Monday, October 25, 2010

Virginia Water Radio 39: Week of Oct. 25, 2010


Sound file archived 10-24-16; for access, contact Virginia Water Radio.


This episode's "Water Sounds and Music" segment, on the Hazel River, was re-done in Episode 339, 10-24-16.


TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio (Episode 39), for the week of October 25, 2010.

NEWS
  • On October 13, at the Governor’s Conference on Energy held in Richmond, Governor Robert McDonnell reiterated his position that offshore oil and gas exploration should be part of a Virginia energy strategy, along with traditional fuels (such as coal), nuclear power, biofuels, offshore wind, and other renewable alternatives. The governor’s speech came one day after the U.S. Department of the Interior ended the moratorium on deep-water oil and gas exploration that was imposed on July 12 in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. That removal, however, did not re-open the Lease Sale 220 area off of Virginia’s coast that was being considered for oil and gas exploration prior to the Gulf oil spill. A potential lease sale in that area for 2012 was canceled by Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar on May 12, to “allow additional consultations with the Department of Defense on military training requirements in the area,” according to Interior’s news release on the action. The next possible opportunity for that area to be opened to leasing would be as part of the Interior’s 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf Program. News sources: Governor McDonnell calls for Virginia offshore drilling, Newport News Daily Press, 10/13/10; and State's energy future lies offshore, McDonnell says, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 10/14/10. Additional information from Deepwater Drilling May Resume for Operators Who Clear Higher Bar for Safety, Environmental Protection, U.S. Department of the Interior News Release, 10/12/10; and Salazar Calls for New Safety Measures for Offshore Oil and Gas Operations; Orders Six Month Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling; Cancels Western Gulf and Virginia Lease Sales, Suspends Proposed Arctic Drilling, U.S. Department of Interior News Release, 5/27/10. More information on the Virginia Governor’s Energy Conference is available at http://www.vsbn.org/GCE2010/

  • On October 14 in Yorktown, a group of watermen, scientists, and businessmen announced formation of the Oyster Company of Virginia, a privately funded oyster-restoration cooperative. The group, which incorporated in August, plans to sell memberships and use the money raised to finance training and equipment for people who want to start oyster farming operations. Cooperative funds will also be used to lease state waters for these operations. The cooperative has an initial goal of financing 12 people to start oyster aquaculture, at an estimated $200,000 per operation, and the group has raised about $1 million so far. News sources: ; “Group launches Va.'s first oyster co-op,” Newport News Daily Press, 10/13/10; “Virginia oyster restoration plan proposed,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10/14/10; and Partnership focuses on bay recovery, oyster revival, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 10/15/10. More information: the Web site for the Oyster Company of Virginia, which features a humorous take on the Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia, is at http://oysterva.com/default.aspx.

  • And in our last news item: On October 5, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA) announced that it is proposing five populations of Atlantic Sturgeon, including the Chesapeake Bay population, for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. The fish, which has been known to grow as long as 16 feet and live for as much as 60 years, inhabits rivers, bays, and estuaries along the eastern U.S. coast. According to NOAA’s news release on the proposed listing, the threats to Atlantic Sturgeon include “unintended catch of Atlantic sturgeon in fisheries, vessel strikes, poor water quality, dams, lack of regulatory mechanisms for protecting the fish, and dredging.” NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is accepting public comments on the proposed listing until January 4, 2011. News source: NOAA Proposes Five Atlantic Sturgeon Populations for Listing as Endangered or Threatened, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) News Release, 10/5/10. More information about Atlantic Sturgeon, its status, and how to comment on the proposed Endangered Species Listing is available at the NOAA Web site http://www.nero.noaa.gov/prot_res/atlsturgeon/.
WATER SOUNDS AND MUSIC

This week we feature an instrumental tune about one of Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountain streams: “Hazel River,” by Timothy Seaman with Henry Smith and Paulette Murphy, on the 1997 CD “Here on This Ridge,” from Pine Wind Music. The CD was a project celebrating Shenandoah National Park and the people and lands of the Blue Ridge. The Hazel River begins on the Blue Ridge in Rappahannock County, and travels approximately 48 miles to its confluence with the Rappahannock River in Culpeper County. According to Mr. Seaman, the song commemorates a 1977 hike downstream along the river’s headwaters to a waterfall and a cave, and the composition reflects that experience by transitioning downward through several musical keys. Information on the Hazel River’s length was taken from “Virginia’s Hazel River,” by the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection, online at http://rlep.org/Hazel_River_facts.htm.
 
