FY-2010 USGS Section 104(b) RFP

Proposals submission deadline will be 4:45 pm Friday, November 20, 2009.

Alabama Water Resources Research Institute announces a call for proposals for the FY-2010 USGS Section 104(b) State Competitive Grant Program. The object of this program is to facilitate research faculty in the state in making significant advances, and increasing regional and national competitiveness, in the water resources arena. For the purpose of this competition, “water resources arena” is defined in the broadest possible terms. Proposals are invited from all permanent full time tenured, tenure-track and non-tenured faculty from any university or college in Alabama.

Please visit our web site for program guidelines at
http://auei.auburn.edu/pdf/FY2010USGSGuidelines.pdf
and follow the instructions precisely.

The Water Resources Council, composed of research faculty from universities throughout the state and representative from state and federal agencies, will review the proposals to select the ones to be recommended for funding. Researchers, whose proposals are selected for funding, will be required to present their research and findings at our annual water resources conference.

Please submit your proposal(s) online to Alabama Water Resources Research Institute, via the INTERNET Portal no later than 4:45 p.m., Friday, November 20, 2009. If you have any questions regarding the Section 104(b) program, please contact Dennis Block by e-mail at blockdh@auburn.edu or by phone at (334) 844-4132. For specific instructions to submit proposal(s) online, please contact Zhen Feng by email at fengzhe@auburn.edu

2009 Alabama Water Resources Conference PowerPoint Presentations available on web

The 23rd Annual Alabama Water Resources Conference was held Thursday & Friday, Sept. 10-11, 2009, at the Perdido Beach Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Orange Beach, Alabama. In conjunction with the Annual Conference, the Alabama Section of AWRA Symposium was held Wednesday, Sept. 9. Both have provided an excellent forum for stimulating discussion regarding the many multi-disciplinary aspects of current and future water use, management, and conservation issues.

The PowerPoint presentations for the conference are now available on the conference website. For details, please visit
http://auei.auburn.edu/conference/

AUEI and NCAT Award FY-2009 Vulcan Competitive Grants

Auburn University’s Environmental Institute and National Center for Asphalt Technology recently announced the award of two FY-2009 Vulcan Competitive Grants to Auburn University faculty. The program facilitates Auburn University faculty in developing innovative techniques to improve efficiency and minimize the environmental impacts associated with hard rock (limestone, sandstone, granite) mining practices. Proposals are invited from all colleges and schools at Auburn University.

The FY- 2009 grants were awarded to:
Clifford Lange, Department of Civil Engineering, “Toxicity Evaluation of Wash Water and Storm Water Runoff Ponds at Aggregate Mining Sites in South East United States”

Mark Steltenpohl, Department of Geology and Geography, “Completing vector GIS geologic maps along the Fall Line in east-central Alabama and west-central Georgia, and establishing relationships between aggregate stone petrofabrics and physical testing results as an exploration tool”

Details are available at http://auei.auburn.edu/research/grants/grants09.php

AUEI announces winners for Environmental Sciences scholarship program

The Auburn University Environmental Institute is pleased to announce six winners for its annual Excellence in Environmental Sciences scholarship program. The scholarships were selected by the Institute’s Scholarship Selection Committee, whose members include representation from Auburn University staff and faculty. Scholarships were awarded based on academic excellence, relevance of applicant’s coursework to the mission of the Institute (see www.auei.auburn.edu), extracurricular environmental activities, and environmental career interests.

Kristen Davee was awarded Guy V. Bullock Excellence in Environmental Sciences Scholarship.

Natalie Glynn, Clinton Cook, Johnathyn Britton, Julie Young, Megan Robinson, and Scott Russell were awarded Emory O. and Jeanne L. Cunningham Excellence in Environmental Sciences Scholarship.

Pond and Wetland Management Guidebooks Online

EPA just released “Stormwater Wet Pond and Wetland Management Guidebook,” a new resource targeted at local government agencies. This guide, available at www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/pondmgmtguide.pdf, provides the inspector, program manager, designer and owner with information about common stormwater pond and wetland maintenance problems and possible solutions. This guide will help communities develop an integrated stormwater management system which includes properly maintaining existing wet ponds and wetlands, exploring retrofit opportunities and implementing low impact development design principles. A series of Web-based tools supplement the guidebook and are available on the nonprofit Center for Watershed Protection’s Stormwater Manager’s Resource Center Web site (go to www.stormwatercenter.net, click on Program Resources, then STP Maintenance). A separate, but similar guidebook, “Maintaining Stormwater Systems: A Guidebook for Private Owners and Operators in Northern Virginia” (2007), is available online from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission at www.novaregion.org/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1675

Invasive Species Expert Directory Available

The Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force now offers a publicly-accessible database designed to help people find invasive species experts. Available at www.anstaskforce.gov/experts/search.php the database will guide users to a state contact that can find the requested information or identify the invasive species. If state contacts can’t answer a user’s question, they will find additional experts who can. The ANS Task Force is an intergovernmental organization (10 federal agency representatives and 12 ex officio members) dedicated to preventing and controlling aquatic nuisance species.

