The Official Website of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game
- Department of Fish and Game
- Commissioner Mary B. Griffin
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Riverways News Notes #32- April 9, 2009 An electronic newsletter from the Massachusetts Riverways Program The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and pending federal legislation relating to rivers and conservation In this issue: Welcome Letters Dear Friends and River Advocates: This is my parting letter to you via NewsNotes, as I have recently retired from my position as Director of the Mass. Riverways Program. I have loved working on behalf of rivers at Riverways and the Department of Fish and Game. I will miss the exciting work, the opportunities to work on rivers and streams across the state, and you, our partners. I have so many memories of rivers, riverine issues and people all across the Commonwealth. I can't begin to thank you all for the work that you do and for your support of Riverways. I appreciate your professionalism, your dedication to rivers and your perspectives. One of the things I have always loved being at Riverways is the successful working relationships we have formed with so many citizens, watershed associations, land trusts, municipal officials, state and federal agencies, businesses and others, working hand-in-hand on river protection, restoration and stewardship projects and issues. I also want to express my appreciation to our superb Commissioner of Fish and Game, Mary Griffin, and her fine staff. I know that you will continue to work with the outstanding staff at Riverways. I appreciate their skills (relating to water quality, flow, fluvial geomorphology, riverine habitat, riparian corridors, river science, grant writing, project management, partnership building, networking, etc.) their dedication to rivers, their hard work, and the enthusiasm they each bring to their work and the fun we have working together. I feel privileged and grateful to have been a part of this program for the past nineteen years. I am delighted that Tim Purinton has agreed to serve as Riverways’ Acting Director. As many of you know from working with him at Riverways, Tim is a leader with many talents and skills, and he is dedicated to the rivers of Massachusetts. It gives me great happiness to know that I am leaving Riverways in such capable hands. My best wishes to each of you. See you on the rivers!Joan Kimball, Director
Greetings, NewsNotes Readers - I’m honored to have been named Riverways’ Acting Director by Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Mary Griffin. I am equally humbled to have the opportunity to follow one the state’s most passionate and consistent voices for the stewardship of our rivers and streams: Joan Kimball. Thanks to Joan’s nineteen years of dedicated service (eight as Director), the Riverways Program exemplifies the very best of state government. Riverways is a small but responsive division that forges strategic partnerships, focuses on implementation and leverages a diverse array of river conservation and restoration funds. Riverways’ 2008 Annual Report highlights many accomplishments, and Joan and I are especially proud of the groundbreaking work of our entire staff and partners. Please take time to read our Annual Report and review these accomplishments at the following link: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/river/resources/annualreports.htm. Tim Purinton, Acting Director ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ Your events wanted for the 2009 Massachusetts Rivers Month Calendar Hi Folks – it’s that time again. As you (may) know, Riverways has each spring since 1988 put out an annual Massachusetts Rivers Month Calendar as part of the national celebration of Rivers Month each June. As many of you also organize great river-related events in May and July as well, we typically expand the “Rivers Month” concept a bit to include river-related events from mid-May to the July 4 th holiday. So this year we intend to include all river-related events (canoe trips, river festivals, river art exhibitions, etc.) we hear about that will take place from Friday, May 8 to Sunday, July 4, 2009. If you haven’t already got one or more events planned for that period, there’s still time to organize something. Rivers Month is a great opportunity for river and watershed groups, stream teams and all other river enthusiasts to schedule activities that promote public awareness of the importance of clean, flowing rivers and protected riparian lands to the Commonwealth’s environmental and economic well-being. In order to list the events in the Calendar, we need to know about them, so ►please send them in (via e-mail, fax, snail mail or the telephone – whichever form is most convenient to you – contact Russ Cohen at (617) 626-1543, (617) 626-1505 (fax) or russ.cohen@state.ma.us.) We’ve also posted an event submission form to give you an idea of what info we’re seeking for the Rivers Month Calendar. However you get the info to us, please submit it by Thursday, April 23, 2009. (NOTE: If you can’t make the 4/23 deadline, send the info in to us anyway, and we will try to squeeze your event in to the Calendar – no promises, though.) Please feel free to circulate this message to anyone you feel is appropriate. We look forward to learning about and publicizing your events. ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and pending federal legislation relating to rivers and conservation By Russ Cohen, Mass. Riverways
While a significant amount of the $787 billion federal spending authorized under ARRA falls under the broad category of conservation, much of that funding is energy-related, such as for green building and energy efficiency. The amount of Recovery Act funding allocated to non-energy-related environmental programs is less than 5% of the total. Nevertheless, the conservation group American Rivers sees significant opportunities for ARRA to advance river and watershed restoration, and has put together a very informative web page for this purpose. River Network has also posted info on ARRA (see here and here), as have the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the American Water Works Association, and Smart Growth America. The biggest chunk of ARRA non-energy spending is going to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the form of $4 billion for clean water projects and $2 billion for drinking water projects. This money will be going through the State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs and of that total $1.2 billion (20%) must be used for a mandatory set aside for green infrastructure (e.g. stormwater mitigation), water or energy efficiency improvements or other environmentally innovative activities. Of the total $6 billion, a full 50% of the SRF funds must be reserved for principal forgiveness or negative interest rate loans (essentially making the money grants). Visit the EPA's SRF Stimulus Webpage for more info, and click here for an August, 2003 EPA publication entitled Funding Water Efficiency through the State Revolving Fund Programs. The ARRA SRF funding allocated to Massachusetts is expected to be made available in a competitive grant application process in a manner similar to past SRF funding rounds. See the Mass. DEP State Revolving Fund web page for more info. On March 12, EPA issued new guidance for the administration of Water Quality Management Planning (WQMP) Grants funded under the ARRA. According to Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act, 1% of each state’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund allotment is reserved for WQMP activities. This means that nearly $40 million will be available nationally to support a broad range of planning activities. Examples of these activities might include: addressing nutrient pollution from cities and agriculture on a watershed basis, protecting undeveloped areas through “green infrastructure” techniques, creating LID programs that will protect water quality in developing areas, developing watershed plans and total maximum daily loads, analyzing trends in water availability and use, and developing response plans to adapt to climate change. Click here for more info, and see the Resources and Grants section below for info on the current §604(b) grant round in Massachusetts. As you (may) know, as the federal stimulus package legislation was wending its way through Congress last fall and winter, a call went out to the states to come up with a list of “shovel ready” projects that would ostensibly meet the ARRA’s criteria. States in turn requested local governmental officials to submit “wish lists” of projects they hoped would get at least partial funding from ARRA. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Recovery and Reinvestment Plan web page serves as a repository for all the project ideas that were submitted and the task force report recommendations, as well as a state counterpart to the Recovery.gov website it that it intends to track the programs and projects in Massachusetts receiving ARRA funds. Riverways has many of its river restoration Priority Projects on the state shovel-ready project list; these projects include dam removal and stream naturalization projects. NOAA anticipates granting $170 million of ARRA funds for coastal and marine habitat restoration projects. Riverways has submitted three proposals to NOAA for dam removal and river restoration projects totaling over seven million dollars. These projects, if funded, would restore significant river habitat on the North and South Shores as well as in the Taunton River Watershed. As you might expect, the cumulative $ cost of the list of projects seeking federal stimulus funding through ARRA greatly exceeds (by an order of magnitude) the amount of money expected to be available. Environmental groups have weighed in with suggestions on ways to allocate scarce funding to projects and a process that supports smart growth and other environmental objectives (see here and here for examples). In the meantime, several efforts are currently underway to increase federal funding for water- and environmentally-related projects. For example: the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1262), approved by the U.S. House or Representatives last month, would authorize the expenditure of an additional $19.8 billion in federal funds over the next five years for wastewater infrastructure and other efforts to improve water quality (click here for more info). A recent Congressional hearing discussed the need for similar increases in federal funding to support water conservation and efficiency programs (click here for more info). In the area of federal funding that’s not necessarily aimed at “shovel ready” infrastructure projects, the Teaming With Wildlife Act of 2009 (S. 655), which would provide $350 million annually over five years to help states carry out comprehensive wildlife restoration programs consistent with a state wildlife action plan, conserving both game and non-game species and natural areas for future generations. A parallel effort is currently underway to increase funding to the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, an important source of federal dollars for riverine land, parkland, and other conservation land acquisition, and on which a Congressional hearing was also recently held (click here, here and here for more info). Last but not least, there are several other pieces of pending federal legislation that do not involve funding but if passed could significantly assist river protection and restoration. Chief among these is the Clean Water Restoration Act, originally filed in 2007 and refiled on April 2, 2009 by Senator Russell Finegold,which seeks to counteract ambiguous Supreme Court decisions and clarify Congress’ intent to have the federal Clean Water Act apply to all the “waters of the United States”, including intermittent streams and wetlands, and not just to navigable waters. Many environmental organizations, including Earthjustice, Ducks Unlimited, National Audubon Society, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), have weighted in in support of this legislation. Several recent magazine articles articulate the need for this legislation, such as Muddy Waters: The Push for Better Clean Water Protection (from E – The Environmental Magazine) and an article focusing on the challenges of cleaning up the Blackstone River, by Massachusetts-based outdoor writer Ted Williams appearing in Audubon magazine. See also The Clean Water Act: A Blueprint for Reform, by the Center for Progressive Reform, for an in-depth discussion of federal clean water legislation and programs that might need strengthening to more effectively clean up degraded waterways. ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ Grant, Prize, Contest, Award and Fundraising Opportunities (presented in rough chronological order by application/nomination/entry deadline) The Wal-Mart Foundation State Giving Program awards grants at the state and regional level to programs that have a strong impact within the communities the company serves. The program provides grants of $25,000 and up in the following categories: Education grants support programs that address the educational needs of underserved young people ages 12-25; Workforce Development/Economic Opportunity grants target job skill training and support services for unemployed and displaced workers; Health and Wellness grants strive to improve access to healthcare, reduce healthcare disparities, and promote healthy lifestyles; and Environmental Sustainability grants assist in the development or expansion of environmentally sustainable communities, with emphasis on green building and job training. The application deadlines for 2009 are April 17 and September 18. Click here for more info, here for the FAQ and here to submit an on-line application, which is proceeded by an eligibility questionnaire. In anticipation of Earth Day 2009, the U.S. EPA’s EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) launched an interactive video contest and photo project asking the public to share the ways they enjoy and protect their environment, with the objective of engaging the public on water quality issues and to inspire stewardship for the nation's waters. The EPA is asking filmmakers and photographers around the world to submit their own videos and photos documenting what steps they take to protect the water they drink, the air they breathe and the overall environmental health of their communities. Categories in the video contest are: reducing your carbon footprint; conserving and protecting water; protecting the environment; and reduce, reuse, recycle. Videos will be judged by a panel of experts on the basis of: creativity and originality, quality, technical accuracy, and content of message. Two winners will be chosen: one for a short, 30 or 60 second video that is useable as a public service announcement, and another for a longer 1 to 3 minute video. Each winner will receive a $2,500 cash award, and their videos will be featured on EPA's website. Click here for more info. Categories in the photo project are: people and the environment; the beauty of nature; and wildlife. Contact Brendan Gilfillan at (202) 564-4355 or gilfillan.brendan@epa.gov for more info. The Development, Community, and Environment Division in EPA's Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation’s Smart Growth Implementation Assistance initiative is seeking applications for technical assistance from communities that want to incorporate smart growth in their future development to meet environmental and other community goals. Eligible entities are tribal, local, regional, and state governments, and nonprofit organizations that have a demonstrated partnership with a governmental entity. Selected communities or states will receive assistance in the form of a multi-day visit from a team of experts organized by EPA and other national partners to work with local leaders. EPA plans to assist three to five communities over a period of twelve months. The Agency anticipates announcing the selected communities in fall of 2009. Applications are due by April 23, 2009; click here or contact Kevin Nelson at (202) 566-2835 or nelson.kevin@epa.gov for more info. The EPA recently announced that applications are now being accepted for its eighth annual National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. This competition is open to public-sector or private sector applicants that have used the principles of smart growth to create better places. Private-sector applicants are encouraged to submit applications for projects that demonstrate a significant public-private partnership. Smart growth development serves the economy, the community, and the environment. Smart growth approaches to development create clear environmental benefits, including improved air and water quality, preservation