U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Bulletin - EPA 910/9-92-043 November 19 97 3EFWNEWS Clean Water In the Making Celebrating 25 Years of Progress Under the Clean Water Act A quarter century ago, in 1972, Congress enacted the first comprehensive national clean water legislation in response to growing public concern for serious and widespread water pollution. The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law that protects our nation's waters, including lakes, rivers, aqui- fers, and coastal areas. Back in ' 72, cnly a third of the nation's waters were safe for fishing and swimming. Fish kills were a common site. Wetlands losses were estimated at about 460,000 acres annually. Agricultural runoff resulted in the erosion of 2.25 billion tons of soil and the deposit of large amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen into many waters. Sewage treatment plants served cnly 85 million people. Today, though challenges still lie ahead, the quality of our waters has improved dramatically as a result of a cooperative effort by federal, state, tribal, and local gov- ernments to implement the pollution control programs established by the Clean Water Act. Two-thirds of the nation's waters are safe for fishing and swimming. The rate of annual wetlands losses has dropped to an estimated 80, 000 acres. The amount of soil lost due to agricultural runoff has been cut by one billion tons annu- ally, and phosphorus and nitrogen levels in water sources are down. Modern wastewater treatment facili- ties now serve 173 million pecple. The Clean Water Act provides a comprehensive framework of standards, technical tools, and financial assistance to address the many causes of pollution and poor water quality, including municipal and industrial wastewater The Clean Water Act's primary objective is to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation's waters. This objective translates into two fundamental goals: - eliminate the discharge of pollutants into the nation's waters, and - achieve water quality levels that are fishable and swimmable. In This Issue ©ER^EWS ECO TEM •SPOTLIGHT EPA News to Update you on agency activities WaterWords to share stories from communities around the Greater Northwest Ecosystem to provide news that goes beyond water topics Spotlight to showcase success stories and enviromnental stars Tools to clue you in on resources, publications, opportunities, and services ------- discharges, polluted runoff from urban and rural areas, and habitat destruction. For example the Act: requires major indus- tries to meet performance standards to ensure pollu- tion control; charges states and tribes with setting specific water quality criteria appro- priate for their waters and developing pollution control programs to meet them; provides funding to states and communities to help them meet their clean water infrastructure needs; protects valuable wetlands and other aquatic habitats through a permit- ting process that ensures development and other ac- tivities are conducted in an environmentally sound manner. After 25 years, the Act con- tinues to provide a clear path for clean water and a solid foundation for an effective national water program. For more information about the Clean Water Act and the 25th Anniversary, visit EPA's web site at www.epa.gov/ owow/cwa. Get A Clean Water Act Pack In honor of the Clean Water Act's twenty-fifth birthday, EPA Region 10 is offering a free packet of resource materials. The packet contains a poster, information about the Clean Water Act, a book- mark, and a children's learning booklet called "A Splash In Class." For a packet, call 1-800-424-4EPA or 206/553-1200. Adopt Your Watershed Watersheds are nature' s way of dividing up the landscape. Rivers, lakes, estuaries, wetlands, streams, even the oceans can serve as catch basins for the land adjacent to them. Ground water aquifers serve the same purpose for the land above them. The actions of people who live within a watershed affect the health of the waters that drain into it. To encourage stewardship of the nation's water resources and to celebrate 25 years of progress under the Clean Water Act, EPA challenges citizens and organizations to Adopt Your Watershed. Adoption means any citizen- based effort to restore or protect a water body. These efforts might include stream cleanups, water quality monitoring, stream-side planting, educating school children, and so on. You can join an organized effort in your area or start your own. EPA is building a voluntary, national catalog