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

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---
EPA, CORPS Announce Rule to Clarify High Court’s SWANCC Decision
OH EPA Withdraws Wetlands Antidegradation, Other Proposed 401 Rules
NJ: Amendments to Freshwater Wetlands Rules Proposed
Wetlands Education Survey: What Do You Need to Educate People About Wetlands?

---NATIONAL UPDATES---
EPA to Allow Pesticides Without Permits Against West-Nile-Virus-Carrying Mosquitoes
Great Lakes Commission Directs $5.75 million to Regional Priorities
Most Anti-Clean Water Administration in Three Decades, Says Earthjustice
Fish and Wildlife Service Caves to Army Corps Pressure on Missouri River
Snakehead Fish, Egg Importation Now Restricted Nationally
Wildlife-related Recreation Remains Strong, According to New Survey
President's Executive Order on Environmental Review of Transportation Projects

---LEGISLATIVE UPDATES---
NRDC Legislative Updates
NACD Calls on President to Restore Conservation Funding Cut

---STATES NEWS---
APA Applauds Decision Finding Oregon Measure 7 Unconstitutional
TX: Meeting Held on Best Land Management Practices for Endangered Houston Toad
CA: Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for Ventura Marsh Milk-Vetch
Workshops on Proposal to Designate Vernal Pool Species Critical Habitat
Indian Tribe Paying the Price for Trying to Balance Limited Water in Drought
Nutria Control Program to Move Forward in Coastal Louisiana
Scientists: Glades Water Storage Plan on the Right Track
CA: Restoration of Bolsa Chica Wetlands Moves Forward    
Presque Isle Seeks Change from Area of Concern to Area of Recovery
Draft Economic Analysis for Proposed Critical Habitat on Maui and Kahoolawe
More than 33,000 Acres in Alaska to be Protected; Record Donation
Interim Procedure Released on VT ANR Floodway Determinations
Florida Man Jailed for Filling Over Three Acres of Forested Wetlands
VA: Conservation Groups Call for Rejection of Reservoir on Eve of Corps Decision
MD: Experts Hope Dredge Spraying will Restore Blackwater Marshes
Florida Adds 2,255 Acres to Twelvemile Slough Florida Forever Project

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---
MI Sea Grant Newsletter “Upwellings” Focus on Wetlands
Black Tern Bibliography Added to “Effects of Management Practices on Wetland Birds”
No Streams are Unpolluted, Many Animal and Plant Species Face Extinction
Reprints: “Fishes of Chesapeake Bay” and “Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southwestern US”
ConserveOnline v.2.0 Ready for Use
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Appalachian Elktoe
Landcover Changes may Rival Greenhouse Gases as Cause of Climate Change
SALSA Science Helps Water-Scarce Southwest

---POTPOURRI---
Position Announcement Post-Doc Position in Wetland Ecology/Ecotoxicology
ASFPM Hiring Project Manager
USFWS Distributes More Than $7 Million in Grants for Recovery Land Acquisition
FWS Seeks Proposals under Two Grant Programs
Office of Environmental Justice Small Grants Program--Application Guidance
Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force to Meet 11/13/02

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

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

What a week it was at the ASWM’s annual meeting in Indianapolis last week: Wetlands 2003: Restoring Impaired Wetlands and Other Waters. Over 300 professionals in wetlands and related fields attended the conference to participate in presentations and discussion related to wetlands science, policy and legal issues. We have received many compliments from participants and we want to thank our sponsors, exhibitors and the amazing members of our local committee who worked very hard to make the symposium a success. While there were 30 organizations that assisted with the meeting special thanks go to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Conservation Technology Information Center and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the many hours of work and expertise contributed in the months leading up to the conference. Abstracts for many of the papers can be found on the website at: http://www.core4.org/Core4/Wetlands/Concurrent.html

Plans are underway for Wetlands 2003 that will be held in New Hampshire in late October or early November. The 2003 conference will focus on wetlands and landscape level assessment examining this important subject as it relates to sound science, responsible public policy and emerging legal issues. Dates, additional details, and call for papers are scheduled to be out by the end of the calendar year.