of critical habitat and open space, and more cleanup and re-use of brownfield sites. Applications are due on April 23, 2009; click here or contact Carlton Eley at (202) 566-2841 or eley.carlton@epa.gov for more info. The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment is currently (until April 24, 2009) seeking nominations for several awards: the Gulf of Maine Visionary Award; the Gulf of Maine Industry Award; the Longard Volunteer Award; and the Susan Snow-Cotter Leadership Award. Click here for detailed award descriptions and nomination forms. The Gulf of Maine Council is also currently seeking proposals for coastal habitat restoration projects within the Gulf of Maine watershed (defined broadly to include all Mass. coastal watersheds draining into Cape Cod Bay and northward, including the greater Merrimack watershed- see map). In partnership with the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service's Community-Based Restoration Program, the Gulf of Maine Council’s Habitat Restoration Grants Program provides funding for projects focusing on restoration of habitats in streams, coastal wetlands, and subtidal coastal environments, and that support a strategic approach to marine, coastal, and riverine habitat restoration. Click here to see and here to download the Request for Proposals; applications are due by May 1, 2009. The Boston-based Cricket Foundation (no web page) supports new initiatives in land preservation, research and advocacy, and biological conservation in New England. Past grants have been awarded for watershed protection and land conservation. The Foundation will support general operating, capital campaigns, seed money, special projects, equipment, exhibits, and performances. Grants range in size from $1,000-$5,000; call or write for grant guidelines (initial contact is usually made by Letter of Inquiry or telephone). Application deadlines for full proposals are May 1 and November 1. For more information, contact George Butterworth III, Exchange Place, Suite 2200, Boston, MA 02109-2881, (617) 570-1130. The Fund for Wild Nature provides grants to grassroots organizations for campaigns tosave and restore native species and wild ecosystems, including actions to defend wilderness and biological diversity. The Fund seeks proposals with visionary and yet realistic goals to create tangible change. Priority is given to projects premised on effective, intelligent, biocentric strategies on issues that are not receiving adequate national attention, and may not be fundable through mainstream sources. The Fund rarely supports proposals from organizations with large budgets (over $250,000 annually). The remaining deadlines for 2009 are May 1 and November 1; click here or call (503) 477-6750 for more info. The New England Grassroots Environment Fund (NEGEF) provides grants of up to $2,500 to fuel civic engagement, local activism, and social change. NEGEF funds community involvement in projects that address a wide range of environmental issues including: agriculture, air quality, alternative energy, aquifer protection, biotechnology, community gardens, environmental justice, energy conservation, forestry, global warming, land trusts, marine environment, public health, sprawl, sustainable communities, toxics and hazardous waste, trails, water quality, watershed management, wetlands, wildlife, and youth-organized environmental work. NEGEF was created to assist groups who are not being reached by traditional funders. NEGEF’s user-friendly web page is worth checking out, as it contains on-line versions of NEGEF’s current and past newsletters and a recommended reading list for potential grantees as well as links to grant recipients sorted by resource type (water, e.g.). Contact NEGEF staff at (802) 223-4622 or info@grassrootsfund.org for more info. The next application deadlines are: May 1 for general grants, and June 15 for the Boston Grants Initiative for projects in Boston and several adjacent communities. The Massachusetts Office of the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently announced the availability of grant monies under the 2008 Farm Bill. Anyone who owns or manages farmland or forest land in Massachusetts and would like technical or financial assistance to protect their natural resources is urged to contact them soon to begin the planning process. Applications for Farm Bill conservation programs may be submitted at any time, but May 1, 2009 is the cut-off date for the first round of ranking and funding in Massachusetts. Massachusetts has been allocated more than $13 million for financial assistance this year. Among the voluntary conservation programs authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill are: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which helps farmers and forest landowners address water quality, water conservation, invasive species control, soil quality, erosion control, nutrient and pest management, residue management, irrigation efficiency, energy conservation, air quality and other natural resource concerns; Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), which provides assistance to landowners who want to improve fish and wildlife habitat or restore natural ecosystems on their land; and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), which offers an opportunity for landowners to voluntarily protect, restore and enhance wetlands on their property. Click here or contact Diane Petit at (413) 253-4371 or Diane.Petit@ma.usda.gov for more info. The Mass. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently issued a Request for Responses (RFR) for the FY10 funding round for its §319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Competitive Grants Program (click here and here for FY10 info). Matching fund requirements have been relaxed somewhat from prior years. To access the FY10 RFR and the fact sheet explaining the new matching rules, go to http://www.comm-pass.com, click on “Search for Solicitations”, then enter BRP 2009-02 into the “Keywords” box. Next, click on the phrase “There are 1 Solicitation(s) found that match your search criteria”, then click on the “eyeglasses” symbol to view the solicitation; then click on the “Intent” tab, then click on the eyeglasses symbol next to “Match Documentation” to view the fact sheet. Responses are due on June 2, 2009. There’s a §319 public info session scheduled for Wednesday, April 22 at DEP’s Central Regional Office in Worcester. Contact Jane Peirce at (508) 767-2792 or Jane.Peirce@state.ma.us for more info. With passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the Mass. DEP anticipates receipt of an additional $533,605 dollars for its FY10 §604(b) Water Quality Management Planning competitive grant program. DEP will focus the ARRA funds towards watershed or subwatershed-based point and nonpoint source assessment-type grant projects leading to the: 1) determination of the nature, extent and causes of water quality problems; 2) assessment of impacts and determination of effluent limitations necessary to meet water quality standards; 3) Green infrastructure projects that manage wet weather to maintain or restore natural hydrology; and 4) development of implementation plans that will address water quality impairments. DEP is seeking project proposals in the $50,000 to $100,000 range that will identify water quality problems and provide preliminary or final designs for BMPs to address these problems. A §604(b) RFR will be issued by DEPsometime in April [go to Comm-Pass, click on “Search for Solicitations” and then type BRP 09-03 into the “Keywords” box], with proposals due approximately six weeks later. Click here in the meantime for more info on eligible applicants, projects, etc., or contact Gary Gonyea at (617) 556-1152 or gary.gonyea@state.ma.us for more info. The Good Earth Tea and Coffee Sweepstakes Giveaway is offering: a Grand Prize of $10,000 to the winner and a $10,000 donation made to the §501(c)(3) charitable organization of the Grand Prize winner's choice; Second Prize is $2,000 to the winner, and a $2,000 donation made to the tax-exempt organization of the winner's choice; and a Third Prize of $500 to the both the winner and his/her chosen charity. Sweepstakes ends May 19, 2009 – click here to enter and here for full sweepstakes rules. EPA Region One/New England’s 2009 Healthy Communities Grant Program integrates ten programs – Assistance & Pollution Prevention, Asthma, Children’s Environmental Health, Clean Energy, Pesticides, Tools for Schools, Toxics, Tribal Compliance Assistance, Urban Environmental Program, and Wetlands Protection. These programs are working in partnership to improve environmental conditions by competitively identifying projects that will achieve measurable environmental, human health and quality of life improvements in communities across New England. Eligible projects must meet two criteria: (1) be located in and directly benefit one or more of the three Target Investment Areas; and (2) identify measurable environmental and public health results in one or more of the six Target Program Areas. In 2009, Target Investment Areas include: Environmental justice areas of potential concern, Sensitive populations, and/or Urban areas. Target Program Areas include: Asthma, Capacity-building on environmental and public health issues, Clean energy, Healthy indoor/outdoor environments, Healthy schools, & Urban natural resources and open/green space. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, local government, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, state or regional agencies, K-12 schools or school districts and tribes. Funding may be requested between $5,000 to $35,000 for one or two year projects. EPA expects to award about 10 to 20 grants through this competitive program, based on availability of funding. The deadline for Initial Project Summaries is May 8, 2009. The Healthy Communities Grant Program will sponsor six telephone conference calls to address questions before the Initial Project Summary deadline. The informational sessions are optional, but RSVPs are required. The informational sessions for the Initial Summary Outlines are scheduled for April 15, 23, and 29, 2009 with two sessions per day (9:00 am - 11:00 am and 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm). Click here for the application guidance or contact Jennifer Padula at (617) 918-1698 or Padula.Jennifer@epa.gov for more info. The Save Our History Grant Program, developed by the History Channel, provides funding to support collaboration between history organizations and schools or youth groups on projects that teach children about their local heritage and actively engage them in its preservation. Projects must focus on a significant aspect of community heritage, such as the history and/or preservation of a building, historic site, historic collection, or an historic event that is important to the local community. Grants of up to $10,000 will be provided; a total of $100,000 in grants will be available in 2009. Eligible applicants include history museums, historical societies, preservation organizations, historic sites, libraries, archives, government agencies, and other historical organizations that partner with K-12 schools, or organizations that provide educational programming for children of similar ages. On-line applications must be submitted by June 5, 2009 – click here for more info. The U.S. EPA is calling for submissions to the third annual Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder Contest. Carson is considered to be the founder of the contemporary environmental movement through her landmark book, Silent Spring. Entries will be accepted in four categories—poetry, essay, dance, and photography. For more information, see the EPA contest website. Submissions are due by June 10, 2009. [A related news item: the newly-released film A Sense of Wonder depicts scientist and author Rachel Carson in the last year of her life as she battles cancer and the chemical industry in the wake of publishing. Carson 's bestseller led to the banning of the chemical DDT, the creation of the Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the birth of the organic food movement. Al Gore writes in his foreword to the 30th anniversary edition of Silent Spring, “Without this book, the [modern] environmental movement may never have developed at all.” Click here to find out about the film, attend or host a screening, or order your own copy on DVD.] Under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides matching grants to States for acquisition, restoration, management or enhancement of coastal wetlands. Typically, between $13 million and $17 million in grants are awarded annually through a nationwide competitive process. Funding for the program comes from excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat and small engine fuels. Click here to view the current funding announcement and associated documents; the application deadline for funding in FY10 is June 26, 2009. Contact Sharon Koroski, USFWS Grants Assistant, at (413) 253-8508 or Sharon_Koroski@fws.gov for more info. Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative recognizes nonprofit organizations and individuals working to improve their communities. The focus is on areas such as education, community development and/or neighborhood preservation, arts and culture, and health and human services. The Initiative's Neighborhood Builders category provides grants of $200,000 each to two nonprofit organizations working to promote vibrant neighborhoods in each of the Bank's 45 markets. The Local Heroes category provides grants of $5,000 each to nonprofit organizations selected by each of five recognized individuals in the targeted markets. Applications and nominations must be submitted on-line by June 30, 2009; early submission is encouraged. The Portland, ME-based Horizon Foundation’s funding priorities include protecting and conserving land and water resources and educating children and adults about being good stewards of the environment. Grants (in the $5,000 to $20,000 range) in Mass. are limited to projects located in Barnstable County (Cape Cod). Click here for info on the Foundation’s preferred letter of inquiry (LOI) contact; the next LOI deadline is July 1, 2009. Contact the Foundation at (207) 773-5101 or info@horizonfoundation.org for more info. The Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ Division of Conservation Services ( DCS ) recently announced that the FY10 grant round for Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) and Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) grants are now open. PARC grants provide municipalities with funding for parkland acquisition, development of parks, and renovations of existing parks. LAND grants provide municipalities with funding for conservation land acquisition. The grants will be due on July 15, 2009. Please attend a “how to” grant workshop on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 10:00 AM in the 2nd floor conference room at 100 Cambridge Street, Boston. Visit the DCS ’s website at http://www.mass.gov/eea/dcs for the grant application package and fillable .pdf application form. In related news, DCS also recently announced that the FY 2010 grant round for the Conservation Partnership Grant Program is also now open. Conservation Partnership grants provide funding assistance to land trusts and other non-profits whose primary purpose is land conservation for the acquisition of conservation land or Conservation Restrictions. These grant applications are due July 13, 2009; click here or contact Celia Riechel at (617) 626-1187 or Celia.Riechel@state.ma.us for more info. Starbucks’ V2V (Volunteer 2 Volunteer) Program, launched by the company last summer, is a social networking site to promote volunteerism among customers and Starbucks employees. You can post a cause, an event, or an activity (like the Mystic River Cleanup) and have others join you. The company pledges to contribute over 1 million hours of community service per year to communities served by Starbucks locations by 2015. You can participate in a local community service project or by creating your own project and inspiring others to participate on the V2V website (see, e.g., the entry for World Water Day). Click here for advice on how to create a community service project. Looking at Rivers: Beauty and Magic in Water and Light, an exhibition currently running (until April 30) at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Regional Office in Hadley, showcases photographs by Christopher Curtis (who often works on river issues in his role as Chief Land Use/Environmental Planner with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission). The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except federal holidays. There is no charge for admission. Adults will be asked to show a photo I.D. to enter the building. Click here for more info. The Pawtucket