Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe First to Receive Watershed Plan Certification The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 recently certified the Jamestown Tribe's Watershed Based Plan "Protecting Restoring the Waters of the Dungeness." Certifica- tion was based on compliance with federal tribal nonpoint source program guidelines. The Jamestown S'Kallam Tribe is the first Native American Tribe in the nation to achieve certification of a watershed based plan. The Tribe is based in Sequim, WA, on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula. The plan characterizes the Dungeness Watershed area, highlighting the causes and sources of non-point source pollution. The plan describes watershed area goals along with management measures for protecting water quality and restoring impaired water bodies. Many water bodies in the watershed are impaired by low dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform contamination, loss of habitat, and heavy metals. The Tribe serves as a principal facilitator of the Dunge- ness River Management Team, which celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year. The team includes the Tribe, the City of Sequim, Clallam County, Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and non-profits representing sport fishermen and resource conservation. The Tribe's watershed based plan incorporates the goals of its partners, while building upon previous plans and studies. or details, contact Diana Boquist, EPA, at 206-553- 586, boquist.diana@epa.gov; or Krista Mendelman PA, 206-553-1571, mendelman.krista@epa.gov, or 1-800-424-4372. In This Issue... SPOTLIGHT CALENDAR EPA News to update you on agency activities, pages 2-3. Tools to clue you in on resources, publications, opportunities, and ser- vices, pages 4-6. Waterwords covering water related issues, pages 7-8. Spotlight to showcase success stories and environmental stars. page 9. Ecosystem to provide news that goes beyond water topics, page 10. Calendar to highlight environmental events. page 11. ------- Washington Water Quality Standards Approved EPA has approved recent revisions to the Washington Water Quality Standards regulations. EPA believes these new standards will significantly aid in the protec- tion and recovery of salmon, trout, and other aquatic life in the state. Washington's package includes standards identifying where salmon are spawning and rearing. It also identifies the new temperature criteria to protect salmon and other aquatic life. EPA conducted the review under Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act. Under the Act, EPA must ensure that the State's revised water quality standards protect aquatic life uses and do not harm listed species under the Endan- gered Species Act. For information visit www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/ swqs/index.html. For more on EPA's water quality standards for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/WATER.NSF/ Water+Quality+Standards/WQS+Pacific+NW/. Puget Sound Watershed Projects are Finalists for $4.5 Million in EPA Funding Puget Sound watershed protection efforts will get a $4.5 million boost, thanks to EPA's West Coast Estu- aries Initiative. Eight watershed protection projects, encompassing broad coalitions of local and Tribal efforts, have been selected as finalists in the first round of focused funding under the initiative. The grants will help local and tribal governments in Puget Sound protect and restore watersheds that are facing significant population growth and development pressures. "The Puget Sound needs our help," said EPA Regional Administrator Elin Miller. "And we can start at the watershed level by adopting smarter land use patterns and better management practices to protect water quality. These eight grants will also influence and advance natural resource protection throughout the Puget Sound Partnership's action areas." Grants of up to $625,000 will fund watershed protection projects led by Skagit, Whatcom, King, Thurston, and Clallam counties and the Squaxin Island Tribe. Pro- continued on page 3 Get on Watertalk's E-List Here's a chance to save trees and limit mailbox clutter! Sign up now for the Watertalk List-Serv. You'll get your Watertalk electronically every quarter. It's quick and easy to sign up. Just go to www.epa.gov/region10. Click on Index, then W for Watertalk. There you will find an option to get on the Region 10 Water Issues List-Serv. Each quarter, an e-rnail will tell you when the new Watertalk is ready, and link you to its website. Once in awhile, you will get other water-related news from EPA. Remember to send an email to lindsay.andrea@epa.gov to be removed from the hard copy mailing list. ------- Comment on EPA's Water Strategy to Respond to Climate Change EPA seeks public comment on a draft climate change strategy. It is called the National Water Program Strategy. Response to Climate Change. It de- scribes the possible effects of climate change on clean water, drinking water, and ocean protection programs, and outlines EPA response actions in 2008 and 2009. EPA requests comments by May 27, 2008. The draft document reviews possible impacts of climate change on water resources, such as: in- creases in certain water pollution problems; changes in availability of drinking water supplies; and collective impacts on coastal areas. The strategy also identifies actions that water programs can make to reduce greenhouse gases. It also covers ways people can prepare for and respond to anticipated effects from climate change. The draft strategy includes