The Administration is currently contemplating an Advanced Notice for Public Rulemaking addressing the extent of Clean Water Act jurisdiction in response to the Supreme Court decision on SWANCC. The move toward formal rule making was announced at a hearing, before the House Government Reform Committee's energy policy, natural resources and regulatory affairs subcommittee on September 19. Press coverage on the hearing as well as the written testimony of ALL participants--including testimony not posted to the subcommittee website--can be found in the links below.

Thanks to Pat Parenteau and Julie Sibbing who provided the written testimony of Pat Parenteau and Gary Guzy (respectively) for posting to the ASWM website. More information is under “Editor’s Notes” below or visit http://www.aswm.org/fwp/swancc/index.htm. Also, thanks to our contributors including Richard Gitar; Environmental Concern; Leah Miller; Trisha Hoskins; and Julie Sibbing.

Until next time,

Jennifer Brady-Connor and Jeanne Christie
Editors, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

EPA, CORPS Announce Rule to Clarify High Court’s SWANCC Decision

Source: Water Policy Report via InsideEPA.com
Date: September 23, 2002
Issue: Vol. 11, No. 19
© Inside Washington Publishers

"EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers, hoping to end widespread uncertainty over federal wetlands oversight, are planning to issue a rule to define their authority over isolated wetlands in light of the Supreme Court's groundbreaking 2001 decision that limited Clean Water Act jurisdiction over such wetlands. "[W]e have determined that we should engage in rulemaking to define the federal role under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and collect broad public input on important jurisdictional waters," according to a joint statement by EPA General Council Robert Fabricant and Dominic Izzo, the Army Corps' principal deputy assistant secretary for civil works. Their statement came at a Sept. 19 hearing on Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) v. Army Corps of Engineers before the House Government Reform Committee's energy policy, natural resources and regulatory affairs subcommittee . . . " For the complete article, links to the testimony, and examples of editorials and commentary revolving around this issue visit http://www.aswm.org/wbn/archive/02/021014a.htm

OH EPA Withdraws Wetlands Antidegradation, Other Proposed 401 Rules

Ohio EPA announced on September 30 that proposed rules addressing 401 water quality certifications, 401 certification application fees and antidegradation as it applies to 401 water quality certifications have been withdrawn. All but 3 of the proposed rules introduced in March 2002 were withdrawn from this rulemaking.  The withdrawn rules address 401 water quality certifications, 401 certification application fees and antidegradation, including wetland antidegradation, as it applies to 401 water quality certifications.  The currently effective rules will remain in effect.  The Agency has set a date of September 30, 2005 to review those rules and propose new changes.  The Agency plans to refile the remaining 3 rules in this package with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) on or near October 30, 2002 with additional changes based on public comments.  JCARR's 30-day review of the refiled rules, they will be finalized. http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/rules/prop_antideg_401.html

NJ: Amendments to Freshwater Wetlands Rules Proposed

NJ DEP news release 10/7/02. The proposed new rules and amendments relate to the identification and consideration of historic resources in the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act program permitting process. These include: amendments to the standard conditions for general and individual permits to reflect the current procedures for freshwater wetlands permits that will adversely affect historic resources; new rules establishing a checklist of wetlands permit application categories presenting a high probability of the presence of historic and archaeological resources; and new procedures for coordinating with the freshwater wetlands review process the Federal Section 106 review, or the State's review procedures for projects encroaching upon New Jersey Register properties. For more information, see the secondary public notice at www.state.nj.us/dep/rules/100702a.html. A full copy of the entire proposal is available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/landuse/announce/100702c.pdf

Wetlands Education Survey: What Do You Need to Educate People About Wetlands?

