Rita Barron Fellowship

Below is a link to a fellowship opportunity at the Charles River Watershed Association - a watershed group in the New England area. I know it is outside of Appalachia, but I thought recent alumni might be interested.

http://www.crwa.org/employment.html

Rita Barron Fellowship

The Rita Barron Fellowship is named in honor of the Charles River Watershed Association’s second Executive Director, who worked for fifteen years as a pioneering leader in river and watershed protection. The Fellowship provides an opportunity for a qualified candidate to work in an exciting and dynamic organization under the direction of some of the country’s leading watershed scientists. The Fellow will work closely with the science and advocacy staff of CRWA on a variety of ongoing projects and programs including CRWA’s water quality monitoring programs, the Blue Cities Initiative, and educational and outreach efforts. Tasks may include field work, data management and analysis, production of maps and graphic presentation materials, research, writing and editing reports, working with volunteers, supervising interns, making public presentations, and updating and maintaining CRWA’s website.

The Fellowship is a one-year, full-time position, and provides a stipend of $30,000 plus benefits to cover living expenses for the work period. The Fellowship provides a short-term work experience in a dynamic non-profit organization and is intended for a well trained individual entering the field of watershed science and management.
The Fellow is expected to start in May 2010. Outstanding candidates will be interviewed in January and February, 2010.

The successful candidate will:
*Have a documented interest in the environment *Have a Masters degree in one of the following areas:
civil/environmental/agricultural engineering; water resources; hydrology; planning; biology; chemistry; environmental science; or a related field *Be proficient in ArcGIS *Be able to perform physical tasks in the field under all weather conditions, including lifting at least twenty pounds without difficulty *Have a valid driver’s license and regular access to a car *Be able to work periodic early mornings, evenings and weekends and have flexibility to be on-call for water quality sampling during wet weather events

Additional qualifications:
Candidates must be self-motivated and demonstrate an ability to work well with others as well as on their own with minimal supervision.
Experience with environmental field work and data analysis, either paid or volunteer, is a plus. Strong computer, public speaking, research and writing skills are all highly desired. Computer modeling or statistical analysis experience is a plus. Candidates will be interviewed and selected based on criteria such as prior experience, recommendations, academic performance, communication skills, and technical skills.

CRWA will review applications as they are received. Interested candidates should send a cover letter and a resume no later than January 20, 2010 to Rebecca Wickham, Outreach Coordinator. Click here for contact information.

Legislative and Regulatory History of Mining Waste

Mining wastes include waste generated during the extraction, beneficiation, and processing of minerals. Most extraction and beneficiation wastes from hardrock mining (the mining of metallic ores and phosphate rock) and 20 specific mineral processing wastes (see side bar below) are categorized by EPA as "special wastes" and have been exempted by the Mining Waste Exclusion from federal hazardous waste regulations under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Link here.

EPA EnviroFacts

The EPA offers a website that will allow people to access environmental facts and statistics in their area. What first caught out attention was the database of NPDES permits available for each zipcode. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. By searching your local zip code, you can determine which companies or organizations have NPDES permits for discharging into surface water as well as violations. All the information can be found here.

Sustainable Agriculture Policy Internship for Spring 2010

The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) is a non-profit agricultural institute founded in 1984 in East Troy, Wisconsin. Internships last for five months and begin in January of 2010. Interns will work on a wide range of programs and campaigns dealing with sustainable agriculture. Interested applicants should submit a letter expressing reasons for interest in this position, relevant background, a writing sample, names/contact information for three references, and confirmation of housing and other arrangements by Friday, October 30, 2009. (Applicants from out of town may simply note that they understand that they need to make these arrangements and are prepared to do so.) Please send applications to Margaret Krome, MFAI Policy Program Director, 2524 Chamberlain Ave., Madison, WI 53705. For more information, you may contact Margaret at mkrome@sbcglobal.net or (608) 238-1440.

Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge

Need a way to energize the youth in your community about a more sustainable future? The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge gives students the opportunity, tools and inspiration to become those agents of change. Beginning August 19, 2009 through March 15, 2010, middle school student teams from across the country will be challenged to create sustainable, reproducible environmental improvements in their local communities. Top prizes will include a chance to appear on Discovery Network's Planet Green, a share in thousands of dollars in savings bonds, a Discovery Adventure trip and more. More information here.

Model Ordinances

Looking for good examples of ordinance language to adapt for your local community? Here you will find model ordinances and coming soon -- real-world ordinances from all over the nation used to better protect the environmental resources of a community. If you've got an innovative, approved ordinance or program that you think others could use, please send a copy to include in the library. This resource can be accessed at: http://www.cwp.org/Resource_Library/Model_Ordinances/index.htm

Kentucky Conservation Committee Seeks Campus Liaisons

The Kentucky Conservation Committee, (KCC), a nonpartisan coalition of environmental groups and individuals, is looking for Kentucky Higher Education students to participate in its advocacy efforts as Campus Liaisons. Campus Liaisons will have the exciting opportunity to spend time with KCC’s experienced legislative agent in Frankfort for a behind-the-scenes look at government. For information regarding eligibility, responsibilities and how to apply, go to: http://www.kyconservation.org/campus-Liaison.htm

