Special Summer State Assistance Fund
Opportunity for Clean Water Network Members
Clean Water Network is teaming up with SecureWaters Inc., the manufacturers of AquaSentinel. Aqua Sentinel is an automated 24/7 water monitoring system that monitors natural occurring green algae to detect the presence of chemical toxins in water.
SecureWaters Inc., will donate three of these water monitoring AquaSentinel Systems to three current Clean Water Network members to use on a waterway in their community, through an application process, under CWN's State Assistance Fund program. Applications will be available next week. The three bio-sensors will be given to clean water groups located in key geographic watersheds that are willing to monitor and share the data from the units, promote the program in their region, and take action where necessary.
State Assistance Fund (SAF) applications with more details about the AquaSentinel program, including eligibility and criteria, will be posted next week on the Clean Water Network website. The goal of Clean Water Network's SAF is to provide support for active CWN member organizations that work to protect and restore America's waters. Contributions (both financial and in-kind) made to organizations through the SAF program are used to support activities and projects that meet CWN's goal of safeguarding water quality for future generations.
The low-maintenance AquaSentinel monitoring system features round the clock collection, testing and analysis of samples, as well as visual and audible alerts. it requires no special training, is self-operating and cleaning, and eliminates the need for personnel to randomly collect water samples in the field. The only operator involvement is in response to an alert of potential threat.
Clean Water Network will host a conference call on June 19th at 2 pm (Eastern time), to provide an overview of this program and to answer any questions. Technical experts from SecureWaters Inc. will be on hand to provide additional details about their process. To RSVP for the call or to get more information please email Casey Knecht at Casey@cleanwaternetwork.org.
Clean Water Network is thrilled about this dynamic and innovative new partnership with SecureWaters, which will help further water protection efforts nationwide!
Dirty Water Bills: June 2012 Update
Last week the House of Representatives voted 152-237 (with 42 not voting) to reject
Congressman Jim Moran's clean water amendment to strike Section 110 of the Energy and Water Development 2013 Appropriations bill. Section 110 would bar the Army Corps of Engineers from restoring longstanding Clean Water Act protections to critical streams and wetlands across the nation.
Section 110 will endanger America's waterways and put the interests of polluters over those of the public. For more details on section 110 and for a copy of a letter sent to Members of Congress by a number of clean water groups, click on the link below:
To check out the full roll call vote from June 2nd click on the following link:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll308.xml
We urge everyone to contact their Representatives to thank them if they voted to support Congressman Moran's clean water amendment. If they voted NO please let them know how disappointed you are in their poor decision making!
More BAD DIRTY WATER NEWS: H.R. 4965
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will have a markup on H.R. 4965 this coming Thursday, June 7th, to consider legislation to weaken the ability of the Administration to protect the nation's waters.
H.R. 4965 is labeled as "A bill to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States, and for other purposes." Of note are the restrictions placed on EPA with respect to the Clean Water Act. Specifically the bill reads:
(a) In General- The Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency are prohibited from--
(1) finalizing, adopting, implementing, administering, or enforcing the proposed guidance described in the notice of availability and request for comments entitled `EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Guidance Regarding Identification of Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act' (EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0409) (76 Fed. Reg. 24479 (May 2, 2011)); and
(2) using the guidance described in paragraph (1), or any substantially similar guidance, as the basis for any decision regarding the scope of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) or any rulemaking.
In plain English, EPA would be prohibited from specifically issuing guidance regarding protected waters. Not only would the restrictions apply to current guidance, they would apply to any similar guidance in the future.
The markup will take place at 2167 Rayburn House Office Building on Thursday, June 7, 2012, at 10:00 AM. More information can be found at
http://democrats.transportation.house.gov/markup/committee-t
Clean Water Network submits climate comments to EPA
Clean Water Network recently submitted public comments on the Environmental Protection Agency's National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change (EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0943). The comments include specific recommendations and suggestions on EPA's document, released March 2012. To access the comments click HERE.
New CWN Fact Sheets:
To access a CWN fact sheet on coal ash please click HERE.
News on Fracking:
House Subcommittee has hearing on Fracking:
http://www.c-span.org/Events/House-Cmte-Examines-Domestic-Regulation-of-39Fracking39/10737431127/
Check out all of the Clean Water events
happening across the country in 2012 by clicking on Clean Water Network's Google Calendar Here:
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