INDEX:
---EDITOR'S NOTE---

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---
USEPA Wetlands Division Newsletter Available Online
EPA Provides New Set of Wetlands Fact Sheets
Ohio EPA Accepting Comments on Draft 401 Water Quality Certification of NWPs
EPA Launches Local Government Recognition Program "Clean Water Partners . . . "
New Jersey Fails to Save Freshwater Wetlands
Federal Judge Upholds CWA Jurisdiction in Wetland Adjacent to Tributary
Pre-Proposals Selected for FY02 Wetlands Program Development Grant Funding
27 April. A Day in the Field with Bill Sipple at Gabrielson Hall, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

---NATIONAL UPDATES---
Commonly Used Pesticide Blamed for Mutations in Frogs
Report Links Sprawl to Declining Coastal Health
DEP, Volunteer Get Sued Over Rare Turtle Find
Fish May be Adapting to River Pollution
Flood Risks Underestimated by Current Models
EPA Chief Christie Whitman Announces Plan to Clean up the Great Lakes
Corps of Engineers Acquires Mitigation Lands Along Missouri River

---LEGISLATIVE UPDATES---
Negotiators Take up Conservation Issues in Farm Bill
Senate Rejects Arctic Drilling Proposal
House of Representatives passes Upper Mississippi River Basin Protection Act of 2002

---STATES NEWS---
FL DEP Releases Test Results of Draft Wetland Mitigation Assessment Method
Military Expansion Threatens San Pedro River, Court Rules
Partners To Celebrate Rebirth of Wetland at Willapa Bay, Washington
Army Corps Approves Limestone Mining in Everglades
Florida High Court Upholds Everglades Clean-Up Tax
Ranchers and Environmentalists Collaborate on 57th National Park
General Electric Offers Hudson River Settlement
California Wetland Restoration Gets $3 Million Financial Boost
Isolated Wetlands Bill Dies in House in Illinois House of Representatives
Wetlands Restoration Completed at NH Superfund Site
NY Governor Releases 2001 Hudson River Estuary Action Plan
Corps to Prepare Programmatic Supplemental EIS for Louisiana Coastal Area
$32 Million Supports Columbia River Basin Projects
Caspian Tern Colony Wins Reprieve

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---
New Wetland and Riparian Habitat Literature Review Now Available Online
New Publication: "Wetlands and Fish: Catch the Link"
Available Online: HGM Regional Guidebook for Mississippi's Yazoo Basin
Clean Water Act Section 319 Success Stories: Volume III Available Online
Groundbreaking for New Invasive Plant Quarantine Facility
Widespread Amphibian Deformities Caused by Parasite
With Corporate Backing, Bush Administration Rolls Back Wildlife Protections
Rivers and Swamps May Balance Carbon Books
Sea Level Rise Threatens Marshes in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays
"TerraFly" Enables GIS Image Viewing Online, Seamlessly

---POTPOURRI---
Wetland Services Biologist Wanted in Missouri
$85.7 M in Grants Available to States for Endangered Species Conservation
RFPs Sought for Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation
Financial Assistance for Environmental Education Projects in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---
For a rolling calendar of meeting, conferences, and other events visit the ASWM calendar

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

"It is a glorious spring day here in upstate NY. The Phoebes have returned, bobbing their tail feathers while watching us cautiously from the porch railing. All of the windows are open to the breeze, and I'm struggling between the need to finish this edition and the desire to run outside and play in the sunshine. If you get this before Wednesday, then I’ve successfully met my obligations to you." Those were my opening remarks when I was working on the draft WBN last week.

Obviously you didn't get this edition before last Wednesday, and as I struggle to finish this today the LAST place I want to be right now is outside. The snow is still coming down and we have quite a bit accumulated on the ground. Record high temperatures last week, an earthquake this past Saturday, and snow on Earth Day. This has been a bizarre week here in upstate New York.

Thanks to the individuals forwarding items for consideration in this issue, including Daniel Montella, US EPA Region 2; Earle Cummings, CA; and Barbara Beall, The Chazen Companies; Doug Hoskins, US EPA; Terry Doss, Society of Wetland Scientists; Tom Taylor, US EPA; Connie Cahanap, US EPA; Jeanne Christie, ASWM; and Becky Bowers, North Carolina State University.

Happy Earth Day,

Jennifer Brady-Connor
Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

USEPA Wetlands Division Newsletter Available Online

USEPA Wetlands Division has published its inaugural issue of "Insights from the Wetlands Division" a newsletter highlighting important wetland-related activities and events with links to additional information on the web. Topics include: Testimony on the "American Wetlands Restoration Act", Mitigation Stakeholder Forum, and American Wetlands Month. The full document is available at http://www.aswm.org/wbn/insights1-1.pdf.

EPA Provides New Set of Wetlands Fact Sheets

A new set of Wetlands Fact Sheets has debuted on EPA Headquarters' web site at www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands. Check in the upper right-hand corner for the fact sheets. The generally non-regulatory topics range from a basic wetlands primer to technical assessment, and also include two on funding sources.