of organiza- tions involved in protecting local waters, including for- mal watershed alliances, local groups, and schools. You can access this catalog an the internet at www.epa.gov/surf/adopt to find information specific to your state or watershed to leam about existing opportu- nities and local environmen- tal conditions. You are also invited to have your organization listed in this catalog. If you don't have internet access, call 1-888-478- 2051 for information. For a free brochure detailing the Adopt Your Watershed oppor- tunity, call 1-800-424-4EPA or 206/553-1200. Gardening Don ' ts Protect Environment Believe it or not, there are gardening activities you can quit doing this fall that will benefit water and air quality and bring more wildlife to your yard, while allowing you more time for quiet enjoyment of the natural world. Elaine Somers, EPA's Regional Landscaping Coordinator, suggests following Flora Skelly' s "Don't Do" list for gardens (Fall 1997 North- west Garden News) : Don't use pesticides. Allow the natural balance of beneficial insects and birds to reestablish itself. Don't rake leaves. Birds feed on the insects that live under leaves, and the leaf compost nourishes the soil for next year's growth. Don't chop down dead or dying trees, unless they pose a hazard. These "snags" provide insect food and nesting sites for birds. Don't mow all your lawn. If allowed to grow tall and interspersed with weeds, your lawn can be a haven for butterfly cateipillars, small mammals, and birds . Don't remove old flower heads. The seeds provide food for overwintering birds. Don't seek a perfect and utterly tidy garden. A half-wild place is preferred by wildlife because it offers more food and shelter. More information? Call Elaine Somers at 206/553- 2966 or 1-800-424-4EPA X2966. II Page 2 WaterTalk November 1997 ------- Water Success In Our Backyard In recognition of the 25th Anniversairy of the Clean Water Act, we share with you two notable clean water successes, from a cast of perhaps hundreds, from right here in Region 10. Healthy Alaska Harbor Alaska is renowned for the richness of its __ fisheries. The resources found in south central Alaska are particularly abundant, with all five varieties cf EScific salmon present in addition to halibut, cod, pollock, shrirrp, crab, and scallcps. It's no wonder that over the years national and now interna- tional demand have caused seafood processors to increase in numbers and size. Cne location that has continued to grow in every- way is the seafood processing center found on Kodiak Island. There are now over 10 major processors preparing millions of pounds of Alaskan seafood each year. Most of these processors are located on St. Paul Harbor. It's not widely known, but some species of fish result in up to 75% waste. Imagine, if you can, hundreds of thousand of pounds of waste being dis- charged to a small bay over many years. Locals describe the smell with vivid memo- ries, and the decaying fish literally caused sulfur-laden bubbles to rise to the sur- face. Of course, the smoth- ering effect an the harbor floor and the loss of available oxygen to marine creatures were natural consequences, creating a virtual aquatic desert. The Clean Water Act provided EPA with the regulatory tools to address this underwater nightmare. Our first ap- proach was to require the processors to grind their waste so that it would decompose sooner. With no improvement noted, we then required that the pipes carrying the waste be pushed farther into the harbor. The problem simply moved. Finally, as technology improved, the processors installed a fish meal plant which turns much of the waste into beneficial by- products . This began the healing process for the harbor. However, the meal plant could not ccpe with the amount of waste being generated and processors were left with vast amounts of fish waste. EPA required deep-sea disposal of the waste using barges, in order to spare St. Paul Harbor from further insult. Finally, through Clean Water Act litigation, a larger, $15 million meal plant has been built to ccpe with the volumes of waste. The Harbor is now M healthy and is the playground for humpback and gray 4lr whales in addition to countless seabirds. The processors are enjoying the extra profits associated with near full use of the fish through meal production. The chly voices of discontent come from the resident sea lions who once enjoyed the free meal found at the end of the processors' discharge pipes. Reclaiming the Willamette The Willamette River in northwestern