Category Archives: Announcement

Ecology News: State Fiscal Year 2019 Draft Water Quality Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan

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Ecology’s Water Quality Program is pleased to announce the availability of the State Fiscal Year 2019 (SFY19) Draft Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Draft List) for public review and comment. The Draft List describes how Ecology proposes to use state and federal grant and loan dollars to fund water quality improvement projects across the state.

Proposed water quality funding for 2019

Ecology evaluated more than 130 applications from local governments, tribes, conservation districts, other public entities, and qualified not-for-profit organizations. Funding requests totaled approximately $415 million. Ecology is proposing grants and loans for 69 projects totaling approximately $154 million based on the Governor’s proposed 2017-19 budget and federal funding estimates.

The total includes:

  • $115 million in low-interest loans from the Washington State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund
  • Approximately $27 million in grants from the Stormwater Financial Assistance Program
  • Approximately $11 million in grants from the Centennial Clean Water Program
  • $1.5 million in grants from the Clean Water Act Section 319 Program

The projects proposed for funding reflect the highest priority water quality projects across the state.

Projects proposed for funding include:

  • 20 nonpoint source pollution control activity projects
  • 2 local onsite sewage system repair and replacement projects
  • 1 stormwater control activity projects
  • 20 stormwater facility projects
  • 26 wastewater facility projects

Give us your feedback

A public review and comment period on the Draft List is open until 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 19, 2018. Ecology will hold a public information meeting to present the Draft List and discuss the project evaluation and Funding Cycle process.

Feb. 1 at 1:00 p.m.
Pierce County Library
3005 112 Street East
Tacoma, Washington

Please email, mail, or fax any written comments on the Draft List to:

Daniel Thompson

Department of Ecology
Water Quality Program – Financial Management Section
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
Fax: 360-407-7151
Email: daniel.thompson@ecy.wa.gov

A Final Funding Offer List and Intended use Plan (Final List) will be developed and issued following the receipt of public comments, awarding of federal grants, and passage of the state 2017-19 Biennial Capital Budget. Note that the final budget numbers may result in changes to projects proposed for funding on the Final List. The Final List is expected to be published by June 29, 2018. Comments received on the Draft List will be addressed in the Final List.

 

January 24, 2018 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

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

Date: January 24, 2018
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 pm
Location: Spokane County Water Resource Center
1004 N. Freya Street
Spokane, WA 99202

Click here for a map

To attend the meeting by phone:
(509)335-2277, ID 5230244

Meeting Materials to review prior to the meeting:
Meeting agenda:
– SRRTTF January 24_2018 agenda_(V2)

Previous Meeting Summaries –Decision: Accept 11/29/17 Meeting Notes? (5 min agenda topic)
–  SRRTTF 11.29.17 Meeting Summary DRAFT (DECISION ITEM)
–  TTWG 01-03-18 mtg.notes (REVIEW ITEM)

ACE  Commitment reports: (Informational- short agenda topic)
–  Ace commitment report 2017 through 4th quarter
–  ACE Commitment report December 31_2017
–  Ecology-ACE Contract for 07-01-17 to 06-30-19

Comp Plan implementation projects—Decision: authorize ACE to develop detailed scopes/schedules based on conceptual scopes?
–  ACE contract #C1800094 project planning2 (Project tracking: master table + ACE-Ecology spreadsheet)
–  Project Management Process 01-02-18 word doc (guideline for project leads); Project Management Process 01-02-18. reviewed (pdf)
–  High level scope of work GW upgradient of Kaiser
–  High level sow_PCB mass balance in river reaches Plantes Ferry to Nine Mile
–  High Level Conceptual Scope of Work Education and Outreach team 1-16-18
–  Regional PMF Analysis
 – Green Chem ideas (Posted late – Monday 1.22.18 – for discussion)
– Product Testing budget ideas ; Bio-based ice control article (Posted late – Monday 1.22.18 – for discussion)

MOA & Collaboration: Purpose: address issues related to SRRTTF MOA
–  SRRTTF MOA key guidelines_highlighted
For more information on the Task Force MOA and Previous MOA workgroup unapproved revisions go to:
–  TASK Force MOA (approved MOA)
–  MOA Work Group work in 2015 (note, revisions were put on hold in 2015)

Comp Plan Implementation Review Summary (IRS)—Purpose: Fulfill Comp Plan condition—Decision: accept IRS for the record?
– Comp Plan Impl.Review Summary (DECISION ITEM)

For review before the February Task Force Meeting (IRS addendum), consider adding the following addendum to the IRS.
–  Implementation Review Summary_Addenda–summaries from technical advisor, facilitator, and workgroups

Phase 2 Funding for Fungi “Emerging Stormwater Technologies” —Purpose: Comp Plan Implementation—Decision: allocate $15K for Phase 2 of fungi PCB remediation project?
–  The Lands Council Proposal for Phase 2 Fungi-PCB project

Ecology News: Subject: New Ecology poster Identifying sources of toxics using biofilms

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The poster, Identifying sources of toxics using biofilms, is available at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1703029.html .
 
