Watershed Writings

Emerging Contaminants in Bay Waters

2011-09-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

Narragansett Bay and its watershed are exposed to many contaminants from runoff, industry and waste water. New work being done by Victoria Sacks and her colleagues at URI is helping us to understand what are being called "emerging contaminants" - those things that are derived from human activity that cannot be removed in the waste water treatment process. These include endocrine disrupting compounds that are found in personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and industrial processes.

In a recent study, passive samplers were deployed around the Bay watershed by volunteers, and measured levels of triclosans (common in antibacterial soaps), alkylphenols (found in detergents), and PBDEs (flame retardants). While the amounts of these contaminants found were low, they were found throughout the Bay watershed.

Other contaminants of concern within our waters are things like caffeine, hormones, and other pharmaceutical chemicals that can disrupt endocrine functions in fish and amphibians and affect the health of millions of people. These drugs are showing up not only in surface waters, but also in the drinking water of major cities. This fact sheet from American Rivers provides interesting background on the subject.

Recently, Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) introduced the Pharmaceutical Stewardship Act (H.R. 2939) to establish a national pharmaceutical take back program. This program would be financed by manufacturers and would reduce the supply of unused and expired medications.

The Food and Drug Administration has a website that outlines safe ways to dispose of medication. Medication should not be flushed, and should either be taken to household hazardous waste collection or disposed of in the trash.

Pawtuxet Falls Dam Removal

2011-08-12T11:44:00.001-07:00

This week we are celebrating the removal of the Pawtuxet Falls Dam in Pawtuxet Village. Neighbors and citizens have been coming out and enjoying the view, watching the hydraulic hammer at work. This project is very visible and while not everyone agrees with it, it has become a good educational tool to teach about river restoration. I am blogging about the project at our project blog, and you can see lots of photographs on the Save The Bay Facebook page.

Rolling back the Clean Water Act

2011-07-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

On July 14th, the House of Representatives passed HR 2018, the "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011." This was the latest in a series of attempts to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting our air and water and enforcing federal laws that have been in place for 40 years. The Clean Water Act was written to give enforcement responsibility to the federal government because the patchwork of state laws did not work.

HR 2018 reverses this and leaves enforcement entirely up to the states. This is a blatant attack on health and environmental protection, and wipes out decades of partnership between the federal and state governments, especially in places like the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes where watershed-wide plans and actions are in place. As we all know in the Narragansett Bay watershed, water does not obey state boundaries and we must work together for the health of our environment.

While this bill is very unlikely to go anywhere in the Senate, it is still important to ask your Senators to oppose the act and any other efforts to undermine the ability of EPA to protect our air and water. We are likely to see more erosion of funding and enforcement capability within our federal agencies, and we must keep the pressure on our elected officials to keep these agencies intact. If you would like to send a letter to your Senator, you can use this handy tool.

Fish are Returning to the Bay

2011-04-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

The fish are coming in, and after this past weekend's full moon, we should be at the peak this week. Air and water temperatures have remained cool, but the fish are here. We will find out in a few weeks how successful this run has been. Make a visit to a local fish ladder and see how many you can see. I took this video last week at Gilbert Stuart mill in North Kingstown. A group of at least 100 fish were milling about below the fish ladder waiting for that moment to climb.

Fish counts are going on across the state. Good places to see fish are at Rising Sun Mill in Providence, and on Buckeye Brook in Warwick at the Route 117 bridge. Fish counting is also going on at Shad Factory Pond in Rehoboth.

More Weather Extremes Greet us in the New Year

2011-02-04T07:39:00.001-08:00

I am sure that you have heard the superlatives from the recent storm that covered the United States. It was the largest storm, in terms of the area of the country that it covered, that we have ever seen. Florida is the only state that does not have snow cover. Australia, in the mean time, is suffering under summertime floods and cyclones, unprecedented in their size. I have heard theories related to various climate forcing elements - the polar vortex and changes in the jet stream, changes to ice cover over the Great Lakes and the Arctic Ocean. Weather extremes are here to stay, but what they say about our future is still unclear.

Here are a number of interesting articles related to extreme weather. This article in the New York Times suggests that warming of the Arctic Ocean has weakened the polar vortex, or jet stream, that keeps the cold air to the north.

This blog entry from the National Wildlife Federation suggests a link to heavier snow with less ice on the Great Lakes and hence more moisture in the atmosphere.

If you want to read more about the effects of extreme weather, changes in sea ice and and the research behind these theories, read this NY Times blog entry and this page from the NWF.

Weather extremes are becoming the norm, and we are going to need to adjust quickly. We can adjust, to an extent, but what about wildlife? Weather extremes send confusing signals to animals and plants about when to migrate, when to flower, when to mate, and when to search for food. This will cause disruptions to habitats, plant and animal communities, and the availability of water and food. Some species that are mobile will be less vulnerable than those that aren't - especially trees and other plants, including food crops that we all rely on. Already food and water insecurity are helping to de-stabilize global communities and political regimes. Climate disruption has been a big part of our human past and it will continue to be in the future.

Save Our Shore, Vote Yes on Four!

2010-10-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

On November 2, Rhode Island voters will have a unique opportunity to expand public access to Narragansett Bay by 83 acres by approving a $14.7 million bond, referendum #4.

These shoreline acquisitions will allow us to enhance three geographically and physically diverse waterfront locations to promote quality of life and the economy of our state. In Warwick, $10 million will be used to acquire 81 acres at the former Rocky Point Park, opening it up for public access and recreation. In Providence, $3.2 million will be used to acquire land adjacent to India Point Park (the abandoned “Shooters” nightclub) so that it can become an active urban gateway to the bay with expanded public access and recreational opportunities. The remaining $1.5 million will be set aside to repair crumbling masonry at Historic Fort Adams to allow greater public access and use of the dramatic interior of the Fort, including the 6.5 acre parade grounds.