actions designed to help EPA managers adapt their water programs to respond to a changing climate. It dis- cusses steps needed to strengthen links between climate research and water programs, and to improve education for water program professionals on possible climate change impacts. For details, visit www.epa.gov/water/climatechange. Army Corps, EPA Release Wetland and Stream Mitigation Rule The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA have released a national rule. The rule clarifies how to provide compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts to wetlands and streams. This compensatory mitigation rule: Intends to foster predictability, transparency, and performance of compensatory mitigation projects Establishes standards for all forms of mitigation Sets clear science-based and results-oriented standards nationwide while allowing for regional variations Expands public participation Encourages watershed-based decisions Requires that projects minimize potential impacts to wetlands and streams before proceeding to compensatory mitigation. Each year, thousands of projects affect the nation's aquatic resources. A Corps permit may require a property owner to restore, establish, enhance or preserve other aquatic resources in order to replace those impacted by the proposed project. This process seeks to replace the loss of existing aquatic resource functions and area. The new rule changes where and how mitigation is to be completed, but maintains existing requirements on when mitigation is required. Wetlands and streams provide important environmental functions including protecting and improving water quality and providing habitat. Successful compensatory mitigation projects will replace environmental func- tions that are lost as a result of permitted activities. For details, visit www.usace.army.mil/cw/cecwo/reg/ citizen.htm or www.epa.gov/wetlandsmitigation. Information on the importance of wetlands is at www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/. continued from page 2 Puget Sound Watershed Projects posed projects include: connecting watershed in- formation to land use decisions; applying education programs and land stewardship incentives; evaluating the effectiveness of current zoning and regulations; acquiring land for habitat protection; protecting shellfish areas; and studying the sources and impacts of nitrogen pollution in sensitive marine areas. The West Coast Estuaries Initiative grant program is unique in targeting projects that connect watershed management and land use decision making to support the protection and restoration of high value Puget Sound aquatic resources. For more information about EPA's Puget Sound work, go to www.epa.gov/region10/psgb ------- Call for Environmental Justice Grant Proposals EPA is now seeking grant applications for projects to assist low-income and minority communi- ties. The grants will help communities develop locally- based solutions to their sometimes disproportionate share of environmental and public health issues. Nationally, up to $800,000 is available to non-profit organizations, a city, township, county government, or Native American tribal government through EPA's Office of Environmental Justice. Grants will be awarded through the Environmental Justice Small Grants Programs. For the Pacific Northwest, EPA anticipates awarding up to four grants in the amount of $20,000 per award. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. The deadline for grant applications is June 30, 2008. The program is designed to assist recipients in building collaborative partnerships that will help them under- stand and address the environmental and/or public health issues in their communities. Successful col- laborative partnerships with other stakeholders involve well-designed strategic plans to build, maintain and sustain the partnerships, and to work towards address- ing the local environmental and/or public health issues. For information, visit www.epa.gov/compliance/ environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html. Bright Ideas! Check New Multimedia Portal: EPA has gathered together audio, video, and photos for you to explore. See them at www.epa.gov/multimedia. Enter Your Art: Celebrate the environment - Enter the Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Intergenerational Poetry, Essay and Photography Contest: The deadline for entries is June 16. Learn more at http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/ admpress.nsf/names/hq_2008-3-18_racheL carson. Reduce your carbon footprint: Leaving your car at home twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions over 1,500 pounds per year. See www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/road.html. Calculator Tallies Greenhouse Gas: Can you picture what it means to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 1 million metric tons? News stories are packed with measurements of green- house gas reductions, but it can be difficult to understand them until now. EPA's new Green- house Gas Calculator helps you turn greenhouse gas savings into more easily understood everyday terms. Find the calculator at www.epa.gov/ cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html. Environmental Regulation Website Improved EPA has added new features to one of its most popular websites for environmental regulatory information. This site -titled Laws, Regulations, Guidance and Dock- ets- is often the public's first exposure to EPA's regula- tory activities. It now has easier ways to search and comment on EPA regulations and significant