EPA910-R-03-002
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle WA 98101
Alaska
Idaho
Oregon
Washington
Office of Ecosystems and Communities
April 2003
Connecting With Communities
Place-Based Approach
Achieves Results
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Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Place-Based Staff
Take Action
In Critical Areas
Pesticide Alternatives 3
Children's Health 4
Surface Water Quality 5
Watershed Management 5
Groundwater Protection 7
Improving Local Economies 8
Superfund Cleanups 9
Agricultural Burning 10
Direct Seeding 11
Cross-Border Agreements 12
Tribal Assistance 12
Aquatic Resources 13
Wetlands Enforcement 13
Indoor Air Quality 14
Forest Management 14
Water Quality Standards 15
Endangered Species Protection 15
2002 Listening Tour 16
To learn more about place-based projects, contact the individuals
listed on page two. To learn more about EPA visit:
http;//www.epa.gov/rlOearth/
To reach Region 10 Seattle staff via our toll-free line,
call 1-800-424-4372
Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper
with a minimum 50% post-consumer fiber
using vegetable-based ink.
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Connecting With Communities
2002 Listening Tour
Place-Based Staff Hear EPA Program
Needs
In 2002, place-based staff conducted a listening tour inside EPA Region 10 to
work more effectively with Regional program offices. A week of meetings in
Seattle with EPA staff from the offices of air quality, water, regional council,
environmental cleanup, and others helped place-based staff pinpoint areas for
collaboration and action. As follow-up, place-based staff have:
Worked with the Office of Air Quality and the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) "SWAT" team to provide information on children's health,
smoke, lead, and indoor air quality to schools, daycare centers, and Master Home
Environmentalist volunteers.
Assisted the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) team by providing local
contacts and information about significant federal projects in their geographic
area and providing technical assistance and review on projects in the environmental
review process.
Collaborated with Region 10's TMDL workgroups to meet the many requirements
of TMDLs throughout EPA Region 10.
Increased communications with compliance and enforcement programs.
Worked with the Regional Endangered Species Act team to streamline consultation
on projects that involve EPA and other federal agencies such as the Natural
Resources Conservation Service.
Worked with the Region's forest team, focusing on implementing the Northwest
forest plan, the Blue Mountain demonstration area, and restoring habitat on both
federal and non-federal lands.
Continued to work closely with the Office of Air Quality on health advisories, air
quality monitoring, reliable forecasting, and coordination among multiple smoke
sources to reduce impacts on human health.
Led extensive post-award monitoring reviews of tribal grants from numerous
EPA programs in cooperation with the Grants Administration Unit.
PAGE 16
Introduction
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region
10 is using a unique approach to achieve environmental results
— we have stationed several EPA staff away from our regional
hub in Seattle to manage projects at the grassroots community
level. These "place-based" staff work in the cities and towns
where critical environmental needs exist. Says Elbert Moore,
former director of EPA's Office of Ecosystems and
Communities, "EPA can only do so much from regional offices
- we must be connected to geographic areas to be truly relevant."
Citizens, tribes, and state and local agencies couldn't agree
more. They report that place-based staff deliver valuable results
that would not take place without EPA's presence at the local
level.
Because place-based staff live and work in communities, they
gain access and insight and can more easily:
"Became place-based staff
live and work in
communities, they
understand local concerns,
and can craft realistic
solutions. Place-based staff
are well-positioned to meet
critical needs."
Jared Rubin,
Willamette Basin
Coordinator
Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality
Work directly with citizens to achieve specific
environmental results
Collaborate with tribes and state governments to develop
realistic solutions
Gain an intimate understanding of community needs
Feed information to EPA program offices so well-
informed decisions are made
Develop long-term, trusting relationships
Visit residents, door-to-door, to talk about issues
A day in the life of a place-based staffer includes involvement
in multiple issues and aligning EPA programs with community
needs. Following is a sampling of projects where place-based
staff are working closely with EPA "base programs" (air, water,
pesticides, and cleanup) to accomplish Region 10 goals and
priorities. These snapshots do not capture all place-based work,
but highlight some recent projects. The sum of Region 10's
place-based projects is a powerful part of our work to protect
human health and the environment.
"The Place-based Program
is well worth it — staff in
communities who are
connected back to the EPA
Regional Office are
extremely valuable. They
have done an outstanding
job meeting community
needs."