This is an important time to acquire and support these properties to enhance access to the Bay and increase tourism to our state. For those of you who have fond memories of Rocky Point Park, this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure this land for all. It is also a great chance to open up Fort Adams to the public and fully enjoy this historic site. This money will also open up access to the Bay in an urban area just outside the hurricane barrier, where water access is limited.

Find out more at the Save Our Shore website and sign up to volunteer on election day. If you would like a lawn sign or bumper sticker, you can pick one up here at Save The Bay or any of these locations.

Ten Mile River fish ladder project is starting construction

2010-09-15T10:59:00.001-07:00

The Ten Mile River will be getting three new fish ladders, starting with Turner Reservoir. The water levels in the reservoir are currently being drawn down in preparation for installation of the fish ladder later this month.

Water levels will be lowered 30-42 inches and it is expected that about 15 feet of shoreline will be exposed during this time. Sampling of Turner Reservoir conducted by the MA Department of Public Health on September 1st confirmed high concentrations of the blue-green algae, Microcystis. DEM will notify the public when it is safe to resume recreational activities, but boating and other recreation on the river is currently not advised. You should also not allow your pets to drink the water due to toxins in this algae.

The project will continue into next year with the completion of fish ladders at Hunts Mill and Omega Pond. This will allow anadromous fish to gain access to the river up to the dam just above Slater Park in Pawtucket. There is a combination of 340 acres of spawning habitat in the three ponds for alewife and about three miles of river spawning area for blueback herring and American shad.

Lower Shannock Falls Dam removed

2010-07-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

The Lower Shannock Falls Dam in Richmond was removed today as part of a larger river habitat and fish passage restoration project on the Pawcatuck River. The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) and project partners including Save The Bay, are working to provide fish passage at the three dams on the upper Pawcatuck River: Lower Shannock Falls, Upper Shannock (or Horseshoe Falls) and Kenyon Millpond Dam. The project will allow access to 10 miles of the Pawcatuck River and will open up an additional 1,300 acres of spawning habitat including Wordens Pond. This dam, which no longer served its intended purpose, prevented access to migrating fish such as American shad and river herring. The dam was originally built in the 1820s as part of a textile mill. The mill site next to the river is being redeveloped into a public access and riverfront park by the Town of Richmond.

Project partners include the NOAA Restoration Center, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Trout Unlimited, American Rivers, Town of Richmond, RI CRMC and RI DEM. Partial funding came from the ARRA federal stimulus package. Save The Bay supported this project through our partnership with Restore America's Estuaries and NOAA.

This project is one of several large dam removal projects that Save The Bay is working on in partnership with local river groups and state and federal agencies. These include Paragon Dam on the Woonasquatucket River in Providence, Pawtuxet Falls dam on the Pawtuxet River, State Hospital dam on the Mill River in Taunton and Barstowes Pond dam on the Cotley River in Taunton. See the video below of today's removal!

New Culvert Installed at Labor in Vain Salt Marsh

2010-07-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

Save The Bay first identified the Labor in Vain salt marsh system in Somerset, MA in 1996 as part of a bay-wide assessment of potential salt marsh projects. The site was also included in the Massachusetts Tidal Restriction Atlas and became a project of mine at the Massachusetts Riverways Program in 2004. Many years later, the upper marsh is coming back to life. A new culvert was installed last week that will allow tidal flushing into a section of marsh that was long inundated with fresh water and frozen in the winter to allow ice skating. A small pipe culvert and tide gate allowed very limited influx of salt water.

Skating weather had been harder and harder to come by in recent years, and the town eventually agreed to give up that use and restore full tidal flushing to this marsh which was gradually filling in with Phragmites. When I visited this new culvert yesterday, the channel was absolutely full of tiny young of the year mummichogs (small fish that are born and live their young lives in salt marshes). We also saw fresh animal tracks in the marsh. It was amazing to see this abundance of life in the newly formed tidal creek. Many project partners put in years of work on this project including the Town of Somerset and the Massachusetts Wetland Restoration Program. More work will hopefully be done on the downstream tidal restrictions in future years.

Support the Massachusetts Bottle Bill

2010-06-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the Massachusetts bottle bill only includes carbonated beverages? Bottled water, sports drinks, iced tea and juices do not fall under this very important legislation and are littering the coastlines and landscapes of Massachusetts - enough to fill Fenway Park every year. The Massachusetts bottle bill generates important revenue for recycling and litter prevention, and needs to be expanded to include more than just soda.

Legislation has been introduced to expand the bottle bill for many years and the campaign has gained new traction this year with more need to close budget shortfalls. With three months left in the legislative session, the bill needs a hearing. You can read the latest and contact your legislative leaders at the Bottle Bill Coalition's website.

If you live in Rhode Island, let your Assembly members know that we need a bottle bill here as well, one that includes all types of beverage containers.

Murkowski Resolution Defeated

2010-06-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

This resolution introduced by the Senator from Alaska was an attempt to block the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. After six hours of party-line arguments on the Senate floor, the measure was defeated. All 41 Republicans and six Democrats voted in favor of this resolution, showing huge levels of global warming denial and a refusal to look at real science. While this was still a victory for the EPA, it shows how hard the fight will be to pass any legislation that makes a dent in our consumption of fossil fuels. Senators Reed and Whitehouse delivered excellent speeches as did Senator Kerry. Our newly elected Massachusetts Senator, Mr. Scott Brown unfortunately voted in favor of the resolution. See the roll call here.

Keeping tabs on Congress

2010-06-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

It seems as if Congress is continually at a stand still, especially on the Senate side. I have found OpenCongress.org to be the best way to keep up with what is happening, and I find the blog very informative. Today's blog post provides a good catch-up on what is happening with energy legislation. Look out for a vote on the Murkowski resolution on Thursday blocking the EPA from regulating carbon.

Global "weirding" continues, this time in Nashville

2010-05-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

This year's El Nino in the Pacific Ocean is continuing to wreak havoc on the Eastern U.S. This large area of warm Pacific waters is fueling the jet stream and can be blamed for the huge amounts of snow dumped on the Mid-Atlantic this winter, the huge rainstorms of February and March, and now the historic flooding of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. While the El Nino is a natural phenomenon that drives important currents in the Pacific Ocean, this one is particularly strong. Every record breaking storm makes us ask - is this the wave of the future? We cannot blame any one storm on global warming, but we are entering what some scientists are calling a time of "global weirding" with records being broken from floods to droughts.

The flooding in Tennessee does seem like a bit of deja-vue - a 500 year storm resulting from a two day total of almost 14 inches of rain. The Cumberland River crested at 12 feet above flood stage. One of the climate change predictions for the Eastern U.S. is for increased precipitation coming in larger storms with periods of drought in between. This combination along with our desire to develop our floodplains and protect our cities with dams and levees, leaves us in a precarious position. This graph from the Pawtuxet River watershed shows how annual peak discharges have increased on the river since 1965, when large-scale development began. This year's flooding more than doubled previous discharge records. In a side note, the early spring weather has caused lilacs to bloom a full two weeks early. URI Master Gardeners have been keeping data on lilac blooms for the last six years as part of a national study, and have tracked the earlier blooms each year.

Rivers in a flood

2010-04-01T08:01:00.000-07:00

Unprecedented amounts of water are flowing under the bridge at Pawtuxet Falls and through rivers statewide. What does this volume of water do to the rivers around the state? Generally, rivers reach what we call "bank full" conditions every one to two years. These are conditions that form the river's channel. The 5-10 year storm will reach the floodplain and deposit sediment as waters recede. What we are seeing now are two 100 year floods within one month. The current conditions might be considered a 500 year flood. Rivers naturally respond to floods like this by creating new channels, scouring out sediment and debris, and making new areas of wildlife habitat. While there may be a temporary disruption for fish and other stream wildlife, floods create new healthy habitat.

Problems with floods like this are mainly for people. Many of the houses and businesses being flooded today are outside of what we would consider the river's floodplain, and don't have flood insurance. Our floodplain maps are out of date, and will all have to be rewritten. We are also seeing the consequence of 100 year old infrastructure reaching its breaking point. Dams were built too close to bridges, mills encroach on the river.

Even bridges built within the last decade are undersized. This is because they are often built within the "footprint" of the old bridge without any thought. State and City highway departments save considerable amounts of time and money on bridge design when they create a "footprint" bridge because they have fewer environmental permits to file. Widening a bridge span when replacing a bridge requires excavating stream banks, designing new abutments and filing wetland permits. Infrastructure in the Northeast is undersized by 30%, including bridges and culverts. We need to take this seriously and not repeat past mistakes. Click on the video below to see the Pawtuxet in action!

An Early Spring in the Bay

2010-03-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

The osprey is back on its nest platform at the Bay Center! Warm weather in Rhode Island has brought an early return of migratory fish to Narragansett Bay. Fish were running this weekend, and more were seen today when I attended the fish count training for the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council at Rising Sun Mill. As soon as this ladder was constructed, a remnant run of fish was ready. This year will be the first year of a fish count, so we can get a good estimate of how many fish are returning. River herring were transplanted to the river in 2008, so next year's run should be even larger as the next generation of those fish reach maturity and return home to spawn.

An eel run has also been installed at this location (seen in the right of this photo). This portion of the ladder allows small eels or "elvers" to slither up a rough surface into the pond above. These elvers are about the size of a small pencil and will live and mature in the river for many years before returning to the sea to spawn.

Fish runs in the Narragansett Bay watershed have been hit hard in recent years, but last year was a stronger year with over 30,000 fish in Buckeye Brook in Warwick and over 45,000 fish at the Gilbert Stewart fish ladder. The Taunton River remains our largest fish run and has in the past supported two million fish. The cold weather this week may slow things down, but the run is in full swing. Formal fish counts will also begin this year at Shad Factory Pond in Rehoboth. If you would like to count fish at Rising Sun Mill in Providence, one more training will be held on April 3rd, 9:00 am at the fish ladder. Happy spring!

Water, water everywhere!

2010-03-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

What happens when we develop in a floodplain? Well, we are seeing it right now. We expect flooding from the Blackstone River, and also from the Pawtuxet River, but it seems that we are seeing more and more of it. This land use photo comparison, given to me by the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, shows the development of the Pawtuxet River floodplain in the vicinity of the Warwick and Rhode Island Malls.

If you think about this area of our state, you may think about asphalt and lots of it. The Pawtuxet River is now what we would call a "flashy" river, because it rises and falls quickly with every rain event due to being surrounded by pavement. In the 1960's, the Army Corps of Engineers helped the City of Cranston purchase land along the river, buying up entire neighborhoods and removing the houses. This is land that today helps store flood water. The Natural Resource Conservation Service is currently working on more floodplain easement projects on the river that will reconnect the floodplain and provide additional flood storage. In addition, the removal of the Pawtuxet Falls dam will lower water levels in the area north of Pawtuxet Village, providing protection to some industrial properties.

The historic trend in New England has been towards large, extreme events and we need to do all we can to reclaim our floodplains. As I read the news reports and hear about the types of businesses being flooded - car salvage yards, nurseries with their fertilizers, industries, I think about the amount of hazardous material flowing into the Bay as well as the amount of economic loss that is occurring. We will recover from this storm, but we should do everything we can to be ready for the next one.

Failure of the Forge Pond Dam in Freetown is a Wake Up Call for Dam Owners

2010-03-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

Last week, the Forge Pond dam on the Assonet River in Freetown came close to collapsing. The 300 year old dam is one of the most unsafe dams in Massachusetts and has been a target for removal for at least a decade. This dam was a chronic issue for the Office of Dam Safety, and the owner ignored fines and orders to fix or remove the dam. The owner died last year, leaving a derelict dam in the hands of state and local officials. While Dam Safety had removed the gates and lowered the pond, someone continued to plug up the dam and the pond reimpounded, spilling over and eroding the structure.

Most of the dam will now be removed by the state, creating a river channel that will allow fish passage. The dam directly downstream had the same owner and is also in extremely poor condition. We hope to work with the town to have that dam removed as well. Options for the first dam on the river also need to be explored, since the Assonet River is habitat for rainbow smelt - a protected species that is in decline. These fish spawn at the head of the tide on gravel stream bottoms. Dam removal will also open up this river for other migratory fish such as river herring and American eel.

Dams across the state are living on borrowed time, and many of our communities are at risk. These dams were built decades to centuries ago and many of them, perhaps most, no longer serve the function that they were built to provide. Closing our eyes to the problem doesn't make it disappear. The most cost-effective, permanent way for communities to solve the problems of unsafe dams is to remove them.

This near disaster comes less than five years after the failure of the Whittenton Pond dam in Taunton forced the evacuation of the downtown during a 2005 storm. That wake up call led to a state-wide review of dams in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island and much more aggressive enforcement by both dam safety programs. The states are doing their part of the job. This latest incident at Forge Pond highlights the need for dam owners to take personal responsibility and recognize their own liability.

The Next Phase for Eelgrass Monitoring

2010-02-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

Save The Bay will be conducting it's 10th year of eelgrass transplants this summer and will be moving the program into a new phase of monitoring and water quality advocacy efforts. Large scale transplants will end this year until water quality in the upper bay has recovered enough to allow long term survival of plants. Test transplants will continue as a way to monitor water quality and the ability of various locations to support larger scale restoration.

Test transplants have been a part of every summer's efforts, and the viable locations have been planted with larger beds that have survived. Areas north of Prudence Island, including Greenwich Bay, have not been successful test locations. Greenwich Bay once had many acres of eelgrass resources, but test transplants there have not lived more than two months due to high levels of nutrients which create algae blooms and problems with water clarity.

Along with our test transplants, Save The Bay will continue to advocate for water quality improvements in the upper bay, including imposing nitrogen limits on wastewater treatment facilities. Several recent victories will have a big impact on Bay water quality, including the completion of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) tunnels in both Providence and Fall River, and the building of cooling towers at the Brayton Point power station. We are also supporting efforts by communities and the state to clean up pollution from cesspools and septic tanks.

If you haven't come out to experience an eelgrass harvest for yourself, make this the year! Please sign up early because there are only two sessions this year and spots will fill up fast. Harvest dates will be June 10th and 11th at King's Beach in Newport and June 24th and 25th at Fort Getty in Jamestown. Contact Stephany Hessler for more information. Also, view last year's results.

2010 - Strength in Numbers

2010-01-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

This year Save The Bay will be celebrating 40 years of protecting the health of Narragansett Bay. Our theme for the celebration is Strength in Numbers. Over the last 40 years, we have seen many changes and made many victories, but there is much work ahead of us. We will be sharing some of these successes and challenges with you all year, highlighting the strength we gain from working together.

Our kickoff event will be the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, being shown in three venues across the state in February. These films are beautiful, funny and inspiring, and highlight many of things that we do as an organization and many of the things that make our work meaningful. While the films are set in places such as British Columbia, Puerto Rico and California, you will immediately see the connections with the issues we face at home.

There will be many opportunities this year to support and participate in our work. If these first few weeks are any indication, it is going to be a very busy year. Our habitat restoration program is partnering with several groups to remove dams and build fish ladders. Two dam removal projects, on the Pawtuxet River and the Pawcatuck River, are in the permitting process and should be completed this year. The Blackstone River fish ladder project is getting ready for installation, and the Ten Mile River fish ladders will be in the ground this year as well. Design for a new dam removal project on the Cotley River in Taunton will also begin this year – one of three dams to be removed in that city in the next few years.

We are also launching an exciting new project in collaboration with the Wood-Pawcatuck River Watershed Association, The Nature Conservancy and DEM to designate portions of the Wood, Pawcatuck, Beaver, Queen, and Chipuxet Rivers as federal Wild & Scenic Rivers. Based on the great success we have had with this program in the Taunton River watershed, we are looking forward to studying these Rhode Island rivers for this very special designation.

This will be the last year of eelgrass transplants, so make sure to save some time to come out and get wet this summer. Last year the program had 163 volunteers who transplanted 110,000 eelgrass shoots.

On the legislative front, we are back in swing with the General Assembly session. Recent political events have most likely killed federal cap and trade legislation, so we must focus on what we can do locally, such as reforming our transportation system and supporting renewable energy. We are also anticipating the completion of the Ocean SAMP, which will help guide our way into a new generation of offshore wind energy.

We cannot do this work alone. Please join us.

