owow
Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds QUARTERLY HIGHLIGHTS
April 1992
A Note From Dave Davis
When Bob and I took over the
leadership of OWOW a year ago, we often
said that we felt that the most challenging
aspect of'our new job was to make OWOW
more the sum of its (programatic) parts.
We have tackled that challenge in two
major areas — watershed protection and
habitat protection. For this quarters'
Highlights, I'd like to bring you up to date
on the second. Habitat protection — that
is, the protection of the physical and
functional integrity of natural
communities — is certainly an intrinsic
element of many of OWOW'S programs,
notably wetlands and coastal/estuarine
protection. Moreover, OWOW doesn't
have a sole patent on habitat protection, as
several other Agency programs have
important roles in this area; for example,
theRCRAandCERCLAprograms,NEPA
reinewactwities,andpestiddes application
regulations. However, as an Agency
colleague recently put it, "OWOWseems
to be the principle keeper of the flame" in
habitat protection, especially within the
Office of Water.
We in OWOW are both pleased and
humbled by this responsibility because we
view habitat protection as one of EPA's
greatest unmet challenges — a view
stronghj reinforced by the Science Advisory
Board. For that reason, OWOW gladhj
accepted a leadership role in the Agency's
Habitat Cluster, one of EPA's handful of
major cross-cutting cluster efforts. Under
Continued on Page 3—Note
National Meeting to Highlight
Water Pollution Control Trading
The Assessment and Watershed Protection Division
(AWPD), in conjunction with theOffice of Water, is sponsoring
a two-day national meeting to promote trading as a part of
Federal, State, and local water quality programs. The meeting
has several objectives, including: (1) broadening the general
understanding of point and nonpoint source pollution trad-
ing and promoting its acceptance as an integral component of
water quality programs; (2) identifying programmatic, tech-
nical, and legislative factors which facilitate or discourage
trading; (3) developing cooperative action plans to address
program, technical, and legislative barriers; (4) identifying
specific waterbodies which could serve as pilot opportunities
for trading; and (5) developing recommendations for support-
ive activities by EPA, including guidance, revised policies,
regulations, or legislative recommendations.
The meeting, scheduled for April 27 and 28 in Durham,
North Carolina, is being planned in connection with the
President's 90-Day Moratorium which called for Federal
Agencies to identify and explore available means for providing
regulatory relief. Trading is one of the more innovative, cost-
effective opportunities for realizing water quality improve-
ments. For example, North Carolina is adopting a trading
scheme as the least-coast approach to meeting nutrient re-
duction targets within the 5,400 square mile Tar-Pamlico river
basin. Instead of achieving reductions through expensive
wastewater facility upgrades, the plan calls for implementa-
tion of less expensive nonpoint source controls, particularly
within the agricultural community. The scheme also allows
for trades between point sources should such trades become
economically attractive. While the trading scheme has not yet
been implemented, the administrative and institutional
framework to allow such action is in place, and represents a
model for managers in other areas interested in pursuing a
similar approach.
Continued on Page 3—Trading
Printt
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Total Quality Management Projects the meetings will also serve as a forum for infor-
Underway in OWOW mation exchange on how federal agencies are
supporting and encouraging watershed ap-
Two actions have taken place during this proaches.
quarter to help move OWOW towards total quality
management (TQM). First, a TQM training session A video teleconference was held on March 16
was held in February for all OWOW Branch Chiefs between Headquarters WPA team members and
and Deputy Division Directors. Under Louise the Regional "champions" and staff working on
Wise's and Deve Barnes' tutelage, the enthusiastic watershed projects. During the two hour exchange,
pupils launched Quality Action Teams (QAT) to the purpose and structure of the four headquarters
improve three areas within OWOW: the teams were presented to the Regions, and the
correspondance system, employee awards, and Regions provided an update on how their
training opportunities. watershed efforts are progressing. These
teleconferences will be held quarterly to keep
In addition, an employee survey was con- everyone informed and "tuned in" to the latest on
ducted that also helped to identify areas where WPA.
improvements are needed. The OWOW man-
agement team met in March to discuss how to Finally, the WPA is being featured at two
respond to the concerns that were raised in the national meetings this Spring. A panel discussion
survey, and as a result, several actions are un- highlightingtheWPAwasconductedattheCoastal
derway to improve "communications" within and Society Meeting in Washington in April. In ad-
among the three divisions. The survey results dition, the WPA will be featured in an EPA exhibit
highlighted a tendancy that is common in a busy at the United Nation's Conference on Environ-
organization, and that is to become so engrossed ment and Development which is scheduled for
in one's own program agenda, that we forget to June in Brazil. This meeting is an international
look around and see what is happening in other event that is expected to attract thousands of people
areas. A significant barrier to improving team work from around the globe, including many heads of
and communications within OWOW will be state. Contact: Janet Pawlukiewicz, (FTS) 260-
eliminated this summer with the consolidation of 9194.
all staff in a single location, the Fairchild Building
at 499 South Capitol Street Currently, OWOW
staff is divided between the Fairchild location and EPA To Consider New Nominations
the Waterside Mall location. A QAT under Geoff for National Estuary Program
Grubbs' direction is hoping to make this move as
smooth and successful as possible.
met with the Administrator in February to discuss
The Latest on the Watershed several issues related to the future of the National
Protection Approach Estuary Program (NEP), in particular, "Should
new management conferences be convened". At
OWOWishostinganlnteragencyWatershed that m^g; it was dedded that additional estu-
Work Group consisting of reprlsentotives from anesshouU be inc^d^m the progianx and staff
several federal agendet, including the Soil Con- m *e K&0™ «* Headquarters are busdy an-
servationServfceTForest Service, Bureauof Land J«g ^nons * P^pective entants. To
ManagementGeologicalSurvey^ationalOceank **te, 17 nauonal eshaary programs have been
andALospherfcAdmiiustratioivCorpsofEngi- designated around the country.
neers, Office i**"^*** ****"* EPA received three unsolicited nominations
Counal on E"™™**^£- **™£ to the NEP in 1991 - Peconk Bay in New York,
Group was •1'"***™ Mobile Bay in Alabama, and Morro Bay in C^-
cLgressuuiicatedthatthePeconicBay
OWOW Highlights 2 April 1992
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nomination be given priority consideration in Title
H of the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988. The
Administrator decided that EPA would review
this application immediately, and should the
nomination meet the evaluation criteria, be added
to the NEP in FY1992. On February 20, a notice
soliciting additional nominations was published
in the Federal Register. Up to three estuaries
nominated in response to this call will be added to
the NEP in FY 93. All new estuary programs will
follow a streamlined approach based on lessons
learned from the existing programs as well as
progress already made in the estuaries to charac-
terize their environmental problems and identify
corrective actions. This approach will include
faster development and implementation of the
Comprehensive Conservation and Management
Plan. Consideration will be given also to those
estuaries that have a pre-existing management
structure. Contact: Mark Curran,(FTS) 260-6502).
Federal and State Agencies Join
Together to Improve Monitoring
Several federal and state agencies that collect
and rely upon water quality and water resource
monitoring data for decision-making have joined
together to promote more effective collection,
presentation, and interpretation of this informa-
tion. EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
have established an Intergovernmental Task Force
on Monitoring (ITFM), and the first meeting was
held on January 29 and 30 in Arlington, Virginia.
In addition to EPAandUSGS, other representatives
include: Department of Energy, Office of Man-
agement and Budget, US. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
vice, Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Department of Ag-
riculture, seven states, and an interstate commis-
sion providing a broad geographic representation.
At the first meeting, the task-force agreed that
a framework is needed to integrate monitoring
efforts, use resources more effectively, and obtain
comparable data and consistent reporting of sta-
tus and trends of water quality. To accomplish its
mission, four taskforcesubgroupswereestablished
— Intergovernmental Framework, Environmen-
Continued on Page 4 - Monitoring
Trading-Continued from Page 1
In addition to formal presentations from an
array of experts and small problem solving groups,
the meeting will feature a field trip to the Tar-
Pamlico basin to examine first hand the scheme
that is being developed. Contact: Don Brady,
(FTS) 260-5392.
