Contaminated Sediments

EPA Great Lakes National Program Office Publishes a Series of Articles on the Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) Program

Fourteen papers published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, volume 22(3), report the results of the recently completed Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) program (Fox and Tuchman, 1996).

The ARCS program was established to help address the contaminated sediment problem at 42 Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs). The program was enacted under Section 118(c)(3) in the 1987 re-authorization of the Clean Water Act and administered through the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO).

The objectives of the ARCS program were to: (1) assess the nature and extent of sediment contamination at AOCs; (2) demonstrate and evaluate remediation options; and (3) provide guidance on contaminated sediment problems and remediation alternatives at AOCs and other locations in the Great Lakes (U.S. EPA, 1994a,b).

Volume 22(3) of the Journal of Great Lakes Research contains papers developed from activities of the Toxicity Chemistry Workgroup and the Risk Assessment and Modeling Workgroup in the ARCS program. An introductory chapter by Fox and Tuchman describes the ARCS program. A paper by Burton et al. provides a comprehensive evaluation of a number of different toxicity tests and compares factors such as similarity, redundancy, and selectivity among these tests.

The next paper, by Smith et al., discusses long core sampling using a vibro-corer. Rathburn et al. then address indicator and screening analyses for inexpensive and quick estimates of sediment toxicity. Ankley et al. report on toxicity identification evaluations (TIEs) of pore-water samples. Hall et al. then evaluate the utility of algal toxicity tests. Papoulias et al. and Papoulias and Buckler discuss optimization of Ames mutagenicity assays for assessing sediments. Four other papers describe approaches for integrating sediment toxicity, chemistry, and benthic community data. Canfield et al. reported results of benthic community assessments and the sediment quality triad while Swift et al. compared those results to benthic communities sampled with artificial substrates.

Ingersoll et al. and Smith et al. calculated and evaluated sediment effect concentrations including ERLs (Effect Range Low), ERMs (Effect Range Median), TELs (Threshold Effect Levels), and PELs (Probable Effect Levels). Three final papers evaluate modeling and risk assessment procedures including the use of ranking procedures by Wildhaber et al., transport of contaminated sediments in the Saginaw River by Cardenas and Lick, and baseline human health risk assessments by Crane.

Major findings and recommendations of these studies include: (1) the use of integrated assessment procedures which incorporate chemical analyses, toxicity tests, and benthic community assessments, (2) screening level analyses to efficiently analyze large numbers of samples, (3) three dimensional assessments to determine spatial variation in sediment contamination, and (4) sediment effect concentrations and ranking procedures to help integrate data generated in ecological risk assessments of contaminated sediments. GLNPO has prepared two additional technical guidance documents which summarize information learned in the ARCS program (U.S. EPA 1994a,b).

References Cited

Fox, R.G., and M. Tuchman. 1996. The assessment and remediation of contaminated sediments (ARCS) program. J. Great Lakes Res. 22:493-494.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994a. ARCS assessment guidance document. EPA 905-B94-002, Chicago, IL.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1994b. ARCS risk assessment and modeling overview document. EPA 905-R94-003, Chicago, IL.

For additional information on these publications, please contact Callie Bolattino, U.S. EPA, GLNPO, 77 W. Jackson, Chicago, IL (312/353-3490, fax -2018; e-mail bolattino.callie@epamail.epa.gov).

FOCUS

Environment Canada

Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines

Environment Canada (Guidelines Division, Science Policy & Environmental Quality Branch) develops Canadian sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life as part of its obligations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).

The Act dictates the Canadian government s responsibilities regarding monitoring activities, substance assessments, pollution prevention and control strategies, and regulatory activities (e.g., ocean disposal of dredged sediments). These national sediment quality guidelines are developed cooperatively with the provincial and territorial governments through the Water Quality Guidelines Task Group of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). CCME is a joint federal, provincial, and territorial council committed to intergovernmental cooperation on environmental matters in Canada.

National sediment quality guidelines for chemical substances, which are developed using toxicological information, represent concentrations of individual chemicals below which adverse biological effects are not expected. They are developed with the intention to be conservative, national benchmarks (i.e., reference points) to protect and sustain aquatic life. These resource-use based guidelines provide scientifically defined measures to evaluate the status of, and progress toward, societal goals for the maintenance, protection, and remediation of environmental quality (Gaudet et al. 1995).

