Amigos Bravos - Friends of the Wild Rivers
 
Resources

Agency Websites
The following is a list of websites for federal agencies that routinely produce environmental documents or may have information of interest. Note that the Internet changes constantly and, by the time you read this, these and other citations provided may have changed, and new and better information may be available.

Department of Agriculture http://usda.gov/
Department of Commerce http://doc.gov/
Department of Defense http://doc.gov/
Department of Energy http://energy.gov/
Department of the Interior http://energy.gov/
Department of Transportation http://energy.gov/
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry http://energy.gov/
Bureau of Land Management http://blm.gov/
Army Corps of Engineers http://usace.army.mil/
Council on Environmental Quality http://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/
Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission http://www.ferc.gov/
Federal Highway Administration http://fhwa.dot.gov/
Fish and Wildlife Service http://fws.gov/
Food and Drug Administration http://fda.gov/
Government Printing Office http://gpo.gov/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration http://noaa.gov/
National Park Service http://nps.gov/
National Science Foundation http://nsf.gov/
Occupational Health and Safety Administration http://www.osha.gov
Office of Surface Mining http://osm.gov/
General Accounting Office http://gao.gov/

Some other sites of interest include the following:

http://thomas.loc.gov The Library of Congress maintains this legislative service named for Thomas Jefferson. It contains bills, legislative history, Congressional record references, links to bill sponsors, reports and accompanying documents back to 1973.
http://ntis.org/ The National Technical Information Service can provide information about copies of numerous environmental documents.
http://findlaw.com/ This legal reference site contains an index of and linkages to laws, codes, law reviews, legal organizations, and law school information.
http://law.cornell.edu/uscode The Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute has a U.S. Code website with an update service providing recent changes to particular code sections.

Source: The Art of Commenting: How to Influence Environmental Decisionmaking With Effective Comments, Elizabeth D. Mullin, Environmental Law Institute, November 2000

Who to Call for What
A directory of government agencies and others
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
(operates Red River Fish Hatchery and stocks river for fishing)
PO Box 25112
Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 476-8000
http://gmfsh.state.nm.us/
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
(manages Red River and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic Rivers area)
226 Cruz Alta Road
Taos, NM 87571
(505) 758-8851
http://nm.blm.gov/
New Mexico Environment Department
(responsible for groundwater, surface water and drinking water)
PO Box 26110
Santa Fe, NM 87502
(505) 827-2773
http://nmenv.state.nm.us/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(administers 319, NPDES and Superfund programs)
1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200
Dallas, TX 75202
(214)665-6444 / (800) 887-6063
http://epa.gov/
New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division
(administers mining and reclamation permits)
1220 South St. Francis drive
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 476-3400
http://emnrd.state.nm.us/mmd/
U.S. Forest Service/Carson National Forest
(manages most of headwater and streamside lands in the watershed)
208 Cruz Alta Road
Taos, NM 87571
(505) 758-6200
http://fs.fed.us/r3/carson
New Mexico Office of the State Engineer
(administers all New Mexico water rights)
PO Box 25102
Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 827-6175
U.S. Geological Survey
(stream flow monitoring and mapping services)
5338 Montgomery NM, Suite 400
Albuquerque, NM 87109
(505)830-7900 / (888)275-8747
http://usgs.gov/
Taos Soil and Water Conservation District
(education and services for local natural resources conservation)
PO Box 2787
Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557
(505) 751-0584
email: tswcd@newmex.com
U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service
(conserves natural resources on private lands: formerly SCS)
224 Cruz Alta Road
Taos, NM 87571(505) 758-3701
http://nrcs.usda.gov/
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(administers 404 permits for dredging or filling stream channels)
4001 Jefferson Plaza NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
(505) 342-3109
http://usace.army.mil/
Amigos Bravos, Friends of the Wild Rivers
(non-profit advocacy group focusing on Molycorp issues)
PO Box 238
Taos, NM 87571
(505) 758-3874
http://amigosbravos.org/proj-molycorp.html

How to Obtain Quality Drinking Water from the Tap
Many of us are concerned about the growing dependence on bottled water that has been driven by both an increase in pollution and a decline in funding for, and therefore quality of, public water services. There have also been concerns raised about the quality of bottled water and the social and enviornmental impacts of the industry
This resource is free for all to use and distribute. It is small in size, concise, easy to navigate both in print and on the computer, is not bogged down with images and is quick and inexpensive to print. It contains straightforward information on how to find out what the quality of your tap water is, the relationship between various contaminants and your health, what contaminants you need to treat for, what types of filters work for different contaminants, and how to protect your drinking water sources from contamination.
It is our hope that this resource will enable you and your families to obtain the quality drinking water you deserve in an affordable and sustainable way.

