U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Bulletin - EPA 910/9-92-043
November 2010
Duwamish Waterway:
Cleanup Options Released for Public Review
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and the Washington
State Department of Ecology recently
released a draft study of cleanup
alternatives for the 5-mile-long Lower
Duwamish Waterway cleanup site.
The agencies are seeking public
input on a range of cleanup options to
reduce toxic pollutants in the waterway.
The public can review and comment
on the cleanup alternatives online at
www.ldwg.org, by mail or email, or
at workshops and meetings through
December 23.
The cleanup is needed to address
pollution in the waterway from a
century of heavy industrial use.
Sources of the pollution include
industries along the waterway and
stormwater runoff from upland
activities, streets and roads.
Pollutants in the sediments include
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
dioxins and furans, carcinogenic
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(cPAHs), arsenic and other chemicals.
Many of these chemicals stay in
the environment for a long time and
have built up to unsafe levels in the
waterway's sediment and in the fish
and shellfish that live in the waterway
all year long. State and local health
departments warn against eating
Duwamish Waterway crab, shellfish,
or bottom-feeding fish (but not salmon,
which move through quickly).
The study of cleanup options released
today, called a Feasibility Study,
compares a range of alternatives to
reduce risks for people and animals,
and to be consistent with federal and
state cleanup standards. The cleanup
alternatives combine several methods
to deal with polluted sediments
-dredging and removing them,
covering them with engineered caps,
and harnessing the natural flow of
sediments from up-river to cover less-
polluted areas over time.
EPA and Ecology jointly oversee the
cleanup study. The study was prepared
by a group called the Lower Duwamish
Waterway Group. It consists of the City
of Seattle, King County, Port of Seattle,
and Boeing. Working together, and with
input from the community, they studied
the pollution in the waterway and
identified cleanup options. Those are
the cleanup alternatives available now
for public review. They are also moving
ahead with early cleanup of some of
the most polluted areas. Two early
cleanups were conducted and three
more are under way.
Reducing pollutants entering the
waterway is also a priority to avoid
new contamination and to minimize
the recontamination of cleaned-up
areas. Ecology and EPA work with the
city, the county, the port, and property
owners to investigate and control
pollution sources throughout the
Duwamish Waterway drainage basin.
EPA and Ecology are sharing
information and seeking input on the
cleanup alternatives from interested
residents, neighborhoods, and
businesses this fall. Public meetings
are scheduled for Dec. 7 and Dec. 9.
EPA and Ecology will use public input
to finalize the study and develop a
proposed cleanup plan. The proposed
cleanup plan will be issued for public
review and comment in 2012. EPA's
decision on the final cleanup plan, after
seeking concurrence from Ecology,
is expected in 2013. Find information
about the Lower Duwamish Waterway
cleanup at www.epa.gov/region10/
duwamish.html
In This Issue...
mws
EPA News to update
you on agency
activities, pages 1-2.
Tools to clue you
in on resources,
publications,
opportunities, and
services, pages 3-6.
Waterwords covering
water related issues,
page 7.
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight to showcase
success stories and
environmental stars,
pages 8-9.
IfctFCOSYSl
Ecosystem to provide
news that goes
beyond water topics,
page 10.
CALENDAR f
i
Calendar to highlight
environmental events,
page 11.
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Stewardship of Ocean, Coasts:
Executive Order
The nation's first comprehensive national policy for
the stewardship of the ocean, our coasts, and the
Great Lakes is now in place. The President has
issued an Executive Order that adopts the final
recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy
Task Force, and directs federal agencies to take steps
to implement them. It also creates an interagency
National Ocean Council to strengthen ocean
governance, and provide sustained, high-level focus
on the national priority objectives for action to advance
the national policy.
"Protecting our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes is
critical to the health of our communities, vibrancy
of our economy and overall security of our nation,"
said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "The new
national policy provides a clear road map for all
federal agencies to work together, with local partners,
to protect our vital waters for future generations. EPA
is proud to have played a role in the development of
this plan and the continued protection of our treasured
natural resources."