It is up to us to solve the climate crisis

2009-12-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

"Stand with Tuvalu" was the rallying cry at the Copenhagen climate summit. Tuvalu, the Maldives and other island nations are looking at a harsh future where rising sea levels will swamp their homelands. This was their chance to have a voice, and now the entire world knows their fate, but they went away overshadowed again by the US and China. While many may be disappointed in the outcome of the summit, we can all be proud that it was the NGO community that took the stage along with small developing countries and small island states, those that stand to lose the most in this crisis, to rally the world toward a meaningful science-based solution.

No one disputes that the UN system of consensus is difficult if not impossible when you have 193 countries trying to agree on something this huge. It all comes down to politics, money and survival. When you look at the science, the summit was a failure. No deadlines for a legally binding agreement were set. No individual committments were made by any country. The science tells us we need to reduce emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2020. The EU is pledging 20%, the US a mere 3%. Every year that we delay makes the goal harder to meet.

What came out of the summit in the end was this: a political agreement crafted in a last minute meeting between China, Brazil, South Africa, India and the US, a meeting that Obama just happened to walk in to. China and India agreed to report their emissions reductions and submit to international analysis, and the US and others agreed to provide $30B a year over the next 3 years to a development fund for developing nations with a goal to have $100B per year by 2020. (Bangladesh quickly made it clear that the developing world was looking for something closer to $600B a year.) Again, money vs. power in a huge game of climate chicken.

What I find heartning, however, is how a country like Brazil made such a large turn around. On one of the last days of the summit, they pledged to contribute to the development fund (even though they are a develping nation that stands to gain from it as well). While they are one of the largest emitters of CO2, those emissions are largely due to deforestation, something they want and need to solve. Domestic policital pressure from within their country from environmental groups and others has completely changed internal politics to make Brazil a willing participant in negotiations.

What some are saying now, is that the 30-35 countries that represent 90-95% of the worlds carbon emissions need to lead this process, something that Obama has begun with the Major Emitters Forum. The US and China have to stop fighting and make some real movement. China is developing the technology and the US needs to keep up. Political pressure has to remain strong in every country, especially here at home to develop strong legislation, strong regulation and a strong green economy. That is where we come in. Our work and yours, working with our Senators, developing green solutions, conserving energy and above all educating others is the most important work of all. Thank you for all you do.

It might be a long winter for coastal homeowners

2009-11-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

I am in West Virginia for a conference and have been watching storm footage from the Mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay this week. This video from Nag's Head North Carolina shows that we should pay attention to Nor'Easters just as much as hurricanes. Extra-tropical storms often last for several days and occur over several tidal cycles, allowing waves to chew away at the coast as storm surge penetrates further inland. Hurricanes are few and far between in New England, but extra-tropical lows are a yearly occurance. We tend to think first of the destructive power of hurricanes which have often accelerated and have weakened by the time they reach us. This power is concentrated, but occurs over hours rather than days.

The Mid-Atlantic coast is now facing a winter with no sand reserve on their beaches to buffer further winter storm damage. What little sand has accumulated over the summer or has been replaced through nourishment is largely gone. Rows of houses have been lost, and the season has just begun. Millions of dollars of renourished sand has gone offshore (some of which will return with time). Estuaries, such as the Chesapeake and Narragansett Bay funnel wind driven water into their upper watersheds causing erosion of salt marsh and floodplains - problems not only for ocean facing beaches, but for rivers and coves as well.

Rhode Island needs to position itself to withstand prolonged winter storm events. Our work to protect and restore salt marsh and coastal buffers is incredibly important. We are also developing a living shorelines policy for Rhode Island to create buffers where shorelines have already been structurally hardened. We need room to retreat, but we also need to soften our edges. Look for more soon about our new program and read about living shorelines on this NOAA web page, and on this page from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Negotiating over climate gets increasingly desperate

2009-11-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

Here is a very brief update from the saga of climate change politics over the last two days.
Yesterday:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel speakes to a joint session of Congress and pleads for action on climate change to silence from Republicans and cheers from Democrats.
EU leaders including the British Prime Minister call on the US to contribute to an aid fund for developing nations to adapt to climate change.
European Commission President meets with President Obama to ask for US action before Copenhagen - which will be a "defining moment" for world leaders.
At climate talks in Spain, a coalition of African nations boycotts talks until developed nations agree to significant cuts in carbon emissions.
In the US, Senate Republicans boycott the Environment and Public Works Committee mark-up session - threatening to walk out until the EPA gives them more economic analysis.

Today:

Senate Republicans are still absent from the EPW committee, delaying a final committee vote. The Senate Majority leader has pledged to do a full economic summary of the bill when it is ready for the Senate floor, but this has not and will not move Republican leaders.
The bill will not reach the Senate floor for several months and definitely not before December 7th (the start of international negotiations).
Africans have rejoined the conversation in Spain after assurances that developing nations would negotiate on carbon emissions.
Senators Kerry and Graham are meeting with Obama officials to get their position on nuclear energy - and may be ready to compromise with the nuclear and oil industries.

Where is the US, and will Obama go to Copenhagen? Sources say he will go, but may not agree to firm targets without the backing of Congress.

Legislative wrap up and update

2009-11-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

RI General Assembly Wraps up its Session
The Rhode Island legislature finished up its business last week and passed several important environmental bills in the process. Congratulations must go out to all involved with the Coalition for Water Security which wrapped up four years of work on a comprehensive water management bill for Rhode Island, the Water Use and Efficiency Act. This bill will go a long way in supporting water conservation and efficiency, and will help water suppliers preserve their rate structures while conserving resources.

Rhode Island will now also have a salt water fishing license, a new federal requirement. The fees collected from the seven dollar license will be used for fisheries conservation, monitoring and public fishing access. The license program will aid the federal government in their monitoring work and will allow for easier data collection on recreational fishing.

The Green Buildings Act also passed the General Assembly. It will require the Department of Administration to create regulations that establish policies for a green building standard using either the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, or similar standards. All new public buildings over 5,000 square feet will be required to be built to a green standard.

During the regular session, we scored another victory for the environment with the passage of the polluter fines bill which raises daily fines for polluters from 1 thousand to 25 thousand dollars a day. We will now look forward to the next session in January. Some issues that we know will come up again next year include CRMC reform and the Energy Independence and Climate Solutions Act. Read more on our Legislative Agenda page.

US Senate Climate Change Bill Markup
Today is the final day of markup for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to work on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, the Senate version of a climate bill. This bill will then go to other Senate committees which will make their own changes. The bill has given rise to all the partisan politics and political bickering one could ever want to see. This morning, the Republicans on the committee have boycotted the markup session because they want to see more EPA economic analysis of the bill, even though the EPA spent 5 weeks reviewing over 300,000 pages of documentation about this bill and the House's Waxman Markey legislation.

In response to the Republican delay tactics of this morning, the Senate majority leader has pledged to have the EPA do another 5 weeks of analysis on the final bill when he marries all the versions from various committees into one piece of legislation that would go to the Senate floor. This will delay full Senate debate by at least seven weeks or more, which will most likely put a Senate vote after the first of the year, after an international climate treaty has been negotiated in Denmark. This will put much more pressure on the United States delegation to make concessions and pledge emissions cuts. The European Union pledged support to developing countries during recent meetings in Spain, so the United States will really need to step up during negotiations.

Rhode Island rallys for 350

2009-10-30T05:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 24th was the international day of climate action, organized by 350.org. Over 180 countries participated, and over 5,000 separate "actions" were logged into the web page. People gathered in cities and towns all over the globe, on mountaintops and coral reefs, deserts and glaciers to bring light to the number 350ppm, the number of parts per million of carbon dioxide many scientist feel is a safe upper limit for the atmosphere. The challenge is to get our national and international leaders to take up 350 as a number for negotiations when a new climate treaty is written in December in Denmark.

Rhode Island held several events for the day of action. Lectures and celebrations were held in South County, Newport and Providence. The Neighborhood Energy Challenge was kicked off for Aquidneck Island and Jamestown, with over 80 people in attendance including senate president Paiva-Weed and Newport Mayor Jeanne Marie Napolitano. Lectures were held at the First Unitarian Church in Providence, followed by a rally at Waterplace Park. We displayed tape marking the future sea level in waterplace park to highlight the flooding risk for downtown Providence. Members of the Watson Institute for International Studies spoke about the issues that are facing African countries due to changes in climate. It was an inspiring and hopeful day.

Blogging Climate Change - A Call to Action

2009-10-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

As part of Blog Action Day 2009, over 7,000 bloggers are writing today about finding a sustainable solution to climate change. Here in Rhode Island, climate change has some big implications. We are experiencing rapid changes that are already having an impact on the Bay and its tributary rivers.

We know for certain that Narragansett Bay is warmer on average than at any other time in recorded history. Over the past 30 years, the average mean temperature of the Bay has gone up two degrees Fahrenheit; the average mean winter temperature has increased four degrees. As water temperatures rise, we have seen a major shift in fish populations, with severe declines of the classic cold-water species like winter flounder, cod, and other bottom fish. We have seen increases in fish that tolerate warmer water like striped bass, summer flounder, and menhaden. Lobsters and scallops are declining, while squid and various species of crabs are up.

Severe storms have increased 88% in Rhode Island in the past 60 years. Storm-related coastal erosion will force tough decisions to be made in towns and cities throughout the Bay, including where to protect or relocate infrastructure and where and how to rebuild after the next storm. Coastal managers are telling us that we have to plan now for an eventual 3-5 feet of sea level rise. Over the next decades, we are likely to lose neighborhoods and important coastal buffer zones to the effects of sea level rise and coastal storms.

Increased storm intensity also places added pressure on our water and wastewater infrastructure. Our current infrastructure is 30% undersized - pollution from sewage and stormwater exacerbates water quality problems by causing algae blooms that cloud the water and accumulate on the bottom and on our shorelines. These algae decompose, robbing the water of vital dissolved oxygen and contributing to large-scale dead zones and fish and clam die-offs.

Here is a call to action for Narragansett Bay:

We need to further reduce sewage, stormwater, and nutrient pollution by investing in advanced treatment technologies and infrastructure in our coastal communities.
We must continue to preserve and restore salt marsh habitat so that coastlines can retreat.
We must continue to remove obsolete dams and restore fish passage to tributary rivers.
We must invest in clean, sustainable, and renewable energy sources and crack down on old dirty power plants.
We need accurate data to give us the information we need to adequately plan for and manage coastal development.
We must take these steps now to increase our resiliency for the future. It will take political will and pressure by all of us to make it happen.

Save The Bay Celebrates at Gooseneck Cove

2009-09-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

On September 14th, Save The Bay and project partners celebrated the completion of the Gooseneck Cove restoration project in Newport. Tidal flow to this 64 acre salt marsh was restored through the replacement of culverts under Ocean Avenue and Hazard Road, and the removal of an old dam in the center of the marsh. Nearly 14 acres of the marsh had been lost due to constant inundation by both fresh and brackish water. Now, large areas of former marsh are growing again and wildlife is flourishing. Senator Jack Reed and RI Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed thanked the project partners and used the project of an excelent example of the success of state and federal funding partnerhips. Read more about the project on our Gooseneck Cove web page

Save The Bay Takes to the Air

2009-08-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the generosity of the non-profit LightHawk and volunteer pilot Tom LeCompte, we recently had the privilege to fly in a small Piper Cherokee over the Taunton watershed and Narragansett Bay to document the landscape and fragile ecosystems from the air. Viewing the watershed from above gives a new perspective on the connected habitat corridors that rivers and streams provide, and the large forested areas that we still have intact. The human imprint on the land is also visible in new ways from above.

