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In addition to the Overview information provided for Water Quality, the Agriculture and Wastewater Workgroups have described their priorities and progress in the tabs below. Other important work is being conducted by the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to restore water quality by implementing pollution reduction practices on urban and suburban lands and reducing pollution deposited in the watershed from the air. Additional information on these efforts will be included over time. Progress in implementing the Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and in achieving milestones set at the 2009 Executive Council Meeting is also described below.
The Agriculture Workgroup (AGWG) has described their priorities and progress in the tabs below. Other important work is being conducted by the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to restore water quality by implementing pollution reduction practices on urban and suburban lands and reducing pollution deposited in the watershed from the air. Additional information on these efforts will be included over time.
The Wastewater Workgroup has described their priorities and progress in the tabs below. Other important work is being conducted by the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to restore water quality by implementing pollution reduction practices on urban and suburban lands and reducing pollution deposited in the watershed from the air. Additional information on these efforts will be included over time.
The Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or "pollution diet" sets pollution limits necessary to meet applicable water quality standards in the Bay and its tidal rivers. The primary elements of the TMDL are "wasteload allocations" for "point sources" like sewage treatment plants, urban stormwater systems and large animal feeding operations, and "load allocations" for "non point sources" such as runoff from agricultural lands and non-regulated stormwater from urban and suburban lands. These pollution limits are further divided by jurisdiction and major river basin based on state-of-the-art modeling tools, extensive monitoring data, peer-reviewed science, and close interaction with jurisdiction partners.
The Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or "pollution diet" sets pollution limits necessary to meet applicable water quality standards in the Bay and its tidal rivers. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) uses loading estimates to quantify expected amounts of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) or sediment loads to water from specific land uses or point sources and makes adjustments based on an estimate of the effectiveness of a best management practice. Since the definitions and values used for both loading and effectiveness estimates have important implications for the CBP and the various partners, it is critical that they be developed in a process that is consistent, transparent, and scientifically defensible.
During the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, the Bay watershed jurisdictions set short-term goals or milestones to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration. Jurisdictions based the 2009-2011 milestones on increasing their historic implementation rates in order to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. In December 2010, EPA finalized the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) which provided jurisdictions with load allocation numbers for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment. These allocations created a "pollution diet" which set limits for the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment that could enter the Bay from each jurisdiction and ensure the Bay is meeting water quality standards.
The 2009-2011 milestones were developed prior to the limits set by the Bay TMDL. As a result, the information presented here is not directly comparable with the annual reporting by the Bay jurisdictions on progress toward achieving the TMDL allocations. Beginning with the 2012-2013 milestone period, reporting of 2-year milestone progress will be tracked against the Bay TMDL allocations and the level of commitments made in the Phase I and II Watershed Implementation Plans.
In 2008, the Chesapeake Executive Council charged the seven jurisdictions to develop a two-year milestone process for reducing their respective nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment contributions to the Chesapeake Bay and to track the pace of those reductions. Two-year milestones provide short-term objectives and have become part of the overall Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) accountability framework established in 2010 to assess progress on restoration goals. When fully implemented, the seven Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) will ensure that practices are in place by 2017 to reduce the load by 60 percent. By 2025, all practices necessary to meet the target loading levels will be in place. The two-year milestones allow jurisdictions the opportunity to adapt implementation strategies outlined in their WIPs as necessary to meet those goals and ultimately achieve applicable water quality standards and restore the Bay.
Stormwater blurb here.
Bay jurisdictions have reported on the practices they committed to implement in their "2011 Milestones to Reduce Nitrogen and Phosphorus" factsheets and provided a calculation of percent completion to date. This interim progress assessment looks at progress for approximately two-thirds of the 2009-2011 milestone period (that is, practices implemented between July 2008 and June 2010). Therefore, jurisdictions who have implemented practices that are approximately two-thirds of the way to meeting their commitments are considered to be "on track." Progress that was significantly more than two-thirds is reported as "ahead of schedule" while results that were significantly less are noted as "behind schedule."
An interim assessment of pollution control practices being implemented to achieve these reductions is presented to the right. As of June 2010, the jurisdictions are generally on-track to implement pollution control practices necessary to achieve load reduction commitments. In instances where they are behind, contingencies are being implemented. The collective jurisdictional commitments will result in reducing nitrogen by 15.8 million pounds and phosphorus by 1.05 million pounds during the three-year period 2009-2011 (based on Phase 4.3 Watershed Model simulations for some jurisdictions and estimates made by some jurisdictions using other tools). A final assessment of load reductions achieved during the entire three-year period will be available at the 2012 EC meeting.
Interim Progress Summary
As of June 2010, jurisdictions are generally on track to implement pollution control practices to achieve nitrogen and phosphorus reductions expected during the three year period. In instances where they are behind, contingency practices are being implemented.
As of June 2010, jurisdictions are generally on track to implement pollution control practices to achieve nitrogen and phosphorus reductions expected during the three year period. In instances where they are behind, contingency practices are being implemented.
As of June 2010, jurisdictions are generally on track to implement pollution control practices to achieve nitrogen and phosphorus reductions expected during the three year period.
As of June 2010, jurisdictions are generally on track to implement pollution control practices to achieve nitrogen and phosphorus reductions expected during the three year period.
During the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, the mayor of the District of Columbia (DC) set short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration. Select a sector and practice to view the final progress assessment.
Most of DC's numeric commitments for 2011 were for total implementation in 2011; the 2011 implementation levels are compared to commitments to calculate percent achievement for all practices except stream restoration.
Progress Highlights
- More than 2,400 homes have been audited through the RiverSmart Homes Program, an innovative program designed to reduce stormwater runoff from residential properties and improve water quality within DC. The program focuses on increasing the use of lot-level stormwater retention/detention practices, such as shade trees and porous paving, and includes fiscal incentives to homeowners to install these types of landscaping features. Due to DC's Department of the Environment's successful outreach and education campaign, more than 300 DC homeowners are interested in the RiverSmart Homes Program and are on a waiting list to be audited.
- In 2011, according to Green Roofs for Healthy Cities' "Top 10 U.S. Metropolitan Regions Rankings," DC vaulted into first place (surpassing Chicago) for its installation of 800,000 square feet of green roofs, the largest amount in the country. Currently 1.3 million square feet of green roof have been approved for construction on 128 buildings through spring 2012.
Programmatic Accomplishments, 2009-2011 Status ENR – Award Contract for design by June 1, 2009 Completed ENR – Award contract for construction by December 31, 2011 Completed CSO reductions – completion of nine minimum control projects in May 2009 Completed Create new tree box standards to allow for better tree growth Completed Develop lot-level residential stormwater detention/retention through RiverSmart Homes incentive program Completed Train federal facilities on new stormwater requirements Completed Implement a program to control discharges from DC and federally owned facilities Completed Strengthen auto repair shop education campaign in Hickey Run (pilot) Completed Inspect all auto repair shops, laundromats and dry cleaners at least once every five years Completed Develop and implement a pet waste strategy Completed Mandate installation and use of pumpout stations at all DC marinas Completed Complete a DPW street sweeping study and implement long-term enhanced street sweeping and fine particle removal Completed Implement and promote new stormwater regulations that require LID construction as a first option and mandate training for site managers Ongoing (carried into 2012-13 goals) Develop an impervious area-based stormwater fee Completed Review and update zoning regulations to encourage green building Ongoing Determine the type of trash control devices that would be the most effective in retaining large debris and sediment in hot-spot areas identified by a trash survey Completed Incorporate LID into 24 percent of all DC DOT projects Completed Shortfalls
- DC fell short on the sanitary sewer replacement and stream restoration milestones. Due to outside circumstances, the stream restoration project on Pope Branch did not begin on schedule. Although this project is expected to go forward and the money for it is still in place, its delay resulted in these milestones not being met since sanitary sewer replacement was tied into the stream restoration goals.
- In 2011, individuals and groups planted more than 13,608 trees across DC resulting in an A+ grade from Casey Trees for plantings. As a result, for the second straight year, collective tree in DC exceeded the minimum number of trees (8,600) needed annually to reach the District's tree canopy goal of 40% by 2035 (Casey Trees Report, 2012). Therefore, DC District of the Environment can only be said to be behind on its 25 year tree canopy expansion goal if its efforts are the only ones considered. However, with full-time support of outside groups such as the DC Department of Transportation and Casey Trees (and many more), DC is not in shortfall.
- While DC has made great strides on green roof installations, the two year milestone date for square feet of green roof coverage was mis-reported. The goal is to have 2.5 million square feet of green roof installed by 2017. Currently, 1.3 million square feet of green roof have been approved for construction on 128 buildings through spring 2012.
During the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, Delaware set short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration. Select a sector and practice to view the final progress assessment.
