WaterNews for May 24, 2002

1) EPA Awards Grant to Protect Public Health at the Nation's Beaches

2) EPA Recognizes Winners of 2002 National Wetlands Awards

3) EPA To Hold Public Meeting on Effluent Guidelines for the Metal Products and Machinery Industry

EPA Awards Grant to Protect Public Health at the Nation's Beaches

Today, at the 24th annual opening of the beaches in Wildwood, NJ, Administrator Christie Whitman announced a grant of $285,719 to help protect public health at the New Jersey shore. She also announced that EPA is making $10 million in grants available to help 35 states and territories monitor coastal waters and advise beach-goers when adverse water quality conditions may affect their health. EPA estimates that Americans make 910 million trips to coastal areas each year, spending about $44 billion. The BEACH Act of 2000 authorizes EPA to award grants to eligible states, tribes and territories to develop and implement beach water quality monitoring programs near coastal and Great Lakes recreational beach waters. This is the second year EPA has awarded these types of grants. For more information, visit the BeachWatch website at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/ or contact Charles Kovatch at 202-566-0399 or kovatch.charles@epa.gov.

EPA Recognizes Winners of 2002 National Wetlands Awards

Seven outstanding wetlands educators, activists, scientists and conservationists were honored on May 16, 2002 at the U.S. Botanic Garden as recipients of the 2002 National Wetlands Awards for their exemplary contributions to the conservation and restoration of the nation's wetlands. The Awards, sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service, are designed to honor individuals from across the country who have demonstrated outstanding innovation and dedication to wetland education, research and volunteer activities, land stewardship, and program management. This event was held in conjunction with American Wetlands Month, organized by the Izaak Walton League of America. Winning photographs of EPA's photo contest, displaying the functions and values of wetlands, were on display at the ceremony. For more information, visit the following web sites:

List of winners: http://www.eli.org/whatsnew/02media/nwawinners.htm
Photos in the photo contest: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/photocontest2002.html
American Wetlands Month: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/awm/

EPA To Hold Public Meeting on Effluent Guidelines for the Metal Products and Machinery Industry

On June 7, 2002 in Chicago, Il., EPA will hold a public meeting to inform all interested parties on the status of the Metal Products & Machinery (MP&M) effluent guidelines and to summarize the upcoming Notice of Data Availability. The meeting will cover the status of the rule; new information available for comment; revised economic and engineering methodologies used for estimating costs, pollutant loads, benefits, and economic impacts; revised limitations and standards; compliance alternatives; and specific areas where EPA seeks more comment. EPA intends to publish the final rule in December. For more information on the meeting or the rule, visit http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/guide/mpm/rule.html on the Internet or contact Carey Johnston at 202-566-1014 or johnston.carey@epa.gov.

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TRY OUR OTHER WEB SITES: To learn more about wetlands, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/ on the Internet.
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