administration released a national clean water framework today that showcases its comprehensive commitment to protecting the health of America's waters. The framework emphasizes the importance of partnerships and coordination with states, local communities, stakeholders and the public to protect public health and water quality, and promote the nation's energy and economic security.
For nearly 40 years, the Clean Water Act, along with other important federal measures, has been a cornerstone of our effort to ensure that Americans have clean and healthy waters. The administration's framework outlines a series of actions underway and planned across federal agencies to ensure the integrity of the waters Americans rely on every day for drinking, swimming, and fishing, and that support farming, recreation, tourism and economic growth. It includes draft federal guidance to clarify which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act nationwide; innovative partnerships and programs to improve water quality and water efficiency; and initiatives to revitalize communities and economies by restoring rivers and critical watersheds.
"Clean water and healthy waterways are vital to the health and vibrancy of our communities and the strength of our economy," said Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "Working with our partners across communities, governments and sectors, we are taking comprehensive action to ensure Americans have the clean and healthy waters they need and deserve."
"The steps we're outlining today will be instrumental to protecting the waters of the United States, and ensuring that the vital natural resources our communities depend on for their health and their economy are safeguarded for generations to come," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "After four decades of progress on clean water, there is still work to be done to address unfinished business and tackle new threats to our waters. American families and businesses are counting on us to maintain and improve the rivers, lakes, streams and other waters that support thousands of communities and millions of jobs across the country."
"Healthy rivers and clean waters are fundamental to our economy, our health, and our way of life," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "With growing pressures on our natural systems, we must work to secure cleaner, safer, and more reliable water supplies for our communities."
"As our nation's foremost conservationists, farmers, ranchers and forest owners have a values system rooted in rural America that recognizes we cannot continue to take from the land without giving something back," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "At USDA, we are working with farmers, ranchers and forest owners to conserve land, plant stream buffers for cleaner water, and install other conservation practices. We also will continue to invest in rural water and community facility projects that help small towns ensure their citizens have access to safe and reliable drinking water. The draft Clean Water Act guidance released today reflects USDA's work with our federal partners by maintaining existing exemptions for ongoing agricultural and forestry activities, thereby providing farmers, ranchers and forest landowners with certainty that current agricultural and forestry activities can continue."
"The Army is very proud of our ecosystem restoration efforts across the nation," said Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy. "The proposed joint EPA and Army guidance will clarify Clean Water Act jurisdiction and help the Corps and its partner agencies protect important aquatic resources and watersheds that communities rely on for their quality of life and essential services."
Clean water provides critical health, economic and livability benefits to American communities. Since 1972, the Clean Water Act has kept billions of pounds of pollution out of American waters, doubling the number of waters that meet safety standards for swimming and fishing. Despite the dramatic progress in restoring the health of the nation's waters, an estimated one-third of American waters still do not meet the swimmable and fishable standards of the Clean Water Act. Additionally, new pollution and development challenges threaten to erode our gains, and demand innovative and strong action in partnership with federal agencies, states, and the public to ensure clean and healthy water for American families, businesses, and communities.
The Obama administration is safeguarding clean water by:
Promoting Innovative Partnerships
Federal agencies are partnering with states, tribes, local governments and diverse stakeholders on innovative approaches to restore urban waters, promote sustainable water supplies, and develop new incentives for farmers to protect clean water.
Enhancing Communities and Economies by Restoring Important Water Bodies
The Obama administration is dedicating unprecedented attention to restoring iconic places like the Chesapeake Bay, California Bay-Delta, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and Everglades, investing in action and helping states, local governments and stakeholders find pollution control solutions that are tailored to their specific needs.
Innovating for More Water Efficient Communities
The administration is working with policymakers, consumers, farmers and businesses to save water - and save money - through 21st century water management policies and technology.
Ensuring Clean Water to Protect Public Health
The Obama administration is aggressively pursuing new ways to protect public health by reducing contaminants in Americans' drinking water. We are updating drinking water standards, protecting drinking water sources, modernizing the tools available to communities to meet their clean water requirements, and providing affordable clean water services in rural communities.
Enhancing Use and Enjoyment of our Waters
The administration is promoting stewardship of America's waters through innovative programs and partnerships. These efforts include expanding access to waterways for recreation, protecting rural landscapes, and promoting public access to private lands for hunting, fishing and other recreational activities.