EMagazine’s Online Directory of Environmental Products & Services
Emagazine’s Online Directory of Environmental Products & Services makes a variety of green options easy for you to browse.Whether you are looking for friendly household products, gift ideas, research companies, or landscapers, this directory is worth a look.
For more information
http://emagazine.com/directory/viewlink.php

Environmental Resource Web (erWEB)
Environmental Resource Web (erWEB) is a comprehensive web utility that conveys current information about the Environmental Industry to all sectors of American society. In this way, erWEB is helping Americans understand and utilize the products and services of the emerging Environmental Industry. At the heart of erWEB is an intricate set of relational databases that link all components of the environmental industry with related news, facts and statistics, events, market information, and spatial data. This high degree of inter connectivity makes erWEB the ultimate environmental resource.
For more information
http://erweb.org/

The Clean Water Act Owner's Manual, 2nd Edition is available!

This straightforward, plain-English guide to the Clean Water Act focuses on public involvement opportunities. It is a valuable resource for anyone involved in any aspect of water work. The Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual is a great way to say “thank you” to a volunteer, board member or other supporter.

Please visit River Network’s Marketplace online for The Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual 2nd Edition and order your copy today!

New Clean Water Network web page on the Scope of the Clean Water Act is now up

The CWN steering committee has completed a fact sheet on the Bush administration's plans to limit the scope of the Clean Water Act through regulation. The fact sheet is available on a new web page dedicated to CWN's campaign to stop this attack on the act. You can access the web page from the CWN website http://cwn.org (click on Scope of the CWA) or by going directly to http://cwn.org

WaterWiser

The goal of WaterWiser is to be the premier water conservation, efficiency, and demand management information resource. WaterWiser is an interactive web site that strives to meet the information needs of the water conservation community and the drinking water industry. WaterWiser provides news, information, research results, discussion forums, references, calendar of events, searchable information databases, and other resources primarily targeted to water conservation professionals, but freely accessible to others in the water industry and the general public.

For more information: http://awwa.org/waterwiser/

A State by State Look at the Clean Water Act

Search for state contacts and information about using the CWA to protect rivers in your state. This resources allows you to find out : State Contacts for Water Quality Standards, NPDES Permits (EPA contact if permit authority is not delegated to state), TMDLs, Section 401, How to get on your agency's mailing list for Proposed Water Quality Rule Changes, NPDES Permits, Triennial Review Hearings, the Dates of last and next hearings on Triennial Review, the Designated Uses of your state's waters,  the Status of your state's Streamflow Criteria, the Status of your state's Biological Criteria or Guidance, the Status and access to your state's Antidegradation Policy, the Status and access to your state's Mixing Zone Policy, Information about your State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF), AND Agency web site addresses for more detailed information.

For more information: http://rivernetwork.org/cleanwater/cwa_search.asp

Endangered Rivers and the Conservation Movement (2nd edition)
by Tim Palmer

In Endangered  Rivers and the Conservation Movement, Tim Palmer chronicles the development of a national consciousness that values our rivers as lifelines for wildlife, fisheries, parks, wilderness, recreation, and communities. Now updated and including two new chapters that chart the course of conservation during the past twenty years, as well as exploring how the movement to protect rivers will likely change in the twenty-first century, Endangered Rivers and the Conservation Movement will fascinate all who seek to understand environmental history, resources management, and the evolution of government programs in response to people’s changing needs.

For more information: http://rowmanlittlefield.com

RIVER CONSERVATION TOOLS

Restoring Riverfronts: A Guide to Selected Federal Funding Sources
Is your community working on a riverfront revitalization or restoration project? American Rivers' funding guide can help! Get the full guide on the American Rivers website at:
http://amrivers.org/riverfronttoolkit/fundingreport.html

AMERICAN RIVERS' TOOLKITS FOR RIVER CONSERVATION

American Rivers' toolkits give you how-to documents, reports, and other resources to tackle a variety of river restoration projects.
Check this resource out at:http://americanrivers.org/toolkits/default.html

ADOPT-A-BUFFER TOOLKIT; MONITORING RESTORATION PROJECTS

This 133 page manual is designed for local watershed groups, restoration practitioners and volunteer monitors who implement stream restoration projects and who are seeking inexpensive, effective volunteer-based monitoring techniques to assess restoration projects. The Toolkit is packed with useful information and includes a menu of monitoring protocols to choose from based on the type of restoration project implemented and the project goals. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network utilized the toolkit in their Adopt-A-Buffer Initiative to help monitor over 80 restoration projects in the Delaware Watershed.

For more information: http://delawareriverkeeper.org/monitoring/monitoring.html

Rivers of Power: A citizen's guide to hydropower and river restoration
Get a copy (or copies) of Friends of the River's special full-color report on the opportunities and challenges of restoring rivers by changing the way we produce power from them. This 16-page publication highlights the hydropower licensing process and how citizens can get involved in improving their favorite river. Included is a California map of the 61 hydro projects coming up for relicensing in the coming years and an extensive list of references and contacts.

http://friendsoftheriver.org/html/publications.html

Listening to Watersheds: A Community-Based Approach to Watershed Protection
By Angie Reed and Geoff Dates

The focus in writing "Listening to Watersheds" is to begin a dialogue with Native communities about having their knowledge and beliefs central to their watershed assessment work, producing better assessments and healthier watersheds. Just as the Colonists used the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace as a guide to craft the United States Constitution, the purpose of this guidebook came to be, with permission, modeled after their Two-Row Wampum Belt (Kaswentha). The purpose is to recognize that each People is to travel down this river together, side-by-side, but each in their own vessel. Listening to Watersheds attempts to embody the same spirit by understanding that neither is to steer the other’s vessel but listen and help each other from time-to-time, as people are meant to do." (Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force, Words That Come Before All Else) In this guidebook, we present what we’ve begun to learn from our Native partners and advisors and recognize that the Native Peoples of this continent understood the concept of watersheds and the interconnections necessary for good health long before modern scientific theories were developed. It answers the questions of why, what, where, when, who and the how of developing, testing and re-evaluating the methods used to assess watershed health. Because there will always be more to learn, this document is open to influence and observation. We invite you to join the dialogue and process that will help to improve upon these ideas and methods in future editions. (See table of Contents )

LTW, 2003, 100 pages, River Network Partners & Tribes $20, Others $25.

PLACE AN ORDER FOR “Listening to Watersheds:”
• Place a credit card order online at www.rivernetwork.org/marketplace.
• If you are a tribe, tribal member or River Network Partner, please send a check for $24.00US ($20, plus $4.00 for shippingandhandling), payable to River Network. Mail to: River Network Publications, 520 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 1130, Portland, OR 97204-1511.
• For others, please send a check for $29.00 US ($25, plus $4.00 for shipping and handling).
• For bulk orders, email Jean Hamilla at mailto:jhamilla@rivernetwork.orgor phone her at 503/ 542-8391

For information on NEPA:

NEPAnet: Links to NEPA and CEQ implementation regulations and guidance
<http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/nepanet.html>

PERMITTING AN END TO POLLUTION

Prairie Rivers Network, Clean Water Network, and River Network heave teamed up to create "Permitting an End to Pollution: How to Scrutinize and Strengthen Water Pollution Permits in Your State." Based heavily on an Illinois-specific guide created by Rob Moore of Prairie Rivers Network, this national version is intended to help create an army of citizens poised to demand better permits and cleaner water! This indispensable handbook will give you all the tools you need to begin analyzing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits in your state. The guide systematically walks you through finding out about proposed or existing NPDES permits in your area, reviewing their contents, submitting your comments to your state water quality agency and connecting the information that you collect to other parts of the Clean Water Act. Downloadable (.pdf) at: http://rivernetwork.org

U.S. EPA and USGS: NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL METHODS INDEX (NEMI)

NEMI is a free web-based online clearinghouse of environmental monitoring methods. The NEMI database contains method summaries of laboratory and field protocols for regulatory and non-regulatory related water-quality analyses. NEMI is a powerful tool in the quest to be more efficient and ultimately more effective. NEMI users can compare methods at a glance, find the method that best meets their needs, and share monitoring data among different agencies, using different methods at different times.
Check this resource out at: http://nemi.gov/

EPA's Nonpoint Source Pollution web site

EPA's web site on nonpoint source pollution provides a number of excellent
resources, ranging from fact sheets to funding opportunities to outreach
materials for NPS Awareness Month (March 2003).
Check out this resource at: http://epa.gov/owow/nps/

EPA'S URBANIZED AREA MAPS

EPA has developed a set of digitized maps for each urbanized area [PDF Format] as defined by the 2000 US Census. These maps are intended to assist authorized states (and EPA Regional Offices for unauthorized states) as they develop their Phase II municipal programs and permits. Municipalities will also find these maps useful as they outline the area that will require coverage [PDF Format] under an NPDES permit and development and
implementation of a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan.