Falls and adjacent Blackstone River have been the backdrop to many pivotal and contentious events, including: conflicts over settlement and the burning of Pawtucket during King Philip's War; border disputes between the colonies of Massachusetts and Rhode Island; and conflicts over the right to use the river, including construction of the river's first fish passage and an attempt to destroy the Slater Dam to a court battle over water-rights which went to the U.S. Supreme Court and helped set precedent for future property law. Current issues include the struggle to reverse 300 years of industrial use and remove the pollutants and apathy it produced, and efforts to restore the river's natural habitat and introduce specific species of fish and wildlife to the river. The issues brought up by these conflicts are the focus of Pawtucket Falls: Convergences and Boundaries, an exhibit compiled by the Slater Mill Historic Site and currently on display (until May 1, 2009) at the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center 175 Main St. in Pawtucket, RI. Click here or call (401) 725-8638 for more info. Habitat Gardening (course code: HABG-1), a course offered on April 16 and April 23 for beginning and experienced gardeners by the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and taught by Kim DeAndrade and Ellen Sousa, will teach you how and what to plant to attract various kinds of wildlife; how birds, dragonflies, bats, and beneficial insects all provide free pest control, plus other ecological gardening techniques. You’ll learn about the four elements that wildlife need: food, water, cover, and places to rear their young and how your property, large or small, can become a National Wildlife Federation certified backyard wildlife habitat. Beautiful photos of New England habitat gardens will inspire you and wash away any remaining post-winter doldrums. Help create habitat, one yard at a time! Click here or call (617) 547-6789 to register or for more info. “e”. inc., a Boston-based environmental learning & action center, is hosting a screening of the2009 Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, 41 Berkeley Street (near Tremont) in Boston. The cost for the entire evening (which is expected to include supper, a silent auction and dessert) is $30.00 per person, which includes a tax-deductible donation to the work of “ e” inc. Click here or call (617) 227-1522 for more info. The Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation(DCR)’s Park Serve Day 2009, Saturday, April 25, is a statewide day of volunteer service to get parks and beaches across the Commonwealth ready for summer by cleaning coastlines, clearing trails, planting flowers, painting picnic tables, and more. This year’s event features more than 50 parks, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod, giving you a wide range of volunteer opportunities to choose from. Click here to sign up and here for more info. [Mass. Audubon’s Work for Wildlife: 3rd Annual Statewide Volunteer Day, is also scheduled for Saturday, April 25 from 9:00 AM - noon: click here for more info.] The Tenth Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup, sponsored by the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2009 from 9:00AM to 12 noon. Come join more than 2,200 other volunteers along all 80 miles of the Charles River and be part of a group picking up trash (including shopping carts, plastic bottles, and old tires) from along the banks of the Charles River at one of 40 sites from Boston to Bellingham. Volunteers are provided with gloves, trash bags, and a free t-shirt for participating, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped improve the health and beauty of the Charles River! Call (781) 788-0007 ext. 303 for more info. The Twenty-Seventh Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race, also sponsored by the CRWA, will take place on Sunday, April 26, 2009. Professional, amateur and recreational canoe and kayak races include international, national, and local entries, ages 12 and up. More than 1,500 racers and thousands of spectators line the Charles River as the race winds through Dedham, Needham, Newton, Wellesley, Waltham, and Boston to the free day-long Finish Line Festival at Herter Park, Soldiers Field Road, Brighton. Races include the $5000 Professional Flatwater Canoe Marathon, 24-Mile Canoe Relay Race for teams of ten, and 19-, 9- and 6-Mile canoe & kayak races. To race, sponsor or volunteer, contact: (508) 698-6810 or rotc@crwa.org or click here for more info. Fresh Water & Waterways in New England: A Community Issues Forum to Talk About the Plight of their Communities to Protect their Water, will take place on Monday, April 27 in the Stella Room of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, 77 Mass. Ave. in Cambridge from 5:30PM -7:00PM. Join water activists Robert Zimmerman (Charles River Watershed Association), Rob Moir (Ocean River Institute), and Emily Posner (Defending Water for Life Maine) in a presentation of their work and an engaging conversation about Water issues in New England. Contact Marianne Maloy at (215) 840-6625 (cell) or Marianne@elpnet.org to register or for more info. The Northeast Chapter of the River Management Society (RMS) is hosting a luncheon discussion entitled Where Energy and Water Meet: Can the drive for renewable energy through hydropower be compatible with ecological health and protection?, to be held on Friday, May 1 at noon at the Mariners House, 11 North Square in Boston. The main speaker for the event is Fred Ayer of the Low Impact Hydropower Institute. The cost is $7.00 for RMS members, $10.00 for non-members. Space is limited so please reserve your seat today! RSVP by Friday April 24 to Liz_Lacy@nps.gov or (860) 379-0282. The Rushing Rivers Institute is hosting at least one instructional course this spring relating to its MesoHABSIM stream habitat assessment methodology. The course(s) will take place from May 4-7, 2009 at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices in Hadley, MA. Click here to sign up or for more info. [Click here to see a two-minute YouTube video explaining the MesoHABSIM process, with supporting roles played by Riverways’ Alex Hackman and Margaret Kearns.] Interested in sharing a program, something you've learned, an innovation or an idea? The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) is currently (until May 8, 2009) seeking poster presentations for the Massachusetts Conference on Volunteering & Service, scheduled for June 4, 2009 at the Best Western Royal Plaza in Marlboro. Click here or contact Naomi Weiner at (617) 542-2544, ext. 218 or nweiner@mass-service.org for more info. [There’s also a Statewide Community-Service Learning Conference scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2009 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester and a Civic Engagement Summit scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at UMass/Dartmouth.] Last but not least, click here to access a nice list of and links to foundations that make grants to community projects that the MSA has put together. Now is the time, during the lull in the building boom, to lay the groundwork for communities to require better stormwater management practices and for developers to design more creative projects. To advance that objective, the Blackstone River Coalition is sponsoring a conference entitled Managing Wet Weather in the Blackstone River Watershed: The Lull before the Storm, to take place on Thursday, May 14, 2009 from 2-8 PM at Alternatives Unlimited in Whitinsville (Northbridge). The $10 registration fee includes refreshments and a light supper. Click here to register or for more info, or contact Peter Coffin at peter.coffin@zaptheblackstone.org or (508) 753-6087. Abstracts of presentations are currently (until May 15, 2009) sought for the 2009 Watershed Science and Technical Conference: Clean Water Through Protection and Partnership, to be held September, 14 & 15 at the Hotel Thayer on the campus of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The conference brings scientists and technical experts together from across the nation, along with watershed stakeholders and the public, to technically inform, present research findings, share technical data, exchange ideas, and present leading edge information regarding the protection of the New York City watershed water supply system. [See also a call for abstracts (until April 30, 2009) for the 2009 Northeast