October 2022 SNEP Newsletter

October is National Children’s Health month. Children are often more vulnerable to pollutants than adults due to differences in behavior and biology, that can lead to greater exposure and/or unique windows of susceptibility during development. EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection was established by executive order in 1997, and to this day continues to build on the excellent progress made to confront issues and provide solutions to children's environmental health. Learn more about children's health, the environment, and what you can do at https://www.epa.gov/children

SNEP welcomes Matthew Stamas to the team. Matt is a Civil Engineer originally from Andover, MA who joined the SNEP Team this summer to help our Team distribute and administer the $15 million funding increase that SNEP received from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In addition, Matt will focus on innovative stormwater management practices within the SNEP region. Welcome, Matt!

On September 29, EPA- SNEP hosted a workshop on Holistic Watershed Management to discuss results of an EPA Region 1 applied research project designed to investigate the utility of stormwater flow duration curves (FDC), and demonstrate and communicate the impacts of impervious cover at the watershed and site-scales. Stormwater managers can use the FDC approach to identify ways to restore a watershed to its predevelopment hydrology. Doing this can help to reduce flooding and improve water quality, and build community resiliency against the impacts of land development and climate change All materials from the workshop were recorded and will be posted to the EPA-SNEP website.

On September 22, EPA-SNEP announced the award of $1.15 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding to Manage Nitrogen on Cape Cod by improving septic system management practices through the establishment of local septic management and maintenance organizations, known as Responsible Management Entities (RMEs), as well as through the installation of nitrogen reducing Innovative/Alternative (I/A) septic systems. "It is critical that we reduce the nutrient loads that lead to harmful algal blooms on Cape Cod and protect the health of the iconic watershed and its beaches," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "Thanks to President Biden's historic investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are able to make a significant investment in septic system management practices for the Cape that will help reduce the nutrients leaching into the waterways."

On September 23, the SNEP Monitoring Subcommittee elected Tim Pasakarnis of the Cape Cod Commission as the first-ever Chair of the subcommittee. As Chair, Tim will represent the positions of the Monitoring subcommittee at SNEP Steering committee meetings to better inform SNEP programmatic efforts. Congratulations, Tim!

On October 19, SNEP is hosting a webinar on Climate Safe Neighborhoods. EPA-SNEP welcomes presentations from the Groundwork Southcoast and Groundwork Rhode Island trusts to present on their Climate Safe Neighborhoods partnership, which brings together thirteen Groundwork trusts to explore the relationship between historical race-based housing segregation and the current and predicted impacts of climate change. For more information on this program, please reference the Climate Safe Neighborhoods website. To register for this webinar, please visit www.ceiengineers.com/snep

EPA-SNEP is soliciting ideas on developing a programmatic equity strategy to identify disadvantaged communities and develop ways to better meet community needs. SNEP welcomes feedback and input from all partners on this important initiative. We invite partners to contact Communications Coordinator, Adam Reilly to share their suggestions.

The 2022 SNEP Watershed Implementation Grant and the SNEP Network Technical Assistance Award announcements will take place this month in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. On October 26 at 11:00 AM we’ll join Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and the Rhode Island Congressional delegation at Roger Williams Park and Casino in Providence to announce new projects kicking off in Rhode Island. The following day, we’ll head down to Brockton, MA with Representative Bill Keating at Brockton Iron & Steel at 1pm to announce projects in Massachusetts. The RI speaking program will be followed by a brief site tour of the Providence Stormwater Innovation Center, while the MA event will include a tour of Brockton's Trout Brook floodplain restoration project.

Both events are rain or shine, free and open to the public and press. Please hold the date to join us and invite your partners and stakeholders. Contact Tom Ardito or Rob Shane with questions. More to follow -- hope to see you there!