Free Clean Water Resource

An independent PBS production company has created an environmental learning kit from its acclaimed new two-hour PBS Frontline documentary "POISONED WATERS." The materials pair ten five-minute video segments with ten companion essays in a 26-page discussion guide that addresses the state of America's water ways, new pollution threats, and strategies for combating pollution and habitat disruption. The kit, which comes in a compact packet the size of a DVD box, is suitable for environmental groups, college university and high school science and environmental teachers, park rangers and natural refuge guides, garden clubs, soil conservation districts, water keepers, and grass roots activities engaged in public education and community organizing. It is not for sit-down viewing. The material is suitable for an adult audience, not for elementary and middle schools and are free of charge. Those interested should contact Simona Raetz at Hedrick Smith Productions at simonaraetz@live.com

AQUATOX Release 3 - Now Available

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Science and Technology, has released an enhanced version of the aquatic ecosystem simulation model AQUATOX. AQUATOX is a PC-based ecosystem model that predicts the fate of nutrients and organic chemicals in water bodies, as well as their direct and indirect effects on the resident organisms. AQUATOX Release 3 contains many enhancements that increase the realism and utility of the model. The most important enhancements include:

- Capability to represent estuaries at a screening level
- Capability to model multiple linked river and reservoir segments
- Enhanced nutrients analysis, including nutrient release from sediments, daily dissolved oxygen fluctuations, and toxicity from low oxygen and ammonia
- Capability to simulate biological effects of suspended and bedded sediments
- Calculation of biological metrics
- Enhanced sensitivity and uncertainty analyses
- Toxicity data estimation from ICE (Interspecies Correlation Estimation)
- Expanded data management, graphics and statistical analysis
- The software is now open source, meaning that other modelers can customize AQUATOX for their particular application

Visit the AQUATOX web site at http://epa.gov/ost/models/aquatox/ for more information or for downloading the model and its associated documentation.

OEEF grant writing workshops September/October (OH)

Grant Writing 101/102, September 22, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park, 2301 W. River Road
Dayton, OH 45418 (Montgomery County), co-sponsored by the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, SunWatch Indian Village, the Environmental Education Council of Ohio Region 4, and Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education. A $15.00 fee will cover lunch and morning refreshments. To register, contact Donna Lewis, dlewis@boonshoftmuseum.org or (937) 275-7431 ext. 114.

Grant Writing 101/102, Wednesday October 7, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Hancock County Agricultural Center, 7868 County Road 140, Findlay (Hancock County), 45840, co-sponsored by the Maumee Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Environmental Education Council of Ohio Region 3, and Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education. A $25.00 fee will cover materials, buffet lunch and morning refreshments. To register, contact Scott.miller@oh.usda.gov or (419) 784-3717.

EPA Launches TMDL Program Results Analysis Web Site

EPA has developed a new Web site to communicate information about Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program results to technically specialized audiences, including TMDL developers, state water programs, academia,
other federal agency programs, and EPA water quality staff. A TMDL is
a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards, and an allocation of that load among the various sources of that pollutant. The TMDL Program Results Analysis Project is a multi-year effort directed at measuring and analyzing programmatic and environmental results of the program.
The Web site provides a Clean Water Act Impaired Waters Program Pipeline navigation feature, fact sheets, EPA reports and Web sites, EPA grantee reports and Web sites, publications, and datasets related to this effort.

The TMDL Program Results Analysis Web site is available at http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/results

Wonderful Wacky Water Critters booklets available

For a limited time, groups nationwide can place orders for large quantities of the University of Wisconsin-Extension's and WDNR's Wonderful Wacky Water Critters booklet. This booklet describes habitats and habits of many aquatic invertebrates (and a few
vertebrates) that live in our streams and ponds. You can view this 27 page booklet online (http://clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs/pdf/wav.wwwc.pdf). Each booklet also comes with an 11x17 inch folded copy of the Key to Macroinvertebrate Life in the River and Key to Life in the Pond, printed back to back. Many schools, service groups, and citizen monitors use the booklet and keys regularly.

Over the years I have been amazed at how many Wonderful Wacky Water Critters booklets have been ordered. So, in an attempt to offer this booklet to as many groups as possible, came up with a plan to place a mass order for many groups at once, by selling the booklets for $1.00 per copy plus shipping, for quantity orders (please order in sets of 25). You can download a pdf formatted order form or a Word formatted order form from this site:
http://www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer/VolunteerMonPrograms/Acheivements.html

Student Environmental Action Coalition Seeks Organizer

The Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) has been connecting youth to environmental justice issues for over 20 years and is seeking an experienced and motivated individual to join the organization as a youth, student and community organizer on environmental justice and climate change issues in Appalachia. This position is full time and covers Kentucky. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Please send resume and cover letter to masmith09@gmail.com or call 415-606- 3953.

Your Hometown Clean Water Tour

Your Hometown Clean Water Tour



Your Hometown Clean Water Tour (PA# 1587) has been re-printed and is available for ordering from LANDCARE (1-888-LANDCARE). The three-fold brochure is geared for elementary and middle school-aged youngsters and describes 13 conservation practices that urban/suburban dwellers can employ to help keep their water clean.

• Ohio Environmental Law Center Launches Website

The Ohio Environmental Law Center (OELC) website has launched at www.ohioenvirolawcenter.org. Keep current on the OELC's work to protect Ohioans' rights to have healthy air, land, and water, and provide them with a place to turn to for guidance and analysis of environmental-conservation issues. And save the date for two upcoming events: an OELC Open House, December 2 in Columbus and OELC Fundraiser in Cleveland on December 10. Learn more.

Webinar Recordings Focus on Using Recovery Act Funds to Train Green Workers

NALGEP
nalgep@spiegelmcd.com
09/04/09

On June 24, 2009, the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration released five solicitations for grant application (SGAs) totaling $500 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for worker training and placement in green industries and sectors.