Check this resource out at:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/urbanmaps.cfm

TRACKING TMDLS
Also new from National Wildlife Federation and River Network: "Tracking TMDLs: A Field Guide for Evaluating Proposed Watershed Restoration Plans." This straightforward guide is designed to give you the information you need to review and comment on TMDL watershed cleanup plans. Step by step, you will learn about the TMDL program and follow TMDL development on the imaginary Sique River. Opportunities for public input and participation come alive through questions that you can ask your state water quality agency and tips on how to build community support and tap into local resources.
http://rivernetwork.org

Nonpoint Source Materials Compiled

Nonpoint source TMDL implementation ideas...

EPA recently drafted a list of what it considers the best nonpoint source divided into categories including agriculture, forestry, urban, stream restoration, nonpoint source monitoring, and funding. Find it at:
http://epa.gov/owow/nps/bestnpsdocs.html

National Wetlands Research Center

The National Wetlands Research Center is a source and clearinghouse of science information about wetlands in the United States and the world. Resources include publications, GIS data, and maps.

Check this resource out at:
http://nwrc.gov

U.S. Geological Survey WaterWatch Website

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has unveiled its new online WaterWatch
website which gives visitors an instantaneous picture of water conditions
nationwide in near real time. Through the use of USGS WaterWatch maps, the
entire nation's current streamflow conditions, including high flood-flows
and low drought-flows are depicted on maps with color-coded dots which
represent conditions at about 3,000 streamgages.

Check this resource out at:
http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/

 

The Wildlands Project website provides the latest information on our efforts to reconnect, restore, and rewild North America. Please tune in to learn more about our mission and vision, Wild Earth journal, upcoming events, and our ongoing activities throughout the continent. Visitors can also search back issues of Wild Earth, order our new anthology, download selected wild readings, become a member (or renew a membership), and take action for the wild.

http://wildlandsproject.org

And don’t hesitate to let us know what you think—we’re committed to making our website a valuable resource for all who care about wild Nature.

Thanks for your support of our work to protect and restore the natural heritage of North America.

Wildlands Project
P.O. Box 455
Richmond, VT 05477
phone 802-434-4077
fax 802-434-5980

 

Major Federal Environmental Laws and Regulations

The following is a list of major environmental laws. Listed under each law are key programs and regulations that may result in the generation of environmental documents. Federal environmental laws are printed in the United States Code (U.S.C.). People in environmental law invariably refer to statues by yet another number: the section number in the bill as passed by Congress before placement in the U.S.C. In the table below, these numbers appear in parentheses following the names of the key programs or provisions. The U.S. C. provision is listed beside it. You may need either or both to find what you need or understand what you read. The table also contains citations to the pertinent regulations in the Coda of federal Regulations (C.F.R.). The C.F.R. is divided into "Parts" with sections within each part. A citation to 40 C.F.R. §6.604, look up Title 40, Part 6, Section 6.604.

CLEAN AIR ACT

42 U.S.C. §§7401-7671q

State Implementation Plans (§110) 42 U.S.C. §7410

40 C.F.R. part 51

New Source Permits (§§172, 173) 42 U.S.C. §§7502,7503

40 C.F.R. Parts 70, 71

CLEAN WATER ACT

33 U.S.C. §§1251-1387

State Water Quality Management Plans (§§208, 303 (e)) 33 U.S.C. §§1288, 1313(e)

40 C.F.R. Part 130

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits (§402) 33 U.S.C. §1342

40 C.F.R. Parts 122, 123, 125, 129

Dredge or Fill Permits (§404) 33 U.S.C. §1344

40 C.F.R. Parts 230-233

33 C.F.R. Parts 320-330

COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACT

16 U.S.C. §§1451-1465

Coastal Zone Management Programs (§306) 16 U.S.C. §1455

15 C.F.R. Part 923

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs (§306A) 16 U.S.C. §1455b

COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT

42 U.S.C. §§9601-9675

Emergency Response (§106) 42 U.S.C. §9606

40 C.F.R. Part 300

Remedial Investigation/Feasibililty Studies and Proposed Plans (§§106,121) 42 U.S.C. §§96-6,9621