Ohio EPA Accepting Comments on Draft 401 Water Quality Certification of NWPs

Ohio EPA has published a notice announcing a hearing to be held on April 24, 2002, to accept comments on the draft Section 401 water quality certification of the Nationwide Permits proposed by the Corps of Engineers in the Federal Register on January 15, 2002. This hearing will be the only hearing held by Ohio EPA on the draft Section 401 certifications. Comments also can be faxed by the close of business, May 1, 2002, to Patti Smith, DSW Permits Processing Unit, (614) 644-2745. Revisions are also being proposed for Water Quality Standards and Discharge Permits. For complete information visit http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/401/401.html

EPA Launches Local Government Recognition Program "Clean Water Partners . . . "

As part of the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act, EPA is launching a major new recognition program for local governments that are taking "extraordinary" steps to protect and enhance the health of the nation's waters. This program, called Clean Water Partners for the 21st Century, will recognize local governments that are moving beyond clean water regulatory requirements to help achieve even greater levels of protection for the nation's water resources. EPA is undertaking this effort in partnership with a number of leading local and state organizations. EPA expects to recognize those entities accepted into the program in fall 2003. For more information, visit www.cleanwaterpartners.org on the Internet.

New Jersey Fails to Save Freshwater Wetlands

[NJ Department of Environmental Protection press release] 4/11/02. TRENTON, NJ -- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released the findings of a study assessing the success of the state's freshwater wetlands mitigation program. Results of the 90-site study indicate a 22 percent net loss of wetland acreage and that only 45 percent of the created wetland acreage required under the state's program was achieved. The study began in 1998 to assess mitigation wetlands creation in three areas: the percentage and type of acreage successfully created; whether the mitigation project met specific permit requirements; and, the quality of the created wetlands. In all areas, the results showed on average a less than 50 percent success rate. Among other reasons DEP addressed created wetlands, as opposed to wetland restoration or enhancement, because it is the mitigation method least studied and the acreage boundaries are more readily defined. On average, for each acre of wetland impacted or loss, 0.78 acres of wetlands were actually constructed. Some creation sites achieved no wetlands while others achieved in excess of the total proposed. This study also shows that certain types of wetlands are more difficult to create and that only 48 percent of the permit criteria were met for the created wetlands. With respect to determining the quality of wetlands created, results show that only half of those wetlands created showed the potential to function as natural wetland systems over time. DEP has already taken some steps to improve the program, and additional policy directives were announced. Visit the DEP web site at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/wetlands to read the entire study. For the full text of the press release visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/releases/02_0021.htm

Federal Judge Upholds CWA Jurisdiction in Wetland Adjacent to Tributary

[from the National Wildlife Federation] [The judge’s ruling in United States v. Newdunn, Civ. No. 01-508 (E.D. Va. March 8, 2002)] contrasts sharply with a case from the Northern District of Illinois U.S. v. Lamplight Equestrian Center, Civ. No. 00-C-6486 (N.D. Ill. March 8, 2002). The District Court for the N. D. of Illinois recently upheld Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction over a wetland adjacent to a tributary to navigable waters. The wetland at issue in the case drained through a man-made drainage ditch, then through a 50 foot "delta" or "meandering drainage swale," and then into Brewster Creek, a non-navigable stream. Brewster Creek flows, in turn, to the Fox River, traditionally- navigable water. The defendant agreed that there was at least an intermittent hydrological connection between the wetland and Brewster Creek, but disputed whether this arguably intermittent hydrological connection was sufficient to establish CWA jurisdiction over the wetland after SWANCC.

The district court, following Headwaters, Inc. v. Talent Irrigation Dist., 243 F. 3d 526 (9th Cir. 2001) and similar cases, focused on whether there was a "significant nexus" between the wetland and the Fox River. "Water need not flow in an unbroken line at all times to constitute a sufficient connection to a navigable water or its tributaries .," the court concluded. Slip Op. at 15.

The court also held that the "drainage connection" could establish the wetland's adjacency because the Corps' regulation defines adjacency as "bordering, contiguous, or neighboring," and contiguous means "being in actual contact: touching along a boundary or at a point." Consequently, "[b]y virtue of the path of water, whether it be a delta, a meandering swale, or a drainage connection, the wetlands come into actual contact with the tributary to Brewster Creek." Slip Op. at 17.

Finally, the court concluded that the wetland need not be adjacent to traditionally navigable waters:
"Cases both before and after SWANCC have found that a tributary need not have a direct connection to the navigable water, but may be linked through other connections two or three times removed from navigable water and still be subject to the Corps' jurisdiction .. Even where the distance from the tributary to the navigable waters is significant, the quality of the tributary is still vital to the quality of the navigable waters." Slip Op. at 17-18.

Pre-Proposals Selected for FY02 Wetlands Program Development Grant Funding

Nine pre-proposals from national nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations have been selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds to receive a total of $500,000 through the Wetlands Program Development Grants (WPDG). The projects selected support one or more of the three priority areas identified by EPA for Fiscal Year 2002 (FY 02): 1) developing a comprehensive State/Tribal/Local government (S/T/LGs) monitoring and assessment program; 2) improving the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation; and 3) refining the protection of vulnerable wetlands and aquatic resources.

The grants are intended to encourage comprehensive wetlands program development by promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. The projects propose to build the capacity of S/T/LGs to effectively protect wetland and riparian resources.