The New York State Department of Labor recently hosted two webinars that presented an overview of these funding opportunities and detailed the grant application requirements. The webinars focused in particular on two of the SGAs: the Energy Training Partnership and Pathways Out of Poverty.

-The Energy Training Partnership webinar discussed this $100 million funding opportunity to provide training and placement services in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
-The Pathways Out of Poverty webinar described this $150 million funding opportunity to create pathways out of poverty and into employment in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other green industries.

Both webinars were recorded and are available now for viewing by the public. In order to access these webinars, please visit: https://nysdol.webex.com/mw0305l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=nysdol.

Once on the site, click "Recorded Sessions" in the left-hand navigation bar. After you have selected the webinar you are interested in viewing from the list, you will be asked to enter the recording password, which is dews2009.
These two webinars will be available online until mid October. After that time, please contact WDTD Employment at WorkforceSolutions@labor.state.ny.us to request a copy of a recorded webinar.

If you have questions, please contact Lisa Furner at Lisa.Furner@labor.state.ny.us.

WV Conservation Agency WaterNet newsletters available online

Water Net Resources is a publication of the West Virginia Watershed Resource Center and the West Virginia Watershed Network. Archived newsletters are available here. The current Fall issue, with information on trainings, watershed success stories, and volunteer opportunities, is available here.

Forthcoming Educational Resources on Freshwater Invertebrates

Flash Cards of Common Freshwater Invertebrates
of North America
Flash Cards of Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America

Flash cards are recognized as an effective teaching/learning tool because they use visualization to associate information. Since 2002, images and information about freshwater invertebrates in J. Reese Voshell's popular book A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America have been used by teachers and students at all levels and in biomonitoring activities by a wide range of people from citizen volunteers to professional scientists.

There will be three sets of flash cards:

Set One--Major Classes and Orders
Set Two--Families of Mollusks, Stoneflies, Mayflies, and Caddisflies
Set Three--Families of Other Insects

release date: fall 2009

QuickGuide to Major Groups of Freshwater Invertebrates
Flash Cards of Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America Set One

The QuickGuide is an easy and reliable aid to identifying common freshwater invertebrates to the taxonomic level of class or order, a level that is often satisfactory for teaching or learning the basics of freshwater ecology and for the biological monitoring of streams or ponds.

Release date September 2009.

see http://www.mwpubco.com/forthcoming.htm for more information.

EPA SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON CLEAN WATER ENFORCEMENT ACTION PLAN THROUGH ONLINE FORUM

EPA is inviting the public to participate in its online forum through its new Web site with ideas about the future direction EPA should take to more effectively enforce Clean Water requirements and achieve better compliance. EPA wants to know what direction its national water enforcement program should take to improve water quality protection in the nation and enforce outstanding violations. The Clean Water Enforcement Action Plan discussion forum which will close on Friday, Aug. 28 will accept this input, and evaluate and consider recommendations to the EPA Administrator about what the public feels the future direction of EPA's water enforcement program should take. We are providing information to assist the public discussions: Clean Water Enforcement Action Plan, state-by-state reports: Assessing the effectiveness of the program, EPA and state enforcement data, and the administrator's memorandum: The Memorandum.

A Facebook Phenomenon for California Parks

California’s budget crisis is boiling over and putting family experiences in natural areas at risk. In May, Governor Schwarzenegger proposed to close 220 parks. Responding to the threat, the California State Parks Foundation grew their Facebook constituency from 517 fans to over 45,000. How did they do it? They’re happy to tell you! They’ve posted a blow-by-blow of their Facebook environmental communications campaign, complete with screenshots detailing what they said and how their supporters responded.

And what did the group accomplish for all this effort — so far, quite a bit. The number of California parks slated for closure has been cut in half — from 220 to just about 100.

Congrats to the Foundation and its vendors and allies!

DVD: "Vernal Pools: Diamonds in the Rough"

The Ohio Environmental Council has created an entertaining and educational vernal pool DVD- “Vernal Pools: Diamonds in the Rough”. This video explores the vibrant, seasonal wetlands called “vernal pools.” The DVD covers:

*Functions and benefits
*Threats to protection
*How to monitor a vernal pool
*Creature features on the wood frog, spotted salamander, and fairy shrimp
*Animals of vernal pools

To view the introduction and functions and benefits section visit us on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/OVPPOEC

or
http://www.youtube.com/user/OVPPOEC (the introduction is featured and the functions and benefits is in the lower left side)

If you would like a copy of the DVD, please contact David R. Celebrezze at david@theOEC.org. One copy per person and first come , first served.

Funding for this project provided by The Columbus Foundation and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.

Environment Ohio Advocate Job Description

Environment Ohio is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. Our professional staff combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for Ohio’s environment.

Environment Ohio is part of a network of 28 state organizations with a vibrant federal advocacy agenda and draws on 30 years of success in tackling the state's top environmental problems.

We focus on protecting Ohio's air, water and open spaces. We speak out and take action at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives.

Job Description:
The Environment Ohio Energy Advocate is responsible for developing and implementing campaigns to achieve a cleaner energy future. The Advocate is also responsible for growing our organization’s citizen base through field organizing as well as building our organizational resources through staff development and fundraising. On a day-to-day basis, the Energy Advocate’s work includes:

Advocacy: Bringing problems/solutions to the attention of decision makers-including state legislators, the Executive branch, environmental agency staff and local and federal officials. Developing messages and materials, building and tracking relationships, and enhancing the organization’s access and reputation among decision makers.

