Save Maumee Grassroots Organization Blog

Letter to EPA~WRITE ONE TOO!

May 9th, 2011

The EPA is looking for your input that needs to arrive at their office by May 16th regarding this memorandum http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/establishingtmdlwla_revision.pdf It is very important that we generate as many comment letters as we can in favor of the parts of the 2010 memo that improve upon the 2002 guidance. The 2002 guidance touted best management practice (BMP)-based approaches as the generally-accepted way to implement TMDLs and to comply with water quality standards except in rare instances. This EPA policy had been crafted to reflect the lack of sufficient data and experience available at that time in developing specific TMDL stormwater allocations and appropriate numeric water quality based effluent limits.

EPA has expressed their strong interest in getting lots of comments in on this memo. They are planning to use the comments to decide whether to amend it, withdraw it or leave it unchanged. Save Maumee believes that it would be best IF this memo is left in tact! EPA is going to hear loudly from the regulators and the regulated community; the associations (state agencies and wastewater and stormwater permittees) are organizing their members against this memo.

· EPA will likely change this memo in some way (if they dont simply abandon it), and we need to let them know what pieces we think are worth keeping!

· The EPA is calling for our support on this memo is a test to see how much support they will get from us on the federal stormwater rule in the works. EPAs interpretation of this turnout could influence how far they are willing to go against mounting opposition to the stormwater rule. PLEASE it is to keep us safe!

TELL THEM PLEASE!

RE: Establishing TMDL, WLAs & NPDES permits

Dear EPA Decision Makers,

The Maumee Watershed is the largest and longest contributing stream to the Great Lakes in the USA. It is important to note there are no TMDLs and over 50 NPDES in the Upper Maumee in Fort Wayne/Allen County. After reading an independent study in 2002, there are discrepancies in the total number of NPDES and pipe counts for the Upper Maumee are unknown. The entire Maumee and St. Marys Rivers are on the 303 (d) list for impaired water. Please continue your diligence in numeric limits are inherently measurable and accountable, EPA has appropriately recommended and enforce them in our area.

Army Corps of Engineers have stated, We do not enforce BMPs we only suggest and check on the process. It is the EPAs job to enforce the permits and law. (April 2011 Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN) IDEM has stated during a complaint in 2010, We are understaffed and cannot accommodate your request to check on BMPs for a construction build for up to 70 days from your complaint. (It took them 7 weeks before checking on a complaint on Maplecrest Extension road.) The EPA policy had been crafted to reflect the lack of sufficient data and experience available at that time in developing specific TMDL stormwater allocations and appropriate numeric water quality based effluent limits. Keep the memorandum as it is!

I have seen the standards and am appalled at the regulators lack of enforcement by government agencies. Please stand strong in safety of water and that begins with BMPs, stormwater, waste water, NPDES and TMDLs for the health and well being of over 25 million people in my watershed that flows to the Great Lakes.

Key points to review:

· November 2010 memo is an important step forward encouraging more specifics in stormwater permits and TMDL stormwater wasteload allocations.

· November 2010 memo is based on the same statutory and regulatory provisions as the 2002 memo that has been in effect as guidance. The 2010 memo is not a different interpretation of the law and regulations, instead it reflects the evolution of the stormwater programs, more available data, significant experience with stormwater controls, numerous examples of numeric water quality based effluent limits in stormwater permits, and continued demonstration of significant stormwater-caused impairments throughout the country in spite of numerous rounds of permitting.

· It is appropriate and legally defensible for EPA to recommend numeric water quality based effluent limits in stormwater NPDES permits under circumstances including the following:

o When the stormwater discharge is going to cause or worsen problems

The Clean Water Act requires that stormwater permits contain water quality based effluent limitations when the permitting authority has determined that the discharge has the reasonable potential to cause or contribute to an excursion of the water quality standards, including when a receiving water body is already identified on the threatened and impaired waters list. (CWA section 402(p)(3)(A), 40 CFR 122.44(d)(1)(iii)) Because numeric limits are inherently measurable and accountable, EPA has appropriately recommended that they be used.

o When the stormwater discharge is a known source of problems

The Clean Water Act also requires that if a TMDL has been developed that includes wasteload allocations for stormwater discharges, stormwater permits regulating those sources must contain water quality based effluent limits and conditions consistent with the requirements and assumptions of the allocations in the TMDL. (40CFR122.44(d)(1)(vii)(B))

· Requirements for MS4s

The memo correctly demonstrates that MS4 permits must include water quality based effluent limits when the permitting authority has determined that the discharges have a reasonable potential to cause or contribute to excursions of water quality standards OR when the MS4 discharges are included in a TMDL wasteload allocation. The Clean Water Act language requiring the control of discharge of pollutants from MS4s to the maximum extent practicable (MEP), also says and such other provisions as the Administrator or the State determines appropriate for the control of such pollutants. (CWA section 402(p)(3)(B)(iii)) EPA views the latter clause as allowing for development of effluent limits as necessary for compliance with water quality standards. This interpretation is supported by the language in the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals decision Defenders of Wildlife v. Browner, 191 F.3d 1159, 1166 (9^th Cir.1999). State courts have further found that permit requirements that prohibit causing or contributing to water quality standards can be met by municipal efforts consistent with the MEP standard.

· Burden of proof for infeasibility

The memo recommends that numeric limits should be used where feasible, yet the regulatory language allowing for the use of BMPs to control or abate the discharge of pollutants lists as one of four reasons: when numeric effluent limitations are infeasible. (40CFR122.4(k)) The regulatory language clearly places the burden of proof on demonstration of infeasibility of numeric limits, and the 2010 memo should be changed to reflect that reality.

· Disaggregation of stormwater sources in TMDLs

The memo notes the great challenges with establishing clear, effective and enforceable stormwater permit limits when TMDL stormwater wasteload allocations are aggregated. Due to those challenges, EPA now recommends that stormwater wasteload allocations be disaggregated to the extent feasible AND as narrowly as available information allows. This approach should certainly lead to allocations for individual permittees and wherever possible to individual outfalls. That transition should be supported.

· Using surrogates for pollutant parameters

The memo highlights the recommendation from the National Research Council (NRC) in their 2008 report Urban Stormwater Management in the United States that suggests that a better way to regulate stormwater contributions to waterbody impairment would be to use flow OR a surrogate, like impervious cover, as a measure of stormwater loading. It is worthwhile to support the reference to the NRCs highlight of the need to reduce stormwater flow not only as a cause of pollutant loading, but also to prevent harm to aquatic life caused by stream channel scouring, erosion and sedimentation.

It is also important to support EPAs emphasis that use of any surrogates would require demonstration of the linkage between the surrogate parameter and the documented impairment (e.g., biological degradation) as well as adequate monitoring to ensure compliance. When use of any surrogate alone is not adequate to achieve water quality standards, additional pollution source control measures must also be included. Use of surrogates should not be considered as functional compliance with water quality-based requirements, although such approaches may help a permittee protect uses and meet criteria.