Would you like to educate others about the importance of wetland conservation, but lack the tools and resources to do so? The Izaak Walton League is considering developing a wetland toolkit designed to meet the needs of wetland educators. Before the League develops the kit, they would like to have your input on the tools and resources you need to accomplish your outreach goals. The League will consider developing the toolkit based upon the results of a new on-line survey. Please take a few minutes to respond to the survey on the League's Web site at www.iwla.org/sos/awm [click on Wetlands Education Survey] or call (800) BUG-IWLA (284-4952) for a hard copy of the survey.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

EPA to Allow Pesticides Without Permits Against West-Nile-Virus-Carrying Mosquitoes

Friday, 10/11/02 by John Heilprin, Associated Press. Washington - The Environmental Protection Agency, hoping to help stem the rapid spread of West Nile virus, said Thursday it will let some people spray pesticides on water to kill mosquitoes without having to first get permits under the Clean Water Act. http://production.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/10/10112002/ap_48678.asp

Great Lakes Commission Directs $5.75 million to Regional Priorities

GLC press release, 10/8/02. Ann Arbor, Mich. – Efforts to “Restore the Greatness” to the Great Lakes are being aided by $5.75 million in FY 2003 funds for Great Lakes Commission projects and programs addressing the region’s resource management needs. Included among the goals to “Restore the Greatness” to the world's largest system of fresh surface water are restoring and conserving wetlands and critical coastal habitat. http://www.glc.org/announce/02/10projects.html

Most Anti-Clean Water Administration in Three Decades, Says Earthjustice

Earthjustice press release, 10/8/02. Washington DC-- Since taking office, the Bush administration has already weakened or is in the process of weakening several key regulations designed to protect and clean up the nation’s waters. These anti-clean water policies threaten the health of families, communities, and wildlife said a spokesperson for the non-profit environmental law firm Earthjustice. The remarks came as representatives of the US EPA, state pollution control regulators, sewage system operators, and others testified today before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing marking the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. http://www.earthjustice.org/news/display.html?ID=450 [Editor's note: Written statements submitted at the hearing can be found at: http://www.senate.gov/~epw/stm1_107.htm#10-08-02.]

Fish and Wildlife Service Caves to Army Corps Pressure on Missouri River

American Rivers news release, 10/2/02. Lincoln, NE - Citing drought conditions the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers secured the blessing of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to once again defer adopting long overdue revisions to the operating regime for its Missouri River dams. In a letter to the Army Corps dated October 1, Service officials backed off their previous requirement that the Corps make changes to its river management beginning in the spring of 2003. In their letter, Fish and Wildlife Service concurred with the Corps that foreseeable drought conditions in the basin next year would preclude higher spring flows on the river to build sandbars and provide a reproductive trigger for fish.  http://www.americanrivers.org/pressrelease/missouri100202.htm

Snakehead Fish, Egg Importation Now Restricted Nationally

USFWS news release, 10/3/02. Importation or interstate transportation of 28 species of live snakehead fish or their eggs will become illegal in the United States Friday, as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the ban official with publication of a final rule in the Federal Register. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases

Wildlife-related Recreation Remains Strong, According to New Survey

IAFWA press release, 10/1/02. Washington, DC – Trendy sports like roller blading and wind surfing have come and gone, but wildlife-related recreation still remains among the most constant activity in the country, with more than 80 million Americans participating, according to a new report. In addition, more than $108 billion was spent on fishing, hunting and wildlife watching in 2001, about 1.1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, according to a new study released today by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. http://www.iafwa.org/

President's Executive Order on Environmental Review of Transportation Projects

Capital Report, 09/23/02. Washington – “U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta has announced steps the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is taking to implement President Bush’s executive order regarding environmental stewardship and the streamlining of environmental review of important transportation infrastructure projects. The executive order calls for a Cabinet-level task force reporting to the President through the chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality to ensure that environmentally sound projects are not held up unnecessarily by inefficient review procedures . . . The executive order, Environmental Stewardship and Transportation Infrastructure Project Reviews, is on the Internet at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/.” http://www.caprep.com/0902066.htm [Editor's note: In a broader context the Council on Environmental Quality has set up a NEPA Task Force to make recommendations regarding NEPA implementation. Issues and approaches under consideration can be found at: http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/ntf/]