Policy development: Developing our approach to energy issues within a broader political context, along with a comprehensive platform for solving them. The advocate will be part of drafting bills, conducting research, and participating in discussions on policy within the Environment America organization.

Campaign strategy: Creating and implementing a plan to win on our environmental campaigns; developing strategies for gaining political support for our agenda through coalition-building, grassroots organizing, media publicity, endorsements and message development.

Field organizing: Engaging our grassroots base through phone banking, email action alerts, workshops, and other outreach events.

Media outreach: Serving as a public spokesperson for the organization through media events, press releases, editorial board meetings and other PR tactics.

Staff recruitment and management: Assisting with the oversight of Environment Ohio staff including trainings, staff meetings and retreats and recruiting new staff for the Environment America network.

Fundraising: Raising money from private foundations and individual donors. Working with our citizen outreach staff to bring more resources to efforts we're waging to protect our environment.

Additional Qualifications:
Qualified candidates will have a strong commitment to environmental issues and progressive social change, and a track record of leadership. We're looking for a goal driven and results oriented individual who has excellent verbal, writing and analytical skills, the ability to speak persuasively in a charged atmosphere, and a passion for social change. Candidates should have at least two to five years of relevant professional experience.

Salary & Benefits:
Salary for this position is commensurate with the relevant professional experience and/or advanced degrees that a candidate may possess. A competitive benefits package includes health care coverage, educational loan assistance, a retirement plan and paid vacation and sick days. Opportunities for advancement, travel and additional training are available.

How to Apply: Visit our website at www.EnvironmentOhio.org/jobs or email Careers@EnvironmentOhio.org.

Applications will be accepted through September 4th, 2009

Available Position: Technical and Outreach Specialist

The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) is searching for a Technical and Outreach Specialist. GLOS was established to provide public access to critical, real‐time and historical information about the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and interconnecting waterways for use in managing, safeguarding and understanding these freshwater resources. GLOS is intended to gather and integrate chemical, biological and hydrologic data, and monitor lake conditions and trends over time. It is focused on identifying and meeting user needs and therefore GLOS work closely with Great Lakes users.

For more details, including how to apply see:
http://glos.us/pdf/GLOS_Technical-Outreach_Specialist_07-09.pdf

Assistant Executive Director Job Opening (Cleveland OH)

EcoWatch is a state wide nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage individuals, businesses and governments to adopt sustainable lifestyles, business practices and policies. We publish EcoWatch Journal every other month which is distributed for free at more than 2,000 locations throughout 31 counties of Ohio, primarily in the Northeast Ohio region.

The position that is available is part time. Applicants should have:
- Strong computer skills with knowledge of InDesign, Photoshop, Excel, Word, Filemaker Pro, Vertical Response, Twitter and Facebook.
- Strong writing and editing skills.
- Experience in running fundraisers
- Ability to organize a membership campaign
- Experience in managing volunteers and interns
- Strong networking and communication skills
- Experience in the nonprofit sector

We are looking for an individual who is well organized, self-motivated and dedicated to the mission of EcoWatch.
Flexibility of work schedule and ability to work a few weekends is a plus.

Applicants should e-mail their cover letter and resume to
Stefanie Spear at spear@ecowatch.org, please put JOB OPENING in the subject area.

Post your supply needs online!

The watershed group featured in this link posts the supplies it needs online. To date they have had a lot of success with this and half of all the items listed have been donated. Although their Executive Director's one word of warning was to keep it updated! At least monthly or quarterly if possible, because some volunteers who are active online have become frustrated with outdated information.

http://www.usrwa.org/POPUPS/usrwaneeds.html

NRCS Stream Corridor Restoration Tools Now Available Online

During the last ten years, NRCS has developed and released a wealth of technical information on stream corridor restoration in the form of National Engineering Handbook (NEH) 653 - Stream Corridor Restoration and NEH 654 - Stream Restoration Design. Following release of these documents, a team of NRCS experts from all of the technical centers skilled in stream restoration were tasked with making conservation easier for the field in applying stream restoration. Their efforts are still underway, but initial results are now available on the National Design, Construction, and Soil Mechanics (NDCSMC) web site . At this web site, one can find "one stop" resources of NRCS policy and guidance documents, useful links, publications, photographs, and drawings of variouspractices and treatments, workshop information, and spreadsheet tools. Your contact is NRCS civil engineer Jon Fripp 817-509-3771.

The Council of Great Lakes Governors is currently seeking a Program Associate/Manager to add to its staff in Chicago, Illinois.

Established in 1983, the Council of Great Lakes Governors is a non-partisan partnership of Governors from each of the eight Great Lakes States - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The Governors joined forces to address the severe environmental and economic challenges facing the region. In recent years, the Premiers of Ontario and Québec have partnered with the Council to advance the environmental health and high performance economy of the entire Great Lakes region.

As part of the Council’s project-oriented team, the Program Associate/Manager will coordinate and assist with work related to the environment including Great Lakes protection, restoration and water management. Specifically, the Program Associate/Manager will work on the Great Lakes Governors’ Priorities Initiative which is coordinating the Governors’ shared efforts on Great Lakes protection and restoration. The Program Associate/Manager will also work on the Governors’ Water Management Initiative including support for the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Water Resources Regional Body and the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council. As needed, assistance will be provided on projects related to regional economic development including international trade. This position requires the Program Associate/Manager to work in Chicago, Illinois.