· Numeric stormwater limits:

o The Vermont Construction General Permit includes a turbidity limit – 25 NTU benchmark at the point of discharge. Any discharge over that requires implementation of additional BMPs, and violation of the benchmark must also be reported within 24 hours to the state water quality agency. However, in Indiana the standards are not being enforced and need to be written for TMDL’s.

Email to weiss.kevin@epa.gov.

Kevin Weiss
Water Permits Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Room 7334 EPA East
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20460

If additional information is necessary, please call Kevin Weiss at (202) 564-0742.

PLEASE write your own letter even if you understand little of what is being presented. Simply tell the EPA that you are depending on them to keep you safe with the most stringent regulations!

Posted in Lobby for Clean Water Act, WRITE NOW! | No Comments »

6th Annual Save Maumee’s EARTH DAY FUNNY VIDEO!

April 25th, 2011

Well, we are considered a good natured bunch, with a sense of humor…

See our attempts at getting some nationwide attention! We gave a funny shout out to Ellen DeGeneres, John Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, Steven Colbert & Oprah. We figured any media attention is good attention, even if it is a little tainted! We think that all the trash we pull out of our Three Rivers in Fort Wayne is ridiculous and wanted to share a little satire in our Earth Day efforts. We have been accused of being “rough around the edges and a little crass,” so we did not want to disappoint! Remember, we are a 100% unpaid volunteer group, so you get what you pay for! Dirty rivers, however, are no laughing matter. Let it be very clear though, we only want clean water, clean rivers and reduced pollution and we are willing to do something about it. It is one thing that brings us all to a consensus. Thank you for your continued support!

Thank you to everyone who make our events a complete success….AGAIN!

The first 30 seconds are specific to the celebrity, and the rest of the 2 minute video are basically the same.

For Ellen DeGeneres Video

For John Stewart Video

For Steven Colbert Video

For Oprah Winfrey Video

For Jimmy Kimmel Video

Our official statistics for our 6th Annual Earth Day alone:

2 TONS of trash removed from our rivers & riparian area and floodways
480 Native Trees planted
150 lbs of approved DNR native seed planted
4,000 sq. ft. of erosion control mats installed
$1,000 dollars worth of pre-grown plants (plant plugs)
Raised awareness successfully for 322 men, women and children that attended our open non-house! THANK YOU!

Posted in How Fort Wayne, IN affects Great Lakes, Indiana Waterways, Local Pollution Story, Save Maumee Update, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Information from Earth Day Happenings…Update to follow soon!

April 19th, 2011

Save Maumees 6^th Annual EARTH DAY 2011 Celebration!
Coordinated by Save Maumee Grassroots Organization

Safety Sheet Please take a moment now and read!

o DO NOT PICK UP ANY BOTTLES CONNECTED TO A TUBE: IT MAYBE
A METH-LAB *DO NOT TOUCH*DANGER*Find someone in a Save Maumee shirt.

o Go on your walk with a buddy so you can help and watch each other!

o Do not walk on unstable stream banks, disturbing these banks-including the vegetation growing upon them-can accelerate erosion and lead to a collapse. Some of the plants you step on may have been planted by another participant! Be part of the solution, not part of the problem! NO STEPPING ON PLANTS.

o Dont pick up any hypodermic needles, or other medical or hazardous waste or animal carcasses or manure but please notify someone to dispose of anything in question. DO NOT TOUCH DEAD BIRDS. (bird flu & notify someone)

o We only want adults picking up sharp objects like glass because we do not want any children handling anything on which they may accidentally cut themselves. Adequate adult supervision is required at all times for anyone under 18!
**DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN ON A RIVERBANK**

o DO NOT TAKE OR MOVE TURTLES, CLAMS OR FROGS it is illegal

o Be alert at all times for holes or obstacles near the riverbank, wear shoes that are in good condition and have traction there is always the potential for harm.

o We require gloves for hands, and shoes for climbing…you will get muddy.

o Be alert for stinging insects and animals do bite.

o Beware of plants. Watch for poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, and other skin-irritating vegetation. REMEMBER: leaves of threelet them be.

o The water is very cold, and moves quickly, no matter how calm it seems!

Keep children away from water and dont get in or fall in! Death can occur in 6 minutes in cold water.

o Never wade in swift or high water, currents can sweep you away quickly!

o Any open soars or blisters would be a risk for infection because of the unsanitary condition of the river and/or things that may have sat in river water.

o Do not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs because injury would be more likely.

o Never drink the water ~use hand washing buckets with sanitizer to clean hands often, and be wary when eating and drinking if your hands have been in contact with stream water or garbage. Use our cleaning station where you checked in!

o We DO like insects, they feed many things ~ DO NOT KILL THEM.

IF YOU DO NOT SIGN THE LIABILITY WAIVER PLEASE DO NOT PARTICIPATE! This is a volunteer event and we want everyone safe, but we are not responsible for illness, injuries or death, AND we have cameras that may take your picture, so please sign the waiver if you havent already and have everyone in your group do the same.

This day is for you, our river and our larger communityto be enjoyed by ALL!

The River truly thanks you from its bottom!

How it works:

Thank you for participating in Earth Day 2011 Celebration. Pleasesit down and speak to someone and speak to everyone! There are many educators and activists here that want to share with you! Smile at strangers. WE want everyone to love the rivers as we do! We are always excited about how much we have to plant and restore this year! It took all year to raise this much money for only seed and erosion control mats! Please donate TODAY for Earth Day 2012, we are only citizen sponsored, and 100% volunteer but this is a FREE event that takes much coordination.

1. Sign in and REGISTER FIRST, SIGN LIABILITY WAIVER and listen/read any information being presented about our rivers. Many people are around – Talk to someone READ THE SIGNS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TENT FOR EXACT TIMES OF ACTIVIES Walk over to seed / plant / shovel station afterwards.

2. Plant seeds on your walk AND/OR Trees. Dont walk on new life please!

Planting Seed: – Planting Midwestern Prairie Grass Erosion Control Mix & suggested by Earth Source Inc/Heartland Restoration & Save Maumees Seed from / Fox Island Seed Gathering underneath 4,500 sq ft of erosion control mats TODAY.

a. Find a good area where grass needs to grow and may not get washed away
by the first rain.
b. Stir up some dirt with your shoe/rake/ stick.
c. Sprinkle some seeds in the raked up dirt
d. Cover the newly planted seeds with the dirt you stirred up.
e. Step-on the freshly planted seeds to hold them in the earth, SECURE the soil.

Planting a Tree:

      a.       Pick out a tree you would like to plant in an area further than 10ft from larger trees. Dont forget to grab a shovel!
b.      Plant all the roots into the soil so they are suspended, not cramped roots. Preferably in very-moist soil
c.       Secure it firmly with the leftover soil and step all around it so the soil will not move if we have a rain event in the near future.