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES:

NRDC Legislative Updates

Additional details on the following legislative updates are available on the Natural Resource Defense Council’s website, http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/legwatch.asp - Expected: Third ‘continuing resolution’ stopgap funding measure to keep the federal government operating at current funding levels while the unfinished appropriations bills continue their slow progress through committees; lame duck session anticipated; EPA Funding bill approved by House Appropriations Committee without full restoration of environmental enforcement funds; Senate efforts to approve its version of the Department of Interior's funding bill (H.R. 5093) abandoned due to amendment to bypass logging project review in the name of fire prevention; $3.6 billion Water Resources Development Act (H.R. 5428) continues to be debated and amended despite efforts to bring to a vote on the House floor as is.

NACD Calls on President to Restore Conservation Funding Cut

10/2/02. Washington, DC - In a September 27 letter to President Bush, the National Association of Conservation Districts called on him to stop the Office of Management and Budget’s redirection of conservation technical assistance funding. An NACD analysis shows that OMB has redirected at least $75 million of technical assistance funding in 2002. These actions undercut the role farmers and ranchers play in protecting the nation’s natural resources. The magnitude of the problem will only grow as funding for the Farm Bill is ramped up over the next five years. http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?id=7636

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STATES NEWS

APA Applauds Decision Finding Oregon Measure 7 Unconstitutional

APA press release 10/8/02. Washington, D.C. — The American Planning Association applauds the Oregon State Supreme Court for its unanimous ruling last week that found the Measure 7 ballot initiative, designed to expand what is considered to be a regulatory taking of private property and requiring compensation from the government, to be unconstitutional. The proposed constitutional amendment, adopted by Oregon voters in 2000, is the most sweeping regulatory takings measure to be passed in any state to date, and could have cost taxpayers in the state billions of dollars a year. http://www.planning.org/newsreleases/2002/ftp1009.htm

TX: Meeting Held on Best Land Management Practices for Endangered Houston Toad    

USFWS news release, 10/10/02. Land management practices may affect the endangered Houston toad in different ways. A meeting will be held to discuss the toad and its habitat needs on Wednesday, October 23 from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Bastrop State Park, Refectory Building. The meeting is jointly sponsored by the Service and the Bastrop County Houston Toad Conservation Project (BCHTCP) Workgroup. The Workgroup was formed by the County of Bastrop in the fall of 2000 to help develop a regional incidental take permit and habitat conservation plan for the Houston toad. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/

CA: Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for Ventura Marsh Milk-Vetch

Federal Register 10/9/02. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed the designation of critical habitat for Astragalus pycnostachyus var. lanosissimus (Ventura marsh milk-vetch). Approximately 170 hectares (ha) (420 acres (ac)) of land fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. Proposed critical habitat is located in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, California. The only known population of Ventura marsh milk-vetch occurs in a sparsely vegetated low area, at an elevation of about 10 meters (m) (30 feet (ft)), on a site previously used for disposal of petroleum waste products (Impact Sciences, Inc. 1997). http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a021009c.html

Workshops on Proposal to Designate Vernal Pool Species Critical Habitat

USFWS news release, 10/9/02. The USFWS will conduct public workshops Oct. 16 in Fresno and Oct. 17 on a proposal to designate approximately 1.7 million acres in California and southern Oregon as critical habitat for 15 species of vernal pool plants and animals. The 15 species include four types of freshwater shrimp and 11 native plants. All are uniquely adapted to seasonally flooded wetlands known as vernal pools that are found on soils with an impermeable layer such as hardpan, claypan, or volcanic basalt. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/