All of Delaware's numeric commitments for 2011 were for total acres on the ground in 2011. For all practices (cumulative and annual), the 2011 implementation level is compared to the commitment to calculate percent achievement.
Progress Highlights
- During the 2009-2011 milestone period, Delaware saw steady decreases in modeled nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads due to increased implementation, improved data tracking and reporting efforts, and improved communication and coordination with partner agencies through the Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) development process.
- Several of the specific implementation goals set in 2009 were achieved and surpassed. The total acres of cover crops planted increased more than anticipated, likely due to modified cost share programs and focused funding; data tracking and reporting (species planted, planting date and method, standard/commodity) for this practice also improved. Wetland restoration and tree planting goals were surpassed due to supporting funds from both the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant and a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant and better coordination and reporting of partner efforts due to the creation of a WIP Restoration Subcommittee. The acres of agriculture nutrient management planning were also maintained. Finally, the total nitrogen load from the Invista facility decreased more than projected and that permit will be reissued in 2012.
- Several regulatory revisions got underway during this milestone period. The Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation regulations were revised to be consistent with federal standards and became effective in November 2011. Revisions to both the Sediment and Stormwater Regulations and the Regulations Governing the Design, Installation, and Operation of On-Site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems also went through the regulatory revision process. Both sets of regulations propose actions to reduce nutrient inputs from urban and suburban areas and will likely be finalized in 2012.
- Important improvements have been made to data tracking and reporting systems through the conversion to the National Environmental Information Exchange Network platform. As a result, more data on practices that have routinely been implemented but previously not reported are now captured, and missing and unpopulated fields have been filled. Additionally, several studies or literature reviews to examine the effectiveness of BMPs currently not modeled were initiated and include an assessment of the impacts of irrigation management and heavy use area pads. Delaware's non-farm fertilizer sales data was also examined and significant decreases in phosphorus are apparent, likely as a result of residential fertilizer phosphorus bans in neighboring states. DNREC and DDA are working with Chesapeake Bay Program committees to determine appropriate credit for these practices.
- Finally, a WIP Communications Subcommittee was formed and this group is preparing a marketing strategy to increase education and outreach to the general public and encourage behavior change.
Programmatic Accomplishments, 2009-2011 Status Agriculture Revised Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation regulations (effective November 2011) Completed Hired two Strategic Watershed Action Team (SWAT) planners to increase nutrient management planning capacity Completed Stormwater Created website where stormwater forms and educational material can be accessed Completed Created Access database that tracks all inspections and enforcement actions Completed Wastewater Hired full-time permit writer to help reduce permit backlog Completed Transitioned from Permit Control System to Integrated Compliance Information System to track wastewater facility permitted loads Completed Created a Compliance and Enforcement Response Guide Completed Land Use Produced a build-out analysis of county and local jurisdictions through 2025 Completed Submitted a "Start Action Notice" for development of a Nutrient Offset Regulation Completed Other Update Delaware's Nonpoint Source Best Management Practice Implementation Data Quality Assurance Project Plan Completed Revised and validated a restoration database to list and prioritize potential restoration projects Completed Developed education and outreach materials in regards to the WIP Completed Shortfalls
While Delaware has met or exceeded its overall load reduction goals, they did not achieve a few specific implementation goals. The exact goals for early/standard/late cover crops were not achieved, but cost share programs have been modified to emphasize early plantings and this acreage is expected to increase in the future. Forest buffer acreage did not increase and members of the agriculture community have indicated that current market prices of crops do not support land conversion for buffers at this time. A collaborative group plans to examine how much of an additional cost share incentive is needed to encourage additional enrollment in buffer programs. The tons of poultry litter transported have decreased in recent years; Delaware believes, in general, that the total volume of litter has decreased as has the nutrient content of the litter and staff are working with the CBP Ag Workgroup to assess the data and make necessary model modifications. Finally, the onsite pump-out goal was not achieved, but regulations have been proposed requiring a pump-out and inspection at the time of property sale or transfer and will also require reporting when inspections occur; both requirements are expected to increase the number of pump-outs reported each year.
During the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley set short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration. Select a sector and practice to view the final progress assessment.
Maryland reports progress on adapted commitments since more current information is available documented on BayStat.
Progress Highlights
Maryland met its 2009-2011 two-year milestone goals, even after accounting for expected growth (150,000 pounds nitrogen).
Shortfalls/Continued Progress
Maryland continually assessed and adapted the two-year milestone achievements and goals to reflect actual conditions. As an added security, Maryland's contingency plan overshoots reduction goals. This plan included accelerated reductions from Blue Plains WWTP (+125,000 pounds per year nitrogen), cover crop requirements on farmland that the state leases out, and a myriad of incremental goal increases to other Best Management Practices.
Programmatic Accomplishments, 2009-2011 |
Established BayStat: For the first time in Maryland Bay Restoration efforts, the Governor and senior staff meet regularly with Cabinet Secretaries from key agencies to review progress and make critical decisions. The BayStat website provides transparent tracking of progress to inform the public and hold agencies accountable. BayStat is now a model for a new federal ChesapeakeStat effort to track restoration actions watershed-wide. |
Chesapeake and Coastal Bays Trust Fund: This new dedicated fund, authorized for up to $50 million annually, supports projects and programs to reduce non-point source pollution in Maryland waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. In its first three years, the Trust Fund targeted more than $34 million in priority watersheds resulting in an estimated total reduction of 1.5 million pounds of nitrogen, 117,000 pounds of phosphorus, and 111 tons of sediment. The Trust Fund also supports key nutrient reduction activities including 16 Soil Conservation District staff positions, new nonpoint source reduction technologies, and the local economies through Maryland's Innovative Technology Fund. |
Record Cover Crop Implementation: In the fall of 2010 (FY 2011), 1,567 farmers planted 400,331 acres of cover crops on their fields exceeding Maryland's first 2-year milestone goal of 325,000 acres. In 2011 (FY 2012), 1,585 farmers planted 429,818 acres of cover crops, exceeding the State's second 2-year milestone goal of 355,000 acres. |
New CAFO regulations: Maryland issued new regulations for handling 85 percent of the poultry litter generated from its poultry operations. The first state in the region to implement an EPA-approved regulatory program, Maryland went beyond new federal requirements to protect surface waters and implemented a state permit to protect State groundwater as well. |
New Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permits: There has been significant regulatory focus on stormwater discharge permits issued to Maryland's 10 largest jurisdictions and the State Highway Administration, which require control of stormwater pollution from existing developed land. The first in the next generation of MS4 permits was issued to Montgomery County in February 2010. This and all subsequent permits will accelerate restoration of developed land area through improved stormwater management practices. |
Septic System Upgrades: Maryland passed a law in 2009 requiring that all new or replacement septic systems in the Critical Area include the best available technology for the removal of nitrogen. Bay Restoration Fund grants are prioritized to help homeowners with failing systems comply with this requirement. In 2007, $17 million in septic upgrade funds were unspent and Marylanders upgraded fewer than 50 systems. Today, Maryland spends revenue as it is collected, resulting in upgrades to more than 3,000 systems. |
Anacostia Trash TMDL: The EPA, the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland established a new TMDL for trash in the Anacostia River, making it the first interstate river in the nation with this type of Clean Water Act trash limit. |
Fertilizer Use Act: Because 44 percent of purchased fertilizers are for non-agricultural purposes, Maryland passed a law to reduce the amount of nutrient run-off from lawns, golf courses, parks, recreation areas and other non-agricultural sources. According to the Chesapeake Bay Commission, about 14 percent of the nitrogen and 8 percent of the phosphorus entering the Bay can be traced to non-agricultural urban and suburban sources—mainly lawns. |
Maryland Trading Program: Maryland passed a law to enable the exchange (buying and selling) of nutrient-reduction credits that have monetary value to help reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. |
P Site Index (PSI): Maryland scientists updated the PSI, an assessment tool that identifies the relative risk for phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural production fields to nearby bodies of water. |
Environmental Site Design: In 2007, Maryland adopted legislation requiring the use of better site planning techniques, non-structural practices, and small-scale stormwater management facilities to control new development runoff statewide. Practices such as vegetated swales, pervious pavers, green roofs, cisterns, and micro-bioretention and rain gardens are now required to mimic natural hydrology and replicate the runoff characteristics or woods. Many of these practices were previously optional. These state-of-the-arts, cost-efficient stormwater techniques apply to all new development approved after May 2010. |
During the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, New York set short-term goals to continue implementation of the New York State Tributary Strategy for Chesapeake Bay Restoration. Select a sector and practice to view the final progress assessment.
Progress Highlights
- Dishwasher Detergent and Nutrient Runoff Law: The Dishwasher Detergent and Nutrient Runoff Law was signed into law on July 15, 2010. This law will improve water quality in New York by reducing phosphorus runoff into the State's waterbodies.