40 C.F.R. Part 300

Settlements (§122) 42 U.S.C. §9622

EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT

42 U.S.C. §§11001-11050

Emergency Plans and Notification (§§303, 304) 42 U.S.C. §§11003,11004

40 C.F.R. Part 355

Reporting Requirements (§§311, 312, 313) 42 U.S.C. §§11021, 11022, 11023

40 C.F.R. Parts 370, 372, 373

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

16 U.S.C. §§1531-1544

Endangered and Threatened Species Determinations (§4) 16 U.S.C. §1533

50 C.F.R. Part 17

FEDERAL INSECTICIDE, FUNGICIDE, AND RODENTICIDE ACT

7 U.S.C. §§136-136Y

Pesticide Registrations (§3) 7 U.S.C. §136a

40 C.F.R. Parts 152-155, 158

Reregistrations(§4) 7 U.S.C. §136a-1

40 C.F.R. Parts 152

Administrative Reviews and Suspensions (§6) 7 U.S.C. §136d

40 C.F.R. Part 164

FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT

43 U.S.C. §§1701-1785

Land Use Plans (§202) 43 U.S.C. §1712

43 C.F.R. Part 1600

Sales of Public Lands (§203) 43 U.S.C. §1713

40 C.F.R. Parts 2710

Withdrawals of Lands (§204) 43 U.S.C. §1714

43 C.F.R. Part 2300

Exchange of Lands (§206) 43 U.S.C. §1716

43 C.F.R. Part 2200

Grazing Leases and Permits (§402) 43 U.S.C. §1752

43 C.F.R. Part 4100

MARINE PROTECTION, RESEARCH AND SANCTUARIES ACT

33 U.S.C. §§1401-1434

Ocean Dumping Permits (§§102, 104) 33 U.S.C. §§1412,1414

40 C.F.R. Part 324

40 C.F.R. Parts 220-225, 227, 228

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT

42 U.S.C. §§4321-4370d

Environmental Impact Statements (§102) 42 U.S.C. §4332

40 C.F.R. Parts 1500-1508

Each Agency has its own regulations.

NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT ACT

16 U.S.C. §§1600-1687

National Forest System Land and Resource Management Plans (§6) 16 U.S.C. §1604

36 C.F.R. Part 219

RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT

42 U.S.C. §§6901-6992K

Hazardous Waste, Treatment, Storage, or Disposal Permits (§3005) 42 U.S.C. §6925

40 C.F.R. Part 270

Solid Waste Plans (§4003) 42 U.S.C. §6943

40 C.F.R. Parts 256-258

SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT

30 U.S.C. §§1201-1328

Surface Coal Mining Permits (§506) 30 U.S.C. §1256

30 C.F.R. Parts 773,774

TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT

15 U.S.C. §§2601-2692

Manufacturing and Processing Notices (§5) 15 U.S.C. §2604

40 C.F.R. Parts 720,721

Source: The Art of Commenting: How to Influence Environmental Decisionmaking With Effective Comments, Elizabeth D. Mullin, Environmental Law Institute, November 2000

 

New Environmental Policy Web Site Available

Stephenville, TX--The Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER) is proud to announce the immediate availability of its new Web site. For over ten years, TIAER has worked with industry to shape workable solutions to nationwide environmental problems in nonpoint source pollution. Based on sound science and economics, we have worked to understand policy options that keep industry competitive while addressing real problems. TIAER is housed at Tarleton State University.

The TIAER Web site features:

* Inside TIAER, explaining who we are, what we do, and how to contact us
* News, where you can read executive briefings and press releases
* Research Library, which offers over one hundred documents we have written
* Projects, where we give context to our watershed studies, computer modeling, and scientific efforts

While we anticipate many different visitors to our Web site, the audience who will find it most useful is legislators, legislative staff, policy analysts, and industry leaders attempting to shape agricultural or environmental policy. We explain PIMA, Planned Intervention Microwatershed Approach, a specific method for approaching water quality issues.

Economists, scientists, citizens, and students will also find items of interest, such as topics in nutrient flow, modeling of economic and environmental effects, and watershed studies.

We welcome all of you to visit our new site. Our vision is that the site will provide employees and professionals with the latest information and that it will bring people working in this area together. We are hoping to receive feedback from our visitors to develop a strong relationship and connection that will benefit us both.