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

First, in government policy and regulatory meetings occurring between October 28-November 3.
  • On October 28 in Richmond, the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries will host members of the Legislative Sportsman’s Caucus to provide requested information regarding license exemptions, fee structure, and future funding strategies. For more information, phone Bob Duncan at (804) 367-9231.

  • On November 2, the Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board’s Northern Area Review and Southern Area Review committees meet in Richmond. For more information, phone David Dowling at (804) 786-2291.
     
  • Between October 28 and November 3, there are no meetings about Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs, for impaired waters in Virginia, but the public comment period on the U.S. EPA’s draft Chesapeake Bay TMDL continues until November 8. For more information, phone Tom Damm at (215) 814-5560.  The EPA’s Chesapeake Bay TMDL Web site is www.epa.gov/chesapeakebaytmdl/.
Finally, in educational and recreational events:
  • Fall Forestry and Wildlife Tours, organized by the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program, continue on October 29 in Russell and Wise counties, and on November 10 in King & Queen County. For more information, phone Jennifer Gagnon at (540) 231-6391.

  • On October 30 in Charlottesville, the Virginia Master Well Owner Network is holding a volunteer training. For more information, phone Erin James Ling at (540) 231-9058. The Master Well-owner Network volunteer training is for people who would like to help other understand, protect, and manage their private water supplies.

  • On November 4, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point is holding its Fall Tidal Wetlands Workshop. For more information, phone (804) 684-7380. The VIMS Fall Tidal Wetlands Workshop is intended for anyone interested in decision-making along tidal shorelines in the Commonwealth.

  •  And on November 5, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg in the morning and at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in the afternoon, the Garden Club of Virginia is holding “Beneath the Surface”, a public education forum on issues related to the Atlantic Ocean and coastal areas. The afternoon session includes talks on shoreline erosion and on getting energy from algae. For more information, phone Peyton Wells at (804) 285-0030.

    For more information about government policy and regulatory meetings, click here for the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, where these meetings are listed by date. E-mail addresses for contact people are available there. For TMDL meetings, click here for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality TMDL Web site. Please note that TMDL meetings are also listed at the Town Hall site, but are included among all other meetings. Organizations, events, or both are hyperlinked whenever possible. Click on those links for more information. 
Virginia Water Radio is a product of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, which is solely responsible for the show’s content. Hosting and bandwidth for this podcast are also provided by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. We invite you to visit the center online at www.vwrrc.vt.edu.

Show notes and production assistance were provided by Patrick Fay. Recording assistance was provided by the Office of University Relations at Virginia Tech.

Opinions expressed on this show are not necessarily those of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, or our broadcasting stations.

If you need more information about anything mentioned this week, call us at (540) 231-5463, or visit our web site at www.virginiawaterradio.org.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Virginia Water Radio 38: Week of Oct. 18, 2010

The Sounds and Music segment of this episode has been revised and redone in Episode 507, 1-13-20.

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio (Episode 38), for the week of October 18, 2010.
Click to Listen to Episode (Length: 00:07:26)  

NEWS
  • On October 5, the U.S. Coast Guard reported an oil spill of about 1,000 gallons into the southern branch of the Elizabeth River. The spill was discovered during a state inspection at the S.E.A. Solutions Corporation, a ship-dismantling facility. The oil leaked from a container ship that was being cut up for steel. According to the Virginian-Pilot, by October 8 the oil had been removed from the river, the source of the leak has been secured, and the Coast Guard had closed off the area with containment and absorbent booms. News sources: More than 1,000 gallons of oil spill into Elizabeth River, Newport News Daily Press, 10/7/10; and 1,000 gallons of spilled oil cleaned from Elizabeth River, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 10/8/10 