- Chesapeake Bay Program Forest Conservation Directive: In the 2009 and 2010 calendar years, over 1,400 acres of land within the Upper Susquehanna Watershed were preserved by land trusts and parcels gifted to the State. This included a parcel along Otsego Lake, the source of the Susquehanna River. Also, on December 29, 2010, DEC announced the completion of the Final Strategic Plan for State Forest Management describing how State Forests will be sustainably managed by promoting ecosystem health, enhancing landscape biodiversity, protecting soil productivity and water quality.
- TOGS 1.4.2 Compliance and Enforcement of SPDES Permits: In 2010, the NYSDEC Division of Water finalized the revision and update to the 1988 Technical and Operational Guidance Series (TOGS) 1.4.2. This document strengthens the Department's guidance on compliance and enforcement activities related to the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) program. The 1988 guidance predated New York's current SPDES general permits for Stormwater and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). These programs are now specifically addressed in TOGS 1.4.2.
- Susquehanna-Chemung Action Plan: In 2009, the Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board (STCRPDB) received a $285,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act competitive grant from NYSDEC to create an ecosystem-based management plan for the Chemung and Susquehanna River basins. The Susquehanna-Chemung Action Plan outlines steps for protecting and improving the region's water resources. The Action Plan will be complete in February 2012.
- Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Program: In 2009, New York issued a CAFO permit for all medium- and large-sized farms. New York regulates dairy farms with as few as 200 cows; poultry laying operations with as few as 25,000 hens; swine operations with as few as 750 pigs. This permit supplements New York's Clean Water Act CAFO permit for medium and large facilities, which has been in place since 1999 and remains in full force and effect.
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Optimization: New York has included permit language for the 28 Bay-Significant wastewater treatment facilities in the Susquehanna/Chemung watershed to complete nutrient removal optimization and engineering analysis of feasibility and costs for greater levels of treatment and implementation of treatment modifications that would improve nutrient removal without a major capital upgrade. Subsequently, some facilities have implemented treatment modifications, such as chemical addition, to achieve TP load reductions.
- Agricultural Environmental Management Program: AEM funding was provided to Soil and Water Conservation Districts to inventory and assess farms; and to plan, design and evaluated BMP effectiveness on those farms. In 2009 and 2010, Conservation Districts in the Upper Susquehanna Coalition completed AEM work in the watershed with a total of $924,973.50 of state funding.
- Unexpected Setback: The Binghamton-Johnson City municipal treatment plant experienced a major structural failure. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the failure and to establish a path forward to meet the nutrient and sediment reductions necessary.
- Graze-NY Program: The Graze-NY Program works to help farm families with the adoption of prescribed grazing management systems. Funding for the Graze NY program is uncertain and will likely impact this valuable BMP.
- Contractual Issues: Several projects were postponed because of the fiscal climate in New York State. However, with recent contract completions, New York will be executing contracts and implementing projects from grants awarded through the New York State Non-Point Source Abatement and Control Grant Program, Water Quality Improvement Project Statewide Grant Program and the New York State Chesapeake Bay Program Forest Conservation Directive. These projects will support water quality improvement for New York in the coming years.
During the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, the governor of Pennsylvania set short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration. Select a sector and practice to view the final progress assessment.
Progress Highlights
- Dirt & Gravel Road Erosion & Sediment Control: 467%. Pennsylvania's milestone was based on early program Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation rates that have shown large increases in BMP implementation over the last four years based on steady funding of this program.
- Forest Harvesting Practices: 7,959%. Pennsylvania's milestone was based on historical BMP reporting levels. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has significantly increased its reporting.
- Manure Transport: 386%. A survey of Manure Brokers was completed that more accurately represents manure transport within and out of the Bay watershed.
- Septic Connections: 105%. The increase resulted from the first time reporting of septic system hook-ups by PennVest and an increase in hook-ups reported by USDA's Rural Development Program.
- Wastewater: Pennsylvania committed to having 40 Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) operating under reduced nutrient limit permits by June 2011. Forty-seven of the 190 significant sewage facilities had cap loads that were effective by June 2011.
- Pasture Grazing BMPs: 365%. Increased reporting of pasture grazing BMPs is attributed to the South Central Project Grass administered by the Capital RC&D Area Council. National Fish and Wildlife Funds supplemented existing cost-share programs including EQIP, CREP and DEP CBIG.
Programmatic Accomplishments, 2009-2011 | Status |
Manure Management Manual | Published 10/29/2011 |
Agriculture Compliance
| Completed 12/31/2010 |
Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations
| Published 11/19/2010 |
Stormwater MS4
| Published 09/17/2011 |
Legacy Sediment BMP Development and Implementation
| 11/02/2011-Ongoing |
Phosphate Dishwater Detergent Ban | Effective 7/1/2010 |
Wastewater Treatment Plant Permits
| Status as of 7/2011 |
Nutrient Trading
| 2010-2011 |
- Conservation Tillage: -55%. USDA/NASS reported that 78% of the tilled land in Pennsylvania during 2009 used either "No-Till"or other conservation tillage. Efforts are underway to better track voluntary conservation tillage activities including a planned 2012 tillage transect study to better characterize this practice.
- Erosion and Sediment Control: 0%. Efforts are underway to better track the implementation of this practice through reporting of data collected from existing state permits.
- Nutrient Management: 59%. Evidence in south-central Pennsylvania counties, and a recent USDA/CEAP study, suggests that implementation levels may range from 50-70%. Efforts are underway to better track voluntary implementation activities.
- Poultry Phytase: 0%. No increase in implementation of this practice has been gauged during this milestone period. The Department of Environmental Protection plans to work with industry groups and stakeholders to characterize the current implementation of phytase feed additive use during the next milestone period.
- Stormwater Management: -74%. Ongoing efforts to better track urban BMPs through existing stormwater management permits will result in a higher level of implementation than is currently reported.
At the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, the governor of Virginia set short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration. Select a sector and practice to view the final progress assessment.
With the exception of "Stream Restoration, agricultural" and "Additional Urban Nutrient Management," VA's 2011 BMP implementation data is the amount reported by VA, not the amount credited in the CBP Watershed Model because of the state's disagreement with CBP methods. All of VA's numeric commitments for 2011 (both original and adapted) were for total amount on-the-ground in 2011. For all practices (cumulative and annual), the 2011 implementation level is compared to the commitment to calculate percent achievement. For some practices, VA has 2 sets of commitments, Original 2011 Commitment and Adapted 2011 Commitment. With practices that list both sets of commitments, 2011 data is compared to both commitments to determine percent achievement of the original and adapted commitments.
Progress Highlights
Urban Stormwater:
- Revised stormwater management regulations were approved and became effective on September 13, 2011. An extensive education and outreach campaign began by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) in 2011 for local governments who are charged with implementing these regulations. These regulations will serve as a cornerstone of Virginia's efforts to protect the Bay from stormwater runoff.
- In 2011, the Governor signed landmark legislation that, among other things, bans the use of phosphorus in most home use lawn fertilizers. Despite the 2013 implementation date, the new law has prompted fertilizer manufacturers to remove phosphorus in their products now and water quality benefits are already being seen.
- In 2011, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation establishing the framework for agricultural Resource Management Plans (RMPs). The purpose of RMPs is to use a regulatory framework to encourage farm owners and operators to voluntarily implement a high level of BMPs on their farmlands that can protect water quality and offer them "safe harbor" from further regulatory requirements. The program is expected to become active in early 2013 following completion of a regulatory development process through the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board.
- In 2011, six Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) began a pilot program tracking voluntary BMPs on agricultural operations. The districts are developing individual tracking protocols and will be gathering BMP data to include in the existing tracking database. As the pilot phase ends June 2012, the six SWCDs will present their findings to DCR and other stakeholders. From these pilot work efforts, DCR will choose the most appropriate path to gather this information.
- The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Environmental Quality have begun a cooperative effort to reduce the water quality impacts from animal operations that may be impacting water quality.
Onsite Septic: In 2011, the Governor approved amendments to the Department of Health that require a 50% reduction in nitrogen for all alternative onsite systems in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Sewage Treatment Plants: Virginia continues its aggressive program to upgrade sewage treatment plans. There are currently 57 active grants agreements for nutrient control upgrades that commit $654 million in state cost-share funds. Work has been completed on 29 of these retrofit projects, with the remaining 28 in various stages of construction and many likely to be finished by the end of 2012. Calendar year 2011 was the first compliance period in which wastewater dischargers were to have met river basin-wide nutrient allocations established by Virginia's Chesapeake Bay Watershed general permit. Virginia reissued the permit in 2012 with nutrient allocations and schedules that conform to EPA's Chesapeake Bay TMDL.