Updating the Nation's Water Policies
The administration is strengthening protection of America's waters and American communities. We are modernizing water resources guidelines, and updating federal guidance on where the Clean Water Act applies nationwide. The draft guidance will protect waters that many communities depend upon for drinking, swimming, and fishing, and provide clearer, more predictable guidelines for determining which water bodies are protected from pollution under the Clean Water Act. The guidance is open for 60 days of public comment to all allow all stakeholders to provide input and feedback before it is finalized.
Supporting Science to Solve Water Problems
The administration is using the latest science and research to improve water policies and programs and identify and address emerging pollution challenges.
More information and to read the Obama administration's clean water framework:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/clean-water
R150
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
ENVIRO-NEWS
EPA Climate Change and Water News
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Apr 27, 2011 9:37 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Climate Change and Water News
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From: Elana Goldstein [mailto:goldstein.elana@epamail.epa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 5:41 PM
Subject: EPA Climate Change and Water News
EPA Climate Change and Water News
EPA News
EPA Announces New Website: A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change
This website provides information and tools for students regarding
climate change and is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/students/index.html.
EPA Publishes Notice of Peer Review Workshop and Public Comment Period
for Implications of Climate Change for Bioassessment Programs and
Approaches to Account for Effects. Public Comments Accepted until May 6,
2011.
EPA will convene an independent panel of experts and organize and
conduct an external peer review workshop to review the external review
draft report titled, Implications of Climate Change for Bioassessment
Programs and Approaches to Account for Effects (EPA/600/R-11/036A) and
its supporting document, Freshwater Biological Traits Database
(EPA/600/R-11/038). Public comments will be accepted until Friday, May
6, 2011. These draft documents were prepared by the National Center for
Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and
Development. For additional information, visit:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-04-14/pdf/2011-9097.pdf.
EPA Solicits Comments on Draft Document, Identifying and Protecting
Healthy Watersheds: Concepts, Assessments, and Management Approaches.
Public Comments Accepted until June 3, 2011.
This draft technical document provides the basis for implementing the
Agency's Healthy Watersheds Initiative, which, in partnership with
States, Tribes, local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and
others, is intended to protect the nation's remaining healthy
watersheds, prevent them from becoming impaired, and accelerate
restoration successes. The Healthy Watersheds approach, as part of the
initiative, is based on a holistic, integrated, systems view of aquatic
ecosystems that acknowledges their dynamics and interconnectivity in the
landscape. For additional information, visit:
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/watershed/hw_techdocument.cfm.
EPA Solicits Public Comment on Permit to Reduce Stormwater Discharges
from Construction Sites. Public Comments Accepted until June 14, 2011.
EPA is releasing for public comment a draft permit that will help
improve our nation's waterways by regulating the discharge of stormwater
from construction sites. Stormwater discharges during construction
activities can contain sediment and pollutants that harm aquatic
ecosystems, increase drinking water treatment costs and pollute waters
that people use for fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.
For additional information, visit:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/3881d73f4d4aaa0b85257359003f534
8/4b7e8caa1e88548885257873004d1810!OpenDocument [or
http://go.usa.gov/bT7 ].
EPA Publishes National U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
EPA has released the 16th annual U.S. greenhouse gas inventory. The
final report shows that overall emissions during 2009 decreased by 6.1
percent from the previous year. This downward trend was attributed to a
decrease in fuel and electricity consumption across all U.S. economic
sectors. The report is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html.
EPA Awards Climate Showcase Communities Grant Funding to Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma
EPA announced that the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma will receive $189,817
in Climate Showcase Communities grant funding to improve the energy
efficiency of its health facilities through technology and behavioral
change. This clear and effective strategy will serve as a much needed
model for small and rural communities across the United States. To read
the full press release, visit:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/418567BEDF2F6C158525787200674
ABF [or http://go.usa.gov/bTo ].
Other Federal News
National Research Council to Host a Conversation on America's Climate
Choices on May 12, 2011 from 4:00-6:30 p.m. EST at the National
Academies in Washington, D.C.
The public is invited to participate in A Conversation on America's
Climate Choices. Several members of the America's Climate Choices report
authoring committee will discuss the report's findings with Climate
Central's Heidi Cullen, followed by a question-and-answer period and a
reception. The event will take place at the National Academies, 500
Fifth Street NW location in Washington, D.C. To register, visit:
http://americasclimatechoices.org/signup05122011.shtml.
Other News
The Water Innovations Alliance to Host the Blue Tech Valley Conference
on May 3-4, 2011 in Fresno, CA
The purpose of this conference is to provide water constituents within
the private, public, and academic arenas the opportunity to collectively
explore and discuss new innovations, developments, and trends relating
to current water issues. The conference theme - International Solutions
to Regional Issues - will address current issues that have a direct and
visible impact regionally, as well as world-wide implications. For
additional information, visit:
http://www.waterinnovations.org/fresno/index.php.
The Horinko Group to Host a Webinar, The State of Flood Risk Reduction
in the United States on May 4, 2011 from 2:15-4:00 p.m. EST
The Horinko Group, as part of its 2011 Global Sustainability Webinar
Series, will host a panel of thought leaders and practitioners to
discuss the status of Flood Risk Management in the United States and the
prognosis for moving the effort in a sustainable direction that reduces
risk and gradually restores the ecological services performed by our
nation's floodplains. For additional information, visit:
http://thehorinkogroup.org/?q=content/state-flood-risk-reduction-united-
states [or http://tinyurl.com/44zmscz ].
Climate Information for Managing Risks (CIMR) to Host Local to Regional
Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies Conference on May 24-27, 2011 in
Orlando, FL
This conference will emphasize the challenges of applying climate
information and predictions at local and regional levels, for regions
and locations from around the world. CIMR 2011 will address climate
related vulnerabilities, impacts, and opportunities for adaptation.
Additional information is available at:
http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/CIMR/.
EPA Climate Change and Water News is produced by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). For more information on EPA's
climate change activities, visit http://epa.gov/climatechange. For an
overview of climate change and water issues, visit
http://www.epa.gov/ow/climatechange.
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Apr 27, 2011 9:37 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Climate Change and Water News
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
From: Elana Goldstein [mailto:goldstein.elana@epamail.epa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 5:41 PM
Subject: EPA Climate Change and Water News
EPA Climate Change and Water News
EPA News
EPA Announces New Website: A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change
This website provides information and tools for students regarding
climate change and is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/students/index.html.
EPA Publishes Notice of Peer Review Workshop and Public Comment Period
for Implications of Climate Change for Bioassessment Programs and
Approaches to Account for Effects. Public Comments Accepted until May 6,
2011.
EPA will convene an independent panel of experts and organize and
conduct an external peer review workshop to review the external review
draft report titled, Implications of Climate Change for Bioassessment
Programs and Approaches to Account for Effects (EPA/600/R-11/036A) and
its supporting document, Freshwater Biological Traits Database
(EPA/600/R-11/038). Public comments will be accepted until Friday, May
6, 2011. These draft documents were prepared by the National Center for
Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and
Development. For additional information, visit:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-04-14/pdf/2011-9097.pdf.
EPA Solicits Comments on Draft Document, Identifying and Protecting
Healthy Watersheds: Concepts, Assessments, and Management Approaches.
Public Comments Accepted until June 3, 2011.
This draft technical document provides the basis for implementing the
Agency's Healthy Watersheds Initiative, which, in partnership with
States, Tribes, local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and
others, is intended to protect the nation's remaining healthy
watersheds, prevent them from becoming impaired, and accelerate
restoration successes. The Healthy Watersheds approach, as part of the
initiative, is based on a holistic, integrated, systems view of aquatic
ecosystems that acknowledges their dynamics and interconnectivity in the
landscape. For additional information, visit:
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/watershed/hw_techdocument.cfm.
EPA Solicits Public Comment on Permit to Reduce Stormwater Discharges
from Construction Sites. Public Comments Accepted until June 14, 2011.
EPA is releasing for public comment a draft permit that will help
improve our nation's waterways by regulating the discharge of stormwater
from construction sites. Stormwater discharges during construction
activities can contain sediment and pollutants that harm aquatic
ecosystems, increase drinking water treatment costs and pollute waters
that people use for fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.
For additional information, visit:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/3881d73f4d4aaa0b85257359003f534
8/4b7e8caa1e88548885257873004d1810!OpenDocument [or
http://go.usa.gov/bT7 ].
EPA Publishes National U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
EPA has released the 16th annual U.S. greenhouse gas inventory. The
final report shows that overall emissions during 2009 decreased by 6.1
percent from the previous year. This downward trend was attributed to a
decrease in fuel and electricity consumption across all U.S. economic
sectors. The report is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html.
EPA Awards Climate Showcase Communities Grant Funding to Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma
EPA announced that the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma will receive $189,817
in Climate Showcase Communities grant funding to improve the energy
efficiency of its health facilities through technology and behavioral
change. This clear and effective strategy will serve as a much needed
model for small and rural communities across the United States. To read
the full press release, visit:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/418567BEDF2F6C158525787200674
ABF [or http://go.usa.gov/bTo ].
Other Federal News
National Research Council to Host a Conversation on America's Climate
Choices on May 12, 2011 from 4:00-6:30 p.m. EST at the National
Academies in Washington, D.C.
The public is invited to participate in A Conversation on America's
Climate Choices. Several members of the America's Climate Choices report
authoring committee will discuss the report's findings with Climate
Central's Heidi Cullen, followed by a question-and-answer period and a
reception. The event will take place at the National Academies, 500
Fifth Street NW location in Washington, D.C. To register, visit:
http://americasclimatechoices.org/signup05122011.shtml.
Other News
The Water Innovations Alliance to Host the Blue Tech Valley Conference
on May 3-4, 2011 in Fresno, CA
The purpose of this conference is to provide water constituents within
the private, public, and academic arenas the opportunity to collectively
explore and discuss new innovations, developments, and trends relating
to current water issues. The conference theme - International Solutions
to Regional Issues - will address current issues that have a direct and
visible impact regionally, as well as world-wide implications. For
additional information, visit:
http://www.waterinnovations.org/fresno/index.php.
The Horinko Group to Host a Webinar, The State of Flood Risk Reduction
in the United States on May 4, 2011 from 2:15-4:00 p.m. EST
The Horinko Group, as part of its 2011 Global Sustainability Webinar
Series, will host a panel of thought leaders and practitioners to
discuss the status of Flood Risk Management in the United States and the
prognosis for moving the effort in a sustainable direction that reduces
risk and gradually restores the ecological services performed by our
nation's floodplains. For additional information, visit:
http://thehorinkogroup.org/?q=content/state-flood-risk-reduction-united-
states [or http://tinyurl.com/44zmscz ].
Climate Information for Managing Risks (CIMR) to Host Local to Regional
Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies Conference on May 24-27, 2011 in
Orlando, FL
This conference will emphasize the challenges of applying climate
information and predictions at local and regional levels, for regions
and locations from around the world. CIMR 2011 will address climate
related vulnerabilities, impacts, and opportunities for adaptation.
Additional information is available at:
http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/CIMR/.
EPA Climate Change and Water News is produced by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). For more information on EPA's
climate change activities, visit http://epa.gov/climatechange. For an
overview of climate change and water issues, visit
http://www.epa.gov/ow/climatechange.
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Is your toilet costing you money?
Odds are the answer is YES.
It may come as a surprise to learn that in the US the toilet is where most of the water in a home is used & wasted.
On average 30% of all potable water used in a household is for flushing the toilets. If your toilets are older than 1992 then that percentage could be even higher. When we consider the growing problem of water shortages across the country I have to ask why. "Why do we use potable fresh water to flush human feces and urine down the drain?" This is a self indulgent luxury that borders on insanity. We are running out of fresh water but yet we use it as though it were an inexhaustible resource.
As this practice is ingrained in our lifestyle, and designed into the infrastructure of our communities, correcting this absurd behavior will take time and money. To start we can take some basic steps to minimizing the waste of potable water we use to flush toilets. One of the most cost effective and simplest things you can do is convert your current toilet into a dual flush toilet. Of the many kits available I recommend the DualFlush Pro. This kit has all the components needed to replace all of the old parts in a standard tank type two piece toilet. For under $35 (including shipping) you get a new fill valve, dual action flush valve and dual action flush lever (not a push button), all gaskets and tank bolts. I was so impressed with the quality of design and simplicity of installation, I posted a video on YouTube demonstrating the installation in less than 10 minutes. A dual flush toilet can save over 5000 gallons of water per year.
A couple other brand I have tested include the Hydro Right by MJSI and Select A Flush kit.
Thanks for checking in.
AP
www.AskAquaPro.com
AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com
www.AquaProSolutions.com
www.AquaEnvi.org
www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com
On average 30% of all potable water used in a household is for flushing the toilets. If your toilets are older than 1992 then that percentage could be even higher. When we consider the growing problem of water shortages across the country I have to ask why. "Why do we use potable fresh water to flush human feces and urine down the drain?" This is a self indulgent luxury that borders on insanity. We are running out of fresh water but yet we use it as though it were an inexhaustible resource. As this practice is ingrained in our lifestyle, and designed into the infrastructure of our communities, correcting this absurd behavior will take time and money. To start we can take some basic steps to minimizing the waste of potable water we use to flush toilets. One of the most cost effective and simplest things you can do is convert your current toilet into a dual flush toilet. Of the many kits available I recommend the DualFlush Pro. This kit has all the components needed to replace all of the old parts in a standard tank type two piece toilet. For under $35 (including shipping) you get a new fill valve, dual action flush valve and dual action flush lever (not a push button), all gaskets and tank bolts. I was so impressed with the quality of design and simplicity of installation, I posted a video on YouTube demonstrating the installation in less than 10 minutes. A dual flush toilet can save over 5000 gallons of water per year.
A couple other brand I have tested include the Hydro Right by MJSI and Select A Flush kit.
Thanks for checking in.
AP
www.AquaProSolutions.com
www.AquaEnvi.org
www.AshevilleGreenPlumbing.com
Friday, April 8, 2011
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW CAN HURT US AND THE ENVIRONMENT
This draft report to US Congress, produced by the Center for Environmental Quality (CEQ) is full of things we don't know and aren't doing adequetly. Read for yourself; it's not good news but at least in knowing what we need to be changed, we have a better chance of improving.
Read it for yourself here.
Rpt.Congress3.18.11.pdf
I welcome opinions on the matter.
AP
Read it for yourself here.
Rpt.Congress3.18.11.pdf
I welcome opinions on the matter.
AP
Thursday, April 7, 2011
GreenPlumbers USA trianing gets underway at Warren Wilson College.
In keeping with their environmental stewardship goals and commitments Warren Wilson College in Asheville NC has begun offering GreenPlumbers USA core curriculum certification.
The innaugural class is comprised of twelve students that are eager to enhance their educational experience and improve their ability to aide in devloping sustainable communities. "We're creating champions of conservation and guardians of global resources".
Plumbers and plumbing apprentices are at the front lines of a growing effort to improve water use efficiency, protect fresh water resources and minimize human impact on the environment.
I am humbled by the sincerety and commitment of our young adults. It gives me hope for doing a better job of caring for our world and for each other.
For additional information regarding GreenPlumbers USA training opportunities visit:
http://www.AquaEnvi.org
Thanks for stoping by.
AP
Friday, April 1, 2011
Are you kidding me?
Well here is another fine example of big business having its way with the US House. I cant imagine that members of the House of Representatives truly believe that lessening restrictions on pesticide use is a step in the right direction. I see it as exactly the opposite! Exempting farmers and companies use of pesticides, on or near water, from complying with the EPA Clean Water Act amounts to turning a blind eye at a time when we need to see improvements in fresh water resource preservation efforts. I certainly hope the Senate has the decency and presence to pull the plug on this effort.
This isn't the first time this has been argued by the EPA on behalf of the pesticide industry. In Jan 2009, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier EPA decision that pesticide use "should not" fall under the Clean Water Act passed in 1972. The court ruled that "pesticides constituted pollutants under federal law and thereby had to be regulated to protect public health and the environment". The rule excluding pesticides was put into place by the Bush administration; no surprise there.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MAEE4O1.htm
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/conservationists_applauded_the.html
What do you think?
AP
www.AskAquaPro.com
AquaPro@AskaquaPro.com
www.AquaEnvi.org
This isn't the first time this has been argued by the EPA on behalf of the pesticide industry. In Jan 2009, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier EPA decision that pesticide use "should not" fall under the Clean Water Act passed in 1972. The court ruled that "pesticides constituted pollutants under federal law and thereby had to be regulated to protect public health and the environment". The rule excluding pesticides was put into place by the Bush administration; no surprise there.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MAEE4O1.htm
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/conservationists_applauded_the.html
What do you think?
AP
www.AquaEnvi.org
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
ENVIRO-NEWS: Office of Water Accepting Comments on EPA's Retrospective Review Plan and Significant Regulations for Potential Review
Here's your chance to get involved and help make sure your government has your best interest in front of corporate lobby agendas.
Speak now or forever hold your peace.
AP
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Mar 8, 2011 9:10 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] Office of Water Accepting Comments on EPA's Retrospective Review Plan and Significant Regulations for Potential Review
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Han [mailto:han.amy@epamail.epa.gov]
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 7:11 PM
Subject: [waterheadlines] Water Headlines for the week of March 7, 2011
[deletions]
Office of Water Accepting Comments on EPA's Retrospective Review Plan
and Significant Regulations for Potential Review.
President Obama recently issued Executive Order 13563, requiring each
agency to develop a plan to periodically conduct a retrospective review
of its regulations, and determine if they are ineffective, insufficient,
or overly burdensome, and then revise or repeal as warranted. In
response, EPA is developing a review plan and a list of candidate
regulations for potential review, and we would like to solicit your
feedback on both. In order to do so, the Office of Water is
participating in two listening sessions to be held on March 14th and
March 17th, 2011.
EPA will hold an Agency-wide Public Meeting on Monday March 14, 2011
from 9:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. to solicit feedback on the Agency's draft
review plan and all EPA regulations. The Office of Water will be
hosting two water-specific listening sessions in the afternoon. This
public meeting will be held at the Hilton Arlington, 950 N. Stafford
Street, Arlington, VA 22203. Additional information is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/improvingregulations/ Registration information for
the March 14th Public Meeting is available here:
http://improvingregulations.eventbrite.com/
The Office of Water will also solicit input from the public and hold a
webinar listening session on water-specific significant regulations on
March 17th, from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m., EST. Additional information,
including information on registering for this webinar, can be obtained
by going to EPA's website http://www.epa.gov/improvingregulations/ , or
contact Keith Bartlett at Bartlett.Keith@epa.gov
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Mar 8, 2011 9:10 AM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] Office of Water Accepting Comments on EPA's Retrospective Review Plan and Significant Regulations for Potential Review
To: <Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov>
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Han [mailto:han.amy@epamail.epa.gov]
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 7:11 PM
Subject: [waterheadlines] Water Headlines for the week of March 7, 2011
[deletions]
Office of Water Accepting Comments on EPA's Retrospective Review Plan
and Significant Regulations for Potential Review.
President Obama recently issued Executive Order 13563, requiring each
agency to develop a plan to periodically conduct a retrospective review
of its regulations, and determine if they are ineffective, insufficient,
or overly burdensome, and then revise or repeal as warranted. In
response, EPA is developing a review plan and a list of candidate
regulations for potential review, and we would like to solicit your
feedback on both. In order to do so, the Office of Water is
participating in two listening sessions to be held on March 14th and
March 17th, 2011.
EPA will hold an Agency-wide Public Meeting on Monday March 14, 2011
from 9:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. to solicit feedback on the Agency's draft
review plan and all EPA regulations. The Office of Water will be
hosting two water-specific listening sessions in the afternoon. This
public meeting will be held at the Hilton Arlington, 950 N. Stafford
Street, Arlington, VA 22203. Additional information is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/improvingregulations/ Registration information for
the March 14th Public Meeting is available here:
http://improvingregulations.eventbrite.com/
The Office of Water will also solicit input from the public and hold a
webinar listening session on water-specific significant regulations on
March 17th, from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m., EST. Additional information,
including information on registering for this webinar, can be obtained
by going to EPA's website http://www.epa.gov/improvingregulations/ , or
contact Keith Bartlett at Bartlett.Keith@epa.gov
[deletions]
***********************************************
Enviro-News is a service of the Water Quality
Information Center at the National Agricultural
Library. The center's Web site is at
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/.
The Enviro-News list facilitates information exchange.
Inclusion of an item in Enviro-News does not imply
United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) agreement,
nor does USDA attest to the accuracy or completeness of
the item. See
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/environews.shtml#disclaimer
You can contact the list owner at
owner-Enviro-News@ars.usda.gov.
***********************************************
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