 

Source: The Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER), Texas Tarleton State University

 

Clean Water Network's How-To Center

While our need for clean water is fairly straight forward, sometimes the skills needed to protect and restore your waterbody are hard to master. That's where the Clean Water Network's How To Center comes to your rescue! The Clean Water Network has rounded up the best advice on how to tackle many clean water skills -- from working with the media to reviewing technical permits, they have the answer.

Check this resource out at: http://cwn.org

 

Nationwide Rivers Inventory

The National Park Service's Rivers and Trails program has just launched the newly designed Nationwide Rivers Inventory (NRI) website. The NRI contains a listing of over 3000 free-flowing river segments that contain "ourstandingly remarkable" characteristics which could potentially qualify them for Wild and Scenic River designation. Check it out at: http://ncrc.nps.gov/rtca/nri

 

Comprehensive Recreation Information about Western Public Lands.

We would like to let you know about our website at http://publiclands.org/, which provides The Public Lands Information Center is the result of a partnership between the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region, and the Public Lands Interpretive Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to education about the natural and cultural resources of the lands held in the public trust.

When it is complete, the Public Lands Information Center website will contain a state by state, comprehensive, up-to-date database of every recreation area in the west, maps, guidebooks, histories and natural history titles for every state, information on the managing agencies, and a Public Lands Museum which explores the history of public lands. In addition, we offer a wide selection of maps and other publications related to the areas described. The Public Lands Information Center is the only single website which offers such comprehensive information, and our staff will be updating it regularly to provide information about news, area closures, and special environmental concerns.

 

The web page for the New Mexico Legislature is:
http://legis.state.nm.us

 

Guide Available to Help Comment on CAFO Rules
Those wishing to comment on proposed changes to EPA rules for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) before the July 30 deadline may find a handy tool in the Public Commenter's Guide to the Proposed New CAFO Regulations. The document includes a table highlighting various issues that the proposed rule covers, where they are discussed in the Federal Register notice containing the proposed rule, and which sections of current regulations they affect. Citizens may comment on any aspect of the proposal that they choose, even if it is not listed in this guide.

The danger to water bodies from these large agricultural operations is that, in EPA's words, "Manure from stockpiles, lagoons, or excessive land application can reach waterways through runoff, erosion, spills, or via groundwater. These discharges can result in excessive nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), oxygen-depleting substances, and other pollutants in the water. This pollution can kill fish and shellfish, cause excess algae growth, harm marine mammals, and contaminate drinking water."

To get a copy of the guide, FWBNEWS readers may download it from www.fwb2k.org/CAFOtalk.rtf. To comment on the rules, Send written comments to: Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Proposed Rule, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Hand deliveries should be submitted to the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Proposed Rule, USEPA, Waterside Mall, West Tower, Room 611, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460. You may also submit comments electronically to CAFOS.comments@epa.gov. EPA requests an original and three copies of your comments and enclosures (including references).

 

EPA EXPANDS RIGHT TO KNOW IN REGION 10, NATIONAL PROJECT ON THE HORIZON

On January 5, 2001, EPA Region 10 announced its new Enforcement and Compliance On-Line (EC-On-Line)database. Please read EPA's press release on this great new tool for activists. EPA is currently working on expanding this to all states nationwide.

INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENTAL RECORDS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET

As part of EPA's efforts to expand the public's right to know, EPA Region 10 announced today the debut of Environmental Compliance (EC) On-Line, a pilot Internet site that will provide for the first time comprehensive information on the environmental performance of thousands of regulated facilities in the Northwest.

"Putting high-quality environmental information into the hands of citizens is one of the most powerful tools for protecting public health and the environment in our communities," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Chuck Findley. "I am particularly gratified by the effective partnership we have had with state agencies involved in this effort."

The web site is the result of a joint effort by EPA and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and the Washington Department of Ecology.

The new database covers several thousand facilities, and for the first time collects in one place information that the facilities must provide under a number of federal environmental statutes. The public can view facility reports detailing inspections, enforcement actions, facility compliance status, and reported releases of chemicals into the environment. Demographic data about communities near the facilities are also included.

The online service has multiple uses. Facilities can monitor their own regulatory performance. Environmental and community groups now have easier access to information about environmental performance of individual facilities. Government agencies at all levels can use the information as a planning tool.