< Note—Continued from Page 1
the leadership of Bruce Newton, Chief of OWOWs
Watershed Branch, and Tim Barry, Chief of the Office
of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation's (OPPE) Science
Policy Branch, the Habitat Cluster has brought to-
gether forty to fifty EPA staff persons representing key
Headquarters offices and several Regions. The Cluster
has rvorked since last fall to formulate a strategic agenda
for EPA, and has recently taken time out to extract a
series of shorter-term initiatives designed to capitalize
on the high level of support of the Reilly top manage-
ment team. Collectively, these initiatives if imple-
mented vigorously would both accomplish a variety of
needed actions and set in motion a series of institutional
changes that would afford habitat protection greater
priority vis-a-vis more classical chemical pollution con-
trol. Recentfy, I have become more directly involved in
the Cluster's work through establishment of an execu-
tive management committee on which I serve along
with Mike Slimakofthe Office of Research and Devel-
opment and Wendy Cleland-Hamnet of OPPE.
In a separate, but related effort, O WOW is play-
ing a leadership role in the new Neotropical Migratory
Bird Conservation Program, an international public-
private partnership aimed at help-
ing to ensure the survival of some
of the Western Hemisphere's most
fascinating and important, yet
most imperiled bird populations.
I represent EPA on the federal
interagency steering commit-
tee for this program. A fact sheet on the
program is enclosed for your future information. Over
time, we hope to build upon the expertise and networks
we have developed in these efforts. Our goal is to
continue to seek and exploit opportunities for greater
habitat protection and to "mainstream" those activities
and objectives into EPA's basic institutional fabric. We
appreciate the assistance and support we've received
from all of our colleagues in D.C. and across the coun-
try, and look forward to continuing efforts in this area
with you.
OWOW Highlights
April 1992
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Mnutoring-Cantmued from Pay 3
tal Indicators, Data Collection Methods, and In-
formation Sharing. For the first year, the ITFM
plans to submit a report to OMB by December on
recommendations for needed improvements in
water-quality monitoring activities. Further rec-
ommendations and implementation activities will
follow, with project completion scheduled for
December 1994.. The next meeting of the ITFM is
scheduled for May 20 - 21 in Washington, D.C.
Contact: Elizabeth Jester, (FTS) 260-7062.
Study Examines State Assumption
of Section 404 Permitting Program
The President's August 9, 1991 announce-
ment on improving wetlands protection and en-
suring "no net loss" indicated that the Adminis-
tration would approve State programs capable of
achieving an equivalent level of wetlands protec-
tion and benefit as the Federal program, and
committed to revising the regulations on State
assumption of the Section 404 program. In prepa-
ration for the revision, the'EPA Program Evalua-
tion Division, at the request of the Wetlands Divi-
sion, recently completed a draft report that de-
scribes why more States have not assumed re-
sponsibility for the program. Specifically, the
study was designed to identify the most signifi-
cant obstacles to State assumption. Interviews
were conducted in 13 states, at various levels of
management; at three District Corps of Engineer
offices; with representatives from the National
Governors Association and the Association of State
Wetlands Managers; and with EPA Headquarter
and Regional staffs.
The results indicated that while the States
favor assuming responsibility for the Section 404
program, they will not pursue assumption unless
a number of existing obstacles are removed. The
cost of running an assumed program was identi-
fied as the single, most significant-obstacle for
most States. The States believe that if EPA wants
them to assume the program, Federal funding
should be made available. Lack of political sup-
port within State boundaries and public appre-
ciation for the value of wetlands were identified as
other major obstacles. Also, the States expressed a
desire for flexibility in the design of an assumed
program. As long as the intent is the same. State
programs should not have to mirror the Federal
program. The draft report was released for review
onMarchl?. Wetlands Division staff are using the
document in discussions with Sttes, environmen-
tal groups, EPA Regions, and others to identify
alternatives for eliminating the impediments to
State assumption. The Wetlands Division is also
researching performance-based approaches to
natural resource protection programs. Additional
information is expected to be available in July.
Contact: Jeanne Melanson, (FTS) 260-9043.