  • The U.S. EPA’s September 24 draft of a Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, for the Chesapeake Bay is currently in a public-comment period, until November 8. During this period, the EPA is holding 18 public-comment meetings in the Bay jurisdictions, including four meetings between October 4 and 7 in Virginia. Here is a snapshot of some reactions and comments during three of Virginia’s public meetings. At the Hampton meeting on October 7, a Virginia Beach resident and environmental activist stated that he wanted Virginia to, quote, “stop dragging its feet cleaning the Bay.” Also at the Hampton meeting, an Eastern Shore farmer said he has already voluntarily implemented practices to reduce Bay pollution, but he—like other farmers—is concerned that their actions are not reflected in the EPA data. And Anthony Moore, Virginia’s assistant secretary of Natural Resources for Chesapeake Bay Restoration, reiterated Gov. Robert McDonnell’s assertion that the EPA is using flawed data. At the October 6 meeting in Richmond, Malvern Butler, a member of the Goochland County Board of Supervisor, said that he worries that strict regulations could drive farmers out of business, and he requested grants to help them follow new regulations. A Fredericksburg fly fisherman called for action on the Bay now, rather than passing its problems onto future generations. 5) And at the October 4 meeting in Harrisonburg, both U.S. Representative Robert Goodlatte and several farmers reiterated agricultural concerns about their getting credit for already-implemented conservation practices, and about the potential for more regulations on farming. News sources: Supporters urge prompt action on Bay “population diet”, Virginian- Pilot, 10/8/10; Crowd at UR hears clean up plans for Bay, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10/7/10; Residents offer bay solutions, Newport News Daily Press, 10/7/10; Farmers show concern over TMDL at hearing, Chesapeake Bay Journal, 10/6/10; and Farmers Voice Concerns Over Chesapeake Bay Regulations from EPA , WHSV.com, 10/5/10.
     
  • As of September 28, the weekly National Drought Monitor rated 86 percent of Virginia as “abnormally dry” or worse. But at the end of September, the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole, combined with other weather systems, brought large amounts of rainfall to Virginia, including well over 10 inches in many areas of eastern Virginia. This changed the drought picture significantly, with the October 5 and October 12 Drought Monitors rating only 48 percent of the Virginia as at least abnormally dry. As a result, by mid-October, some localities were lifting water conservation measures that had been in effect since early September. For example, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, on October 12 the City of Richmond and the counties of Henrico, Hanover, and Goochland removed voluntary restrictions, although Richmond’s mayor advised residents to continue conserving water. On the other hand, 12 public water systems remain under voluntary water restrictions and nine systems still have mandatory restrictions, according to the October 8 report from the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force. News Source: Richmond, Henrico, Hanover, Goochland lift water restrictions, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 10/13/10. 

WATER SOUNDS AND MUSIC



This week we feature another mystery sound: Snow Geese.

Large, noisy flocks of Snow Geese can be found in Chesapeake Bay waters in winter months. The Snow Goose can be found in two color forms, the white morph and the blue morph. From 1916 to 1975, Snow Goose hunting in Eastern U.S. was banned due to low population levels of the birds, but populations now have grown so large that in some areas the birds are causing damage to their habitat. Thanks to Lang Elliott of NatureSound Studio for providing this recording. Sources: Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Bird Guide” Web site at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search, and “Birds of North America Online” at http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/514/articles/introduction.

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS 

First, in government policy and regulatory meetings occurring between October 21 and October 28.
  • On October 26 in Newport News, the Marines Resources Commission is holding their regular Monthly Meeting. For more information, contact Jane McCroskey at (757) 247-2215.

  • On October 28 in Richmond, the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries will host members of the Legislative Sportsman’s Caucus to provide requested information regarding license exemptions, fee structure, and future funding strategies. For more information, phone Bob Duncan at (804) 367-9231.
Next, here is one meeting about Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs, for impaired waters.
  • October 21st, in Chesapeake, on the TMDL study for Northwest River, located in southern Chesapeake. For more information, phone Jennifer Howell at (757) 518-2111.
Finally, in educational and recreational events:
  • On October 23, from 3 to 5 pm, Belle Isle Sate Park in Lancaster County is holding a Ghosts and Legends Canoe Trip. For more information, phone (804) 462-5030.

  • And from October 25 to 29, the Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training is conducting its System Design II course at Southside Virginia Community College’s Farmville campus. For more information, phone Lydia Shepherd at 434-292-3101.

    For more information about government policy and regulatory meetings, click here for the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, where these meetings are listed by date. E-mail addresses for contact people are available there. For TMDL meetings, click here for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality TMDL Web site. Please note that TMDL meetings are also listed at the Town Hall site, but are included among all other meetings. Organizations, events, or both are hyperlinked whenever possible. Click on those links for more information. 
Virginia Water Radio is a product of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, which is solely responsible for the show’s content. Hosting and bandwidth for this podcast are also provided by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. We invite you to visit the center online at www.vwrrc.vt.edu.