The Town of Charlestown adopts a Conservation Development Ordinance after receiving technical assistance from the SNEP Network

For the past two years, SNEP Network partner URI-NEMO and consultant, Growsmart RI, have assisted the Town of Charlestown with drafting a conservation development ordinance for new subdivisions that incorporates stormwater management and low impact development (LID) standards. After working closely with the Town and revising the ordinance to address concerns, the Town of Charlestown, RI adopted the conservation development ordinance on August 31st, 2022. With the adoption of the ordinance, conservation development standards for zoning will enhance the protection of open space in Charlestown. The ordinance will also serve as a model for other communities.

Conservation Planner at the Town of Mansfield presents recommendations from a SNEP Network organizational capacity assessment to the Mansfield Select Board

On September 7, Katelyn Gonyer, Conservation Planner at the Town of Mansfield, MA presented recommendations for advancing resiliency efforts and internal capacity to the Mansfield Select Board. The recommendations stemmed from the organizational capacity assessment process undertaken by the Town and a partnership between the SNEP Network and Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center, following five years of growing stormwater, climate preparedness, and open space planning programs at the Town. Grappling with multiple initiatives shared between only a few departments has created capacity challenges at the Town. As a result of the analysis, the Town is making efforts to mainstream resiliency efforts led by the Conservation Department, expand staff resources, and use the Town’s successful “Discover Mansfield” campaign to share news and messages related to conservation and climate resilience. Link: Select Board 9/7/2022

The SNEP Network welcomes The Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) as a SNEP Network Partner in Year 4

SRPEDD, a regional planning agency serving 27 cities and towns in Southeastern Massachusetts, will join the SNEP Network in Year 4 (as of October 2022). The addition of SRPEDD’s knowledge and expertise will increase the Network’s ability to provide services to SNEP communities. SRPEDD has previously worked with the Network on multiple projects, such as the Taunton Watershed Pilot: Canoe River Aquifer Resilience Project and the delivery of a Bylaw Review Training, and the Network looks forward to continuing this collaboration with SRPEDD as a Network Partner.

Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series
October 13, 2022; 11:00 – 1:00p ET | Hybrid
This talk will highlight findings from regionwide ecological monitoring programs developed for California which assess the physical, chemical, and biological health of its region’s 1,700 stream km and 36 coastal estuaries. Many of California’s monitoring and causal assessment tools can be applied in other ecosystems outside of the state. These programs address a variety of critical stormwater management questions including: 1) what is the extent and magnitude of ecological impacts? 2) Is the extent and magnitude of impacts getting better or worse with time? 3) What are the causes of ecological impacts? The answers to these questions are being used for management decision making such as which habitats are impacted and need restoration as well as which habitats are in good condition and need protection, creation of robust assessment tools to determine good sites from bad sites as well as tracking improvement in condition following remediation actions and identifying stressors causing impacts to biological systems using new technology to save both time and money. The regional monitoring programs quantify many stressors including traditional pollutants, flow, physical habitat, bacteria and trash, amongst others.

Rain Harvest Arts Festival at Roger Williams Park
October 15th | 10:00am-2:00pm, Roger Williams Park, Providence
The annual Rain Harvest Arts Festival celebrates the Providence Parks Department’s investment in over 40 green infrastructure projects in Roger Williams Park. Join us for the annual event celebrating water and green infrastructure with performing artists, environmental educators, vendors, and more!

Webinar: Climate Safe Neighborhoods in the SNEP Region
October 19, 2022; 1:00 – 2:30 | Virtual
The Southeast New England Program is proud to welcome Groundwork Rhode Island and Groundwork Southcoast to present on their Climate Safe Neighborhoods program to the SNEP community. Groundwork is a network of community-based trusts throughout the nation. The Climate Safe Neighborhoods partnership brings together thirteen Groundwork Trusts to explore the relationship between historical race-based housing segregation and the current and predicted impacts of climate change. For more information on this program, please reference the Climate Safe Neighborhoods website.