The Order, final recommendations and key documents
can be found at the National Ocean Council website:
www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans.
EPA Recovery Act Projects
Spotlighted
Eight EPA projects have been
highlighted in a new report, 100
Recovery Act Projects that
are Changing America. The
report highlights some of the
ujJIVl most innovative and effective
\\ T/ Recovery Act projects across
^| ^ / the country that are not only
>^ ^x^ putting people back to work
- now, but helping transform our
economy for years to come. To
view the report, visit www.whitehouse.gov/sites/
default/files/100-Recovery-Act-Proiects-Changing-
America-Report.pdf
EPA to Propose Rule to
Protect Waters, Reduce
Mercury from Dental
Offices
EPA recently announced it intends to
propose a rule to reduce mercury waste from
dental offices. Dental amalgams, or fillings
containing mercury, account for 3.7 tons of
mercury discharged from dental offices each
year. The mercury waste results when old
mercury fillings are replaced with new ones.
The mercury in dental fillings is flushed into
chair-side drains and enters the wastewater
systems. Then it can make its way into the
environment through discharges to rivers
and lakes, incineration or land application of
sewage sludge. Mercury released through
amalgam discharges can be easily managed
and prevented.
EPA expects to propose a rule next year
and finalize it in 2012. Dental offices will be
able to use existing technology to meet the
proposed requirements. Amalgam separators
can separate out 95 percent of the mercury
normally discharged to the local waste
treatment plant. The separator captures the
mercury, which is then recycled and reused.
Until the rule is final, EPA encourages
dental offices to voluntarily install amalgam
separators. Twelve states and several
municipalities already require the installation
of amalgam separators in dental offices.
About 50 percent of mercury entering local
waste treatment plants comes from dental
amalgam waste. Once deposited, certain
microorganisms can change elemental
mercury into methylmercury, a highly toxic
form that builds up in fish, shellfish and
animals that eat fish. Fish and shellfish are
the main sources of methylmercury exposure
to humans. Methylmercury can damage
children's developing brains and nervous
systems even before they are born.
Find details on mercury from dental offices
at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/
guide/dental/index.cfm.
For more on mercury and the environment,
visit www.epa.gov/mercury/index.html.
Watertalk November 2010
Page 2
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Bright Ideas
P3 Design - It's the 8th Annual P3 Design Competition
for Sustainability! College students can benefit
people, promote prosperity and protect the planet
by designing solutions that move us towards a
sustainable future. Applications are due December 22.
www.epa.gov/ncer/p3/apply/
Green Community Power Challenge - Your community
can join the national "Green Power Community
Challenge," a year-long campaign
to encourage cities, towns, villages,
and Native American tribes to use
renewable energy and fight climate
change. The winning communities
will be declared in September 2011.
www.epa.gov/greenpower/
communities/gpcchallenge.htm
Prevent Pollution Anytime! To
mark the 20th anniversary of the
Pollution Prevention law, EPA
renewed its dedication to the
importance of removing pollution
at its source, before it gets into the
environment. Learn more about
how you can make a difference
and help reduce pollution.
http://epa.gov/p2week/tfyou
A new "It's My Environment!"
video - Check out the second compilation of 13 new
videos in the "It's My Environment!" video project. An
IME video is a short clip of someone doing something
for the environment, then reading and passing along a
sign that says "It's My Environment!" We're accepting
videos through December 1, so send us yours today!
View the second compilation: www.
VOutube.com/watch?v=OvNatHigbVM
How to submit: www.epa.gov/earthday/video/
Pick 5 for the Environment - Commit to taking
at least five actions to protect the environment.
Then share your tips, videos, and stories online.
www.epa.gov/pick5
Get the lead out - Thinking of renovating an older home?
Look for a contractor or renovator who's certified for
lead-safe work on homes built before 1978. At present,
almost a million children have elevated blood lead
levels as a result of exposure to lead hazards, which
can lead to lower intelligence, learning disabilities,
and behavior issues. Adults exposed to lead hazards
can suffer from high blood pressure and headaches.
http://cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/searchrrp_firm.htm
Control bed bugs carefully - Beware of individuals
or companies who offer to control bedbugs with
unrealistic promises of effectiveness or low cost. Never
use, or allow anyone else to use, a pesticide indoors
that is intended for outdoor use, as indicated on the
label. Using the wrong pesticide or using it incorrectly
to treat for bedbugs can make you, your family, and
your pets sick. It can also make your home unsafe
to live in - and may not solve the bed bug problem.
http://epa.gov/pesticides/
bedbugs/
Chemicals where you live - Find
the data in or near your community
about industrial releases and
transfers of toxic chemicals in the
U.S. during 2009. TRI contains
environmental release and transfer
data on nearly 650 chemicals
and chemical categories reported
to EPA by more than 21,000
industrial and other facilities.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/
admpress.nsf/names/hq 2010-
7-28 tri
Prepare for emergencies
- Find out what you can do to
reduce risks from environmental
hazards before, during,
natural disaster strikes.
and after a
www.epa.gov/naturalevents
Talk about America's Great Outdoors - In 2010,
President Obama launched a national dialogue about
conservation in America. Participate online with
hundreds of others. Contribute your ideas online.
http://ideas.usda.gov/ago/ideas.nsf/
Energy Efficiency Tax Credit ends Dec 31 - If
you are considering purchasing an energy-efficient
product or renewable energy system for your existing
home and primary residence, you may be eligible for a
federal tax credit. But note: this federal tax credit is set
to expire on December 31, 2010. Get more details at
www.energystar.gov/taxcredits
Burn Wise this winter! - Help reduce wood smoke
pollution. Burn only dry seasoned wood, and upgrade
to an efficient wood-burning appliance. But note: the
federal tax credit for buying a qualified wood stove
ends December 31, 2010. Get more details at
www.epa.gov/burnwise/funding.html
Page3
Watertalk November 2010
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Protecting Children from
Environmental Risks
The Pacific Northwest and Alaska are home
to almost 3 million children under the age of
18. Children are exposed to environmental
threats every dayoften in their homes and
schools. Children may be more vulnerable
to environmental exposures than adults
because:
Their bodily systems are still developing
They eat more, drink more, and breathe
more in proportion to their body size
Their behavior can expose them more to
chemicals and organisms
A number of EPA's programs are designed
to address environmental concerns that
pose risks to children. Region 10 maintains
a web page with lots of resources related
to children's health. Visit the page at http://
yosemite.epa.gov/R10/ecocomm.nsf/
Programs/Childrens+Homepage
Healthy School News Launched
EPA Region 10 recently launched an electronic
newsletter called Healthy School News. Each of the
first three editions was circulated to over 9,000 school
contacts in Region 10 since February. The next edition
will be out soon.
The newsletter helps readers to recognize
environmental health issues in local schools. Readers
include facility managers, school leaders, teachers,
health and safety officers, health department
employees, and parents. Health issues include indoor
air quality, chemical management, lead, and asbestos,
among others.
If you would like to be added to the mailing list or
have a possible article for the newsletter, contact
Margo Young, Region 10 Children's Environmental
Health Coordinator, at 206-553-1287, 800-424-4372,
or young.margo@epa.gov. To read the first three
issues, or for more on children's environmental health,
visit http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/ecocomm.nsf/
Programs/Childrens+Homepage.
What are some of the main children's health concerns?
Asthma - Over 200,000 children in Region 10
suffer from asthma.
Environmental Tobacco Smoke - 20% of
children in Alaska have routine exposure to
secondhand smoke.
Health Disparities - Vulnerable populations suffer
from high rates of certain diseases. Research
suggests that health disparities may be produced
by both environmental and social factors.
