Feb. SRRTTF meetings/biofilm news story/EPA grant

Upcoming SRRTTF meetings: (conf. call number 605-313-5141, 723394#)
PMF work group: Feb. 4 at 11 am (conf. call)
TSCA work group: Feb. 5 at 10 am (conf. call)
Education & Outreach work group: Feb. 11 at 10 am (Spokane Regional Health District)
The next SRRTTF meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm at Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District – 22510 E Mission Ave., Spokane, WA
(For additional info. contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com)

Crosscut has written an article “10 of the Wildest Discoveries Washington Scientists Made in 2019” which includes Siana Wong and Brandee Era-Miller’s work on the PCB biofilm project.

Take a look at number 4! https://crosscut.com/2019/12/10-wildest-discoveries-washington-scientists-made-2019

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking grant applications from states and federally-recognized tribes to promote pollution prevention (P2) in businesses across the country. Through these grants, the agency hopes states and tribes, along with colleges, universities and intertribal consortia, will develop and provide information, training and tools to businesses to help them reduce costs and the use of water, energy and other natural resources.

EPA anticipates awarding approximately $9.38 million in total federal pollution prevention grant funding over a two-year funding cycle ($4.69 million in FY 2020 funds and $4.69 million in FY 2021 funds). Individual grant awards could be in the range of $40,000-$500,000 for the two-year funding period or between $20,000 – $250,000 funded per year.

Proposals are due by March 31, 2020

EPA Announces Grant Opportunity for Pollution Prevention Technical Assistance

San Francisco – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking grant applications from states and federally-recognized tribes to promote pollution prevention (P2) in businesses across the country. Through these grants, the agency hopes states and tribes, along with colleges, universities and intertribal consortia, will develop and provide information, training and tools to businesses to help them reduce costs and the use of water, energy and other natural resources.

“Pollution prevention grants are important tools that help support innovative solutions to reducing pollution,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Assistant Administrator Alexandra Dapolito Dunn. “The results of work done under these grants have created best practices that are helping to advance economic growth, increase sustainability and protect the environment.”

EPA anticipates awarding approximately $9.38 million in total federal pollution prevention grant funding over a two-year funding cycle ($4.69 million in FY 2020 funds and $4.69 million in FY 2021 funds). Individual grant awards could be in the range of $40,000-$500,000 for the two-year funding period or between $20,000 – $250,000 funded per year.

For these grants, EPA emphasizes the importance of grantees documenting and sharing P2 best practices that are identified and developed through these grants, so that others can replicate these practices and outcomes. Each grantee will be required to develop at least one case study during the grant period on P2 practices that are new or not widely known or adopted, or where detailed information on the P2 practices could benefit other businesses or P2 technical assistance providers.

Grant applications should focus on at least one of the following P2 priority areas, also referred to as National Emphasis Areas (NEAs) that support several of the Agency’s Smart Sectors:  

  1. NEA #1: Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Processing
  2. NEA #2:  Chemical Manufacturing, Processing and Formulation
  3. NEA #3:  Automotive Manufacturing and Maintenance
  4. NEA #4:  Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing and Maintenance
  5. NEA #5:  Metal Manufacturing and Fabrication

EPA’s national P2 Program will host two informational webinars for potential applicants and interested stakeholders. The first webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm EDT. To register, please go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8522288642270023693.

This webinar will review information about the P2 Grant program and the application process to help potential applicants submit a high-quality application to EPA for consideration.  Time will be provided on the webinar for questions and answers. 

The second webinar will be held on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm EDT to review and answer questions on the NEAs for this grant competition cycle. To register, please go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4696774328423521549.

The webinar registration links will work best when using the Google Chrome browser.  Please consult the solicitation for further details.

Proposals are due by March 31, 2020. Additional information is available on www.grants.gov, under Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-001.

Read more about P2 and the P2 Grant Program.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.


ACE board meeting/Upcoming SRTTF work group meetings

The next meeting of the ACE board will be Tuesday, November 5 at Inland Empire Paper (3320 N. Argonne Road, Spokane, WA) from 10 am to noon.

Agenda:

  1. Election of Officer positions with the retirement of Bud Leber as ACE President
  2. Distribution of duties/responsibilities amongst ACE Board members (Ecology Contract for legislative funding, interface/contract with suppliers/vendors, accounting/budgeting functions, etc.)
  3. Scope of work/budget for projects approved by the SRRTTF on October 23, 2019

Upcoming SRRTTF work group meetings: call in number (605-313-5141)

TSCA conf. call:  November 6 at 10 am
Education and Outreach: 
November 12 at 10 am – Spokane Regional Health District
Database Management conf. call: 
November 14 at 3 pm

For more information, contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com

June 27, 2018 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

The next meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:

Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Office
22510 E. Mission Avenue Liberty Lake, WA 99019 
To attend by phone:
Phone: 509-335-2277,
Access code: 6456706

