Volume 13, Issue 2 Spring 2011
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Conservation Leaders Network earns Better Business Bureau Seal of Approval! Coming Together for Clean Water: New EPA Report Open Season on Open Spaces: The biggest attack in history? Iowa Sierra Club Helping to Protect Bald Eagles NACo’s Environment, Energy and Land Use Committee and its Public Lands Committee Need New Members
On April 27, the EPA finally released “Draft guidance on identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act. As they wrote, “Americans depend on clean and abundant water. However, over the past decade, interpretations of Supreme Court rulings removed some critical waters from Federal protection, and caused confusion about which waters and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act. As a result, important waters now lack clear protection under the law, and businesses and regulators face uncertainty Title: Waterfall Creator: Carley, Curtis J.
and delay. The Obama Administration is committed to protecting waters on which the health of people, the economy and ecosystems depend. U.S. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have developed draft guidance for determining whether a waterway, water body, or wetland is protected by the Clean Water Act. This guidance would replace previous guidance to reaffirm protection for critical waters. It also will provide clearer, more predictable guidelines for determining which water bodies are protected by the Clean Water Act. The draft guidance will be open for 60 days of public comment to allow all stakeholders to provide input and feedback before it is finalized. The draft guidance will reaffirm protections for small streams that feed into larger streams, rivers, bays and coastal waters. It will also reaffirm protection for wetlands that filter pollution and help protect communities from flooding. Discharging pollution into protected waters (e.g., dumping sewage, contaminants, or industrial pollution) or filling protected waters and wetlands (e.g., building a housing development or a parking lot) require permits. This guidance will keep safe the streams and wetlands that affect the quality of the water used for drinking, swimming, fishing, farming, manufacturing, tourism and other activities essential to the American economy and quality of life. It also will provide regulatory clarity, predictability, consistency and transparency.” For more information, go to the EPA’s website at: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm.
Conservation Leaders Network earns Better Business Bureau Seal of Approval!
Coming Together for Clean Water: New EPA Report The EPA recently released their final strategy, Coming Together for Clean Water, EPA’s Strategy to Protect America’s Waters. It presents a framework for how EPA’s national water program will work to address today’s clean water challenges. One excerpt: “Although tremendous strides have been made in the supply of safe water in the last 40 years, new challenges are also arising. Nutrients, sediments, and novel synthetic pollutants, such as endocrine disruptors and nano pollutants, are posing new challenges for the scientific and management community alike. Human health measures for contaminants are exceeded in one-fifth of stream samples, and one-third of groundwater wells collected by USGS watershed studies. Human health benchmarks for pesticides and nitrogen are exceeded in 7% of urban stream samples. Mercury and PCBs were detected in all fish tissue samples and nearly 50% of the nation’s lakes have mercury fish tissue concentrations above EPA recommended limits. PCBs exceeded EPA limits in 71 per cent of lakes.” Read the whole report at: https://blog.epa.gov/waterforum/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ComingTogether-for-Clean-Water-FINAL.pdf.
Open Season on Open Spaces: The biggest attack in history?
When did it become open season on our open spaces? First, Congress slashed conservation and environmental programs. Then we saw a backroom deal that stopped the BLM’s new Wildlands policy in its tracks. Now, to add insult to injury, we’re facing a new bill that could end efforts to protect approximately 60 million acres.
