January 2005 

It gives me great pleasure to share with you the Office ofWetlands, Oceans andWatersheds’

Dear Ben:

(OWOW’s)Annual Report for 2004, which details our most significant achievements over the

last twelve months. As you can see, it’s been a highly successful and productive year here in 

I attribute OWOW’s successes to a highly motivated group of managers and staff. They come

OWOW.

to work everyday believing in EPA’s mission and strive to do their best on behalf of the environment and theAmerican people. To support them, I am doing my best to provide a “healthy

. habitat” for all who work here in OWOW

I am proud to lead such a high performing office, and I look forward to reporting next year on

our continued progress toward meeting ourAgency’s strategic goals of clean and safe water. 

Sincerely, 

Diane Regas, Director

Office ofWetlands, Oceans andWatersheds 
Contents

Wetlands Protection and Restoration

National Wetlands Policy Forum..................................................................................4

President’s 2004 Earth Day Announcement................................................................4

Interagency Mitigation Action Plan ..........................................................................5

SWANCC............................................................................................................................6

Wetlands Grant Program................................................................................................6

Partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers...........................................................6

American Wetlands Month.............................................................................................6

Section 404 “Hot Cases”.................................................................................................6

Section 404 Streamlining................................................................................................6

Monitoring and Assessment

National Coastal Condition Report.............................................................................7

Wadeable Streams Assessment......................................................................................7

Enviromapper for Water.................................................................................................8

Modernized STORET.......................................................................................................8

National Water Quality Monitoring Conference......................................................8

Mercury Deposition Modeling Technique...................................................................9

Watershed Management

Watershed Management Partnership Agreement..................................................... ..9

Water Quality Trading Manual............................................................................ ........9

Targeted Watershed Grants............................................................................................10

Total Maximum Daily Loads.........................................................................................11

Low Impact Development Site Design.........................................................................11

Watershed Management Council...................................................................................12

Strategic Planning............................................................................................................12

After the Storm Television Program..............................................................................13

OMB PART Exercise..............................................................................................13

Linking Girls to the Land Partnership..........................................................................13

Urban River s Initiative..................................................................................................14

Ocean & Coastal Protection

OSV-Bold Ocean Survey Vessel........................................................................................15

Vessel Discharges................................................................................................................15

Best Management Practives for Reefs.............................................................................16

National Estuary Programs..............................................................................................16

National Estuaries Day.....................................................................................................17

No Discharge Zones Final Report....................................................................................17

Handbook on Community-Based Watershed Management.....................................18

National Dredging Team....................................................................................................18

Smart Growth......................................................................................................................18

Oceans Report, Coral Reefs, and Invasive Species........................................................19

London Dumping Convention...........................................................................................20

Diversity Action Team.......................................................................................................20

Cover photos by James McIntrye and Elinor Osborn 

Other photos courtesy of the Natural Resource Conservation Service 
National Wetlands Policy Forum 

Wetlands Protection and Restoration 

I

n June 2004, EPA reconvened a high level and 

diverse array of interests that worked on the 

National Wetlands Policy Forum over 15 years 

ago. The symposium, chaired by former EPA 

Administrator William R. Reilly, brought together 

a diverse group of local, state, federal, and tribal 

officials and leaders of environmental groups and 

businesses, largely reflecting the original Forum 

composition. The Symposium generated a productive dialogue and identified common ground 

for making progress on wetlands data and information management, large scale restoration 

projects, wetlands restoration planning on a watershed scale, and regulatory refinements. 

In addressing the Symposium, EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt noted that “Environmental 

progress is a generational relay. Our job is not to 

run our leg, but to pick up the pace...” and invited ideas on how to achieve gains of wetlands 

in the United States, which the original Forum 

had recommended as a long-term national goal. 

President’s 2004 Earth Day

Announcement

EPA/OWOW contributed to the formulation 

of the President’s Earth Day 2004 announcement to restore, improve, and protect at 

least three million additional acres of wetlands 

over the next five years. EPA strongly supports 

this commitment, which goes beyond “no net loss” 

and calls for additional partnerships with federal, 

state, local, and private entities to meet the 

President’s goal of increasing the quantity and 

quality of wetlands nationwide. 

EPA’s “Five-Star Restoration” grant program, the 

Section 319 non-point source grant program, and 

the National Estuary Program are among thirty 

"Environmental progress is a generational relay. Our job is not to run our leg, 

but to pick up the pace..." 

EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt 

National Wetlands Policy Forum 

On Earth Day, the Administration announced a 

commitment to restore, improve, and protect at least 

three million additional acres of wetlands by 2009. 

Photo by James McIntyre. 

different programs cited by the Administration 

to help to realize this ambitious goal. Other federal wetlands programs include: USDA’s 

Swampbuster program, the Fish and Wildlife 

Service’s “Partners in Wildlife” program, the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Coastal Wetlands 

Restoration Program and the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, composed of the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, the Administrator of EPA, and Members of Congress. 

4
Interagency National 

Mitigation Action Plan 

tion Service, and the Department of TransportaWetlands Protection and Restoration 

Subsequent to critiques from the National 

Academy of Science and the General Accounting 

Office questioning the effectiveness of wetlands 

mitigation programs, EPA and other Federal resource agencies developed an Interagency National Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) in December 2002. The MAP commits EPA, the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, the Natural Resource Conservation to complete 17 tasks by the end of 2005 to 

improve the ecological performance and results 

of compensatory mitigation for wetlands and 

other aquatic resources under the Clean Water 

Act (CWA). The CWA Section 404 permitting program requires that unavoidable wetland losses 

be offset through wetlands enhancement, creation, restoration, or preservation, but GAO and 

NAS challenged the success of various federal 

programs in effectively compensating for authorized wetlands losses. 

The Wetlands and Aquatic Resource’s National 

Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) Interagency Team, 

led by EPA, has realized outstanding progress in 

the completion of numerous MAP tasks, which 

include improved data collection and availability, clarification of performance standards, improved accountability, and integration of mitigation efforts within a watershed context. To date, 

eight of the 17 tasks have been completed, one is 

currently being finalized, three are undergoing 

external review, and work has been initiated on 

the five remaining tasks. Four products were completed in FY04 and a solid foundation was laid 

for the most difficult remaining task—watershed 

guidance—through a successful stakeholder foEPA hosts an interagency web site that provides information about the Mitigation Action Plan at http:// 

www.mitigationactionplan.gov/. Photo by Corey 

Michael. 

rum in Tampa Florida in September 2004. Other 

actions completed in 2004 include: a Stream Mitigation Protocol Compendium and an Analysis of 

Mitigation Performance Standards Research. 

For more information, see 

http://www.mitigationactionplan.gov/. 

Photo by Jay Osenkowski 

5 
! 

I

SWANCC 

American Wetlands Month – 

It Pays to Save Wetlands decision’s implications for jurisdictional decisions 

n 2004, EPA initiated a thematic change in 

Wetlands Protection and Restoration 

OWOW continues to provide leadership 

on complex efforts resulting from the 

Supreme Court’s ruling in Solid Waste 

Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers (SWANCC), which removed 

federal regulatory protection of certain isolated 

wetlands. OWOW is emphasizing the importance of good science, strategic analysis, and comprehensive review of the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking comments regarding the 

under the Clean Water Act. For more information, see http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/ 

guidance/SWANCC. 

Wetlands Grants Program

I

n 2004, EPA effectively worked with Regions, 

states and tribes to revamp the Wetlands 

Grants Program to an environmental outcome-based program. Our $5-$8 million annual 

investment in state and tribal programs will be 

targeted to meet environmental goals tied to increasing the quality and quantity of the nation’s 

wetlands. EPA successfully resolved complicated 

issues involving wetland grant authorities, competition policy, and grants administration. For 

more information, visit 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/grantpilot/ 

Partnership with Army Corps of

Engineers on Wetlands Permits

For the first time, EPA and the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers jointly held a three day 

national workshop with field and headquarters staff that resulted in significantly strengthening our partnership for co-administering the 

Section 404 Clean Water Act program. 

American Wetlands Month to: “It pays to save 

wetlands,” to respond to EPA Water Division 

Directors recommendations intended to broaden 

support for wetlands protection. EPA rolled out 

the new theme in May 2004 and initiated projects 

to support the new theme (e.g., fact sheets, developers guide) for future years. For more information, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/awm/. 

Section 404 “Hot Cases”

EPA effectively managed contentious Clean 

Water Act Section 404 cases and issues by 

working effectively with the Regions, the 

Corps of Engineers, and other headquarters offices to achieve resolutions that reflect good science, sound analysis and compliance with Clean 

Water Act regulations, guidance and policy. 