As part of the effort to ensure the best data possible, over 4,500 facilities included in the data base received a notification of this project and were afforded the opportunity to review and comment on the quality of its own data. State agencies also received the information for review, since a large portion of the data is provided to EPA by state governments. The states and EPA have been working to modify the data as appropriate, based on these comments. EPA encourages all users of this data to provide feedback and will continue taking comments as this pilot project evolves.

The National Environmental Education & Training Foundation is pleased to announce the launching of http://waterqualityreports.org/

National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, Washington, DC.

Environmental learning is a right and a basic need

New Web Site Will Help Consumers Know What is in Their Tap Water

A practical guide for people and health professionals concerned with tap water quality

Recent discussions over drinking water standards and such substances as Arsenic have brought consumer questions to the forefront. The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, announces a new consumer and health professionals Web site that will: a) tell people how to obtain detailed consumer tap water information for their community and b) explain to them, in plain terms, how the presence of different levels of chemicals, minerals, metals and biological pollutants may or may not affect them and their families.

This Web site supports a 1996 national drinking water law that requires the nation’s 55,000 water companies to report to customers at least once each year on the contents of local tap water and whether there is any reason to be concerned according to established health standards. The reports are called Consumer Confidence Reports and they are posted on water company Web sites and are available through the mail.

The site, www.Waterqualityreports.org <http://waterqualityreports.org//> explains key terms the public and/or public health officials are likely to encounter in reading these water company reports. It contains scientific background on the pollutants most likely to found in tap water. “For several years the ‘right to know’ provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act have been considered a breakthrough in public safety and health protection,” said Kevin Coyle, President of NEETF, ‘this Web site supports the public’s right to information on the vital resource of drinking water.

The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation is a leader in developing programs that help Americans understand the importance of environmental learning in the nation’s ecological, social and economic future. See NEETF Web Site – www.NEETF.org <http://neetf.org/> Support for the site was provided by the Compton Foundation, Goldman Foundation, and the Turner Foundation.

 

A useful report entitled "Toward understanding New Watershed Initiatives", co-authored by Steve Boren and Kenneth Genskow, of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, has just been published and is available for downloading through "Library" at http://tu.org/ . The report focuses on the "new watershed approach". It details how the "new approach" evolved and what makes it different from other watershed approach initiatives in the past. The report also includes a section on how to evaluate new watershed initiatives as well as descriptions of the key factors in achieving success. This report is a great tool for groups that are starting new projects or are interested in evaluating current projects.

New Educational Materials Available

Conserve Water Educator's Guide

A new guide for teachers of students in Grades 6-12 contains a group in innovative, challenging, and fun activities and case studies to help explore water conservation issues. The guide is produced by The Watercourse, a not-for-profit water science and education program based at Montana State University. There is a charge for the materials, but it is minimal.

To order copies of the Conserve Water Educator's Guide, or to find out more about The Watercourse, call 406-994-5392 or visit their website at http://www.projectwet.org/

Water: A Never Ending Story, Grades 4-7 (Curriculum and Video)

A collection of hands-on, interdisciplinary activities, organized into a complete curriculum on water, and designed to help students cultivate a water conservation attitude. Activities include science, math art, and language arts and can be easily differentiated to accommodate all learning skills.

Originally sponsored by the Intermountain Section of AWWA, Water: A Never Ending Story has been reprinted by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. Limited supplies are available to teachers and educators by calling 800-WATERNM.

 

Wetland Materials Available

From: Wetlands <wetlands@audubon.org>

1. Online searchable field guides to plants and animals
2. Urban Stream restoration video
3. Atlas of American's Polluted Waters: EPA
4. National Water Quality Inventory: EPA
5. Wetlands and Urbanization: Implications for the Future, book by Azous and Horner
6. Texas Coastal Wetlands Guidebook, Sea Grant
7. Journal: Stormwater
8. Journal: Aquatic and Ecosystem Health Management

