Cape May-Lewes ferry, MV Twin Capes  (photo credit: DNREC

by Sherilyn Lau

Have you ever wondered what’s on the ocean floor?  Or maybe you’ve thought about what type of home supports marine life such as sea whips and mussels?

On the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, 26 miles due east of the Indian River Inlet in Delaware, lies a collection of retired vessels given new purpose as part of the Del-Jersey-Land Inshore Artificial Reef.

I’ve experienced the cleanup process of several retired military vessels as they were readied to become these new deep-water homes.  These vessels hold historical and cultural significance as former World War II destroyers or vessels that have served in rescue missions.  Upon their conversion to reefs, these vessels develop ecological significance as hard substrate for underwater organisms and serve as habitat or refuge for fish and other marine life.

EPA scientific diver collecting samples to determine the ecological succession of marine organisms on the artificial reef

The Del-Jersey-Land reef is home to the destroyer USS Arthur W. Radford, the former freighter turned menhaden fishing vessel, MV Shearwater, and the Zuni/Tamaroa, a Coast Guard cutter most famous for a rescue depicted in the book and movie The Perfect Storm.  Click here for a video of her scuttling.

I recently had the opportunity to walk through the retired Cape May-Lewes ferry, MV Twin Capes, to ensure it was properly prepared to become the latest addition to the reef.

The MV Twin Capes was part of the original 1970s Cape May-Lewes Ferry fleet.  Due to low ridership, the Delaware River and Bay Authority decided to put her up for sale in 2013.  The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) acquired the vessel in 2017 and is responsible for the cleaning and proper waste management of materials removed from the ship.

DNREC demonstrated that no PCBs were detected in the samples taken from the vessel to ensure compliance with the Toxic Substances Control Act.  In addition, large electronics, bulk debris and recyclables were removed.  Photo documentation, manifests of waste disposal, U.S. Coast Guard and marine chemist reports, as well as a signed affidavit by DNREC, were provided to EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region to satisfy EPA’s and the Maritime Administration’s national guidance. 

The MV Twin Capes was sunk on June 14 and this hard reef structure is expected to support the aquatic food chain and larger marine species.  Our Scientific Dive Unit is capturing the functional progress of these artificial reefs in partnership with DNREC.  MV Twin Capes and the other artificial reefs will continue to support the regional economy by attracting recreational diving and sports fishing from Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland.

Although they may not be active in their traditional sense, there is an underworld of activity that still surrounds and occupies these proud vessels.

About the Author:  Sherilyn Lau is an Environmental Scientist in EPA Region 3’s Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division, Office of Monitoring and Assessment, Coastal Science Team

To fully appreciate why two EPA regions are working to improve the Delaware River Watershed, it helps to experience the area’s natural wonders.

I had the opportunity to do so recently on two kayaking day trips.

The first was an intimate tour of a county lake that connects with Assunpink Creek and eventually the Delaware River near Trenton, New Jersey.

The next day, I joined paddlers on the final day of the 2018 Delaware River Sojourn as we explored the Abbott Marshlands via two winding creeks.

At Mercer Lake, Mercer County Park Naturalist Christy Athmejvar led a group of us on a tour of the lake’s nooks and crannies, wisely advising us to keep our binoculars handy as she spied cool critters and plant life.

In one hidden cove, as we passed a beaver dam, we saw 14 painted turtles basking on a log and three bullfrogs staring ahead with their bulbous eyes and wide mouths just above the water.

Paddling near the shoreline, Christy would quickly interrupt herself to point out a red-winged blackbird or an American goldfinch soaring above or, to her delight, a double-crested cormorant tucked in the water with only its head and long, curved neck visible.

Toward the end of the tour, her visual sweeps of the treetops scored the highlights of the day – two bald eagles.  We kept our binoculars trained on the majestic birds as we bobbed in the kayaks, savoring our lucky finds.

A day later, it was time to join the sojourn that was completing its 24^th annual, eight-day trip down sections of the Delaware River.

