New Mexico and EPA Partner to Prevent Water Pollution

New Mexico and EPA Partner to Prevent Water Pollution.
"New Mexico has some of the Nation’s most important environmental resources, and its citizens know and value those resources better than anyone," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
"That’s why grants that empower states to protect their environment are so important."
"This grant will help New Mexico protect its waterways from water pollution," said Acting Regional Administrator Sam Coleman.
"Ensuring clean water is fundamental to not only our mission at EPA, but our state partners as well."
The Clean Water Act provides funding to water pollution control programs to build and sustain effective water quality programs that ensure the health of our nation’s water bodies.
The funds are awarded under section 106 of the Clean Water Act.
The objective of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters.
Programs under the act support monitoring, assessment, protection and prevention of polluted runoff in waterways.
SOURCE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Wilmington Stormwater Efforts Recognized

“The real value of these projects is that we now have scientific proof that they’re very effective – not just effective – very effective,” said Tracy Skrabal, Coastal Scientist and Manager of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s southeast regional office in Wrightsville Beach.
Historically, urban planners simply created a pathway for rain to flow directly into sewers and drains, which push it through to waterways.
Cisterns may also be used to collect it for re-use.
Each project was designed to work with existing landscapes to redirect stormwater from impervious areas so that it can soak into the ground or into vegetation, essentially disconnecting the pathway to drains and outfalls that lead directly into waterways.
Projects included redirecting flow from a disconnected street drain into a large rain garden; retrofitting city curb cuts to redirect runoff into a grassy median and regrading landscape in front of a restaurant to provide infiltration of runoff that was previously flowing into a drain.
“We’re saving money and reducing our public water usage by 20 to 25 percent,” said Blockade Runner Environmental Coordinator Feletia Lee.
Researchers led by Michael Mallin, a research professor at UNCW who focuses on the causes and effects of excessive amounts of nutrients in water bodies, found that infiltration chambers installed at one site reduced polluted stormwater discharge into Banks Channel by 93 percent, leading to a 96 percent load reduction in fecal bacteria.
“I think this project is a great example of how small-scale retrofits can make a big difference in controlling stormwater and protecting coastal water quality, said Whitney Jenkins, the Coastal Training Program Coordinator for the North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve and collaborative lead on the stormwater projects.
“The long-term result we hope comes from this is that we foster a new generation of stormwater management.” Learn More Like This Story?
You can help pay some of the cost by sponsoring a day on CRO for as little as $100 or by donating any amount you’re comfortable with.

Americus students focus on helping others

Americus Elementary School students are finishing up the school year with several projects which benefit the greater good.
“They have worked very hard to complete their projects.” Books for babies Addison Landgren, Lilly Parks, Addisyn Hinrichs and Abbie Sull led the Books for Babies project.
“We wanted everyone to have a book of their own,” Parks said.
“It helps them to be ready for school.” Slowing food waste Landon Dody, Cooper Hamlin, Matthew Rouse, Logan Schlimme, Jonathon Marcotte and Gunner Stone focused their project on reducing food waste at Americus Elementary Schools.
“You can put a lot of discarded food in the composters,” Marcotte said.
The students ended up raising $455.12 and presented the money to Christian and his mom, Sarah Risner, during a special assembly at the school.
During the trip the students picked up trash and learned about how to protect fresh water.
Their project was all about saving the trees.
“We have lots of suggestions for how to save the trees,” Lee said.
With each group picking a topic they were passionate about, the work didn’t seem all the difficult “We really wanted to do this so it wasn’t that hard,” Anstey said.

60% of Ghana’s water bodies polluted – Water Resources Commission

60% of Ghana’s water bodies polluted – Water Resources Commission.
Mr. Ben Ampomah, Executive Secretary of the Commission at a workshop in Ho, said the polluted water bodies were mostly in the south-western parts of the country, where illegal mining activities (galamsey) were widespread.
He was addressing a consultative workshop on “Dam safety regulation and Buffer Zone policy” which attracted Coordinating Directors from District Assemblies and other stakeholders in the Region.
Mr. Ampomah said apart from illegal mining, industrial waste, household disposals and farming, were the major causes of water pollution in the country, and thus charged traditional and local government authorities to help protect water bodies.
He commended the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for the campaign against illegal mining and called for a concerted effort to sustain the campaign to improve the quality of water bodies in those areas.
Mr Ampomah said water bodies in the Volta Region were fairly good, but urged the Assemblies to protect buffer zones and desist from rezoning them for fuel stations.
“We must know that there is no waste land.
They protect river banks, prevent floods and help improve the quality of rivers and streams.
Mr Ampomah, therefore encouraged them, (Assemblies) to demolish structures located on waterways and buffer zones to prevent perennial floods with their related health challenges.
– Source: GNA

