Announcements Late July
Results of the 2019 Survey of Colorado Agricultural Producers on Watershed and Stream Management Plans has been released. For highlights, click HERE. For the full report, click HERE.
The Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute at the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law is seeking session proposals and speaker nominations for inclusion in the 2020 Western Places/Western Spaces annual conference. Download the RFP Guidelines| Download a sample submission form| Submit Your Proposal Online here.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today announced that Sinclair Wyoming Refining Company (Sinclair) will pay $1.6 million in penalties and install additional pollution controls to resolve violations of air emissions limits and monitoring requirements at its refinery in Sinclair, Wyoming. The settlement follows actions by Sinclair to install approximately $20 million in pollution controls at the refinery and requires the company to take additional measures to reduce harmful emissions of sulfur dioxide. Read the full press release HERE.
Colorado’s Instream Flow Program, that enhances streams, gets a second chance to expand this summer. Read the full article HERE.
Regulation 84 stakeholder meeting notes and an updated draft Reg. 84 proposal from the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) are posted HERE.
The June 2019 Drought Update is posted on the CWCB website. All of the presentations from past meetings can also be found on the CWCB website. The next Water Availability Task Force Meeting will be held on July 23, 2019 at Colorado Parks and Wildlife; additional information can be found at www.cwcb.state.co.us or by contacting Ben Wade at Ben.Wade@state.co.us
The Colorado River just got a boost that’s likely to prevent its depleted reservoirs from bottoming out, at least for the next several years. For the full AZ Central article and a video about this update, head HERE.
Center for Health & Environmental Justice is exploring the possibility of working on a national campaign around water contamination. Several bills related to clean water have been introduced last year. These relate to testing school pipes, testing and repairing pipes within HUD housing, and testing and repairing older pipes in cities and towns that need new infrastructures. They are monitoring water related legislation that will be reintroduced this year. CHEJ would like to understand better where and what water concerns people in the network have in terms of drinking water, infrastructure and contaminated water sources. Please LET THEM KNOW whether or not there is a water related issue in your community, even if you are not working on it at this time.
Call for Abstracts and Symposia Riparian Restoration Conference | Abstracts due October 31, 2019. RiversEdge West invites you to share your work or session proposals with the riparian restoration community at the 18th Annual Riparian Restoration Conference (RRC)—one of the leading riparian restoration conferences in the West—to be held February 4-6, 2020 in Grand Junction, CO. View the call for abstracts flyer HERE.
Announcements for Early June
The OWL has returned, as well as drought updates and survey notifications
Cascade Creek, near Durango
CDPHE WQCD grants and loans annual eligibility survey process to identify the 20-year capital improvement needs of all publicly owned water and sewer systems throughout the State of Colorado as well as stormwater and non-point source projects has been delayed and will begin on June 15, 2016, running through the month of July. The survey notice along with blank surveys will be emailed to all contacts on June 15, 2016. If you do not receive the notice, blank surveys will also be available for download from their website beginning June 15th. Completed surveys must be submitted no later than Saturday, July 30th. All municipalities, counties, water and sanitation districts, not-for-profit water systems and other special districts are encouraged to participate. Completion of a survey is only the first step towards obtaining funding. It is not an application for funding and it does not obligate an entity to apply for financial assistance; however identifying capital improvement projects is a required prerequisite of securing funding offered through the SRF programs. SRF loans and grants cannot be extended to applicants who have not responded to this important survey. For more information regarding the grants and low interest loans available through the program, please visit their website at: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wq-grants-and-loans.
The Online Watershed Library (OWL) is Back! OWL is a service provided by the Center that allows ready access to Center publications and other resources (research papers, tools, and stormwater manuals, among others) that support best practices in watershed and stormwater management. Users have free access to Center publications and do not need to Log In to gain access. To learn more go to OWL.
The May 2016 Drought Update, a summary of the drought information presented at the May 25, 2016 Water Availability Task Force Meeting will be posted on the CWCB website. All of the presentations from the meeting can also be found on the CWCB website. If you have questions regarding the Drought Update, please contact Tracy Kosloff at tracy.kosloff@state.co.us
WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION - HEARING NOTICES: The following Notice of Rulemaking Hearing has been posted on the commission’s web site:
JUNE 13th, 2016: Basic Standards and Methodologies for Surface Water, Regulation #31 (5 CCR 1002-31) and the Discharge Permit System Regulations, Regulation #61 (5 CCR 1002-61).
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wqcc-rulemaking-proceeding
Announcements for Late May
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.9 million in funding to two institutions to research innovative, cost-effective technologies to manage stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows. Colorado School of Mines received $1.95M to develop a decision support tool to help communities evaluate alternative stormwater treatment technologies that consider diverse climates, regional practices and policies across the country. For more information
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.9 million in funding to two institutions to research innovative, cost-effective technologies to manage stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows. Colorado School of Mines received $1.95M to develop a decision support tool to help communities evaluate alternative stormwater treatment technologies that consider diverse climates, regional practices and policies across the country. For more information click HERE.
EPA Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center—EPA launched theWater Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center, which identifies financing approaches to help communities make better informed decisions for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure that are consistent with local needs. Visit the website for recent announcements at:https://www.epa.gov/waterfinancecenter/about-water-infrastructure-and-resiliency-finance-center.
WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION - HEARING NOTICES: The following Notice of Rulemaking Hearing has been posted on the commission’s web site:
JUNE 13th, 2016: Basic Standards and Methodologies for Surface Water, Regulation #31 (5 CCR 1002-31) and the Discharge Permit System Regulations, Regulation #61 (5 CCR 1002-61).
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wqcc-rulemaking-proceeding