 |
||
|
Water |  |
 |
||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
Water Headlines for December 20, 2006Benjamin H. Grumbles Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water. In This Week’s Water Headlines:
EPA finalizes 2006 Effluent Guidelines PlanAfter reviewing additional data and considering public comments on the preliminary effluent guideline plan published in August 2005, EPA has decided to conduct more focused detailed reviews in the 2007 and 2008 annual reviews for a select number of industrial sectors as part of the 2008 Plan: Steam Electric Power Generating, Coal Mining, Coalbed Methane Extraction, and Health Services including emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals. "EPA's effluent guidelines plan includes a comprehensive review of technology-based controls and a strategic roadmap for responding to data needs and emerging contaminants," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water. Effluent guidelines are industry specific national regulations that control the discharge of pollutants to surface waters and to publicly owned treatment works. EPA has issued effluent guidelines for 56 industries that prevent the discharge of more than 1.2 billion pounds of toxic pollutants each year. To read the pre-publication federal notice visit: http://www.epa.gov/guide/plan.html. Gulf Guardians Recognized for Protecting the EnvironmentThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf of Mexico Program presented awards on December 13, 2006 to recognize innovative efforts to improve the environmental and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico. First established in 2000, the Gulf Guardian Awards honor businesses, community groups, individuals, and agencies that are taking positive steps to keep the Gulf ecosystem healthy, beautiful and productive. Awardees for the state of Louisiana included Parishes Against Coastal Erosion, which includes all Louisiana coastal Parishes, and the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (Port Fourchon). Texas honorees included The Coastal Watershed Program, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, SCENIC GALVESTON Inc., Harte Research Institute-Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Mr. Richard Benoit of League City. Winners were presented with their awards at the 3rd National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration held in New Orleans, Louisiana. A first, second, and third place award was given in seven categories: binational, business, civic/nonprofit, government, individual, partnerships, and youth/education. The awards are sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its Gulf of Mexico Program. The Gulf of Mexico Program was formed in 1988 to provide a broad geographic focus on the major environmental issues in the Gulf. It is a non-regulatory inclusive partnership of representatives from various sectors, including state, federal, business, agricultural, environmental and citizens and community leaders from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. More information about the program and the winners of the 2006 Gulf Guardian Awards is available at http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/index.html. Deadline for submitting nominations for the 2007 National Wetlands Awards Program has been extended!The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2007 National Wetlands Awards Program has been extended. Nomination forms are now due January 15, 2007 (postmarked). The Awards Program honors individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the conservation and restoration of our nation's wetlands. Take time to recognize exceptional individual achievement in wetlands conservation by submitting a nomination for a 2007 National Wetlands Award today. The 2007 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. Program co-sponsors - the Environmental Law Institute, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Federal Highway Administration - believe that rewarding these efforts helps to ensure that future generations will have quality wetlands, biological diversity, and clean water. For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit http://www2.eli.org/nwa/nwaprogram.htm. Test Your Sense about Water EfficiencyWhich activity uses less water-a five-minute shower or a full bath? How can you test whether your toilet has a leak? How much of the earth's water is available for human use? The answers may surprise you as you take EPA's new interactive quiz, "Test Your WaterSense." The quiz was created by EPA's WaterSense program and provides an entertaining way for both adults and children to learn more about why it is important to save water and how to be more water efficient in your home. To take the quiz, players must maneuver the water-efficiency hero Hydro through a maze while avoiding water-wasting monsters such as Sogosaurus and Drainiac. As Hydro, players must answer questions along the way that test their knowledge of water-using behaviors and common water-saving opportunities. Questions deal with water use in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and yard. WaterSense is a voluntary public-private partnership that identifies and promotes high-performance products and programs that help protect the future of our nation's water supply. The WaterSense program seeks to generate support for consumer use of water-efficient products such as water-saving faucets; certification activities for water industry professionals; and innovation in water-efficient product manufacturing. More information: Test Your WaterSense Quiz: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/water/test.htm. WaterSense Program: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/. Subscribe to Water HeadlinesPlease forward this message to your friends and colleagues who share an interest in water-related issues and would like to hear from EPA’s Office of Water. To subscribe to the Water Headlines listserve: Send an email message, leave the subject line blank, and address it to: In the body of the message write: Subscribe Water Headlines first name last name (Please leave one blank space between each word, do not include any other message, and use your actual name- i.e. Subscribe Water Headlines Robert Jones)
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
