News Highlights

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has issued a request for proposals for its 2013 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program grants, with applications due February 7, 2013. The grants, which range from $20,000-$50,000, will be awarded to projects that enlist diverse local partnerships in wetland, forest, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration and focus on urban waters and watersheds.

Potential applicants are invited to participate in an informational webinar on Thursday, December 6, from 2:00pm – 3:30pm EST. Click here to register for the webinar and here to learn more about the program or fill out the online application.

The SWC wishes to help promote state and/or local actions by sponsoring three collaborative efforts in 2013 to protect drinking water sources by gaining the support of key agricultural and/or Clean Water Act authorities to implement conservation practices and other effective approaches. Interested parties should submit an Expression of Interest by Noon, 12/21/12. This sponsorship would be a 10-month commitment and would include planning support. Please download this document for more details about the pilot program, including criteria, instructions for submitting your response and an FAQ.

To introduce three new water quality apps, EPA’s Watershed Academy will host a free webinar on November 28 from 1pm-3pm. The main app to be highlighted is “How’s My Waterway?,” which provides users with instant information on the condition of lakes, rivers, and streams across the United States. The webcast will also highlight the SwimGuide app, which locates nearby beaches and allows users to report pollution, and the Riverview app, which helps users share river photos and water quality updates. To register for the webinar, visit www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts

After releasing revised draft guidelines for its Clean Water Act 319 grant program, EPA is asking states, territories, and other interested parties to submit comments on the document’s major provisions. The guidelines aim to provide a nationally consistent framework supporting the implementation of state and territorial nonpoint source programs with grants available for everything from technical assistance to demonstration projects. Click here to view the full guideline document and submit any comments by December 7th COB to 319grants@epa.gov.

Register now for the webinar entitled, “Successful state agency efforts to support and coordinate with local planning activities,” that has been rescheduled for Wednesday, November 7th from 1:00 to 3:00pm (eastern). The original October 30 webinar date was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. This webinar is the third in the series of five free webinars from the Enabling Source Water Protection team, led by The Trust for Public Land and the Smart Growth Leadership Institute, with support from the River Network and ASDWA.

The EPA invites nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for a three-year appointment to the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (Council). The 15 member Council was established by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to provide practical and independent advice, consultation and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the activities, functions, policies, and regulations required by the SDWA. This notice solicits nominations to fill four new vacancies through December 15, 2015. To maintain the representation required by statute, nominees will be selected to represent: State and local agencies (two vacancies) and the general public (two vacancies). Click here to download the Federal Register notice for details.

Throughout Fall 2012, ASDWA will host a series of five webinars on findings of the Enabling Source Water Protection Project, offering innovative and replicable state agency approaches to protecting drinking water. The project worked with eight state partners over a three-year period to align planning, economic development, regulation, and conservation across political and programmatic boundaries. Visit www.asdwa.org/swwebinars to view all dates and topics of the series and register for the first webinar, which takes place Wednesday, September 5.

The United States Geological Survey will be briefing members of Congress and their staff on the importance of groundwater to the nation and future protection plans. The session is part of the USGS Congressional Briefing Series, an effort to increase Congressional awareness of geological science’s relevancy in public policy decision-making. For more information on this USGS Congressional Briefing, please visit http://www.usgs.gov/solutions/2012_july27.html

Wells Fargo and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation seek to promote sustainable communities through Environmental Solutions for Communities by supporting projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. Among the several priorities listed for proposals, SWC members should note they are seeking proposals that support community-based conservation projects that improve local water quality. Eligible applicants include: non-profit 501(c) organizations; state, tribal, provincial and local governments; and educational institutions working in states and communities where Wells Fargo operates. To be considered for funding, pre-proposals must be submitted online by July 2, 2012. For more information, please visit the NFWF website.

EPA has developed draft Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II permitting guidance for oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activities using diesel fuels. This document describes information useful in permitting the underground injection of oil- and gas-related hydraulic fracturing using diesel fuels where EPA is the permitting authority. EPA’s goal is to improve compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements and strengthen environmental protections consistent with existing law. Click here for materials available on EPA’s website. Click here for the May 10th Federal Register Notice, establishing a comment period through July 9.