The following projects have been selected for FY 02 WPDG funding and are pending final grant agreements. For information on past projects funded under the WPDG, visit http://yosemite.epa.gov/water/grant.nsf If you have any questions relating to the WPDG program contact Connie Cahanap at 202-566-1382.

Association of State Wetland Managers - State and Local Capacity Building to Protect, Manage, and Restore Wetlands, $100,000
Center for Natural Lands Management - Stewardship - Mitigation in Perpetuity, $50,000
Earth Force - Global Rivers and Environmental Education Network (GREEN) Program, $15,000
Environmental Law Institute - Wetland Mitigation Banking Study and Study of Isolated Wetland Protection after SWANCC - $80,000
International City/County Management Association - Training and Building Local Government Capacity to Protect Vulnerable Wetlands, $55,000
Land Trust Alliance - Increasing the Effectiveness of Conservation Easements for the Protection of Vulnerable Wetlands, $40,000
National Wild Turkey Federation - Southern Great Plains Wetlands Monitoring Initiative, $50,000
National Association of Counties - Building County Government Capacity to Protect Vulnerable Wetlands, $60,000
The Nature Conservancy - Comprehensive Restoration, Management and Monitoring Plan for Large Floodplain Habitat in the Illinois River Watershed - $50,000
27 April. A Day in the Field with Bill Sipple at Gabrielson Hall, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.

Lecture, Lunch and Field Tour. Bill Sipple, an ecologist in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Wetland Division, will be lecturing on his decades long observations on the Chesapeake Bay's wetland systems. Intertwining scientific fact with personal experience, Bill will present his experiences with the Delmarva peninsula, covering the nontidal, fresh and saline wetlands, as well as the Pocomoke and Nanticoke River systems. The lecture will provide details and observations on wildlife, plants and ecosystems, and man's interaction with his environment. Much of the lecture will be based on Bill's book titled "Days Afield: Exploring Wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay Region" (1999). Lunch will be provided. After lunch, Bill will lead the group through several wetland systems along the Coastal Plain. For directions, go to www.pwrc.usgs.gov/direct.htm For further information or to reserve a place, contact Albert McCullough, albert@sustainablescience.com.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

Commonly Used Pesticide Blamed for Mutations in Frogs

[ENN Worldwire News for Tuesday, April 16, 2002] "Male frogs exposed to even very low doses of a common weed killer can develop multiple sex organs — sometimes both male and female — researchers in California have discovered." For the complete article visit http://enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/04/04162002/ap_46942.asp Abstract located at http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/99/8/5476

Report Links Sprawl to Declining Coastal Health

[Pew Oceans Commission press release] 4/16/02. "Coastal Sprawl: The Effects of Urban Design on Aquatic Ecosystems in the United States" became available on April 16. This is the fourth in a series of reports prepared for the Pew Oceans Commission. The commission is conducting the first independent review of U.S. ocean policy in over 30 years. This report links development along the coasts to the declining health of aquatic habitats. In his report for the independent Pew Oceans Commission, Dana Beach of the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League details the effects of urban design and land-use practices on aquatic ecosystems in the United States. Beach presents new strategies and tools that communities may use to preserve the same ecosystems that attract residents, tourists, and businesses to the coasts. For additional information visit http://www.pewoceans.org

DEP, Volunteer Get Sued Over Rare Turtle Find

Monday, April 15, 2002. BY ANTHONY S. TWYMAN, Star-Ledger Staff. "Once upon a time in the Land of Make Believe, a man named Scott Angus says he spotted a turtle basking in the late afternoon sun. After picking up the animal and seeing its reddish, orange legs and the small pyramid-shaped designs on its shell, Angus concluded the critter was no ordinary turtle, but a wood turtle -- a threatened species in New Jersey.
"Angus knew what to do when he saw this rare turtle. He is part of a legion of volunteers who let the state Department of Environmental Protection know where endangered and threatened animals are so they can be protected. He jotted this finding in his log book and reported it to the DEP.
"But that's when this storybook tale turned sour for Angus. For telling the DEP about the turtle, he's being sued by the Land of Make Believe. Angus' discovery last summer led the DEP to begin the process of designating the land where the turtle was found as an ‘exceptional wetland’ worthy of the state's highest environmental protections. Such a decree prohibits development within 150 feet of this wood turtle habitat.
"This does not sit well with Christopher Maier, the owner of the Land of Make Believe amusement park in Hope, Warren County, who had planned to expand the parking lot next to where the turtle was found . . . " For the compete article visit http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1018861809144680.xml

Fish May be Adapting to River Pollution

ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 8, 2002 (ENS) – "In a shallow, marshy area of Virginia's Elizabeth River, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is studying how a small fish can thrive amid chronic pollution. The site is so polluted that when the riverbed is disturbed, oil bubbles up and forms a slick on the water's surface. Yet the site supports a thriving population of a minnow like fish known as the mummichog. The mummichog, often used as bait to catch larger fish, is teaching scientists about something the Navy would like to know more about - the effects of environmental contaminants on ecosystem health, and how long term exposure to contaminants can affect populations of fish or other organisms . . . " For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-08-09.html