Biofilms (algae, microbial biomass, and organic detritus) growing on rocks contribute to the base of the food web in rivers and streams. In contaminated waterbodies, biofilms take up and bind contaminants from the water. Over the last few years, the Department of Ecology has been using the contaminant concentrations of biofilms to assess the spatial distribution of metals and organic contaminants. We have also been measuring the bioconcentration of toxics from the water to assess the accumulation in higher trophic levels.
 
Our results show a strong, statistically significant relationship between dissolved concentrations of PCBs and DDT in the water column and the concentrations bound in and on biofilms. We find metal concentrations in biofilms to be (1) correlated with changes in periphyton community structure and (2) a more sensitive sample media of metal contamination than water and sediment. The use of biofilms in source identification studies has proven to be highly effective under a number of hydrologic conditions and for various toxic contaminants.
 
This poster was presented at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN, Nov. 13-16, 2017.
 
If you have questions, contact Will Hobbs at 360-407-7512 or whob461@ecy.wa.gov.

EPA News: EPA P3 Grant

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How to Apply for an EPA P3 Grant

Jan. 11, 2018

2 – 3 p.m. EST

Informational Webinar

Presentation will be livestreamed as a webinar via Adobe Connect.

Register now, as spaces are limited!

Meeting Information

Join us for an informational webinar on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 15th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Request for Applications (RFA). Learn about EPA’s P3 program, topics in this year’s funding opportunity, and how to apply. EPA P3 program experts will be available to answer questions during a question & answer (Q&A) session following the presentation. A copy of the webinar presentation will be available at www.epa.gov/P3 for those unable to participate in the scheduled webinar.

Webinar Objectives:

  • Learn about the P3 Program
  • Review topics of open 2017-2018 P3 Phase I RFA
  • Learn how to apply for a P3 grant
  • Share frequently asked questions

2017-2018 P3 Research Topic Areas:

  • Improve Air Quality
  • Provide Clean and Safe Water
  • Prevent Contamination of Land, and
  • Ensure Safety of Chemicals in the Marketplace

EPA P3 Program

Through EPA’s P3 program, college students can benefit people, promote prosperity, and protect the planet by designing environmental solutions that move us toward a sustainable future. This year’s P3 Phase I RFA is open until Feb. 7, 2018.

The P3 award competition is a two-phase team contest. For the first phase, interdisciplinary student teams compete for $15,000 grants to research and develop their design projects during the academic year. In the spring, the teams have the opportunity to attend the National Sustainable Design Expo (NSDE) to showcase their research projects. Phase II grants are then awarded to student teams through a competitive process based on their Phase I projects. This final award is an opportunity for grant funding up to $75,000 to further the project design and/or implement in the field.

This research is supported by EPA’s Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program, which provides useful science and tools for decision makers at all levels to help communities advance sustainability as well as achieve regulatory compliance.

January 10, 2018 Education and Outreach Work Group Meeting

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The next meeting of the SRRTTF Education and Outreach Work group is:

Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location: Washington Department of Ecology
N. 4601 Monroe St.
Spokane, WA 99205

Click here for a map.

DRAFT Agenda:

  • Discussion of the status of the website (next steps that need to be completed)
  • Create a scope of work for 2018 (figuring out how to spend the $10K by 6/30/18) discussing (a-g from the comp plan goal table)
    • Goals:
      • Inventory which agencies have what in regards to PCB information
      • Work on 3-4 minute educational videos
  • Finalizing the work plan for 2018

Meeting Materials:
SRRTTF E&O 1.10.18 DRAFT meeting summary
2017-11-8 Ed&Outreach Workrgoup mtg Notes (1)
Education and Outreach Goals 1-2-18
2018 Planning Calendar – E&O (1)
website content

 

January 9th, 2018 Fish Sampling (Fish Tissue/Sediment/Water Column) Work Group Meeting

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Fish Sampling (Fish Tissue/Sediment/Water Column) Work Group Meeting:

Date: Tuesday, January 9th, 2018
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: WDFW Region 1: 2315 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, 99216

Call-in number: 360-407-3780, PIN 159698 #

Meeting Materials:

SRRTTF Fish Tissue Work Group Agenda 1-9-18 (1) (corrected dial in number)

Previous information/discussion on Fish sampling that  may be of use:
fish tissue and water column data locations
fish tissue and water column data observations
Fish Sampling Workgroup Study Concepts
FISH WORKGROUP EMAIL DISCUSSIONS_ NOVEMBER 2017

January 3, 2018 Technical Track Work Group Meeting

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The next meeting of the SRRTTF Task Force and Technical Track Work group is:

Date: Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: Washington Department of Ecology
N. 4601 Monroe St.
Spokane, WA 99205
Click here for a map.

Conference call-in number: (509)335-2277
Pin code: 36812362 #

Meeting Documents:
TTWG 1.3.2018 Meeting Notes
TTWG agn 01-03-18_draft (2)
Comp-Plan-Elements-SRRTTF-work-for-01-03-18_for printing

SRRTTF Comp Plan p.72_Studies to Address Data Gaps
Lands Council: Use of Fungi to Degrade Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) Final Report
Comp Plan Impl.ReviewSum_simple 1.3.17 updated
Draft Scope of Work 120117
Project Management Process 01-02-18