guidance documents, and to learn how environmental regula- tions are written. The site also includes new sections for finding regulations and related documents, plus regula- tory history, statutory authority, supporting analyses, compliance information, and guidance for implementa- tion. For the first time, searches for regulatory informa- tion can be done by topics such as water or air, or by business sectors such as transportation or construction. See the new site at www.epa.gov/lawsregs/. U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Search: " All EPA < Laws. Regulations. Guidance and Dockets £P* Hom« » L««i. *«Qul*tten*. Qutdwtc* ft Ooek*t< How We Write Regulations Learn me basics on how regulations are written at EPA and the many stakeholders involved m the process. *"' EPA a no« providing monthly Action Initiation Lists ------- Energy Star: Helping Water, Wastewater Facilities Tap into Energy Savings Drinking water systems and wastewater treatment plants can now save energy and reduce their carbon emissions by using a new Energy Star benchmark- ing tool. The online tool offers wastewater treatment plant managers the ability to compare the energy use of their plants to others, track energy use, set targets for investment priorities, and verify efficiency improve- ments. Nationally, drinking water and wastewater systems spend about $4 billion a year on energy to pump, treat, deliver, collect, and clean water at the 52,000 com- munity drinking water and 16,500 wastewater facilities. Water and wastewater facilities are energy intensive facilities. They account for more than one-third of municipal energy use. Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy ENERGY STAR Star label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the Energy Star designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting energy- efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year, with Energy Star, Americans saved about $14 billion on their energy bills and reduced the greenhouse gas by an amount equivalent to taking 25 million vehicles off the road. Clarence Ortman, of Columbia City, Oregon, has recently been hired to field questions and assist regional wastewater facility operators with the new Energy Star tool for wastewater treatment plants. For more information contact Clarence by e-mail at R10EnergyStar@epaqpx.rtp.epa.gov. Learn more at www.energystar.gov. Building Multicultural Environmental Awareness Teach English, tuck About = the" ' EPA has released two publications designed to increase environmental awareness among multilin- gual communities. Teach English, Teach about the Environment is a curriculum to help teach adult students English, while introducing basic concepts about the environment and individual environmental responsibility. The concepts in the cur- riculum can help immigrants understand their role in contributing towards cleaner and healthier communities by reducing, reusing and recycling. Find it at www.epa.gov/epaoswer/educa- tion/teachers.htm. The second publication, Working Together for a Healthy Environment - A Guide for Multi-Cultural Community Groups, is designed to help community- based organizations plan community events that promote reducing, reusing and recycling. It has a brief introduction on the inside cover in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean. See the guide at www.epa.gov/osw/community.htm. 1 tux* to IhW-Cimril Cmwnttr Cm*» Visit WaterTalk online at www.epa.gov/rlOearth/watertalk.htm ------- Sourcewiter i Drinking Water Campaign for Local Officials Launched The Source Water Collaborative (SWC) is launching a campaign, Your Water. Your Decision. Its aim is to help local decision-makers protect sources of drinking water, understand the costs involved, and consider ways to pay for it. The SWC, a group of 16 national organizations and three federal agencies including EPA, formed in 2006 to further the goal of protecting sources of drinking water. As part of this initiative, the SWC has developed a guide for community leaders and a toolkit for using the guide. The "Your Water. Your Decision." guide is intended as a quick resource on local options for protecting drinking water, including development, stewardship, and budgeting. Using the theme, "how you govern can determine what you drink," the guide can help local officials take action within their communi- ties and with neighboring communities. Details can be found at www.ProtectDrinkingWater.org. Clearinghouse Features TMDLs Virginia Tech's Center for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Watershed Studies has a new on-line database of TMDL-related information in one central location. The searchable clearinghouse contains three types of resources: TMDL guidance documents, reviews and summaries of TMDL-related technical and trade literature, and state-by-state summaries of TMDL programs. State summaries are updated regularly for all 50 states and include the approach used to develop TMDLs in that state. About 500 documents are available in the database, funded in part by an EPA grant. The TMDL Knowledgebase Clearinghouse can be accessed at www.tmdl.bse.vt.edu/site/knowledgebase/. Manual Helps Measure Progress in Estuaries The Indicator Development for Estuaries manual is designed to improve measuring progress in the Nation- al Estuary Program estuaries and other estuaries. It is organized to provide the user with a logical, stepwise process for developing and implementing indicators for the estuarine environment. Indicators can provide cost-effective information on the status and trends of a