Flood Risks Underestimated by Current Models

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, April 4, 2002 (ENS) – "The standard methods of calculating flood risks for all rivers in the U.S. does not recognize long term changes in river systems, like different land uses, climate shifts, or engineering structures. Nicholas Pinter, a geologist at Southern Illinois University, has been using a new technique that isolates the effects of engineering modifications of rivers. Looking at the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, he found that the same quantities of water have caused increasing floods because of the effect of human structures built along these rivers. These structures push flood stages higher and cause more severe floods . . . " For full text and graphics visit http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-04-09.html

EPA Chief Christie Whitman Announces Plan to Clean up the Great Lakes

[ENN Worldwire News for Wednesday, April 03, 2002] Christie Whitman, chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, visited this Lake Michigan city on Tuesday to announce a Bush administration plan to clean up and restore the Great Lakes. For the complete article visit http://enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/04/04032002/ap_46842.asp

Corps of Engineers Acquires Mitigation Lands Along Missouri River

[USACOE press release] 4/2/02. WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reported acquiring 30,700 acres of mitigation lands along the lower Missouri River and is establishing 28 mitigation sites for fish and wildlife habitat in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. This information comes from a progress and cost report about the Missouri River Mitigation Project, which the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) transmitted to Congress as required by the Water Resources Development Act of 1999. According to Dominic Izzo, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, the mitigation project demonstrates the Army's dedication to its environmental restoration mission as well as its desire to contribute to a net gain of wetlands nationwide. This would represent almost one-third of the original river habitat lost due to channelization of the lower Missouri River and is arguably the most ambitious riverine habitat restoration plan in the world. Congress authorized the Corps to acquire and develop 48,100 acres in 1986 and another 118,650 acres in 1999. The Corps and others are developing these mitigation lands to replace the loss of fish and wildlife habitat because of past channel development efforts dating back to 1912 as well as the continuing navigation operations on the Missouri River. Additional information about the mitigation program is available at http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/projects/mitigation/index.htm For the complete ACOE press release visit http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/releases/newsrel07.htm

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES:

Negotiators Take up Conservation Issues in Farm Bill

[World News from Planet Ark] 4/22/02. WASHINGTON - "House and Senate negotiators resumed work last week toward a new $73.5 billion U.S. farm subsidy law, focusing on how to structure land and water stewardship programs. Negotiators, who are trying to blend House and Senate versions of a farm bill, convened in a public meeting shortly after 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT) after working late into Thursday night. They expected few interruptions last week because no votes were scheduled in Congress. The major dispute between the chambers on farm conservation involved the House's plan for vastly increasing funding for the Environmental Quality Incentive program and relegating the Senate's stewardship centerpiece to a pilot program . . . " For full text and graphics visit http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/15583/story.htm

Senate Rejects Arctic Drilling Proposal

WASHINGTON, DC, April 18, 2002 (ENS) - With a 54-46 vote, the U.S. Senate voted today to reject a proposal to open part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil exploration. Senate Republicans needed 60 votes to break a Democrat led filibuster of an amendment, introduced by Alaska's senators, to the Senate energy bill. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-18-07.html

House of Representatives passes Upper Mississippi River Basin Protection Act of 2002

[American Rivers press release] 4/10/02. American Rivers this week applauded the House of Representatives for taking a significant step toward restoring the health of the Mississippi River by passing the Upper Mississippi River Basin Protection Act of 2002. American Rivers has worked for three years toward this day. The water quality monitoring program authorized by this bill will provide better information about water pollution in Mississippi River tributaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. This improved information will lead to new and improved pollution prevention strategies, monitor the success of these efforts, and help ensure that scarce resources are used to address the most critical problems. For the complete press release visit http://www.americanrivers.org/pressrelease/mississippi041002.htm

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STATES NEWS

FL DEP Releases Test Results of Draft Wetland Mitigation Assessment Method

[FL DEP e-mail announcement] 4/18/02. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Water Management Districts have concluded their 6 week field testing of the draft wetland mitigation assessment method, using the January 11, 2002 draft of proposed rule 62-345, F.A.C. Project coordinators are in the process of revising and improving the draft rule, using both the scoring results and the verbal and written feedback. A narrative describing the locations and projects assessed and a worksheet summarizing the numerical scores are available. To receive digital copies of these documents contact Connie Bersok, Connie.Bersok@dep.state.fl.us. For additional information about the project visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wetlands/mitigate/uwmam.htm

Military Expansion Threatens San Pedro River, Court Rules

TUCSON, Arizona, April 15, 2002 (ENS) - In response to a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity, a federal judge has declared that the massive expansion of Fort Huachuca is dewatering the San Pedro River and jeopardizing the existence of an endangered bird and a plant . . . The affected bird is the southwestern willow flycatcher, and the plant is the Huachuca water umbel, a semi-aquatic, perennial plant with slender, erect leaves that grow from creeping rhizomes . . . " For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-15-09.html

Partners To Celebrate Rebirth of Wetland at Willapa Bay, Washington

[Ducks Unlimited press release] MEMPHIS, TN, April 15 - Ducks Unlimited and partners have successfully restored a 300 acre seasonal wetland along the coast of Washington state, defying a trend of rapid deterioration of coastal wetlands in the U.S. described in a recent landmark report by the EPA. Despite a series of unique challenges, a team of biologists and engineers prevailed, restoring the wetland to a close semblance of what it once was before human interventions. A series of events are planned for April 24th to celebrate the restoration of the Lewis and Porter Point Units, located on the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge, approximately two hours northwest of Portland, Oregon. For the complete press release visit http://www.ducks.org/news/willapa_bay.asp [Editor's note: Ducks Unlimited also had a hand in the recent restoration of 178 acres of Colorado River backwater wetlands and riparian areas; for details visit http://www.lc.usbr.gov/pao/02news/02-04-10.pdf ]

Army Corps Approves Limestone Mining in Everglades

JACKSONVILLE, Florida, April 15, 2002 (ENS) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued permits that approve limestone mining in at least 5,409 acres of historic Everglades wetlands in Florida. The permits will more than double the acreage covered by limestone quarries in a tract between Everglades National Park and the city of Miami, and the Corps has tentatively approved mining on another 10-15,000 acres. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-15-06.html

Florida High Court Upholds Everglades Clean-Up Tax

Friday, April 12, 2002, By Michael Peltier, Reuters. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — "The Florida Supreme Court Thursday ruled that sugar producers are not solely responsible for paying to clean up pollution in the Everglades, a bitter blow to environmentalists who had been trying to force growers to pay more to cleanse Florida's famed River of Grass. By a 5-2 vote, the state's highest court upheld a lower court ruling and its own 1997 advisory opinion that sugar growers should not be responsible for a constitutionally mandated clean-up of a huge agricultural region located within the Everglades. The court rejected a challenge by a group called Save Our Everglades, which opposed the court's earlier decision that all residents within the area known as the South Florida Water Management District bear some responsibility for the pollution that threatens the region . . . " For complete text and graphics visit http://enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/04/04122002/reu_46922.asp

Ranchers and Environmentalists Collaborate on 57th National Park

["Daily Grist," environmental news from Grist Magazine] 4/11/02. "It's a rare moment when ranchers and environmentalists see eye-to-eye -- and yet a collaboration between the two parties is leading to the creation of the nation's 57th national park. The unlikely relationship began when enviros and ranchers realized they had something in common: a need to protect the water resources in Colorado's San Luis Valley. Although it receives very little rainfall, the valley traps runoff from neighboring mountain ranges, replenishing its aquifer and making the region rich in H20, one of the state's most prized resources. The water is a lifeline for thousands of ranchers in the area -- and it is also the golden goose for investors who would like to export the water for profit. To prevent that from happening, ranchers and environmentalists helped dream up the Great Sand Dunes National Park, combining a sand dunes national monument, marshes, mountains, and the 97,000-acre Baca Ranch recently purchased by the Nature Conservancy. The park, which will be one of the most diverse in the nation, has already been approved by Congress and could become a reality as early as 2005. " For compete details visit Christian Science Monitor [Amanda Paulson, 11 Apr 2002] http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0411/p11s01-sten.html

General Electric Offers Hudson River Settlement

ALBANY, New York, April 11, 2002 (ENS) - General Electric (GE) has offered to devise and execute a cleanup plan for the upper Hudson River, hoping to avoid additional lawsuits over the polluted sediments for which the company is blamed. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-11-07.html

California Wetland Restoration Gets $3 Million Financial Boost

Napa Valley Register - 4/11/02. By Nathan Crabbe, staff writer. Restoration work in the marshes spanning southern Napa and Sonoma counties will get a financial boost from a lawsuit settled last week by the Dow Chemical Company. Dow agreed to pay $3 million for wetlands restoration as part of a settlement over a 1997 suit in Contra Costa Superior Court. The environmental watchdog group San Francisco BayKeeper accused Dow's Pittsburg chemical plant of dumping polluted water in a nearby slough. The company will give $500,000 to Ducks Unlimited, a duck-hunting group that does conservation work, to restore wetlands in Napa and Sonoma as well as Solano County. Ducks Unlimited's Fritz Reid said the funds will be used to breach levees and remove sediment and for other projects to increase the tidal flow in wetlands. The work will help restore vegetation and provide habitat for water birds, Reid said. Some of the work will take place in Tubbs Island, he said, which is wetlands between Tolay Creek and San Pablo Bay in Sonoma. BayKeeper spokesman Jonathan Kaplan said the Bay Area has lost 90 percent of its tidal wetlands. The restoration work continues recent efforts to reverse the trend, Kaplan said. "Wetlands play a vital role in filtering pollutants ... and providing habitat," he said. Dow agreed to pay for the restoration work in exchange for being allowed to use new technology to clean up the site it polluted, said Dow's Randy Fischback. Fischback said the method involves pumping nutrients in the ground to stimulate natural bacteria to convert pollutants into less harmful byproducts. The method is less expensive and better for the environment than pumping out pollutants, he said. "It's a good deal for industry, the environment and society as a whole," he said. Kaplan said the settlement represents the best possible compromise. "You've got a situation where a polluter violated the law, cleaned up the mess and is paying back," he said.