Desired qualifications and skills:
• Effective communicator and presenter with good writing ability, aptitude for facilitation and consensus building. Exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Creative, effective problem-solver with well-developed research and analytical skills.
• Flexible team player with the ability to manage multiple projects.
• Working understanding of the public policymaking and implementation process, preference for knowledge related to environmental policy and the Great Lakes.
• Preferred experience would include legislative background; knowledge of State government; and fundraising including grant writing, budgeting and reporting.
• Bachelors’ degree required. An advanced degree is preferred.

Salary is commensurate with experience. For additional information, please visit:
www.cglg.org
www.glslregionalbody.org
www.cglg.org/projects/water/GLSLRBWRC.asp

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter by Friday, August 14 to:
Ms. Zoë Munro
Council of Great Lakes Governors
35 East Wacker Drive, Suite 1850
Chicago, IL 60601
E-mail: zmunro@cglg.org
No phone calls, please.

Helping Solve Local Wastewater Problems: A Manual

In September 2005, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition completed a wastewater manual in partnership with Canaan Valley Institute and several watershed organizations across the state, including ECRR. The goal of this manual is to help groups work in local communities to solve wastewater problems.

The manual describes situations where traditional infrastructure solutions are appropriate, and also introduces alternative approaches helpful for addressing the tough problems encountered in West Virginia. The manual is designed to help watershed groups and local decision-makers find a system that will work best, and to provide information necessary to start working toward the implementation of locally developed solutions.

You can read and download the manual here.

Kentucky Waterways Alliance Seeks Development Associate

KWA is seeking a Development Associate to assist the Executive Director in ensuring that the organization raises sufficient funds to fulfill KWA’s mission. He/she will assist the Executive Director writing grant reports and in starting a new major donor program. Initially this is a part-time position with benefits paid according to hours worked. KWA intends to increase the hours with the goal of making this a full-time salaried position as soon as possible. The position will be based in KWA’s Louisville office. Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to: Director@KWAlliance.org
Position will remain open until filled.

Vote for your favorite river organization!

New Belgium Brewing is hosting a nationwide contest to give a $10,000 grant to the river or water group that gets the most votes by September 30. Go to Skinny Dip then click on Vote for a Cause and cast your vote! Ask your friends to vote too by forwarding eStream, using your Facebook site or any other way you can think of!

Water Quality Snapshot of Passive Treatment Systems

By Cliff Denholm, Stream Restoration, Inc.
(Stream Restoration Inc. (SRI) is a non-profit organization whose mission focuses on the restoration of streams impacted by abandoned coal mine drainage. SRI is located in Mars, PA.)

As many of you may already be aware, a partnership effort has been organized to conduct two water quality snapshots of all the publicly-funded passive treatment systems located within Pennsylvania. This snapshot will consist of collecting water samples for laboratory analysis as well as measuring selected field parameters. The samples will be collected for the raw untreated AMD, the final effluent of the passive system, and the influent and effluent of every alkalinity-generating component such as ALDs, VFPs, SAPS, etc., as feasible.

The first snapshot is planned to take place over the next couple of months (August and September 2009). The second snapshot is planned to take place in late winter/early spring (March, April, May 2010). The monitoring will be conducted by a team consisting of individuals from PA DEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR), Stream Team, PA Senior Environmental Corps, Mill Creek Coalition, Babb Creek Watershed Association, Broadtop Township, and Stream Restoration Incorporated. Funding for the snapshot is through a PA DEP Growing Greener Grant obtained by the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (WPCAMR).

Data from the snapshot will be made publicly available via Datashed http://www.datashed.org/ which is a free, web-based database designed to assist in the management of data related to passive treatment systems and stream monitoring for watershed groups, nonprofits, academia, government agencies and anyone else interested in passive treatment. In addition to the water monitoring data from this snapshot event, information regarding these passive systems, which has been collected by PA DEP BAMR over the last year including existing water quality data, site schematics, as-builts, information forms, etc. will be uploaded to Datashed. An account is not necessary to view any of this data; however, if you would like to be able to upload your own data, documents, and information you can get an account very easily by contacting Cliff Denholm or Shaun Busler at Stream Restoration Inc. 724-776-0161.
We have tried to include as many email addresses of watershed organizations as we could however there were many that we could not find. So please feel free to forward this announcement to watershed groups that you know.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this sampling event please contact Cliff Denholm at Stream Restoration Incorporated. Telephone: 724-776-0161, Email:
sri@streamrestorationinc.org

GiftWorks Special Offer

This your final opportunity to make your fundraising efforts more effective by requesting GiftWorks Standard software (a $399 retail value) for a $99 admin fee and one copy of GiftWorks Volunteers (a $199 retail value) for a $49 admin fee. Both of these GiftWorks products will be available during this special offer to eligible nonprofits and public libraries with annual budgets of up to $250,000 – which constitutes a larger budget cap than in the standard GiftWorks program. If you already have GiftWorks Standard, you can still participate in our special offer to receive an additional license and to request GiftWorks Volunteers. This offer is made possible thanks to a generous discount from GiftWorks.

Click the following link to participate in our special offer:
Place your GiftWorks request

Job Opening: NY Great Lakes Research Consortium

Title: Project Staff Assistant or Associate; full or part-time hours negotiable

Unit: Great Lakes Research Consortium

Salary Range: Low to mid 30’s (at full-time rate) depending on qualifications; excellent benefits.

Expected Duration: This is an ongoing position funded through member dues; the initial appointment is for one year.