Indian Tribe Paying the Price for Trying to Balance Limited Water in Drought

By Jeff Barnard, Associated Press 10/8/02. KLAMATH, Calif. – “Last year, farmers in the Klamath River Basin saw their crops shrivel as the federal government cut back irrigation water to protect fish that are sacred to American Indians. This year, the tables have turned. Over the past two weeks, people of the Yurok Indian tribe in northern California have been watching the fall chinook salmon dying by the tens of thousands. Most tribal fishers gave up setting their gillnets to catch a fish that is the tribe's daily bread . . . “ http://production.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/10/10082002/ap_48629.asp [See pictures of the fish kill and get a backgrounder: http://www.amrivers.org/mostendangered/klamathupdate.htm; also see Bureau of Reclamation Releases Pulse Flows in Klamath River, http://www.mp.usbr.gov/mp140/news/2002/DOI-02-004.pdf]

Nutria Control Program to Move Forward in Coastal Louisiana

Federal Register 10/8/02. NRCS is NOT preparing an environmental impact statement for Comprehensive Management of Nutria Herbivory Damage in Coastal Louisiana and the Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b), Coastal Louisiana and will proceed with the recommended plan. The recommended plan consists of (1) implementing an incentive payment program to encourage the harvest of up to 400,000 nutria annually from coastal Louisiana by payment of $4.00 per nutria tail to registered program participants, (2) investigating techniques to promote revegetation of damaged sites with native vegetation, and (3) pursuing additional funding and/or funding sources to conduct more comprehensive revegetation. It is predicted that the plan would reduce the conversion of fresh, intermediate, and brackish marsh to open water by about 15,000 acres over 20 years. http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a021008c.html ; scroll down to Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Scientists: Glades Water Storage Plan on the Right Track

FL DEP press release 10/8/02. Tallahassee - A respected panel of scientists has praised the thoroughness of the approach taken by state and federal managers in developing a comprehensive plan to capture and store water for future use in the Everglades ecosystem.  A report on the use of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) from the National Research Council, affiliated with the National Academy of Sciences, stated that a draft plan by the Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District goes “a long way” toward answering remaining questions on the plan to store 1.7 billion gallons of water per day. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/comm/2002/02_1008crogee.htm National Academies report: http://www.national-academies.org/topnews/#tn1004

CA: Restoration of Bolsa Chica Wetlands Moves Forward    

10/8/02. The USFWS and the Bolsa Chica Steering Committee announce the availability of an environmental risk assessment for the Bolsa Chica wetlands in Orange County, California. The ecological risk assessment identifies the types and concentrations of chemical contaminants present on the site and what chemicals may pose a risk to birds or other wildlife. Following completion of all clean up and restoration activities, the site will most likely become a Federal or State-managed wildlife refuge and may serve to mitigate for habitat losses elsewhere. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/

Presque Isle Seeks Change from Area of Concern to Area of Recovery

EPA Region 3 Envirobyte, 10/4/02. “A report providing documentation to change the status of the Presque Isle Bay Great Lakes area of concern to that of area of recovery was presented to Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh by Pennsylvania DEP Secretary, David Hess on Oct. 1. This is the first such action for any of the 43 Great Lakes areas of concern and will help improve conditions in Presque Isle Bay. The DEP report documents significant declines in the incidence of fish tumors and improvements in sediment quality. EPA now has 60 days to review the designation report and to provide a response to the Pennsylvania DEP. “

Draft Economic Analysis for Proposed Critical Habitat on Maui and Kahoolawe

USFWS news release, 10/3/02. A draft economic analysis for proposed plant critical habitat on Maui and Kahoolawe has been released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a 30-day public review period. The document analyzes potential economic effects of designating critical habitat for 61 endangered species of plants. The proposed critical habitat consists of 126,531 acres in 13 units on Maui and 18,953 acres in 2 units on Kahoolawe. Fifty-three percent of the acreage is owned by the State, 45 percent by major private landowners, and 15 percent by the federal government in Haleakala National Park. The proposed critical habitat rule was published in the Federal Register on April 3, 2002. Copies of the draft economic analysis may be obtained by calling the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Honolulu office at 808-541-3441. Comments may be submitted until November 1. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/