Isolated Wetlands Bill Dies in House in Illinois House of Representatives

[HerpDigest Volume # 2 Issue # 34] 4/11/02. "Last week the House rejected HB 6013, a bill that would have placed safeguards on the state's wetlands by placing regulatory responsibility with the state DNR. The bill would have allowed some DNR-approved exemptions, if a $1000 per acre permit fee was paid, and exempted all agricultural activity. Illinois is the latest state to consider isolated wetlands restrictions following the Supreme Court's SWANCC decision last year that lifted Federal restrictions."

Wetlands Restoration Completed at NH Superfund Site

[Region 1 EPA press release] 4/9/02. BOSTON – EPA New England announced today that it has restored a six-acre wetlands that had been damaged by contamination from the Ottati and Goss / Kingston Steel Drum Superfund Site in Kingston, New Hampshire. The wetland has been restored with new organic material and young trees to recreate the marsh area that had been contaminated. More that 20,000 cubic yards of wetland material was imported to recreate the marsh area, and 261 hummocks were constructed, approximately 10 hummocks for every 10,000 square feet in the restored area . . . Working under the direction of the Army Corps of Engineers and EPA, Environmental Chemical Corporation, Inc. has constructed a thermal desorption unit to treat soils contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This phase of the project is expected to be complete later this spring. For the complete press release visit http://www.epa.gov/region1/pr/2002/apr/020409.html

NY Governor Releases 2001 Hudson River Estuary Action Plan

[NY Governor Pataki press release] 4/9/02. New York Governor George Pataki released the final 2001 Hudson River Estuary Action Plan Update, and also announced the availability of a Five-Year Report Card that details activities and accomplishments under the Action Plan since it was first adopted in 1996. The 2001 Action Plan Update maintains the three principal goals of the original Hudson River Estuary Action Plan: to protect key fish and wildlife species and their habitats; to promote public access for fishing, boating, swimming and other recreation; and to address sewage and toxic chemical pollution problems. Major emphasis will be placed on broadening the focus of conservation and stewardship programs to include the River's tributaries. For the complete press release visit http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/year02/april9_2_02.htm

Corps to Prepare Programmatic Supplemental EIS for Louisiana Coastal Area

[Federal Register: 4/4/02] The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District (Corps) intends to prepare a draft programmatic supplemental environmental impact statement (PSEIS) for the Louisiana Coastal Area, Louisiana--Comprehensive Coastwide Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study (hereinafter LCA Comprehensive Study). The LCA Comprehensive Study will identify restoration projects that would sustain a coastal ecosystem that supports and protects the environment, economy and culture of southern Louisiana and that contributes greatly to the economy and well being of the nation. Even with current restoration efforts, Louisiana is projected to lose nearly 400,000 acres of marsh and 232,000 acres of swamp by the year 2050, an area the size of Rhode Island. For the complete Federal Register notice visit http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-8175-filed

CT DEP Awards $8.9 Million in Open Space Grants to Municipalities & Land Conservation Organizations

[CT DEP press release] 4/4/02. Connecticut officials awarded approximately $8.9 million to secure over 2,120 acres in 23 Connecticut towns as part of Governor John G. Rowland’s Open Space Acquisition Program. The open space grant program derives from Governor Rowland’s open space initiative in 1999 and is part of Connecticut’s multifaceted open space acquisition effort. The 26 properties, in 23 towns, reflect a diversity of natural landscapes including tidal wetlands and inland wetlands. The amount of land ranges from 4 acres in Darien to 281 acres in Durham. For the complete press release visit http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/2002/mf0404.htm

Floodplain Reforestation Efforts Lack Diversity

WASHINGTON, DC, April 2, 2002 (ENS) - Mississippi floodplain forests that have been replanted with common oaks are low in tree diversity, which researchers say may lead to lower diversity in bird populations as well. Traditional floodplain forest restoration calls for planting common tree species, and waiting for nature to restore rarer tree species. But a new study suggests that some types of trees may not recover on their own, putting some bird species at risk . . . " For full text and graphics visit: http://click.topica.com/maaajQ4aaRG7da38aBjb/

$32 Million Supports Columbia River Basin Projects

PORTLAND, Oregon, April 2, 2002 (ENS) - The states of Washington and Oregon, several tribal governments and others in the Columbia River Basin will receive $32 million in funding from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) this year to implement fish and wildlife projects. The projects address BPA's obligation to improve conditions for fish and wildlife, helping to offset to the impacts of the federal utility company's hydropower dams. They are intended to increase water quality and quantity, assist fish migration in tributaries, enhance fish habitat, and help keep young fish from straying into irrigation canals . . . A list of projects and their locations is available at: http://www.cbfwf.org/province.htm" For full text and graphics visit: http://click.topica.com/maaajQ4aaRG7da38aBjb/

Caspian Tern Colony Wins Reprieve

WASHINGTON, DC, April 2, 2002 (ENS) - A settlement has been reached in the battle to protect the last nesting group of Caspian terns in the Pacific Northwest and the largest colony of these birds in the world . . . The Corps, with a permit from the USFWS, attempted to remove 18,000 of the birds and destroy their habitat. Critics argue that there is no sound scientific data supporting the theory that the terns' fishing habits are harming salmon . . . Under the settlement, the federal agencies will prepare an EIS and a long term management plan that focuses on establishing additional nesting sites for terns outside the Columbia River Estuary, and reviews the science of tern predation." For full text and graphics visit http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2002/2002L-04-02-09.htmlanchor#5