system, the effectiveness of management actions and allow for mid-course corrections. Indicators also provide information to inform diverse audiences including environmental managers, scientists, resource managers and the public on the status and progress of restoration efforts. The manual is available at http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/. ------- EPA Lab Puts New Technology to Work: Microbial Source Tracking The closure of waters due to fecal contamination can be devastating to a community that depends on tourism or commercial shellfish harvests. This contamination is measured by testing for fecal coliform bacteria. These bacteria can be used as an indicator of pathogens in water since their presence is associated with recent fecal contamination. When the level of these bacteria exceeds a "safety net" standard, the water is deemed unsafe for swimming or shellfish harvesting, among other uses. This safety net is important from a public health standpoint. Its use has dramatically reduced the incidence of waterborne and shellfish borne disease transmission. However, closure of a water body doesn't solve the contamination problem nor assist with clean-up. In order to do this, it is necessary to first identify the sources of contamination and then develop a plan to restore the water to healthy conditions. A new technology at EPA Region 10's Laboratory (located in Port Orchard, WA), can assist with the first job - identifying the sources of contamination. The technology is called Microbial Source Tracking (MST). It can establish whether fecal bacteria are being introduced into water bodies through human, wildlife, or agricultural wastes. The lab uses a molecular method to focus on a species of bacteria called Bacteroides. The technology is based on DMA patterns in the bacteria that are unique to a group of animals. Bacteroides in humans have a different DNA pattern from Bacteroides in cattle. In MST, Bacteroides are isolated from water samples and a DNA pattern or "fingerprint" is obtained. The pattern is then compared to known sources to identify the source(s) in a sample. Five large projects already have been done in Region 10 to assist tribal entities, environmental conservation organizations, and environmental and public health agencies determine the source of fecal contamination in their waters. The information provided through this technology has proven to help in development of remediation plans. The Region 10 Laboratory contin- ues to look for future applications of this new technol- ogy to help regional groups identify sources of fecal contamination. For more information, call Stephanie Harris, EPA Lab, at 360-871-8710, or harris.stephanie@epa.gov. "Green Infrastructure" Plan to Benefit Communities and Environment EPA, with state and national partners, released a comprehensive plan to reduce runoff and increase environmental and economic benefits for communities. The strategy will help reduce stormwater runoff and sewer overflows by promoting "green infrastructure" approaches. Green infrastructure includes things like green roofs, trees and tree boxes, rain gardens, and porous pave- ments. Green infrastructure techniques, technologies, and practices reduce the amount of water and pollut- ants that run off a site. These tools have many other benefits - cost savings, improved air quality, urban heat island reductions, energy savings, water conser- vation, and urban habitat creation. The document is called "Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure Action Strategy 2008.' It outlines ways to bring green infrastructure into main- stream use for runoff and sewer overflow management. The plan includes 7 implementation areas: Research, Outreach and Communication, Tools, Clean Water Act Regulatory Support, Economic Viability and Funding, Demonstrations and Recognition, and Partnerships and Promotion. The plan was developed by EPA, American Rivers, the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Low Impact Development Center. Learn more at www.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/general. Page 7 ------- EPA Reports on Clean Water Infrastructure Needs A new EPA report estimates $202.5 billion is the nationwide capital investment needed to control wastewater pollution for up to a 20-year period. The document, the 2004 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, was delivered to Congress recently. It sum- marizes results of the agency's 14th national survey on the needs of publicly owned wastewater treatment works. The estimate includes: $134.4 billion for wastewater treatment and collection systems, $54.8 billion for combined sewer overflow corrections, and $9.0 billion for stormwater management. Communities across the country face challenges in sustaining their water infrastructure. EPA is working with states, tribes, utilities, and other partners to reduce the demand on infrastructure. This can be done through improved asset management, improved technology, water efficiency, and watershed-based decision making. EPA is also working with Congress to enact the Administration's Water Enterprise Bond proposal. The figures represent documented wastewater invest- ment needs, but do not account for expected invest- ment and revenues. Wastewater treatment utilities pay for infrastructure using revenue from rates charged to customers and may finance projects using loans or bonds. State and federal funding programs, such as EPA's Clean Water State Revolving Fund, can also help communities meet wastewater pollution control needs. The needs in this survey represent