Oregon flows through some of the most productive agricultural and forest lands in the state, as well as the most heavily populated urban areas, including the cities of Port- land, Eugene, and Salem. This vital, multi-purpose river basin supports the lives of millions of pecple and is a source of pride for many Oregonians. However, this has not always been the case. In the early 1960's, the Willamette was called the Northwest' s most polluted waterway. Water levels were so low and the river so burdened with pol- lutants that migrating salmon perished, and the threat of disease and illness put a stop to safe human contact with the river. Thanks in part to the Clean Water Act and lots of effort on the part of agencies and citizens, the river began a remarkable recovery in the 1970's that continues today. Industrial releases to the river have been brought under control, and municipal sewage no longer is dumped untreated into the river. Efforts to protect green spaces beside the river abound, and parklands and public access alcng the Willamette are increasing. Pleasure boating, skiing, swimming, and fishing are once again a part of life in and along the waterways. Many citizens take active roles as environmental stew- ards . The public is reclaim- ing its river. Of course, challenges re- main. Now that specific industrial and municipal sources are no longer the primary threat to the river's health, attention is shifting to more diffuse pollution Page 3 WaterTalk November 1997 ------- sources and to watershed restorat icn. "Ncnpoint sources" of pollution such as urban or agricultural runoff are harder to identify and control, and human changes to the watershed have in- creased flooding and added stresses which are complex and difficult to address, as well. Education and pollu- tion prevention are more than just buzz-words on the Willamette; they are real strategies designed to build on the successes already achieved. As the issues have changed, so too has EPA's involvement. While keeping a steady eye on the major pollution sources of the past, agency staff are working ever more directly with local communities to protect the sustainability of the river's resources for the future. Enviro-Ed Grants Due Now EPA's annual Environmen- tal Education Grant cycle is underway now. Organiza- tions such as school dis- tricts, colleges cr universi- ties, state education or envi- ronmental agencies, local or tribal educational agencies, not-for-profit organizations, or non-commercial educa- tional broadcasters are eligible to apply for grants under this program. Indi- viduals are not eligible for grants. Applications are due November 15. Although grants can range as high as $250,000, EPA encourages requests for $5000 or less. Awards will likely be made next spring. For a ccpy of the solicitation, call EPA at 1-800-424-4EPA or 206/553-1200. Or, visit the world wide web address: http://eelink.umich.edu. Last year, EPA Region 10 awarded twenty-six grants to organizations located in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Projects receiv- ing awards included develop- ment of a tribal environmen- tal training program, interac- tive outdoor workshops, an agricultural stewards pro- gram, a high school environ- mental film project, an outdoor living lab, an envi- ronmental career awareness program, a wildlife corridor study, and an agricultural composting demonstration effort. For information about the projects, call Sally Hanft, EPA, at 206/553-1207. WA Volunteer Network On Line Watch Over Washington is now up and running. This website represents a new statewide network of about 12,000 volunteer environ- mental monitors who mea- sure the conditions of theirlocal natural resources. The internet site is home to lots of information about volunteer monitoring activi- ties throughout Washington State, including a roster of volunteer activities, event and opportunity announce- ments, funding and training opportunities, monitoring tips and methods, and much more . Watch Over Washing- ten has two goals: to help citizens work together within their watersheds to provide a local source of information on environmental conditions; and to support volunteer monitors in learning how to collect reliable, consistent environmental information. Launched by the Washington Department of Ecology, this effort is supported by the Governor's Council on Envi- ronmental Education and its member agencies, with fund- ing from the Puget Sound Page 4 Water Quality Action Team and EPA. Contributions of announc ement s, suece s s