More than 33,000 Acres in Alaska to be Protected; Record Donation

10/2/02. The Richard King Mellon Foundation recently donated 33,805 acres to the USFWS in western Alaska–the largest gift ever for conservation in the State. This gift protects 40 miles of Pacific coastal habitat and the donated lands and waters became part of the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge. This latest donation encompasses an area of marsh and beach habitat that is important to a number of migratory birds, including black brant, emperor geese and Steller’s eider. The area also contains more than 100 miles of anadromous fish streams and rivers that are teeming with five species of Pacific salmon, as well as rolling tundra uplands that are home to bald eagles, brown bears, caribou and wolves.  http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/  

Interim Procedure Released on VT ANR Floodway Determinations

[Effective September 30, 2002] The purpose of the Interim Procedure is to provide the regulated community, Act 250 District Environmental Commissions, the Environmental Board, and the public-at-large with clear guidance on how the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (Agency or ANR) will make determinations of what constitutes a “floodway” and “floodway fringe” as applied in the review of Act 250 permit applications under Criterion 1(D). This Interim Procedure memorializes the Agency’s current practice concerning floodway determinations.  The Procedure may be amended in the future based upon input received from members of the public, municipalities and other governmental entities, and other affected persons. For additional information contact Barry Cahoon, VT DEC River Management Engineer barry.cahoon@anrmail.anr.state.vt.us

Florida Man Jailed for Filling Over Three Acres of Forested Wetlands

FL DEP press release 9/27/02. Ocala - Marion County Judge John Futch sentenced Kenneth Therrien to six months jail and a $5000 fine for filling over three acres of wetlands on Therrien’s property near Silver Springs. The sentencing stemmed from a criminal investigation conducted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The investigation began in response to complaints by a neighbor of Therrien’s who feared that Therrien’s work would cause flooding on neighboring land. Therrien refused to stop filling the wetlands despite government entreaty on at least three occasions. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/comm/2002/02_927.htm

VA: Conservation Groups Call for Rejection of Reservoir on Eve of Corps Decision

Chesapeake Bay Foundation news2 release, 9/26/02. Richmond, VA - With a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision looming to grant or deny a permit for the proposed King William Reservoir, a coalition of state and national conservation groups today called on Gov. Mark Warner to rescind Virginia's endorsement of the reservoir. The latest request to Warner comes the week before the North Atlantic Division of the Corps is expected to announce its decision on the permit request from the City of Newport News to build the reservoir (see attached). As planned, the reservoir would destroy more than 400 acres of Chesapeake Bay wetlands without adequate compensation, making it the largest authorized loss of wetlands in the Mid-Atlantic region since the Clean Water Act was adopted in 1972. http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_index_a

MD: Experts Hope Dredge Spraying will Restore Blackwater Marshes

Zwire.com By: Chris Lavender, Staff Writer 9/24/02. Church Creek – “Experts are hoping to restore up to 7,000 acres of marshland habitat at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge by spraying dredged material in thin layers recreating the vanishing marshland. It is estimated that Blackwater loses about 100 marshland acres a year. This month, a team of scientists with the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources have begun a demonstration project aimed at studying ways to restore thousands of acres of marshlands at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County. Experts will measure the distance the material can be effectively sprayed, the amount of material settlement and the rate the material can be placed. They will also study other restoration components such as the preferred times of the year for planting vegetation, planting techniques and how differing marshland elevations perform . . . “ http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=5474247&BRD=2101&PAG=461&dept_id=417987&rfi=6

Florida Adds 2,255 Acres to Twelvemile Slough Florida Forever Project

FL DEP press release 9/24/02. Tallahassee – Today’s approval by Governor Jeb Bush and Florida Cabinet members added 2,255 acres to the existing Twelvemile Slough Florida Forever project.  The 26-mile corridor in Hendry County connects preserved lands that span three counties - the Okaloacoochee Slough in Collier County and the Caloosahatchee Ecoscape in Glades County - creating an enormous area for the endangered Florida panther and other wildlife that require extensive roaming space to maintain viable populations. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/comm/2002/02_924vote.htm

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NEW PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

Now available online from the National Academy of Sciences: Florida Bay Research Programs and Their Relation to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10479.html?onpi_listserv101102

MI Sea Grant Newsletter “Upwellings” Focus on Wetlands

Michigan Sea Grant news release 10/11/02. Articles from the latest issue of Michigan Sea Grant's newsletter Upwellings - http://www.miseagrant.org/pubs/up/index.html - include “Treasures of the Great Lakes” about Great Lakes coastal wetlands, a Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Illustrated Guide featuring color photos depicting the diversity of coastal wetlands, an illustrated guide to vegetative zones and descriptions of coastal wetland types; “Where's the Beach?” discussing guidelines for coastal property-owners on regulations governing Great Lakes bottomlands and emergent wetlands; and “Monitoring the Effects of Sedimentation in Wetlands,” a report on the impacts of sedimentation overload in natural wetlands.

Black Tern Bibliography Added to “Effects of Management Practices on Wetland Birds”

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center 9/30/02. Update -- A species account and annotated bibliography for the Black Tern has been added to the Effects of Management Practices on Wetland Birds [http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/literatr/wetbird/wetbird.htm] resource. Accounts for the American Avocet, Eared Grebe, Marsh Wren, and Yellow Rail have been updated to include drawings of each species. Also, a new search engine has been implemented to greatly reduce the time required to conduct searches within biological resources that contain searchable bibliographies. See the Search Instructions page [http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/help/search.htm] for help with using the searchable bibliographies.

No Streams are Unpolluted, Many Animal and Plant Species Face Extinction

By John Heilprin, Associated Press, 9/25/02. Washington – “The United States may have no streams left that are free from chemical contamination, and about one-fifth of animal species and one-sixth of plant types are at risk of extinction, says a private report on the nation's ecosystems. The findings are in an ambitious study commissioned five years ago by former President Bill Clinton and released Tuesday by the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment. The report tries to document in one place the sort of statistics about natural resources that until now were dispersed among several federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department . . . “ http://enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/09/09252002/ap_48520.asp

Reprint: “Fishes of Chesapeake Bay” and “Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southwestern US”

Two books have recently returned to print by the Blackburn Press. The first, “Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southwestern United States” by Donovan S. and Helen B. Correll was originally published in 1972. This 1,777-page reference resulted from a government-sponsored environmental research project that covered nine years. The book enables the identification of fern and flowering plants in polluted and non-polluted aquatic and wetland habitats of the southwestern United States. The second book, originally published in 1927, is Fishes of Chesapeake Bay (U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, Vol. XLIII 1927, Part 1), by Samuel F. Hildebrand and William C. Schroeder. It describes 202 species of fish observed in the bay's waters from 1912 - 1922. http://www.BlackburnPress.com

ConserveOnline v.2.0 Ready for Use

ConserveOnline v.2.0 (www.conserveonline.org) significantly expands the existing library of documents on conservation science and practice to include discussion groups, maps and spatial data, and access to large repositories of conservation information housed at such organizations as The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, NatureServe, and the Society for Conservation Biology. One of the new features of the ConserveOnline website is a shared search across the sites of the members of the Biodiversity Commons, a broad-based effort to share data, information, and knowledge across the conservation community. Contact Jonathan Adams (jadams@tnc.org 703 841 5322) or Frank Biasi (fbiasi@tnc.org 703 841 4518) for more information.

Designation of Critical Habitat for the Appalachian Elktoe

Federal Register 9/27/02. The Fish and Wildlife Service has designated critical habitat for the Appalachian elktoe (Alasmidonta raveneliana) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The areas designated as critical habitat for the Appalachian elktoe total approximately 231.1 kilometers (144.3 miles) of various segments of rivers in North Carolina and one river in Tennessee. This rule is effective on October 28, 2002. http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a020927c.html

Landcover Changes may Rival Greenhouse Gases as Cause of Climate Change

9/26/02. While many scientists and policy makers have focused only on how heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide are altering our global climate, a new NASA-funded study points to the importance of also including human-caused land-use changes as a major factor contributing to climate change. http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/20020926landcover.html