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NEW PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

New Wetland and Riparian Habitat Literature Review Now Available Online

[posted to Ecology list serve by Paul Adamus] The following web site has just posted a fairly comprehensive review of the biological literature on wetland and riparian habitats, limited to North America non-tidal environments and the years 1990-2000: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/bawwg/publicat.html Look under the header, "Literature Reviews." The 217-page report downloadable at this web site is organized by major taxon (one chapter each). Within each of these chapters, there is a compilation of North American literature covering various stressors. Scientific literature on these topics published prior to 1990 covered in an earlier review is also free on the web at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/wqual/introweb.htm Much public attention has been given to physical loss of wetlands worldwide, but these reports call attention to losses to wetland quality, as reflected by biological communities.

New Publication: "Wetlands and Fish: Catch the Link"

[posted by Susan Stedman, NOAA, to the ELI list serve] Announcing a new publication - Wetlands and Fish: Catch the Link. Developed by the Izaak Walton League, National Marine Fisheries Service, and US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division, this document provides information on how wetlands are important to fish throughout the US and what fish might be in the wetlands in your local area. The text is geared to the general public, but the tables and references will be of interest to scientists as well. For a free copy contact the National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Habitat Conservation at 301/713-2325 or susan.stedman@noaa.gov.

Available Online: HGM Regional Guidebook for Mississippi's Yazoo Basin

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center announced the publication of a new document on its Web site: ERDC/EL TR-02-4 "A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetland Functions of Selected Regional Wetland Subclasses, Yazoo Basin, Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley" by R. Daniel Smith and Charles V. Klimas. The report begins with an overview of the HGM Approach and then classifies and characterizes these wetland subclasses in the context of the Yazoo Basin reference domain. It then discusses for each wetland subclass (a) the rationale used to select functions, (b) the rationale used to select model variables, (c) the rationale used to develop assessment models, and (d) the data from reference wetlands used to calibrate model variables and assessment models. Finally, it outlines an assessment protocol for using the model variables and functional indices to assess each of the wetland subclasses. The report (4.9 MB in PDF format) is available online at http://libweb.wes.army.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/EL-TR-02-4.pdf

Clean Water Act Section 319 Success Stories: Volume III Available Online

This document is the third volume of Section 319 Success Stories. It contains approximately two new stories per state, highlighting some of the additional successes achieved since the 1997 publication of Volume II. These stories demonstrate better-defined water quality improvements, as well as growing partnerships and funding sources, as state 319 programs expand and states learn increasingly more from past 319 demonstration projects. The document is available online at http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/Section319III/

Groundbreaking for New Invasive Plant Quarantine Facility

[Agricultural Research Service press release] 4/22/02. Construction began in Florida for a new USDA Invasive Plant Research Facility that will help scientists continue their research to stop melaleuca and other invasive weeds that threaten the Everglades and other sensitive areas. The new facility in Davie, Florida, to be operated by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, is scheduled to open in February 2003. USDA is currently directing studies of the melaleuca psyllid (Boreioglycaspis melaleucae), a tiny insect that may help to control or eradicate melaleuca. These insects feed on melaleuca’s clear sap, severely damaging the invasive plant’s seedlings. Lack of quarantine space for rearing such biological control agents has impeded research and testing in the past. For complete text visit http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/020422.htm

Widespread Amphibian Deformities Caused by Parasite

[Oregon State University press release] 4/19/02. CORVALLIS, Ore. - The alarming increase of physical deformities including extra legs in frogs, toads and other amphibians in the western United States is most likely caused by infection with a certain type of parasite, researchers said in a major study released this week. The existence and number of those parasites is dependent upon the presence of a group of snails that play an essential role in the life cycle of the parasite, the study said. And burgeoning populations of those snails, in turn, may be due to alterations of habitat, loss of natural wetlands, and high nutrient levels caused by fertilizers or ranch animal grazing. The study was published in Ecological Monographs, a professional journal of the Ecological Society of America, by researchers from Oregon State University and several other universities and agencies. It was based on an analysis of thousands of amphibians from 11 species over a five-state region of the American West. For full text visit http://osu.orst.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2002/Apr02/deform.htm

With Corporate Backing, Bush Administration Rolls Back Wildlife Protections

[Defenders of Wildlife press release] 4/17/02. WASHINGTON – A wide range of Bush Administration actions that benefit big business have unleashed a growing number of threats to America's wildlife resources, according to a new report released today by four of America's leading conservation groups. "Open Season on America’s Wildlife: The Bush Administration’s Attacks on Federal Wildlife Protections" details rollbacks of key wildlife conservation measures by the current administration, as well as responses the groups are taking to protect wildlife and wild lands. For full text visit http://www.defenders.org/releases/pr2002/pr041702.html View the report at http://www.earthjustice.org/news/documents/Open%20Season.pdf