Guidance Provided for Near Coastal
Waters Program
A final guidance document for managing
Near Coastal Waters (NCW) programs was trans-
mitted to the Regions in March along with funds to
support NCW activities in FY 1992. The NCW
program, in keeping with the Watershed Protec-
tion Approach, is based on identifying priority
areas and inte-
grating efforts to
protect them. The
purpose of the
guidance docu-
ment is to help
provide a frame-
work for coastal
decision-making,
and it includes a
screening process to help Regions determine how
to assess and select geographic areas for priority
management action, and how to identify the prob-
lems and issues within those targeted areas that
are most in need of attention. National and Re-
gional roles in implementing the NCW program,
the content of NCW strategies and annual
workplans, and a formula for allocating national
NCW resources are also addressed. The new
guidance, reflecting comments from all Regional
NCW program managers at the recent Ocean and
Coastal Protection Division Branch Chiefs meet-
ing in Sante Fe, is more comprehensive than past
guidances which have focused predominantly on
funds allocation and offered limited information
on other management issues. Contact: Mark
Curran, (FTS) 260-6502.
OWOW Highlights
April 1992
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Assistance for Indian Tribe
Nonpoint Source Programs
In order to be eligible for Section 319 fund-
ing for nonpoint source (NPS) activities, Indian
Tribes must have approved NPS assessment and
management programs and comply with "treat-
ment as a state" requirements. The former has
proven to be very difficult for some tribes, and as
a result, tribes have not received the funding
needed to attack their NPS problems. To address
this issue, Congress set aside $500,000 in FY1992
to assist Indian Tribes in becoming eligible to
receive grant funding. AWPD issued guidance
to the Regions in January laying out a program for
interested Tribes, with Regional assistance, to
submit proposals for developing approvable NPS
plans. Nineteen tribes submitted proposals, and
eleven were selected for funding. Contact: Stu
Tuller, (FTS) 260-7112.
owow
Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds
"Quarterly ffighlights"isprepared by the Office
ofWetlands,OceansandWater$heds(OWOW).
Its purpose is to share information with our
Headquarters and Regional counterparts on
major events that occurred during the past
quarter, to provide an update on special topics,
and to advise you of key personnel changes and
upcoming activities. Any questions or
suggestions concerning "Quarterly Highlights"
should be directed to Paula Monroe of OWOW
at (FTS) 260-6582.
Heads Up!
May is American Wetlands Month! EPA and
other public and private organizations are co-
sponsoring the second annual celebration. The
goal of this event is to increase public awareness of
the values and importance of wetland areas,
encourge people to take advantage of the unique
opportunities these areas have to offer, and take
action to protect, enhance, and restore wetland
areas in their community. EPA and the Terrine
Institute in Washington, D.C. are coordinating
this year's celebration. The staff at Terrine can be
reached at (202) 833-8317. For more information
you may also contact the EPA Wetlands Hotline at
1-800-832-7828.
OWOW's National Program Meeting will be
held May 5 - 7 in Washington, D.C. The meeting
will highlight OWOW "Customer Service" to the
Regions, watershed approaches, and agricultural
issues.
Recent Releases
1990 National Water Quality Inventory
Report to Congress. Summarizes most up-to-
date information from the States on the quality
of their rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters,
wetlands, and ground water resources. Infor-
mation is provided on the extent to which these
waters meet designated uses, and the pollut-
ants and sources causing impairment. Printed
reports are expected to be available by late
April. Contact: Alice Mayio,CFTS) 260-7018 or
Barry Burgan, {FTS} 260-7060.
Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution: Fi-
nal Report to Congress on Section 319 of the
Clean Water Act (1989). Describes the state of
the national effort to control and prevent NPS
pollution as of October 1,1989. Includes find-
ings of the states' NPS assessments; descrip-
tions of state programs for addressing prob-
lems identified during the assessments; and
achievements to date in controlling and pre-
venting NPS pollution. Printed reports are
expected to be available by late April Contact:
DovWeitman,
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v>EPA
Partners in Flight - Aves de las Americas
The Water Program Connection
Oneoftoday'smost widely discussed conservation
issues is the dramatic decline in the populations of
neotropical migratory birds. In response to this
concern, an innovative partnership of public and
private organizations has been established under
the auspices of the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation. This new effort, called Partners in
Flight - Aves de las Americas and formally known as
the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation
Program, was launched in 1990, through the
execution of memoranda of agreement among a
number of key federal agencies and conservation
and research organizations. The former include
both land managing agencies such as BLM, the
Forest Service, and DOD and regulatory agencies
such as EPA together with the Fish and Wildlife
Service, which has both roles.