Photo by Tim Faber: The Bullwhacker, Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana. Read more about which wild lands will be hit worst. This new House leadership bill, The Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act, introduced by House Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), would roll back existing protections and place at risk tens of millions more acres of wilderness-quality but unprotected National Forest and BLM public lands. It also prevents Congress or future administrations from using a national policy like the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule to protect these lands in the future. "This is the biggest attack on wilderness we have seen in the history of The Wilderness Society," Wilderness Society policy analyst Paul Spitler says. "These proposals fly in the face of Americans’ support for the stewardship of our public lands. They also fly in the face of nearly fifty years of legislation designating new wilderness areas. The tranquility of your favorite places where you love to hike, camp and watch wildlife? Gone. Protection for our drinking water? Gone.” The McCarthy bill affects protected land all over the country from Alaska to West Virginia. In Nevada, Alder Creek and Burbank Canyons are two of the many special places that would lose protection." “We are outraged at the wholesale attack on Nevada’s wild lands," Friends of Nevada Wilderness Executive Director Shaaron Netherton adds. "This proposed legislation would strip protection from virtually every wilderness study area in the state – 1.8 million acres would be opened up to development. Some of Nevada’s best wildlife habitat would be threatened.” People in Idaho are equally outraged by the potential destruction of the Meadow Creek roadless are of the Nez Perce National Forest and the Peace Rock roadless area of the Boise National Forest. “Overturning the national roadless protection plan would open up 9 million acres of public forests in Idaho to development," according to John McCarthy, the Idaho forest campaign director for The Wilderness Society. "The bill would also throw out the cooperative framework for eight citizen-led, forest collaborative groups around the state. Going backwards to reopen the roadless forest debate would sacrifice the common ground we’ve built in forest collaborative groups to do forest restoration work, support forest jobs, improve recreation opportunities and treat forest fuels to protect communities." Even Rep. McCarthy's hometown newspaper The Bakersfield Californian editorialized against the bill, noting that "The rumbling sound you may have noticed coming from the general vicinity of the Sierra Nevada is Teddy Roosevelt rolling over in his grave." Worse, the McCarthy bill comes on the heels of the backroom budget deal by Congress to prohibit the Bureau of Land Management from implementing its Wild Lands policy — one that intended to reverse the Bush administration’s policy of destroying wilderness-quality lands by opening them up to rampant oil and gas drilling and abusive off-road vehicle use. Many have publicly voiced their support for the Wildlands policy, despite being denied an opportunity to testify at House subcommittee hearings. Sportsmen, outdoor industry leaders, ministers, county commissioners, and numerous newspaper editorial boards, have all issued support for the policy. A group of elected officials from several western states issued their own support of the Wild Lands policy in a piece submitted to The Hill newspaper. The New York Times didn’t care for the Wild Lands reversal, either. "It is also important to note that not a single additional penny in the administration’s 2011 budget was dedicated to the Wild Lands policy," Meadows says. "It’s an ideological fight brought by oil companies and their friends in Congress, not a money-saving issue." And let's not forget the budget deal compromise, when President Obama double-teamed with Congress and said on national television that the environment should not be a factor when negotiating the federal budget. "That's short-sighted thinking," Meadows says. "We have to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink to survive. The environment can't be a pawn in a political game. It has to be a priority." Going forward, The Wilderness Society will be fighting on all fronts to protect our open spaces. Whether working to defeat the McCarthy bill or support the Wildlands policy, we are committed to ending open season on our open spaces in Washington. Reprinted with permission, from the website of The Wilderness Society.
Iowa Sierra Club Helping to Protect Bald Eagles
By Neila Seaman, Director, Sierra Club Iowa Chapter
www.iowa.sierraclub.org/WildlandsConservation\Wildlands.
According to The Wildlife Society, lead in ammunition dates back hundreds of years. As early as 1874, large waterfowl die-offs were reported from lead poisoning. In 1878, it was discovered that lead ammunition ingestion caused mortality in pheasants. In the 1940s, waterfowl die-offs were continuing and up to 16,000 ducks died at one site. As early as the 1980s, bald eagles had been found poisoned by lead ammunition in Minnesota.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service banned lead ammunition for hunting waterfowl in 1991. However, lead ammunition continues to be used in hunting other species. By 2008, 24 states had instituted restrictions on the use of lead ammunition to minimize effects to upland game birds and eagles and other species. Iowa is not one of those states.
Up to 20 percent of the nation’s eagle population winters in Iowa, which also has a very large deer population. According to Iowa’s Natural Resources Department, the reported deer kill was 136,504 for the 2009 hunting season. The thousands of eagles that winter in Iowa take advantage of the ample supply of deer carcasses available throughout the fall and winter.
Lead slugs are "soft" and when a slug hits bone in a deer, the slug shatters into small pieces. Eagles feeding on deer remains easily ingest the lead by accident. Wildlife rehabilitators across Iowa have been documenting an alarming number of bald eagles that are sick and dying from ingesting lead. From 2004-2009, 130 eagles’ blood, liver, or bone samples were analyzed for lead levels. Sixty percent of the eagles admitted for rehabilitation had lead in their systems.
If shot with a lead bullet or slug, poisonous fragments of lead are left in the deer and the gut piles. Glowing fragments in X-rays of deer and eagle stomachs show the lead fragments, which might be too small to see otherwise. A piece of lead weighing 200 milligrams (the size of a #4 piece of shot or the size of a baby aspirin) is enough to kill an eagle.