Meeting Documents:
–  SRRTTF-06-27-18-agenda_draft2_revised 6.25
–  SRRTTF Mtg.Notes 5.23.14_DRAFT (DECISION)
–  SRRTTF 5.3.18 draft notes_TF portion of meeting (DECISION)
–  SRRTTF 6.13.18 phone meeting notes_draft (DECISION)
–  Ace Commitment Report May 2018
Presentations/Interviews with Top Candidates from RF QP P
roposals: (DECISION)
–  RFQ Evaluation Criteria and Weighting
–  WhiteBluffs Consulting_Spokane proposal_Final
–  GeorgeSchneiderAssoc_cover letter
–  GSA_SRRTTF_Proposal May 2018
–  GSA_SRRTTF RFP May_2018_Costs
Project Updates and Project Proposals
–  PCB Mass Balance June 2018 (Update)
–  Groundwater PCB upgradient of Kaiser June 2018 (Update and Decision)
–  Regional PMF Analysis – blank study v 2 (DECISION)
–  PCB Demolition Remodeling Manual
Work Group Rosters and Suggested Protocols:
–  SRRTTF_workgroup protocols_for 06-27-18
–  SRRTTF_SmallWorkGrps_05-29-18

March 28, 2018 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

The next meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:

Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: Spokane County Water Resource Center
1004 N. Freya Street
Spokane, WA 99202

Click here for a map

To attend by phone:
Call In Number: (509) 335-2277
Participant Code: 6456706

Meeting Documents:
SRRTTF Final Notes 3.28.18 meeting
Agenda
SRRTTF March 28_2018 agenda_final (Revised 3.26.18)

Previous meeting summary (DECISION)
–  SRRTTF DRAFT Notes 2.28.18
  SRRTTF TTWG 3.7.18 DRAFT Meeting Summary

ACE (Information)
  ACE Commitment Report

Addendum to the approved 2017 IRS (DECISION)
  Impl.Review.Summary_Addenda summaries_technical-advisor_facilitator_workgroups

Education and Outreach (DECISIONS)
–  Spokane Waste Directory-2017 PCB & Stormwater scripts
Spokane-Kootenai Waste Directory Spring Campaign 2018.3.28 SRRTTF Presentation v2
 Riverkeeper LID revised
 LID presentation text
–  SRRTTF_ EO Construction-Demolition BMP Work Plan Final

Task Force Management in Implementation (Proposed structure and staffing needs – DECISION)
– 
SRRTTF ORG chart _Implementation_d3 3-16-2018
 SRRTTF Support Services RFQ final draft_ 3-20-2018

Other Information of Interest
–  Spokane Basin QAPP Add2_ecology trace study
–  SRRTTF Upcoming Agenda Topics

 

Waste Directory Spring Campaign – Please provide feedback to Tonilee Hanson no later than c.o.b on March 14th, 2018

Task Force,
As requested by the Task Force, Tonilee Hanson provided some information on the messaging that is part of the Spring Campaign. Tonilee and Andy Dunau will attend the March 28, 2018 Task Force meeting to provide further information and answer questions. The 2018 radio scripts are not yet written. Tonilee has asked that Task Force members review the previous messaging that was used for “Got Waste Wednesday” Spokane Waste Directory-2017 PCB & Stormwater scripts from the 2017 spring and fall campaing and provide feedback, comments, ideas, for the spring campaign regarding the inclusion of PCBs in their messaging.
Tonilee and Andy are open to editing for the best possible PCB  messages, and will move forward with the media campaign focusing on different waste types if the Task Force has concerns about the PCB messages.
Please provide feedback directly to Tonlilee Hanson at tonilee@spokaneriver.net by c.o.b on March 14th, 2018 to allow them time to incorporate those comments prior to their spring campaign, if the Task Force chooses to assist in funding of the campaign.
Thank You.

EVENT NEWS: ULI Idaho – Harvesting the Value of Water: Stormwater, Green Infrastructure, and Real Estate February 22nd, 2018

ULI Idaho – Harvesting the Value of Water:
Stormwater, Green Infrastructure, and Real Estate
February 22nd, 8:00-10:00a CenterPlace Regional Event Center
2426 N. Discovery Way, Spokane Valley WA
“As cities increasingly require private developments to incorporate stormwater management mechanisms, green infrastructure is likely to become part of business as usual. Real estate projects that harness the opportunities presented by stormwater management systems will see the benefits, particularly in terms of the design of public and outdoor spaces and opportunities for operational and land use efficiencies.”
The growing involvement of the real estate industry in helping municipalities manage stormwater runoff with systems using natural resources is explored in a new Urban Land Institute (ULI) publication, Harvesting the Value of Water: Stormwater, Green Infrastructure, and Real Estate .
Come hear from the primary author of the report followed by a local panel of experts that will share successful case studies and lessons learned.
Keynote Presenter:
Katharine Burgess, AICP – Senior Director – Urban Resilience, Urban Land Institute
Katharine is the primary author of the Harvesting the Value of Water report. Through ULI’s Urban Resilience Program, Katharine aims to help ULI members and the public make their communities more resilient in the face of climate change. Through research, conferences and events, technical assistance projects, and its work with ULI’s District Council network, the Urban Resilience Program focuses on opportunities relevant to the built environment, real estate markets, and the land use policy sector. Many of the Urban Resilience Program’s projects have focused on the management of water in urban settings during peak and routine events, including methods for capturing water through green infrastructure.
Local Panel Includes:
Laura Laumatia, Environmental Specialist in the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Lake Management Department
Mike Peterson, Executive Director of the Lands Council, Spokane
Joe Frank, President of Greenstone – Kendall Yards Developer
Moderator:
Rick Romero, Senior Advisor for Strategic Planning City of Spokane, Office of the Mayor
 
Event Pricing (includes continental breakfast)
Private –   Member $25/Non Member $35
Public/Non-profit – Member $20/Non Member $30
Student – Member $20/Non Member $30
Under 35 – Member $20/Non Member $30
Retired $20