Although Canadian sediment quality guidelines provide a nationally consistent, scientific basis for management decisions, such as the development of substance-, site-, or issue-specific objectives or standards, they do not directly incorporate management considerations (e.g., cost and technological limitations) nor are they intended to serve directly as management objectives without due consideration of such factors. Therefore, effective implementation of national sediment quality guidelines requires that the distinction between generic guidelines and site-specific objectives be recognized within a broader decision-making framework. In Canada, sediment quality guidelines are developed using a nationally approved protocol (CCME 1995) to ensure consistency, transparency, and scientific defensibility in the process. Sediment quality guideline technical documents for a number of individual chemicals and groups of substances are being developed by the Environment Canada Guidelines Division. The document Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines for Cadmium should be available in early 1997. The draft Environment Canada document, Proposed Interim Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life, will be available once an internal Departmental review is complete.

For more information, contact Sherri Smith (819 953-3082; sherri.smith@ec.gc.ca) or Karen Keenleyside (819-997-4070; karen.keenleyside@ec.gc.ca) at Environment Canada.

References Cited

CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment). 1995. Protocol for he Derivation of Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life. Report CCME EPC-98E. Prepared by the Technical Secretariat of the Water Quality Guidelines Task Group, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 38 p.

Gaudet, C.L., K.A. Keenleyside, R.A. Kent, S.L. Smith, and M.P. Wong, 1995. How should numerical criteria be used? The Canadian approach. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 1(1): 19-28.

HEADQUARTERS ACTIVITIES

REGIONAL ACTIVITIES

Region 1

EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan for Upper and Lower New Bedford, Mass. Harbor

After extensively studying the 18,000-acre New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site, EPA recently proposed a remedy that includes dredging 170 acres of PCB-contaminated sediments in upper and lower New Bedford Harbor and isolating the sediments in confined disposal facilities (CDFs).

From the 1940's through the late 1970's, factories near New Bedford Harbor, a tidal estuary on Buzzards Bay in southeastern Massachusetts, discharged PCB-containing industrial process wastes into the harbor and New Bedford's sewerage system. EPA discovered widespread PCB and heavy metal contamination in the sediments and marine life throughout Buzzards Bay, and in 1977 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a warning and closed areas of the harbor and bay to fishing. In 1982 EPA added the New Bedford Harbor Site to the National Priority List of sites eligible for Superfund cleanup funds. Massachusetts has designated the New Bedford Harbor site as its top priority federal Superfund site.

The Proposed Cleanup Plan

EPA proposes to design and build four shoreline CDFs and associated water treatment facilities. The CDFs would be built in contaminated areas to avoid dredging approximately 126,000 cubic yards of underlying contaminated sediment. Dredged contaminated sediments would be piped into the CDFs and passively dewatered. Groundwater monitoring wells would be installed around each CDF to verify that it is operating safely.

Once construction of the first CDF is complete, dredging would commence. Approximately 450,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment are to be dredged: in the upper harbor, sediments above 10 parts per million (ppm) PCBs would be dredged; and in the lower harbor and salt marsh areas, sediments containing more than 50 ppm PCBs would be dredged. Sediments above the target cleanup levels would be removed from the river bottom by a cutter head dredge, a type of dredge proven to be environmentally safe. The sediments would then be pumped by the dredge to one of the four CDFs. Other dredging methods may be used for deep water or salt marshes.

The air quality in nearby residential areas would be monitored throughout the dredging process, and a minimum of 2 feet of water would be maintained above the sediment during dredging operations to control airborne PCB emissions. Similarly, the water column would be sampled during dredging to ensure that sediment resuspension is below pre-established safe levels. During dredging, seawater would be drained from the sediments and treated physically and chemically to reduce levels of PCBs and heavy metals before discharge back into the harbor.

After the CDFs are filled with sediment, a preliminary cap would be installed to prevent escape of PCB dust and to allow for precipitation runoff while the underlying contaminated sediment consolidates. This consolidation process, which is expected to take approximately 3 years, is necessary to establish appropriate foundation conditions prior to construction of a final impermeable cap. When the dredged sediment has sufficiently consolidated, a multi-layered cap would be constructed to prevent water infiltration into, and promote surface drainage away from, the underlying sediments.