Show notes and production assistance were provided by Patrick Fay. Minni Gupta wrote this week’s show. Recording assistance was provided by the Office of University Relations at Virginia Tech.

Opinions expressed on this show are not necessarily those of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, or our broadcasting stations.

If you need more information about anything mentioned this week, call us at (540) 231-5463, or visit our web site at www.virginiawaterradio.org.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Virginia Water Radio 37: Week of Oct. 11, 2010

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio (Episode 37), for the week of October 11, 2010.


Sound file archived 1/17/12; please contact Virginia Water Radio for access to the recording.

NEWS
  • On October 5, the U.S. Forest Service held a public meeting in Augusta County about the Service’s revision of its 15-year management plan for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, located in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. At 1.8 million acres, including over 1.6 million acres in Virginia, the two national forests—combined into one administrative unit in 1995—constitute one of the largest areas of public lands in the eastern United States. National forest management plans help determine timbering, recreation, watershed management, mineral use, and other potential activities in national forests. The Forest Service is currently reviewing six alternative plans for the Washington-Jefferson forest, addressing terrestrial biodiversity, wilderness and roadless areas, ecosystem diversity, and natural gas leasing. The Service expects by January 2011 to select one of the alternative plans and publish an environmental impact statement for a 90-day public-review period. News source: Forest Service Reviewing Plans For George Washington National Forest, WVIR (Va.) Television, 10/5/10. More information: Click here to access the Forest Service’s site for the GWNF Plan Revision; more information about the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is available at http://www.webcitation.org/5duLGPQUq.
  • On September 27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, announced that it intends to propose a regulation in 2011 to reduce mercury waste dental offices. According to the agency, replacement of tooth fillings containing mercury—called dental amalgams—generates 3.7 million tons of mercury per year in wastewater from dental offices, or about 50 percent of the mercury that reaches wastewater treatment plants. EPA asserts that dental offices can use existing devices called amalgam separators to remove 95 percent of the mercury currently being discharged in wastewater. Twelve states and some localities already require dentists to install amalgam separators. EPA intends to publish a final regulation by 2012. News source: EPA Will Propose Rule to Protect Waterways by Reducing Mercury from Dental Offices / Existing technology is available to capture dental mercury, U.S. EPA News Release, 9/27/10. More information on mercury from dental offices is available at this EPA Web site: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/dentalamalgam.html. More information on mercury and the environment is available at this EPA Web site: www.epa.gov/mercury/index.html.
  • On September 28, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted to open nearly all of the Commonwealth’s Chesapeake Bay oyster-harvest grounds on October 1, rather than the usual process of opening areas in stages during the fall months. According to Commission spokesman John Bull, the earlier opening is intended to allow Virginia’s commercial oyster harvesters to take better advantage of a short supply of oysters, with accompanying higher prices, resulting from this summer’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. News sources: Va. opens oyster grounds in Chesapeake Bay waters, Daily Press, 10/5/10; Virginia changes oyster regs as gulf recovers, Daily Press, 10/4/10; and minutes of the September 28 VMRC meeting, online at http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/Commission_Summaries/cs0910.shtm (as of 10/11/10).
  • And in our last news item this week: Smallmouth Bass appear to have had their third consecutive below-average spawning year in the upper Rappahannock River, according to Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist John Odenkirk, in an interview in the October 3 Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. The bass that are present, however, appear to have relatively fast growth rates, due to their lower numbers and to increased fish prey—such as shad and catfish—traveling farther upstream since the Embrey Dam near Fredericksburg was removed in 2004. Mr. Odenkirk, who has been studying Rappahannock fish populations since the 1990s, said that unusually high spring river flows and unusually low summer or fall flows are the main factors influencing spring spawning and survival of juvenile fish into the following year. News source: Fewer fish, but they are getting bigger - Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 10/3/10

WATER SOUNDS AND MUSIC


This segment has been replaced by Episode 456, 1-21-19.

This week we feature another mystery sound: The pelican

Seven species of pelicans exist worldwide, with one species, the Brown Pelican, found along Virginia’s coast. Only Brown Pelicans exhibit a feeding behavior of plunging from flight into water to trap fish in their large, expandable throat pouch. After their populations were drastically reduced, largely from exposure to pesticides, Brown Pelicans were placed on the federal Endangered Species List in 1970, but they have since made a remarkable recovery along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Sound Clips Web site for making this recording available. Information on pelicans was taken from A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, by Chandler S. Robbins et al., St. Martin’s Press, 2001 edition; the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Bird Guide” Web site at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search; and Cornell’s “Birds of North America Online” Web site at http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna.  