3. Pick up trash on your way back to the large dumpster.

a. Dont walk farther than you want to walk back.
b. Remember the suggestions on the safety page.

GOOD JOB! This is grassroots organizing at its finest! ~
The benthos community THANKS YOU!

TIMES for SPECIFIC 2011 EARTH DAY FESTIVITIES:
Check out signs on BOTH sides of the tent for exact location of activities.

11AM – Sign in at the Information Table and go for a walk, wonder what all the buildings contain around your waterways, see it for yourself, notice the beauty in your surroundings.
– Sounds of Saturn will be our groovy entertainment till 1ish!

11:30AM -Judith Nastally ~ Neuhouser Nursery Native Plants & discussing specifically about the plants we will be installing TODAY!

NOON – Dr. I.C. Coldwater talks about local water issues upstream and downstream.

NOON REMOTE SITE VOLUNTEERS LEAVE for large scale measured clean-up
– BIG BURLEY PEOPLE and helpful hands Bring your truck, shovel and pull chains and cameras ~
– If you want to make a difference this is IT!
– YOU HAVE the time it takes to remove one-and-one-half hours worth of trash from our riversGO
– RETURN TIME 1:45.BIG BURLEY PEOPLE and helpful hands RETURN to Niagara Drive for MEDIA BLITZ @ 1:45PM

1PM ~ Bob Dispenza from Allen County Parks speaks on energy and water conservation and demonstration of a car conversion battery pulse and glide driving!
– The Wilderness will be rocking us into the afternoon!

1:45PM ~ MEDIA BLITZcalling all media and river lovers! Bring your homemade sign for our media blitz and we need your help. Have a good time with it! A MUST SEE! You will laugh. Find our sign making area by the face painting.

2:30PM~ Soarin Hawk Raptor Rehab presents native raptors in the area ~ SSSHHH WE NEED TO BE QUIET it disturbs these wild raptors of prey.

3:00PM ~ Environmental Childrens Story Time. Written by Save Maumees Earth Literacy Master Bruce Allen

3:30PM ~ Save Maumee STOMP – YOU planted it! We have to make sure it is secured into the ground! The river raises and falls quickly because all the trees have been removed and replaced with large stones. STOMP the soil around the plants and burry the seeds with your pressure. WATCH OUT for new growing life and dont STOMP that!

What are all these seeds we are planting all day? Joe Pye Weed, Prairie Cord Grass, Common Milk Weed, Tall Ironweed, Bidens, Switchgrass, Yellow & Gray Headed Coneflower, Monarda, Rosinweed, Spiderwort, Big Blue Stem, Cup Plant, Rice Cut Grass, Virginia & Canada Wild Rye, Prairie Dock, Prairie Dropseed, Mountain Mint, New England Aster, Yarrow, Lemon Queen, Grey Goldenrod, Dogwood Berries, Black Eyed Susan, Evening Primrose, Fox Glove, Nodding Onion and RASPBERRY BUSHES.

What Trees are we planting today? 210 Hazelnut, 60 Burr Oak, 40 River Birch, 40 White Swamp Oak, 28 White Oak, 20 Flower Dogwood, 20 Butterfly Bushes, 10 Tulip Poplars, 8 Red Oak, 6 Red Maple A total of 442 TREES!

What are the plant plugs? $1,000 worth of pre-grown plants include 245 Carex lacustris, 147 Glyceria strata, 147 Heliopsis Helianthoides, 98 Hystrix patula, 98 Carex muskingumensis, 3 Silphium perfoliatum, 3 Elymus villosus!

What else throughout The Day?

MASSIVE seed planting for everyone and 4,500 sq. ft. of erosion control mats installed TODAY! Want to know what about the plants? Come to the 11:30 explanation of each plant by Judith Nastally! All seed and chaff weighed approximately 150lbs.
Largest Save Maumee erosion control project to date – 4,500 sq. ft of GeoJute (coconut mesh) will be installed over native DNR approved seed blend TODAY and completely disintegrate in 4 years, leaving a nice mesh of grasses.
Sounds of Saturn will be playing between 11am-1pm an encore for your rivers!
The Wilderness – non-fiction rock band playing originals and jam out classics ~ making the play for a 5th time at a Save Maumee event @ 1pm-4pm
Make a Sign – supplies are limited or BYO sign & use it at 1:45-TELL US HOW YOU LOVE MOTHER EARTH!
Bag Monster makes his debut at Save Maumees Earth Day
Face Painting
Andys Horse Tours and Rentals – we couldnt get a big enough truck with a hitch to transport on a Sunday and it was going to cost $400 for transportation costs~ BOO but we love our friends & see you next year!
Chuck & Birds ~ LOCAL grown food served to you on the riverbanks! 11:30-1
Sports & Spirits on Anthony Blvd. serving 20 pizzas at 3pm
Health Food Shoppe snacks
Old Crown Roasters Coffee
REUSABLE water bottles from ACRES Land Trust & US ARMY & Upper Maumee Watershed Partnership. DONT BUY BOTTLED WATER
Pick up lots of educational material and read it later!

Looking for the things you find on your riverbanks

-Largest Trash Most Likely to Contaminate Our River Trash Funniest Trash Weirdest Trash- Most Interesting Find- Most Useful Trash – BEST Little River Hero (1 boy 1 girl) – Hardest Worker River Hero – Largest Unified Group of River Heroes –

PRE 2011 Save Maumee Stats: Because YOU: REMOVED 9 tons of GARBAGE from the Rivers and Riverbanks of the Fort Wayne Area -PLANTED over 1,000 trees 800 lbs of DNR approved native riparian seed installed over 10,000 sq ft of erosion control mats planted 50 native fruit trees, 50 raspberry/blackberry bushes, harvested 56 lbs worth of seed and raised awareness SUCCESSFULLY! Planning to plant several hundred pounds of seed TODAY!

NO CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP: 100% donations from our local citizens go only and directly to best management practices for naturalization of riparian areas – this is what grassroots organizing is all about! ALL VOLUNTEERS~ All money came from: Grateful Music Productions/Save Maumee Rock Out-Camp Out, Berlin Music Pubs PUNK PARTY, Save Maumee Earth Day 2010, Save Maumee Canoe Clean-Up 2010, Save Maumee Presents: Sounds of Saturn & Les Nester at Dash-In, Sports & Spirits Bar & Grill. Namnaste to many small monetary donors! Save Maumee did not raise as much money as last year but we are very proud to supply you with these effective erosion control techniques for OUR riverbanks!

What is the Media Blitz @ 1:45PM?

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization is attempting to make national T.V. ~ we want the media to help us draw attention to our efforts and many issues that face our waterways because we want CLEAN WATER. If you do not want to be video recorded, be aware of the cameras and keep working out of sight & sign the waiver. ~ EVERYONE WELCOME!

We hope you willjust roll with it and have a good time!

#1 Look like you are having the time of your life, SMILE, dance, hula hoop, juggle, be funny and show excitement. Free expression time!