Programmatic Accomplishments, 2009-2011 | Status |
Adoption of Revised Stormwater Regulations | Completed |
Issuance of Watershed General Permit with TMDL allocations | Completed |
Study and Proposed Framework for Expansion of the Use of Nutrient Credits | Completed |
Improvement in oversight of Erosion and Sediment Control Programs | Ongoing |
Development of Resource Management Plan Regulations | In Progress |
Study on the Use of Slow Release Nitrogen in Fertilizer | Completed |
Adoption of Alternative Septic System regulations | Completed |
Evaluation of James River chlorophyll standard | In Progress |
Passage of Household fertilizer control legislation | Completed |
During the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting, West Virginia set short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration. Select a sector and practice to view the final progress assessment.
Progress Highlights
West Virginia exceeded its nitrogen and phosphorus reduction goals for the 2009-2011 timeframe.
While falling short in some areas, such as wetland restoration, grass buffers, manure transfer and septic pumping, West Virginia installed more than predicted on BMPs such as animal waste management systems, cover crops, and forest buffers. These agricultural BMPs are installed on a voluntary basis in West Virginia so some variation was to be expected.
Programmatic Accomplishments, 2009-2011 |
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has greatly increased its Nutrient Management Planning activities. The Department currently has four certified Nutrient Management Planners on staff. |
West Virginia's most recent Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit, which regulates stormwater in urbanized areas, became effective on July 22, 2009. This permit requires regulated local governments to develop ordinances requiring all new development and redevelopment of one acre or greater to capture and manage the first one inch of rainfall by utilizing runoff reduction stormwater practices. In addition to adding aesthetic and economic value, these practices will help reduce nutrients in stormwater runoff from regulated urbanized areas. |
During the 2011 Legislative session, West Virginia passed a bill to provide funding assistance to municipalities and public service districts for wastewater treatment plant upgrades to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus. This funding will be instrumental in moving forward with nutrient upgrades to West Virginia's wastewater treatment plants. |
A two day stormwater/sediment and erosion workshop was held in cooperation with DOH in 2011 and focused on construction. Inspectors, engineers and private contractors (90+) were targeted. The focus was on construction NPDES and USACOE permits as well as the upcoming NTU and ELG compliance standards. On-site demos were held along the most recent section of highway construction and showcased newest applications in stormwater management. In addtion, two rain gardens were installed at DOH facilities as demonstations to manage stormwater and educate the public. |
The Frankfort Public Service District (PSD) wastewater treatment plant was constructed to replace nine smaller wastewater treatment plants and to meet the Chesapeake Bay TMDL wasteload allocation of 5 mg/l Nitrogen and 0.5 mg/l Phosphorus. Performance will be documented in West Virginia's 2012 - 2013 milestones. |
At this time, a comprehensive offset and trading program has not been demonstrated to be needed in WV to accomplish Watershed Implementation Plan objectives. Nor are resources available long term for program development or implementation. Therefore, WVDEP plans to continue to evaluate offset and trading requests on a case-by-case basis through documentation and controls established in the NPDES permitting process. |


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Sully Erna of Godsmack brings his solo act to Syracuse
Rock listeners have a high pain threshold. They don't shock easily. They adhere to angst-ridden lyrics. They show empathy in the presence of the powerchord-driven anthems packaged in tattooed cellophane cases, latching onto one or two bands whose sounds resonate in their chests. They grin, they bear, they head-bang.
Godsmack has been rocking audiences with tracks including "Voodoo," "I Stand Alone" and "Awake" since the band's inception in 1995. As lead vocalist, Sully Erna unveils his primal bellow, using it to bridge metallic rock with something more tribal, like a rabid animal prowling beneath the sewer grates. The band has slithered in with ease next to other Ozzfest regulars like Drowning Pool and Disturbed.
As a musician, however, Erna has ideas that captivate even the most stone-faced rocker—ideas he compiled for his solo album Avalon (Universal Republic). "Sometimes you end up with cool stuff that isn't necessarily right for Godsmack," Erna said. On Sunday, May 15, 8 p.m., the album tour comes to the Mulroy Civic Center's Crouse-Hinds Concert Theater, 411 Montgomery St. Through Avalon, Erna has been able to explore this material. "I'm not going to put together a supergroup to write more rock. This is eclectic. This is tribal. It's a whole different animal. Basically, I slit my wrists open and dumped them into this record."
Avalon broke onto the airwaves in September 2010, more than a month after the release of its first single, "Sinner's Prayer." Laced with pagan chanting, triumphant string interludes and the lilting vocal stylings of Lisa Guyer, it immediately stands apart from the sound expected to accompany Erna's supple, black leather voice.
Erna founded Avalon on creating music for its own sake, for the way music transcends language. To preserve this authenticity, every sound on the album was recorded live in studio rather than engineered electronically. Erna gathered an eight-piece ensemble of instrumentalists from a wide array of musical backgrounds. "It was like building a skeleton," he said, its flesh and blood growing into a fullbodied aural experience.
The gritty goddess vocals supplied by Guyer can be heard live on the Sully Erna Avalon tour, as can all of the album's original artists. They include guitarist Tim Theriault, keyboardist Chris Decato, acoustic guitarist Chris Lester and percussionist David Stefanelli, all hailing from New England, with their influences ranging from Liszt to Led Zeppelin and everything in between.
Adding international flavor to the band's sound are Niall Gregory, a percussionist from Drogheda, Ireland, and Irina Chirkova, an accomplished cellist from Bulgaria. Chirkova will be taking leave from the tour later to play with Celine Dion in Las Vegas, but she will be present at the Syracuse show.
Erna is geared up for a theatrical production, with the likes of Pink Floyd's The Wall inspiring what he hopes will be a sweeping, cinematic experience. Melodies rise out of chromatic scales and dissonant chords drive each track. The songs show patience, some swelling into choruses of soulful, bluesinfused voices, others remaining sparse with nothing more than a humble piano line filling in around Erna's deep-conditioned voice.
From the first skin-on-skin conga drumbeat to the sound of Chirkova's fingertips pulling opiate harmonies from the belly of her cello, the raw, organic vibrations of Erna's solo musings are just as at home around a bonfire as they are in the stereo of a high school kid's battered Honda Civic.
Striving to touch listeners on a personal level, the album already draws an audience more diverse than many associated with the rock scene. "Don't mistake how powerful music can be," he urges his fans. "You can go anywhere in the world and communicate with people next to you through music."
Erna's Avalon tour is running concurrently with his duties for Godsmack, so he will remain on the road through much of the summer. While his journey can be tiring, he thrives on the balance between projects and trusts his drummer roots to keep a steady beat. Erna needs the yin and the yang. His days are a drum beat.
Tickets for Sunday's Sully Erna concert are $29.50, $39.75 and $59.50, available through the Oncenter box office, 435-2121, and through www.ticketmaster.com.
Rock never sleeps: Godsmack's Sully Erna visits the Civic Center on Sunday.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sweet Savannah Dress & Charm (2012- ) Jun 30, 2012 14:25:17 GMT -5 Quote Select PostDeselect PostLink to PostMemberGive GiftBack to Top Post by evangelei on Jun 30, 2012 14:25:17 GMT -5 This dress is grey with black leopard print and a dark grey band around the middle. ($28) It is made of a soft, cotton-blend feeling material, which I think is a great material for a casual dress. It has a ruffle in the front that I think makes the dress more interesting than it would be without it, and has hair snagging velcro in the back. It seems to be a great quality dress that will hold up extremely well to play.It comes with a silver colored headband which has a pink tulle flower with a clear gem in the center on it. The headband also has a super long AG tag on the side of it that I have to cut off because I can't really hide it. Cutting it off isn't a huge pain but I hate having to do it and that it could have been tagged in a more discrete way.The dress also comes with a pair of black plastic flats, and a square "brave" charm. Overall I think this dress is adorable, a decent value, and I'm glad I purchased it. My only complaint is the giant headband tag. Grade: A
Sweet Savannah Dress & Charm (2012- ) Aug 22, 2012 23:43:29 GMT -5 Quote Select PostDeselect PostLink to PostMemberGive GiftBack to Top Post by marusya1120 on Aug 22, 2012 23:43:29 GMT -5 Although I didn't really care for it when it first came out, I'm now completely in love with this dress. For $28, you get: -Dress-Flats-Hair accessory I'll start off with the shoes. They are super shiny and plastic-y, but in my opinion they are pretty good quality. The heel is flat, so dolls are able to stand normally (unlike the heeled shoes ) The shoes are a grey-ish color and matches the dress perfectly. The dress is made out of a soft fabric, and the quality is there. The ruffle in the front is what makes the dress, although the ruffle itself is not hemmed. The dress is thin, perfect for the summer. I think it is also the perfect length. If I could, I would probably wear it. Sweet Sav 2 by mashka_111, on FlickrThe headband is my favorite part; it came with a long tag, and I just cut it. I love the little tulle flower on it, and overall the piece is super cute and executed perfectly. Sweet Sav 3 by mashka_111, on FlickrSweet Sav headband by mashka_111, on FlickrMy grade: A+! I would highly recommend it, and this has to be one of my favorite MYAG outfits created.