What is the objective of Partners in Flight?
The title of the program, Partners in Flight - Aves de
las Americas, highlights both the need for
cooperation and the central role of the Latin
American wintering grounds in any strategy to
conserve these species. The objective of this
program is to create the first integrated federal,
state, and private program for research,
monitoring, and habitat management formigratory
nongame birds. The impetus for the program
came from the concern, building- for years, for
declines in the populations of neotropical
migratory birds — species that breed in North
America and winter in Mexico, Central America,
the Caribbean, and South America. The causes of
these declines are complex and not fully
understood, but habitat loss and related problems
are key issues. International efforts will focus on
Canada, a major breeding area, and Mexico, Central
America, and the Caribbean, the major
overwintering grounds. The strategy for this
program is to stimulate cooperative public and
private sector efforts involving public agencies at
all levels, foundations, private organizations, and
businesses in North America and the neotropics.
Some Examples
of Neotropical Migrants*
Peregrine Falcon
Upland Sandpiper
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Rufous Hummingbird
Willow Flycatcher
Cliff Swallow
House Wren
Swaison's Thrush
Solitary Vireo
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Summer Tanager
Blue Grosbeak
Chipping Sparrow
Boblink
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Northern Oriole
Selected front Purtnen in Fugnt
preliminary list of over 250 species.
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How can you help?
Because many of these species depend upon
aquatic habitats for some or all of their life func-
tions—and all depend upon clean water for
drinking—water program managers can make a
vital contribution to this effort. Clearly one of the
most direct linkages is through our efforts to protect
coastal resources, wetlands, lakes, stream and river
habitats, and riparian zones. Programs such as the
National Estuary Program, Near Coastal Waters
Program, Section 404 Program, Clean Lakes Pro-
gram, the "Great Water Bodies" programs, and
other watershed protection projects provide im-
portant vehicles to protect both the physical and
chemical integrity of these systems. However,
water program people can also be critical members
of the team through activities involving all facets
of permitting and enforcement, development and
application of criteria and standards, construction
and operation of waste- and stormwater treatment
systems, protection of ground water resources,
monitoring, and water quality planning. Each of
these contributes incrementally to maintaining
the environmental quality necessary to sustain
these populations and species.
For the most part, the best way to help is simply to
continue to do what we do best; that is, managing
aquatic resources in a manner that retains their
integrity and natural functions. However, knowl-
edge of the special needs of neotropical migratory
birds is also important in helping to protect or
enhance those aquatic system attributes that are
most critical to supporting such species. One of
the key challenges for program participants is to
collect, analyze, package, and disseminate infor-
mation on these bird species and their manage-
ment needs.
How will Partners in Flight help water
programs?
Looking at this effort from the opposite perspective,
we should realize that increased interest in bird
conservation will also help us to better marshall
the resources and public support we need to protect
aquatic resources since people have strong
emotional ties to wild birds. Thus, they are more
likely to rally to their protection, with spillover
benefits for water quality and aquatic habitats,
than for some of the less tangible benefits or more
complex and obscure attributes of aquaticsystems.
What is the organizational structure of
Partners in Flight?
The program currently operates through four
domestic regional workgroups and five national
groups organized around functional areas
(monitoring, research, legislation, information and
education, and international activities.) A Carib-
bean working group will probably be established
this year. Water program managers and staff at all
levels are encouraged to become familiar with the
program and to participate in appropriate work-
ing groups or activities. For more information on
the program and working groups, contact Peter
Stangel, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,
18th and C Streets NW, Washington DC 20240.
Within EPA, we have established an ad hoc work
group to help focus and coordinate EPA efforts on
behalf of the Partners in Flight Program. Mike
Slimak (ORD/OEPER), Anne Barton (OPPTS/
OPP), and Dave Davis (OW/OWOW) lead the
workgroup and serve as official members of the
interagency Steering Committee for the Partners
programs. Mike Troyer (ORD/OTTRS) serves as
Executive Secretary of the group and principal
contact with the other agencies and organizations.
EPA Water Program personnel interested in the
program are encouraged to contact Dave Davis
(FTS 260-7166) or Janet Pawlukiewicz (FTS 260-
9194) for further information or to share ideas.
Page 2
Partners in Flight- Aves de las Americas
The Water Connection
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