http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/pollution-prompts-more-of-maine-beach-closings-closings-hit-record-high-nationwide PORTLAND—Beach closings and warnings due to bacterial contamination increased in Maine for the second straight year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council’s annual report released today by Environment Maine. The report, “Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches,” tallied 92 closing/advisory days in 2005 in Maine, a 65 percent increase from 56 days in 2004. This jump, similar to last year’s, is at least partly due to an increase in the number of beaches monitored. All 92 closing/advisory days were due to monitoring that revealed elevated bacteria levels from unknown sources of contamination. “ Maine beachgoers shouldn’t be swimming in animal and human waste,” said Matthew Davis of Environment Maine. “Closing our beaches won’t solve the problem: it’s time to clean up our coasts. The Legislature needs to approve a significant state bond to stop the pollution at its source by improving wastewater treatment plants. With the Bush administration cutting the State Revolving Loan Fund, state assistance is even more essential so that all communities maintain an adequate level of wastewater treatment.” Nationally, the number of closing and health advisory days at ocean, bay, and Great Lakes beaches topped 20,000 in 2005 – the most since NRDC began tracking the problem 16 years ago – confirming that U.S. beaches continue to suffer from serious water pollution. This year’s report includes new information that provides a more alarming picture of the problem. For the first time, NRDC evaluated beachwater quality nationwide and found 200 beaches in two dozen states whose beachwater samples violated the public health standards at least 25 percent of the time. In most cases, beachwater was contaminated with bacteria, and beachgoers were either swimming in it or banned from swimming because of the health risks. Overall, 8 percent of the beachwater samples taken nationwide violated health standards. For the 2005 beach season, NRDC looked at the percent of monitoring samples that exceeded Maine’s daily maximum bacterial standard. Fifteen percent of all monitoring samples exceeded the state standard in 2005, and 15 percent violated federal public health standards, the fourth worst record in the country. South Portland’s Williard Beach had no closure and advisory days in 2003, 7 in 2004, had 10 last summer and 6 already this summer, including a closure on Wednesday. In 2005, the highest percent exceedances were at Yacht Club in Knox County (31%) followed by Short Sands in York (29%), Long Sands Beach in York (27%), Willard Beach in Cumberland (26%), Seal Harbor in Hancock (26%), Town Of Wells in York (24%), Higgins in Cumberland (22%), Kinney Shores (Saco) in York (22%), and Riverside (Ogunquit) in York (22%). NRDC, with Environment Maine’s input, named Pemaquid Beach a Beach Buddy because it had no health standards violations and took steps to clean up pollution. “The members of MWWCA continue to work on the front lines of water pollution control and remediation, despite ever-shrinking monetary support,” said Andy Rudzinski, President of the Maine WasteWater Control Association. “It is the wastewater professionals operating these facilities who do yeoman’s’ work to keep our water environment safe and clean for all citizens to enjoy.” The current beachwater health standards, however, do not adequately protect the public and must be updated, according to NRDC. Today the organization announced it is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to modernize the standards as ordered by Congress six years ago. “A day at the beach should not turn into a night in the bathroom, or worse, in the hospital,” said Nancy Stoner, director of NRDC’s Clean Water Project. “There have been significant advances over the last two decades that we should be using to protect beachgoers, but the EPA is dragging its feet in implementing them.” In 2000, Congress passed the Beaches Environmental Assessment, and Coastal Health Act ( BEACH Act), which required the EPA to revise the current health standards by October 2005. The agency missed the deadline, and now says it will not be able to finish updating them until 2011. The current beachwater quality standards are 20 years old and rely on obsolete monitoring methods and outdated science that leave beachgoers vulnerable to a range of waterborne illnesses. Risks include gastroenteritis, dysentery; hepatitis, respiratory ailments and other serious health problems. For senior citizens, small children, and people with weak immune systems, the results can be fatal. “Although the water is dirty, the message is clear. We need stricter health standards from EPA and more federal and state funding to help communities upgrade their sewage treatment systems,” said Matthew Davis. “The Legislature needs to approve a significant bond next session and the Bush administration needs to stop cutting the State Revolving Fund.” The report found 8 percent of the beachwater samples taken nationwide in 2005 exceeded federal health standards. Mississippi (22 percent) and Louisiana (18 percent) had the highest percentage of exceedances (before Hurricane Katrina) while New Hampshire (1 percent) and Delaware (less than 1 percent) had the fewest. Based on the report’s findings, NRDC today announced the cleanest and dirties beaches based on percentages of beachwater samples that violated federal public health standards. This year there are 32 Beach Buddies and 22 Beach Bums. Beach Buddies: The 32 Beach Buddies – which monitored beachwater quality regularly, had no violations of public health standards, and took significant steps to reduce pollution – include Pemaquid Beach in Bristol, Maine. Pemaquid Beach - The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has made a concerted effort to reduce commercial and residential waste discharges into the Atlantic Ocean near Pemaquid Beach. The Overboard Discharge Elimination Program provides grants to homeowners to either hook up their sewage lines to a waste treatment plant or build septic systems. Bristol has provided wastewater treatment to additional homes in an effort to improve water quality. Beach Bums: Of the 22 Beach Bums – which violated public health standards at least 50 percent of the time samples were taken – none were in Maine. http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/pollution-prompts-more-of-maine-beach-closings-closings-hit-record-high-nationwide Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:52:07 -0500 http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/groups-release-report-on-agri-business-and-endangered-atlantic-salmon-board-of-pesticides-control-to-hold-hearing-on-banning-aerial-spraying BANGOR—Environment Maine Research & Policy Center, the Maine Environmental Policy Institute (MEPI) and Toxics Action Center released a report entitled, "Agribusiness and Atlantic Salmon: The Effects of Large-scale Blueberry Production on Endangered Atlantic Salmon", detailing the threats that pesticides used by the blueberry industry have on the species. “This report attempts to connect the dots between chemicals used and released by agri-businesses and threats to the endangered Atlantic salmon,” said Will Sugg, one of the authors of the report and the director of MEPI. Some of the report’s findings include: • Sedimentation from low-maintenance roads throughout fields near Downeast rivers create increased problems with sedimentation of gravel beds, which are important Atlantic salmon egg and alevin habitat; • Nutrient loading is not extensive, but there is some potential for fertilizer application to fields to cause algal blooms and decreased dissolved oxygen in nearby streams and rivers; • Pesticides used on blueberry fields have limited acute toxicity to Atlantic salmon, but indirect and chronic effects may be severe; • Hexazinone, an oft-used herbicide is likely in high enough concentrations from drift, runoff and groundwater seep to change aquatic organismal communities, decreasing fitness of fry and parr; • Malathion and azinphos-methyl (two organophosphate pesticides) may have direct, acute effects on Atlantic salmon physiology and survival, even in low concentrations; • Water withdrawal can dramatically affect Atlantic salmon and the entire aquatic ecosystem, particularly in the late summer and early fall; • Discharges from processing plants and other wastewater may have adverse effects on water temperature and dissolved oxygen in rivers, but is limited to small portions of Atlantic salmon habitat; • Sulfur applications to increase acidic soil conditions are infrequent and sporadic, yet may be of concern for all life stages of Atlantic salmon. “Clearly there is a lot of work to be done to further protect salmon from chemicals used by agri-businesses,” said Matthew Davis, one of the authors of the report and advocate with Environment Maine Research & Policy Center. The report was released prior to the Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) hearing on banning aerial spraying, phasing out organophosphate use and increasing residents’ right-to-know about pesticide use in their communities. Residents across Maine collected signatures to begin this formal Board of Pesticides Control rule-change process. “Today the Board of Pesticides Control will be holding a hearing on rules that will go a long way to solving a lot of our concerns with aerial spraying and the use of the most dangerous pesticides,” said Will Everitt, Associate Director of Toxics Action Center. “Hopefully the Board will do the right thing and enact these protections.” In addition to changes through the BPC, the report calls on the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to do more to mitigate storm water runoff, fertilizer and nutrient loading, and continue its water withdraw rulemaking. http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/groups-release-report-on-agri-business-and-endangered-atlantic-salmon-board-of-pesticides-control-to-hold-hearing-on-banning-aerial-spraying Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:47:13 -0500 http://www.environmentmaine.org/s-to-strengthen-existing-overfishing-protections-in-magnuson-stevens-act PORTLAND—Only 10 ocean fish stocks in New England – currently 28 percent of all federally managed ocean fish stocks under management of the New England Fishery Management Council – are known to be healthy, and this number has worsened since 2001, finds a new report released today by Environment Maine on behalf of the Marine Fish Conservation Network. Nearly 50 percent of New England’s fish stocks are in jeopardy—overfished and/or experiencing overfishing. The report clearly demonstrates that Congress should not weaken the overfishing protections in the main U.S. fisheries law, and should instead strengthen conservation measures when renewing it. “The New England Fishery Management Council has a long history of failing to protect against overfishing despite clear evidence that some stocks teeter on the brink of collapse,” said Heidi Overbeck, Preservation Associate for Environment Maine. “Before these stocks go belly up, Congress needs to strengthen fisheries law with enforceable catch limits and a reliance on the best available science to finally end overfishing and allow depleted fish stocks to recover.” "Shell Game: How the Federal Government is Hiding the Mismanagement of Our Nation’s Fisheries," reveals that although the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) continues to tout a downward trend in the number of stocks that are overfished or experiencing overfishing, these improvements have primarily been due to manipulations of the data presented in its annual report to Congress on the status of fish stocks. The Network’s analysis showed that 60 percent of the overfished stocks and 75 percent of the stocks experiencing overfishing between 2001 and 2004 were taken off the list due to administrative shuffling. Nationally, only 91 ocean fish stocks – currently 13 percent of all federally managed ocean fish stocks – are known to be healthy, and this number has not improved since 2001. “NMFS has not been clear with Congress or the American public because it consistently finesses the data to mask management failures from year to year,” said Lee Crockett, executive director of the Network, the largest national coalition devoted to promoting sustainable marine fisheries. “We need to take a hard look at what is and isn’t working in fisheries management if we are to make any progress in the future.” Shell Game also discloses that NMFS continues to allow overfishing to occur on 25 percent of New England’s overfished stocks, which prevents these already depleted fish stocks from rebuilding. For example, the New England council continues to allow overfishing on Georges Bank cod even though this signature stock has plummeted by 21 percent since 2001, and the stock size now struggles at 10 percent of a scientifically healthy and sustainable level. "This report confirms that the New England approach to fisheries management is a failure. It's not working for the fish and it's not working for the fishermen. We need to look to new approaches that bring accountability to the fishery and sustainable fisheries for fishermen," stated Roger Fleming, Senior Attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation in Brunswick, Maine. The Network will submit the report to Congress and will urge lawmakers to strengthen overfishing protections when renewing and amending the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the primary law that governs U.S. ocean fisheries. A bill proposal by the National Marine Fisheries Service and a new bill introduced by Barney Frank (D-MA) both proposed to roll back overfishing protections and extend time frames for rebuilding depleted populations. "The report's findings highlight the need for Congress to do its part in sustaining our nation's fisheries. Reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act is long overdue. With reauthorization legislation expected to be introduced in the House, I will work to ensure that the voice of Maine's fishing community continues to be heard in these important discussions. I hope we can craft a consensus bill that benefits both fish and fishermen," said Congressman Tom Allen. The report also points out that regional fishery managers in New England too often do not follow scientific information when making management decisions. It took a federal lawsuit filed in 2000 to force the New England council to adopt an amendment in 2004 that had a chance of rebuilding a portion of its groundfish stocks. As a result, Georges Bank cod may be rebuilt by 2026. As documented in the report, this management failure has led to continued overfishing and a decrease in rebuilding in New England. One House bill, the Fisheries Science and Management Enhancement Act of 2005, H.R. 1431, would require fishery managers to base all management decisions on sound science. This common sense principle would help alleviate some of the management problems with overfishing and slow rebuilding that still exist today. Shell Game analyzes federal data and regional fishery management plans to find trends in how well fishery managers have implemented the mandates of the Sustainable Fisheries Act to end overfishing and rebuild depleted fish stocks over the last five years. The report recommends preventing overfishing by adopting enforceable annual catch limits based on scientific recommendations of how many fish should be caught. It points out that regions, such as the North Pacific, that have used these annual catch limits have been more successful than regions, such as New England, that have tried to control overfishing with indirect management measures such as limiting the number of fishing days. The use of annual catch limits is perhaps one of the most controversial issues facing Congress as it reauthorizes the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Senate Commerce Committee was unable to resolve this issue when it met to consider its bill, S. 2012, to renew the fisheries law in December 2005. A delegation of Senators from New England objected to including enforceable annual catch limits in the bill despite strong support for the limits from Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Daniel Inouye (D-HI), the Co-chairs of the Commerce Committee. The Network strongly supports the inclusion of these limits in the final Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization bill. http://www.environmentmaine.org/s-to-strengthen-existing-overfishing-protections-in-magnuson-stevens-act Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:51:11 -0500 http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/74-percent-of-major-facilities-exceeded-clean-water-act-pollution-limits-in-2003-2004-wastewater-infrastructure-funds-lacking-in-augusta-and-inadequate-in-dc PORTLAND— More than 74 percent of major industrial and municipal facilities across Maine discharged more pollution into our waterways than their Clean Water Act permits allow between July 2003 and December 2004, according to "Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act compliance", a new report released today by Environment Maine Research & Policy Center. “Maine has a tight inspection program that catches lots of violations. Unfortunately, Maine has not prioritized funding wastewater treatment improvements and the Bush administration is slashing the EPA’s budget and weakening critical clean water programs,” said Matthew Davis of Environment Maine Research & Policy Center. Environment Maine called on Maine’s legislative leaders and governor to prioritize grant and loan funding for wastewater infrastructure in the current discussion about the budget and bonds. The state needs to commit at least $1 million to secure the $5 million of federal match in Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loans. Many towns are waiting to get loans before they can start projects, while other towns are unable to take advantage of loans and need direct state grants instead. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) estimates that the most desperate 12 towns need $15 million in grants, which would leverage about $22 million in federal funding. While the 1972 Clean Water Act has made significant strides in cleaning up U.S. waterways, the law’s goals of eliminating the discharge of pollutants into waterways by 1985 and making all U.S. waters safe for fishing, swimming and other uses by 1983 have not been reached. Today, more than 40 percent of U.S. waterways are unsafe for swimming and fishing. Maine is slightly ahead, with only 3 percent of rivers and 7 percent of lakes impaired. Using the Freedom of Information Act, Environment Maine Research & Policy Center obtained data on major facilities’ compliance with the Clean Water Act between July 1, 2003 and December 31, 2004. Environment Maine Research & Policy Center researchers found that facilities repeatedly exceeded their permit limits, often by egregious amounts. Additional findings include: Nationally, 62 percent of all major industrial and municipal facilities discharged more pollution into U.S. waterways than their permits allow at least once during the 18-month period studied. The average facility exceeded its pollution permit limit by more than 275 percent, or almost four times the legal limit. • More than 74 percent of Maine’s industrial and municipal facilities exceeded their Clean Water Act permits at least once between July 1, 2003 and December 31, 2004. Maine ranks 10th in the country for percentage of facilities exceeding their pollution permits. • 87 facilities in Maine reported more than 460 exceedances of their Clean Water Act permits during the 18-month period, ranking the state 22nd in the country for the most exceedances. • On average, Maine facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits did so by 246 percent, or by nearly three and a half times the legal limit. • Facilities in Maine reported 58 instances in which they exceeded their Clean Water Act permit by at least 500 percent over the legal limit. “Clean water is essential to our quality of life and our economy,” said Davis. “We need to place a higher value on our essential infrastructure that keeps our waters clean – clearly our wastewater treatment plants need funding to stay on track.” Davis noted that the findings are likely conservative, since the data that Environment Maine Research & Policy Center analyzed includes only “major” facilities, those that discharge over a million gallons a day, and does not include pollution discharged into waters by the hundreds of thousands of minor facilities across the country. Meanwhile, in Washington DC the Bush administration must back off its efforts to weaken the Clean Water Act and to commit to restoring the historical funding of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Previously, Maine received on the order of $11 million in federal funding, but this year Maine is only able to draw down about $5 million. In addition, Environment Maine applauded Representatives Allen and Michaud for sponsoring the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act, which ensures all U.S. waters are protected by the Clean Water Act, and called for Senators Collins and Snowe to support the companion Senate bill. In order to achieve the goals of the Clean Water Act, Environment Maine recommended federal and state officials do the following: • Increase Funding of Maine’s grants and loans for wastewater infrastructure, of EPA to put more environmental cops on the beat to identify and punish facilities that violate their Clean Water Act permits, and of the federal government’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund to help communities upgrade their sewer systems. • Protect all U.S. waters by withdrawing the Bush administration’s 2003 “No Protection” policy that eliminates Clean Water Act protections for many small streams and wetlands that feed and clean great waters, and supporting passage of the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act. • Strengthen the Clean Water Act by preventing industrial polluters from profiting from pollution, tightening permitted pollution limits, revoking the permits of repeat violators, and ensuring citizens full access to the courts. “To protect public health and the environment, the Bush administration and Maine officials must prioritize our wastewater infrastructure as much as they do for roads and bridges,” concluded Environment Maine’s Davis. http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/74-percent-of-major-facilities-exceeded-clean-water-act-pollution-limits-in-2003-2004-wastewater-infrastructure-funds-lacking-in-augusta-and-inadequate-in-dc Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:55:50 -0500 http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/troubled-waters-an-analysis-of-2005-clean-water-act-compliance http://www.environmentmaine.org/newsroom/clean-water-news/clean-water-news/troubled-waters-an-analysis-of-2005-clean-water-act-compliance Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:55:20 -0600