Publications:
ANEP Update

June 2003

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

FY04 Appropriations:  The House and Senate both have released their FY04 appropriations 302(b) allocations, which are the funding allocations set for each of the appropriations subcommittees.  In both the House and Senate, the VA/HUD appropriations subcommittee, which provides funding for EPA and the NEP, has a $90.03 billion allocation, which is an increase over the FY03 allocation of $87.08 billion.  Although details have not been released, reports are that $8.3 billion is earmarked for EPA (compared to $8.1 billion enacted in FY03).  No dates for markup have been scheduled yet, although action reportedly will likely occur in the last several weeks of July.

Action on Coastal Bills: The Senate Commerce Committee recently passed coastal and estuarine related legislation.  The Coastal and Estuarine and Land Protection Act (S. 861) passed the Committee on June 19, 2003.  S. 861 provides $60 million a year for five years in NOAA grants to coastal states for land acquisition in coastal and estuarine areas.  In addition, on June 26, 2003, the Committee passed The Oceans and Human Health Act (S. 1218), which provides $80 million to create a coordinated federal research program to aid in understanding and responding to the role of oceans in human health. It establishes a Federal interagency Oceans and Human Health initiative coordinated through the National Science and Technology Council, NSTC.  It also creates an Oceans and Human Health program at NOAA, and directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a coordinated public information and outreach program with the FDA, EPA, the CDC, and the States to provide information on potential ocean-related human health risks. For bill language or more details go to http://thomas.loc.gov.  For additional information or questions, contact Carrie Jelsma at CarrieJelsma@aol.com or 301-493-0003.

NEP NEWS

This spring, in an effort to protect our region's rivers and streams, the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, in collaboration with the Delaware Estuary Program, the Philadelphia Water Department, and The William Penn Foundation, is encouraging the general public to recycle their used motor oil rather than dumping it down a storm drain.  Our campaign, "If it ain't Rain, keep it outta the Drain" aired on ESPN, USA, the SciFi Channel, the Discovery Channel, and various other cable stations.  Print advertisements appeared on Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) public transit vehicles in the City of Philadelphia and in transit stations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  A radio PSA was also produced and sent to radio stations throughout the tri-state region.

The New York Times began a summer-long series on May 25 featuring Long Island Sound. "Human Nature" will detail the impact that hundreds of years of intense human settlement have had on the ecological health of the Sound. It also will describe the challenges governments, environmentalists, and researchers face in trying to clean up the Sound and continue its viability as a fishery. The first article observed that with more American choosing to live in coastal communities, other estuaries are only beginning to confront the challenges Long Island Sound already faces. The first article also featured a couple's effort to improve the water quality at Mumford Cove in Connecticut by successfully leading a court challenge to remove a sewage pipe. Prior to the successful court case, swimming had been banned, and eelgrass growing at the sea bottom had died, as the volume of wastewater increased with increased population in the area. The article, however, also noted the challenges of trying to manage an ecosystem. While the eelgrass now grows in a healthy state, mute swans that feed on it may threaten its viability again. The series can be found on the Web at www.nytimes.com/lisound.

The Maryland Coastal Bays Program and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays (Delaware Inland Bays Estuary Program) collaborated to co-host the "Delaware/Maryland Dead-end Canal Conference" held on Saturday, May 17th in Dewey Beach, Delaware.  More than 100 attendees participated in a series of interactive seminars which focused on the specific challenges presented by living on dead-end canals, which include fish kills, harmful algal blooms, and navigational difficulties resulting from siltation. Participants witnessed a powerful presentation that demonstrated the explosive growth of dead-end canals in the Maryland/Delaware region during the last few decades.  Local scientists correlated water quality problems and adverse ecological impacts with the unique water chemistry caused by limited flushing, excess nutrients, and other pollutants associated with dead-end canals. The conference sponsors included the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the University of Delaware Sea Grant Program, and the homeowners associations of Indian River Acres and Rehoboth Beach Yacht & Country Club. 

The New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) funded a study by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the University of New Hampshire that utilized a new high tech DNA analysis technique to track down the source of E.coli in Hampton Harbor. For one year, water samples were collected twice a month from ten sites in Hampton Harbor during both dry and wet weather. Researchers then matched the collected bacteria's DNA signatures with signatures from a genetic library of bacteria from many different animals. Through a process known as ribotyping (commonly referred to as DNA fingerprinting) 62% of the 390 isolates collected between August 2000 and October 2001 were matched with a source species.  The final results showed that 26 percent of the bacteria came from humans, 15 percent from wildlife, 8 percent from livestock, 7 percent from birds and 4 percent from pets.  To read the full report in a .pdf format (901K) go to Tracking Bacterial Pollution Sources in Hampton Harbor, April 2003, NHEP on the NHEP website.

	Select above image to view in larger scale

The San Juan Bay Estuary Program has a new team fully committed to implement the numerous actions of their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP).  In less than three months the new Executive Director, Brenda Torres, has met with most of most of the government agency leaders of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and received their unconditional support in this effort. As part of the activities held in the Program's first Bay Day (Festival del Estuario: Dos Ventanas; Tierra y Mar) in May numerous government officials and BOD members signed a Memorandum of Understanding.  The MOU's purpose was to strengthen the link between the Program and the government of Puerto Rico, once again committing these agencies in support of the SJBEP.  The Executive Director's focus has been the implementation process of the 49 CCMP actions, which focus on 1) water and sediment quality, 2) habitat, fish and wildlife, 3) aquatic debris, and 4) public involvement.  The Program is now implementing more than 10 projects including mangrove restoration, indicators program, coral reef enhancement, ecotourism projects, educational activities and ongoing research, among others.  Keep an eye on the SJBEP through www.estuario.org or call 787-725-8162.    

MEETINGS & CONFERENCES

The Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP), the National Estuary Programs, and the Environmental Protection Agency will hold their fall meeting in Seattle, WA on September 17 - 19, 2003, in conjunction with the Estuarine Research Federation (ERF). Please visit the ANEP website - www.anep-usa.org - for meeting registration forms, agenda, hotel information, and other related information (should be on the site on July 5). Please visit the ERF meeting information at www.erf.org. 

The Casco Bay Estuary Project, together with the Maine Coastal Program and numerous other partners, is hosting a stormwater conference, "Stormwater Management in Cold Climates:  Planning, Design, and Implementation" November 3-5, 2003.  This first-of-its-kind North American conference focused specifically on the challenge of managing stormwater in cold climates is set in Portland, Maine. We will bring together engineers, planners, municipal and other government personnel, stormwater managers, natural resource professionals, contractors and developers to share approaches to effective stormwater management in cold climates.  Special attention will be given to the NPDES Phase II stormwater regulations and the challenges that communities face in implementing them.  Please visit the conference website at www.cascobayestuary.org/coldsw.html.