Fortunate that a thunderstorm threat never materialized, our sojourners, ranging from youth groups to seasoned veterans of the journey, paddled the warm, gentle waters of Crosswicks and Watson creeks on an eight-mile round-trip to the Tulpehacking Nature Center in Hamilton, New Jersey.

We started and finished at Bordentown Beach at the confluence of the Delaware River and Crosswicks Creek.  Along the way, we struck up conversations and at times joined our kayaks and canoes, drifting with the tide as we heard presentations about the Abbott Marshlands.

The talks focused on successful efforts to preserve and expand the marshlands, their rich cultural and historic legacy, and the support they provide for more than 1,200 species of plants and wildlife.

Whether on water or land, head out to some of the natural attractions of the Delaware River Watershed to get a better sense for why its restoration is so important to EPA and its partners.

And for what you can do to help, check out this site.

About the Author: Tom Damm has been with EPA since 2002 and now serves as communications coordinator for the region’s Water Protection Division.

Spoiler alert!  Everyone wins.

A new video is benefiting farmers and regulators alike by taking the mystery out of farm inspections.

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association collaborated with EPA employees to produce a video that demonstrates what poultry and egg farms can expect when EPA or state inspectors come a-knocking.

The 14-minute video, featuring Mark Zolandz (inspector) and Kelly Shenk (ag advisor) from EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region, helps further the goal of clean rivers and streams, well-managed farms and a robust agricultural industry.

Entitled “Why EPA and States Inspect Farms,” the video promotes a better understanding of the connection between agriculture and clean water.  It includes insights into the inspection process and provides information on assistance available to poultry and egg producers to address water quality issues.

The educational video, filmed on location at a turkey farm in Rockingham County, Virginia, outlines possible reasons why a farm may be inspected, how the farmers should prepare for the inspection, and how the inspection will likely be structured.

Runoff from farms is a significant source of pollution in rivers and streams. EPA and the states perform inspections to monitor compliance with regulations to protect water quality.  They also provide funding and technical assistance to help farmers adopt best management practices to control pollution.

You can check out more on the making of the video at this link.

About the Author: Tom Damm has been with EPA since 2002 and now serves as communications coordinator for the region’s Water Protection Division

It’s a four-peat.

For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Maryland, College Park has won high honors in EPA’s Campus RainWorks Challenge, a national collegiate competition to design the best ideas for capturing stormwater on campus before it can harm waterways.

A UMD team took second place nationally in the Master Plan category for “The Champion Gateway” project.  The project blends green infrastructure features into a campus entryway and pedestrian corridor adjacent to a proposed light rail system.

Along with providing more aesthetic appeal, the 7.9-acre site design – with its 367 new trees, permeable pavement, bioswales, rain garden and soil improvements – generates some heady environmental benefits, like:

• A 40 percent increase in tree canopy and a reduction in stormwater runoff of 44 percent.
• An increase in permeable surface from 5 to 74 percent.
• The removal of 273 pounds of air pollutants and the sequestering of 20,000 pounds of carbon dioxide – each year.

Green infrastructure allows stormwater to soak in rather than run off hard surfaces with contaminants in tow, flooding local streets and polluting local waters.

Chalking up impressive design numbers and wowing the judges is nothing new for UMD teams in the Campus RainWorks Challenge.

The university won first place awards in 2015 and 2016 for designs to retrofit a five-acre parking lot and to capture and treat stormwater on a seven-acre site next to the campus chapel, and won a second place award last year for its “(Un)loading Nutrients” design to transform a campus loading dock and adjacent parking lot into a safer pedestrian walkway with 6,660 square feet of plantings and 18 percent less impervious surface.

Dr. Victoria Chanse, a faculty advisor to all four UMD winning teams, said the competition “serves as an ongoing catalyst to encourage universities to develop innovative, sustainable learning landscapes that draw upon collaborations among students and faculty from a diverse set of disciplines.”

Check out more information on how stormwater runoff impacts your community.

About the Author: Tom Damm has been with EPA since 2002 and now serves as communications coordinator for the region’s Water Protection Division

Today, Hinton and his wife grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables which they sell at their two retail markets – one on the farm and one in nearby Elizabethtown. They are also actively involved in agritourism, hosting school tours and festivals as well as building their own corn maze. And, as if he doesn’t already have enough to do, Hinton sells crop insurance to farmers in the area. He knows firsthand how policies emanating from Washington impact farmers and other small businesses in Kentucky.

He believes that some of policies of the previous administration, if gone to fruition, “could have been very detrimental to our business and lots of others.” “There was a good bit of concern about the Waters of the U.S.,” he said. Other policies, like the previous administration’s changes to worker protection standards, “could have been very difficult to implement on a farm like ours.”

But the EPA’s regulatory reform efforts under Administrator Scott Pruitt have “increased optimism about the future,” stated Hinton. He also believes that there is a new, more friendly and cooperative attitude at EPA toward farmers – one that appreciates the environmental stewardship they practice day in and day out. As Administrator Pruitt likes to say, farmers are among our nation’s first environmentalists and conservationists.

“Our operation, like any farm, wants to do the best that we can to protect our natural resources,” Hinton said. “That’s our livelihood.” He and his wife raise their three children on the farm and hope that someday they will become the next generation of Kentucky farmers.

This week, EPA is recognizing and celebrating National Small Business Week. Small businesses, like the Hinton’s Orchard and Farm Market, are the heart of our nation’s economy. EPA is committed to advancing policies that protect the environment and provide small businesses with the regulatory clarity and certainty they need to thrive and support local communities around the nation.

by Tom Damm

Ralph Spagnolo and Ellen Bryson know their way around the state capitals in EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region.  The regional Water Protection Division employees have been on the road helping states launch an innovative online mapping tool that prioritizes sites for watershed preservation or restoration.

They will be in Dover, Delaware this week to debut the Watershed Resources Registry for state employees and others.  In past months, they’ve led registry launches in other states in the region, and when Virginia unveils its version of the tool, it will be a clean sweep in the Mid-Atlantic.

What’s all the fuss about?

 Volumes of data and information are entered by federal, state and local agencies and non-profit groups into a user-friendly Geographic Information System (GIS).  The GIS tool scores sites from one to five stars and lets decision-makers zero in on the best areas for protecting and restoring watershed lands and improving stormwater management.

The data fed into the system ranges from soil type, land cover and flood plains to impaired and high-quality streams, protected lands and wetlands inventories.  The tool allows users to identify locations, assess and compare potential projects and their environmental impacts, print site maps for field visits, and share information.  It also helps to streamline the permitting process and provide transparency in site selection.

The registry is especially useful for developers, natural resource and transportation planners and others who are required to avoid impacting natural areas or to provide mitigation for any unavoidable impacts.

In February, an updated registry was made available to the public.  Check it out and see how teams of partners are working to protect watershed lands.

About the Author: Tom Damm has been with EPA since 2002 and now serves as communications coordinator for the region’s Water Protection Division.

EPA’s environmental justice screening and mapping tool, EJSCREEN, consistently ranks as one of the most used tools on the agency’s website.

This week, EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) is announcing an enhancement that will make EJSCREEN even more useful. Based on requests and user

When visiting EJSCREEN on a mobile device, you will be given the option to launch the mobile optimized version.

feedback, OEJ is rolling out a mobile device enhanced version of EJSCREEN. This new mobile version contains the same key functions and features as the full version of EJSCREEN, but in a more compact, easily accessible format. This includes the ability to select locations, access reports, and to map environmental, demographic and EJ indicators.

Maps can tell powerful stories and make complex information easy to understand. As computer mapping technologies advanced, EPA recognized an opportunity to develop a

The EJSCREEN site is now available in a more user-friendly platform for your mobile device!

screening and mapping tool that advanced our environmental justice goals. This is how EJSCREEN came to be: as a tool for EPA staff to look at environmental and demographic factors related to environmental justice as we develop programs and policies that impact low-income, minority, and other overburdened communities.

In 2017, OEJ conducted a survey on EJSCREEN, which found that more than 62% of respondents believe EJSCREEN could be improved by optimizing it for use on mobile devices. That same survey found that community users only made up 19% of EJSCREEN total users. This finding raised questions as to whether there was a correlation between the low numbers of community users and the lack of a mobile version.

EJSCREEN was originally built for use on standard desktop and laptop computers.

With the mobile version, you can still download reports and view the various demographic and environmental indicators.

However, this format is not always accessible to many stakeholders working in environmental justice communities. As a result, the EJSCREEN platform may not be useable to some of the same communities it was designed to help.

Research has found that low-income households have lower rates of in-home internet connectivity. These households are more likely to depend exclusively on smartphones or other handheld devices to access the internet. This “digital divide” presents an opportunity for the EPA to bridge the technological gap as it relates to the use of EJSCREEN.

As a result, EPA made building a mobile version of this important tool a priority. Because of the smaller screen size of mobile devices, the mobile optimized version of EJSCREEN does not have all the functionality of the full tool. However, it does contain the key features of EJSCREEN, and users that want the full features/content have the option to switch to the full desktop version even on mobile devices.

As EPA continues to develop EJSCREEN, we are committed to making the tool more useful and accessible for everyone, and this mobile version is a big step in that direction. OEJ hopes that you will test the mobile version of EJSCREEN to see how it can serve your needs.You can also subscribe to the Environmental Justice ListServ to receive updates on our upcoming EJSCREEN activities and events.

Computer and Internet use in the United States in 2013

We look forward to hearing from you – and in the meantime, we hope you enjoy the new mobile version of EJSCREEN!

About the Author: Tai Lung is the EJSCREEN Team Lead in EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its Environmental Justice FY2017 Progress Report today. It is noteworthy that 2017 marked the 25th anniversary of the founding of EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice. The accomplishments highlighted in the report affirm through action how, after a quarter century of progress, environmental justice (EJ) is deeply ingrained in EPA’s fabric.

An overarching focus of the report is demonstrating tangible results in minority, low-income, tribal and indigenous communities. Here are four results that illustrate progress from the past year:

1. As EPA’s environmental justice program matured over the past two decades, it grappled with the difficult task of demonstrating environmental outcomes in vulnerable communities. EPA developed measures for several significant national EJ challenges, one of which was fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5). In FY2017, EPA documented that the percentage of low-income people living in areas meeting the PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards increased from 43% during the baseline period of 2006-2008 to 92% in (2014-2016).
2. EPA similarly provided national results for enforcement actions and the environment benefits of such actions in areas with potential EJ concerns. For example, 35% of the 217 million pounds of pollutants estimated to be reduced, treated or eliminated from enforcement actions in FY2017 were in such areas. EPA is able to provide these results because the Agency systematically reviews all enforcement actions for EJ considerations. The report also highlights the importance of the EJSCREEN mapping and screening tool, which provides the starting point for these assessments.
3. EPA and its federal, state, tribal and local government partners continue to collaborate to benefit communities. The Omaha Lead Superfund cleanup, affecting over 175,000 persons in a 27 square-mile area, reduced the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels from 25% in 1999 to 0.3% in 2017. Other examples of beneficial collaborations are the improved air quality around ports, rail yards and freight distribution centers from $23.8 million in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act funding and the number of community drinking water systems returned to compliance with lead and arsenic standards in the Pacific Southwest.
4. The report highlights the many ways EPA supports communities as they travel their own journeys to community health and revitalization. For example, with an EJ grant, “Project Oka” helped the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma maintain clean sources of water. An Urban Waters partnership assisted residents of the Martin Pena Channel, one of the poorest and most environmentally overburdened neighborhoods in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in creating an urban farm.