#2 Gather close together at the designated sign: Media Blitz Here @1:45.

#3 We will be giving a shout-out to the following people & hold up signs for:

YELL: WE LOVE YOU _____________________

———————————————————————————————-

#1 Ellen Degeneres The Wilderness plays for our dancing pleasure-DANCE
#2 Jimmy Kimmel We will mention Harry Baals our former mayor
#3 John Stewart We will mention Harry Baals our former mayor
#4 Steven Colbert STEVEN STEVEN STEVEN chant his name
#5 Oprah Winfrey We want you to know what is happening to your Great Lakes
#6 – Dr. Oz we want to know about the contaminants that are in our water and what long term exposure does to our body? Cryptosporidium, Mercury, PCB, Heavy metals, non-pharmaceutical grade fluoride, hexovalent chromium, Perchlorate, phosphorous?

———————————————————————————————-
Each of the celebrities will get about 10-20 seconds of us yelling for themthen we will CUT and start the next designated person.

GOT IT? Impromptu grassroots organizing?

Disclaimer: Save Maumee does not carry power as to the fate of our rivers. YOU DO! People need to feel more connected to each other, to nature, and to the things that are most valuable. We feel a personal connection to our waterways and love our rivers and we want you to as well. Civic duty and helping your fellow man should be words that fall from your mouth continuously. We want this event to leave you hopeful and empowered. Please realize that we all want the same thing – CLEAN WATER. Water is a right not a luxury and keeping pollution out of our rivers is our priority. We do not talk politics, but you are making a political statement by being here.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, dedicated citizens can change the world indeed it is the only thing that ever has. –Margaret Mead

Special THANK YOU from Save Maumee to the following people who helped bring all of us together this year! Our events are FREE but ALL donations go to projects like this one! Give till it hurts OUCH!

Heartland Communities Inc. 501 © (3) Non-For Profit tax exempt umbrella sponsor.

Allen County Soil & Water Conservation District 410 Bare Root Trees

Soaring Hawk Raptor Rehab Birds of prey non-for-profit rescue group

Do-It Best & Home Depot Shovels, Rakes, hoes & GREAT extras

Top Notch Tree Service (Kenny& Becki) greenhouse & consultation

Heartland Restoration /Earth Source Chaff, seed, plants, consultation Eric Ummel

Partnership for Water Quality Matt Jones awareness raising & education

Judith Nastally seed, plant & tree education about the specific plants

City of Fort Wayne Waived our Assembly Permit Fee for the 3nd time!

Old Crown Coffee (Mike & Jen) Coffee & drinkin supplies

Health Food Shoppe & American Rivers All natural snacks & trash bags

Camp Potawotami – 20X15 tent

Citizens Action Coalition-Printed Material, long-distance calls, endless paper

Save Maumee Grassroots Org – Erosion Control Mats / raspberry bushes / T-Shirts / stickers/ native local seeds & general fun provider

USA Air Force / ACRES Land Trust / Upper Maumee Watershed Partnership donated REUSABLE bottles STOP BUYING SINGLE USE WATER BOTTLES!

Halls Triangle Park – gloves, 5 gallon buckets, trash bags

Chuck & Birds Market, Bistro & Home Delivery serves high quality foods grown and produced by our local farmers and artisans!

Summit City Noise Save Maumee banner & demonstration

Bob Dispenza from County Parks Dept. showing us his homemade green vehicle

City Utilities Solid Waste Dept- 30 yard dumpster

Fox Island & County Parks: Use of land for seed gathering

Allen County Public ACCESS – Produced the Earth Day for several years now!

The Wilderness & Sounds of Saturn Live entertainment – Rivers LOVE music

Green Dog – Goodies for your pet ~ prizes!

Indiana Computer Service Web & Computer expert consulting provided

Phi Theta Kappa Alpha Kappa Nu Chapter IPFW advertizing & labor

Lydia Savitz & Jason LaMont & new-born Lee! Port-A-Jon donation

Sports & Spirits on Anthony Blvd. pizza and plant/seed purchase

PRINTING! WE ALWAYS NEED PRINTING – but got it from Shannon Gill & Becky Tietz

Greatful Music Productions PA system and all their time! Thanks Doug & Rose!

Friends of the Rivers matched us $1,000 worth of plant plugs! (pre-grown plants)

Marissa Jones, Ryan Bailey, Grace Strahm, Liz Magno, Rebecca Tietz, Mike Miller, Ellen Ley, Bruce Allen, Craig Thorne, Greg Konger, Burk, Les Lesser, Dan Murray, Jen Hancock, Dana Jinx, Brian Foster, Melanie McKinnley & Wade & Davis King All do whatever Save Maumee asks!

AND ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HELP EVERYDAY AS VOLUNTEERS The heart of grassroots belongs to PEOPLE who donate time, supplies, money, expertise – or ALL of these things!

Posted in Plants/Trees and Sustainable Planting, Save Maumee Update, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day Celebration

April 6th, 2011

~ Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day 2011
~ SUNDAY April 17 ~ WE are here for the cause….CLEANER WATERWAYS AND AWARNESS
~ 11AM – 4PM ~

All Ages ~ Rain or Shine ~ Action & Education ~ Seed Planting & Large Scale Erosion Control Project ~ Free Fun

Open-Non House…working on improving your rivers with only citizen sponsorship and 100% volunteers since 2005! Looking for your back muscles!

See where to find the Earth Day fun CLICK HERE:

**Sign in and REGISTER FIRST and listen/read any information being presented about your rivers in Indiana – please sign the liability waiver, or you cannot participate. (just keeping the lawyers happy :))Save Maumee Grassroots Organization is dedicated to raising awareness about the conditions of the 3 Rivers in Fort Wayne, Indiana while facilitating ecosystem restoration projects; ultimately repairing and improving the St. Joseph, St. Mary and Maumee Rivers. Revitalizing the St. Joe/Maumee Watershed will protect and restore the environment, while improving the economic, aesthetic and recreational value. We are organizing hypothesis driven restoration projects, which place a high priority on monitoring, developing and restoring rivers with a positive environmental impact. Research into historical importance of our navigable waterways and current pollution conditions began in 2001 and Save Maumee began bank-stabilization projects in 2005 to begin the slow process of reversing years of pollution.

Watch our Earth Day Video from 2010!

Watch Save Maumee’s 2011 PSA

What else has been going on?

*Tree removal on Fort Wayne riverbanks due to potential levee disturbance: Save Maumee’s Respons e

*Saints on the Streets in Fort Wayne supporting cleaner waterways by encouraging homeless to clean up their streambanks…Save Maumee is proud that other groups and excited to know that other groups are working for the cause.

* HR 872 passed in the House: This exempts pesticides users who spray over water from obtaining a Clean Water Act permit. It will allow our waters to be polluted with high levels of pesticides which will damage public health and the environment. This legislation is a disaster.