Private Well Symposium, to be held in Portland, ME in November.] Since 1990, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), in partnership with its member states, has been coordinating the Annual Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Conference, the premier forum in our region for sharing information and improving communication on NPS pollution issues and projects. The three-day conference brings together all those in New England and New York State involved in NPS pollution management, including participants from state, federal, and municipal governments, private sector, academia, and watershed organizations. The 2009 Conference is scheduled from May 18-20 and will be held at the Eastland Park Hotel in Portland, ME. Click here to register, here for the conference agenda, or contact Michele Piazza at (978) 323-7929 ext. 245 or mpiazza@neiwpcc.org for more info. Earth Night, the annual gala benefit for the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), has become Boston’s largest environmental event, drawing hundreds of the state’s environmental, government, business, and community leaders. In addition to fine food, distinguished guests, and a lively atmosphere, Earth Night features exciting live and silent auctions that have included a Toyota Prius, tickets to local shows and events, a variety of quality products and services, and trips to destinations in the U.S. and around the world. This year’s event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 27 at the Omni Parker House in Boston. Click here or send an e-mail to info@classic-communications.com for more info. River Network's 2009 National River Rally is scheduled to take place from May 29 - June 1, 2009 in Baltimore, MD. Highlights include: a series of intensive, 4-hour workshops on Friday afternoon; over 70 additional workshops covering topics of interest to staff, volunteers and board members of river conservation organizations; office hours, mentoring sessions and real life, in-person conversations with funders and exhibitors; the River Heroes Banquet, a memorable and inspirational night of celebrating our own leaders; and unsurpassed networking opportunities. Click here or contact Katherine Luscher at (503) 542-8384 for more info. UMass/Amherst and the U.S. EPA invite you to the International Conference on the Environmental Implications and Applications of Nanotechnology, scheduled for June 9-11, 2009 at the UMass/Amherst campus. The conference will provide a valuable forum for scientists, regulators, and policy makers from academia, government, and industry to interact and share new knowledge on the environmental implications and applications of nanotechnology, green nanotechnology, and new environmental applications, and help direct future research and regulatory needs. The conference includes 78 platform presentations covering Characterization, Detection, and Analysis; Environmental Fate and Transport; Bioavailability, Toxicity, and Exposure; Green Nanotechnology; Pollution Control and Remediation; Nano Regulatory and Policy Issues, a concluding plenary panel discussion and conference wrap-up, poster sessions, exhibitors, and special events and receptions. Click here to register or for more info. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has compiled a Green Jobs Training Opportunities Catalog re lated to wet weather management green infrastructure design, installation, operation and maintenance, etc. National and state programs, universities, apprenticeships, and grant programs are included. The catalog is a work in progress, and the agency is looking for input on comparable programs in your region or state. Please send submissions to arazan.nancy@epa.gov. The EPA recently released an on-line Pond/Wetland Management Guidebook that describes maintenance and inspection practices for existing wet ponds and wetlands. The guide includes checklists for use during construction and routine maintenance of ponds/wetlands, and also includes a home owner pond inspection checklist. Maintenance profile sheets describe how to address eight different common maintenance issues. EPA Region 8 office has produced a 12-minute video, Wetlands and Wonder: Reconnecting Children with Nearby Nature, presenting a case for protecting urban wetlands as places to experience nature. The video focuses on urban and suburban wetlands as valuable resources to be restored, protected and enjoyed. The video features interviews with Julia McCarthy, Joan Almon, Richard Louv and Robert Michael Pyle. Copies of the DVD are available from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications at (800) 490-9198 (or by clicking here) and requesting Publication number: EPA 980-V-08-002; September 2008. EPA’s National Water Program has created a new electronic newsletter or “listserve” covering news and information related to water programs and climate change. The e-newsletter will provide short articles and links to other related Internet sites weekly. The e-newsletter is part of a larger effort to inform clean water and drinking water program managers about climate change topics, issues, and opportunities called for in the recent National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change. To subscribe, click here and then click on “Subscribe to the Climate and Water E-Newsletter”. EPA’s new Watershed Central website is intended to help watershed organizations and others find key information they need to implement watershed management and restoration projects. Watershed Central helps users find environmental data, watershed models, nearby local organizations, guidance documents and other information depending on the task at hand. Watershed Central also contains links to watershed technical resources, funding sources, mapping applications and information specific to named watersheds. The website also includes a Watershed Central Wiki to enable watershed practitioners to share tools, scientific findings, expertise, and local approaches to watershed management. On Wednesday, April 15, 2009, EPA's Watershed Academy will present a free webcast entitled, Watershed Central: A New Gateway to Watershed Information to help introduce you to this new on-line tool. Ecological Revitalization: Turning Contaminated Properties Into Community Assets (EPA 542-R-08-003, February 2009, 83 pages) provides technical information to assist property managers and other stakeholders better understand, coordinate, and conduct ecological revitalization at contaminated properties during cleanup. This document presents general planning and process considerations for ecological revitalization as well as technical considerations for implementing ecological revitalization of wetlands, streams, and terrestrial ecosystems during cleanup. It also highlights EPA's initiatives and resources relating to the topic, and presents numerous site-specific examples and case studies where ecological revitalization has occurred Click here to download the document and here (or call (800) 490-9198) to order a hard copy. FishXing (pronounced “fish crossing”): Software and Learning Systems for Fish Passage Through Culverts, a web link maintained by the U.S. Forest Service’s Stream Systems Technology Center (which also produces a quarterly Stream Notes electronic newsletter and other useful info), is intended to assist engineers, hydrologists, and fish biologists in the evaluation and design of culverts for fish passage, and is available for free download at this URL. Also available is a downloadable version of a USFS publication produced in May of 2008 entitled Stream Simulation: An Ecological Approach to Providing Passage for Aquatic Organisms at Road-Stream Crossings. On March 1, Massachusetts officially joined a growing national network of home-based and amateur rain spotters known as the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) and is now seeking volunteers to provide daily data. CoCoRaHS is a nonprofit, community-based network of volunteers that measure and map precipitation. Currently, more than 12,000 volunteer observers in 39 states upload daily precipitation totals to the CoCoRaHS website. The result is more precise information about where rain, snow, and hail falls and in what amount, which allows climatologists to draw better precipitation maps and gain a better understanding of weather. CoCoRaHS is a collaboration of Colorado State University; National Weather Service (NWS) offices in Albany, NY and