Ronald Kreizenbeck,
Deputy Regional
Administrator
EPA Region 10
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Connecting With Communities
Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Place-Based Staff Are Positioned To Meet Critical Needs
Meeting Water Quality Standards
Sandra Halstead
509 786-9225
Prosser, Washington
Chuck Rice
509353-2700
Spokane, Washington
Dan Robison
509353-2707
Spokane, Washington
Phil North
907 260-4882
Soldotna, Alaska
Alan Henning
541 686-7838 ext. 251
Eugene, Oregon
Christine Kelly
541 962-7218
LaGrande, Oregon
Susan Skinner
208478-1680
Pocatello, Idaho
Donald Martin
208 665-0458
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
From Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Don Martin manages EPA's
team to help Oregon and Idaho develop the Snake River-Hells
Canyon TMDL. A TMDL establishes allowable loadings or
other parameters for a water body. Martin works with local
tribes and state staff to approach the TMDL from an ecosystem
perspective. Planned for completion in Spring 2003, the TMDL
will ensure that more than 200 miles of the Snake River meet
water quality standards and that beneficial uses, such as
swimming, boating, public/private water supply, and salmonid
spawning and rearing are restored. Martin is also assisting
EPA staff in developing a TMDL for temperature for the
Lower Snake River-Columbia River. On this project, he
coordinates with state staff in Oregon and Washington.
Protecting Endangered Species
Martin also serves as EPA's salmon and trout expert on fisheries
issues east of the Cascade Mountains. He serves as an
information bridge between EPA policy makers and federal,
private, and university research scientists, as well as providing
technical and policy expertise. His efforts are contributing to
development and implementation of recovery plans for Snake
River Chinook Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and Steelhead and
Bull Trout. Martin's work will help restore and protect
threatened or endangered anadromous and resident salmonid
species in waters of the interior Columbia River basin.
Don Martin's contributions to
Snake River TMDLs will ensure
that more than 200 river miles
meet water quality and
temperature standards.
PAGE 2
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Connecting With Communities
Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
"Place-based staff
understand the mood and
economy of a community. I
see opportunity for place-
based staff to help us
distribute information on
children's health and
identify compliance
assistance needs."
Montel Livingston,
Unit Manager
Office of Waste and
Chemicals Management
The left side of this photo shows
what a forest looks like after 70
years of fire exclusion; the right
side shows how the forest should
look in order to reduce
catastrophic fires.
Teaching People About Indoor Air
Quality
This past year, in the Yakima Valley and cities across Washington,
Dan Robison taught health districts, childcare providers, rural
nurses, and low-income communities about indoor air quality.
Working with the American Lung Association of Washington
(ALAW), Robison helped people reduce asthma triggers and
protect their children from dust and mold. "Dan Robison is
all about partnership and sharing resources," says Leslie Benoit,
ALAW Regional Director. "He has dramatically improved
our Little Lungs Breathing educational program." The
Association says its workshops lead to fewer emergency room
visits and prevention of severe asthma attacks.
Growing Healthy Forests
In an entirely different area, Robison has worked to improve
forest management. He advocates prescribed burning and
thinning to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires and increase
growth of healthy forests. A few years ago, Robison started a
pilot project on 20,000 acres in the Wenatchee-Okanogan
National Forest. The project took off and is now self-sustaining
with citizens and environmental groups actively participating.
The U.S. Forest Service is excited about this work and hopes
to see similar projects in other areas.
"We achieve stronger
environmental outcomes
when EPAplace-based staff
are involved."
Leslie Benoit,
Regional Director
American Lung Association
of Washington
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Promoting Pesticide Alternatives
Sandra Halstead manages several projects in Washington's
Yakima Valley and across Oregon and Idaho to promote safe
pesticide alternatives and protect public health. This past year,
as part of EPA's Strategic Agricultural Initiative, Halstead
initiated six agricultural partnerships, which will reduce use of
toxic pesticides from 20 to 60 percent on some farms. This is
part of EPA's work to transition from harmful broad-spectrum
pesticides to safer alternatives.
Says Halstead, "To do my job, I must be trusted by the
community - it would be hard to do this work from an urban
city." Halstead says her ability to meet with extension agents,
farmers and others helps her get the job done. Art Linton,
Assistant Dean of the College of Agriculture and Home
Economics at Washington State University, agrees, "Halstead
has made EPA highly relevant out here. The perception of
EPA has changed considerably — because people see Halstead
frequently, they feel more comfortable working with her."
Interns funded through an EPA
grant discuss pesticide safety with
Yakima Valley residents.
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Connecting With Communities
"Place-based staff nip simple
mis-communications in the
bud. They have great
potential to assist with
children's health issues,
Brownfields, and site
redevelopment."
Rick Albright,
Director
Office of Waste and
Chemicals Management
Protecting Children's Health
Sandra Halstead's presence in the community has also led to
success on the "For Healthy Kids!" project, which teaches farm
workers how to keep pesticide residues out of their homes. By
breaking the "take home" exposure pathway, "For Healthy
Kids!" prevents both acute symptoms and irreversible
developmental damage that can result when children are over-
exposed to pesticides. Halstead's prevention work means that
children of farm workers will be healthier and mature to their
full potential.
This past year, Halstead was active on a community advisory
board and distributed more than 3,000 Spanish-language
booklets on worker protection. In addition, due to Halstead's
efforts, twelve communities in the Yakima Valley benefited
from radio broadcasts, school programs, health fairs, and
neighborhood block parties on pesticide safety.
The "For Healthy Kids!" project
teaches fourth-graders how to
protect themselves from
pesticides.
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Pesticides
Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Protecting Aquatic Resources
On the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, Phil North plays a key role
in protecting aquatic resources. During the past year, he worked
with the University of Alaska and the Kenai Watershed Forum
to begin developing a wetlands geographic information system
(GIS). It enables users to quickly identify how site use and
development influence fish habitat, water quality, groundwater
movement and more. Once completed, tribal, state, and local
governments will use the system to determine impacts of
environmental violations and develop wetland mitigation
measures. Landowners will use the system to find out how
future site use affects aquatic resources. By answering critical
questions, the wetlands GIS will enable people to make the
most of site use while preserving critical habitat.
"The vision provided by Phil North has been the driving force
for the wetlands GIS," says Keith Boggs, Program Manager
for the Alaska National Heritage Program at the University
of Alaska. "North brought in our stakeholders - municipalities,
tribes, the Kenai Wildlife Refuge, and federal agencies, and
asked what was needed in the final product. His rational, down-
to-earth approach was appreciated."
Furthering Wetlands Enforcement
The credibility of the Wetlands Program in Region 10 depends
on an effective enforcement program. Phil North plays an
active role in inspecting wetlands on the Kenai Peninsula. His
field presence and real-time responses to citizen complaints
are critical in assisting EPA and Department of Justice attorneys
and enforcement staff. This past year, he was involved in a
series of cases with repeat and recalcitrant violators. One case
is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice and is likely
to go to court this year, while another will go to hearing with
an administrative law judge. This work will result in penalties
and restoration of sensitive habitats. As the Wetlands Program
moves forward in prosecuting cases, potential violators will be
deterred from violations.
"EPA staff must be near
certain projects to
understand cultural issues
and unique landscapes —
Seattle is flat-out too far
away."
Keith Boggs,
Program Manager
Alaska Natural Heritage
Program, University of
Alaska
The Wetlands Geographic
Information System answers
critical questions that enable
citizens and government to
preserve habitat.
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Connecting With Communities
State staff sign the Montana-Idaho
Border Agreement to control
nutrient loading in Lake Pend
Oreille.
"In Northern Idaho we are
isolated from government
agencies, and it's hard to get
people involved. Having
EPA nearby is such a plus."
Ruth Watkins,
Executive Director
Tri-State Water Quality
Council
PAGE 12
Reaching Cross-Border Agreements
In Sandpoint, Idaho, Chuck Rice is helping establish an overall
nutrient management plan for Lake Pend Oreille. He provides
technical assistance to the Tri-state Water Quality Council,
which includes representatives from tribal, state and local
governments, environmental groups, and industry. To set the
stage for this plan, the Council facilitated a border agreement
between Idaho and Montana to protect lake water quality, with
help from Rice. The border agreement sets nutrient targets
and apportions responsibility for meeting targets between the
states. "EPA has been critical to the Council's efforts - Chuck
Rice understands the issues and political realities," says Ruth
Watkins, Executive Director of the Tri-state Water Quality
Council.
An important outcome of the border agreement is that EPA
recently approved a TMDL for Lake Pend Oreille that sets
phosphorous standards. By combining the border agreement
with the lake management plan, the states successfully finished
this portion of the project. Says Rice, "Lake Pend Oreille is
the centerpiece of this region's vitality and keeping it healthy
is important to the economy and quality of life in the adjoining
areas of Idaho, Washington, and Montana."
Assisting Tribes
In Washington, some miles downstream from Lake Pend
Oreille, Rice is EPA's Project Manager for the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing of the Box Canyon
Dam Hydroelectric Project on the Pend Oreille River. A
portion of the Box Canyon Project discharges to the Kalispel
Tribe Reservation. Working with the Kalispel Tribe and the
Washington Department of Ecology, EPA developed a water
quality certification for this project, one of few water quality
certifications for hydropower projects issued by EPA nationally.
The certification requires designing and getting a plan underway
to return Calispell Creek flow to a near-natural state. This will
protect water quality and designated beneficial uses.
Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Improving Surface Water Quality
Last year, Alan Henning began a collaborative, two-year mercury
monitoring project to support the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality (ODEQ) in developing a Total Maximum
Daily Load (TMDL) for mercury and other pollutants in the
Willamette Basin. A TMDL establishes allowable loadings or
other parameters for a water body. The mercury monitoring
project is critical to the TMDL and will help ensure its completion
in late 2003. The TMDL will set allowable pollutant discharges
for mercury so water quality standards can be met. The TMDL
will also reduce people's exposure to mercury from eating fish.
Henning set up a field workshop, organized a three-day tour of
the Willamette Basin, and discussed sampling with stakeholders.
This effort helped solidify working relationships and kick the
project off to a productive start.
Henning's Eugene location helped him easily build relationships
with local contacts - he could attend local meetings, assist with
field work, or discuss pressing concerns in person. As a result,
several project and laboratory experts at EPA and ODEQ are
actively moving this project forward. For example, EPA's
Manchester Laboratory (in Kitsap County, Washington, across
Puget Sound from Seattle) and the Office of Environmental
Assessment (in EPA's Regional Office in Seattle) are coordinating
sample reporting with ODEQ's Portland Laboratory. Their
regular interaction has helped foster a positive working relationship.
"Alan Henning was totally engaged in making this project happen,"
says Jared Rubin, Willamette Basin Coordinator, ODEQ. "He
helped find funding, brought in critical staff, and helped with
logistical hurdles."
Strengthening Watershed
Management
Alan Henning has also helped develop the Little Applegate
Watershed Management Plan. This plan will help people in
Oregon's Rogue Basin apply land management practices that meet
TMDL and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) fisheries requirements. Due out this spring, the plan is
aimed at the regulated community. It combines and simplifies
steps for meeting Endangered Species and Clean Water Act
requirements. The work will result in protecting fish species and
meeting water quality standards for temperature.
EPA and State staff visit a
Willamette Basin mercury
monitoring site. Data from this
site will assist in developing
TMDL allocations.
PAGE 5
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Connecting With Communities
"Place-based staff's work
with our regulatory
programs such as the
National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) and
Stormwater is hugely
valuable. Place-based staff
quickly respond to
complaints in Indian
country and gwe a face to
the Federal bureaucracy."
Mike Bussell,
Associate Director
Office of Water
Helping Ideas Take Root
"Out here in Pocatello, Idaho, I'm able to move ideas into
action," says Sue Skinner. "I help eliminate the mystery on
environmental matters and work with stakeholders to set
priorities from an ecosystem perspective." Skinner's duties
range considerably. She provides guidance on the Eastern
Michaud Flats Superfund cleanup, helps the cities of Pocatello
and Chubbuck with groundwater issues, and is involved with
a TMDL for the American Falls reservoir and other waters
within the Shoshone-Bannock Indian Reservation.
Says Roger Chase, Pocatello City Mayor, "without a doubt,
it's better to have EPA in town, rather than far away. Our city
benefits from the hands-on knowledge of Sue Skinner." Mayor
Chase says that Skinner has helped Pocatello on storm water
projects, air quality issues, and Brownfields. He says Pocatello
is making better environmental progress due to EPA's presence.
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Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Increasing Direct Seeding to
Improve Air and Water Quality
Christine Kelly has also helped farmers and agriculture agencies
increase direct seeding of fields. This approach reduces or
eliminates fallow fields and the need for plowing, which
considerably reduces both wind and water erosion and thereby
improves air and water quality. Direct seeding can also reduce
or eliminate field burning, which reduces air pollution.
Furthermore, it leads to greater soil moisture, better soil health,
and increased carbon sequestration, all of which help address
air and water problems and lead to overall ecosystem
improvements. During the past five years, Kelly's efforts have
contributed to direct seeding of more than 60,000 acres in
Umatilla County. Umatilla County is particularly important
for these practices because it is a major agricultural area in
Oregon. With more than 700,000 acres of agricultural land,
Umatilla County is Oregon's largest wheat producing county
and Oregon's second largest agriculture producing county.
Several stream reaches in the Umatilla Basin are listed as "water
quality limited" for sediment, turbidity, and aquatic habitat.
Direct seeding will help improve water quality.
"I'm a big fan of the place-
based approach — place-
based staff make excellent
consultants who can
identify what will and
wont work on the ground.
I hope place-based staff will
be available in the future
to work with all media
programs on high-priority
projects, including air."