Grand Lake St. Mary’s died in Ohio, so how is land application of industrial waste products being passed in Indiana HB 1112? This will allow a variance from previously illegal land application of industrial waste products that were adopted by the water pollution control board for safety of citizens! Another article may explain why this bill has been introduced.

* Save Maumee & other environmental groups made it to Washington D.C. for 2011 Clean Water Week! – See what we said

* Save Maumee has created a Public Service Announcement, and eagerly await play circulation!

* Our Save Maumee Presented at the Dash-In: Sounds of Saturn & Les Nester and brought in enough money to buy an entire bag of Midwestern Prairie Grass @ $530 per acre – we will be placing this under the erosion control mats! Thank you everyone for making a GREAT evening with FREEBEE giveaways from: Green Dog, Neuhouser Nursery, Hall’s, Fort Wayne Outfitters/Bike Depot & Save Maumee goodies!

* Find out when the sewers discharge in Fort Wayne Rivers: To receive an alert email from City of Fort Wayne click here

* IF you think that The Maumee River is disgusting, this may give us a fresh perspective!

Other Happenings Around Town

April 29 through May 8th – BUY A PAIR OF SHOES – Come on in to Fort Wayne Outfitters / Bike Depot and buy a pair of Patagonia Shoes! (rumored to be the most environmentally friendly shoes on Earth). These two businesses are donating proceeds from sales of Patagonia Shoes to Save Maumee!

April 16 – Annual Eagle Marsh Clean-Up from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn for this annual clean-up to help remove litter from our restored habitats. Plants, wildlife and hikers will benefit. Please wear boots and bring gloves.

April 22 – Earth Day Tree Planting from 3:30pm to 4:30pm –
Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn. A tree planting at the largest habitat restoration project in the area is a wonderful way to spend some time on Earth Day. Join us to plant native trees and shrubs at Eagle Marsh. Please call 260-478-2515.

April 27th – Community-based Green Infrastructure FREE public webinar, you can use Save Maumee as your watershed group!
Register here

April 29 – Arbor Day Tree Planting at Eagle Marsh from 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Senator Richard Lugar is sponsoring a tree planting at the largest habitat restoration project in the area to celebrate national Arbor Day. Plant native trees and shrubs in areas at Eagle Marsh. Please call 260-478-2515 or email b.yankowiak@lrwp.org if you will be bringing a group or if you are interested in being a team leader.

April 30th & May 1st – Sol-Fest at Fox Island Celebrating the outdoors with food, music & sun. If you want to participate in the fun or run a booth. Check it out http://allencountyparks.org/parks/fox-island/sol-fest-2008/

3rd Tuesday of every month – Green Drinks is looking for someone to organize Fort Wayne Green Drinks! Please email Julia Gorrel at greendrinksfortwayne@gmail.com or 260.418.0071

June 25, 2011 – Riverfest on the banks of the St. Joe at IPFW! Fun includes sea plane & water ski show, pontoon/kayak/canoe trips, fireworks, live entertainment on the rivers. Come & Celebrate the positive things about our rivers! – Steel Dynamics Inc. is title sponsor for RiverFest, sitting at the table with Save Maumee we look forward to the transparancy of business practices improve the health and wealth of our rivers! Call Dan Wire (260) 580-7415 to get involved or check out://ipfwriverfest.org/

September 17, 2011- Save Maumee’s 5th Annual Canoe Clean Up, Can YOU Clean Up?
11am- 4pm Free canoes from Fort Wayne Outfitters Bike Depot with ID. Spend a fun day with family and friends on the river cleaning up and educating yourself! Canoe Clean-Up Details HERE

October 4 OR 24, 2011- Save Maumee’s 4th Annual Seed Harvest at Fox Island Nature Preserve 1pm – 4pm, exact date to be announced depending harvesting availability. Seed Harvest Details HERE

===============================
Why Save Maumee chooses Earth Day?
“So long as the human species inhabits the Earth, proper management of its resources will be the most fundamental issue we face. Our very survival will depend upon whether or not we are able to preserve, protect and defend our environment. We are not free to decide about whether or not our environment “matters.” It does matter, apart from any political exigencies. We disregard the needs of our ecosystem at our mortal peril.” ~
~~U.S. Senator & Congressman Gaylord Nelson ~ Earth Day Founder [EPA JOURNAL, April 1980]

Our group is citizen driven only and 100% volunteer.

Thank you for your interest and caring about our local waterways! We ALL live downstream!

www.savemaumee.org
blog.savemaumee.org

Facebook – OUR NEW PAGE!
Twitter
A Greener Indiana

Posted in Indiana Waterways, Links to Information YOU should know, Local Pollution Story, Save Maumee Update, SM in the News!, Uncategorized | No Comments »

More Trees Removed Along Riverbanks?

April 1st, 2011

VIDEO AND COVERAGE HERE:

Levee Tree Removal in Fort Wayne

It has recently come to the attention of Save Maumee that trees along the Maumee River and St. Mary’s River are indiscriminately being cut down by order of the Board of Public Works by orders of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Apparently, this area of the riverbank lies on a levee and during one of the last big floods in Fort Wayne, the riverbank and the trees fell into the water. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of regulating levees by setting the safety guidelines and according to city planners, the US ACE directed the city to remove the trees and make repairs or lose the acceptable rating of flood protection. This has resulted in the removal of hundreds of trees along the riverbanks of the Maumee River – in addition to trees removed from the St. Marys and St. Joe Rivers as well.

Straight from the Board Of Public Works

“Officials in Fort Wayne say there should be no trees cut down along the city’s flood levees because there aren’t any. The levees here were built by the corps in the 1990s, and the only trees near a levee are on the river side of the structure, where they slow the current and help stabilize the levee. ‘Every year, (Army Corps inspectors) walk every inch of those levees,’ said Bob Kennedy, city public works director. Kennedy said the tree prohibition was issued by the corps in 2007, so any trees that needed to be cut down would have already been spotted and removed.”
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 6/14/09.

Well Mr. Kennedy, you ARE cutting down trees, hundreds of them in the past 3 weeks. Save Maumee recognizes the importance of levee safety and does not dispute that the city needs to be able to assess and observe the levees and keep our homes safe from floods. We also recognize that the rivers are filthy; contaminated with E. coli, Mercury, PCBs, nutrients, phosphorous, sewage, garbage and general pollution – and we do not see the city working to correct or repair any of these issues; aside from a federal mandate to separate the sewer and storm drains, which should have been started 20 years ago. In the world of water, vegetation coexists along rivers. The vegetation holds soil in place when water rises and falls. Native plants with long taproots prevent soil from being washed downstream, filter water, attract diverse species of birds and insects, slow down and absorb water as it moves quickly through the banks during times of flooding and high water, while providing shade that increases Dissolved Oxygen in the water for wildlife. Removal of that vegetation increases soil erosion. Removal of vegetation is another reason streambanks to fall into the river.