Taunton, MA; the Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation; and the American Meteorological Society. Last but not least: Citizen scientists are being recruited to help scientists observe the effects of climate change on the behavior of plant and animal species found across the United States. Volunteers are asked to study the seasonal cycles of plant and animals -- the first leafing, first flowering, and first fruit ripening of plants, and animals reproducing, migrating and hibernating -- a science known as phenology. A consortium of government, academic and citizen scientists known as the USA-National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) is launching the new national program built on volunteer observations of these seasonal events. Scientists and resource managers will use these observations to track effects of climate change on the Earth's living systems. The observations will be analyzed against satellite-generated remote sensing data and weather data, then compared with detailed ecological studies. Based at the University of Arizona in Tucson, the USA-NPN includes collaborations among the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Arizona, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Wildlife Society." Click here or here for more info. Non-government On-line Resources Connecticut River Watershed Restoration The 22-mile-long “Turners Falls Pool” segment of the Connecticut River, stretching from Turners Falls, MA upstream to just below the Vernon Dam in Vernon, VT, has been the focal point for decades of concern about and response to an exacerbated level of streambank instability and erosion in this reach, believed to be caused in part by the establishment and operation of the Turners Falls and Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage hydroelectric power projects. This web page, set up by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments in cooperation with FirstLight Power Resources and funded in part via a §319 grant from the U.S. EPA, documents the ongoing effort to identify and prioritize the most unstable and eroding sections of streambank, and the bioengineering-based stabilization measures employed at those sites to arrest and prevent further streambank instability and erosion. This interactive and user-friendly web page provides access to “before” and “after” photos of treated sites along with designs, construction drawings and other details of the work, along with a helpful list of lessons learned that should be useful to anyone else contemplating a streambank stabilization project. Ed Thompson’s Nashua and Squannacook Rivers Cleanup Page This web page, put together by Waltham, MA software company Brainshark employee Ed Thompson, uses Brainshark’s software to present a narrated slide show documenting Ed’s ongoing efforts to remove trash from the Nashua and Squannacook Rivers. Besides telling an inspiring story of what one person can do to one behalf of their local rivers, it’s a good illustration of the potential for other river enthusiasts and environmentalists to use this software to help get the word out about what they’re doing. Environmental Health News The mission of Environmental Health News, is published daily by Environmental Health Sciences, a non-profit organization founded in 2002, is to advance the public’s understanding of environmental health issues by providing access to worldwide news about a variety of subjects related to the health of humans, wildlife and ecosystems. The current and archived articles can be sorted by topic (like water quantity), location (like Massachusetts) and many other parameters. Articles recently posted to this website include ones on sustainable water certification and legal obstacles to rainwater harvesting. [See also the Mother Nature Network website, where (among other things, like a blog post on the new Tappening.com website focusing on the downsides of bottled water) you can sign up for a free weekly newsletter that will bring you unconventional and lively green content alongside breaking environmental news from around the web.] Facebook Non-profit and Community Profiles and Marketplace The social networking site Facebook is being increasingly used by nonprofit organizations to better connect to their members and for their members to connect to each other. By establishing a free Facebook public profile, your group can create an authentic connection with current and potential supporters and donors. The Charles River Watershed Association is among the over 100,000 groups using Facebook to stay connected to their constituents. Foster a strong relationship with the people who care about your organization. Raise awareness by posting updates and Notes, mobilize communities with Causes and Events, and stay connected with Discussion Boards, commenting and Wall posts (click here for more info). You can organize events, share videos and photos, or discuss the latest issues relevant to your community with members instantly and efficiently in a safe environment. You can also use your Facebook public profile to spread the word to others outside of your organization about upcoming events, important announcements or fundraising efforts. Click here to sign up or for more info. Facebook also recently re-launched its Marketplace application, where (among other things) Facebook members can post items for sale and then have the proceeds directed to their favorite charity. Groups already taking advantage of this include the Sierra Club Foundation, Clean Water Fund and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Fiscal Sponsor Center For grassroots groups just getting started, not having IRS tax-exempt status can be a significant obstacle to raising funds, and the effort to achieve such status can drain precious resources away from your core mission. Fiscal sponsorship can be an efficient way to fund your work. It frees groups from the chains of filing, reporting, fundraising, and everything else that makes nonprofits a challenge. The best known fiscal sponsor, the Tides Center, is just one of 139 fiscal sponsors in 26 states. If you're having trouble with the whole §501(c)3 concept, maybe it's time to look into this avenue. Greenlight Established by OnEarth, the magazine of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Greenlight is an opportunity for citizen journalists to post their environmental investigative reporting and other environment-related stories, videos, etc.on-line. As a Greenlight Citizen Journalist, you can: add a local angle to an OnEarth Magazine report; cover the local environmental beat; and call attention to a local hero, via an interview or profile. Let your camera tell the story-post photos of ecological degradation, inspiring people, or exciting events. Post video of interesting people doing good work, of places that inspire or outrage, from events, or even of tips for improving the planet. Build a portfolio and professional profile associated with OnEarth’s tradition of award-winning, independent journalism. Click here for more info. Greenscapes Massachusetts With its slogan Greenscapes are beautiful landscapes that protect our water, Greenscapes Massachusetts is a collaborative education and outreach effort sponsored by the Greenscapes Massachusetts Coalition and many Community Partners, Grantors, Underwriters, Advisors, Allies, and Supporters. It seeks to: educate citizens and professionals about landscaping practices (particularly irrigation and chemical use) to have less impact on the environment; create an informed and proactive citizenry that acts as environmental stewards in their own backyards; and generate broad support for the responsible public management of water resources (quality and quantity). Click here to read Greenscapes’ Spring 2009 Newsletter, which contains a links to a downloadable 2009-10 Yard Care Calendar, upcoming events and much more. Land Conservation and Advocacy Trust This new, Massachusetts-based organization, founded less than a year ago by Steve Meltzer (see Steve’s “preserveland” blog), was established to provide emergency funding and legal support to preserve open spaces and natural resources, and promote smart-growth ideals that foster land conservation. The LCA Trust will work closely with land trusts, other stewardship organizations, and on its own initiative so that it can act quickly when local resources are not available to preserve important land parcels. The LCA Trust is just gearing up, so if you know of a land-saving opportunity