Sweet Savannah Dress & Charm (2012- ) Sept 13, 2012 13:00:00 GMT -5 Quote Select PostDeselect PostLink to PostMemberGive GiftBack to Top Post by BeauCoeur on Sept 13, 2012 13:00:00 GMT -5 I love animal print, so when I saw this dress, it instantly made its way to the top spot on my outfit wishlist! Let me begin with reviewing the shoes. They are basic, shiny flats, and they are actually a charcoal gray- not black as AG says. I don't think that they look too great paired with this dress (I prefer to pair it with boots instead), but they make for nice, dressy shoes to wear with pants. They fit well, too. Grade: AThe dress: This has to be one of the cutest dresses. It is a nice cheetah print in various shades of gray. The fabric is definitely of good quality- it is not too thin, and it reminds me of many cotton sundresses that I own myself. It fits well, and the ruffle adds cuteness. The ruffle is not as annoying as it appears to be in AG photos. It isn't as large, and it is tacked down on the top so it doesn't stick up. Grade: A+The headband: The headband is just adorable! I'm not sure if I would pair it with this dress, but it gets a lot of use. I love the pink and silver combination, and it actually looks like something girls today would wear. It did have the long tag, but I just snipped it off. Grade: A


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Create a unique seating arrangement in your living room with this spacious four piece modular sectional. Configured with two wedges, one armless chair and one ottoman, this sectional sofa provides a cozy place to watch the big game or a favorite movie with family and friends. Flair tapered arms and exposed wood block feet add contemporary style for a modern home entertainment room or family room.This collection offers modular pieces that can be combined to create sectionals and seating for a custom configuration that suits your needs and fits your space. Available in a wide variety of fabrics and leathers by special order, you are sure to find a look that suits your style and home decor. Dimensions are approximate.
The Roxy 4 Piece Open Modular Sectional by Lane is available in the Stevens Point, Rhinelander, Wausau, De Pere, Waupaca, Green Bay, Marshfield, Wisconsin area from Furniture and ApplianceMart.
Turning the modern corner with innovative seating solutions, the Roxy Collection presents modular pieces that combine to create sophisticated sofas and sectionals. Featuring a modular wedge, ottoman and armless chair unit, pieces can be arranged in any combination you choose. Multiple configurations allow the sectionals to fit in a wide variety of spaces and combine just the way you want them. The Roxy features subtly flared arms and rich finished wedge feet to further enhance its modern design. It's available in both fabric and leather or special order from a large selection of fabrics and leathers to accommodate your design style.
The Roxy collection is a great option if you are looking for Contemporary furniture in the Stevens Point, Rhinelander, Wausau, De Pere, Waupaca, Green Bay, Marshfield, Wisconsin area.
These images are representative of this group as a whole and may differ from this item.
View other items in the Roxy collection available from Furniture and ApplianceMart in the Stevens Point, Rhinelander, Wausau, De Pere, Waupaca, Green Bay, Marshfield, Wisconsin area.
This item has been tagged as: Sectional, Couch, Sofa, Large Couches, Large Sofa, Sectional Couch, Sectional Sofa, Chaise Sectional, Sectional with Chaise, Couch with Chaise, Sofa with Chaise, Chaise Sofa, Chaise Couch, Sectional with Recliner, Recliner Sectional, Reclining Sectional, Modular Sectional, Modular Sofa Pieces, Stand Alone Couch Pieces, Curved Sectional, Conversation Sofa, Conversational Sofa, Sectional Furniture, Home Theatre Sectional, Home Theater Sectional, Sectional with Ottoman
Furniture and ApplianceMart has furniture and appliance stores throughout central and eastern Wisconsin in Marshfield, Waupaca, Green Bay, De Pere, Oshkosh, Stevens Point, Appleton, Rhinelander, and Wausau which feature an impressive selection of name brand furniture, appliances, mattresses, and home electronics. Our in-store home furnishings galleries include: dining room, bedroom, living room furniture such as sofas, sectional sofas, leather, and reclining chairs, home office, youth furniture, mattresses, as well as home electronics and appliances. We have an extensive in-stock furniture, appliance, and home electronics inventory in our Waupaca, Rhinelander, Plover, Stevens Point, Wausau, De Pere / Green Bay, and Marshfield, WI furniture stores for quick delivery and we also specialize in custom order furnishings. We can help you find the perfect appliances, electronics, and furniture for your home, and we offer affordable prices as well as low cost solutions.
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Québec election discussion (Part II)
Pauline Marois just gave (or maybe is still giving, who knows, I can't stand it any more) her "victory" speech. She said she had spoken to Charest and offered her assistance in these difficult economic times. She said her views had diverged sometimes with Dumont, but that they shared views when it came to the "defence" of Québec, and that history would recognize his "contribution" to Québec... She said not one word about a new party winning its first seat in the NA - because of course QS's very existence is a challenge to the PQ's loss of its social conscience.
Agreed on all points. I'm smiling this evening. Although I'd like the Greens to have a chat with QS and do a little coalition/merger. It's the flavour of the month.
ETA: I just realized I said "agreed on all points" to a post by Stockholm. What is the matter with me? Have I lost my marbles? Where is the @#$@#$@ "delete post" button in this new babble software? Help, I need an alibi or something...
a lot of Mercier is in the federal riding of Outremont and they have cooperated with the NDP in the recent past.
Actually there is only a narrow strip of about 2 blocks that is both in Mercier and Outremont (between de L'Esplanade and St-Laurent). A lot of NDPers worked on the Quebec Solidaire campaign, but I wonder if there is any reciprocity. Remember, Quebec Solidaire isa sovereigntist party too...
Though its interesting that in marois's speech - she pointedly made reference to the PQ as a "social democratic party" - I don't think I've heard THAT in a very long time.
It's just words - reflecting her recognition of the external QS threat and the internal SPQ Libre pressure, perhaps. I'd rather someone act progressive than call themselves progressive. She has a long way to go.
Oh, wondrous stuff. Can we read the rejection of the ADQ as a rejection of Harper, too? Please, can we?
In fact, the ADQ machine run Harper's last Quebec campaign. With resignation of "Super Mario" Dumont, Harper has LOST his strongest ally in Quebec.
Interesting that a pollster from outside of Quebec came closest to the final result. Angus Reid had Liberals 42% PQ 36% (while everyone else was predicting a Charest landslide)
How "demolished" is ADQ, anyway? They still eked out 7 seats and didn't bottom out the way some pollsters were predicting--though that may have been a dead cat bounce from so many incumbents running...
Mario is gone. Some of their best candidates were badly defeated (Sébastien Proulx in Trois-Rivières). The ADQ (officially the Action démocratique du Québec/Équipe Mario Dumont - I kid you not!) is a one-man show.
With him gone, what remains of his caucus might well decide to jump the fence and join either the Liberals or the PQ (or maybe both).
Old babblers will remember Renzo, my incredible black half-Siamese cat. He went missing at Hallowe'en - scary time for black cats - and finally returned, very skinny, on the 6th of December. So I'm mostly cuddling, hugging, feeding him, (other than working, of course). I can't bear to leave him.
Oh, I am so very very happy for you lagatta, I have been visulaizing renzo's return to you since you first noted at BnR he had gone missing. I refused to believe he would not return. Tis a wonderous thing for you!
___________________________________________________________ "watching the tide roll away"
Perhaps he's never heard the song "mon pays" or realise that Québécois, whether pro-independence or pro-federalism, talk about "le pays". poor todd. He hates Québec so much that he is going to vote for a rightwing neoliberal party that steals poor kiddies' lunch money and eats kittens.
You're off about me, on more counts than I can count, despite your puerile attempts at humor. But this is not about me, per se.
You're on about a francophone federalist writing about mon pays. (It's my home, too.) Give us an example; I couldn't find any.
A lot of people here deeply resent the Québec-bashing - remember that has roots in deep bigotry, almost racism, a couple of generations ago. And not just people who support Québec independence. Suspect a lot of what one calls "soft nationalists" voted PQ ...And in any case, it will be good to be rid of the ADQ, though I suppose there are rural/outlying region frustrations and what could be called "white working class" frustrations (though there are a lot of militant trade unionists here still, who tend to vote PQ and Bloc, some QS) ...
They raised an ugly current of xenophobia and utterly false problems of "integration" ...
The only real problems of integration here are access to the skilled and professional jobs immigrants were brought over to perform ...
Really important in the defence of public health care (and not using it as a means of speculation) among other things ...
Credit where credit is due department: Defence of public health care is a given in a progressive platform.
As for integration, I have to admit that QS is at least talking about staffing the public service with cultural communities at their proportion among the population.
Does that mean anglo-bashing will be history? Even among the independentist and soft-nationalist trade unionists in the public sector?
In a reversal of the historic election-day trend, the PQ performed far better than expected and closed so much of the gap between itself and the Liberals that it nearly deprived Charest of a majority.
The PQ's share of the popular vote was just seven percentage points less than the Liberals - this after polls just days ago placed it 14 points behind - and it held Charest's troops to a three-seat majority.
Jean-Marc Leger, president of Leger Marketing, said a poll suggested 14 per cent of Quebecers changed their vote on the last day, with half making that flip-flop while at the ballot box.
Leger said the largest contributor to the discrepancy between pre-election polling and the final outcome Monday was Harper's anti-Quebec rant in the home stretch of the campaign."
If my comments were read as pro-Liberal, that's a serious mis-reading. As for opposing the PLQ, I would rather vote for someone than against someone else. Better luck next time, I hope.
As a product of working-class parents, one of whom was a shop steward in the public sector, I understand the class line very well, thanks for asking.
At first, I laughed at that line about anglos not feeling comfortable in Quebec City. (As if the entire civil service works there). It's the same reasoning given by golf and country club members for excluding non-whites, to this day.
If we represent 9% of the population and 1% of the civil service, I think the lack of hiring is systemic alright, and is demonstrably systematic.
Then I stopped laughing.
By the way, I will quote Jean Charest on Amir Khadir's election to the provincial legislature: "Our democratic life has been enriched."
Would that we were all as charitable to our opponents.
adma wrote:How "demolished" is ADQ, anyway? They still eked out 7 seats and didn't bottom out the way some pollsters were predicting--though that may have been a dead cat bounce from so many incumbents running...Mario is gone. Some of their best candidates were badly defeated (Sébastien Proulx in Trois-Rivières). The ADQ (officially the Action démocratique du Québec/Équipe Mario Dumont - I kid you not!) is a one-man show.
With him gone, what remains of his caucus might well decide to jump the fence and join either the Liberals or the PQ (or maybe both).
When it comes to the bigger picture, you're right, i.e. it's not so much the scale of the defeat, as what came after: Super Mario resigning, etc. (I think a couple of incumbents sunk below 15%--Laprairie + St Maurice?) In general, it might as well go the way of the Creditistes post-Real Caouette at this point.
Interesting to note, parenthetically, that the two ADQers who bolted to the Liberals, lost as Liberals. (Were they the only losing Liberal incumbents?)
Decades ago, before the Quiet Revolution, there was little public service to speak of. As soon as one class of serfs took over the manors, and built more, they kept the others out. Not all anglos lived in Westmount mansions.
The same goes for the private sector; lagatta herself admitted minorities are over-represented amongst the under-employed, Haitians in particular. That waste of potential is what we and they and all of us, need protection from.
To quote Mike Harris, the best social program is a job. (That would probably be where he and I part company, other than being WASPs; identity can be a marvelously nuanced thing in the right minds.) Ask my erstwhile Trinidadian partner and boss at the bilingual tutoring service I work for, with passion, preparing a rainbow coalition of young Quebecers for a reasonably accommodating future, what kind of "bigot" I am.
I'm just on this board for Quebec-bashing? That's inaccurate, as a cursory glance at my rabble record will show. I'm on this progressive board because I'm a progressive. Quebec a historically oppressed nation? Not since my parents' day, myself and not a few francophones would argue. We've come a long way, and yet the struggle continues.
If I'm an opponent of anything, it's of demonizing our adversaries.
Down with long posts!
But you are trying to, in mine. To the best of my research, I never said anglos are an "oppressed minority" in Quebec, just discriminated against. (You don't want to read Wikipedia's definition of oppression). We're certainly aggressed.


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School Board's Citizen Advisory Group picks 10 best superintendent candidates
Date: January 17, 2013
by: Josh Siegel | Staff Writer
The Manatee County School Board's Citizen Advisory Group determined its 10 preferred candidates for the district's next superintendent Tuesday afternoon.
The group of 20-plus community members narrowed the 28 applicants to 10 who they believe meet the board's criteria for its next superintendent.
A group vote, based solely on candidates applications, plus discussion, helped guide the decisions.
Now, the group will contact references before Jan. 30, when they will present their top five candidates to Wayne Blanton of the Florida School Boards Association.
Blanton will choose his own five candidates.
Then, Blanton and the citizens advisory group will reveal their choices to the school board, who also will have a top five.
The school board will make the ultimate hire.
The next Citizens Advisory Group meeting is at 6 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Professional Support Center.
Here are the 10 candidates chosen Tuesday:
Diana Greene, Ocala,
Pamela Stewart, Tallahassee
Constance Jones, Estero
Harry LaCava, Vero Beach
Edmond Heatley, Jonesboro, Ga
Rick Mills, Minneapolis, Minn
Kathyrn LeRoy, Jacksonville
Carey Wright, Washington, D.C.
Steven Cobb, Fort Wayne, Ind.
John Carvelli, Port St. Lucie
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22 Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance May Morning Express Networking Social - SCF "How SCF Supports Local Business"
7:30 am - 9:00 am - May
26 Tribute to Heroes Parade - Main St LWR
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm - May
28 Braden River Soccer Club Try-outs
6:00 pm - May
29 LWRBA May Membership Lunch
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Ranch rallies against cancer
East County residents will rally to fight cancer Saturday, May 18, as the American Cancer Society hosts its annual Lakewood Ranch Relay for Life event at the Lakewood Ranch YMCA. -
Barista pours on fun for daughters
State Road 70 Starbucks barista and East County resident Cyndee Vanderford showed her daughters the world of lattes and mochas for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day April 25. -
Troop plants Freedom's courtyard
Girls in Girl Scouts Junior Troop 181, at Freedom Elementary School, recently earned their Bronze Award by researching and planting the back of the school's courtyard.


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SoYoung Mother's Cooler Bags ... what more could you want than safe, healthy & fun?
Nothing makes a child feel more like a big kid than the first lunch box they can call their very own. Ours are made of coated linen and have a clean, modern feel with a palette of retro-inspired designs to suit every taste. Wear it backpack or messenger style for hands free adventure outings.
Why parents love SoYoung Mother lunch boxes:
- PVC-free, phthalate-free, and lead safe
- Coated linen exterior with fully insulated lining.
- Detachable long strap for wearing as messenger bag or backpack
- Adjustable carrying handle allows lunch box to be secured to another bag or hung from a stroller.
- Extra back pocket for cutlery, napkins, or artwork.
- Easy to clean! Wipe clean exterior, wash interior with warm soapy water.
Size: 10"L x 7"W x 4"H. Responsibly made in Asia.


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Dell makes it easy to deploy virtualization - so you can focus on the benefits
Dell's virtualization solutions include a broad range of industry-standard servers, scalable SAN arrays, and advanced virtualization software for virtualization and management. Dell solutions are tested and certified by our Virtualization Solutions engineering team before shipment, and in close collaboration with our virtualization partners, to help provide reliability out of the box.
Dell's Reference architectures result from rigorous testing of server, storage and software components to ensure a comprehensive Virtualization Solution suited to your business needs.
Dell works with hardware industry partners AMD, Intel, EMC, and software virtualization leaders including VMware, Microsoft, and Citrix to drive the evolution of virtualization standards. We also have extensive management partnerships - including Symantec, BMC, Microsoft, CommVault, Double-Take Software, PlateSpin, and Vizioncore - to offer wide choice and flexibility to build a tailored management solutions center around your operations.
Standards help to ensure ease of deployment, management and interoperability of virtualization solution components. And Dell can help you streamline the integration of virtualization technology into your existing environment so you can focus on the benefits.
Solutions from Dell balance performance and value to meet your requirements
With a broad range of products and services that deliver outstanding value - and strategic partners who provide industry expertise - Dell can help you achieve the full benefits of virtualization technology. Dell's "world-class" standards-based Virtualization Solutions provide:
Storage - Shared storage is a requirement for taking full advantage of the functionality enabled by virtualization, including workload management, high availability, and disaster recovery. Dell SAN arrays are designed to deliver the scalability and high availability that is essential for business-critical environments. Dell storage products include a wide range of Dell storage arrays, a variety of scalable backup devices, software, and remote copy and mirroring configurations.
Services - Dell provides complete virtualization consulting services that include infrastructure assessment, planning, training, and on-site installation and integration. Comprehensive ProSupport offers service-level options you can choose to fit your business priorities.
Software - Dell tests, integrates and supports server Virtualization Solutions that include virtualization software from partners VMware, Citrix and Microsoft in a variety of configurations.
Need more information? Contact your Dell account representative now.