stories, and frequently asked questions and answers about monitoring are welcome. Visit the site at http:// www.wa.gov/ecology/wq/ wow, or call Annie Phillips, Ecology, at 360/407-6408. Wetland Grants for Governments EPA's annual Wetland Protection Grant cycle has begun once again. Tribes, states and local governments are invited to submit Wetland Protection Grant proposals for Fiscal Year 1998. EPA will award these Clean Water Act grants to assist states, tribes, and local governments in their wetland protection efforts. Grant funds can be used to develop new wetland protection programs or refine existing programs. The intent of the grant program is to promote meaningful aquatic resources protection. Types of activities that may be considered for funding include development of wetland conservation plans, wetland restoration projects, wetland monitoring and assessment, training to build government capacity, and so on. Proposals are due December 19, 1997. Please contact your state coordina- tor for more information prior to preparing a proposal: Alaska Mark Jen, 907/271-3411 j en.mark@epamail.epa.gov Idaho John Olson, 208/378-5756 olson.j ohn@epamail.epa.gov Oregon YvonneVallette503/326-2716 vallette. yvoxie@epamail. epa. gov Washington Richard Clark, 206/753-8072 clark. richard@eparrail. epa. gov WaterTalk November 1997 ------- Grants Available In Washington King County Offers Stew- ardship Grants: Educa- tional, governmental, and non-profit organizations in King County, Washington, can apply now for grants to fund community projects that protect or improve watersheds, streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, or tidewa- ters . There are no deadlines for applications for grants under $5000, as this is an on-going, noncompetitive process. Pre-cqcplicatians for grants of $5000 and above are due November 14 . For details, or to apply, call Ken Pritchard, King County, at 206/296-8265. Get A Piece of the PIE: Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team is requesting proposals for Public Involve- ment and Education (PIE) Proj ects. Any Washington resident, business or com- munity organization, tribal or local government, or school may apply for up to $40, 000 for projects directly related to the cleanup and protection of Puget Sound. Workshops to help applicants prepare proposals will be held in early December. Proposal are due January 15, 1998. For more information call 1-800-54-SOUND or 360/407-7300 . Watershed Grants Available Soon: Washington Depart- ment of Ecology will soon offer a new grant program to assist local groups involved in water supply planning. The aim of the grant program is to help local groups get a head start on watershed planning. For information call Peggy Clifford, Ecology, at 360/407-7262. m IBmnnnLrw Environmental Documents: Each of the following documents is available free through the EPA Region 10 Public Environmental Resource Center. Just call 1-800-424-4EPA or 206/553-1200. People, Places, and Partnerships: A Progress Report on Community Based Environmental Protection. This 50- page document produced by EPA gives a status report on efforts to promote progress toward sustainability at the community level by helping communities solve environmen- tal problems in integrated, holistic ways. Toward a Watershed Approach: A Framework for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, Protection, and Management. Published by Coastal America Partnership Project, in which EPA is a participating partner, this colorful, 24-page document focuses on aquatic ecosystem protection and restoration through watershed-based resource management approaches. Household Hazardous Waste Management: A Manual for One-Day Community Collection Programs. This 74-page EPA handbook, intended for community leaders and pro- gram organizers, is designed to help communities plan and operate a successful household hazardous waste collection program. IPM for Schools: A How-To Manual. This 213-page manual published by EPA focuses on pest prevention in schools using effective, least-toxic methods. It includes a discussion of integrated pest management concepts per- taining to schools, a step-by-step guide for developing a pest management program, and specific strategies for dealing with 14 of the most common pests. EPA Internet Resources: Safe Drinking Water Act One Year Report: This EPA report marks one year of implementation of the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. It highlights the year's achievements and discusses future activities in public health protection. "www.epa.gov/OGWDW/yearl/ sdwaly.html" Wetlands on the Web: This recently updated web site gives access to over 180 documents and links to other sites related to wetlands protection. "www.epa.gov/0W0W/ wetlands" EPA Strategic Plan: The EPA Strategic Plan is a blueprint for taking the agency into the 21st Century and achieving critical human health and environmental protection over the next five years. It states EPA's mission and identifies ten broad goals that will serve as the long-term framework for planning and resource allocation decisions. It also lays out shorter-term objectives, as well as a set of "guiding principles" for the agency, "www.epa.gov/ocfo" Page 5 WaterTalk November 1997 ------- •SPOTLIGHT Micron Earns MP2M Award Publicly recognizing ten years of pollution control efforts, EPA Region 10 awarded its latest Evergreen Award for Pollution Pre- vention to Micron Technol- ogy, a Boise-based semicon- ductor manufacturer. Mi- cron has invested millions of dollars in pollution preven- tion (P2) improvements, and still accomplished an 80% annual increase in produc- tion of computer memory chips over the last decade. Lynn McKee, Director of EPA's Boise Office, presented the Evergreen Award at a ceremony in mid-September. The pollution reductions, McKee said, show that Mi- cron takes its role as a cor- porate citizen seriously, and demonstrates that companies can reduce pollution and still be economically viable. Micron's investments to reduce pollution have re- sulted in: corrpletely elimi- nating the use of ozcne- depleting chlorofluorocar- bcns; replacing its chemical- based process for cleaning silicon wafers with a more effective water-based pro- cess ; a revamped water reclamation and water treat- ment process, enabling the company to recycle more than one third of the water used in its manufacturing process; installation of best available control technology to reduce air emissions, and expanding the company-wide recycling program for scrap metal, plastics, paper, and other materials. In addition, the company has shown a corporate commit- ment to environmental qual- ity by instituting a rigorous environmental management system, and shows its lead- ership by sharing its pollu- tion prevention experience with other Idaho companies. EPA's Evergreen Award for Pollution Prevention recog- nizes the outstanding efforts to prevent pollution within all sectors of the greater Pacific Northwest business community. For more infor- mation about nominating a business for the Evergreen Award, contact Carolyn Gangmark at 206/553-4072 or 1-800-424-4EPA X4072. Bugs, Volunteers and Streams The animals that live in a stream provide good indica- tors of that stream's health and ecological condition. Human activities that alter a watershed and interfere with its natural processes have immediate as well as long- lasting effects an the animals living in a stream. The rocks, cobble, and mud along the bottom of a stream pro- vide shelter for a wide variety of insects including mayflies, stcxieflies, true flies, and beetles. These animals, in turn, provide food for trout, salmon, herons, and king- fishers. Most freshwater invertebrates, like salmon, require clear, cool water, adequate oxygen, stable flows, and a steady source of food in order to complete their life cycles. A model program now under- way in King County, Wash- ington, has volunteers get- ting quite intimate with bugs in streams. In the field, citizen volunteers are sam- pling and preserving fresh- water insects at eight stream sites. In the lab, volunteers are learning which bugs indicate a healthy stream that could support salmon, and which animals indicate a site degraded by habitat loss, sedimentation, or toxics. This proj ect teaches volun- teers to use simple but scien- tific methods so that they can directly assess the health of a stream and then communicate their assess- ment to biologists, planners, or policymakers. The proj ect also presents an opportunity for a comparison of data collected by volunteers and data collected by professional biologists. Ultimately, pro- gram coordinators would like resource managers to have confidence in volunteer monitoring data so that they can supplement their own watershed analyses with volunteer assessments. Project partners include City of Bellevue Stream Team, King County, Redmond Stream Team, Pacific Crest School, Overlake Fly Fishing Club, EPA, and other agency and citizen groups. This proj ect is funded by the Regional Water Quality Block Grant Fund. For details contact Kit