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Envirobytes - An Environmental Newsletter
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending May 23, 2008
PENNSYLVANIA AWARDED $42.4 MILLION TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY
EPA awarded a $42.4 million grant to Pennsylvania to improve the water quality of its rivers, lakes and streams and protect the health of its residents. The grant is offered through a program that offers low interest loans to promote water quality management activities such as the construction of water treatment facilities and projects to control storm water runoff and nutrient pollution. Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh mentioned how these projects combat water pollution and will result in communities getting safe, clean water to drink, swim and play in. For more information about the EPA Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund program, go to http://www.epa.gov/OWM/cwfinance/cwsrf/index.htm
EPA IS REWARDED FOR ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN HOSPITALS
Practice Greenhealth (a Pennsylvania non-profit organization providing pollution prevention assistance in the health care field) presented EPA Region 3 with an award for outstanding contributions in environmentally-responsible healthcare. At the ceremony, Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh said that EPA is continuing to work to gain commitments from many area hospitals to reduce their use of toxic materials such as mercury and that these efforts are being well received. He also mentioned that the issue of pharmaceuticals in the environment has become a high priority at EPA which is why the agency is engaging hospitals to develop solutions to the issue of drug disposal. For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/psh.htm
EPA LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE MAP OF REGIONAL AIR POLLUTION MONITORING STATIONS
EPA Region 3's Web site has launched an interactive map utilizing the Microsoft Virtual Earth® geospatial technology platform pinpointing the locations of its mid-Atlantic region air pollutant monitoring stations including those of some surrounding states. The user-friendly geographical search features can locate the air quality condition in any county, city, state or street address and can be used to identify the area's air quality monitor locations in the event of a chemical spill or other environmental release. View the map at http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/airquality/r3monitors.htm. For information on air pollution monitoring stations nationwide, visit EPA's AirData web site.
WATER RESOURCES CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN VIRGINIA BEACH JUNE 30 – JULY 2
June 9 is the deadline to enroll in the riparian (river and stream bank) American Water Resources Association Conference in Virginia Beach, Va., titled "Working at the Water's Edge." Wetlands experts will discuss stream bank erosion, its impacts and challenges to the riparian system, and will share their knowledge and experience. Attendees will discover the new techniques, tools and ways of solving river and stream bank problems using an integrated, interdisciplinary approach. For details, visit: www.awra.org 
WORKSHOPS DEVELOP MODELING TOOLS TO ASSESS WATERSHED RESTORATION
The Chesapeake Community Modeling Program (sponsored by EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program and others) held a symposium at the Doubletree hotel in Annapolis, Md. from May 12 – 14. The aim was to bring together watershed managers and other parties to share information on the development of more comprehensive and integrated modeling tools to assess the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and other watersheds. Modeling is one of many assessment tools used in watershed planning and management. Please see http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/tools/
For workshop topics, go to http://www.chesapeakemeetings.com/CheMS2008/workshop-topics.php
REPORT REVEALS U.S. WETLANDS CONSERVATION GOALS SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS
On Earth Day 2004, the Council on Environmental Quality established a national wetland initiative to restore or create (by 2009), at least one million wetland acres; improve or enhance at least one million wetland acres; and protect at least one million wetland acres. On Earth Day 2008 the council reported that the goals had surpassed the 2004 projections. The current figures indicate that approximately 1,197,000 acres have been restored or created, 1,079,000 acres improved, and 1,324,000 acres have been protected. For the complete report, visit the Council on Environmental Quality website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/wetlands/2008/index.html
REGION UPDATES ITS ELECTRONICS RECYCLING WEB PAGE
EPA has updated its regional public eCycling web page to provide more comprehensive information on the recycling of end-of-life electronics. The web page provides links to electronics collection drop off sites by state in Region 3 (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and D.C.), as well as New Jersey (since many residents work in Philadelphia). Among the enhancements are direct links to the digital TV transition web page and the EPA cell phone recycling campaign Web page. The web page can be accessed at: http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/eCycling/index.htm
VIRGINIA RECYCLING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
On May 20, EPA's Waste and Chemical Management Division staff participated in the Virginia Recycling Association's Annual Conference, in Virginia Beach, Va. The EPA presentations addressed the recycling opportunities for construction and demolition (C&D) materials in building and roadway applications to keep these materials from landfills. Other topics included the recycled material commodities markets; education and outreach; green business initiatives and the new EPA publications available on industrial materials recycling. Visit EPA's C&D web site, at http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/solidwaste/debris/brownfields/index.htm#S1
GREENSCAPES PROGRAM NOW FOR HOMEOWNERS
Region 3's GreenScapes program now targets homeowners and not just landscapers and land managers. The Region 3 web site explains why homeowners can improve the health and appearance of their lawns and gardens while adopting GreenScapes landscaping practices to prevent pollution, conserve natural resources, maximize ecological function, and save time and money. For more information, go http://www.epa.gov/greenscapes/ and
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/green/owners.htm
EPA FRESHWATER BIOLOGY TEAM CONDUCTS TRAINING FOR THE NATIONAL RIVERS AND STREAMS ASSESSMENT
EPA's regional Freshwater Biology Team trained 40 biologists at the Cacapon State Park in West Virginia to prepare them for the two-year National Rivers and Streams Assessment of the condition of the nation's of rivers and streams. Topics included chemical monitoring of water contaminants, biological indicators such as macroinvertebrates and periphton algae, sediment, habitat, and fish (in both wadeable streams and larger rivers). The biologists will use the training to collect data for the national assessment at 150 random sites throughout the region over the next two years. To learn about the National Rivers and Streams Assessment, go to http://www.epa.gov/owow/riverssurvey/index.html
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