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WREN October Feature
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Lessons Learned: WREN Projects Turn Doers Into Leaders
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Reports
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From the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center:
Summary of Stream Buffer Requirements and Geographic Distribution of Buffers for Exceptional Value and High Quality Streams in Pennsylvania
"Survey Says" - Looking to understand environmental attitudes and behaviors to make sure your stormwater message hits home? Survey your audience first. See the examples from the Great Lakes Regional Water Program. Click on the 'Resources' tab. The site also provides a sample survey questionnaire for an agricultural audience and one for an urban audience.
Social indicators for NPS management provide information about awareness and behaviors. Read more in the Social Indicators 2012-2013 Annual Summary.
A related study discussing Target Audience Research is available from National Extension Water Outreach Education
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PA State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale has written a Citizen's Guide to Shale Gas Development and Water Quality Complaints to help answer concerns about the impacts to water supplies and drinking well water due to the process of fracking.
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The Economic Benefits of Cleaning Up
the Chesapeake
More information is also available at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation website.
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Water/Wastewater Utilities and Extreme Climate and Weather Events Case Studies on Community Response, Lessons Learned, Adaptation and Planning Needs for the Future
Water Environment Research Foundation
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Resource Media
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Videos to Watch
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New series of PSAs including
A series of short 30-second public service announcements on Drinking Water Source Protection is available at the following You Tube link.
Chicago Mayor, US EPA Administrator and Great Lakes mayors discuss the Great Lake Restoration Initiative at a Water Quality Summit in Chicago.
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Resources
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Environmental Law Institute and The Nature Conservancy have released a new Watershed Approach Handbook to advance the use of a watershed approach in the selection, design and siting of wetland and stream restoration and protection projects.
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EPA published
as a resource for environmental managers and planners.
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Ohio EPA has detailed guidance and a fact sheet on salt storage with water supply protection in mind. Download both at their website.
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For good information about rain garden landscape plans, a rain garden technical guide and more:
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Livestock and Protection of Drinking Water Sources
from Small Water Supply.org
Includes resources to educate livestock owners and community members on protecting drinking water from horse waste. Find a poster, video, fact sheet, article and more on how water supplies become polluted. Download at
Small Water Supply.org
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Small Water Supply.org provides a listing of Quick Things You Can Do To Protect Your Water Sources
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How to Start Talking to Local Officials:
'Your Water, Your Decision" is a create-your-own guide from the Source Water Collaborative designed to educate decision makers in your community about protecting sources of drinking water.
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"Why Are Source Water Protection Plans Important?
from Small Water Supply.org
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Groundwater Education Resources:
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From The Groundwater Foundation - Tools and Resources:
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E-Book from the PA Association of Conservation Districts
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Save the Date
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Centre County Watershed Summit
November 3, 2014
8:30 am - 7:00 pm
The Nittany Lion Inn
200 W. Park Avenue, State College
November 3 - 7, 2014
Sheraton Premiere Hotel Tysons Corner, VA
Joint Meeting of Source Water Protection Coalitions
November 5, 2014
10 am - 12 pm
Mansfield Borough Municipal Authority
14 South Main St., Mansfield, PA
SRBC Hearing on Drilling Water Withdrawal Regulations & Water Withdrawal Requests
November 6, 2014
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Susquehanna River Basin Commission
4423 North Front Street, Harrisburg
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Insights on Nutrient Fate and Transport in Watersheds of the Eastern U.S. using SPARROW Modeling Approaches
November 7, 2014
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Penn State University, 105 Forest Resources Building, State College, PA
Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) Meeting
November 12, 2014 - Cancelled
9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Room 105 Harrisburg
The Delaware River Watershed Initiative: Improving Water Quality, Involving 50+ NGOs and Building on Sound Science
November 12, 2014
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
One Parkway Building, 1515 Arch Street, 18th floor Planning Commission Conference Room, Philadelphia
PA DEP Stormwater Management - Chapter 102 Training for the Regulated Community
Read meeting agenda here.