Paulsen, Bellevue Stream Team Coordinator, at 425/452-5200, Kpaulsen@bellevue.wa.us. ECO 1EM Look for Energy- Star Labels Efficient energy use and a healthy environment go hand in hand. Most of the energy consumed in homes and offices is produced by burn- ing fossil fuels like ccal, oil, and natural gas. Inefficient products result in wasted energy and that, in turn, runs up energy bills and adds to air pollution. Air pollution from burning fossil Page 6 WaterTalk November 1997 ------- fuels can cause respiratory disease, smog, acid rain, and global climate change. That' s why EPA and the Department of Energy are working together to help businesses and consumers make energy-efficient purchasing decisions. The Energy Star label, the symbol for energy efficiency, can help purchasers identify products that save energy, save money, and help the environment. The performance of these products is as good or better than that of standard new equipment. Manufacturers and retailers voluntarily join this effort by agreeing to label products that meet efficiency criteria set by EPA and Department of Energy. New computers, office equipment, appliances, heating and cooling equipment, residen- tial lighting fixtures, and even new homes can bear the Energy Star label. For more information on Energy- Star products and pro- grams, call 1-888-STAR- YES, or check out the web site: www.epa.gov/ energystar.html. Or, call JohnE. Grobler, EPA Region 10, at 206/553-1196 or 1-800-424-4EPA X1196. iBIUBi ^i1™SLte1raYby Seattle, WA. 206/328-4848. November January 8: Northwest Environmental Justice Conference, Portland, 15: Deadline for submitting OR. Angela Wilson, articles for February issue of 503/823-3603. WaterTalk. Andrea Lindsay, EEA, lindsEy.an±ea@^HiHil .qpa.gcv, 8: Protecting Children from 1-800-424-4EPA xl896, or Toxic Exposures, Seattle, 206/553-1896. WA. Washington Toxics Coalition, 206/632-1545. 31: Sound Waters Public Workshop, Coupeville, WA. 12: Marine Species Decline Island County/WSU Beach- in Puget Sound, Public watchers, Susan Berta, Forum, Seattle, WA. Holly 360/679-7391. Schneider Ross, 360/407-6453. February 19-20: Partnerships in Pre- 4-6: NW Transportation venting Polluted Runoff, Conference, Incorporating Nonpoint Source Workshop, Northwest Roads & Streets, Wenatchee, WA. Bill Green, Oregon Department of Trans- Washington Department of portaticn, Corvallis, Oregon. Ecology, 360/407-6795. March 18-21: Annual Conference of 12_13; SQund the Association of Oregon Researdl Seattle, WA.. ' ' ^et Sound water Quality 503/585-8351. Action Team, 360/407-7321. 28: The Incredible Undersea . Trial of Joseph P. Lawnboy, An Environmental Play by American Wetlands Month Seattle Public Theater, Seattle, WA. 206/328-4848. 3-May29: (Fridays) King County Land/Water Steward- December ship Volunteer Training, 3: The Incredible Undersea ^ns^Qfi^qpf; ^ j- -r i ^ t- i Freeman, 206/296-3986. Trial of Joseph P. Lawnboy, Mailing List Update Please ~ add me to WaterTalk's Mailing List ~ delete me from the Mailing List (please write address as it appears on mailing label or attach label if available) Name: Organization: Address: City, State, Zip: Affiliaticn fie, city, state, tribe, educator, dtiz&igroup, etc.) ; Comments and Suggestions: Please return this fozm to: WaterTalk, EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, ECO-081, Seattle, WA 98101-1128. Page 7 WaterTalk November 1997 ------- 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. Mention of trade names, products, or services does not convey, and should not be interpreted as conveying, official EPA approval, endorsement, or recommendation. You are invited to contribute items for publication. Submittal deadline is the 15th day of the month preceding publication. WaterTalk articles are available for use in other publications. Please give credit to WaterTalk. For mailing list changes, call Tomi Rutherford at 206/553-0603. To contact theEditor, call Andrea Lindsay at 206/553-1896 , 1-800-424-4EPA xl896, or email:lindsay.andrea@epamail.epa.gov. Accessibility Information: This publication is available in alternate formats (eg, large print, Braille). To request an alternate format, contact EPA at 206/553-1200 or 1-800-424-4EPA. People with hearing or speech impairments can call EPA's telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) at 206/553-1698. Please recycle or share with a friend. SEFA WaterTalk U.S. EPA, ECO-081 1200 Sixth Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101 Bulk Rate Postage & Fees Paid EPA Permit No. G-35 Page 8 ------- |