Rivers and Swamps May Balance Carbon Books

4/11/02, TOM CLARKE, Nature.com. "The rivers and wetlands of South America's Amazon rainforest breathe out as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year as the dry regions of the forest absorb, new research shows. This suggests that, as a whole, the Amazonian and other tropical forests are in a state of carbon dioxide equilibrium. Because CO2 is an important greenhouse gas, this could help scientists work out how deforestation and industrial activity affect global warming. ‘Now that we've identified another source of CO2 it makes the whole system appear a little bit more sensitive to disturbance,’ says Jeffrey Richey of the University of Washington in Seattle. Richey's team sampled water for CO2 over an area of Amazonian wetlands about half the size of Europe (1.8 million square kilometers) . . . " For the complete article visit http://www.nature.com/nsu/020408/020408-7.html

Sea Level Rise Threatens Marshes in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

4/11/02. WASHINGTON - Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, the two largest estuaries on the east coast of the United States, are losing marshland to rising sea levels caused by greenhouse warming. Research by University of Maryland scientists suggests that virtually all coastal marshes along these bays could disappear before 2100, if the sea level continues to rise at present rates or higher rates predicted by climate models. Loss of these marshes would be devastating, the researchers say, due to its effect on the food chain, water quality, and the amount of carbon that would be released into the oceans and atmosphere. Marshes act as carbon sinks, holding it in solid form, so it does not emerge as carbon dioxide gas. The study, by Prof. Michael S. Kearney and colleagues, is reported in the April 16 issue of Eos, a publication of the American Geophysical Union . . . " For the complete article visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-04/agu-slr041102.php

"TerraFly" Enables GIS Image Viewing Online, Seamlessly

[posted by David Inouye to the Ecology List Serve, 4/5/02] http://www.terrafly.com/ Associated with the School of Computer Science at Florida International University, the High Performance Database Research Center (HPDRC) released TerraFly in November 2001, a Web-based application that allows users to view Geographic Information Systems (GIS) images. In agreement with TerraFly, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides the project with many of its satellite images in exchange for a public service: free Web-based access to its application. Through a rather sophisticated Java applet, users have a bird's eye view of the images, much like other Internet services have provided in the past, such as TerraServer (last reviewed in the June 28, 1998 _Scout Report_). TerraFly, though, improves the still picture delivery of these services by enabling users to view the images continuously and seamlessly, giving the user a feeling of "flying over" the photographed land areas. Different resolutions are available, and the interface is extremely slick though somewhat complicated initially. Users of low bandwidth or active memory should be wary; the applet demands a lot from your computer. Also, even though access to the Web-based application is free through the USGS agreement, users should be aware that the TerraFly Project seems to have mostly commercial motivations. Note: This reviewer had difficulty using Terrafly with Mac Netscape 4.7; however, Mac Internet Explorer functioned properly. This site is also reviewed in the April 5, 2002 _NSDL Physical Sciences Report_. [TS] >From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2002. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/

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POTPOURRI

Wetland Services Biologist Wanted in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Conservation has a position available for a Wetland Services Biologist in Jackson, Missouri. Salary ranges from $32,424 - $57,576 annually. The successful applicant will work as a member of the NRCS Wetland Emphasis Team (WET) staff to provide wetland restoration, enhancement, design, and management, as well as evaluation and technical assistance to landowners in conjunction with NRCS-USDA programs and initiatives along with other related activities. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries, Forestry, Wildlife or closely-related subjects and three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in fisheries, forestry, wildlife or closely-related work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required. General knowledge of wetland science and experience in wetland restoration or management and implementing vegetation management techniques are highly desirable.
CLOSING DATE: May 3, 2002 For an application, contact the Missouri Department of Conservation, Human Resources Division, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102 (573/751 4115). Applications also available on Internet site at www.Conservation.state.mo.us/about/jobs/.

$85.7 M in Grants Available to States for Endangered Species Conservation

4/16/02. The USFWS is seeking proposals from states and U.S. territories interested in acquiring land or conducting conservation planning for endangered species. Three innovative grant programs, totaling $85.7 million, are available to states willing to purchase land or improve habitat for federally protected species. The three grant programs are "Recovery Land Acquisition Grants" ($17.8 million); "Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grants" ($6.6 million); and "HCP Land Acquisition Grants" ($61.3 million). For more information about these grants visit http://endangered.fws.gov/grants/.

RFPs Sought for Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation

[Federal Register notice] 4/11/02. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is accepting proposals for funding under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (Act) program. Projects may be for protection and management of neotropical migratory bird populations; maintenance, management, protection, and restoration of their habitats; research and monitoring; law enforcement; and community outreach and education. Projects may be located in the U.S., Latin America or the Caribbean, and require matching funds. Proposals must be postmarked no later than May 13, 2002. For complete details visit http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-8801-filed

Financial Assistance for Environmental Education Projects in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

[Federal Register notice] 4/8/02. NOAA is inviting the public to submit proposals for available funding to implement environmental education projects in the following two priority areas: ``Meaningful'' Chesapeake Bay or Stream Outdoor Experience and Professional Development in the Area of Environmental Education for Teachers Within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Funds are available to K-through-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments. Potential recipients may submit proposals for both priority areas, but, for each, they must write a separate proposal. Selected recipients will enter into either a cooperative agreement or a grant. Applications are due May 23, 2002. For a description of the conditions under which project proposals will be accepted and criteria under which proposals will be evaluated for funding consideration visit http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-8433-filed