Water News - EPA Update

June 25, 2001

WaterNews is a weekly on-line publication that announces

publications, policies, and activities of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water.

1)  EPA Releases 2000 Update on Nation's Fish

Advisories

2)  Health Care Practitioners Receive Fish Advisory

     Outreach Materials

3)  National Watershed Forum, Arlington, VA,

     June 28 to July 1, 2001

4)  EPA Releases Report on the Clean Water State

     Revolving Fund

1)  EPA Releases 2000 Update on Nation's Fish

     Advisories

EPA has released its annual update of the National Listing

of Fish and Wildlife Advisories.  The 2000 list indicates a 7%

rise in fish consumption advisories over 1999.  This increase

generally reflects more extensive coverage by state monitoring

programs, as well as improvements in data collection and

monitoring methods.  Approximately 23% of the Nation's lake

acreage and 325,500 river miles were under fish consumption

advisories during all or part of 2000.  All Great Lakes (which

are not included in thelake acreage figure) and their connecting

waters were also under advisory, as were 71% of coastal

waters, including 20 National Estuary Program sites.  To view

the fact sheet, go to www.epa.gov/ost/fish/advisories/factsheet.pdf.

2)  Health Care Practitioners Receive Fish Advisory Outreach

     Materials

EPA and the U.S. Public Health Service are distributing new fish

advisory outreach materials to health care providers throughout the

country, to educate their patients about recently developed national

guidelines for fish consumption.  The materials, including brochures

and posters, explain that some fish may contain levels of mercury

which could have adverse health effects for young children.  The

EPA and FDA recommendations for limited fish consumption are

specifically addressed to pregnant and nursing women, women who

may become pregnant, and small children.  The guidelines indicate

that these groups should not consume shark, swordfish, king

mackerel, or tilefish, but may safely consume limited quantities of

other fish.  For more information on EPA and FDA guidance for

fish consumption, go to www.epa.gov/ost/fishadvice/ on the Internet.

3)  National Watershed Forum, Arlington, VA, June 28 to

     July 1, 2001

Representatives from watershed initiatives around the country will

gather in Arlington, Virginia next week, for the first National Watersh=

ed

Forum. The Meridian Institute, in collaboration with EPA, designed the

Forum to be an unprecedented event to give voice to the broad diversity=

of stakeholders concerned with the future of watersheds in America.

Delegates at the Forum will share their visions for the future of our

nation's

watersheds and frame recommendations for future policies and actions.

The recommendations will be delivered at the Forum to a critical group

of senior decision makers from government and the private sector.  For

more information on the National Watershed Forum, go to

www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/conferences.html.

4)  EPA Releases Report on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund

EPA has released an update on the progress of the Clean Water State

Revolving Fund (CWSRF), the low-interest rate loan program available

under the Clean Water Act.  The CWSRF  has provided over $30 billion

to improve water quality since its inception in 1987.  While the

traditional

emphasis of CWSRF loans has been on municipal wastewater treatment

systems, the report notes that states are increasingly using the CWSRF =

to

finance programs for watershed protection projects, including land

purchase,

wetlands enhancement, and reducing polluted runoff.  Also, nearly half =

the

states use CWSRF funds to leverage additional financial support, allowi=

ng

states to award an average of about $3.2 billion annually over the last=

five

years.  The report, Financing America's Clean Water Since 1987: A

Report of Progress and Innovation (EPA-832-R-00-011), can be

viewed at www.epa.gov/owm/pdfs/progress.pdf or ordered by calling the

National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at

1-800-490-9198.

Source: Water News

Sponsored Recommendations

Blower Package Integration

March 20, 2024
See how an integrated blower package can save you time, money, and energy, in a wastewater treatment system. With package integration, you have a completely integrated blower ...

Strut Comparison Chart

March 12, 2024
Conduit support systems are an integral part of construction infrastructure. Compare steel, aluminum and fiberglass strut support systems.

Energy Efficient System Design for WWTPs

Feb. 7, 2024
System splitting with adaptive control reduces electrical, maintenance, and initial investment costs.

Blower Isentropic Efficiency Explained

Feb. 7, 2024
Learn more about isentropic efficiency and specific performance as they relate to blowers.