Brief Description of Duties: The Great Lakes Research Consortium (GLRC) is an organization of eighteen colleges and universities in New York, with nine affiliate campuses in Ontario, dedicated to collaborative research and education on the Great Lakes. We have nearly 400 member faculty, who are conducting research in every facet of Great Lakes science. More information is available at our website www.esf.edu/glrc.

The role of the Project Staff Assistant or Associate is to assist the Executive Director in the overall administration of Great Lakes Research Consortium. Duties include the organizing and facilitating all GLRC programs and events including the annual conference, seminar series, and publication of the GLRC newsletter, annual report and directory. The project assistant or associate also serves as liaison to the New York Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council and helps administer the New York Great Lakes Protection Fund small grants program. The successful candidate should be comfortable with desktop publishing software such as Adobe Creative Suite, specifically InDesign, as publications and preparation of outreach materials are a major aspect of the job. Position also includes office administrative duties and oversight of several student assistants. Ability to work independently is essential. The work may entail periodic evening and weekend work on and off campus.

Required qualifications include: Bachelor's degree; science background; strong organizational, interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills; attention to detail and a working knowledge of spreadsheet, database, and word processing software.

Preferred qualifications include: Advanced knowledge of layout and design of publications using Adobe Creative Suite, familiarity with web-design using Dreamweaver and the ability to work with multi-disciplinary science, technology and engineering programs; Grant-writing experience, an understanding of great lakes science and policy as well as knowledge of New York organizations whose work is focused on the Great Lakes is a plus.

Date to Be Filled: September 2009

Application Deadline: Although the college will accept applications until the position is filled, interested candidates should submit their materials by August 24, 2009 for optimal consideration.

Application Procedure: Employment application is required to be submitted on-line at http://www.esf.edu/hr/search/ and must attach a cover letter and resume; candidates are also encouraged to include short (1-2 page) examples of publication layout or outreach materials that they have created.

The GLRC office can be contacted directly at GLRC@esf.edu or at 315-470-6720.

Presentation: Izaak Walton League and Save our Streams

By Eric Eckl
Water Words that Work (http://www.waterwordsthatwork.com)

What an honor it was to deliver the opening keynote for the Izaak Walton League’s annual convention and help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Save Our Streams!

As promised, you can click the link to download a copy of my environmental communications presentation.

If you are interested in exploring the topic in a more practical and hands on way, I’d direct you to the four-step Water Words That Work method. It provides handy guidelines and tips for how to use words and pictures to catch people’s attention, make the right first impression, and lead them towards that first step for nature protection and pollution control.

Good luck to you all!

Design Issues and Funding Options for a Clean Water Trust Fund

US Government Accountability Office Testifies Before the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09893t.pdf

Why GAO Did This Study?

Many of the wastewater systems that Americans rely on to protect public health and the environment are reaching the end of their useful lives. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that a potential gap between future needs and current spending for wastewater infrastructure of $150 billion to $400 billion could occur over the next decade. Various approaches have been proposed to bridge this potential gap. One is to establish a clean water trust fund.

What GAO Found:

Stakeholders identified three main issues that would need to be addressedin designing and establishing a clean water trust fund: how a trust fund should be administered and used; what type of financial assistance should be provided; and what activities should be eligible to receive funding from a trust fund. While a majority of stakeholders said that a trust fund should be administered through an EPA partnership with the states, they differed in their views on how a trust fund should be used. About one-third of stakeholders responded that a trust fund should be used only to fund the existing Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), which is currently funded primarily through federal appropriations, while a few said it should support only a new and separate wastewater program. A few stakeholders supported using a trust fund to support both the CWSRF and a separate program, while others did not support the establishment of a trust fund. In addition, more than one-half of the stakeholders responded that financial assistance should be distributed using a combination of loans and grants to address the needs of different localities. Finally, although a variety of activities could be funded, most stakeholders identified capital projects as the primary activity that should receive funding from a clean water trust fund.

GAO identified a number of options that could generate revenue for a clean water trust fund, but several obstacles will have to be overcome in implementing these options, and it may be difficult to generate $10 billion from any one option alone. Funding options include a variety of excise taxes as shown in the table below.

The July issue of EPA's Watershed News is now on-line.

If this link does not work, cut and paste the following URL in your browser. http://www.epa.gov/watershed/news.html

One addition to this month's newsletter:

For the President's United We Serve Initiative, the Corporation for National and Community Service is looking for local success stories told from the perspective of people with first-hand experience in a service project. The story should present the problem and the solution; emphasize the project impact; and be short and sweet (brief paragraph). Pictures and video links are welcome. You can share your story directly at www.serve.gov. For more information or additional guidance, contact mayio.alice@epa.gov.

Site Provides Coal Prices/Production Numbers Over Time

For those of you working on economic development type projects or grants, the Department of Energy link below will tell you the coal prices and production figures over time. An interesting, and scary, fact: Central Appalachian coal this week is $52.30 a ton. This week last year, it was $134.55. Eastern coal production was off 1 million tons in May.

Past prices are here:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/page/coalnews/cnmarchive.html

Current prices are here:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/page/coalnews/coalmar.html

UBS thinks coal prices are going up again in '10:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2009/07/16/afx6665027.html

Energy-Climate Research Internship

Duration: 20-40 hours a week, typically from early June through August, though Fall internships and longer-term positions will be considered as well. Timing and hours are flexible.

Description: The Energy-Climate Research Intern will work closely with the Institute's energy and climate team on a range of projects. Responsibilities include data collection, fact checking, and analysis for Worldwatch publications and online news services. (For more information, visit http://www.worldwatch.org/.) Outstanding interns will likely have the opportunity to write short pieces for these publications. Interns also occasionally attend briefings in and around Washington and report on these to Worldwatch staff. Special projects may include research assistance for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Renewable Energy and Climate Change Mitigation and preparation for the upcoming international conference on climate change in Copenhagen, including the Institute's Dateline: Copenhagen web page.


Qualifications: Worldwatch seeks an Energy-Climate Research Intern with a strong interest and background in energy and climate change issues. Candidates should have exemplary academic records, solid research and computer skills, excellent writing ability, and strong management and organizational skills. International experience is a plus. The work requires attention to detail and an ability to carefully and accurately document authoritative sources for all information gathered. A curiosity about how the environment relates to social, political and economic realities and a capacity to see connections across fields and specialties are important.

More information here.

EPA POSTS LIST OF 44 "HIGH HAZARD POTENTIAL" COAL ASH WASTE IMPOUNDMENTS

Following the failure of an impoundment at the TVA facility in Kingston, Tn., in 2008, EPA has posted a list of 44 "high hazard potential" impoundments containing coal combustion residuals (coal ash) at 26 different coal burning electric utility facilities nationwide. "The presence of liquid coal ash impoundments near our homes, schools and businesses could pose a serious risk to life and property in the event of an impoundment rupture" said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "By compiling a list of these facilities, EPA will be better able to identify and reduce potential risks by working with states and local emergency responders." EPA has also committed to proposing regulation on the management of coal combustion wastes by December 31. The full list is available at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/industrial/special/fossil/ccrs-fs/index.htm

See also: http://www.coalimpoundment.org/

Virginia Water Central June Edition Available Now Online

The latest issue (June 2009, Issue #49) of Water Central is now available at the Water Center's Web site: http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/watercentral.html.

Please note that I have moved to a one-column-only version. I hope this is satisfactorily readable if you choose to print off the publication, rather than reading it online.

In this issue (in order of appearance):
Director’s Column
Teaching Water
Feature: Recreational Water Quality
Science Behind the News: Mosquitoes and Water
Water Status Report
In and Out of the News
Special News Item: Watershed Roundtables
Water Quality and You (también en español)
Va. Govt. Water Issues Overview
Notices
At the Water Center
2009 Virginia Water Research Conference
You Get the Last Word

Previous issues (beginning June 1998) are also available on the newsletter Web site.

I welcome your opinions on the newsletter's content, appearance, and readability. If you have any comments or questions, please contact me at araflo@vt.edu, or at the address and phone listed below. If you reply to this e-mail, please examine the "To." box before sending, to be sure your message is going only to me and not to anyone else who is receiving this message.

Also, please notify me if your e-mail address changes or if you no longer wish to be notified about newsletter postings.

Thank you very much for your interest.

Sincerely yours,

Alan Raflo, Water Central editor
Virginia Water Resources Research Center
210 Cheatham Hall (0444)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
(540) 231-5463
araflo@vt.edu

New group inspires teens to combat climate change

From grist.org


The Alliance for Climate Education aims to educate teenagers about climate change in a way that's hip, engaging, and might actually inspire them to action. Get the story, and watch a video that shows how the group does its magic.

Read more here.

Addressing Storm Water with Rain Gardens

Here' s a link for rain garden design from Rain Gardens of West Michigan. It's an easy way of addressing some storm water problems.

http://www.raingardens.org/Index.php

We Might As Well Face Up To It, Part Umpteen

From Water Words that Work
(click here to see pictures)

Not much aggravates me more than when big industries produce better environmental advertising and marketing materials than we do. Yes, they have more money, but that’s only part of the story. They also use more skill. Compare the big, beautiful smiling face gracing this advertisement from Dominion Power above, to this advertisement from NOAA, below:

Next time you whip out that digital camera to take some snaps of your field work, make sure you get in close and grab a few closeups of the participants’ faces!

Full entry here.

Polluted Runoff Message Tutorial

From Water Words that Work (http://waterwordsthatwork.com)

American Rivers has published a free package of communications research and a multimedia tutorial for developing effective messages related to polluted runoff (they call it stormwater). Here’s how they bill it:

Have you ever talked to a local leader and had their eyes glaze over when you began to talk about stormwater? When you say “LID,” what do people hear? If either of these questions interests you then you will benefit from the results of American Rivers’ research on how to develop a message about stormwater to prompt local leaders to take action for smarter stormwater solutions.

Click here to check out this useful resource.

Wow! Something from Microsoft I Actually Like

(From Water Words that Work)

I’m still nursing a grudge against Microsoft about the whole Windows Vista fiasco, but I’m impressed with the collection of nonprofit “templates” they’ve posted on their Microsoft Office Online collection.

There are sample fundraising letters, press releases, petitions, membership questionnaires, and other useful templates for environmental writing and communication of most kinds. You might find a few “Foolproof Photos” in clip art in the collection that you could use in your next environmental advertising campaign.

Click the link for Microsoft templates that you can use for environmental communications!
Use the database to search for enforcement actions taken by federal or state authorities against municipal sewer authorities and sewage treatment plants between January 2003 and February 2008. Select a facility from the list to learn more about any enforcement actions taken against that plant or municipal authority .