Lead - Exposure continues to threaten learning
and development.
Mercury and PCBs - Contaminants in fish
continue to threaten children and women who are
pregnant or are of child-bearing age.
Obesity - Roughly 17% of children in the U.S. are
overweight, increasing their risk for a multitude
of diseases such as cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, stroke, and cancer.
PBDEs - Used in everyday items, such as
carpeting, electronics, and furniture, these
chemicals persist in the environment, build up in
humans, and are likely endocrine disrupters.
Pesticides - States in Region 10 are leaders in
agricultural production, and children are exposed
to harmful levels of pesticides both in the fields
and homes.
Radon - Found in some homes throughout the
region, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer
among non-smokers.
Watertalk November 2010
Page 4
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New EPA Water Web Site
EPA's Office of Water has launched its redesigned
website, http://water.epa.gov, replacing four content
areas on www.epa.gov. Information is now organized
by topic in a way that should be more straight-forward
and useful to visitors. Visitors to the agency site
looking for water-related content will be redirected to
appropriate pages on the new site.
Web Clearinghouse: Lake
Shoreland Protection Resources
EPA has launched a new clearinghouse of Lake
Shoreland Protection Resources, at http://water.
epa.gov/type/lakes/shoreland.cfm. The website
provides resources to help protect and restore fragile
lake shorelands, and to promote stewardship by
lakeside property owners and others who recreate on
lakes. The clearinghouse includes links to fact sheets,
webcasts, videos, and other resources. It is part of a
campaign to educate the public about key findings of
the National Lakes Assessment (NLA).
According to the NLA, poor lakeshore habitat and high
levels of nutrients are leading stressors affecting the
health of lakes. Among the key findings:
56% of our lakes are in good biological condition.
More than one-third of our lakes exhibit poor
shoreline condition; biological health is three times
poorer in lakes with poor lakeshore habitat.
Nearly 20% of lakes have high levels of nutrients.
Lakes with excess nutrients are 2.5 times more
likely to have poor biological health.
Microcystin - an algal toxin that can harm humans,
pets and wildlife - is present in about a third of
lakes across the country.
In 2007, EPA, States, Tribes and other partners
sampled more than 1,000 lakes as part of this first-
ever, national assessment of their ecological condition.
For a print copy of the report (EPA publication no. EPA
841-R-09-001) contact EPA's publications warehouse
at 1-800-490-9198. To download the report or its data,
visit www.epa.gov/lakessurvey/.
Tabletop Exercise for
Water Systems: Emergency
Preparedness, Climate
An EPA tool can assist utilities and others
in doing tabletop exercises that focus on
water sector-related issues. Mini-DVD copies
are now available. The Tabletop Exercise
Tool for Water Systems: Emergency
Preparedness, Response, and Climate
Resiliency (TTX Tool) includes materials
users can modify. This allows them to conduct
a tabletop exercise to meet their specific
needs.
The TTX Tool introduces users to the potential
impacts of climate change on the water sector
within the context of an all-hazards approach
to emergency preparedness and response.
The 15 scenarios in the tool include natural
hazards, man-made incidents, and potential
climate change impacts. Five climate change-
related scenarios provide a way for utilities
to consider and carry out long-term planning
measures to mitigate the potential impacts of
climate change.
To request copies of the TTX Tool, please
email ttxtool@epa.gov with your mailing
address and number of copies. Or contact
Jenny Thomas at 202-564-4524 or Amy
Posner at 202-564-3338.
Visit Watertalk online at www.epa.gov/r10earth/watertalk.htm
Page 5
Watertalk November 2010
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Handy Tools for Utilities-
Coming Soon: Innovative Energy Management Workshop for
Water Utilities
An Innovative Energy Management Workshop is set for February 7, 2011, in Yakima, WA. At the
training, representatives from municipalities can learn how to reduce energy use and increase savings
for their water and wastewater treatment plants. Operating costs to treat water can add up to 30% of a
municipality's total energy bill. The training will provide a practical guidebook, which outlines how to set
measurable energy goals and implement plans to reduce energy consumption and operating costs. This
guidebook also includes valuable information on how utilities can minimize energy use and cost without
sacrificing performance. The workshop sponsors currently include EPA Region 10, Evergreen Rural
Water of Washington, and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. To learn more, contact Cyndi Grafe,
EPA Boise, 208-378-5771, or grafe.cyndi@epa.gov.
Helping Wastewater Utilities Reduce Energy Use
A new technical document is available from EPA to help municipal utility owners and operators find
information on cost-effective energy conservation measures and technologies. The information can help
utilities reduce energy usage at their wastewater treatment facilities. The document is called Evaluation
of Energy Conservation Measures for Wastewater Treatment Facilities.
The document covers innovative and emerging technologies that have the potential for substantial energy
savings. It also includes nine in-depth facility studies that examine application and cost information for
various full-scale, operational energy conservation measures and technologies. For details, see http://
water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/publications.cfm.
Climate Ready Water Utilities: Toolbox
EPA recently released the Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) Toolbox. The toolbox provides a
searchable database for water utilities. It helps identify relevant climate change-related impacts, and
resources for responding to those challenges. The toolbox includes:
Current federal, state, and association activities related to climate change impacts on water
resources and utilities
Grant programs that could support climate-related actions by utilities and municipalities
Publications and reports
Tools and models
Workshops and seminars
These resources are searchable by utility type and size, region, water resources, climate change
impacts, and climate response strategies. The toolbox is online at www.epa.gov/safewater/
watersecurity/climate/toolbox.htm.
Watertalk November 2010 Page 6
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EPA Divers Help in Recovery of Abandoned Gear
from Puget Sound
Decades of commercial and recreational
fishing in Puget Sound have left behind tons
of abandoned fishing gear that kill marine
life and degrade habitat. The Northwest
Straits Marine Conservation Initiative
was authorized by Congress to assess the
ecological health of inland Northwest marine
waters and recommend steps to improve the
region's sustainability. The Northwest Straits
Commission coordinates these efforts and
works to survey and remove this lost fishing
gear.
Northwest Straits received $4.6M in American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant funding
from NOAA. The goal is to remove 90 percent
of derelict nets in Puget Sound by December
2010. The day-to-day operations of this
work are conducted by Natural Resource
Consultants, which operates three vessels in
Puget Sound daily.
To leverage the NOAA grant funding, the
EPA Region 10 Dive Team has been helping
the Northwest Straits and NRC in mapping
derelict nets in Puget Sound. By the end of
November, three weeks of dive operations
will have been devoted to the work. The
dives streamline efforts for removal crews
by confirming locations and the "capture
potential" of derelict gear. Most dive locations
uncover heavy nets in varying states of decay.
To learn more, contact Sean Sheldrake, EPA
Regional Dive Officer, 206-553-1220, 800-
424-4372, or sheldrake.sean@epa.gov.
Example of the type of gear located in Puget Sound by
EPA Region 10's Dive Team.
Diver gearing up to get in the water to map derelict
gear locations.
More Bright Ideas
Pledge to save water! - Join the Watersense
"I'm for Water" pledge and also ask your s.
friends and neighbors to join the campaign!
www.epa.gov/watersense/pledge/
Shower clean - Now you can find the WaterSense
label on shower heads! Products with the
Watersense label are at least 20 percent more
water efficient and perform as well as or better than
standard models. In 2009, WaterSense helped
Americans save over 36 billion gallons of water
and $267 million on their water and sewer bills.
www.epa.gov/watersense/products/
showerheads.html
f VisitWatertalkonlineatwww.epa.gov/r10earth/watertalk.htm )
Page 7
Watertalk November 2010
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« SPOTLIGHT
OR, WA Groups Awarded Nearly
$222,000 for Environmental
Education
As part of its effort to enhance environmental education in the
Pacific Northwest, EPA recently awarded nearly $222,000 for
education programs in Oregon and Washington. These funds
are in addition to awards made earlier this year to several
organizations throughout the region.
This funding will promote and advance environmental literacy
and stewardship in the region. These grants are awarded to
local organizations, not-for-profit organizations, government
agencies, schools and universities whose projects strive to
increase knowledge and awareness about the environment.
Nationally, EPA awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to
14 organizations in 11 states and the District of Columbia.
Region 10 recipients are:
EE Association of Washington, E3 Education for
Sustainability Project
This state capacity-building grant implements the E3
(Environment, Education, and Economy) Education for
Sustainable Communities Plan for the state of Washington.
Through the use of an interactive website and statewide
leadership clinic, EE leaders and representatives of
business, media, agriculture, and other sectors are provided
professional development opportunities, coordination
assistance, and technical support to build collaboration
among the sectors to fully implement environmental
education.
Native Wei I ness Institute, Native Youth Environment
Warriors
This nationwide program is targeted for Native American
youth aged 13 to 18 years old and community leaders and
mentors in tribal communities. It provides training and
leadership development at a 4-day Native Youth Leadership
Academy. Participants enhance their leadership skills and
get comprehensive training and support to design and carry
out environmental projects within their tribal communities,
and engage members of their communities in stewardship
projects.
For information about EPA Region 10's environmental
education program and grants awarded in 2010,
go to http://vosemite.epa.gov/R10/extaff.nsf/
environmental+education/education.
For information about the 2011 grant program visit www.epa.
gov/education/grants.html. Click the blue button (Grants
Update) to be electronically notified when applications can be
submitted.
Contact: Sally Hanft, EPA, at 206-553-1207, 800-424-4372,
or hanft.sally@epa.gov.
EPA Grants Support
Environmental Justice
Projects
EPA has awarded over $138,000 to six
community-based organizations and
tribes in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington as part of the agency's
Environmental Justice Small Grant
Program. These grants will help
communities address environmental and
public health issues at the local level.
Nationally, EPA awarded 76 grants
totaling $1.9 million to address
environmental justice issues and
concerns in communities throughout the
United States.
"Every community deserves
environmental protection and we are
proud to support these projects," said
Wenona Wilson, EPA's Ecosystems
and Community Health Unit Manager in
Seattle. "Our goal with the environmental
justice program is to achieve equal
environmental protection regardless of
race, ethnicity, culture, or income."
The recipients are:
Anchorage Neighborhood Housing
Services-$25,000 - Fairview
Highway Justice Project
Nez Perce Tribe-$25,000 - Water
Resources Protection Project
DEPAVE-$13,350 - North Portland
School Re-Greening
Oregon Toxics Alliance-$24,998
- West Eugene Industrial Corridor
Environmental Health Project
Center for Human Services-$25,000
- Ballinger Sustainability Initiative
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement
Association-$25,000 - Common
Water/Common Roots
For details about EJ Small Grants, visit:
www.epa.gov/compliance/
environmentaljustice/grants/ei-
smgrants.html
Or, contact Running Grass, EPA, at
206-553-2899, 800-424-4372, or grass.
running@epa.gov.
Watertalk November 2010
PageS
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« SPOTLIGHT
EPA Dubs Portland One of the Greenest Communities
Portland has made EPA's elite list of Green Power
Communities for the city's extensive efforts to reduce
its carbon footprint. The city is the largest to achieve
this designation and is top-ranked for green power
usage.
Portland joined EPA's Green Power Partnership
in 2001 as one of its founding members. The city's
municipal operations are using nearly 16 million
kilowatt-hours of green power. Much of that power is
generated on-site and is enough to meet 10 percent of
its needs. Other green power purchasers include the
city's streetcar operations, Lewis & Clark College, the
Port of Portland, and the Oregon Convention Center.