Maharashtra pollution board high on funds, low on staff, equipment

For two years now, Maharashtra’s pollution control agency did not use 80% of the funds given to it to reduce air, water and noise pollution, HT has found For two years now, Maharashtra’s pollution control agency did not use 80% of the funds given to it to reduce air, water and noise pollution, HT has found.
In 2015-16, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) got Rs393.8 crore from the government; it spent only Rs68.26 crore.
While the MPCB has funds at its disposal, Mumbai continues to face a number of pollution problems, including overflowing dumping grounds, increasing pollution in the air we breathe, rising noise levels and heavily polluted water along our coast.
“Earlier, money was being spent on projects such as the National Water and Air Quality Monitoring programmes.
Not only is the MPCB not using funds allotted to it, it is also struggling to fill vacant posts, especially that of scientific officers.
‘We have an action plan ready’ P Anbalagan, member secretary of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) spoke to Hindustan Times and cleared the air on the current condition of the state pollution board, the problems being faced by them and the future plans to mitigate air, noise and water pollution.
Earlier money was being spent on various projects like National Water and Air Quality Monitoring programmes.
The plan is to go up to 900 posts.
The work order has been issued for 11 air quality monitoring stations for Mumbai – all the way from Colaba to Dahisar.
We are also setting similar air quality monitoring stations at Pune, Navi Mumbai and we are getting additional seven air quality monitoring stations from the central government at various areas in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region including Vasai, Virar, Palghar, Dombivali etc.

Merrimack River: MRWC wants CSO annoucements

Merrimack River: MRWC wants CSO annoucements.
TEWKSBURY — The Merrimack River provides five cities and 600,000 residents in New Hampshire and Massachusetts with drinking water; it also collects sewage from treatment plants that do not have any obligation to inform anyone when they dump the combination of polluted rainwater runoff and raw sewage into the river.
“The Merrimack water isn’t clean; it has to be treated to be drinking water for Lowell, Lawrence, Andover, and other towns on the Merrimack.
Then, the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, which allowed the water from the combined source systems to be taken into sewage treatment plants.
“When it rains heavily, the sewage treatment plant can’t handle the amount of flow, so the proprietors have built an overflow valve that allows the sewage system to dump directly into the river.
The sewage system that is part of these cities (Manchester, Nashua, Lawrence, Lowell, and Haverhill) overflows into the Merrimack.” The concern for Russell and others at the MRWC is the number of people relying on the Merrimack River for drinking water.
“I’m not saying that the water is polluted, but it’s more at risk than other water systems.” “Some sewer systems allow people to sign up for an email list, so I get a notice from Haverhill at some point after there’s been a CSO,” said Russell.
The public doesn’t have a right to know.” His next step, after being a concerned citizen, is bringing more attention to Senate Bill 448.
Haverhill’s 2016 CSO report says that their combined sewage discharged into the Merrimack did not receive any treatment.
According to the MRWC, almost all of the 600,000 people drinking from the Merrimack live below at least one of the sewage treatment plants that release untreated combined sewage and runoff.

EPA and New Mexico Partner to Prevent Water Pollution EPA Awards $217,660 to New Mexico Environment Department

EPA and New Mexico Partner to Prevent Water Pollution EPA Awards $217,660 to New Mexico Environment Department.
Dakota Access Pipeline Has Already Leaked 84 Gallons Of Oil.Union of Concerned Scientists: NEW YORK (April 21, 2017)—Over 100 scientists from across New York State sent a letter urging New York Atto Report on lead testing near Quemetco plant in City of Industry delayed until June.Allen Waldman, a geologist for WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, contracted by the Department of Toxic Substance Control, collects soil to test for signs of arsenic and lead in the front yard of a home near Transforming Technology Pro Bono: New Tool for Nonprofits Released by Taproot Foundation and VMware Foundation.The median technology budget of nonprofits is less than 2% of each organization’s total operating budget, and most nonprofits are not confident that they have enough skilled staff or training to Los Angeles Olympic dreams might be delayed to 2028.In an atmosphere of uncertainty, International Olympic Committee leaders began three days of meetings and site visits Wednesday to weigh LA’s plans for the 2024 Games in its showdown with rival Paris.
Tesla Selling Solar Tiles, Says They Look Like Traditional Roof.Electric carmaker Tesla has added another product to its lineup: Solar roof tiles.
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French Creek stench from rotting herring roe

