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Water Headlines is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water
In This Week’s Water Headlines:
1) EPA Announces Next Step Toward Establishing Rigorous Pollution Diet for Chesapeake Bay
2) Consumers Save Money, Water with EPA’s WaterSense Program: Showerheads Added to the WaterSense Product List
3) EPA to Announce Nearly $30 Million in Grants to Restore and Protect Puget Sound
4) Water Laboratory Alliance: Laboratory Response and On-line Tools Training
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1) EPA Announces Next Step Toward Establishing Rigorous Pollution Diet for Chesapeake Bay
On July 1, EPA announced draft allocations for nitrogen and phosphorus as part of a rigorous pollution diet for meeting water quality standards in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, and restoring local rivers and streams throughout the 64,000-square-mile watershed.
“Restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries will not be easy,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “While we all recognize that every jurisdiction within the watershed will have to make very difficult choices to reduce pollution, we also recognize that we must collectively accelerate our efforts if we are going to restore this national treasure as part of our legacy for future generations.”
EPA proposed watershed-wide limits of 187.4 million pounds of nitrogen and 12.5 million pounds of phosphorus annually, and divided those allocations among the six watershed states and the District of Columbia, as well as the major river basins (see link below). These loadings were determined using the best peer-reviewed science and through extensive collaboration with the states and the District of Columbia. EPA will assign draft allocations for sediment August 15. In addition, EPA is committing to reducing air deposition of nitrogen to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay to 15.7 million pounds per year. The reductions will be achieved through implementation of federal air regulations over the coming years.
The jurisdictions are expected to use the allocations as the basis for completing Watershed Implementation Plans, detailing how they will further divide these allocations among pollution sources, and achieve the required reductions. The first drafts of those plans are due to EPA by September 1. The jurisdictions are expected to have all practices in place to meet the established limits by 2025, with 60 percent of the effort completed by 2017. EPA plans to issue a draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or pollution diet for a 45-day public comment period on September 24. The final Phase 1 Watershed Implementation Plans are due November 29, and EPA will establish the Bay TMDL by December 31. In 2017, the jurisdictions are expected to submit updated implementation plans to ensure that all the control measures needed to meet Bay water quality standards will be in place by 2025.
In 2009, EPA announced that it expects the six watershed states and D.C. to provide Watershed Implementation Plans, including detailed strategies for reducing pollutant loads to meet water quality standards in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. EPA also expects detailed schedules for implementing pollution controls and achieving the required pollution reductions. EPA and the jurisdictions will measure progress utilizing two-year milestones. EPA may apply federal backstop measures for inadequate plans or failing to meet the milestones.
For more information about the Chesapeake Bay TMDL visit: http://www.epa.gov/chesapeakebaytmdl/
2) Consumers Save Money, Water with EPA’s WaterSense Program: Showerheads added to the WaterSense product list
In 2009, EPA’s WaterSense program helped consumers save more than 36 billion gallons of water and $267 million on their water and sewer bills. That’s nearly four times as much water as consumers saved with WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets, and faucet accessories in 2008.
"By raising awareness about the value of smart water use, the WaterSense program encourages consumers to take environmental action into their own hands," said Peter S. Silva, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. "WaterSense labeled products provide Americans another opportunity to keep the country moving towards a green economy."
EPA created WaterSense in 2006 as a voluntary program to label products that are at least 20 percent more water efficient and perform as well as or better than standard models. WaterSense labels toilets, bathroom faucets and faucet accessories, flushing urinals, new homes, and, most recently, residential showerheads. WaterSense also certifies programs for irrigation professionals.
With about 17 percent of all residential indoor water use in the United States going to showering, replacing a water-hogging showerhead with a WaterSense labeled model can save enough water each year to wash more than two months’ worth of laundry. Like all WaterSense labeled products, showerheads must be independently tested and certified to meet EPA’s efficiency and performance criteria before they can earn the label.
With the addition of showerheads, consumers can now renovate their bathrooms with a full suite of WaterSense labeled products. A bathroom remodel that includes a WaterSense labeled toilet, faucet, and showerhead will not only conserve water, but also save enough electricity each year to run a refrigerator for two months and save about $60 in utility bills. WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes and services.
More information on WaterSense labeled showerheads: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/products/showerheads.html
To view the WaterSense accomplishments report: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/about_us/program_accomplishments.html
3) EPA to Announce Nearly $30 Million in Grants to Restore and Protect Puget Sound
Projects across region will preserve habitat, protect watersheds and spur responsible urban growth
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing nearly $30 million dollars in federal grants today to help protect and restore Puget Sound. The funds are the latest infusion of federal dollars in an ongoing effort to address decades of industrial contamination, urban pollution and habitat alteration in Puget Sound. The grants are geared towards tribal projects; watershed projects and outreach and education initiatives. EPA is announcing the grants in Suquamish, Washington at the Suquamish Tribe Long House. Click here to find out if there is a project in your community.
Congressman Norm Dicks joins EPA in announcing and rolling out the 36 grants. Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman and Martha Kongsgaard, Vice Chair of the Puget Sound Partnership Leadership council, are also speaking.
“Puget Sound is our region’s icon,” said Dennis McLerran, Regional Administrator for the EPA. “Every grant dollar we’re announcing today directly supports the goal of a healthy Puget Sound by 2020. We have a strong team working for progress we can all be proud of.”
EPA received over 100 grant applications for this round of grants. The grants cover a wide range of projects including:
- Removing invasive species from watersheds,
- Improving salmon migration and increasing fish population,
- Protecting watersheds from the impacts of urban growth,
- Reopening shellfish beds,
- Purchasing and preserving critical habitat and watershed lands,
- Funding research to track progress,
- Protecting shorelines,
- Educating communities, homeowners and students about reducing impacts to Puget Sound
The grant recipients include Washington State, Tribes and local governments, many of which will work directly with communities and homeowners on projects to restore and protect Puget Sound. The Suquamish Tribe is receiving a grant worth nearly $600,000 for a project that will restore the Chico Creek estuary, which will result in improved fish passage and water quality in shellfish growing areas. The State and grantees are together matching dollar for dollar the $30 million announced today. Every year, millions of pounds of toxic pollution enter Puget Sound. Since 2006, EPA has dedicated $58.4 million dollars to protecting and restoring Puget Sound.
Link to interactive map of grants: http://www.epa.gov/region10/map/funding/pugetsound_funding_map.html
4) Water Laboratory Alliance: Laboratory Response and On-line Tools Training
EPA will be providing training on the Water Laboratory Alliance response procedures and related on-line tools at the 401-10 Emergency Response Chemical Laboratory Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 30, from 8:30 am until 12:00 pm. This training will be tailored for chemical laboratory personnel, and includes a mock table top scenario of a drinking water contamination event. To access more information on the Water Laboratory Alliance go to EPA's Web site at http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/wla.cfm
The Conference focuses on education and training on chemical testing and technology platforms used for chemical analysis for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC’s) Laboratory Response Network and other chemical emergency response networks. The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) and CDC are hosting the Conference, which will run from July 27-30. Conference registration information is available at: http://bit.ly/cqZEEh |