"Portland is setting an excellent example for the nation
to show that a major metropolitan city can successfully
integrate green power into its infrastructure," said
Dennis McLerran, EPA Regional Administrator for
the Pacific Northwest. "We hope the city will continue
down the path for more green power and that other
communities will follow suit."
Portland's collective green power purchase of more
than 675 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the
carbon dioxide emissions of nearly 93,000 passenger
vehicles per year.
In addition, Corvallis, Oregon, Intel Corporation and
the Port of Portland were recognized for their green
power purchasing.
In EPA Green Power Communities, the local
government, businesses, and residents collectively
procure green power in amounts that meet or
exceed EPA's purchase requirements. More than
30 cities and towns in Alaska, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas,
Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin are green power
communities. Collectively they buy more than 900
million kWh of green power annually. That's equivalent
to the CO2 from the electricity use of nearly 80,000
average American homes.
Green power is generated from renewable resources
such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-
impact hydropower. Green power resources produce
electricity with an environmental profile superior to
conventional power technologies, and produce no net
increase of greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more at
http://epa.gov/greenpower/communities/index.htm
and www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/winners.
htm. Or, contact Carolyn Gangmark, EPA, 206-553-
4072, 800-424-4372, or gangmark.carolyn@epa.
gov.
EPA Announces WaterSense Partners of the Year
EPA has named three organizations and one
individual as WaterSense Partners of the Year for
their exceptional efforts in promoting water efficiency
and WaterSense labeled products. WaterSense, a
partnership program sponsored by the EPA, seeks
to protect the future of our nation's water supply by
offering people a simple way to use less water with
water-efficient products, new homes, and services.
The partners of the year are:
Promotional Partner of the Year: Cascade Water
Alliance, King County, Washington
Manufacturer Partner of the Year: Moen
Incorporated
Retailer Partner of the Year: Lowe's Companies,
Inc.
Irrigation Partner of the Year: Judy Benson of
Clear Water Products and Services, Inc., Florida
Following are just a few of the ways that WaterSense
Partners of the Year helped consumers save water:
Cascade Water Alliance collaborated with retailers
and plumbers to promote water efficiency in the
Puget Sound region and rebated more than 3,000
WaterSense labeled toilets for households and
local businesses.
Moen earned the WaterSense label for all of its
267 bathroom faucet fixtures, ensuring availability
of water-saving faucets for consumers at every
price point, and garnered significant national
media attention for WaterSense.
Lowe's launched a "Build Your Savings" program
to help customers select products that save
energy, water, and money, winning WaterSense
Retail/Distributor Partner of the Year for the
second year in a row.
Judy Benson educated businesses and
consumers on outdoor water efficiency and
encouraged other irrigation professionals in
Florida to partner with WaterSense.
For more information on all the WaterSense award
winners visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
Visit Watertalk online at www.epa.gov/r10earth/watertalk.htm
Page 9
Watertalk November 2010
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Beneficial Landscaping
Retro" bird feeding - go natural!
The following article, by Madonna Luers, is from
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's newsletter,
Crossing Paths. We reprint it here, with permission,
because it is broadly applicable to our Region. It offers
wonderful guidance for beneficial landscapers, backyard
bird and wildlife enthusiasts, and simply anyone who
wants to feed and enjoy birds!
As sure as leaves turn color and fall to the ground at this
time of year, bird feeders are filled
and placed in backyards. Window-
side, arm-chair birdwatchers enjoy
drawing both migrant and resident
birds into close-up view in this
traditional way.
It's a tradition to continue only
if you keep those bird feeding
stations immaculately clean; use
high quality feed and feeder types
that only birds can access; locate
them to avoid problems with window
collisions, predatory cats, and other
wildlife like deer and bears; and
recognize that feeding only provides
temporary benefits to some birds.
The Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife (WDFW) recommends
simplifying and "naturalizing" the
tradition of backyard bird feeding
by landscaping with plants that
provide berries, fruits, seeds, or
nuts for your feathered friends. Many of these natural
bird feeding plants will add beautiful color to your fall
homescape. And there's no time like fall, when plant
root systems slow down and go dormant, to add trees,
shrubs and even some perennials.
Some of the best plants that provide soft fall and
early winter fruit include Pacific crabapple, red-osier
dogwood, elderberry, gooseberry, huckleberry, Western
serviceberry, and madrone. Plants that best provide
fruit that will last through winter and into early spring,
when food is in short supply, include barberry, currant,
firethorn, Douglas hawthorn, Rocky Mountain and
Western junipers, Sitka and Cascade mountain-ash,
Oregon-grape, snowberry, sumac, and wild rose.
Three great seed and nut-producing trees for western
Washington landscapes are hazelnut, vine maple,
and birch. For larger areas, include oaks and conifers.
Wildlife-friendly seed and nut trees for other parts of
the state include alder, Douglas fir, and other conifers.
More birds than not use seeds, and lots of shrubs and
perennial flowering plants provide them. But the key
to this naturalized bird feeding is to leave those "dead
heads," or spent flowers with all
those seeds. Leave that kind of
clean up for spring, and enjoy
watching your bird visitors do some
of the work this fall!
Among the best seed-producing
shrubs are mock-orange, ninebark
and oceanspray. There are dozens
of garden perennials that are good
seed-providers, including aster,
black-eyed susan, blanketflower,
calendula, goldenrod, columbine,
coneflower, coreopsis, cosmos,
fall sedum, lupine, nasturtium,
sunflower, sweet pea, and yarrow.
Check with your local nurseries for
other appropriate plants that will not
be weedy or invasive in your part of
the state.
For more information about
naturalizing your backyard bird
feeding, see WDFW's Backyard
Wildlife Sanctuary program at http://wdfw.wa.gov/
living/backyard/. A good source of detailed information
about plant species is available in the "Landscaping for
Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest" book by WDFW wildlife
biologist Russell Link, available through WDFW's North
Puget Sound regional office in Mill Creek (see http://
wdfw.wa.gov/living/book/.)
For more on beneficial landscaping, visit EPA's webpage
at www.epa.gov/r10earth/bl.htm. Or, contact Elaine
Somers at 206-553-2966, 800-424-4372, or somers.
elaine@epa.gov.
Watertalk November 2010
Page 10
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CALENDAR
November
30-Dec 3: CitiesAlive, Green Roof and Wall
Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada, www.
citiesalive.org/
December
2: EPA's 40th Anniversary
6-7: Energy in Alaska, Law Seminars
International, Anchorage, AK, www.lawseminars.
com
7-9: Oregon Interagency Noxious Weed
Symposium, Corvallis, OR, www.oregon.gov/
ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/
January
14: Deadline for contributions to the February
issue of Watertalk Newsletter, Andrea Lindsay,
Editor, 206-553-1896 or 800-424-4372, lindsav.
andrea@epa.gov
February
3-5: Human Right to Water Conference,
Willamette University, Salem, OR, www.
willamette.edu/wucl/news/2010/sprinq/water
conf_papers.php
7: Innovative Energy Management Workshop:
How to Reduce Energy Use and Increase Savings
for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants in the
Northwest, Yakima, WA,
Cyndi Grafe, EPA Boise, 208-378-5771, grafe.
cyndi@epa.gov
28 - Mar 4: National Invasive Species Awareness
Week, www.nisaw.org
Subscribe to automatically receive
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Watertalk November 2010
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Watertalk
November 2010
Watertalk\s 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
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Please recycle or share with a friend.
In This Issue...
Weigh In on Duwamish
Waterway Cleanup
Bright Ideas
Environmental Winners
Handy Tools for
Water Utilities
Children's Environmental
Health
Environmental Events
And More.
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