Didymo Resources
Now that summer time is here and many recreational activities are underway, it is important to keep in mind the many issues associated with such activities. One particularly important issue for folks where recreational fishing occurs is the potential spread of an invasive species named Didymo. Didymospenia geminata Didymo, or “rock snot”, is native to cold, high altitude waters found in other continents but has spread to some streams in North America with devastating effects. Many scientists believe Didymo is primarily spread by fisherman with contaminated waders, particularly those with felt soles (which could include folks out monitoring streams with similar equipment).
Many of our streams are at risk of contracting Didymo if proper education, caution, and preventative measures are not provided to those using our waterways. This is a serious threat to water quality, aquatic species, and local economies! I encourage everyone who does not know about Didymo to learn more and start your own campaign to educate and help prevent the spread of this nasty invasive species. I have attached an article from the Nytimes on the spread of Didymo, a .pdf on how to construct a wader wash station to place at local fishing sites, and a Trout Unlimited explanation of Didymo.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/science/16invasive.html?pagewanted=1&ref=science

http://midatlanticconservation.org/docs-pdf/WaderWashStation.pdf

http://www.tu.org/site/c.kkLRJ7MSKtH/b.4506175/k.BBC0/Didymo.htm


National Directory of Volunteer Monitoring Programs
A lot of time has passed since we published the National Directory of Volunteer Monitoring Programs on-line. Check it out at http://yosemite.epa.gov/water/volmon.nsf/ or by clicking from the EPA volunteer monitoring website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/

While we continue to add new programs, much of the information on older programs is out of date, and many new programs are not listed.

Please help us make this a more useful networking tool for volunteer monitoring programs and for the growing number of people searching for opportunities for public service in their communities. Check the directory for your program; it's probably easiest to search by state. If the information posted is more or less still correct, no action is needed, or you can send in an "Update your volunteer monitoring info" email for minor corrections (such as new websites or contact telephone numbers). If the information is very wrong or if nothing is there for your program, please fill out a new form on-line (under "Add your program" in the left hand blue bar).

And, here is this season's edition of the Volunteer Water Monitor:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/newsletter/volmon20no1.pdf

If your watershed has or is threatened by Aquatic Invasive Species I recommend you read this. It provides a lot of information on the topic.

Environmental Education Materials
http://facweb.stvincent.edu/EEC/Lessons.htm
site has curriculum you can download for free plus they sell a grade school level workbook called "Goodbye orange water" which you can purchase for $1each or you can print out individual pages for free.

Webinar: Intro to GIS and ArcView
Sponsored by TechSoup, this webinar was recorded in February of this year but you can view the archive:
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=1e0a12wgb7t45

"An Economic Benefit Analysis for Acid Mine Drainage Remediation in the West Branch Susquehanna Watershed, Pennsylvania"
Courtesy of West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Coalition and Trout Unlimited. The report was produced by Downstream Stategies out of Morgantown, WV. A sample of their findings is quoted below. Though this is a watershed specific study, it provides a model that could be extended to other states and watersheds in order to make compelling arguements for investments in AMD remediation.

"Benefits from the low estimate of $110 million in remediation expenditures can conservatively be expected to generate $204 million in economic activity, not including the additional benefits that would accrue from restored streams. Benefits from the high estimate of $453 million in remediation expenditures would generate $817 million in additional spending within the Commonwealth.

In terms of employment, about 185 permanent jobs in Pennsylvania would be created based on the annual O&M expenditures. The initial capital expenditures would generate between 1,531 and 5,892 direct and indirect jobs in Pennsylvania. An estimated 52% of these jobs are likely to be green-collar jobs."

The full document is available at:
http://www.wbsrc.com/documents/economicbenefits/fulldocument.pdf (*warning this is a LARGE file)
You can also download the report in chunks by visiting http://www.wbsrc.com/economicbenefits.html
Or, for a free hardcopy mailed to you, e-mail Rebecca Dunlap at RDunlap@tu.org


EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds Watershed News
Now on-line at http://www.epa.gov/watershed/winnews/2009/0905.html.


It's a Wet, Wet, Wet, Wet World New Water Law Reading Room
Water is at the heart of agriculture. Without water, crops and livestock would not be able to survive. Water used in agricultural production can come from surface waters, such as rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds, or from groundwater, such as an aquifer. The allocation of this important resource is left up to each state, with very little federal intervention. Each state has its own regulatory system to allocate boththe surface waters and the groundwater in the state.Many important legal issues are presented by the use of water in agriculture. The new Water Law Reading Room http://nationalaglawcenter.org/readingrooms/waterlaw/ deals with issues such as allocation, irrigation, and other problems common to agriculture's use of water. The room contains specific information related to the interplay between water and agriculture and includes a comprehensive case law index, Center publications, an overview article, a federal statute compilation, and a compilation of each state's water laws and regulations. The room also contains valuable links to federal agencies, a listing of states' water offices, water organizations, and other resources. The Center thanks Professor Jesse Richardson, Associate Professor of Urban Affairs and Planning and Urban Affairs and Planning Coordinator at the Virginia Tech University, for his careful review of drafts of the reading room and for his insights and comments that insured the reading room would be the best it could be.


PA Wilds Greenways has a new website.
PA Wilds Greenways serves Clearfield, Jefferson, and Elk Counties. The Pennsylvania Wilds Greenways Partnership is a non-profit association of stakeholders aspiring to the stewardship of Gov. Ed Rendell and the Secretary of DCNR with a mission to:

· Create green jobs and sustainable economic growth through tourism and conservation in North Central PA.
· Connect and transport residents and visitors to regional communities, natural assets and PA Wilds signature projects.
· Transform PA Wilds communities into places where the economy and livability create a sense of place, a welcoming atmosphere and the right mix of services for residents and visitors.
Conserve wilderness and preserve rural areas.
http://www.pawildsgreenways.org/