Section 404 Streamlining 

OWOW worked constructively with other 

federal agencies to identify procedural 

changes for federal reviews of projects 

to shorten decision timeframes and make efficient use of data and analyses, while maintaining environmental standards. 

6
National Coastal Condition Report 

The draft of the second National Costal Conditions Report II (NCCR) was 

issued for public comment in March 2004, and a final report was released 

on January 13, 2005. This report is the second in a series, and it describes 

the ecological and environmental conditions in U.S. coastal waters. It 

grams that assess coastal ecological and water quality conditions. The 

Monitoring and Assessment 

also highlights several exemplary Federal, State, Tribal, and local proNCCR II represents a coordinated effort among EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and coastal States. Like the first Report released in 2001, this report rates the overall condition of U.S. coastal waters as fair 

to poor, varying from region to region. For more information about the NCCR, visit 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr2/.

Also, the National Marine Debris Monitoring Network is collecting data on types of debris found 

in coastal waters. This statistically-sound program has begun to yield results that can be analyzed 

to determine the most common sources of debris in different parts of the country, allowing for 

better management of those sources. For more information on marine debris, visit 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris. In addition, OWOW is continuing to work with States 

on air deposition monitoring and assessment. For more information on that effort, visit 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/airdep. 

Wadeable Streams Assessment 

I

n 2004, EPA and thirty six state water quality agencies conducted a 

Wadeable Streams Assessment, a first-ever ecological assessment of 

wadeable streams throughout the United States. Using a statisticallyvalid sample survey design, state water quality agencies sampled seven 

hundred randomly selected sites representing streams in regions with 

similar ecological characteristics. All participants used a common biologically-based protocol and followed a comprehensive quality assurance program and data management system. This is the first time a national monitoring study of streams has been conducted using this standardized approach. 

Once the data analysis is completed in 2005, the Wadeable Stream Assessment will provide a 

status report on the condition and health of small streams of the U.S. In addition, the survey is 

helping strengthen State capacity for monitoring and assessment and improve the comparability and integration of State monitoring and assessment methods. For more information see: 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/wsa/index.html 

7 
Monitoring Conference 

I

mapping tool that offers 

quality data. For example, one can quickly 

mation about uses asstates (e.g., fishing, 

that are impaired and do 

not support their assigned uses, the reasons 

paired (e.g., types of polI(short for “storage and retoring data from state and federal environmental agencies, 

tershed organizations. Users 

can now quickly and easily navigate STORET to access, upload, 

logical and physical data. 

For more information see: 

http://www.epa.gov/storet/. 

A Modernized STORET 

Monitoring and Assessment 

National Water Quality 

n 2004, EPA completed a multi-year 

effort to develop 

EnviroMapper for Water 

v.3.0, a powerful new 

a Web-based connection 

to a wealth of water 

map and display inforsigned to local waters by 

swimming, etc), waters 

those waters are imn 2004, EPA made tremendous 

improvements to STORET 

trieval),” the nation’s central repository for water quality moniuniversities, and volunteer waand download water quality, bioEnviroMapper for Water 

lutants), monitoring data, beach closure information, and the location of dischargers and non-point 

source projects. EnviroMapper for Water allows 

maps to be viewed at the national, regional, state 

or local levels. Through EnviroMapper for Water, 

advanced technology is now accessible to the public and our partners in a way that puts water quality data information at people’s fingertips. As a 

result of these efforts, EPA, our partners and the 

public have a powerful new way to understand 

multiple impacts on local and Regional water 

quality, and to plan effective approaches to address water quality challenges. 

http://www.epa.gov/waters/enviromapper/ 

index.html. 

8

Over 425 people attended the 

Fourth National Monitoring Conference 

on May 17-20, 2004 in Chattanooga, TN. 

The conference, sponsored by the National Water Quality Monitoring Council, provided an outstanding opportunity for representatives from 

state, federal and local agencies; other nations; 

volunteer monitoring organizations; and 

academia to participate in technical programs and 

training, share successes, discuss common issues, 

and network with colleagues in the water monitoring community. Conference themes included 

promoting collaborative monitoring efforts; exploring new and emerging methods and technologies; addressing changing expectations of monitoring; ensuring data and information comparability; and sharing results and successes. Conference abstracts, posters, and powerpoint presentations, along with summaries of discussions and 

recommendations from the conference, will be 

posted within the next few weeks at 

http://www.nwqmc.org. 
In a first-of-its kind application, OWOW produced 

Partnership Agreement 

O

Mercury Deposition 

Modeling 

Watershed Management 

Watershed Management 

n November 19, 2004, the EPA and the U.S. 