Heavily hunted areas can accumulate lead. Surface water, vegetation and soil can be contaminated. Metallic lead can remain relatively stable and intact for decades or centuries. However, under certain environmental conditions, lead can be released and taken up by plants or animals, causing a range of biochemical, physiological and behavioral effects.
Lead poisoning related to spent ammunition has been extensively studied in avian species. At least two studies indicate that the ban on the use of lead ammunition for hunting waterfowl and coots in North America has been successful in reducing lead exposure in waterfowl. Nonetheless, other species such as upland game birds and scavengers (e.g., vultures, eagles) have been documented to be exposed, and in some instances populations may be at risk. Despite the ban on lead ammunition for waterfowl hunting, current data for raptor and avian scavenger species indicate increases in lead exposure in these species.
The Sierra Club Iowa Chapter collaborated on the project with the Lead in the Environment Advisory Group organized by S.O.A.R. (Saving Our Avian Resources), a nonprofit dedicated to saving avian resources through raptor rehabilitation, education and research, and other agencies and organizations included in the advisory group.
NACo’s Environment, Energy and Land Use Committee and its Public Lands Committee Need New Members
The Environment, Energy and Land Use Committee (EELU) and the Public Lands Committee of the National Association of Counties need new pro-environment members.
EELU is responsible for “all matters pertaining to air, water, and noise pollution control; solid and hazardous waste management and disposal; the preservation and proper utilization of water resources; energy; and the use of land resources, including comprehensive planning, coastal zone management, growth management, energy facilities siting, and recreation.”
EELU meets twice a year, in conjunction with NACo’s Legislative Conference held in Washington DC in early March and its Annual Conference held around the country mid-July. This year the Annual Conference will be in Portland OR; next year it will be in Pittsburgh PA.
The Public Lands Committee is responsible for “all matters relating to federally owned public lands, including tax immunity problems; shared natural resource payments; payments in lieu of taxes; and federal land management programs.”
In addition to meetings during the Legislative Conference and the Annual Conference, the Public Lands Committee also meets during the Western Interstate Region Conference, generally scheduled for mid-May somewhere in the West. This meeting is informational only as the votes take place during the other two conferences.
Over the last few years, the Public Lands Committee has started to develop an active minority of conservation-minded county officials. Although all Americans own these public lands, most Committee members are Western anti-environmental county officials, many of whom are opposed to maintaining these lands as public lands.
The Environment, Energy and Land Use Committee was taken over by anti-environmental county officials at last year’s Annual Conference in Reno NV. They put anti-clean water language in the Committee’s Platform, opposed cap and trade legislation, and voted to send a letter to President Obama opposing the offshore oil and gas moratorium instituted after the Gulf Oil Disaster.
Each state is entitled to eight members on any Committee; any county can have up to two members, as long as there aren’t more than eight from their state. You can see EELU Committee membership at www.naco.org/legislation/policies/Pages/EELU_Members.aspx and the Public Lands Committee membership at www.naco.org/legislation/policies/Pages/PL_Members.aspx .
A few states exert control over who from their state gets to serve on the NACo Steering Committees, but in most cases anyone who wants to serve gets appointed. If you are willing to serve, you simply need to tell your state association of counties. They will probably send you a short form; after they receive it back from you, they will notify NACo and you will receive an email from NACo welcoming you to the Committee.
Sometimes financial concerns prevent county officials from serving on these Committees. You should know that you do not have to register for the NACo conferences in order to participate in the Committee meetings. Some members will fly in for the Committee meetings, and then fly out before the conference as a whole begins. But, for the Annual Conference, if you are willing to serve on one of these Committees and want to attend the entire Conference, we may be able to assist you financially. Give us a call to discuss the options.
Feel free to call Executive Director, Peg Reagan, for more information, at 541 247-8079.
When I wrote in our last newsletter, we’d expected the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to release their agency guidance within a week or so. We waited and waited, and patience was rewarded. On April 27, the EPA finally did it. See the first article in this newsletter, “Clean Water Guidance Released.”
As I told you in the last issue, this is the crucial first step. We’ve been told that the Obama Administration will only take the second—and binding—step if there is a show of clear public support now. What better way to demonstrate that public support than by motivating county officials to go on record in favor of clean water? These county officials represent thousands of citizens each—their letters have tremendous clout and credibility.
You can also submit your own comments in support of clean water during this 60-day window of opportunity. For more information, go to the EPA’s website at: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm.