EPA plans to work with local communities to develop appropriate plans for beneficial reuse of each CDF. For example, the City of New Bedford has expressed an interest in reusing one CDF as a commercial marine facility. As a result, the CDF could be designed with walls on the seaward side to promote docking and with a footprint that would accommodate future boat-hauling activities. Design accommodations also can be made to the other CDFs, provided that the ultimate land use is developed in advance and in conjunction with the surrounding towns.

Proposed Remedy Enhancement to Include Navigational Dredging

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has requested an enhancement of the Superfund remedy to include dredging and disposal of an additional 1 million cubic yards of sediments generated from the maintenance dredging of navigational channels. Although these "navigational" sediments fall below the proposed target cleanup levels for PCBs, and thus do not overlap with the sediments slated for Superfund dredging, they are still contaminated with metals and low levels of PCBs. As a result, disposal options are limited, and an alternative disposal plan is required if the harbor shipping channels are to be maintained at their originally approved depths.

This enhancement could entail removing 28,000 cubic yards of sediment from two areas for disposal in a large proposed "navigational" CDF. The benefits of this action would be the possibility of using navigational sediments as preliminary cap material, the removal of additional PCBs and heavy metals in the navigational sediments, and streamlined permitting procedures. The navigational dredging would also work in concert with the City's plans for developing the public and economic uses of the harbor. If the proposed enhancement is accepted, its implementation would be contingent on appropriate state funding and would be directed by the Commonwealth and the Army Corps of Engineers, rather than the federal Superfund program. For more information on the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site, contact David Dickerson of EPA Region 1 at 617-573-5735.

Region 5

Agency Reviews Public Response to Planned Grand Calumet River Cleanup

EPA Region 5 is considering responses to comments from the public concerning a USX Corporation proposal to dredge a portion of the Grand Calumet River and dispose of PCB-contaminated sediments in a disposal facility to be constructed on USX property in Gary, Indiana.

USX proposes to remove about 687,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the upper 5 miles of the East Branch of the river, adjacent to the USX steel production facility known as the Gary Works. Some 125,000 cubic yards of sediment are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). A USX sediment study completed in 1993 shows that the river contains the heavy metals iron, lead, zinc, cadmium, and chromium; oil and greases; PCBs; polycyclic aromated hydrocarbons ; benzene; cyanide; and other pollutants.

The project was proposed by USX in cooperation with EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. It will be implemented according to all applicable state and federal environmental laws. USX has submitted a plan to EPA, which is reviewing it to ensure that the plan adheres to those laws. The Agency has asked the public to comment on the disposal facility and on the manner in which some of the sediments will be managed.

Sediment Dredging Proposed

Under a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action order, sediments will be dredged using a hydraulic suction pump. Such pumps minimize resuspension of disturbed sediments, but moving any contaminated sediments has the potential to resuspend contaminated material in the water column. Consequently, short-term exposure of aquatic life to contaminated sediments may increase, and contaminated material may be transported to cleaner areas. USX proposes to minimize these impacts through sound management practices, including total containment of the most contaminated areas during dredging.

Dredged sediments are to be disposed of in a 40-acre, double-lined corrective action management unit (CAMU) to be built on USX property. This is the safest way of handling sediments because they will be taken out of the river completely. The CAMU will be constructed to contain all dredged sediments and prevent future releases of hazardous constituents. It will be sited near the project area to minimize sediment transport, in an area formerly used to dispose of dredged sediments.

After all dredged sediments are placed in the CAMU, the CAMU will be dewatered and the dredged solids will be consolidated. Wastewater from this process will be collected and treated in a project-specific treatment system. The oil skimmed from the CAMU will be treated and disposed of in accordance with applicable state and federal law. Although not a complete treatment process, this step will reduce some of the sediment toxicity. Once the dewatering has been completed, USX will install a temporary vegetative cover over the CAMU to control dust and minimize erosion.

Excess Disposal Capacity

The CAMU will be designed with excess capacity that may be used to dispose of additional wastes from the site cleanup. By law, only wastes generated during the implementation of the corrective action may be disposed of in the CAMU. It will not be used for waste disposal from other site cleanups. The excess capacity would be used only if EPA approves, and if the physical and chemical makeup of the additional waste is compatible with the dredged sediments.

