FINAL as of 6/20/11

FINAL Meeting Summary

Source Water Collaborative

Hosted by: EPA in Washington, DC

Thursday, May 19, 2010 12:30 – 4:30PM Eastern

Meeting Objectives

  • Share key updates on Clean Water Act activities that have a bearing on source water protection.
  • Identify ways the SWC can support the ongoing success of newly-formed local collaboratives.
  • Learn about USDA water quality activities, and identify top priorities for collaborative efforts with USDA.
  • Discuss and identify specific actions the SWC and NACD will pursue together.

MEMBER ACTION ITEMS
  1. Publicize “Waters of US” Guidance comment period, which is through July 1st
  2. Members to consider sending cover letter and Nutrients Memo to membership
  3. Identify support each SWC member can offer Delaware River Basin and Salmon Falls collaboratives
  4. Identify opportunities to share source water information with USDA State Conservationists and Technical Committees
  5. Request meeting with Ann Mills (USDA) and current acting Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment to discuss how the SWC might help move USDA’s Water Goal forward, and other source water protection opportunities
  6. Develop guest editorial on nutrients for NACD’s quarterly online & print publication, Resources and develop source water protection 101 Power Point for NACD audiences
  7. Develop plan to prioritize and implement suggested activities with NACD and their members.

Meeting Materials: Note that all handouts and PowerPoints are available on the SWC website under SWP Events (check the May 2011 folders to the left of the calendar):

Welcome and Introduction

Ann Codrington, Acting Division Director, EPA’s Drinking Water Protection Division, welcomed meeting attendees and thanked the Source Water Collaborative (SWC) and Salter>Mitchell for their time and efforts. Ann recognized the SWC Steering Committee Members and referenced how the discussions of the last SWC meeting have helped prepare the group for today’s agenda – from the discussion of possible options for Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act Integration, to the recent focus on nutrient reduction, and the Strategic Forums in the Delaware River Basin and Salmon Falls. Annspoke about the importance of source water protection (SWP) as part of EPA’s drinking water program and noted the commitment to SWP in the national program guidance.

Jim Taft, ASDWA President and SWC Steering Committee co-chair, gave an update from the SWC Steering Committee. He expressed the Steering Committee’s interest in checking in with the full SWC about the best opportunities in SWP and suggested this meeting be used to brainstorm ways that the SWC can be active, at the national as well as state and local levels. Jim outlined the four areas of the SWC’s 2011 Action Plan: nationwide nutrient reduction through partnering with the agricultural community, Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act integration, local and regional SWC models, and improving the SWC website.

  • Nutrients Reduction – SWC Steering Committee conducted a series of interviews with about 6 organizations that focus on agriculture. Organizations were interviewed to get an understanding of their organizational structure, activities being planned or underway, and important issues they are tackling in regards to sources of drinking water. Two of the interviewed organizations, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), helped identify opportunities for collaboration.
  • Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act integration: Several EPA Policy documents have been released recently that have linkages to the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
  • “Clean Water: Foundation of Healthy Communities and Healthy Environment” (Clean Water Framework)
  • Clean Water Act Draft Guidance on the Scope of Waters Protected (Waters of the U.S. proposed Guidance)
  • Nutrients Memorandum entitled, “Working in Partnership with States to Address Phosphorus and Nitrogen Pollution through Use of a Framework for State Nutrient Reductions”
  • “Coming Together for Clean Water”
  • EPA’s Drinking Water Strategy
  • Local and regional based SWC models – The Salmon Falls Watershed Initiative and the Delaware River Basin Initiative are moving forward. The challenge of the SWC will be to extract lessons learned and promote other local/regional collaboratives.
  • SWC Website improvements – has become a premier site for bringing together information on source water protection. The website needs to be kept updated with new, fresh, and relevant information.

Presentation on Proposed “Waters of the U.S.” Guidance

David Evans, Director of Wetlands, OWOW, presented on how the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are proposing revised guidance to clarify where Clean Water Act protections apply. This proposed Guidance will enhance source water protection by identifying water protected by the Clean Water Act by interpreting the Clean Water Act scope and the court decisions, Rampanos and SWANCC.

David began by saying that there has been a lot of miscommunication about the intentions of the “Waters of the U.S.” guidance. The Guidance sets the regulator definition for the Waters in the U.S. The Guidance determined which waters in the U.S. are subject to the Clean Water Act. The challenge of this determination culminated in two cases: Rampanos and SWANCC.

The EPA Wetlands website offers detailed information here: “Waters of the U.S.” Guidance is out for public comment until July 1, 2011. SWC members may be interested in responding or sharing this information with others who may wish to respond. It is expected that a rulemaking will be initiated after the Guidance is finalized.