Tree removal and stump grinding has been a hot discussion topic around town. Between Ash Trees being removed due to the Emerald Ash Borer invasion (equaling 24% of the tree canopy in Fort Wayne) and the Oak Trees being eaten by the Gypsy Moths; no tree is sacred from removal or damage. Now trees are being removed due to “potential levee disturbance.” According to a former employee of the Corps Engineer and Research Development, There has never been a documented problem with a tree. (MSNBC- Associated Press 6/9/2009) The literature on the presence of vegetation indicates that it may actually strengthen a levee,” said Andrew Levesque, senior engineer for King County Washington. Yet, the mowing down of trees in Fort Wayne, never seems to end. The city has no plans to replace the trees elsewhere, except in mowed city/county parks, and does not see a problem with tree removal. (Board of Public Works, April 2011)

Hurricanes breaking levees and the affects in Fort Wayne, IN?

Tree removal on levees has been an ongoing problem around the country since Hurricane Katrina blasted through New Orleans, destroying the levees built to protect the city. Recognizing that part of the issue in New Orleans, was the failing levee system, the US ACE has taken a fresh look at all of the levee systems in the U.S. They have compiled a list of blanket regulations that every city or county lying in a floodplain must follow. The US ACE tightened its regulations with specific criteria regarding structure safety and vegetation. But, they tightened their regulations claiming there is an understanding that levee systems commonly share the same space as water conveyance and critical ecosystems and habitats, and that working with these interests is vital in effectively managing flood risks. (Recommendations for a National Levee Safety Program; A Report to Congress from the National Committee on Levee Safety, 2009)

Yet Fort Wayne indiscriminately cuts trees out on entire riverbanks without planning to replace them anywhere – while our rivers get dirtier and turn into culverts.

What do citizens say?

Concerned citizens have contacted Save Maumee regarding the removal of these trees, filling in of flood plains (approving permits and failing to enforce fines), business vehicles leaking directly into storm drains, waste gates being open with water flushing out during times without rain, concern about removal of vegetation without plans to replant elsewhere along the river and the lack of city planning that coincides with increasing the water and ecological quality along the banks, along with other issues. In fact, we can be bold enough to say that our organization is working to correct more than a century of neglect, degradation, and abuse on the Maumee River in Fort Wayne and have yet to see others take an active approach to STOP pollution. We see the city cutting down trees, changing the structure of the rivers, and having a continued disregard for the communitys greatest natural assets – which also directly affects those downstream from us. And we (Save Maumee 100% volunteers) continue to pull tires, plastic, stoves, refrigerators, etc. out of the riverbanks while also planting the trees and vegetation that actually do some good. ALL of which has been DNR approved. The questions remain: 1) Who decides where these trees are removed? 2) Who is advising the board and the “experts” that have been consulted? 3) Who is footing the bill for this large scale project?

BEFORE AFTER

Army Corps issues tree chopping orders; Policy aimed at protecting levees draws fire from locals

The above article states that “Army Corps of Engineers are on a mission to chop down every tree in the county Columbia LA…but later settled on a few dozen.”

The corps eventually dropped the idea because of state wildlife officials complained that the policy would destroy habitat, and residents in Sacramento and elsewhere objected that it would turned the rivers into more than barren culverts. The corps eventually dropped the idea.

So why cut down every tree indiscriminately along the levees in Fort Wayne, IN?

Lawyers have sent a letter of inquiry into the massive tree removal along local riverbanks and we eagerly await the report. See it here: Request for Information

All this came about in the Army Corps of Engineers in 2006 due to Hurricane Katrina smashing the New Orleans levees in Aug. 2005 and now letters from ACE are making their way into local requirements. The Corps wants a way to protect levees, yet our riverbanks have nothing to do with a hurricane and the City of New Orleans being built below sea level and the levees bursting from the pressure of a violent ocean during a hurricane event. TREES had NOTHING to do with it!

One reason that city continues to have flooding issues may have to do with the land use. More than 85% of Indianas wetlands have been eliminated since the 1800s, and many forested wetlands have been lumbered for their high-value hardwood. More than five million acres of wetlands used to exist in the state, but just over 800,000 acres remain today. Our wetlands are nature’s kidneys and filtrate pollution as well. Water is more destructive than fire, if you keep it at bay in one part of a rip/rap levee area…it will find a way to meander somewhere else; that area may never have flooded before. Removing trees “may contribute to the erosion of the banks.” It definitely contributes to the fast rising and falling of water levels called flashiness. City planning remains to be poor, even though building previously on a floodplain was not this administrations mistake. The city/county continually ignores the importance of the ecological systems along the rivers, which also provides safety to the quality of the waterways, fish, birds, etc. Highlights of Plan-it Allen – Allen County’s Comprehensive Plan

An old wise man, spoke of an idiom. “Watch out for people who talk out of both sides of their mouth.” This means ~ To say different things to different people on the same subject, in order to appease the one with whom you speak. Save Maumee uses the old cliche’ to point out water issues…
Actions always speak louder than words.

Posted in How Fort Wayne, IN affects Great Lakes, Indiana Waterways, Plants/Trees and Sustainable Planting, SM in the News! | 3 Comments »

Save Maumee Goes to D.C. ~ Clean Water Week 2011

March 3rd, 2011

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization is representing north-east Indiana in Washington D.C. again this year for Clean Water Week! Bruce Allen made it there on Monday to speak for our waterways in 2011. This is the 4th year that Bruce has represented Save Maumee and our local area, with sponsorship from Healing Our Waters.

We have written a letter to our 9 U.S. Congressman and our 2 U.S. Senators, that will be delivered personally in D.C. during arranged meetings. Packages will also be sent to the home districts of 30 State Senators and State Representatives.

Who will receive information personally in Washington, D.C.:

U.S. Federal Senators:

Dan Coats
Richard Lugar

U.S. House Congressman

District 1 – Pete Visclosky
District 2 – Joe Donnelly
District 3 – Marlin Stutzman
District 4 – Todd Rokita
District 5 – Dan Burton
District 6 – Mike Pence
District 7 – Andre’ Carson
District 8 – Larry Bucshon
District 9 – Todd Young

We wanted you to know what we said:

February 26, 2011
Dear ______________,

Clean Water Week is a time to reflect on the importance of our waterways and our impact on the health of these vital ecosystems. It is also a time to comment on the issues and appreciate your indispensable role in achieving resolutions. I am writing to ask you to help the citizens of Indiana protect our near and far economic interests, but never at the expense of the environment.

I speak to many citizens, government agents, non-for profit groups, etc., and I have compiled a list of concerns that need to be addressed immediately:

Issues Related to Impaired Waterways:
    CO2 Emissions and Energy Efficiency
    Hydraulic-Fracking/CO2 Injection
    Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
    Phosphorus removal from commercial fertilizer
    MORE Oversight and Enforcement of current law; IDEM has stated they are unable to keep industry in check due to cuts in their budget. Dont let the EPA be next.

