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Reports
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New Report 10/30/13
Reference and Guide Oct 2013 by World Resources Institute
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Videos to Watch
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 EPA Stormwater Calculator
Art meets rain barrels: Pocono Mountain West High School students participate in a public art environmental activism project Retain the Rain.
Step-by-step instructions on creating a home rain garden -
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2014 River of the Year
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Nominations are due
November 14, 2013.
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Quick Links
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Marcellus Shale:
Study: Radium Found in Creek
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Drinking Water:
Other:
Getting Attention in a Big Way:
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Grants
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Due November 1, 2013
Due November 1, 2013
Due: November 8, 2013 Due: November 13, 2013
Due: December 13, 2013
Due: January 10, 2014 Due: January 14, 2014
Due: April 30, 2014
Other Funding:
Due: November 4, 2013 |
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Save the Date
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November 6, 2013
PRWA's
A Hands-on Course
(9 water contact hours)
November 13, 2013
Pike County Training Center
Lords Valley, PA
November 13, 2013
Bordentown, NJ
Philadelphia
November 15, 2013
Erie, PA
November 19, 2013
1-3pm
Warren, PA
November 19, 2013
6-7:30pm
Warren, PA
November 23, 2013
Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA
December 9, 2013
East Earl, PA
Pennsylvania Brownfields Conference
Dec 9-11, 2013
King of Prussia, PA
2014 Keystone Coldwater Conference
Feb 21 - 22, 2014
State College, PA
River Rally
Pittsburgh, PA
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Join Our List
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Subscribe to WREN's free E-Newsletter
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October Feature:
Lessons Learned: Opposites Attract Attention for Water Protection
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Local officials and local kids - two very different groups to focus on to get your WREN project off the ground.
 | | Eagle Scout Colin McCrossan (R) leading Bryn Mawr Troop # 19 during Garrett Hill Coalition rain garden installation October 2012 with John Nystedt, Delaware Riverkeeper Network (L). |
By Ellen Kiley
Every year we take a look back through the projects that earned WREN grants, make a list of what worked and what didn't, and distill down wisdom from our project leaders into Lessons Learned that we share with our readers. This is our 2013 Lessons Learned article, a compilation of helpful tips to new project leaders and old hands alike that we hope will help your efforts.
This year's Lessons Learned focuses on two very different groups in your community: your municipal officials, and children. These groups are incredibly different, but both are vital to the success of your WREN Water Education project. We'll talk about a few ways to bring these two groups together during your project, to the benefit of all involved.
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Pow Wow with Partners: Prepare for 2014 WREN Grants
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Ready to take action in your community for clean water? Are you looking for ways to build some "citizen muscle" with your residents and transform outdated stormwater approaches or tackle failing onlot septic systems with a pilot project in town? Would you like to open an effective dialogue with local officials about sustainable drinking water?
Good News! WREN will be opening a 2014 round of Grants soon.
Funding will be available for coalitions of community groups working to protect water resources in Pennsylvania with the 2014 round of WREN Grants set to open at the end of 2013.
Past WREN grant recipients know that working with local officials is key to achieving real improvement in water protection. Engaging local officials as partners in community water education is an important criterion for successful WREN grant proposals. If you're considering applying for a 2014 Watershed Education or Drinking Water Protection Collaborative grant from WREN, the time to start talking with your local officials to secure their partnership is now!
Grant proposals will be due March 21, 2014.
See the 2013 "Lessons Learned" article above. Take advantage of wisdom gleaned from project leaders from prior years (2012 Lessons Learned; 2011 Lessons Learned) for more tips on designing your WREN grant project. For project ideas, check out examples at our Local Projects page .
"Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning"
Thomas Edison
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Checking in with WREN Grant Projects
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River Alert Information Network (RAIN) Update
 | | Gina Cerilli, Public Relations Specialist for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, accepts a Certificate of appreciation for Jack Ashton, Assistant Manager of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County from Joseph Alvarez, III, Plant Manager, Municipal Authority of Washington Township. The presentation was made during the Annual Ohio River Watershed Celebration Cruise. |
RAIN is working with Steelcoast Creative, LLC, in final development efforts for its new exciting website, www.RAINmatters.org, expected to launch early in 2014.