The Conservation Leaders Network has also been busy working for marine conservation on the West Coast. Oregon’s Territorial Sea Plan Working Group is currently holding public meetings to share information and collect public input that will be used in creating draft maps for ocean renewable energy development in the state’s territorial sea (0-3 nautical miles). We have been providing comment in support of ample buffer zones and avoiding the migration paths of gray whales. Wave energy is going to be a big thing in Oregon; we want to ensure that it doesn’t harm whales and their calves which travel through the state en route to calving and feeding grounds and minimizes impacts on habitat and living marine resources.
We are beginning to work with county officials to generate support for the Department of the Interior’s Wild Lands Policy and ecosystem-based fisheries management planning in the Pacific.
We are also starting to gear up for this year’s National Association of Counties’ Annual Conference, which will be held in Portland OR this July. Let me know if you are planning to attend this event, and could work with me for an hour or two at our “Conservation Makes $ense” booth on Sunday, July 17, Monday July 18, or Tuesday, July 19. It can be fun and would give you a chance to learn more about the Conservation Leaders Network.
1. Department of the Interior: Fish and Wildlife Service: National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Act Grant Program
Deadline: June 30, 2011
Description: This program provides support to protection and restoration efforts designed to ensure the long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. Examples of efforts eligible for support include: restoring wetland hydrology by plugging drainage ditches, breaking tile drainage systems, installing water control structures, dike construction, or re-establishing historic connections with waterways; or planting native vegetation and/or removing invasive plants and animals that compete with native fish and wildlife and alter native habitats. Support is also provided for the acquisition of real property interests (e.g., conservation easement or fee title) in coastal lands or waters (coastal wetlands ecosystems) from willing sellers or partners for long-term conservation. For more information go to: http://www.fws.gov/coastal/coastalgrants/
2. Migratory Bird Monitoring, Assessment and Conservation
Deadline July 30, 2011
This announces the availability of funds for migratory bird monitoring, assessment and conservation projects. These funds are available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Region 5, Northeast Region, Migratory Bird Program. Projects that meet the following parameters qualify for assistance under grant or cooperative agreements.
For more information go to:
3. Economic Development Administration: Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund Program
Deadline: June 10, 2011
Description: This program provides support to projects that foster economic competitiveness while enhancing environmental quality, including a variety of sustainability focused projects, including renewable energy end-products, the greening of existing manufacturing functions or processes, and the creation of certified green facilities. Priority will be given to projects that advance the green economy by supporting projects that create jobs through and increase private capital investment in initiatives to limit the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy efficiency, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and protect natural systems. For more information go to: http://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Programs.xml
4. Fish and Wildlife Service: North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Standard Grants
Deadline: July 29, 2011
Description: This program provides support to conservation projects that involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds.
For more information go to:
http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/Standard/US/index.shtm
5. FishAmerica Foundation Offers Funding for Fish Habitat Restoration Projects
Deadline: May 16, 2011
The partnership requests proposals for locally based efforts to accomplish meaningful on-the-ground restoration of marine, estuarine, and riparian habitats, including salt marshes, seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and freshwater habitats important to anadromous fish species (fish that migrate to and from the sea). Emphasis is on using a hands-on, grassroots approach to restore fisheries habitat across coastal America, the Great Lakes region, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
For more information go to:
http://www.fishamerica.org/grants/
6. The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation Grants
Deadline: July 14, 2011
The Foundation exists to improve energy efficiency, advance the development of renewable energy resources and protect natural areas for people in communities all across Illinois.
Over the past decade, the Foundation has steadily grown its support of clean energy investments in Illinois through a widening array of programs. Since its first set of grants in 2001, the Foundation has awarded over 3100 grants, totaling $168 million, to Illinois nonprofit organizations, schools, municipalities and other local and state government agencies. The grants support activities in every one of Illinois' 102 counties.
For more information go to:
http://www.illinoiscleanenergy.org/how-to-apply/
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Please note: |
By Christopher Lancette 
Eagles are dying from lead poisoning, the result of eating
deer carcasses shot with lead ammunition. In response to
this problem, the Sierra Club Iowa Chapter launched an
education campaign encouraging deer hunters to switch their
ammunition to non-lead ammunition. Printed materials
developed during the campaign were sent to all of Iowa’s 99
County Conservation Boards and more than 100 ammunition
dealers. (Editor’s Note: County Conservation Boards are
appointed by the Boards of Commissioners in each county in
Iowa.) The materials are also available on the
Chapter’s website at: