Bringing you the latest news, events, and updates from NEIWPCC and our partners.

In This Issue

Exploring the Building Blocks of Water Quality Standards: Episode Two of The Clean Water Pod

The second episode of NEIWPCC's new podcast, " The Clean Water Pod," is now available, focusing on water quality standards. Host Jeff Berckes speaks with Jennifer Wigal, water quality administrator for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Thomas Mumley, assistant executive officer at the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Harmful Algal Blooms Conference Focuses on Nationwide Solutions

This past October, students, scientists and industry professionals traveled to Albany, New York to kick off the 11th U.S. Symposium on Harmful Algae. The six-day conference operated under the theme "Science to Support Solutions from Shore to Shore," to recognize that harmful algal blooms (HABs) present a nationwide challenge that impacts a variety of ecosystems. New York was uniquely suited to host this event, being the only state with both Great Lake and marine coastlines.

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More News

In Brief

The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) seeks public comments on criteria to be included in a draft definition of a “disadvantaged community” that will be used to help prioritize projects for LCBP funding in 2023 and beyond. Public comments will be accepted through December 12, 2022.

The EPA published the Final Fifth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5), which will serve as the basis for EPA’s regulatory considerations over the next five-year cycle under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This update includes a substantial expansion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced nearly $350,000 in grant awards to coastal organizations and municipalities to help restore free-flowing waters to benefit water quality, conserve and restore valuable habitat for aquatic species, and increase flood resiliency.

With funding through the Long Island Sound Study, New York Sea Grant and Connecticut Sea Grant announced a funding opportunity to support grant writing for sustainable and resilience-focused projects within Long Island Sound.

The EPA reports major improvement in compliance with Clean Water Act permits over the past five-year period.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the Long Island Sound Study announced $2.25 million in new federal funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve the water quality of Long Island's north shore, in addition to the finalization of a critical plan to help Nassau County reduce nitrogen pollution.

The Lake Champlain Basin Program seeks proposals for projects that support local watershed groups and provide opportunities for informing and involving the public in Lake Champlain outreach initiatives.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu unveiled a new policy to require that certain city projects include environmental benefits and stormwater mitigation through green infrastructure.

Save the Sound released their Long Island Sound Report Card for 2022 which features more than 50 water quality grades from around the Sound.

Last month, the EPA marked one year of progress under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Read some of their highlights.

Two mudpuppies are retrieved from a trap in the Lamoille River in Vermont for evaluation and tagging as part of the Mudpuppy Monitoring and Translocation Project. Due to concern about the mudpuppy’s long-term population viability – they are considered rare in the state – the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is trapping and translocating the salamander from below the Peterson Dam and translocating them upstream of the Arrowhead Mountain Dam near Milton. This Lake Champlain Basin Program project is in collaboration with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Accolades and Accomplishments

Samantha Thompson, business operations division director, served as a panelist at the fall program of the New England Society of Association Executives.