The goal of the website is to provide real-time river data, interactive maps and tools to communicate raw source water information about drinking water resources. An estimated 2 million residents within the Ohio River Basin in Southwestern PA rely on the Allegheny, Monongahela, Youghiogheny, Shenango, Beaver, and Ohio rivers as their source of drinking water. The site will provide a platform to share data and facilitate RAIN's source water protection mission among water suppliers, local leaders and communities in southwest Pennsylvania.
RAIN also hopes to execute a Clean Water State Revolving Fund grant with PA Department of Environmental Protection that will provide funding to help RAIN carry out its mission as it works to develop operating budget funding. On September 19, 2013, RAIN presented Certificates of Appreciation to RAIN Board Members and RAIN Partners during the Annual Ohio River Watershed Celebration Cruise. To read more about RAIN's coalition, click here.
Source Water Education Kiosk Caps off 2012-2013 WREN Source Water Protection Coalition Grant in Eastern Lancaster
 | | Valerie Gregory (L), Secretary-Treasurer at Terre Hill Borough and WREN Project Director Julie Kollar (R) with the newly installed kiosk designed with children in mind by Bob Rissler, Mayor of Terre Hill Borough and WREN Grant Project Leader of the source water collaborative in Eastern Lancaster County. |
Terre Hill Borough received $5,000 for a Source Water Protection Education 2012-2013 grant to form a regional Source Water Protection Collaborative in eastern Lancaster County (ELANCO) that worked with partners over the past year to educate local officials, citizens and school children about ways to protect local drinking water sources from pollution. The eye-catching kiosk was installed in Terre Hill Memorial Park in time for popular Terre Hill Days in July, and reflects the pride in hand-built craftsmanship of the Lancaster County area.
WREN encourages projects to use visual displays, graphic simulations that show change, maps, models, and experiences like tours for local officials, as important tools for community water protection education. Better education programs go beyond the written word to meaningfully communicate key concepts. Good story-telling, using testimonials and examples, can make an emotional connection to the big picture. A series of short video clips of local people doing the desired environmental behavior help show that "people like me" can make change, and link to the natural pride people take in the places they live.
Read more about the ELANCO grant project here and in our April Feature article about their source water protection program to mitigate agricultural risks .
The partners have continued their strong commitment to source water protection education after wrapping up their WREN grant in June. They are currently working in an expanded coalition being led by the Lancaster County Planning Commission with additional partners as one of three EPA national Source Water Protection Pilots through December 2013.
Borough of Ambler Environmental Advisory Council Installs Rain Garden
 | | Photo provided by Ambler Environmental Advisory Council. |
In the current 2013-14 WREN grant round, the partnership led by the Borough of Ambler (Montgomery County) was awarded a $5,000 grant for Watershed Education. Their project is titled, "Public Awareness + Incentives = 10 Rain Gardens in Ambler PA." Over the past year, Ambler has begun installing rain gardens across the borough as an effective way to drain excess water from residential properties. Read a news article on the project here.
All of these projects are happening because of people just like you! Find some like-minded partners and make a difference in your community. Plan now for the upcoming 2014 WREN grant round.
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Reduce Your Stormwater!
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The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay developed a "Reduce Your Stormwater" website for homeowners to learn how they can reduce the stormwater running off their property. This helps to prevent pollution.
From the site:
This website serves the purpose of helping homeowners find ways to reduce stormwater either by management installations or by adopting habits that reduce stormwater runoff and/or improve stormwater quality.
 A key is included with each practice. The Lawn and Garden Care page includes a key showing this practice attracts wildlife, is beautiful, is a do it yourself project, increases property value, low maintenance and costs under $100.
A different key is listed for each practice. This allows the homeowner to decide which practices will be a good fit for their property and their budget.
Click here to check out this exciting resource today!
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Give Lawmakers Your Two Cents on Plastic Bag Tax
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 | | Photo by Kate Ter Haar. |
In Pennsylvania, State Sen. Daylin Leach, a Montgomery County Democrat, has introduced Senate Bill 1080, a bill calling for a 2 cents-per-bag tax on plastic bags applying to retailers with more than $1 million a year in gross sales. One penny would go back to retailers to fund their own recycling efforts and the other penny would go to the state government's recycling fund.
The bill is endorsed by Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, Clean Water Action, and Clean Air Council. The bill intends to encourage shoppers to switch from using plastic to reusable bags.