For any further questions on this issue, please follow up with .

Update on 3/16/11 EPA Nutrients Framework Memo

Ephraim King,Director, Office of Science and Technology,provided a brief history and key summary of the recent EPA Nutrients Framework Memorandum. In the fall of 2009, a group of EPA and state drinking water experts and water quality managers formed the Nutrients Innovations Task Force, which put together a report of the available data on nutrients and their environmental impact. The report found that there was a great deal of ongoing and increased contamination of surface and ground water sources, including drinking water sources, from elevated nitrates, algal blooms, disinfectant by-products, etc. The Task Force found that the science on nutrient pollution was sound and the conclusions were solid about the impact nutrient pollution has on aquatic life and drinking water sources. The Task Force Report is available at:

Ephraim stated that on March 16, 2011 an EPA memorandum from Nancy Stoner was releasedto encourage collaboration among localities, states, EPA, and other stakeholders to accelerate progress in reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loadings. The Memorandum also encourages states to establish near-term goals to reduce nutrient loadings while establishing numeric nutrient criteria.

Ephraim stated that many leaders have recognized the importance and urgency around nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, especially in regards to drinking water supplies and aquatic life. Numeric water quality standards, while not independently enforceable, create a baseline that determines the level of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution that exceeds what the environment and public health can handle. EPA is emphasizing the role of EPA regions; importance of partnerships; and urgency, capacity and potential for near term loading reductions while states work toward nutrient standards. Ephraim expressed that these standards are complex, but watersheds, municipalities, and states don’t have to wait for them to be set in order to make smart decisions about how to move forward with reducing nutrient pollution.

To help implement this message, Ephraim shared that the Memorandum provides “Recommended Elements of a State Nutrients Framework, with eight key elements. From the key elements, Ephraim highlighted three concise principal points:

(1) statewide assessment and prioritization of watersheds and sub-watersheds (at hydraulic unit code (HUC) 8 and HUC 12), to identify the highest nitrogen and phosphorus loadings and, where the greatest potential for reductions exists and impact could be had;

(2) use of best available science and data to characterize near and long term reduction goals and numeric targets, then identify specific concrete, measurable and quantifiable metrics, measures, and practices (e.g., evaluating sources including septics, permitted CAFOs, and urban stormwater) and;

(3) engaging the public and stakeholders.

For more information about this issue, please contact Ephraim King at . The Task Force urges states to partner with state level agriculture and environmental agencies as well as NGOs, private sector partners, landowners and other stakeholders, as they develop statewide and watershed plans.

Ephraim thanked the Source Water Collaborative and recognized the work of ASDWA and ASIWPCA.

Jim Taft shared a draft document developed by the SWC Steering Committee that is available to SWC members to help get the word out to their own members about the EPA Nutrients Framework Memorandum. The Steering Committee is interested in sharing the Memorandum with their constituencies and developed a cover letter to explain how they could make a difference in using their tools, authorities, networks, etc. to help reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in their respective areas of influence. For SWC members interested in using this cover letter, please contact Jim Taft () or Christene Jennings (). An updated version will be emailed to members following the SWC meeting.

Update on the Salmon Falls Collaborative

Two Salmon Falls Collaborative members, Andy Tolman, Maine Center for Disease Control & Paul Susca, NH Department of Environmental Services,gave an update on key progress, communications plans, and key opportunities for SWC members to get involved with the Salmon Falls collaborative. The PowerPoint is available on the SWC website – noted on page 1.

Andy Tolman gave a brief overview of the project and reminded members that the Salmon Falls Watershed is located on the border of New Hampshire and Maine, uniting two states and about a dozen towns. Currently, there is a lot of development pressure in the watershed. The watershed was identified by the U.S. Forest Service as one of the watersheds most at risk for change in the U.S.

Early in the project, the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative (SFWC) held a one day workshop with 70-80 stakeholders. The meeting was supported by the SWC and Salter>Mitchell. Andy shared that in this meeting, participants came up with many ideas. After the meeting, the SFWC used Basecamp project management software to work with participants online to narrow the ideas. Then, the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative met with Kelley Hart with the Trust for Public Lands to choose ideas that were achievable and would make a difference.

Andy shared that now, in the 6-12 months post-workshop, the SFWC is working on a blueprint for action and identifying priorities. The Piscataqua Regional Estuaries Partnership is taking the lead, developing a core planning team including the Maine Drinking Water Program, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and EPA Region 1, among others.

Lessons learned about getting people to work across town and state lines will be able to help other projects. Integrating drinking water with planning and land conservation is an important step that has to be made. The SFWC is working on GIS analysis of the area. It has been growing rapidly and the impervious area has doubled in the last 10 years and has now crossed the 5% threshold. Decreases in water quality are inevitable.