USX must prepare a groundwater monitoring plan, to ensure that contaminants are contained by the CAMU, which must be approved by EPA. After the activities specified in the consent order are completed, USX must submit a closure plan, which also must be approved by EPA. After closure, USX will routinely inspect the CAMU. The dredging will be an interim measure under a corrective action order pursuant to RCRA section 3008(h).

The cleanup is expected to take about 5 years to complete. This period includes 2 years for engineering studies, design, and permit application preparation; 1 year for constructing the CAMU and wastewater treatment system; and 2 years to dredge the sediments and place them in the CAMU.

The USX proposal goes beyond the requirements of the settlement of a 1990 federal lawsuit brought under the Clean Water Act. Under the consent decree that resulted from the suit, the company agreed to improve its wastewater treatment equipment and its water delivery and sewer systems; spend up to $2.5 million to investigate pollution in a 13-mile stretch of the Grand Calumet River and up to $5 million to clean the upper 5 miles of river adjacent to its property; and pay a $1.6 million fine. For more information, contact Matthew Ohl, EPA Region 5, at 312-886-4442, or ohl.matthew @epamail.epa.gov.

Region 9

Pilot Phase Continues for San Francisco Bay's Dredged Material Management Office (DMMO)

The 1-year pilot of the interagency office for coordinated decision-making on dredging permits was established by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in early July 1996.

Signatories to the MOU were the Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District, EPA, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and the California State Lands Commission.

The Dredged Material Management Office (DMMO) is modeled after the interagency Puget Sound Dredged Disposal Analysis (PSDDA) program in EPA Region 10, providing a cooperative permitting framework that reduces both redundancy and delays in the processing of permit applications.

The first of two 6-month pilot phases of San Francisco Bay's DMMO was recently completed. DMMO staff have prepared a review report discussing the DMMO's accomplishments, issues that arose during the first 6-month pilot, and staff recommendations for changes to the process to be implemented during the second 6-month phase.

The DMMO has reviewed information from approximately 60 applications for dredging more than 4.3 million cubic yards of material in the last year and a half. A noteworthy finding of the report is that only 3 percent of the dredged material failed standardized testing for open-water disposal. It had been widely assumed that up to 20 percent of San Francisco Bay dredged material would fail such testing.

Applicants using the DMMO fill out a consolidated permit application form for dredging and disposal/reuse of dredged materials that has been developed by the DMMO. The single application has made the permit process more predictable for all applicants by aligning the individual agencies' "clocks" for permit processing.

Although some operational and procedural problems were noted during the first phase, there was consensus on the part of the agency staff that the DMMO has improved interagency coordination, thereby increasing the efficiency with which dredging permits are being processed.

The second 6-month pilot phase commenced in April. At the end of that phase, the participants will initiate the policy and statutory changes necessary to permanently implement the DMMO.

For more information, or a copy of the 6-month review report, contact Erika Hoffman, EPA Region 9, 415-744-1986, or hoffman.erika@epamail.epa.gov.

Round Robin Testing of Chronic Sediment Toxicity Test Methods

Spring 1997 marked the initiation of round robin testing for both the freshwater and marine/estuarine chronic sediment toxicity test methods. Dr. G. Allen Burton, Jr. of Wright State University in Dayton, OH is coordinating the interlaboratory comparison for the freshwater chronic sediment toxicity test methods. These methods include the 42-day chronic sediment toxicity test for the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca and the chronic sediment toxicity test for the midge Chironomus tentans with a duration of 40 to 50 days.

At least eight laboratories will test both species using two toxic test sediments and one natural reference sediment. Participating laboratories will also have the option of running the tests with two artificial sediments consisting of an alpha-cellulose formula and a peat moss formula.

Testing began in March and ended in May 1997. EPA s Office of Science and Technology and Great Lakes National Program Office, and the National Council of Air and Stream Improvement, are sponsoring this work. A protocol document will be developed after the tests are completed.

Dr. Theodore DeWitt of the Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim, WA is leading the interlaboratory study for the marine/estuarine chronic sediment toxicity test method. This method consists of a 28-day test for the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus to measure survival, growth, and reproduction.