EPA Document Analyzes Benefits of Using Green Roofs for Stormwater Control

EPA recently released a new document describing the results of a Pennsylvania project that evaluated green roofs as a stormwater management tool. Project results indicate that the green roofs are capable of removing 50 percent of the annual rainfall volume from a roof through retention and evapotranspiration.
Rainfall not retained by green roofs is detained, slowing peak flows downstream. Green roof runoff contains concentrations of some nutrients and other substances, but levels are comparable to other planted systems. Due to the volume reduction, actual nutrient loadings from green roofs are less than loadings from asphalt roofing runoff. To read more, see “Green Roofs for Stormwater Runoff Control” (February 2009), available online at www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/600r09026/600r09026.pdf

EPA Begins Testing Pesticides for Endocrine Disruption

EPA recently issued the first list of pesticides to be screened for possibly disrupting the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interact with and possibly disrupt the hormones produced or secreted by the human or animal endocrine system, which regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction. EPA issued test orders to the manufacturers of 67 pesticide chemicals during summer 2009 to determine whether their chemicals may disrupt the endocrine system. Testing, conducted through the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP), will be expanded over time to cover all pesticide chemicals. For more information, see www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo

Atmospheric Sources of Nitrogen Biggest Contributor in Southeast

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program assessed total nitrogen loads and yields in streams throughout the southeastern United States using the USGS watershed model SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed Attributes). Results from the southeast regional total nitrogen SPARROW model indicate that atmospheric deposition is the largest source of nitrogen delivered annually to many estuaries along the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, such as Mobile and Apalachicola Bays (see http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pubs/nitrogen_loads for more details). The regional model integrates federal, state and local agency monitoring data from 2002 at 321 stations. The geospatial data describes nitrogen sources (fertilizer, animal waste, and urban inputs, atmospheric deposition and wastewater discharges) and watershed properties (soil characteristics, precipitation and land cover). Combining more calibration sites and refined geospatial data significantly improved results compared to previous SPARROW models.

What is Polyacrylamide (PAM)?

PAM is a term describing a wide variety of polymers based on the acrylamide and acrylate molecular units. When linked in long chains, these units can be modified to result in a net positive, neutral or negative charge on the PAM molecule. The positively charged, or cationic, PAM molecules, are not used for erosion control because they can be toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms if they spill into water bodies in sufficient concentrations. The negatively charged, or anionic, PAM molecules, are not generally toxic to aquatic organisms at working dosages and are widely used in furrow irrigation agriculture. PAM is available as a crystalline powder, an emulsion or a solid block and is nontoxic to humans and to other species in the environment. (This information is adapted from the 2006 NCSU fact sheet SoilFacts: Using Polyacrylamide (PAM) to Reduce Erosion on Construction Sites. For the complete text, see www.soil.ncsu.edu/publications/Soilfacts/agw439-61_low-res-060106.pdf)

2010 Academic Year EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Environmental Study

Open Date: 09/15/2009 – Close Date: 12/10/2009

URL: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2010/2010groundergrad.html

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), invites applications for the Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for undergraduate environmentally related study for bachelor’s level students. The deadline for receipt of applications is December 10, 2009. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 30 new fellowships by July 30, 2010. The fellowship provides up to $19,250 per year of academic support and $8,000 for internship support for a combined total of up to $46,500 over the life of the fellowship. The GRO program enhances and supports quality environmental education for undergraduates, and thereby encourages them to continue their education beyond the baccalaureate level, and pursue careers in environmentally related fields. The actual amount awarded per year will vary depending on the amount of
tuition and fees and the number of months the stipend is required. This fellowship is intended to help defray costs associated with environmentally oriented study leading to a bachelor’s degree.

Southeastern Fuels Fix Ezine Now Available

The Summer 2009 edition of the Southeastern Fuels Fix is now available at http://www.FuelsFix.com

Catch up on all that is happening in our region of the country with Alternative Fuels and Alternative Fuel Vehicles.

The Southeast Clean Cities Coordinators are working diligently to expand the use of all alternative fuels to increase our energy independence, increase economic development and improve air quality in our respective states.

Year of Science Celebration

The Year of Science 2009, sponsored by the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS), is national, year-long celebration of science and its value for society. The COPUS network includes more than 430 universities, scientific societies, government agencies, science centers and museums, educators, schools and others. The goal is to improve the public’s understanding of how science works, who scientists are, and why science matters. The year-long month celebration includes monthly themes.

>>Details

Proceedings and Presentations now available from May 2009 NPS Outreach Conference

Fifth National Conference for Nonpoint Source and Stormwater Outreach: Achieving Results with Tight Budgets (May 2009, Portland, OR)

Proceedings and all presentations available online. Also be sure to check out the great videos from the People’s Choice Awards.

Nonpoint Source News Notes Now On-line!

Be sure to check out the latest issue of Nonpoint Source New Notes, a periodical packed with the latest information related to watershed management. In this month’s issue, Watershed Central, an exciting new clearinghouse of watershed information, and EPA’s new Healthy Watershed Initiative, are two of the featured stories.

>>Details

Nutrient Concentrations Remained Stable in Many Streams from 1993 to 2003

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program conducted national- and regional-scale trend assessments (1993 to 2003) of nutrient concentrations and loads in streams and how these trends corresponded to changes in streamflow and nutrient sources, such as fertilizer applications, animal manure, population, and atmospheric deposition. Phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations remained relatively stable in about half of the streams assessed nationwide from 1993 to 2003; however, the pattern did vary in some regions, including increases in phosphorus concentrations in more than half of the streams assessed in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin. Linking trends in stream nutrient levels to changes in nutrient sources will enhance our understanding of the effectiveness of land management actions.

Regional-scale assessments of examined trends in nutrient and suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the Upper Mississippi, Ohio, Red, and Great Lakes River Basin, Missouri River Basin, Lower Mississippi, Arkansas-White-Red, and Texas-Gulf River Basin, and the Pacific Northwest River Basin.

For more information on how nutrients vary over time in streams assessed across the Nation, contact:
Lori Sprague (lsprague@usgs.gov).

For more information on how nutrients and sediment vary over time in selected major river basins, contact:
David Lorenz (lorenz@usgs.gov) — Upper Mississippi, Ohio, Red, and Great Lakes River Basin
Lori Sprague (lsprague@usgs.gov) — Missouri River Basin
Richard Rebich (rarebich@usgs.gov) — Lower Mississippi, Arkansas-White-Red, and Texas-Gulf River Basin
Daniel Wise (dawise@usgs.gov) — Pacific Northwest River Basin

Healthy Watersheds Initiative

EPA has launched a new initiative called “Healthy Watersheds” that emphasizes protection and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. The initiative is being introduced on a new Web site, Healthy Watersheds, which provides information on tools to identify and protect healthy watersheds and their components. The Web site provides critical information for making strategic decisions to both protect and restore our nation’s waters.

While significant progress has been made in protecting and restoring water quality under the Clean Water Act, the nation continues to lose healthy aquatic ecosystems. Preserving healthy watersheds will provide the critical natural infrastructure needed to restore water quality. EPA’s new initiative is predicated on the simple truth that it is much more cost-effective to protect the many benefits provided by healthy watersheds than it is to restore them once they become impaired.

The EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Program (GMP) Announces the Gulf Guardian Awards

The Gulf of Mexico Program Partnership developed the Gulf Guardian awards as a way to recognize and honor the businesses, community groups, individuals, and agencies that are taking positive steps to keep the Gulf healthy, beautiful and productive. The Gulf Guardian Award exemplifies what the Gulf of Mexico Program is all about; innovative solutions that come about when we pool resources and look for creative ways to positively impact our quality of life and economic well being. The partnership of the Gulf of Mexico Program seeks to improve the environmental health of the Gulf in concert with economic development. The Gulf Guardian Awards is an important way by which we recognize these valuable efforts. There are many companies, organizations, and individuals in the Gulf States that are “Gulf Guardians.” The GMP partnership believes they should be awarded for their stewardship of this national resource from which we all derive so much benefit.

The first Gulf Guardian Award winners were recognized in 2000. Every year since, a first, second and third place award are given in seven categories: Business, Civic/Non-Profit Organization, Partnerships, Youth/Education, Individual, Government, and Bi-National. All 21 winners in seven different categories receive an impressive marble and glass memento, press coverage on their project, and recognition by their peers. First place winners receive a professional three-minute video about their project or efforts.

http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/gulfguard/about-ggawards.html

2009 Application:

2009 Gulf Guardian Award Application (PDF)

En español (PDF)

EPA Issues New Guidance on the Award of Water Quality Management Planning Grants Funded Under the Recovery Act

On March 12, 2009, EPA issued new guidance for the administration of Water Quality Management Planning (WQMP) Grants funded under the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” (ARRA). The ARRA provides $4 billion to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and according to Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act, 1% of each State’s CWSRF allotment is reserved for WQMP activities. This means that nearly $40 million will be available nationally to support a broad range of planning activities. Examples of these activities might include: addressing nutrient pollution from cities and agriculture on a watershed basis, protecting undeveloped areas through “green infrastructure” techniques, creating low impact development programs that will protect water quality in developing areas, developing watershed plans and total maximum daily loads, analyzing trends in water availability and use, and developing response plans to adapt to climate change.

For a copy of this guidance, please visit Memorandum (PDF), and for other information on the ARRA, please visit Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.

NCER Launches new Community Based Risk Assessment Research Web Site

NCER has launched a new science topics page about Community Based Risk Assessment (CBRA). These pages define CBRA, the evaluation of multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors (e.g., psychosocial stress, violence, poverty, poor nutritional status) faced by a community, and discuss the goals and research needs of this evolving program area.

A new research competition
(http://epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2009/2009starcumulative_risk.html) is currently open on research needs that limit the ability to conduct cumulative risk assessments. This RFA and ultimately the research projects that will be awarded, as well as future CBRA research opportunities will be housed within the CBRA site.

The CBRA site discusses past and ongoing related research and information resources. This research includes Environmental Justice projects that attempt to address questions related to the influence of economic and social factors on the health status of individuals exposed to environmental toxicants, and Lifestyle and Cultural Practices of Tribal populations projects to develop methods to assess subsistence-based exposures.

The site has compiled an array of information resources about cumulative risk assessment such as EPA’s Concepts, Methods and Data Sources for Cumulative Health Risk Assessment of Multiple Chemicals, Exposures and Effects: A Resource Document.

Site visitors can stay abreast of CBRA developments by joining the CBRA list serve and by following the CBRA bulletin, a monthly newsletter which summarizes CBRA research news, developments, opportunities, and featured research articles.

For more information on CBRA see: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/cbra

Economic Recovery Funding for Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

The economic recovery plan signed by President Obama will create quality, sustainable jobs to help protect our country’s public health and our environment. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 specifically includes $7.22 billion for projects and programs administered by EPA. These programs will protect and promote both “green” jobs and a healthier environment. As part of the plan, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund projects have been funded $4 billion for assistance to help communities with water quality and wastewater infrastructure needs and $2 billion for drinking water infrastructure needs. A portion of the funding is targeted towards green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally innovative projects. The Agency is developing grant guidance to assist states in managing the Recovery Act funding. Announcements of grants will be posted on the web to ensure transparency. The state-by-state distributions for clean water and drinking water state revolving funds are also available on-line.

Watershed Forestry Resource Guide

The Watershed Forestry Resource Guide was created through a partnership of the Center for Watershed Protection and the US Forest Service. This Website is a central clearinghouse for all things related to forests and watersheds. There have been many recent efforts towards managing urban forests for watershed health that have resulted in a variety of highly useful tools and training materials. Information is organized into four major categories: forest planning and assessment, reducing stormwater runoff, forest friendly development and planting and maintaining trees. This site compiles these resources into a format that can be easily accessed and downloaded. http://www.forestsforwatersheds.org/

National Water Quality Inventory Report Now Available On-line

This report summarizes water quality assessments submitted by the states to EPA under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act. Forty-four percent of assessed river and stream miles, 64 percent of assessed lake acres, and 30 percent of assessed estuary square miles were found to be impaired for one or more of the uses designated for them by the states. Leading causes of impairment included pathogens, mercury, nutrients, and organic enrichment/low dissolved oxygen. Top sources of impairment included atmospheric deposition, agriculture, hydrologic modifications, and unknown or unspecified sources. This report is a companion to electronically-submitted state water quality information available on EPA’s Web site, known as ATTAINS. In addition to viewing the national summary and information by state at this Web site, users can click down to the individual waterbody level to find out more about water quality conditions. http://www.epa.gov/owow/305b/2004report/

EPA releases new online video “Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In”

This new 9-minute film showcases green techniques that are being used in urban areas to reduce the effects of stormwater runoff on the quality of downstream receiving waters. The goal is to mimic the natural way water moves through an area before development by using design techniques that infiltrate, evaporate, and reuse runoff close to its source. Highlights include green techniques on display in 2008 at the U.S. Botanic Garden’s “One Planet – Ours!” Exhibit and at the U.S. EPA in Washington, D.C., including recently completed cisterns. http://epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/video.html