Many coastal watersheds may be able to use this approach. The SFWC identified a considerable amount of potential actions and compiled a report and a matrix of opportunities. The SFWC is in the process of developing an action plan. Andy stated that while this plan is being developed, the SFWC is implementing some of the ideas and opportunities.

Paul Susca, NH Department of Environmental Services, shared the four main priorities determined by the planning team:

  • low impact development
  • field trips to build mutual understanding of issues and opportunities
  • holding “Forging the link” workshops about land use change and source water, and
  • assisting stakeholders by posting resources on the SFWC website, such as access to NEMO (Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials), access to training and demonstration facilities, resources about stormwater centers, resources for developing and adopting ordinances, resources for drinking water protection, aquifer protections, and dealing with subdivisions, resources for how to deal effectively with stormwater.

The planning team would also like to support land conservation organizations that already exist to link land conservation opportunities to potential threats and sources of contamination in the watershed.

The planning team aims to make better use of the SFWC website. Currently, there is minimal information for the public on the website, so the planning team would like to expand the site and develop an e-newsletter to keep people involved and informed about what is going on in the watershed.

Paul recognized the work of NHDES, NRCS, and the Acton Wakefield Watershed Alliance.

The group is planning a Clean Lakes Campaign beginning in June 2011. This campaign will bring together nine headwater lakes groups, including key SFWC members. The goal of the campaign is to motivate lake groups to take action to protect their water quality. The team is developing a tool kit and instructions as part of a communications package. Field trips are planned for summer of 2011. The SFWC is seeking financial support for these planned events.

Chris Carlson, U.S. Forest Service, added that the Forest Service is looking to pilot test their work on particular stressed or at-risk portions of watersheds in New England. Chris suggested they work with the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative.

If any Source Water Collaborative members know of any funding or grant opportunities available, or have information that would be useful to this project, please contact Christene Jennings at .

Update on Source Water Collaborative-Initiated Delaware River Basin Collaborative

In a PowerPoint (available on the SWC website), Vicky Binetti, EPA Drinking Water and Source Water Protection, Region 3, gave a summary of the March Forum outcomes and key opportunities for SWC members to get involved.

The Delaware River Basin Collaborative (DRBC) held a forum on March 10, 2011 with concurrent events with more than 400 participants going on simultaneously at six locations with one central program in Philadelphia broadcast to five satellite locations in the region. The objectives of the forum were to:

1) heighten awareness of issues and decisions important to the protection of our water resources today and in the future;

2) connect stakeholders in the basin, with basin and local issues, and:

3) create a framework for ongoing collaboration.

Vicky shared that the agenda was developed in a novel way through web-based survey of stakeholders expected to participate. The Collaborative encouraged local teams to engage with stakeholders and solicit issues for local agendas. The goal was to get folks focused on what they might do in the future and what next steps were. At the close of the meeting, a summary report was delivered from Philadelphia through a live Webcast.

During the forum, many issues emerged, such as a need for more integrated leadership within the basin and locally, a need for education at all levels, a need for communication/coordination and outreach, a need to look at the real cost of water and the opportunity costs of ineffective local planning, as well as a need for funding.

After the meeting was over, the Delaware River Basin Collaborative distributed a short report. A larger report with more information will be forthcoming. Going forward, the DRBC will continue to use their website to develop, nurture, and evolve the project. To date they have established an expectation for further collaboration, tweeting, hosting a podcast, conducting “man on the street” series of interviews and creating a video.

Vicky commended the Source Water Collaborative and wanted members to know that they are appreciated at the local level. Vicky shared that some local members are unaware that the Delaware River Basin Collaborative is part of a larger organization. The Source Water Collaborative should continue to advertise the tools that are available to local watersheds through members and encourage local partners.

“USDA 101”: A Synthesis of Drinking Water Activities & Integration Opportunities with USDA Agencies

Jim Taft, ASDWA shared key opportunities for the SWC to work with the USDA as a result of a recent meeting of SWC Steering Committee members and Deputy Under-Secretary of Research, Education, and Economics, Dr. Ann Bartuska and USDA staff. A new USDA Water Team, consisting of 70+ USDA staff, could be a useful starting point for collaboration. An additional opportunity would be a dedicated conference session, at the National Water Conference at USDA in May 2012. SWC has been invited to partner with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to organize a workshop on protecting sources of drinking water. This may be an opportunity for identifying partners who could share and help gather needed information and data. The SWC may also consider working with the Johnson’s Foundation’s Fresh Water Imperative.