November 13, 2014
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Holiday Inn, 4751 Lindle Rd., Harrisburg
Source Water Protection Annual Meeting - Meadville Area Water Authority
November 13, 2014
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Vernon Township Municipal Building,
6678 McMath Ave., Meadville, PA
Annual Schuylkill Action Network Meeting
November 14, 2014
10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Reading Area Community College
10 S 2nd St., Reading, PA
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event - Schuylkill County
November 15, 2014
8:00 am -2:00 pm
Parking lot at the Schuylkill Mall, Frackville
Kick-off: Tapping Our Delaware Watershed
November 17, 2014
6:00 pm
National Mechanics Museum
22 S. Third Street, Phila., PA
Environmental Quality Board Meeting
November 18, 2014 - Cancelled
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Rachel Carson State Office Building
400 Market Street, Room 105 Harrisburg
Home Water and Septic System Workshops - Lancaster
November 20, 2014
2:00 - 4:00 pm and 6:00 - 8:00 pm
1383 Arcadia Rd., Lancaster, PA
For more events, please view
WREN calendar
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October Feature
2014 Lessons Learned Issue
WREN Projects Turn Doers into Leaders
by Lynda Ginsparg
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Volunteers gather for a group photo before getting to work for the Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited's project, 'Return the Roots' backyard makeover project. Pictured in the back row center, in the white cap, is project leader Judi Sittler.
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Each June, project leaders old and new come together at WREN's Grantee Orientation and Wrap-Up Meeting for training and the chance to network with fellow Project leaders from across Pennsylvania. They gather up-to-the-minute information from water professionals and agency staff, share ideas and learn from each other about ways to engage communities and build grass roots partnerships with local municipalities that take meaningful action with clean water projects.
"Network" is part of WREN's name, and we welcome you to join our growing network of people that care about clean water in Pennsylvania by hosting a water education project for your residents in 2015-2016. WREN facilitates communication and cooperation, and provides resources, funding and training for local coalition building to promote community awareness and development of public policies necessary to protect Pennsylvania water resources.
Since 1992, the WREN Project has awarded over more than $2.5 million in mini-grant funding to over 375 community partnerships working to safeguard clean water for future generations in Pennsylvania. Read more in our 2015 Grant Flyer.
WREN project leaders come from all walks of life - some work in the water field or in conservation, some are local municipal folks, and some are first-time volunteers who have never done a project like this before. What unites them is vision, a willingness to roll their sleeves up and DO something (besides complain), a love for their corner of Pennsylvania, and a passion to do better for the future. What did the 2013-2014 round of project leaders learn during their project year that wrapped up this past June?
Plenty, judging from their final reports. They learned how to mobilize resources to help improve their communities. They gained practical knowledge about how to successfully conduct community education workshops, install natural pollution defenses like rain gardens and streamside buffers, create signage for rain gardens and trails, or where key recharge areas are located that supply community drinking water and ways to reduce threats and improve emergency response to toxic spills.
Even more than these practical skills, however, are the lessons they learned in community leadership and how to work effectively with municipal officials and residents, and how to rally the community to work together for the good of all for clean water.
In the first of two features this month, we asked our talented group of 2013-2014 project leaders to share their comments - their 'Lessons Learned' - with Water Policy News readers to educate and inspire future champions of water resources protection.
Our Lessons Learned spotlights four key areas to help highlight the successes, and challenges, that can occur with WREN projects. These are the 'nuts and bolts' of a successful WREN project:
- How to Promote a Project
- Working with Municipal Officials
- Dealing with Unexpected Challenges and
- How to Evaluate your WREN Project.
Read on to discover what worked - and what didn't - and the lessons that can be learned from the experiences of our 2013-2014 project leaders.
If you are interested in checking out more Lessons Learned from previous WREN project leaders, click here.
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More Lessons Learned: The 'WREN EXPERIENCE' -
Anecdotes from Project Leaders
Compiled by Lynda Ginsparg
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"We are proud that we went beyond our grant requirements and held several outreach activities. This was in part due to the fact that almost every event we planned was well attended. We feel we did very well to get the word out using a variety of means to attract people to the given event. Our evaluations indicated that those who attended
 | | Heather Almer |
learned something meaningful with the intention to take action or share the information with others."
~Heather Almer, Source Water Protection WREN Grant project leader and Watershed Specialist with the Columbia County Conservation District, "Columbia-Montour Coalition for Source Water Protection."
"Due to the outreach efforts of this project, the municipalities are thinking more about cooperating on issues that affect them all... At the start of this project, the Chest Creek Watershed Alliance was nearing collapse as an organization due to lack of community interest/participation.
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Through this outreach campaign project, the CCWA has had an influx of new members, renewed interest from local elected officials and community members, and an interest in developing/implementing additional community and water quality benefit projects.
Overall it has been a great success!"
~Rachel Kester, Watershed Education WREN Grant project leader for Trout Unlimited Chest Creek's "Chest Creek Watershed Community Engagement Project."
In the second of two features this month, we let the project leaders do the talking, sharing their stories and proudest accomplishments from their year overseeing their 2013-2014 WREN projects that wrapped up this past June.
Thank you Project Leaders for sharing your stories!
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Ready for Fall Fun?
Build Your Own Cornstalk Teepee
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With the changing of the seasons and autumn's bounty all around, reuse and repurpose those fallen branches, cornstalks and vines to create a fun,cornstalk teepee. Construction is simple and this can be a real family project, so be sure to have your kids join in. Many of the supplies can be found in your yard or around the house. Visit themerrythought.com for photos and a step-by-step DIY guide on how to construct your own cornstalk teepee. Photo and blog post � 2013 The Merrythought. All rights reserved.
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Just What Is a 100-Year Flood Anyway?
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Almost everyone has heard the term "100-year flood", but not everyone knows what it really means. A common question is, "we just had a 100-year flood a few years ago, why are we having another one so soon?"
The USGS Office of Surface Water has released a poster that explains the concept, probabilistic nature and inherent uncertainties of a 100-year flood. The poster, entitled "100-Year Flood-It's All About Chance," can be found at http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/106/
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Groundwater Foundation Offers Awesome Aquifer Kits for
Hands-On Water Education
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Students use materials from the Awesome Aquifer kit to conduct an experiment on what happens to fertilizer and water when a well is pumped.
This is one of the experiments in the kit.
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The Groundwater Foundation has developed a variety of educational resources for students and teachers that can be easily adapted to school and community education programs. The Awesome Aquifer: Advanced Hydrology Kit is available for $36 and is an affordable alternative to those who cannot afford the cost of a large groundwater model.
The kits include enough supplies to conduct several advanced groundwater demonstrations and materials can be reused. An activity guide includes step by step instructions. WREN included several demonstrations using the Awesome Aquifer kits during its 'Model Evening' at the 2014 Grantee Wrap-Up Meeting and Project Leader Orientation and Training Meeting held in June at Dickinson College in Carlisle.
A downloadable manual, Talking About Protecting the Source (TAPS), is available at the site where you can download free tools and other resources. The manual includes a step by step guide to each of the experiments: Improperly Abandoned Well; Sinkholes and Land Erosion; Over-Applied Fertilizer; Leaking Underground Storage Tanks; and Improperly Operated Landfill.
To learn more, visit the Groundwater Foundation website at www.groundwater.org
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Capital Region Water Graphic
Gives a Tour of
Harrisburg's Drinking Water, Stormwater and Wastewater Systems
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Residents are often unaware of the vast network underground needed to deliver safe drinking water and handle sewage and stormwater where they live. In this colorful graphic, Capital Region Water takes you on a tour of the capital city's drinking water, stormwater and wastewater systems.
Just hover over each number on the 'map' and a box pops up describing the process, from 'Raindrop to River.'
Learn more about Capital Region's programs at their website.
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Visiting Philadelphia?
Check out the New Venice Island
and Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk
Now Open to the Public
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After years of hard work and collaboration between the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and the Manayunk (Philadelphia) community, Venice Island opened to the public on October 7. The official opening celebrated the completion of the Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center, the PWD storage basin unit and green storm water infrastructure projects at the site.
The new park features state of the art water features to demonstrate water retention in an urban environment, recreation facilities for basketball and outdoor performances, space for a dock, outdoor sculpture, a Performance facility with 250 seats plus over 200 parking spaces.