Making Local Regulations Climate Resilient: Bylaw Review Workshop
Thursday, October 27 | 9:30am - 1:30pm Middleborough, MA
Learn how your bylaws and regulations might be unintentionally holding you back from making your community more climate-resilient. This hands-on, in-person workshop will help planners learn why and how using nature-based solutions can help avoid costs, meet permit requirements, and improve climate resiliency due to flooding, drought, and other impacts.

Recruiting Your Water Workforce: Messaging Practices for Local Government and Utility Employers
Thursday, November 10^th, 2022 | 10:00am-11:30am, Online Training
Join the Network for a short 1.5-hour training for local government and water utility leaders. A skilled workforce is critical to maintaining public works and water services. Learn about the components of water workforce planning, with a special focus on messaging and recruitment. How can local governments and utilities reach the right people to run your communities and systems? How can we inspire a new generation to take on future challenges?

Stormwater Innovation Expo
November 30, 2022; 8:30a – 3:30p | In person
The event will include presentations about funding and financing opportunities, workshops, and tours while providing ample time to peruse vendor exhibits and network with stormwater management professionals in public and private practice. A tour of stormwater mitigation installations will be held in the afternoon at the park by the Providence Stormwater Innovation Center. This year, RIDOT is covering the admission fee for Rhode Island state and municipal employees. If you are in this group, please select the General Admission – State & Municipal Employees ticket option. This year's theme is: Leveraging federal, state, and municipal funding and financing for natural infrastructure and stormwater management.

2022 Coastal & Estuarine Summit
December 4-8, 2022 | Hybrid
Registration is open for the Restore America’s Estuaries 2022 Coastal and Estuarine Summit. In its 11th year, the 2022 Summit will bring together coastal restoration and management communities to explore issues, solutions, and lessons learned in their work. The Summit Program will address all aspects of coastal and estuarine restoration and management, including the Great Lakes and international locales. These topics are crucial as coastal communities pursue new, more robust strategies to effectively manage, protect, and restore their resources in a changing climate. Ensuring these resources, and the communities that rely on them, are resilient now and into the future will be a particular focus.

13^th National Monitoring Conference
April 24-28, 2023 | Hybrid

The National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) is hosting its thirteenth conference on water quality monitoring in Virginia Beach, VA. This conference provides opportunities for water stakeholders – federal, state, tribal and local water professionals, non-profits, academia, industry and water consultants, and volunteer and community scientists – to network, develop new skills and partnerships, and exchange information. The proposed sessions and a short description of each are available at https://www.nalms.org/2023nmc/proposed-sessions/

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management is hiring an Offshore Project Review Specialist.

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) is the lead policy, planning, and technical assistance agency on coastal and ocean issues within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and implements the state’s coastal program under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. CZM is seeking an Offshore Project Review Specialist to assist the CZM team with its federal consistency review responsibilities and environmental impact analysis of permits and supporting documents related to offshore development including offshore wind, cables, pipelines, and aquaculture. To learn more about the position and to apply, see the full position posting. For clarifying questions, please contact todd.callaghan@mass.gov.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $40 million in funding to advance the development and deployment of clean hydrogen technologies. To further decarbonize the grid, DOE is also launching a $20 million university research consortium to help states and Tribal communities successfully implement grid resilience programs and achieve decarbonization goals. By lowering the costs of clean hydrogen and leveraging industry investments in clean technologies, DOE is making significant strides towards President Biden’s goal of a net-zero carbon economy by 2050 that prioritizes historically disadvantaged communities. The application process for both the clean hydrogen FOA and University Consortium funding will include two phases: a concept paper and a full application. Concept papers are due on September 23, 2022, and full applications are due on December 1, 2022. For more information, read the full FOA on the EERE Funding Opportunity Exchange.

Have an idea for a story or something you’d like to see in our newsletter? Contact our Communications Coordinator, Adam Reilly at Reilly.Adam@epa.gov

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