These results are but a few of the many accomplishments highlighted in this year’s progress report. Many of the examples required decades of effort, and are a testament to the long-standing commitment, innovation and hard work of the EPA staff who do this work on a day-to-day basis. They provide lessons for how we can all work together more effectively to address disproportionate environmental impacts, health disparities, and economic distress in our nation’s most vulnerable communities so they are cleaner, healthier and more prosperous places to live, work, play and learn.

Read a full copy of EPA’s FY2017 Environmental Justice Progress Report, as well as previous reports.

Schools planning field trips to teach students about stormwater pollution may not have to travel far.  For many, the lesson is right outside their doors.

School buildings and grounds are potentially big conveyors of stormwater as rain washes over their roofs, parking lots and other hard surfaces, picking up pollutants before chugging into storm drains that empty into local waters.

A new, EPA Storm Smart Schools guide can help schools get higher marks in stormwater management.

The EPA Mid-Atlantic Region worked with the city and school district of Newport News, Virginia, to develop options for installing rain-absorbing features on school grounds that can prevent the flooding and water pollution linked to stormwater runoff.

The 36-page guide outlines the multiple benefits of school-based green infrastructure, from helping a community meet Clean Water Act restrictions on stormwater to providing hands-on instruction for students.

The “how to” guide captures the key steps followed by Newport News in selecting one of its schools – Sedgefield Elementary School – as a demonstration site for green infrastructure practices and engaging the community in the effort.  A community meeting at Sedgefield produced design concepts to address the most flood-prone areas of the school property.,

In June 2017, Newport News public schools received $60,000 in Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns (G3) funding to support the Sedgefield design work.

The green practices, like rain gardens, permeable pavement and bioswales, mimic natural conditions and allow stormwater to soak in rather than run off.  On school grounds, they also serve as outdoor learning labs to teach children valuable lessons about environmental protection and conservation.

For homework, be sure your school district is aware of the Storm Smart Schools guide.

About the Author: Tom Damm has been with EPA since 2002 and now serves as communications coordinator for the region’s Water Protection Division.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the Mid-Atlantic Vibrant Ports – Healthy Ports workshop in Philadelphia. For me, having once worked for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, this event gave me an opportunity to see familiar faces but more importantly, to discuss a topic that is relevant and significant for the citizens of our region.

In EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region, ports are continuing to gear up to accept Panamax-size ships, and these vessels can make quicker trips than ever before due to the widening and dredging of our seaports. For a “portee,” these types of innovations are exciting, but to individuals living in near-port communities, they may pose concern.  Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. live within approximately three miles of a sea or inland port.

I know firsthand that ports can easily be described as “little cities” with a multitude of activities taking place 24/7.  The chore of unloading and loading goods, moving literally tons of cargo around, and housing ships of all shapes and sizes does produce emissions.  In turn, this may impact public health and the environment.  That’s why EPA is working closely with our Mid-Atlantic ports counterparts to encourage efficiency and resiliency, wherever possible.

During the workshop, stakeholders from our port communities came together to discuss concerns and exchange information. A collaborative effort between EPA and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the workshop attracted approximately 60 attendees who spent the day engaged in panel discussions on community relations, tools for improving economic and environmental performance, and project funding sources, among others.

It’s especially fitting that this workshop was held during Children’s Health Month because nearly seven million children in the Mid-Atlantic Region count on us to ensure they have clean air to breathe.  

I was pleased to acknowledge attendees from regional port terminals, as well as other state and local partners and community members with whom I’ve had the opportunity to work in the past.

This workshop demonstrated that we are committed to continuing our work with Mid-Atlantic port partners to help make our ports safer and cleaner “neighborhoods,” while growing their economic vitality.

Learn more about the Agency’s Ports Initiative here.

About the Author: Cosmo Servidio is the Regional Administrator for EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region.