Ten laboratories are participating in the round robin testing. The test sediments will consist of dilutions of sediments from Black Rock Harbor, CT along with a control sediment and a fine-grained reference sediment.

Laboratories initiated the testing in May and will complete it in June 1997. EPA s Office of Science and Technology is sponsoring the interlaboratory study. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, MS participated in developing the chronic method and planning the experimental design, and is participating in the round robin testing.

A protocol document will be developed after testing is completed. For more information, contact Leanne Stahl of EPA-OST at 202-260-7055.

ORD ACTIVITIES

Research on Solid-Phase TIE Methods for Metals at ORD-Duluth

Where sediments show toxicity to benthic organisms, it is often desirable to identify the chemicals responsible.

Although toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods for water samples (including pore water) have become routine, methods applicable to solid-phase sediment tests have proven more difficult. Ongoing research at ORD-Duluth is showing some promise of effective methods for implicating cationic metals (e.g., copper, cadmium) as sediment toxicants. Two methods have shown success in certain sediments: 1) supplementing acid-volative sulfide in the sediment and 2) addition of zero valent metals to induce redox reactions.

Complementary research at ORD-Narragansett has shown that the zero valent metal technique may be even more effective in marine sediments than in freshwater sediments. It is hoped that these methods can be refined sufficiently to be included in sediment TIE guidance to be developed by EPA in the near future. For more information, contact Dave Mount of ORD s Mid Continent Ecology Division, 218-720-5616; or at epadrm@ du4500.dul.epa.gov.

Changes in Metal Toxicity with pH for Marine Organisms

Metal toxicity is often dependent upon pH. In marine waters, where pH is generally well buffered (remaining in the range of 8 to 8.3), changing metal toxicity with pH is not well documented. However, in situ marine interstitial water pH can fluctuate between 6.5 and 8.5, and sediment sampling and consequent mixing may increase interstitial water pH due to sample oxidation. This pH change is important when assessing the bioavailability of metals to benthic organisms, particularly in laboratory toxicity testing of sediment porewaters and its extrapolation to field assessments.

Research at ORD-Narragansett is being conducted to provide information on pH-dependent toxicity of three common marine test species Mysidopsis bahia (mysids), Ampelisca abdita (amphipod) and Vibrio fischerii (Microtox solid phase test (MSP)) associated with five common environmental metals (copper, cadmium, lead, nickel, and zinc) at three pH levels.

Changes in toxicity with respect to pH were generally metal- and organism-specific. For the MSP assay, with decreasing pH, there was a decrease in lead, nickel, cadmium, and zinc toxicity, and an increase in copper toxicity. For mysids, as pH decreased lead toxicity decreased, while copper and nickel toxicity increased. For amphipods, copper toxicity decreased with decreasing pH, and all other metal toxicities remained constant. Copper toxicity appeared to be the most dependent on pH.

Metal toxicity for M. bahia, A. abdita, and V. fischerii is largely dependent upon pH, with both metal- and organism-specific changes in toxicity. These toxicity changes with pH should be factored into laboratory assessments of field metal toxicity. In addition, they may be useful in identifying toxic metals during toxicity identification and evaluation procedures.

For more information, contact Kay Ho of ORD at 401-782-3196 or at ho.kay@epamail.epa.gov.

Southeast Chapter of SETAC Holds Annual Spring Symposium

The Southeast Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) held its 1997 Annual Spring Symposium in Pensacola Beach, Florida on May 8 to 10. The Southeast Chapter provides a forum for scientists in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to exchange information, on issues related to environmental chemistry, toxicology, ecological risk assessment, and hazard assessment in the Southeastern United States.

For the first time, two short courses were offered in conjunction with the symposium. The first course, "Identification, Reduction, and Interpretation of Confounding Factors Related to Marine Ecotoxicological Testing" introduced confounding factors in marine testing related to sampling, laboratory testing, and data interpretation; presents existing and emerging methods that account for these factors; and discusses interpretation and application of test results for different assessment scenarios.