Technique 

EPA/OWOW pioneered the development 

and application of a sophisticated atmospheric deposition modeling technique to 

identify a given state’s contribution to air loads. 

Thanks to OWOW’s input, the Regulatory Modeling System for Aerosols and Deposition 

(REMSAD) was modified to allow treatment of 

individual emission sources, source regions, and/ 

or source categories of mercury as though they 

were distinct pollutants. This procedure can determine the relative contributions from among 

numerous sources in a single model run, thus saving both time and financial resources. 

a map for each of the lower 48 states that identified areas receiving the most mercury deposition 

from in-state sources. This map will help states 

determine where their own control strategies can 

be most effective. This cross-media work in air 

and water not only is contributing original scientific information, but also opening new opportunities for technical, practical, and policy applications to improve environmental protection and 

human health. For more information see: http:// 

www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/madpp.html 

Total Maximum Daily Loads Army Corps of Engineers signed the 

Watershed Management Partnership 

Agreement to promote watershed health, economic sustainability and community vitality 

through effective management of the Nation’s 

watersheds. This partnership builds on existing 

EPA and USACE efforts and will employ innovative approaches to support watershed restoration, 

stewardship and management. For more information about the agreement, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/watersheds/ 

partnership 

I

n 2004, OWOW published 

Handbook

The Water Quality Trading Assessment New Water Trad-

, a new document to help water quality managers and water 

Water Quality Trading Manual 

ing Manual

shed stakeholders determine if trading can be used in their watershed 

to make cost-effective pollutant reductions that achieve water quality standards. Using a hypothetical river basin, the booklet illustrates an analytical framework that can be used in any watershed to evaluate the conditions and water quality problem(s) and determine if water quality trading might effectively address local conditions. The manual is posted at: 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/trading/handbook/ 

9 
Watershed Management 

Targeted Watersheds Grants

10 

Tprovides needed resources to watershed organizations whose restoration plans set clear goals 

and objectives with special consideration given to 

water quality monitoring, innovative technologies, 

market incentives, results-oriented strategies, and 

strong community support. Since 2003, more 

than $28 million has been provided to support 

these community-driven approaches to clean 

mental results though this new competitive grant 

program, including the return of native fisheries, 

cleaner lakes, and enhanced recreational opportunities. For example, the Bayou Bartholomew 

Alliance, a recipient of the first round of grants—is building on past successes to improve 

in decades. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative. 

TWG Capacity Building Grants

Aprovide support to smaller watershed organizations by enhancement of national tools, 

shed issues. 

shed plans and monitoring strategies. 

sheds. For example in Ohio, the Kent Environmental Council and the Friends of the Crooked 

civic groups to reach a consensus agreement regarding the modification of the Kent Dam. This 

and biotic integrity of the Middle Cuyohoga. For more information, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative/2003/aw

Photo by Bill Smith 

he Targeted Watersheds Grant program, a 

top priority for the Bush Administration, 

water goals. EPA expects to realize real environwater quality. They are already reporting a resurgence of fish species that have not been seen 

smaller, yet just as important, aspect of the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program is to 

training, and technical assistance to enable them to effectively participate in local waterFive percent of the total appropriation has gone to support nation-wide training 

service providers to assist these groups in areas such as the fundamentals of the Clean Water Act, 

fundraising and sustainablility, leadership training, community outreach, and designing waterIn the first year, over 575 watershed groups have attended 

various workshops, training academies, forums, roundtables, and webcasts. These groups have, 

in turn, taken the knowledge gained to further protection and restoration efforts in their waterRiver were instrumental in helping to implement a TMDL in the Middle Cuyahoga River by 

brining together the City of Kent, Ohio EPA, the local historical society, and local businesses and 

summer Ohio EPA was able to confirm a dramatic improvement in the dissolved oxygen levels 

ardsumm.html. 
Watershed Management 

Total Maximum Daily Loads 

The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Innovation Coordination Team completed the first phase 

of a significant effort to respond to the Innovation Action Council’s mandate to evaluate the TMDL 

program for potential innovation. Even though more 

than 10,000 TMDLs have been established, the number 

of TMDLs that still need to be done for waters not meeting water quality standards—approximately 50,000— 

is daunting. Therefore, all appropriate venues to 

achieve water quality standards must be explored to 

ensure that TMDLs are used in the right circumstances 

and do not duplicate or compete with other efforts. The 

Innovation Coordination team analyzed and coordinated the development of pilot projects designed to 

purse innovations in developing and implementing TMDLs as well as alternative pathways to 

achieve water quality standards. Some of the innovative pilots are already under way and others 

will be undertaken in 2005. 