an 8.6% increase over the 2000 report. The increase is due to population growth, more protective water quality standards, and aging infrastructure. Find details at www.epa.gov/cwns/. EPA Seeks Nominations for Wastewater Treatment Awards EPA is calling for nominations for its 2008 National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards. The awards program recognizes municipalities and industries for outstanding and innovative technological achievements in wastewater treatment and pollution abatement programs. Awards will be given to winners for outstanding achievements in five categories: operations and maintenance, biosolids manage- ment, pretreatment, stormwater management, and combined sewer overflows control. These awards heighten public awareness of the contributions wastewater treatment facilities make to clean water and public health and safety. Nominations are due May 30, 2008. For information, go to www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/intnet.htm. Page ft ------- SPOTLIGHT Redmond High Schoolers' "Cool School" Campaign Gets Presidential Recognition Award Recipients (Redmond High School): Zachary Do/eac, Emily Quo, Jamie Hall, Joseph Hegge, Laura Wang. Project Sponsors: Meg Town: Mike Town (not shown) Five Redmond High School students have developed an award-winning program to reduce carbon dioxide generation in the classroom through changes in transportation, recycling, electricity, and heating. The students also asked teachers to pledge to reduce classroom CO2 emissions by 1,000 Ib. In 2007, the students reduced classroom CO2 output by 72 tons and the school district saved $7,500 in recycling and electricity costs! Now the students are getting national recognition for designing this innovative program that challenged teachers and peers to take steps to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions. The student leaders were honored by President Bush, along with EPA Administrator Johnson and EPA Region 10 Administrator Elin Miller, with the President's Environmental Youth Award in an April ceremony at the White House. "These Redmond High Students started small by thinking big about climate change," said EPA's Miller. "Their impressive achievement shows that changes like these can help other high schools, in other districts, reduce greenhouse gases and save money." The campaign has spread across the school district. Over the past two and a half years, the district has saved $550,000 by recycling more, watering less, reducing waste, and using less energy. The success of the students' efforts prompted the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and Puget Sound Energy to provide financial assistance to train more teachers. The students also presented their results to the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Los Angeles, California. There are two runners up in EPA's awards competition. From Kenai, AK, an 11th grader developed and directs the "Make the Switch...Make a Difference" project to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. She has encouraged 840 people to switch from incandescent to energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. From Tekoa, WA, elementary school students are restoring stream habitat, monitoring water quality, removing noxious weeds, and planting trees in partnership with businesses and local community members. The President's Environmental Youth Awards program encourages individuals, school classes, summer camps, public interest groups, and youth organizations to promote environmental awareness and positive community involvement. Each year, young people, kindergarten through high school, are invited to participate in the awards program. The program has two components: the regional certificate program and the national awards competition. Certificates from the President are awarded by each of the ten EPA regions. One outstanding project from each region is presented with a Presidential plaque at an EPA sponsored award ceremony. For details, contact Sally Hanft, EPA, at 206-553-1207, 800-424-4372, or hanft.sally@epa.gov. For program information and to learn what you can do to address climate change: www.epa.gov/enviroed/peya/index.html www.epa.gov/climatechange www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/school.html ------- Beneficial Landscaping The Red Flower Currant, a Native Friend to Hummingbirds Ribes sanguineum commonly known as red currant, blood currant, or red flower currant is one of the earliest native spring blooming shrubs in the Northwest. It currently grows from British Columbia to south of San Francisco, California and from the Pacific coast to the eastern slope of the Cascades in Washington and northern Oregon. It is a versatile shrub that grows in open to wooded areas, moist to dry valleys and lower mountains. Its subtle-to-extravagant array of pale to deep reddish pink flower clusters make this shrub a wonderful addition to Northwest gardens. If planted in open areas, flowering is profuse; shaded specimens, which flower less abun- dantly, offer intriguing blood red pendant jewels among the bare twigs of surrounding woodlands. The small powdery black fruits that follow are inconspicuous and unpalatable. However, it is the red currant's close partnership with hummingbirds that is its most amazing feature! The timing of red currant bloom varies from its southern range to the north, but seems meticulously synchronized with the return of migrating hummingbirds. In the Puget Sound region bloom begins in late March, just in time for the return of hungry Rufous hummingbirds. While