I urge you not to cave-in to lobbyists money and pressures from industry to deregulate or relax standards. Many of the regulations that have been put in place are currently being ignored, resulting in severe impairment to 2,882 waterways of Indiana. This has a direct affect, economically and environmentally, on Hoosiers living in the state and those in neighboring regions. Therefore, it is imperative that Indiana keeps the health and vitality of our waterways a priority when determining the needs of the State and its residents. We cannot allow lobbyists of industry to determine the quality of our lives.

It is critical that mandatory reductions in carbon dioxide are put in place, and regulated, in an effort to reduce the negative impact on our waterways.

Include a 100% auction of pollution allowance so that polluters will think twice before violating State and Federally set standards.

Mandate that utility companies significantly increase energy efficiency measures and increase the use of renewable energy by 2020 to reduce the impact of our heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

Mandate the regulation and oversight of the disposal of manure from CAFOs currently residing in Indiana and being shipped to Indiana from Ohio, which has a direct affect on waterways (as Ohio has come to find out with the current condition of Grand Lake St. Marys).

Please take the time to read the enclosed information, keeping in mind that natural ecosystems in Indiana contributed to over 18,000 jobs, $127 million in State and Local Tax Revenue, and $117 million in Federal tax revenue in 2006 according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

CLICK HERE for the happenings from last year (2010) in Washington, D.C.!

CLICK HERE for what we said last year…

We encourage you to write your own letter or comments and send it to your elected officials!
WHO ARE YOUR LEGISLATORS? CHECK HERE:

Posted in Lobby for Clean Water Act, WRITE NOW! | No Comments »

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!

February 26th, 2011

Greetings River Lovers ~ Happy Pre-Spring!

Upcoming Save Maumee Events ~ Working to improve your waterways all year long!

TODAY ~ Saturday February 26, 2011 Save Maumee Presents another FUN & educational evening!

Enjoy yourself at Dash-In with us and live entertainment to celebrate awareness and forward progress coupled with great LIVE MUSIC and delicious FOOD & DRINKS and door prizes!

Who is playing: Sounds of Saturn 9pm-11pm – cosmic vibrations & instrumental jazz
Les Nester 11:30pm- 2 am-ish – scintillating sound

Location: Dash-In (814 Calhoun Street, downtown Fort Wayne, IN 46802)
Time: 9pm-2am (ish)
Age: 21+,
Cost to improve your waterways: $3 cover OR $5 gets you in the door AND in the raffle for door-prizes:
What door prize?: Neuhouser Nursery Gift Basket, The Green Dog-dog bathing, and Fort Wayne Outfitters/Bike Depot compostable water bottle/t-shirt and free canoe/kayak rental for 2, Save Maumee T-Shirts, $25 GAS Gift Certificate, Hall’s Gift Certificates! ~Drawing throughout the evening…Must be present to win.
Check out Facebook Invitation HERE

All proceeds go to riverbank restoration materials for Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day 2011!

Other Upcoming Events for 2011

Sunday April 17, 2011 ~ Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day! 11am-4pm on Niagara Dr. on the north side of the Maumee River.
Fun includes clean-up and planting, Soaring Hawk presentation, Horse Tours, river and environmental education, and so much more!
Click here for more Earth Day Details
Date (?weekend after Earth Day?) TBA – Mother Bed Planting – at the Save Maumee / Top Notch Tree Service Greenhouse
September 17, 2011– 4th Annual Canoe Clean Up, Can YOU Clean Up? 11am- 4pm Free canoes from Fort Wayne Outfitters Bike Depot with ID. Spend a fun day with family and friends on the river cleaning up and educating yourself! Canoe Clean-Up Details HERE
October 4 OR 24, 2011- 3rd Annual Seed Harvest at Fox Island Nature Preserve 1pm – 4pm, exact date to be announced depending harvesting availability. Seed Harvest Details HERE

We have also discussed having ACTION MEETINGS. We meet and discuss our plan of what to do in a time frame of 1 month.

Suggestions have included so far:

“I will go with a friend of mine and pick up trash and record it and put it on YouTube by next month.”
“My plan of action is to make a poster board with all the water related issues locally, so people can understand through cartoons.”
“I will write an article of how I feel about our waterways for Save Maumee Blog by next month.”
“My band will play for a Save Maumee Benefit.”
“I will go to represent northeast Indiana and Save Maumee in Washington D.C. for Clean Water Week the first week in March.”
“I will write my views about pollution in my water and send it to my Congressman, Senators and House of Representatives.”

THIS is how grassroots organizing does it! Everyone just does one thing with their talents… and 30 goals can be accomplished in one month! We all have different talents and Save Maumee is willing and able to put them to good use to benefit our rivers. Since we are all unpaid volunteers it takes a community to improve WATER QUALITY. We are looking for input (and action) on our non-traditional ways to move forward and progress towards cleaner water!

Posted in Save Maumee Update | No Comments »

A SEWER FULL OF POLLUTERS’ AMENDMENTS

February 17th, 2011

These amendments have no place in a spending bill and they effectively aim to “handcuff” EPA and other federal agencies from enforcing current law or help to relax current law:

Amendment No. 10 from Rep. Cliff Stearns (FL-6) would prevent EPA from developing or issuing standards that list coal ash as hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Amendment No. 13 from Rep. Tom Rooney (FL-16) would stop EPA from using its funding to implement, administer or enforce new water quality standards for Florida’s lakes and flowing waters, which were issued in November.

Amendment No. 109 from Griffith (VA-9) would block EPA from using its funding to implement or enforce new guidance for the review of water pollution from proposed coal-mining projects, including mountain-top removal mining.

Amendment No. 216 from Rep. David McKinley (WV-1) would stop EPA from administering or enforcing section 404 (c) of the Clean Water Act, which governs dredge-and-fill permits.

Amendment No. 217 from McKinley (WV-1) would also block the EPA coal ash rules.

Amendment No. 218 from Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-6) would prevent EPA from issuing new rules for the circumstances under which mining may be conducted near streams or from conducting an environmental impact statement on the impact of the rules.

Amendment No. 230 from Rep. Goodlatte (VA-6) would block EPA from implementing the federally-mandated water pollution “diet” for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Amendment No. 279 from Rep. Aaron Schock (IL-18) would stop EPA from using its funding to re-evaluate health effects of the approved herbicide atrazine, a known endocrine-disruptor.

