Training Opportunities for Environmental Planners

Virginia Environmental Professionals Organization

The following information is provided for all environmental professionals and interested parties throughout Virginia.  To contribute announcements to the weekly VAEPO news bulletin, please email info@vaepo.org.  All compiled information is also available on our web site at http://vaepo.org.

Upcoming ASCE Webinars from Wetlands Studies and Solutions, Inc.
Stream Restoration: What Works and What Doesn't Work – Jan. 22 (2:00-3:00pm)

Public Outreach Video Series from Excal Visual LLP
This video series discusses illicit discharge detection and elimination (IDDE) for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4). It's designed to allow MS4s to use multiple media to reach out to the public on IDDE.  The series can be used for community TV public service announcements (PSAs), for loading on city web sites and for disk copies that can be distributed to schools, public service organizations and others.  View the video series.

This information is courtesy of the Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC):

Water Quality Improvement Plan Public Meeting -- Jan. 28 (6:30 PM) -- Fries, VA
A draft water quality improvement plan for reducing agricultural and residential sources of bacteria in Cripple Creek (Smyth & Wythe Counties) and Elk Creek (Grayson County) will be presented at this meeting. To learn more, please see the meeting details or contact Patrick Lizon with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality at Patrick.Lizon@deq.virginia.gov or 276-676-4803.

EPA’s Long-Term Vision for TMDL Program
The 303(d) Program requires states to develop lists of impaired waters, establish priority rankings for waters on the lists, and develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for these waters. This new program vision enhances overall efficiency of the 303(d) program, and encourages attention to priority waters.  It provides states flexibility in using available tools beyond TMDLs to attain water quality restoration and protection. Accountability will be ensured through a new CWA 303(d) program measure for FY 15 for tracking success in implementing these efforts that restore and protect the nation’s streams, rivers and lakes. Whereas the vision provides a new framework for implementing the CWA 303(d) program, it does not alter state and EPA responsibilities or authorities under the CWA 303(d) regulations. To learn more, visit the EPA's web site.

Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI) Regional Sessions --

     Registration deadline: Feb. 27; Institute: Apr. 23-25 -- Southwest Virginia
     Registration deadline: Apr. 10; Institute: Jun. 4-5 -- Charlottesville

This program is for emerging leaders confronted with pressing natural resource issues who seek new skills in conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving. Includes a mix of mini-lectures, experiential exercises, stakeholder panel discussions and field trips. Please visit VNRLI's web site  or register here. For more information, contact Melissa Herlitz at  434-924-6569 or mak2ye@virginia.edu. VNRLI is a partnership between the University of Virginia’s Institute for Environmental Negotiation, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the Virginia Department of Forestry.

Virginia Institute of Marine Science Discovery Labs -- Gloucester Point, VA
Each lab focuses on a specific topic through a series of stations that provide hands-on activities for kids and adults. Discovery Labs are free, but registration is required.  Registration forms are available for the current month's lab only.

Feb. 18 -- Deep Sea
Mar. 18 -- Wetlands
Apr. 15 -- Antarctica
Jun. 10 -- Horseshoe Crabs
Jul. 15 -- Turtles
Aug. 19 -- Scallops
Oct. 21 -- Mad Lab

To learn more or to register, see the VIMS web site . For more information, contact Sarah Nuss at mcguire@vims.edu or 804-684-7878.

Nominations Sought: National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) Awards -- Nominations due: Jan. 31; Conference: Apr. 28-May 2 -- Cincinnati, OH
Awards will be presented at the 2014 NWQMC Conference.  Individual recognitions will be given through the Elizabeth Fellows and Barry Long Awards.  Group recognition will be given through the Vision Award.  To learn more about these awards, visit NWQMC web site and click the links to the right under “Awards.” For more information, contact Cathy Tate at cmtate@usgs.gov.


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