you could use this group’s help on, this is your big chance to get their attention. Land For Good The mission of this Keene, NH-based organization is to keep New England 's productive land cared for and in active use for the benefit of farmers, landowners, the land and the community. The organization helps families and organizations plan for and pass on working lands, helps farmers access land, and fosters professional and community networks, public awareness and policies that keep New England 's working lands working. Resources on this page include info on Land For Good’s Farm Transfer Planning and Working Lands programs as well as a description of projects the organization has undertaken. Call (603) 357-1600 e-mail info@landforgood.org for more info. Mass. Audubon’s “Invasive Species of Massachusetts ” web page This web page includes photos and other detailed info on invasive plant species, Mass. Audubon’s invasives control strategy, past and current invasives control projects on Audubon sanctuaries, and for what you can do, including participating in upcoming Audubon events and programs on this topic. Mass. Audubon also still has hard copies of its Invasive Species Management Handbook available, which includes general and species-specific info on over 100 invasive species found in Massachusetts and adjacent states (click here to order a copy). Mass. Audubon’s Sanctuary Magazine Sanctuary Magazine, a high-quality publication edited by John Hanson Mitchell and put out quarterly by Mass. Audubon is available in hard-copy format as a membership benefit. The current (Spring 2009) edition of Sanctuary, entitled Between Land and Sea: the Fate of Migratory Fish, mailed out to Audubon members last month, was replete with excellent articles (click here to see its table of contents). A bit of this issue is now available for reading on-line, including: A fragile delicacy, an essay about American Eels and their close European cousins, and more is anticipated to be posted on-line in the near future (see, e.g., the Winter 2008-9 on-line edition of Sanctuary, entitled Gambling with Nature: the environmental effects of megacasinos). Riverways is featured in an article about the restoration of the Little River in Gloucester, a project Mass Audubon, Riverways, NOAA and the City of Gloucester have been planning since 2005 and which is almost ready for construction. Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) MyRWA’s recently spiffed-up web page incorporates new site architecture, a powerful new search feature, and easy- to-access information about MyRWA’s Water quality monitoring programs and data, a watershed recreation guide, with interactive maps, important policy comment letters, photos, videos, upcoming events, including the Mystic River Cleanup on Saturday, April 18 and other fun facts. Rivers of Destiny A part of the PBS TV Series Journey To Planet Earth, Rivers of Destiny takes viewers on a journey to four major river systems of the world to investigate environmental pressures facing those whose lives depend upon the health of their waterways: the Mississippi, Jordan, Amazon, and Mekong Rivers. The Rivers of Destiny web page contains links to video excerpts of all four programs as well as information on how to order videos or arrange for a screening in your classroom (see teachers’ guide) or community. Smart About Water - Helping America's Small Communities Protect Their Source Water Funded by a $3 million grant from the EPA and orchestrated by West Virginia University's National Environmental Services Center (NESC) in partnership with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), SMART About Water provides training and technical assistance about source water and wellhead protection planning to small and rural communities and focuses on untreated wastewater from failing septic and sewer systems, the largest contributor to water quality degradation. Resources at this web page include a toolkit with articles and other resources on social marketing [see also this article], outreach and other source water protection techniques. Stream Explorers This new “kid-friendly” website, just launched by Trout Unlimited, is intended to help you introduce that special kid in your life to the world of clean water and wild fish, as well as the joy of fly fishing. Also - for just $12, your child, grandchild or other special young person will receive Stream Explorers, TU’s new quarterly youth magazine, full of activities, games and fun facts for kids ages 13 and below. (Kids between 14 and 18 receive Trout magazine.) For a gift of $25, your special kid will receive A Kid's Guide to Flyfishing, written by Tyler Befus, a fly angler who authored the book at age 8. Trust for Public Land (TPL)’s Park Equity & Public Health Toolkit TPL ’s recently-developed on-line toolkit is designed to engage and inform community leaders as well as parks and health advocates as they consider the built environment in their communities and its effect on a broad range of issues related to health, social justice, the environment, and quality of life. Resources here include: Parks & Health Overview; Park Access & Health Disparities; Paying for Parks; Building Support for Parks & Health; Case Studies; and Publications and Other Resources. We Are Wetlands A project of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), the primary purpose of the We Are Wetlands website is to provide an opportunity to sign an on-line petition to the President asking for his strong support of wetlands protection at the federal level. The website also includes a “Bog Blog”, an opportunity to tell your own story of what wetlands mean to you, and to have it posted on-line. Publications, Presentations, Documentaries, etc.
The Mass. Watershed Coalition (MWC)’s “mwc-list” listserv is a great source of information on river- and watershed-related funding and job opportunities, upcoming events, recent articles and more. Many of the posted items are time-sensitive and can’t wait until the next edition of NewsNotes. You can access the mwc-list listserv at http://lists.topica.com/lists/mwc-list@igc.topica.com, where you can subscribe to receive the posted messages to your e-mail address, or simply read them on-line. Highly recommended! Support Land & Water Conservation with a "Land & Water" Specialty License Plate  Development near our lakes, ponds, rivers and coasts - and the fertilizer, storm water run-off and other non-point source pollution it brings - is the greatest single threat to Massachusetts waters. In response, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) is launching a new “Land and Water Conservation” license plate that will support the conservation of land critical to the protection of the Commonwealth’s water resources. Similar plates in other states have conserved tens of thousands of acres in recent years. This new tool for land conservation is needed here now more than ever. Proceeds from the new Land and Water Conservation license plate will be segregated in a separate fund dedicated to the acquisition, stewardship and restoration of land affecting 9,000 miles of streams and rivers, 1,100 lakes and ponds, and over 1,500 miles of coastline.
NOTE: Due to the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)s’ policy regarding specialty license plates, the new MET “Land and Water” plate will not become reality unless and until at least 3,000 people sign up for the plates. You are therefore strongly encouraged to reserve your new plate by sending in a check for $40 payable to Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles along with this form to: Massachusetts Environmental Trust Land & Water Plate, 100 Cambridge Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02114. Once 3,000 checks are received, the MET will forward the checks to the RMV, and then you will be contacted to let you know what else is needed to finish the process of getting your new “Land and Water” specialty license plate. Show your support for Massachusetts land and water conservation by purchasing a Land and Water Plate! Click here or call the MET at (617) 626-1045 for more info. Visit the Riverways Staff page
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| Riverways Program, Department of Fish & Game, 251 Causeway St., Suite 400, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 626-1540 (main line), (617) 626-1505 (fax) Visit the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Visit the Department of Fish & Game |