We were able to get beautiful photographs of several of our habitat restoration sites as well as overviews of areas that are important to our advocacy work. Seeing the expanse of upper Mount Hope Bay reminds us of the danger and massive impact that a LNG facility would have there. Above Aquidneck Island one is very aware of the multiple land and water uses and the need to protect fragile ecosystems and human infrastructure by looking at the island as a whole. From the air, political boundaries dissapear and the concept of a watershed is apparent. We will use these photographs in our publications so that we can share that perspective with all of you.

Massachusetts hears testimony on sustainble water resources

2009-07-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Agriculture heard testimony on the Sustainable Water Resources Act. This act would require the Department of Fish and Game to develop stream flow standards for the streams and rivers of the state and will allow communities to establish sustainable water resources funds by charging a fee for new water withdrawals or increased sewer use. The act also makes changes to the dam safety statute that help to promote dam removal and protect rivers.

This legislation will ensure that the ecosystem needs of streams and rivers are weighed equally with competing water withdrawals and supply needs. It is critically important that we put these standards in place now to provide important ecosystems with the ability to adapt to changes in our climate and hydrological regime. Summer low-flow periods coincide with increased water demand due to lawn watering and other irrigation uses, and we can no longer afford to see stream habitats entirely dry during these critical periods.

In Southeastern Massachusetts and the Blackstone Valley, increasing growth and water demand are putting added stress on critical ecosystems that are home to rare and endangered species. The establishment of a Sustainable Water Resources Fund will provide communities with ways to offset these added burdens by providing funds for projects that enhance local recharge of stormwater and wastewater and achieve water conservation through retrofits and water reuse. Protection of public water supplies will also be enhanced by removal of inflow and infiltration and land acquisition.

The proposed changes to the dam safety statute bring a larger number of dams under state jurisdiction and will increase the potential fines for dam safety violations, providing added safety and oversight for this critical infrastructure. The impact of dams on our aquatic ecosystems is significant, and efforts should be made to make dam removal a viable alternative for both dam owners and the commonwealth when managing decrepit, unused or abandoned dams.

Federal Climate Legislation Passes the House

2009-07-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

Last Friday's vote on the floor of the US Congress was certainly historic, but it may not have been the victory environmentalists have hoped for. The fact that climate legislation including a cap and trade provision even passed at all symbolically represents what is already a shift toward a new energy economy in America. It was very important for President Obama to get legislation passed to show the rest of the world that we are making progress, and he certainly pushed hard right up to the vote. The House leadership helped out by refusing to allow strengthening amendments that would hurt chances for passage. Concessions were made to almost every group that needed them.

While Congressman Langevin and others worked hard to strengthen the bill, their efforts were put on hold by the House Speaker while each member's yes vote was negotiated. Much has been said about the fact that so much was added at the last minute no one read the bill they finally voted on. Putting the politics aside and looking at the science, there are some serious flaws with the legislation.

The most eggregious is that it preempts the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gasses under the Clean Air Act, a recent ruling that would have prevented the development of many new coal fired power plants that now may move forward. The coal and oil industries will get billions in free allowances and money for unrealistic carbon capture technology. The renewable energy standard was weakened to 15% by 2020, and 85% of carbon allowances will be given away.

With a weak cap on carbon and additional offsets, the bill barely keeps us at a business as usual position when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. So, maybe the vote was just a symbolic victory, but it was important and historic. The next step is to work to strengthen the bill in the Senate, which will certainly be very difficult, but we have dedicated champions in Senators Whitehouse and Reed.

The new EPA under the Obama administration is obviously a much stronger and more threatening agency, because much of the climate bill was used to undue and remove its authority. That should tell us where the battle will be. Industries do not like to be regulated. The dying fossil fuel sector is grasping at straws to prop itself up, but it won't stand the test of time. This is more evidence that we have reached peak oil, and a new energy economy needs to take its place. Unfortunately, we are not doing enough to make it an easy transition. Onward we march.

The RI General Assembly - taking a break

2009-07-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year (fiscal year that is!) The Rhode Island General Assembly went into recess for the upcoming holiday with several issues left on the table. Their major concern was passing a budget for the new year which begins today. The Governor has now signed that budget, but the session is not over. The Assembly will likely come back either in late July or September to vote on bills that they have reconciled with the Senate, and the Senate will do the same.

One of those important bills is legislation that we have championed through the Coalition for Water Security, the Water Use and Efficiency Act. The House and Senate are in agreement, but each version of the bill has to pass through one more time before it is signed by the Governor.

The CRMC is on better legal footing due to the Senate providing advice and consent for the Governor's previous appointments of four sitting members and a fifth new member. The CRMC debate is not over, however, since this is a temporary measure designed to shore up the council. It still leaves several vacancies and an undetermined process for moving forward.

A bill we have been watching that would establish a saltwater fishing license is also up for consideration in the Senate. Read more about all these bills and those that did pass this session on our legislative agenda page, and stay tuned for more!

Scallops are Ready for Spawning!

2009-06-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

On Monday, June 1st, the Save The Bay habitat restoration team went to work deploying scallops into cages in Narragansett Bay as part of our scallop restoration program. These scallops will spawn and help to repopulate parts of the Bay where these important shellfish have been lost. Save The Bay has been working for several years to reestablish eelgrass, an important habitat for scallops. Juvenile scallops attach themselves to eelgrass blades for protection. This is the third year of the spawner sanctuary in the Bay. Read more about the scallop and about the scallop/eelgrass connection.