French Creek stench from rotting herring roe.
Regional District says it’s fielding complaints from people who think odour is coming from nearby water pollution control centre.
The herring spawn in March on the east side of Vancouver Island was one of the largest in recent memory and now two months later, those rotting eggs on local beaches are a daily reminder.
“You wouldn’t want to be on the beach” said a local resident.
“Almost like a treatment plant.” So it’s no surprise then that the Regional District of Nanaimo has been fielding numerous complaints from residents wondering if the smell is coming from the nearby French Creek Water Pollution Control Centre.
So you have a large area of organic matter on the beach.
It’s been cooler than normal meaning the eggs haven’t decomposed as quick as in other years.
“hydrogen sulphide is rotten eggs and that’s exactly what what you have on the beach is eggs, tiny eggs rotting” added De Pol.
“Now hydrogen sulphide is associated with the breakdown of other organics and we happen to have a wastewater treatment plant on the opposite side of the road that does from time to time produce that same odour.” Some residents of the French Creek area say it’s actually worse there because of a breakwater at the marina that results in more seaweed and eggs being left on the beach.
“They’re extending the breakwater and the more they extend the breakwater, the bigger a catch basin is formed.”

EPA partners with New Mexico to prevent water pollution; awards $217,660 to New Mexico Environment D

EPA partners with New Mexico to prevent water pollution; awards $217,660 to New Mexico Environment D. epartment DALLAS – (May 12, 2017) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded $217,660 to the New Mexico Environment Department to support the state’s water pollution control program.
The grant will help prevent, reduce and eliminate water pollution through monitoring, standard setting, enforcement and compliance activities.
“New Mexico has some of Nation’s most important environmental resources, and its citizens know and value those resources better than anyone,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
“That’s why grants that empower states to protect their environment are so important.” “This grant will help New Mexico protect its waterways from water pollution,” said Acting Regional Administrator Sam Coleman.
“Ensuring clean water is fundamental to not only our mission at EPA, but our state partners as well.” The Clean Water Act provides funding to water pollution control programs to build and sustain effective water quality programs that ensure the health of our nation’s water bodies.
The funds are awarded under section 106 of the Clean Water Act.
The objective of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters.
Programs under the act support monitoring, assessment, protection, and prevention of polluted runoff in waterways.
Connect with EPA Region 6: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6 On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6 Activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm # # # ______________________ If you would rather not receive future communications from Environmental Protection Agency, please go to http://USEPA.pr-optout.com/OptOut.aspx?518041x25799x122305x3x1707742x24000x6&Email=epa%40feeds.newsroomamerica.com.
Environmental Protection Agency, Fountain Place 12th Floor, Suite 1200 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75202-2733 United States

EPA and New Mexico Partner to Prevent Water Pollution; EPA Awards $217,660 to New Mexico Environment Department

EPA and New Mexico Partner to Prevent Water Pollution; EPA Awards $217,660 to New Mexico Environment Department.
DALLAS – (May 12, 2017) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded $217,660 to the New Mexico Environment Department to support the state’s water pollution control program.
The grant will help prevent, reduce and eliminate water pollution through monitoring, standard setting, enforcement and compliance activities.
“New Mexico has some of Nation’s most important environmental resources, and its citizens know and value those resources better than anyone,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
“That’s why grants that empower states to protect their environment are so important.” “This grant will help New Mexico protect its waterways from water pollution,” said Acting Regional Administrator Sam Coleman.
“Ensuring clean water is fundamental to not only our mission at EPA, but our state partners as well.” The Clean Water Act provides funding to water pollution control programs to build and sustain effective water quality programs that ensure the health of our nation’s water bodies.
The funds are awarded under section 106 of the Clean Water Act.
The objective of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters.
Programs under the act support monitoring, assessment, protection, and prevention of polluted runoff in waterways.
Connect with EPA Region 6: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6 Activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm # # #