# Presentation: 129795

## Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA)

- Lessons Learned
- &
- Strategic Policy Questions

## MAIA

- Background
- Region 3 Geographic Initiative
- Initiated in 1990
- ORD Partnership
- $ 2 million per year
- 15-20 FTEs
- Region 3 Steering Committee - Division Directors

## MAIA Challenge

- Challenge Questions
- What Are The 7 Lessons MAIA Has Learned Over The Past 10 Years ?
- What Management Insights Are Gained From These Lessons Learned ?
- What Are The Possible Policy Questions for Region 3 Managers ?

## Lessons Learned

- The Good News:
- Major Success on Targeted Pollutants
- Air - Criteria Pollutants Mostly Controlled
- Water - DO, Nutrients, Toxics, F. coliforms
- Delaware Bay
- Chesapeake Bay
- Potomac River
- Hazardous Waste Site Clean Ups

## Lessons Learned

- The Bad News:
- Science Findings:  If the Goal  Is -
-  Safe and Sustainable Environment for Humans and Other Living Organisms
-                       We Are Not Reaching It

## Lessons Learned

- Living Organisms Are Stressed Throughout The Region
- Benthic Organisms
- Fish
- Tree Crown Die-Back
- Birds

## Lessons Learned

**Estuarine Benthic Community Index of Condition**

## Lessons Learned

**Benthic Insect Scores for Pennsylvania Streams**

## Lessons Learned

**Susquehanna Watershed Stream Fish IBI**
**Community Scores**

## Lessons Learned

**MD Combined Fish & Benthic Community Scores**

## Lessons Learned

**Mid-Atlantic Highland Fish Index of Biotic Integrity**

## Lessons Learned

**Mid-Atlantic Highland Bird Community Scores****.**

## Lessons Learned

- Birds, Ecological Condition and Land Use/Land Cover Are All Clearly Linked
- Good and Excellent Bird Community Associated with >85% Forest  in the Watershed
- Poor Bird Community Associated with < 30% Forest in the Watershed
- Poor Bird Community Also:
-  When Agriculture >60% of the Watershed, or
- When Urban >30% of the Watershed

## Lessons Learned

- Biological Indicators Integrate Chemistry, Habitat, Pathogens and Other Stressors
- Chemistry Does Not Provide A Complete Picture of Environmental Condition

## Lessons Learned

**Ranking of Mid-Atlantic Hjghland Stressors**

## Lessons Learned

- Stressors Result From:
- Point Sources
- Nonpoint Sources
- Atmospheric Deposition
- Hazardous Wastes

## Lessons Learned

- Cumulative Impacts Require Integrated Approaches
- Can’t Fix Biology Without Every Program Doing Its Share
- Fish Contaminants
- Acid Mine Drainage
- Acidic Deposition
- Nutrient Loading

## Lessons Learned

- Habitat Loss and Degradation is A Major Environmental Stressor in the Region
- East - Urban Sprawl
- West - Resource Extraction (Broadest Form - Timber Harvest, Mining, etc.)
- Forest Fragmentation Leads to Habitat Degradation

## Lessons Learned

- Mid-Atlantic Forests Have Greatest Interior Temperate Deciduous Forest Area In The World
- Current Mid-Atlantic Land Cover
- 70% Forest Cover
- 25% Agriculture
- 2% Urban/Disturbed Areas
- 3% Other

## Lessons Learned

- State of Maryland
- Urbanization Is Greatest Stressor To Biota In         MD Streams
- < 5% Impervious Area = 15% of Sites Rated Good
- 5-10% Impervious Area = 10% of Sites Rated Good
- 10-15% Impervious Area = 4% Good Sites
- >15% Impervious Area = 0% Good Sites
- Need Better Planning and Ecological Engineering of Watersheds

## Lessons Learned

- Forest Fragmentation Is Wide-Spread Throughout The Region
- About 20% Of The Watersheds In The Mid-Atlantic Have Forest Habitat That Is Suitable for Wide-Ranging Animals Like Bear
- About 33% of the Watersheds Have Forest Habitat That Is Suitable for Moderate-Ranging Animals Like Turkeys

## Lessons Learned

- Non-Indigenous Invasive Species Are A Major Problem in the Mid-Atlantic
- Non-native Fish In 32% of Highland Stream Miles
- Non-native Fish in 44%  of PA Stream Miles
- Gypsy Moths Defoliated Over 2 Million Acres of Trees in Last 5 Years
- Chestnut Blight Wiped Out Chestnut Trees

## Management Insights

- Integrated Environmental Management Needed
- Media by Media; Program by Program Management Is Not Protecting Living Organisms and Habitat
- Need Better Planning and Ecological Engineering of Watersheds

## Management Insights

- Need Better Biological Monitoring and Reporting
- Biological Indicators Integrate Chemistry, Habitat, Pathogens and Other Stressors

## Strategic Policy Questions

***IF***  Management Insights Accepted:
- Are We Using Biology ***and *** Chemistry To Drive Environmental Management Programs ?  How Can We Improve ?
- Does EPA Have A Role In Protecting The Remaining Mid-Atlantic Forests ?

## Strategic Policy Questions

***IF***  Management Insights Accepted:
- What More Can EPA Do To Protect Habitat ?
- How Can EPA Become More Involved In Planning and Ecological Engineering To Restore And Protect Watersheds ?

## Communication & Partnerships

- What Is The Region 3 Message To Stakeholders And The Public On These Findings ?
- What Should EPA’s Role Be In Developing Partnerships To Address These Issues ?
- Who Are These Partners ?

## MAIA - Next Steps

- Refine The Message With OEC
- Integrate These Themes Into Regional Strategic Planning
- Continue Program Office Interactions For Specific  Programmatic Activities To Implement Integrated Environmental Management

## Near-Term Products

- MD State of the Streams Report
- Mid-Atlantic Highlands Streams Report
- Mid-Atlantic Highlands Bird Community Index Report
- State of the Forests Report
- Agricultural Status Update

## Near-Term Products

- Mid-Atlantic Regional Assessment - Global Climate Change
- Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment

## MAIA in the 21st Century

- Partnership with Divisions
- Partnerships with Other Stakeholders
- Biological and Landscape Monitoring at All Scales
- Integrated Environmental Science for Integrated Environmental Management
- Convert Information to Knowledge for Management Decisions