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Watershed NewsNovember 2004
Watershed News is a publication of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. It is designed to provide timely information to groups working at the watershed level. In this month's newsletter1) New Clean Water Act On-line Training Class 1) New on-Line Clean Water Act Training ClassRiver Network recently launched a new on-line training class, "Understanding the Clean Water Act" that was funded under an EPA grant. The course, which is accessible at http://www.cleanwateract.org/, is designed to help watershed practitioners and others learn about CWA programs and tools. Key features include:
2) EPA Issues New Water Quality Trading HandbookEPA recently published a new document to help water quality managers and watershed stakeholders determine if trading can be used in their watershed to make cost-effective pollutant reductions that achieve water quality standards. Using a hypothetical river basin, the The Water Quality Trading Assessment Handbook illustrates an analytical framework that can be used in any watershed to evaluate the conditions and water quality problem(s) and determine if water quality trading might effectively address local conditions. You may order paper copies of the handbook at no charge from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications at (800)490-9198 or via email at ncepimal@one.net (please refer to the EPA document number EPA 841-B-04-001). You may also access and download the handbook at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/trading.htm. For handbook questions, you may contact Lynda Hall (202)566-1210 or Katharine Dowell (202)564-1515. 3) 2005 National Community Involvement Conference: Call for PresentersEPA is soliciting presentation proposals for the 2005 National Community Involvement Conference (NCIC): "Building Bridges Through Strong Partnerships." The NCIC conference will take place July 12 - 15 in Buffalo, New York. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, follow the instructions in the Call for Presenters on the conference web site at http://www.epancic.org/2005/presenters/presenter.cfm. The Call for Presenters also includes information about the estimated conference registration fee and travel reimbursement options for nonfederal government presenters. Presentation proposals are due by December 17. Please send any questions or concerns to Lisa Gebler, NCIC Coordinator at 301-589-5318 or e-mail: ciconference@emsus.com.
4) Call for Nominations for the 2005 National Wetlands Awards
Each year the environmental community comes together to honor individuals who have dedicated their time and energy to protecting our nation's wetlands. The 2005 Awards will be given in six categories: Education and Outreach; Science Research; Conservation and Restoration; Landowner Stewardship; State, Tribal, and Local Program Development; and Wetland Community Leader. Nomination forms for the 2005 National Wetlands Awards Program are now available on our website at http://www.eli.org/nwa/nwaprogram.htm. The deadline for submitting nominations is Dec. 15, 2004. For more information or questions about the National Wetlands Awards Program, please e-mail wetlandsawards@eli.org, or contact Katie Wells at 202-939-3810. 5) New Stormwater Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination ManualThe Center for Watershed Protection and the University of Alabama, under a grant from EPA, have produced a comprehensive manual for municipalities that must develop and implement programs to find and correct illicit discharges to their storm sewer systems. The new manual includes detailed information on creating and managing a program, and a comprehensive guide to field and lab protocols. The new manual and supporting materials can be downloaded free of charge at http://www.cwp.org/idde_verify.htm. 6) Animal Feeding Operations Virtual Information Center On-lineEPA has developed a comprehensive internet guide to provide quick access to livestock agricultural information in the US. This site is intended to be a single point of reference to obtain links to state regulations, web sites, permits and policies, nutrient management information, livestock and trade associations, federal web sites, best management practices and controls, cooperative extension and land grant universities, research, funding, and information on environmental issues. You can search website at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/afovirtualcenter. 7) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits Available On-lineEPA is implementing a multi-year project to scan copies of major NPDES permits and make them easily available to the public. You can now find over 2000 NPDES individual and general permits at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/permitsearch. 8) Ecological Riverfront DesignThe American Planning Association (APA; Washington, DC) has published Ecological Riverfront Design to guide planners, mayors, public works and environmental officials, river advocates, and the general public in their search for effective, ecological riverfront design. It provides a set of essential strategies to help communities achieve more with their riverfront revitalization efforts, and draws on lessons learned from more than 30 riverfront projects across the United States. A comprehensive set of recommendations are made for integrating pollution prevention and habitat improvements into riverfront redevelopment efforts. For more info go to http://www.planning.org/bookservice/description.htm?BCODE=P518 Mention of any commercial enterprise, product, or publication does not constitute endorsement by EPA. Also, EPA does not endorse any group's policies, activities or positions on any federal, state or local legislation.
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