Illinois | Ohio | Basin-wide

Illinois

2009 Bi-Annual Governor's Conference Document of Changes
The year 2009 marks the twelfth biennial Governor’s Conference on the Management of the Illinois River System. From the beginning in 1987, conference planners took a systems approach. The focus encompassed activities and issues on, in and around the river. This document is being issued in conjunction with this conference.

Document available online here.

Photos: Pre-and post-construction photos
West Creek Stream Restoration and Erosion Control Project
Grantee: West Creek Preservation Committee, Ohio

Ohio Lake Erie Commission Awards $157,400 for Two Lake Erie Watershed Plans
A total of $157,400 in state grants to fund watershed-protection projects in Cuyahoga and Lake counties were approved by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission.

The grants advance the Lake Erie Balanced Growth component to Ohio's Lake Erie Protection & Restoration Plan by promoting voluntary planning for priority areas for future growth and conservation at the local level.

"These grants support Lake Erie basin watershed planning, and improve local economic development and conservation, through the application of Balanced Growth practices," said ODNR Director and Ohio Lake Erie Commission Chairman Sean Logan. "Both projects will be significant in the continued effort along the North Coast to develop Balanced Growth plans."

For more information, see: Ohio DNR News

Basin-wide

EPA's Effluent Guidelines: The Final Rule
The EPA has published in the Federal Register the long-awaited final "Effluent Guidelines for Discharges from the Construction and Development Industry"—something many in the ESC industry have been waiting for, either hopefully or with dread, since last December's draft guidelines were published.

Full article available online at: Erosion Control Magazine

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act Introduced in House of Representatives
On December 3, Representatives Donna F. Edwards (D-MD-4), Russ Carnahan (D-MO-3), and Steve Driehaus (D-OH-1) introduced the Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2009 (H.R. 4202). Green Infrastructure is defined within the bill as a stormwater management technique that preserves the natural hydrology of an area to help reduce stormwater runoff from hard surfaces.

The bill would establish up to five Centers of Excellence for green infrastructure in the United States. The Centers would conduct research on green infrastructure relevant to the geographic region in which the center is located, and provide communities with training and technical assistance on how to implement green infrastructure best management practices. The legislation would also provide incentive funding to help communities develop green infrastructure technologies.

Contact Mark Gorman at (202/464-4015) at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.

Source: Northeast-Midwest Institute