Amendment No. 289 from McClintock (CA-4) would block the Department of the Interior from issuing grants under the WaterSMART program. This conservation initiative, which was created by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last year, is intended to find solutions for the water crisis in West. [Water should be used for needs, but not move so much water that it is displaced to areas of greed. (i.e. Las Vegas or water intensive plants in desert agriculture)]

Member Name	DC Phone	DC FAX
Senator Richard G. Lugar (R- IN)	202-224-4814	202-228-0360
Senator Dan Coats (R- IN)	202-224-5623	202-228-1377
Representative Peter J. Visclosky (D – 01)	202-225-2461	202-225-2493
Representative Joe Donnelly (D – 02)	202-225-3915	202-225-6798
Representative Marlin A. Stutzman (R – 03)	202-225-4436	202-226-9870
Representative Todd Rokita (R – 04)	202-225-5037	202-226-0544
Representative Dan Burton (R – 05)	202-225-2276	202-225-0016
Representative Mike Pence (R – 06)	202-225-3021	202-225-3382
Representative Andre Carson (D – 07)	202-225-4011	202-225-5633
Representative Larry Bucshon (R – 08)	202-225-4636	202-225-3284
Representative Todd C. Young (R – 09)	202-225-5315	202-226-6866

Posted in Lobby for Clean Water Act, WRITE NOW! | No Comments »

Bill Watch 2011

February 5th, 2011

Indiana Wildlife sent me their bill watch. Keeping laws transparent and legislators honest should be demanded by the we the people.

Wildlife Management
SB 0017	Exotic animals. Support restricting release of exotic animals into the wild.

Hunting/Fishing
SB 0153	Disabled veteran hunting and fishing licenses. Opposed to new lifetime licenses
HB 1036	Exemption from hunter education course. Opposed to new exemptions
HB 1299	Animal hunting facilities Opposed to any hunting within fenced area
HB 1448	Lifetime senior hunting license. Opposed to new lifetime licenses

Water Quality
SB 0113	Confined feeding operation approvals. Generally support improved water quality protections from excess nutrients, E coli and other pollutants
SB 0118	Ordinances regulating fertilizers. Support local communities prohibitions on fertilizer pollution of waterways
SB 0200	Environmental general permits. Generally support proper NPDES permit requirements to protect water quality
SB 0202	Environmental approvals and other issues.Generally support for proper requirements to protect water quality
SB 0236	Septic tanks and sewer systems.
SB 0556	Confined Feeding Operations and CAFOs. Generally support for proper requirements to protect water quality
HB 1134	Confined feeding operation manure. Generally support for proper requirements to protect water quality
HB 1169	Soil and septic system education and research. Generally support additional research and educational out-reach on this topic
HB 1187	Manure storage structures. Generally support for proper requirements to protect water quality
HB 1425	Restrictions on fertilizer containing phosphorus Support – INCA Priority –

Natural Resource Management
SB 0157	Great Lakes task force. Generally support increased emphasis on Great Lakes water quantity and quality issues
SB 0265	Fish and wildlife rulemaking Generally Opposed. Support current system of using Natural Resources Commission setting rules for fish and wildlife management rather setting up new commission.
SB 0375	Sustainable natural resource task force. Support * INCA Priority*
SB 0379	Lake and river enhancement fund. Support the protection of the fund from reversion by the administration
SB 0412	Ballast water and sediment in oceangoing vessels. Support for further restrictions to keep out invasive aquatic species in Great Lakes
SB 0532	Various natural resources matters. Support for DNR proposals
HB 1097	Lake management work group. Support continuation of work group
HB 1172	Indiana heritage trust fund. Support extra funding for IHT but this bill would compete for dollars on the state tax form with the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund tax checkoff
HB 1198	Lake and river enhancement fund. Opposed * allows funds to be used on logjams not the intent of the fund*
HB 1343	Lake and river enhancement fund Support for use of funds for controlling exotic and invasive species
HB 1348	Soil and water conservation districts. Support for administrative wording improvements
HB 1392	Sustainable natural resources task force Support * INCA Priority *
HB 1570	Backcountry issues. Generally opposed to arbitrarily setting aside forest areas for no management. Mature forest areas must be a part of an overall plan to support all fish and wildlife resources

Energy -related bills but have not taken positions on them.)
SB 0015	Low carbon and noncarbon dioxide emitting plants.
SB 0066	Amend definition of “renewable energy resources”.- may consider trash burning and tree burning renewable
SB 0072	Carbon dioxide pipelines and eminent domain.
SB 0102	Utility recovery of federally mandated costs
SB 0260	Clean energy improvement financing district. Support * INCA priority*
SB 0314	Guaranteed energy saving contracts.
SB 0453	Renewable energy development
SB 0481	Wind power device exemption.
HB 1128	Hydrogen as a renewable energy resource.
HB 1196	Wind power device deduction limitation.
HB 1231	Low carbon and noncarbon dioxide emitting plants.
HB 1235	Climate expenditure accountability
HB 1262	Energy savings contracts.
HB 1351	Wind energy conversion systems.
HB 1363	Rural renewable energy production.
HB 1407	Alternative energy.
HB 1445	Net metering.
HB 1457	Clean energy improvement financing district. Support * INCA priority*

Posted in Lobby for Clean Water Act, Uncategorized, WRITE NOW! | No Comments »

2011 Indiana Senate Pro-Consumer Voting Records

February 1st, 2011

Several bills are being voted-on right now.
SB72, eminent domain for CO2 pipelines,
SB71, hydrofracking, remains on 2nd reading in the Senate.
SB102, tracker bill, remains on 2nd reading in the Senate.

DUKE ENERGY is a large electric utility service for Indiana and has been in the news several times over the past few weeks for a range of issues: including Contractor says Duke took risks at plant and Utilities Back Bill to Cut Regulation and of course the newest report Dirty Energy’s Assault on Our Health: Mercury

Citizens Action Coalition’s fact sheet (below) is about Indiana General Assembly pro-consumer voting records thus far. It is important to note that legislators need to know what YOU think. Please take this opportunity to send them your views, whether it is through email, personal letter or a phone call.
FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR CLICK HERE:

A few things to remember when writing or speaking to your legislator:

1) Be SPECIFIC on what you want to happen or your view on an issue – short and concise
2) Be nice yet firmly held in your beliefs – respect will get you further than a personal attack
3) Ask for their stance on the issue and/or how they will vote – urge a response to your views
4) Personalize, let them know how their decisions in this matter will affect you, your family or business.
5) Tell them you are one of their constituents
6) Conclude your letter by urging the legislator to take action in support of your position and thank them for taking the time to consider your view.

***Do not forget your return address (or you are not considered a real person).

It says (at the bottom) that this information was collected by Follow the Money. The campaign contributions are a total of contributions that the legislators accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil and Railroad Corporations

Posted in Coal's Contribution to Water Probs., Lobby for Clean Water Act | No Comments »

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization Blog

Letter to EPA~WRITE ONE TOO!

6th Annual Save Maumee’s EARTH DAY FUNNY VIDEO!

Information from Earth Day Happenings…Update to follow soon!

Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day Celebration

More Trees Removed Along Riverbanks?

Save Maumee Goes to D.C. ~ Clean Water Week 2011

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!

A SEWER FULL OF POLLUTERS’ AMENDMENTS

Bill Watch 2011

2011 Indiana Senate Pro-Consumer Voting Records

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