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

First, in government policy and regulatory meetings occurring between October 14-October 20.
  • On October 18, the Stormwater Best Management Practices Clearinghouse Committee meets in Charlottesville. For more information, phone David Dowling at (804) 786-2291. The Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) Clearinghouse is a Web site on design standards and specifications of all stormwater BMPs approved for use in Virginia to control the quality and/or quantity of stormwater runoff. More information about the Stormwater BMP Clearinghouse Committee is available at http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/swc/.
  • Also on October 18, in Richmond, the Department of Environmental Quality is having a public-comment meeting on the proposed permit for Small Renewable Wind Energy projects. For more information, phone Carol Wampler at (804) 698-4579. The Department of Environmental Quality is developing a permit by rule for small renewable wind energy projects, a regulatory action that the 2009 General Assembly (HB 2175/SB 1347) required for small renewable energy projects from various sources. More information and relevant documents on the wind-energy permit are available at http://townhall.virginia.gov/L/viewaction.cfm?actionid=3089.

  • On October 19, the Virginia Gas and Oil Board meets in Lebanon. For more information, phone David Asbury at (276) 415-9700
  • On October 20, the Department of Health’s Sewage Handling and Disposal Appeal Review Board meets in Richmond. For more information, phone Donna Tiller at (804) 864-7470.
Now, here are two meetings about Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs, for impaired waters:
  • October 20, in Buckingham, on the TMDL implementation plan for the Slate River, several Slate River tributaries, and Rock Island Creek, all in Buckingham County. For more information, phone Ram Gupta at (804) 371-0991.
  • And also on October 20, in Waynesboro, on the TMDL implementation plan for Christians Creek and the South River in Augusta and Rockingham counties. For more information, phone Nesha McCrae at (540) 332-9238.
Finally, in educational and recreational events:
Virginia Water Radio is a product of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, which is solely responsible for the show’s content. Hosting and bandwidth for this podcast are also provided by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. We invite you to visit the center online at www.vwrrc.vt.edu.

Show notes and production assistance were provided by Patrick Fay. Recording assistance was provided by the Office of University Relations at Virginia Tech.

Opinions expressed on this show are not necessarily those of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, or our broadcasting stations.

If you need more information about anything mentioned this week, call us at (540) 231-5463, or visit our web site at www.virginiawaterradio.org.
 

Monday, October 4, 2010

Virginia Water Radio 36: Week of Oct. 4, 2010

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio (Episode 36), for the week of October 4, 2010.
Click to Listen to Episode (Length: 00:08:07) 

NEWS
  • The first item is our monthly water status report. First, in precipitation: According to the Southeast Regional Climate Center, from September 1 through 30, most of southeastern Virginia received 7 to 13 inches of rain; most of central Virginia received 4 to 7 inches; and most of western Virginia, northern Virginia, and the Eastern Shore received 2 to 4 inches. Much of the month’s precipitation came in the last week from the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicolle. For example, between September 27 and 30, Norfolk received over 11 inches, Dulles Airport over 5 inches, and Lynchburg over 4 inches.

    Second, in stream flow: According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s WaterWatch, streamflows averaged over the month of September were in the normal range at about 56 percent of stream gages in Virginia or just beyond the state border. Flows were below normal at about 21 percent of these gages; much below normal at about 15 percent; and above normal at about 8 percent. Normal and above normal flows generally were in western Virginia, with below normal flows generally in central and eastern Virginia. On October 1, current stream flows were high in much of the eastern two thirds of the state, reflecting the heavy rainfall in the last week of September.

    And third, our drought watch: The weekly National Drought Monitor on September 28—just prior to the heavy rains at month’s end—showed abnormally dry conditions or worse occurring in over 86 percent of Virginia, excluding only some areas of far southwestern Virginia. Moderate drought was reported for 50 percent of Virginia, severe drought in 28 percent of the state, and extreme drought in parts of Frederick and Shenandoah counties. News sources: Precipitation: Southeast Regional Climate Center precipitation map, http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/precip_maps; and Rainfall washes away drought, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 10/1/10. Streamflow: U.S. Geological Survey WaterWatch for Virginia, http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=pa28d&r=va&w=mv01d%2Cmap. Drought: The National Drought Monitor map is at http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html; the Virginia archive table is at http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_tables.htm?VA.
  • The heavy rains in the last week of September led the Virginia Department of Health, or VDH, to place emergency closures on several shellfishing areas in southeastern Virginia. VDH ordered the closures because high flows caused by the rainfall were expected to raise bacterial levels above state standards. The shellfishing-area closures were to be in place at least until October 6. News source: Storm brings temporary bans on clam, oyster catch, Virginian-Pilot, 10/1/10.
  • And in our last news item this week: On September 30, the Obama Administration released its Chesapeake Bay Executive Order Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2011, including a request for a substantial funding increase. The plan, which requires Congressional approval for its proposed funding, calls for $491 million for Bay restoration actions. According to the Virginian-Pilot, requests in the plan include the following: $72 million in aid to farmers for conservation practices; $169.5 million for revolving loans to help wastewater-treatment plants reduce nutrient discharges; $7 million to increase oyster-recovery activities in Virginia and Maryland; $4.1 million to address rising sea levels and other predicted impacts of climate change on the Bay; and $370,000 to help establish nutrient-credit-trading markets. The 2011 Action Plan is required by the president’s May 2009 executive order, which addressed the role in Bay restoration activities by the U.S. EPA and the federal departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, Interior, and Transportation. News Sources: White House plans huge cash boost for bay cleanup, Virginian-Pilot, 10/1/10; and $491 Million in Federal Resources Targeted for Chesapeake Bay Restoration in FY 2011, Chesapeake Bay Executive Order Web site, 9/30/10. More information: The Chesapeake Bay Executive Order Fiscal Year 2011 Action Plan is available at this link: Chesapeake EO Action Plan FY2011.pdf.
WATER SOUNDS AND MUSIC

The Sounds and Music segment of this episode was revised and redone in Episode 335, 9-26-16.

This week we feature another mystery sound: The Canada Goose.

The Canada Goose is the most common of several geese species found in North America, and is one of three species found in Virginia. Canada Geese have spread far beyond their original range and have become year-round residents in parks and other residential areas. As described by Sigurd Olson his 1956 book “The Singing Wilderness,” flocks of migrating Canada Geese are recognizable for their “soft, melodious gabbling,” and their flight formations that resemble a “long skein of dots undulating like a floating ribbon.” Thanks to Lang Elliott of NatureSound Studio for providing this recording.

Please note: The Canada Goose is covered in more detail in Virginia Water Radio Episode 335, 9-26-16.


UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS 

First, in government policy and regulatory meetings occurring between October 7-October 13.
  • On October 7 in Front Royal, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is holding a public briefing on an air-quality permit application by Virginia Electric and Power Company for a proposed natural-gas-fired power plant in Warren County. For more information, phone Anita Riggleman at (540) 574-7852. Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) has applied for a permit to construct the Warren County Combined Cycle Facility, a natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power generating facility. The proposed facility, which would be located in the Warren Industrial Park in Warren County, is classified as a major source of air pollution. The permit application is available on the DEQ website at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/air/permitting/Dominion_Warren.html.
Next, in meetings about Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs, for impaired waters:
  • On October 7, 6 p..m. to 8 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza Marina Hotel in Hampton, the U.S. EPA holds the last of four public meetings in Virginia on the draft Chesapeake Bay TMDL, which was published on September 24 for a 45-day public comment period. Also on October 7, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the EPA is holding an online public meeting on the Bay TMDL. For more information, phone Tom Damm at (215) 814-5560. The EPA Web site for the Chesapeake Bay TMDL is www.epa.gov/chesapeakebaytmdl/. Registration for the EPA’s online meeting about the Bay TMDL is at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/689259867.
Finally, in educational and recreational events:
Virginia Water Radio is a product of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, which is solely responsible for the show’s content. Hosting and bandwidth for this podcast are also provided by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. We invite you to visit the center online at www.vwrrc.vt.edu.

Show notes and production assistance were provided by Patrick Fay. Minni Gupta helped write the show. Recording assistance was provided by the Office of University Relations at Virginia Tech.

Opinions expressed on this show are not necessarily those of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, or our broadcasting stations.

If you need more information about anything mentioned this week, call us at (540) 231-5463, or visit our web site at www.virginiawaterradio.org