SALSA Science Helps Water-Scarce Southwest

Agricultural Research Service by Marcia Wood, 9/23/02. Cottonwood forests and willow thickets that line the banks of the San Pedro River in southeastern Arizona make a welcoming green oasis in an otherwise dry landscape. Agricultural Research Service scientists are scrutinizing the natural cycling of water through the San Pedro River Basin ecosystem. Their intent: to provide the science-based information needed to ensure that the 130-mile-long river will continue to supply ample water for people, plants and animals. The collaboration, now in its sixth year, is known as SALSA, short for Semi-Arid Land-Surface-Atmosphere research program. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/020923.htm

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POTPOURRI

Position Announcement Post-Doc Position in Wetland Ecology/Ecotoxicology

Application deadline: Nov 1 2002.  With the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MERI), Rutgers, SUNJ Newark - http://cimic.rutgers.edu/meri.  Experience and interest desired in estuaries and/or wetlands (especially brackish salt marshes) and contaminated ecosystems.  Successful applicant will lead effort to conduct screening-level ecological risk assessments for wetland fauna at multiple trophic levels, benthic inventories and sediment toxicity bioassays. Expected to work on other projects as time permits and seek further funding.  Term is 1 yr, renewable for up to 3 yrs.  Competitive salary.  Apply with letter of application detailing relevant experience and interests, CV and list of references by email to Dr. Kirk Barrett, MERI Research Director, at kbarrett@cimic.rutgers.edu. 

ASFPM Hiring Project Manager

The ASFPM Board of Directors has created a position of Project Manager to increase the Association's capability to more effectively meet our mission and goals and better serve our members. This professional staff position, located in the ASFPM Executive Office in Madison, will develop, procure and manage grants and contracts for policy analysis, educational programs and workshops. See the full position description and application process at www.floods.org/projmgr.pdf.

USFWS Distributes More Than $7 Million in Grants for Recovery Land Acquisition

USFWS news release 10/1/2002. The USFWS has awarded more than $7 million in grants to wildlife agencies in California, Washington and the Pacific Islands to purchase land that will benefit federally threatened and endangered species or federal candidate species. Congress first funded Recovery Land Acquisition grants in 2001 in response to states' and landowners' growing interest in managing their lands in ways that benefit species and their habitats. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/   

FWS Seeks Proposals under Two Grant Programs

USFWS news release 10/1/02. The USFWS announced it is seeking proposals for funding under the Bush Administration's innovative Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) and its Private Stewardship Grants Program.  These two forward-looking programs, managed by the Service, are making $50 million in Federal grant money available to State and territorial fish and wildlife agencies, to federally-recognized Tribes and to private landowners under the President’s FY 2002 budget. The Administration's budget request for 2003 includes an expansion of funding to $60 million for the two programs combined. http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/   

Office of Environmental Justice Small Grants Program--Application Guidance

Federal Register 9/27/02. EPA has released guidance outlining the purpose, goals, and general procedures for the 2003 Environmental Justice Small Grants Program. EPA will make available about $1,500,000 in grant funds to eligible organizations (pending availability of funds); $1,000,000 of this amount is available for Superfund projects only. Applications due 12/18/02 to the appropriate EPA regional office. The purpose of this grant program is to provide financial assistance to eligible community groups and federally recognized tribal governments that are working on or plan to carry out projects to address environmental justice issues. http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a020927c.html

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force to Meet 11/13/02

Federal Register 10/7/02. The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force will meet from November 13, 2002 to November 15, 2002 at the Radison Waikiki Prince Kuhio, 2500 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815. Phone 808-922-0811. For further information contact Sharon Gross, Executive Secretary, Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force at 703-358-2308 or by e-mail at sharon--gross@fws.gov. Topics to be covered include: an update of activities from each of the Task Force's regional panels; submission of a Rapid Response Plan by the Western Regional Panel; status and updates from several other Task Force committees; approval of the Draft Green Crab Control Plan; status of State and Interstate ANS Management Plans and approval of the Massachusetts State Plan; and other topics.

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