r/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
20460
EPA 841 -B-92-002
November 1994
Volunteer Monitoring on the Nonpoint
Source Electronic Bulletin Board System
What is the Nonpoint Source Bulletin Board System? EPA's Nonpoint Source
Electronic Bulletin Board System (NPS BBS) is a free service that provides federal,
state, and local agencies, private organizations, businesses, and concerned individuals
with timely, relevant NPS information, a forum for open discussion, and the ability to
exchange computer text and program files.
The Volunteer Monitoring Specific Issue Group (VolMon SIC) is one component of
the NPS BBS. This forum was developed to encourage the free flow of ideas among
those engaged in volunteer monitoring activities nationwide. The VolMon SIC is
maintained by EPA's Assessment and Watershed Protection Division, Office of
Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds.
Features of the VolMon SIG
NEWSFLASH
A continually updated
Newsflash provides
late-breaking informa-
tion on activities in the
field of volunteer
monitoring.
Hi!
MESSAGES
Volunteer monitors, program
coordinators, agency staff, educa-
tors, and anyone else with an
interest in volunteer monitoring can
ask questions, leave comments, or
exchange messages with other users
of the SIC. Get to know your
colleagues around the country!
DOCUMENTS DATABASE
The Documents Database contains
information on documents,
newsletters, manuals, and other
material on volunteer monitoring
topics. Subjects include citizen
action programs, environmental
education, monitoring methods,
and pollution control approaches.
The complete citation is provided
along with an abstract and, if
available, a contact source and
cost. Over 600 manuals, videos,
pamphlets, etc. are listed.
PUBLIC FILE AREA
Users can exchange
files, computer text,
articles, non-
copyrighted software,
and data using the upload and
download feature of file area 3.
THE VOLUNTEER MONITOR
File area 2 contains The Volunteer
Monitor, a national newsletter of
volunteer water quality monitoring.
Once accessed, file area 2 lists each
available article by file name, title,
author, and issue. Users can
download article files to their own
computers.
VOLMON NEWS
VOLMON News provides news
about activities in the field of
volunteer monitoring, including
such topics as Alabama's Statewide
Volunteer Monitoring Network,
Massachusetts' Water Watch
Partnership survey, and a Maine
restoration project that stretches its
319 grant with volunteers.
VM CALENDAR
This calendar of events
describes upcoming
conferences and meetings of
interest to the volunteer monitoring
community.
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What Else Is on the BBS";
The NPS BBS currently contains
many features and SIGs (specific
issue groups) covering a wide
variety of topics. These features
include:
MAIN BOARD Welcomes you
to the BBS, displaying the main
menu. Contains NPS News-
Notes Data-
base and
Education
Materials
Database.
Contains
general NPS
information. Also contains
computer programs that
can be downloaded.
TMDL SIC Exchange of infor-
mation among those engaged in
water resources management on
a watershed/basin scale.
FISH CONSUMPTION SIC
Communication
on health risks
from eating
contaminated
fish. Contains
the Fish Consumption Bans arid
Advisories Database.
WATERBODY SYSTEM
SUPPORT SIC User support
for the EPA Waterbody
System.
COASTAL NPS SIC Exchange of
information and open communi-
cation on the Section 6217
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution
Control Program, administered by
EPA and the National Oceano-
graphic and Atmospheric
Administration.
AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
A forum for discussion of
agricultural nonpoint source
pollution issues.
WATERSHED RESTORATION SIC
Exchange of ideas and tools for
watershed restoration. Contains
the Watershed Registry Database.
Cheek out &ome
of the basic
commands on
the NFS BBS.
It to read
enter messages for others
Fto see file libraries
a to join Sl€s
0 to download fifes
U to upload fifes
OPEii to open doors to databases
& to answer script question rwres-
0 to comment to system operator
H for help
To access the NPS BBS, you will
need:
• A PC or terminal
• Telecommunications software
(such as CrossTalk or ProComm)
• A modem (1 200, 2400, or 9600
baud)
• A phone line that can accommo-
date modem communications.
The NPS BBS phone number^
is (301) 589-0205, and the
telecommunication parameters are no
parity, 8 bits, and 1 stop-bit (N-8-1).
Additional information on the NPS
BBS can be obtained from the EPA
Office of Water, NPS Information
Exchange (4503F), 401 M Street,
SW, Washington, DC 20460;
FAX (202) 260-1517.
Access Through Internet
The NPS BBS can be accessed
from the Internet by typing
TELNET FEDWORLD.COV.
Once on FedWorld, turn ANSII
graphics off and go through
the Gateway to NPS-BBS, or
command D 79. The IP
address for FedWorld is
192.239.92.201. To increase
response and decrease screen
garbage, Internet users should
turn ANSI graphics off by
entering U3Afrom FedWorld's
Main Menu and selecting ANSI
option "off."
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