Laptops | Desktop Computers | Business Laptops | Business Desktops | Workstations | Servers | Storage | Alienware | Ultrabooks | Monitors | Printers | LCD TVs, HD TVs & TV Accessories | Electronics & AccessoriesCopyright 1999-2013 Dell Inc. For Canadian customers only.Privacy : About Our Ads : Terms of Sale : Warranty and Service : Terms of Use : About Dell : Site Map : FeedbackAT | AU | BE | BR | CH | CL | CN | CO | DE | DK | ES | FR | HK | IE | IN | IT | JP | KR | MX | MY | NL | NO | PR | RU | SE | SG | UK | US | All


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Visiting StudentsApplying to the School of Law as a visiting student requires the following to be submitted by December 1 (for spring visitors) or July 1 (for fall visitors):
There is no application fee for visiting students. No action will be taken on a visiting student application until all of the above materials have been received. Faxed copies of any of the above documents are not acceptable and will not expedite the completion and review of your application.
Summer Visiting StudentsThe seven-week summer session normally runs from late May through late July. Applicants with advanced standing may be admitted to the summer program, at the discretion of the Committee on Admissions, on the following conditions:
Summer 2013 Visiting Student Brochure and Application
International StudentsIf an applicant has earned a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, in a foreign country, the Admissions Committee may, at its discretion, admit the applicant to the School of Law on the following conditions:
If you are accepted into the Law School and have entered the U.S on a B-1, B-2, or F-2 visia or in undocumented status, St. John's Law School cannot allow you to register for class until your visa status is changed to F-1 (International students with permission to enter the U.S. for academic purposes only). If you are not a permanent resident and plan to apply for F-1 student visa status (Form I-20), please select F-1 for Visa Type when completeing your application.
Additional information for International Students can be found on the website for International Student and Scholar Services Office.


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"Animal Aid's purpose is to both bring relief to suffering animals, and to awaken compassion among people. Showing everyone a path for action is where we begin."
~B & the Love Infinitely Team
"Animal Aid's purpose is to both bring relief to suffering animals, and to awaken compassion among people. Showing everyone a path for action is where we begin."
~B & the Love Infinitely Team
Now that we are officially 1 year old, we want to highlight some of the wonderful people who have supported us from the beginning. We'll be featuring a few amazing friends and find out why they were drawn to the project.
This week we meet super friend, Nicole Mathew from Indianapolis, Indiana. She is a content Administrator & Marketing Assistant by day; Freelance editor/writer by night.
"At Compassion Couture, we take a fashion-forward approach towards living an ethical lifestyle. All of our products are 100% animal friendly and are produced by labels that incorporate sustainability into their practices. Our mission is to find a balance between our values and our feminine passion for style."
Our Girls Who Are Changing the World this week are two sisters who are co-founders of the shop, Compassion Couture. Jill and Tracey are not just sisters but also best friends. When they realized that they weren't fulfilling their life's true purpose, they put their love of protecting the environment and compassion toward animals to work. In September they launched the fabulous online boutique! Jill describes their shop as, "a local start-up with the goal to make a difference in how the world views compassionate and ethical fashion." They only sell 100% vegan and eco-friendly handbags, shoes and accessories!
When Jill emailed me recently, I knew they would be a perfect fit in our Love Infinitely community. Their dedication to "making the biggest difference possible in the world" falls in line with we're doing beautifully. Showing our support for businesses that make a positive impact will change our world for the better.
"None of our items are made of any animal products at all and all of our brands incorporate sustainability into their practices – whether they reduce their carbon footprint at factories, are made of recycled materials, organic materials or sustain the local economies of developing countries!"
Keeping their eyes on current trends, they hand-pick every item sold in the shop. High quality shoes, bags, wallets, belts and other accessories that come some of our favorite vegan companies such as Beyond Skin, Matt & Nat and Olsen Haus. They are also out to educate consumers about the impact that items such as leather have on our environment. Their goal is to inform people that there are fashionable and high quality items out there that are also ethical.
"Most consumers are not aware of the detrimental effects of leather used for fashion and my sister and I want to make it clear that this is a huge issue; from the amount of energy and pollution it takes to create leather, as well as the inhumane way that animals are treated during entire leather-making process."
Those who promote an ethical lifestyle should definitely support Compassion Couture!
Visit Compassion Couture
Read their Compassion Forward Blog
Follow Compassion Couture on Twitter: @CompassionCtre
'Like' them on Facebook
Follow Love Infinitely on Twitter: @LoveInfinitelyP
**If you know a super rad girl that you would like to nominate for our 'Girls Who Are Changing the World' feature, send them to us at: firstname.lastname@example.com
The 3rd stop on the Fall Into Adventure outreach/research trip was Animal Aid Unlimited in Udaipur, Rajathan (India). It is an animal hospital and sanctuary for unowned street animals and home to more than 100 dogs, cows, bulls, donkeys, pigs, 2 tortoises, the occasional cat and 1 monkey named, Raju. I spent almost 3 full weeks here and it was the experience that changed me the most. So much happened in my time there that it's taken me a while to process it all…
I first visited Animal Aid in 2010 on a tour of Rajasthan. I only spent one day volunteering but I promised that I would come back again soon and stay for longer. I'm sure I surprised everyone (including myself) when I emailed Erika a few months ago letting her know of my plans to return. I expressed interest in working with children while I was there as well and we shot ideas back and forth through email for weeks. The ideas began to solidify and we decided on doing educational outreach with local school children. We hit roadblocks on the way to creating the program because most adults didn't understand what we were doing and why, but we made it work.
On the first day I met with Trudy who is the Volunteer Coordinator. We discussed what volunteers do, took a tour, met the animals and discussed the new program. She explained to me that it might be difficult to get children to Animal Aid and that we'd do our best to get kids for the program. (Adults, officials, principles and teachers don't understand why educational outreach with animals is important. Most of it has nothing to do with kids at all and is actually quite political.) We decided that it would be best for the first 2 or 3 days that I just learn the ropes and get to the know the animals. And as Trudy put it, 'pick out my dogs'. But they ended up picking me.
After a few days, I figured out the rhythm of the place. You can make your volunteer experience specialized to what you want to do. I talked to some of the other long term volunteers and realized that it is unique to each person. There are different areas of the hospital:
There are also the 'shelter dogs' (permanent residents, the official pets) which run around in their territories. One of the first rules I learned was to be EXTRA CAREFUL when opening and going through gates. Though all the dogs are friendly to people, they don't all like each other. Accidentally letting a dog through a gate could be an injury (or worse) waiting to happen. There's a lot of quibbling between the dogs as they are all 100% street dogs and incredibly territorial. Keeping everyone safe, human and animal, is the number 1 priority.
After just a few days I became very comfortable with the animals and found my own schedule. My first stop was (almost) always paralyzed. Saying hi to everyone, shifting around Jimmy Supa Fly so he was comfy and then sitting with Karl for a while. I'd usually sing (quite badly) to him. It was our time. Then I usually popped over to the mange puppy area to make sure their water was fresh and for some kisses and cuddles, then off to cattle to say hello to the herd. Checking on the severely injured (like Jigger) and petting the healthy ones. I would settle into lower puppy town towards the end of the day after all my other work was done.
There were always animals on the way in and on their way out on a daily basis. Once an animal has recovered from their injuries they are released back into the neighborhood in which they were found. Pets are a rare thing in India. Most people don't have animals as companions. If they have an animal (usually cows, buffalo, goats and donkeys) it is usually a working animal. Animal Aid works with street animals and since adoptions are rare, the animals are released back to their neighborhoods. The only animals that are not released are the paralyzed dogs, amputee/handicapped animals of any kind, donkeys and pigs.
Figuring out what the program with the children was going to be was a difficult task. We faced resistance from officials and started to mold it into an educational experience for one child from a local school every day. The program started a few days into my 1st week. The goal is to educate the younger generation on the beauty of animals and hope one day they will grow up to make India a better place for all creatures. Animal Aid sets a great example of compassion and kindness for street animals but the major change will come only by educating the future generations. Most kids (and adults) are afraid. We found that dogs and donkeys were the most feared by kids. (I'm most afraid of the abundance of black cobras…) We introduced them to the animals and talked about what being kind to all creatures meant to them.
Each day at noon (after chai time) Trudy would go pick up a child from the local school and we were off! I was given full freedom to create the program as I wished. Which was awesome! I love love LOVED being able to design something so amazing! Each child was a whole new experience tailored to their likes, dislikes, knowledge and fears. It was a truly heart and mind opening experience each time. I loved every child we got! And proved that at our most basic nature, we are kind and loving beings. I may have to post another blog just on this program because it was the beginning of something truly magical!
Something incredibly fun happened in my 2nd week; on a particularly crazy busy day, Trudy asked me if I could lead some of the tours as she was going to be doing other things. Heck yeah! Being a former Disney Performer and Stage Manager, I'm pretty good at being in front of an audience and leading tour groups. I had a ball! I loved every second of it! I kept being asked to do it after that day. Every time I got to lead a tour it was like someone had given me a birthday present! Everyone joked that I just needed to move to Udaipur and become the permanent Tour Leader. (I don't really think they were joking though…) I also got to help Trudy with Volunteer Coordinator duties and help the new volunteers find their way.
By the end of my stay I felt like I had really found my place at Animal Aid. Days were normally quite busy for all of us. Especially on days when I was the only volunteer, which were too many. On average there were usually only about 3 of us. The few days we had more than 4 volunteers were glorious! Having the extra bodies makes all the difference! Everything gets done and the energy is high! Those were my favorite days. The work also tends to be emotionally difficult and having people to talk to really helps. We need a group therapy session at the end of each day. There were a few days that were especially hard. Emergency situations that I had never found myself in before. Life or death stuff… (That could be an entire post unto itself as well.) But there were also days that were just a dream.
I have a REALLY AWESOME follow up to how we can all get involved in helping Animal Aid without leaving the house, but I'm still working on the details. I will unveil my grand plan soon. But it's all part of a bigger mission: to create awareness for Animal Aid and get MORE volunteers. As amazing as their staff is, they need bodies. For a day, a week, or a month. I want to take on the official role of coordinating volunteers and volunteer trips for them. I have so much information and knowledge after this, I would be happy to be the person that points the way.
This is just a teeny tiny bit of my 3 weeks of work and there is SO MUCH MORE but I will have to save some for future posts. I made some amazing friends and fell in love over and over with all the animals. I miss everyone every day; the staff, volunteers and my animals. I wonder how everyone is doing. I especially miss Trudy, Kamla and Dhapu since I worked with them the most.
I'm already planning my return trip and if anyone is interested in going please, email me! Whether with me or on your own, I can tell you everything and organize your trip down to the last detail! How to get there, where to stay, transportation to and from the hospital, what to expect, where to eat, etc., This is exactly what Love Infinitely Project is here for. I'll even help you fundraise to pay for your trip. Eventually, LIP will be able to pay for partial and full trips to places like Animal Aid. In the meantime, we can help guide the way!
Visit Animal Aid's website here: http://www.animalaidunlimited.org
Click here for their Facebook Page.
The photo gallery from my time at Animal Aid is here: http://fallintoadventure.shutterfly.com/pictures/708
Get involved!


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Not many artists have become as deeply ingrained in modern culture as Orson Welles. By way of illustration I offer Peter Jackson's 1994 release, "Heavenly Creatures" in which our man appears as a fiction that is not only himself, but himself playing fictional Harry Lime from "The Third Man" in a film that is both a somewhat fictionalized and yet a very "real" telling of actual events. As a result, the "Welles as Welles as Lime" device fits perfectly into the moebius strip of fantasy and reality that Jackson, no doubt, intended to concoct.
With that in mind, I thought it might be interesting to open a modest little thread about OW, not just as an artist, but also as a character in his own right. That said - and continuing with the "Heavenly Creatures" example, I thought it might be fun to layer the discussion even further by searching for info on the story behind the use of OW in the film. Those efforts brought me to the following source, wherein the actor who played Welles cast in the film recounts how he came to be cast in the role. (And it was with no lack of pride that I discovered him to be a fellow Canadian.)
Here's part of his story, for those interested (and here's a link to the website from which the following excerpt has been lifted):
Behind the Scenes: Details and tidbits from Jean Guerin
From: firstname.lastname@example.com (Jean Guerin)
Subject: Re: A Question for It
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 13:44:10 -0400
>How did you get the part?
I was intending to put my intro together, but things kept cropping up. As I'm getting the above question a lot. I should take the time to answer at least that:
For starters, I can tell you about the motives behind the use of "The Third Man". The scene itself is directly pulled from Pauline's diary- it is the night they first made love. On that night they went to see "Trent's Last Case" (1954- British Lion Films). However, Welles makeup in that film makes him unrecogniseable. Peter decided to use "The Third Man" because that was the film where Welles first appeared without any makeup and therefore would be more recogniseable.
Jackson's original idea was to digitally "cut" Orson out of the footage of "The Third Man" and "paste" him onto "Heavenly Creatures". That, however caused some technical limitations (they would be resticted to moves Orson did in the original film). He decided on using a lookalike but casting calls in London, Australia and NZ returned nothing.
It was while attending a film festival in Montreal, Canada back in October 1992 that I first met with Peter and Fran. I was working PR for the festival and had volunteered my car and my services as chauffeur to the various guests. It was Fran Walsh who broke the ice and first mentionned my resemblance to OW. I was literally "discovered" by Jackson and Walsh.
When Peter left at the end of the festival, he still wasn't sure if the scene was going to be included or not. He said: "If we need an Orson, You're it". And mentioned that I should get news before the holidays.
The holidays went by and I sort of put it out of my mind thinking this was too good to be true. Then, on one evening in february (1993), the phone rang and my (ex-) girlfriend picked it up and handed it to me saying it was: someone with a british accent. It was Peter asking if I "wouldn't mind coming down to NZ and being Orson". I first thought someone was playing a cruel joke on me but it was Peter's unmistakeable voice.
Three months later I was in Christchurch, living a dream and falling in love with the film as well as becoming really intrigued by the case. I was fortunate enough to be there during the shooting of a lot of great scenes. If I wasn't on the set all the time, I would still get to see the rushes every night. I remember screening the murder shots and the "dancing half
naked thru the woods" scenes in the same night and being struck by the genius of such a contrast.
The irony of it all is that I was already a fan of Jackson as well as a lifelong Welles nut. I am a writer and critic in Montreal and always had a secret ambition to act. Being part of HC was a tailor made fantasy for me as it would have been my favorite movie of 1994 in any case.
Since then, I've appeared in two more films, as yet unreleased. I play a doctor in "Frankenstein & Me" a kid's movie starring Burt Reynolds due out this summer in Canada. I also played "Orson/Harry Lime" again, this time as a "detective's conscience" in "La Vengeance de la Femme en Noir" a french-canadian comedy due out this fall. I lost a bit of weight since HC, leaving my face more square (and, I am told, more handsome) so they had to pad my face out with prosthetics.


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Written by Jeff Mackey
We're tickled countless shades of pink to report that NYX Cosmetics has affirmed its commitment to producing 100 percent cruelty-free cosmetics by pledging not to sell its products in China until animal tests are no longer required there for makeup and personal-care items. To applaud the company's commendable choice to stay out of this large consumer market so that not even one animal will be harmed for its products, PETA has given NYX Cosmetics our Courage in Commerce Award.
We hope NYX won't have to wait too long before marketing in China. Thanks to training and outreach partially funded by PETA, China is poised to begin accepting its first-ever in-vitro (non-animal) test for cosmetics ingredients soon. In the meantime, though, the only way into the Chinese cosmetics market is over the dead bodies of animals.
Unlike corporations that sell out animals in hopes of a larger market share (or refuse to say whether they pay for animal testing or not), NYX Cosmetics and other principled cosmetics and personal-care companies, including Paul Mitchell and Urban Decay, are making ethical conduct a top priority, and they deserve our support.
What You Can Do
Ready to change your look? Starting your holiday shopping? Before you hit the stores, make sure you're not buying into cruelty by checking PETA's list of companies that don't test on animals—it's the numero uno resource for up-to-date info on cruelty-free businesses.
By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us.
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail email@example.com. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
Follow PETA on Twitter!


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There is an obvious reason why you should buy a home insurance policy. By having an insurance policy protect your house, you have protected your house building, your belongings, and your property that you have inside your house from loss. If something bad, such as burglar's raid or natural disaster, occurs, you won't have to worry about your obligation to compensate for the damage because it has been covered by the insurance company from which you buy the insurance. If you reside in Maryland, you can have your home protected thoroughly by an insurance policy if you buy it from a trustable Maryland insurance agency.
However, to make your insurance application and claim manageable, there are many things that you need to consider before purchasing an insurance policy from an insurance agency. First, you have to make sure that the agency from which you buy the insurance is trustable. You can make sure that an agency is reputable and trustable by inquiring all available resources. You can rely on words of mouth, friends' recommendations, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' rating, and online reviews and testimonials made by agency's clients. After finding an agency that you can trust, you can start inspecting all available cheap home insurance quotes so you can purchase an insurance policy whose price is reasonable. You can then compare quotes offered by different agencies and choose one which you consider the most reasonable and gainful.
In addition to checking the agency and the quotes that it offers, you can also modify your house so you can get cheaper insurance policy. You can start by improving your home security. Install necessary security equipment such as alarm system and direct telephone call to a law enforcement office. You should also improve your home safety by installing such safety equipment as fire extinguishers and water sprinklers. By improving your home safety and security, you can get better price when you buy a home insurance policy.