  • 1. Online searchable field guides to plants and animals
    Nature.com http://enature.com/
    This new nature portal offers online searchable field guides to over 4,800 plant and animal species. Derived from 35 different Audubon Society Field Guides, Regional Guides, and Nature Guides, the database is keyword-searchable by group (mammals, amphibians, fishes, trees, etc.) or browseable within subheadings for each group. The field guide entries include a large thumbnail image, description, and varying additional information. Users can also conduct an advanced search by size, color, habitat, r free) can add selected plants or animals to their "Life List," which is saved at the site, along with notes or comments. While the field guides alone make the site worth a visit, there is more, including an Ask an Expert message board, Habitat Guides, news features, tips for teachers, and in the future, a comprehensive Outdoor Planner.
  • 2. URBAN STREAM RESTORATION: A Video Tour of Ecological Restoration Techniques, - 61 minutes, cost $45 includes shipping http://noltemedia.com/order/urban/stream.html
    An information-packed video tour of six urban stream restoration sites. Background information on how the projects were funded and organized with community involvement, and the history and principles of restoration. Full of beautiful examples of restored streams with detailed instructions and graphic illustrations. Includes examples of stream restoration in very urbanized areas, recreating stream shapes and meanders, creek daylighting, soil bioengineering, and ecological flood control projects. The tour is led by Ann Riley, a nationally known hydrologist, stream restoration professional, and executive director of the Waterways
    Restoration Institute in Berkeley, California.
  • 3. ATLAS OF AMERICAN'S POLLUTED WATERS. EPA report 840-B-00-002, May 2000
    This atlas includes map showing waters within each state that do not meet state water quality standards. Copies are available at no charge from national Service Center for Environmental Publication in Cincinnati (513)489-8190, fax (513)489-8695. A coy can also be found online at http://epa.gov/owow/tmdl/atlas/index.html.
  • 4. NATIONAL WATER QUALITY INVENTORY: 1998 REPORT TO CONGRESS. EPA report841-R-00-001, June 2000. This report describes an assessment of a third of our rivers, lakes and estuaries and determined that 40% are too polluted for fishing and swimming. The report and a fact sheet are available at the Center for Environmental Publications at 1-800-490-9198 or on line at: http://epa.gov/305b/98report/index.html
  • 5. WETLANDS AND URBANIZATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE.
    Book by Azous and Horner. Catalog Number: L1386, ISBN: 1566703867, Price: $89.95, Publication Date:08/25/00
    Wetlands and Urbanization presents an integrated watershed approach to the scientific evaluation of the impact of landscape urbanization on wetland functions. It associates the source of impact (the landscape) with the sink (the wetland), relates findings to implications for future planning and management of watersheds and provides a model for future comprehensive investigations of wetland impacts from urbanization. Audience: public utilities, regulatory agencies, agribusiness, private industry, environmental groups. To order on line:http://crcpress.com/www/index.html
  • 6. TEXAS COASTAL WETLANDS GUIDEBOOK. By Texas Sea Grant.
    This book describes the different types of wetlands along the coast, gives information on wetlands accessible to the public, and provides phone numbers and web sites to turn to for more information. The guide is written by Texas Sea Grant environmental quality specialist John Jacob and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department scientist Daniel Moulton. Single copies of the "Texas Coastal Wetlands Guidebook" are available from Texas Sea Grant for a $2 shipping and handling charge. For information on ordering multiple copies, contact the program at (979)862-3767 or 1716 Briarcrest, Suite 603, Bryan, Texas, 77802.
  • 7. STORMWATER JOURNAL, The Journal for Surface Water Quality Professionals
    Forester Communications is producing a new publication for professionals working in the area of surface water quality and stormwater management. Beginning in September, complimentary subscriptions of STORMWATER, The Journal for Surface Water Quality Professionals, will be available. Sign up: http://stormh2o.com/
  • 8. AQUATIC AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
    The major objective of this journal is to promote understanding of the structure, function and performance of healthy and damaged aquatic ecosystems (freshwater, Marine, estuarine) from integrated, multi-disciplinary And sustainable perspectives. This journal focuses on the development and application of management practices that will protect, maintain, remediate or restore the health of these ecosystems and their sustainable use by humans. This journal seeks to foster international and cross-sectoral exchange of information among scientists, academics, managers, engineers, lawyers, citizens, politicians, business, industry and governments on the health and sustainability of global aquatic resources.

 

Watershed-related publications and videos available

Are you looking for information about watersheds, riparian areas, salmon or reforestation? The Oregon State University Extension Service has more than 50 watershed-related publications and videos, with topics such as wetlands, streams, estuaries, wildlife, dairy production and rangelands. You can find the entire list at: http://eesc.orst.edu

To order copies of these publications or videos, print the form and fax it or mail it with a check, purchase order, or money order (payable to Oregon State University) to:

Publication Orders
Extension & Station Communications
Oregon State University
422 Kerr Administration
Corvallis, OR 97331-2119
Fax: 541-737-0817

Or e-mail your request to: puborders@orst.edu

For other educational materials available on the Extension and Experiment Station Communications Web site, go to: http://eesc.orst.edu.


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