there are other native shrubs blooming at that time, including Indian plum, Oemleria ceraciformis, and Salmonberry, Rubus spectabilis, neither are timed so precisely with the return of hummingbirds as the red currant. The shape and color of red currant flowers are also best designed for hummers. The flowers are tubular, pink to red, and are born in pendant clusters that provide a progression of opening blossoms. Once persecuted for being an alternate host for the white pine blister rust, attempts were made to completely eradicate the red currant. Luckily, these efforts failed and it remains a component of our native flora, but its occur- rence has likely been reduced as a result. To befriend and sustain our hummingbird friends, as well as to restore the beauty it brings, consider adding red currant to your garden. It is commonly available for purchase at native plant sales and nurseries. Contact your local conserva- tion district, native plant society, or native plant nursery for sale dates and availability. For more information on this and other topics in Beneficial Landscaping, contact Elaine Somers at 206-553-2966 or 1-800-424-4372 X2966, or at somers.elaine@epa.gov. Or, visit our website at www.epa.gov/r10earth/bl.htm. Reference: C. Leo Hitchcock and A. Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington Press, 1973. Invasive Species: State Noxious Weed Lists Each state has its own list of noxious weeds. Noxious weeds are non-native plants that can spread quickly and are hard to control. They can invade ecosystems, pushing out native species, causing ecological and economical damage. Below is information to help you find the weed list in each of the Region 10 states. Note that each county may also have its own list that may be slightly different. Alaska: http://plants.usda.gov/java/ noxious?rptType=State&statefips=02 Idaho: www.idahoag.us/Categories/Plantslnsects/ NoxiousWeeds/watchlist.php Oregon: www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANTA/VEEDS/lists.shtml Washington: http://www.hear.org/weedlists/usa/WA.htm Id ------- CALENDAR May American Wetlands Month, www.epa.gov/ owow/wetlands/awm/ May 17-18: Idaho Green Expo, Boise, ID, www. idahogreenexpo.org May 21: Solar Power: Project and Permitting Conference, Seattle, WA, The Seminar Group, 800-574-4852, www.theseminargroup.net/ solarpower May 22: Ecosystem Markets: Taking Action, Northwest Environmental Business Council, Portland, OR, http://www.nebc.org/content.aspx?pageid=33 May 22-23: Ocean Law, Law Seminars International, Seattle, WA, www.lawseminars.com, 206-567-4490, 1-800-854-8009 June June 5-6: Clean Water and Stormwater Conference: 2008 Regulations and Compliance Strategies, Seattle, WA, Law Seminars International, 1-800-854-8009 June 19-22: Thinking Through Nature: Philosophy for an Endangered World, International Association for Environmental Philosophy, Eugene, OR, http://www.uoregon.edu/~toadvine/IAEP/ ThinkingThroughNature.html July July 14: Deadline for contributions to the August edition of Watertalk Newsletter, Andrea Lindsay, Editor, 206-553-1896, 800-424-4372, lindsay.andrea@epa.gov May is American Wetlands Month: Learn, Explore, Take Action! May is American Wetlands Month. This annual celebration is a time to recognize and highlight the wonderful ways that wetlands enrich the environ- ment and human society. EPA encourages indi- viduals and groups to learn about and help raise awareness of the critical role wetlands play in our environment and build support for their protection and restoration. Check in your community for opportunities to: Participate in a wetland walk, canoe trip, bird watch, or other outdoor activity Do a wetland or stream clean-up Recognize a wetland hero Give or attend a talk about wetlands Start or participate in a volunteer wetland monitor- ing or restoration group. For information, visit www.epa.gov/owow/wet- lands/awm. To learn more about EPA's wetlands and aquatic resources programs, visit www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands or call the Wetlands Helpline at 1-800-832-7828. ------- vvEPA Watertalk U.S. EPA 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, ETPA-081 Seattle, Washington 98101-3140 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Pre-Sorted Standard Postage and Fees Paid U.S. EPA Permit No. G-35 For Official Business Use Penalty for Private Use $300 *************** 4/10/568 E.P.A. HDQS ATTN: 401 'M1 ST SW WASHINGTON DC 20460-0002 AUTO**MIXED AADC 555 Watertalk May 2008 Watertalk is published quarterly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10. Watertalk seeks to be a useful tool for those who protect water resources and ecosystems in communities of the Greater Pacific Northwest, by providing practical resources and relevant agency news. You are invited to contribute items for publication. Submittal deadline is the 15th day of the month before publication. Watertalk articles can be used in other publications. Please give credit to Watertalk. For mailing list changes, or to contact the editor, call Andrea Lindsay at (206) 553-1896 or 1-800-424-4EPA x!896, or e-mail lindsay.andrea@epa.gov. Mention of trade names, products or services does not convey, and should not be interpreted as conveying, official EPA approval, endorsement or recom- mendation. j u_, ! Alternative fonnats available upon request. Please call Andrea Lindsay to request I^-H reasonable accommodation. TTY: 1-800-877-8339. Please recycle or share with a friend. Inside... Environmental News Grant Announcements Bright Ideas Cool Websites Enviro Events And More... ------- |