The second course, "Gamete and Embryo Collection Workshop," provided hands-on instruction on collecting, holding, maintaining embryos for experimental use from freshwater, estuarine and marine species.
For more information on the SETAC meeting, contact Doug Johnson of Region 4, at 404-562-9386, or by e-mail at johnson.doug@epamail.epa.gov.

ACTIVITIES TIMELINE

July 28 - August 1, 1997

U.S. EPA Water Quality Standards Academy Washington, DC

For more information or registration, contact:

Kate Belmont
The Cadmus Group, Inc.
Phone: 703-931-8700
Fax: 703-931-8701

August 25-28, 1997

U.S. EPA Multi-Regional Meeting on Water Quality Standards, Water Quality Criteria, and Water Quality-Based Permitting St. Louis, Missouri

"Development and Implementation of Tools for Water Quality-Based Pollution Control." Will provide an exchange of scientific, technical, and policy information on water standards, water quality criteria, and water quality-based permitting. Pre-registration is required.

For more information or registration, contact:

Liz Hiett
Tetra Tech, Inc.
Phone: 703-385-6000

September 7-11, 1997

Symposium on the Mechanisms and Effects of Resistant Sorption Processes of Organic Compounds in Natural Particles Environmental Chemistry Division, American Chemical Society National Meeting Las Vegas, Nevada

Symposium will deal with slow kinetic phenomena of contaminant soils, sediments, and aerosols. Topics of interest include transport modeling, particle characterization, fundamental molecular interactions with natural and model particles, bioavailability, and remediation.

For more information, contact:

Joe Pignatello
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
New Haven, Connecticut 06504
Phone: 203-789-7237

October 12-16, 1997

Estuarine Research Foundation 14th International Conference Providence, Rhode Island

"The State of Our Estuaries" will be addressed through thematic sessions, oral and poster presentations, and workshops. Workshop topics include coastal land loss in the United States; denitrification; ecological economics of estuaries; using the Internet to conduct investigations in marine science; using stable isotopes to trace linkages between watersheds and estuaries; investigation-based teaching in introductory coastal and marine courses; regional assessments of estuarine health; and how scientists can influence elected officials.

For more information, contact:

Estuarine Research Federation
Port Republic, Maryland 20676
Phone: 410-586-0997
Fax: 410-586-9226
e-mail: jbarth@cbl.cees.edu

Conference Proceedings are Being Prepared

The proceedings of the National Sediment Bioaccumulation Conference are in preparation. They are expected to be available in September 1997.

More than 400 persons attended the conference, which was held on September 11-13, 1996 in Bethesda, Maryland. The conference was sponsored by the EPA Office of Science and Technology and the EPA Office of Research and Development.

The event, which featured presentations by national experts in seven sessions, was the cover story in the Winter 1997 issue of Contaminated Sediments News.

For more information, contact Leanne Stahl, EPA Office of Science and Technology, at 202-260-7055.

First American Wetlands Conference Held in Virginia

Communities Working for Wetlands, a conference held in Alexandria, VA, on May 7-9 1997, kicked off American Wetlands Month 97 the annual nationwide celebration of wetlands.

The meeting consisted of six concurrent tracks that focused on Wetlands Policy, Working with and Building Broad Coalitions, Education and Outreach, Tools, Science for the Citizen, and International Projects. Presenters described wetlands work, emphasizing stewardship and public involvement.

Other highlights of the meeting included field trips to nearby wetlands; two half-day Wetlands Primer Workshops; and posters and exhibits.

For further information, contact Stacey Satagaj of The Terrene Institute, at 703-548-5473 or at terrinst@aol.com.

New Video and Handbook Available

Eroding soils from stream banks add sediment loads to aquatic ecosystems. Two new products that cover stream bank erosion and wetlands conservation are available from the Izaak Walton League of America. "Restoring America s Streams" is a 28-minute instructional video on stabilizing eroding stream banks and restoring degraded stream-side forests using bioengineering techniques that rely on woody vegetation and special planting patterns.

"Save Our Streams Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability,"is a 235-page handbook to help people become wetland stewards. It details features unique to wetland ecosystems and explains why wetlands are important.

To order the video ($20), or the handbook ($18), contact the Izaak Walton League of America, 707 Conservation Lane, Gaithersburg, MD 20878-2983 or call 1-800-BUG-IWLA.

Wastewater Management | Drinking Water | Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us