Excerpts from www.senatorleach.com:
"I'd like to thank CVPA, Clean Water Action and Clean Air Council for supporting this legislation and for recognizing that poor recycling practices result in the pollution of our land and waterways, threatening wildlife across the state," Leach said. "The goal of this bill is not to burden Pennsylvanians with another tax, but to encourage them to think twice at the checkout counter before reaching for the plastic bags."
A spokesperson for Clean Water Action added, "Clean Water Action agrees that a shift among consumers from plastic bags to reusable bags is critical for the health of Pennsylvania's waterways. Clean Water Action supports Sen. Leach's effort to make Pennsylvania one of the nation's leaders in plastic bag reduction and believes that his bill is a step in the right direction to reducing harmful litter that clogs our storm drains and damages the rivers, creeks and streams in Pennsylvania."
The legislation would only impact plastic carryout bags provided at the point of sale and would not include:
- Reusable bags specifically designed for multiple use made of cloth, fabric or durable plastic at least 2.25 mils;
- Plastic bags used to carry or bundle produce for delivery to the point of sale; and
- Compostable carryout bags that meet compostable plastic standards.
Reports indicated that the average American family uses 60 plastic bags in just four trips to the grocery store. Leach added that while plastic bags are used for mere minutes, it can take up to 1,000 years for the bags to biodegrade.
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Entering The Season of Giving: Searching for Funding for Your Watershed Work?
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 Did you know that 33% of all funding for nonprofits is raised in the last 6 weeks of the year?
According to statistics, your organization could be raising up to 40% of its donations during the last six weeks of the year.
The Network for Good says that, "Year after year, December has been the single biggest month for charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations."
A full third (33%) of the donations made in December take place on the 31st of December!
- If your plan for year-end is to send out one letter to your list and cross your fingers, you're leaving money on the table!
- Supercharge your fundraising in the critical last six weeks of the year
 | | Image from Network for Good |
Need some fresh ideas about how to continue to fund watershed work and education in your community? Learn from fundraising experts. Brush up on the latest fundraising ideas. Many groups are now successfully raising funds online, with easy to use tools that can put your year- end appeal online in no time.
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Green Stormwater Pilot: Philadelphia to Test Paving Materials for Pollution Prevention Potential
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The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is using one of its major employee parking lots as a testing ground for various types of permeable pavement materials designed to prevent stormwater runoff from polluting local rivers and streams. Funded by the PWD and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the project will help the city evaluate various pervious solutions as part of its nationally renowned Green City, Clean Waters stormwater management plan.  | | This interactive map shows green infrastructure projects in progress. |
This interactive map shows green infrastructure projects in progress. Crews have begun construction at the Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant parking lot at 4701 Fort Mifflin Road. Work is expected to be completed by spring 2014, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Because permeable pavement has the potential for widespread use throughout Philadelphia, the employee parking lot will be used to test and showcase up to six different types of permeable pavement, including multiple forms of pervious concrete, porous asphalt and permeable paver products. The success of each material will be monitored closely for factors such as cost of installation, stability of the systems, permeability over time, maintenance requirements, and the ability to replicate it elsewhere. A review of how each type of material performs and reacts under the same conditions will allow PWD to determine its role for future projects around the city. In addition to providing valuable information on the function of permeable pavement materials, repaving the employee parking lot affords an opportunity to make necessary upgrades to the site. This will include new landscaping throughout the parking lot that will also demonstrate innovative ways of managing stormwater. The parking lot initiative is one of three PWD green infrastructure projects receiving a total of $1.14 million in EPA STAG funds. The other two are renovation and installation of green stormwater features at the Panati Playground at 3101-27 N. 22nd Street and at Pennypack Woods at 8724 Crispin Street. Both projects are still in the design phase and are expected to be implemented in the fall of 2014.
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Nominate an Extraordinary Advocate for the Chesapeake Bay
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Now Accepting Nominations for 2014 Awards Program
 The Chesapeake Bay Trust is pleased to announce the opening of the 2014 Awards Program. Launched in 1998, the Trust's Annual Awards Program recognizes seven awardees each year for a variety of environmental leadership roles and achievements. Each January during its Legislative Reception, the Chesapeake Bay Trust announces the winners of its Annual Awards Program.
All nominees must be within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Teacher of the Year Award
Awarded to a Maryland or Chesapeake Bay watershed educator who has shown an outstanding commitment to environmental education, motivates and inspires students on environmental awareness, and serves as a respected resource to colleagues and community leaders.