Get Out for a Paddle!

2009-06-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

The RI Blueways Alliance is celebrating paddling in the Narragansett Bay Watershed with Paddle09, a series of paddle trips throughout June and July. These trips are organized by watershed organizations, Save the Bay, RIDEM and local outfitters and are designed to introduce recreational paddlers to the varied and beautiful rivers and coastal waters in our watershed. This is a great way to see a new part of the state from a different perspective and to support our local watershed groups.

You can see a full list of trips on the Rhode Island Blueways Alliance website. Also, see Save The Bay's Summer Paddle Page for a list of our events. Hope to see you out on the water!

Federal Climate Legislation Markup This Week

2009-05-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 now has a number - HR 2454. The text of the bill was released on Friday by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Environmental groups are cautiously praising this compromise legislation, and Al Gore is rallying his supporters, saying that it will help build momentum going into the Copenhagen climate talks. The compromise version is far weaker than many environmentalists would like - it calls for emission reductions of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. Al Gore points out, however, that other provisions in the bill such as a renewable energy standard of 15-20% by 2020 may actually lead to larger emissions reductions. Once the shift begins, he believes, the change to renewable sources of energy will be "unstoppable".

While a bill with weak targets may be hard to swallow, there are other far reaching elements of this legislation that will increase funding and support for climate adaptation, such as agreements to use carbon allowances to prevent tropical deforestation, help with adaptation efforts and protect natural resources in the US and globally. According to the press release from the Nature Conservancy, support for US efforts to protect critical wildlife and natural resources could reach $4 billion. Markup of the bill will begin today at 1 pm.

Ten Mile River Herring Scoop

2009-04-27T11:36:00.001-07:00

The Ten Mile River Watershed Council conducted its annual herring scoop and cleanup at Omega Pond Dam in East Providence on Saturday. Last year over 200 herring were netted and transferred during the scoop. For many years the scoop was done by an informal group of fishermen as they collected fish for bait. Now the taking of fish is prohibited and all the scooped fish go into the pond.

Soon the scoop won't be necessary. Three fish ladders will be going up on the Ten Mile River, starting this summer with the Hunts Mills and Turner Reservoir. This could eventually result in a run of over 200,000 herring. The river is also an historic shad run with a potential for 25,000 fish. An eelway will also be installed for American eel which migrate upstream as juveniles after spawning in the Sargasso Sea.

The project is a partnership of the Army Corps of Engineers, the DEM Division of Fish and Wildlife, the City of East Providence, the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program and Save The Bay. You can read more about the project on our Ten Mile River web page.

Restoration is under way at Stillhouse Cove in Cranston

2009-04-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Save The Bay is teaming up with the City of Cranston, the Edgewood Waterfront Preservation Association and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to restore a salt marsh in Stillhouse Cove off Narragansett Boulevard in Cranston.

The salt marsh has been impacted by runoff from surrounding development and historic filling. This has resulted in sediment accumulation on the marsh surface and growth of Phragmites australis.

In 2004, fill was removed from the marsh and stormwater management was improved through the use of catchbasins that capture sediment. This phase of the salt marsh restoration included restoring 1.5 acres of valuable marsh habitat by reducing the height of the marsh through removal of approximately 1400 cubic yards of material and excavating new creeks. Because some of the matrial was deposited in the upper marsh, it is now being colonized by Phragmites australis and holds fresh water where mosquitoes can grow.

The ongoing second phase of restoration includes removing material from the disposal area, excavating a new creek and seeding the edge of the marsh with warm season grasses.

Lobby Day at the State House, April 21st

2009-04-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

The Environment Council of RI will be hosting their annual Earth Day Lobby Day event at the State House on April 21, 2:30-4:30. Save The Bay will have a table and will be participating in a discussion panel on the Water Conservation and Competitiveness Act. The top three legislative priorities chosen by ECRI are the water conservation bill (h5828), the polluter fines bill (h5061, s50), and the diesel emissions reduction act (h5910, s491, s484).

Schedule of events:
2:30 - Lobby training by Ocean State Action
2:45 - Water legislation discussion panel
3:15 - Speaking program
3:30 - Lobby!

As a member of the Coalition for Water Security, Save The Bay has been actively involved in develpment of the water conservation bill. We have also lobbied for passage of the polluter fines bill, which would raise the maximum fines for polluters to $25,000 per day. This legislation has passed the Senate and rests with the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. We came very close on both these bills last year, and hope to have success in this session.

This year at the State House, Save The Bay has provided testimony on several bills that are important to the future health of Narragansett Bay and our watershed. Both the House and Senate have now heard testimony on the Energy Independence and Climate Solutions Act (h5706, s488). Many groups testified in favor of this bill, including student groups, the religious community, and small business owners. Our testimony focused on the threats to Narragansett Bay and the adaptations we all must plan for in the future.

I also testified on the Grow Renewable Energy Now Act (h5462, s703), a bill to establish a solar energy program for Rhode Island by increasing the renewable energy charge on electricity service and adding to the Renewable Energy Fund. The average electricity customer would see an increase of 15 cents a month, but the program would generate 2.5 million dollars to give out to residents, business owners and groups like Save The Bay to install solar power. I have also testified on the various green building standard bills that are in the works, but it seems like the bill to watch is for establishing an state energy efficiency building code, which would position RI to take advantage of federal funding.

Please join us at the State House on April 21st to learn more and help advocate for strong environmental legislation!