Class Details

Introduction

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 has developed a manual, Integrating Water and Waste Programs to Restore Watersheds; A Guide for Federal and State Project Managers. The purpose of this manual is to help EPA better integrate assessment and cleanup activities across its programs when addressing the unique challenges presented by contaminated watersheds. This manual will help staff make the best use of the resources and authorities offered by EPA’s existing waste and water programs.

The goals of this training workshop are to:

• Introduce the manual and its focus on bringing together resources across programs 
• Bring together EPA staff from multiple office programs 
• Present the benefits of using a cross-programmatic approach to watershed planning 
• Educate attendees about the existing resources and tools available from other programs 
• Encourage program managers to approach hazardous waste problems at a watershed scale 
• Use a pilot watershed from each region (the East Fork Carson River Watershed for Region 9) to help project managers to: 
  • Identify opportunities for integration between programs 
  • Learn how using the manual can benefit their programs 
    

Training Approach and Format

This two-day training workshop includes a combination of lecture, group discussion, and hands-on work using the East Fork Carson River Watershed as a pilot watershed for use during the Region 9 training workshop. Using actual watersheds within each region will enable participants to work with real data, identify real stakeholders, and continue to build on the work they start in the workshop.

Characteristics of pilot watersheds

Ideally the selected pilot watershed should include many if not all of the following characteristics:

Minimum Basin Requirements:

• Inclusion on the state’s 303(d) list of impaired waters
• A CERCLA NPL site

Additional potential characteristics:

• At least two sites at which CERCLA removal actions have been taken.
• A mix of identified source and non-point sources causing or contributing to impairment
• One or more Brownfield sites as identified by either EPA or the state
• An existing stakeholder group, or a history of local efforts to coordinate cleanups and/or restoration

Background information on the pilot watersheds as well as checklists and worksheets will be developed as companion materials to the manual to help show the users how to apply the concepts from the manual.

Participants

Participants will be invited from the EPA, tribal and state programs as well as other federal agencies working (or with potential to be involved) in the watershed.

Audience

While most of the participants will be EPA Water and Waste program staff, it is important to include other members of the community who will be involved in developing the watershed clean-up and restoration plan. These participants could include the following:

• Watershed organizations
• Tribes
• Local agency staff
• Regional laboratories
• Local universities

Open only to staff of EPA Region 9 and EPA Headquarters; State of California and State of Nevada water and waste program staff, California Water Quality Board, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Department of Fish and Game, and Nevada Depart of Wildlife; Washoe Tribal government environmental offices; other appropriate Federal agency representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service; and local representatives, conservation districts, and other selected invitees.

Radisson Hotel Sacramento
500 Leisure Ln.
Sacramento, CA
http://www.radisson.com/sacramentoca