Student of the Year Award
Awarded to a high school or college student attending school within Maryland or the Chesapeake Bay watershed who motivates and inspires others and participates in efforts to improve the local environment and/or community.
Honorable Arthur Dorman Scholarship
Recognizes a Maryland or Chesapeake Bay watershed high school or college student of color who motivates and inspires other students through their actions in their school and/or community and participates in efforts to improve their local environment and/or their community.
Melanie Teems Award
Honors a project or program that engages citizens in efforts to improve the environment and/or Chesapeake Bay through demonstration-based projects or programs, serves as a model for other organizations to exemplify, and utilizes the resources of the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
Ellen Fraites Wagner Award
Recognizes an individual who works to benefit the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, motivates and inspires others by promoting environmental awareness throughout the community, exhibits a long-term commitment to the restoration of the Bay.
Click here for more information or to make a nomination.
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Study Puts Freshwater Biodiversity on the Map for Planners and Policymakers
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When it comes to economic growth and environmental impacts, it can seem like Newton's third law of motion is the rule - for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction - and that in most cases, the economy prospers and the environment suffers.
A team of UW-Madison researchers is hoping to help change that narrative and add a little ecology to economic decision making by forecasting how future policies regarding urban development and agricultural cultivation may impact aquatic ecosystems, which harbor astounding amounts of biodiversity and provide humans with vital goods and services.
"The idea is to see what future land use changes may look like under different policies, and think about where potential threats to freshwater would be most severe," says Sebasti�n Martinuzzi, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "We are not trying to predict the 'true' future, but rather to visualize potential economic trends and their environmental consequences."
Martinuzzi, who works in Professor Volker Radeloff's lab in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, is lead author of a report entitled "Land Use Change and Freshwater Conservation," published Oct. 15 in the journal "Global Change Biology." In the study, a team of UW ecologists and collaborating economists mapped out various economic development scenarios and connected them to impacts on freshwater species diversity across the United States.
"At a minimum, we hope this can help policy makers or planners think about ways we could minimize the impact from future land development," says Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley, from UW-Madison's Center for Limnology and a contributing author of the paper. "If a certain amount [of urban development or crop cover] is going to push 10 or 20 percent of freshwater ecosystems beyond a healthy threshold, then we, as a society, have to start asking ourselves if that is something that we're all willing to live with."
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Policy Updates and Public Comments Requested
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PA Legislative Session Schedule
- Click here for calendars and committee meeting schedules.
Public Comments Requested
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) has published a Proposed National Rulemaking to Clarify the Water Quality Standards Regulation. The proposed rule clarifies six key program areas in the federal water quality standards regulation which helps implement the Clean Water Act. The public comment period will close on December 3, 2013. A webinar will be held November 14 from 1-3pm where EPA will discuss the contents of the proposed rule.
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PA Department of Environmental Protection ( DEP) has created an all-new, online Public Participation Center, which is a clearinghouse for all information related to DEP meetings, webinars and events, as well as proposals posted for public comment. Visit www.dep.state.pa.us, and click on the Public Participation Center button to check it out! Click here to read a press release on this initiative.
Current Bills
- Senate Bill 1080 - this Pennsylvania bill proposes a $0.02 fee on plastic bags provided by retail establishments in order to encourage stores and consumers to make more sustainable, environmentally-conscious choices.
- House Passes $8.2 Billion Water Projects Bill -
Congressional Republicans and Democrats united Oct. 23 to overwhelmingly pass an $8.2 billion House bill mapping out plans for dams, harbor, river navigation and other water projects for the coming decade. Some of the proposed federal funding is being eyed by officials in southwestern Pennsylvania as a possible funding source to help deal with severe flooding problems in the region. - House Bill 1576 and Senate Bill 1047 would fundamentally change endangered species protection in Pennsylvania. Click here for a fact sheet from Trout Unlimited on the bills. The proposed legislation could come up for vote in the next several months.
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| Water Policy News is published monthly by the Water Resources Education Network, a project of the League of Women Voters of PA - Citizen Education Fund. Please send your water education related programs and activities to WREN Project Director. Visit www.sourcewaterpa.org to learn more about drinking water protection. Visit wren.palwv.org to learn more about WREN and local projects in PA. For more events, check the
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