Barbara McAllister,
Director
Office of Air
PAGE 11
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Connecting With Communities
Managing Agricultural Burning
and Particulates
Farmers and agency personnel
visit a field of canola, an
alternative crop used in direct
seeding.
In Oregon, Christine Kelly is working with agricultural and
rural communities to address a variety of ecosystem and human
health concerns. This year, Kelly helped Union County greatly
improve its agricultural burning program. Addressing smoke
in Union County is important for a number of reasons. First,
because Union County is in a valley in the Blue Mountains,
smoke is often trapped, increasing human exposure to airborne
particulates. Second, La Grande,
the County's largest community,
is a designated non-attainment
area for particulates. And, third,
the County is upwind of the Eagle
Cap Wilderness Area, a Class I
airshed that is easily affected by
smoke from field burning. To deal
with these issues, Kelly provided
technical guidance to the County
that helped lead to revising the
local smoke management
ordinance and adopting a direct
seed program in Union County.
Ordinance improvements
included expanding the smoke
management program from a
three-month to a year-round
program, extending burning fees
to propane burning, improving
forecasting methods, and using real-time air quality data to
reduce burning. Kelly also initiated a local health advisory,
helped create a centralized call-in center to coordinate smoke
sources, worked with the National Weather Service to improve
forecast information, and assisted with setting up real-time air
quality monitoring. Real-time data will be posted on the County's
website to help residents and farmers respond to pollution.
Since this work began, fewer smoke intrusions have occurred
in populated areas and citizen complaints have dramatically
decreased.
PAGE 10
Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Protecting Groundwater
Skinner has also been instrumental in protecting groundwater
in the City of Chubbuck. With her assistance, the City obtained
funding to develop groundwater protection protocols and study
groundwater vulnerability. This work is important because
both Pocatello and Chubbuck rely on a sole source aquifer for
drinking water.
In addition, Skinner has helped Chubbuck develop best
management practices for storm water. Such practices will
eventually enable the City to protect the aquifer through local
decision-making. Says Steve Smart, City of Chubbuck Public
Works Director, "Sue is an excellent resource - she helps us
contact the right people at EPA."
"You don't build trust by
visiting a community a few
times a year — we firmly
believe in the place-based
approach."
Paula Jones,
Project Coordinator
Three-Rivers Resource
Conservation and
Development Council
Pocatello, Idaho
Sue Skinner (middle left) describes the advantages of applying
for stormwater permits through intergovernmental partnerships.
Skinner is a valuable link between EPA and newly regulated
communities needing Phase II storm water permits.
PAGE 7
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Connecting With Communities
Improving Local Economies,
Cleaning Up Sites
Cami Grandinetti and Dick Martindale (who worked on loan
to EPA from the Panhandle Health District) have been paving
the way for environmental action that will improve local
economies in and around Kellogg and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
This year, they worked with the State of Idaho and the Coeur
d'Alene Tribe to transform a contaminated railway into a 72-
mile trail for hiking and biking. The $40 million project is
funded by Union Pacific Railroad and is scheduled to be done
in summer 2003. In addition to cleaning up contaminated sites
along the railway, the project involves building or repairing 30
bridges and constructing solar-powered bathrooms. A boon to
tourism and local economies, the trail runs through nine
communities in three counties.
The rails-to-trails team celebrates progress on the new trail.
Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Expediting Superfund Cleanups
Martindale also played a vital role in releasing the final $360
million Record of Decision for the Coeur d'Alene Basin
Superfund site, which enables cleanup to begin this year. The
Record of Decision outlines a 30-year strategy to protect human
health and the environment from historical mine waste. EPA's
work will include removing contaminated soils from 1,000
residential yards, remediating 4,500 acres of wetlands to provide
safe waterfowl habitat, and cleaning up recreational sites along
the Coeur d'Alene River. By doing this work, EPA will
significantly reduce health risks, especially for children under
seven years old.
To achieve results in the Coeur d'Alene Basin, Martindale had
to garner support from states, tribes, and federal agencies. He
participated in more than 200 public meetings, helped respond
to more than 3,000 public comments, visited citizens door-to-
door, and was in the field twice a week. Says Martindale, "all
environmental work occurs locally."
"Work on the Coeur d'Alene Basin has demanded the presence
of place-based staff," says Jack O'Brien, a citizen in Hayden,
Idaho. "There is no way action would have occurred without
Martindale's ability to attend meetings and understand the
history behind the issues." Says O'Brien, "we trust Martindale's
perception of the issues."
"When on-the-ground
cleanup is needed, place-
based staff can move more
dirt. They can deal with
scores of local issues and
concerns, which we could
never handle from Seattle."
Mike Gearheard,
Director
Environmental Cleanup
Office
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