As the website describes, "This project is one component of the Philadelphia Water Department's efforts to protect and improve the health of the Schuylkill River, a source of drinking water for the City of Philadelphia. A healthy river provides habitat for plants and animals, supports recreational activities such as boating and fishing, and strengthens communities through the value of natural resources."
 The project reflects sustainable, ecologically sensitive stormwater management design and riverbank restoration while providing a much-needed public space in Manayunk that will be an amenity to the region.
The Philadelphia Water Department designed the project to include tree trenches, a pump house with a green roof, and a subsurface basin that will temporarily store diverted flow from the sanitary interceptor sewer during intense rain storms. The basin capable of storing nearly four million gallons of water - roughly 180 Septa buses - that are later pumped out and directed to a treatment plant.
The design evokes Venice Island's industrial heritage, local building techniques and vibrant natural history along the Schuylkill River while creating a safe city park. The goal was to showcase the link between natural processes and urban infrastructure, incorporating the transitory and eternal qualities of the riparian landscape with the powerful man-made environment of the industrial age.
Visitors can enjoy a gleaming new 250-seat performing arts center, an outdoor amphitheater, play areas, including a "sprayground" water feature and athletic fields - all set amid an oasis of greenery and gardens. Access points located at Lock and Cotton Streets off of Main Street. Visit www.manayunk.com or the PWD website to learn more about this project.
Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk is Officially Open
Another must-see new waterway amenity in the City of Brotherly Love is the new Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk recently completed. The 15-foot wide, 2,000-foot-long ADA-complaint path juts out over the Schuylkill River, and provides runners, bikers and pedestrians easy connections as an extension to the Schuylkill River Trail between Locust Street and the South Street Bridge. Four overlooks offer city and waterfront views for scenery lovers or photography buffs. For more photos and information, click here or go to schuylkillbanks.org.
Photo courtesy of the Schuylkill River Development Corporation and visitphilly.com
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Regulatory News
EPA Proposes Regulation of Strontium in Drinking Water - Public Comments Sought
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has made a preliminary determination to regulate strontium in the nation's drinking water and is seeking public comment by December 19, 2014. It has decided not to regulate four other contaminants on the Third Contaminant Candidate List (CCL3).
Based on available information, the agency found that strontium has adverse health effects and met the three requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act to warrant regulation:
- it may have an adverse effect on people's health;
- it is known to occur or there is substantial likelihood that the contaminant will occur in public water systems with a frequency and at levels of public health concern, and;
- in the sole judgment of the Administrator, its regulation presents a meaningful opportunity for reduction of health risks for people served by public water systems.
Strontium is a naturally occurring element often present in rocks, soil, air and water. It has been detected in 99 percent of public water systems and at levels of concern in 7 percent of public water systems in the country. When strontium concentrations in water exceed regular concentrations, it is usually caused by human activities, mainly by dumping waste directly in the water.
Read more about the EPA's Contaminant Candidate List and its regulatory determinations and subscribe to the EPA's website to keep up with the latest
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Public Policy Corner
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Make your views known.
Public Comment is requested on the following:
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PA Oil and Gas Regulations
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has opened for public comment revisions to two policies affecting the regulation of oil and gas related water quality programs.
The first includes proposed changes to the Standards and Guidelines for Identifying, Tracking and Resolving Oil and Gas Violations.
These new guidelines would replace the previous policy issued in 2005. |
Revisions are necessary, according to DEP, to reflect current oil and gas development activities in the state. The proposed policy includes a new section on water supply contamination investigations. The proposed new enforcement policy can be reviewed on the DEP website by clicking here.
Written comments on this policy revision should be submitted in writing to John Ryder, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of District and Oil and Gas Operations, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 15th floor, P.O.Box 8765, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8467 or by email to: [email protected] with the subject line "Comments on Standards and Guidelines for Identifying, Tracking and Resolving Violations." You may also call Mr. Ryder at 570-327-3636.
Comments are due on the proposed changes by November 18.
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The second policy revision open for comment, Policy for Coordinating Immediate Responses and Final Remediation of Spills and Releases, summarizes how the DEP oversees immediate responses and remediation of spills and releases of regulated substances onto soils. More information about the revised spill reporting policy is available here.
Those interested in submitting written comments on this draft Technical Guidance for spill reporting can send them to Molly Adams, Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields, P.O. Box 8471, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8471, by calling 717-787-1566 or by sending an email to: [email protected]
Comments for this policy change are due by November 3.
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Update on proposed changes to federal Clean Water Act
"Waters of the United States"
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on its proposed clarification of the Waters of the United States rule, which determines when water quality permits are needed. In its letter, DEP said, "The rule as drafted creates more confusion than it clarifies, and is already subject to differing interpretations of EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff. This confusion will delay permitting and could undermine strong state programs."
DEP recommended the proposed rule be withdrawn and substantially revised.
Click here to read the full text of DEP's letter.
A slide presentation outlining the Waters of the U.S. Proposed Rule is available at this link.
The information,from a webinar sponsored by EPA's Watershed Academy in April 2014, describes the cost vs. benefits to the public, and outlines in detail what the rule does and does not cover, and its ramifications.
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Funding and Grants
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PPL Corporation Education Grants "Empowering Educators" grant program targets educational projects that focus on energy issues. Qualifying K-12 public, private and parochial schools in Pennsylvania near PPL facilities are eligible for these grants. Application deadline: November 14, 2014. EPA Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grants EPA is soliciting proposals for its Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant. The purpose of the grant is to accelerate and expand the strategic protection of healthy, freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds across the country. EPA will host a national Information Session regarding the funding opportunity "Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant" on Thursday, November 13, 2014 at 2 pm Eastern. Application deadline: January 5, 2015. Chesapeake Bay Trust Grants Provides grant programs to Pennsylvania organizations to support activities around a watershed issue, supporting field work and student-led action projects and teacher development programs. Environmental Education Mini Grant - Application deadline: January 16, 2015
EPA 2015 Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Community based program to support communities to address environmental and public health concerns. Visit their Environmental Justice website for applications and other program information.
EPA Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection EPA webpage on federal Funding Opportunities for Green Infrastructure Two grant opportunities are available: Planning Grants and Implementation Grants. Applications are at www.coldwaterheritage.org Application deadline: December 19, 2014. Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program Grants to establish community forests for stormwater management. Related information and application forms are available at the US Forest Service's Community Forest Program site. Growing Greener Coalition Guide "Finding The Green" - a guide to state funding opportunities for conservation, recreation and preservation projects, including Act 13 Oil and Gas funds.
PA DEP DEP is accepting Applications for 2015 Environmental Education Grants. The grants provide funding to develop programs and projects that support environmental education issues. Applications are available online at www.dep.state.pa.us, or by contacting DEP's Environmental Education and Information Center at 717-772-1828 or [email protected]. Deadline to apply: December 19, 2014.
PA Association of Conservation Districts Mini Grant Funds Available to Conservation Districts for Manure Management and/or Agricultural Erosion & Sedimentation Plan workshops. Applications approved on an on-going basis. Deadline to apply: December 29, 2014 Partners for Places Request for Proposals to open at The Funders' Network: Check back in December 2014 SCA Environmental Education Grants Open to applicants affiliated with K-12 education institutions in the Greater Philadelphia Area Deadline: November 15, 2014 PENNVEST Homeowner Septic Program Deadline: November 12, 2014 PENNVEST Drinking Water, Wastewater and Storm Water Loans and Non-Point Source Financing PENNVEST NonPoint Source Projects PENNVEST Green Initiatives - PENNVEST actively funds Green Initiatives that promote and encourage environmental responsibility in communities that are creative and innovative with green solutions for water quality management. These solutions can be as simple as installation of water barrels for water collection and re-use, to regional projects that reduce sediment and nutrient contamination of the Chesapeake Bay watershed by reducing storm water runoff from agricultural areas. Watershed protection in Delaware River Watershed. To protect and restore clean water in the Delaware watershed, the Foundation invests in science-based approaches along three mutually reinforcing strategies. Focus is supporting efforts in eight designated "Clusters" throughout the Delaware River Basin. Click for Map. |
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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 www.waterwisepa.org to learn more about WREN and local projects in PA. For events, check the
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