To assist with TMDL development, OWOW also 

promoted need for greater resources for monitoring/ assessment in FY 05 budget initiative. In addition, we’ve continued work with Regions/ 

Branch on key TMDL program activities and guidance, including commitment of $9 million in 

TMDL funds to Regions/states. For more information, see: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/ . 

Low Impact Development Project Design for EPA HQ

I

n 2004, OW staff teamed with EPA’s Facilities Management Division to develop a long-range plan to 

use the Federal Triangle complex in Washington, 

D.C. as a Low Impact Development demonstration site. 

Low Impact Development (LID) is an innovative approach to reduce and control polluted runoff from new 

and existing development. While not yet widely practiced, it is increasingly recognized by stormwater practitioners as a key solution to many existing stormwater 

problems 

LID technologies include rain gardens, bioretention 

cells and swales, green roofs, roof drain infiltration, cisterns/rain barrels and irrigation, and permeable paving. Many of these techniques will be demonstrated at 

the EPA Headquarters to benefit water quality, reduce 

energy consumption, and water use. By developing this 

LID site design for headquarters, EPA now serves as a 

leader in LID and a role model for other federal agencies, states and local agencies, visitors, and tourists. 

Moreover, EPA’s efforts fulfill Executive Order 

13101, which requires federal facilities to conserve 

water and employ stormwater management and 

LID techniques for all new significant landscaping. For more information on the LID project at 

EPA HQ see: 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/stormwater_hq/. 

11 
(WMC)

oping agenda topics, including discussions on Smart Growth, watershed permitting, and 

capacity building, and facilitating the development of committee work products. The WMC, 

major accomplishments including: 

• 

gram to establish the linkages of program integration and enhance state and local 

efforts for watershed protection. 

• 

by developing a matrix of program requirements across OW programs. This effort 

• 

• Developed a checklist for watershed management that could be used by OW 

program offices in developing and updating grant guidances. The significance of 

this checklist is it allows offices to have a quick reference of watershed principles to 

be readily included in agency guidances, rules, and regulations. 

EPA Assistant Administrator Ben Grumbles chaired the Watershed Management Council 

, which was chartered to integrate EPA programs using a watershed framework to 

more effectively realize Clean Water Act goals. OWOW assisted in setting priorities, develcomprised of senior managers from EPA Regions and Headquarters, realized a number of 

Supported the goals and helped to shape EPA’s Targeted Watersheds Grant ProWorked toward simplifying watershed planning to achieve environmental results 

began a pilot program project between the Office of Wastewater Management and 

the Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation. 

Published Successful Case Studies of the Watershed Management Approach and 

Program Integration–available on EPA’s website and intranet. 

Watershed Management Council 

Watershed Management 

EPA Strategic Planning 

OWOW and Region 4 led an OW-wide effort to help the Regions and the National 

Program Offices develop pragmatic, holistic and integrated approaches to implement 

the Watershed Subobjective performance measures as outlined in EPA’s new 2004-2008 

Strategic Plan. This watershed strategy and related implementation plan can be found at 

http://www.epa.gov/water/waterplan/documents/watershed-sip.pdf. The goal of these 

measures is to elevate the active implementation of the watershed approach– focused on the 

achievement of water quality standards – into the everyday business and attention of senior 

EPA management at both the national and regional levels. Working closely and frequently with 

a group composed of OWM and OST, and Watershed Managers from each of the ten EPA 

Regions, OWOW provided more specificity on important actions and activities that States and 

Regions can use to achieve these strategic watershed targets. This includes recommendations 

to: improve our national, regional and state data systems to increase their capability and 

consistency to report on watershed progress; improve the targeting of restoration efforts in 

consultation with State partners; use program and grant guidance to direct resources to our 

watershed efforts; and engage likely important external contributors to this watershed strategic 

planning effort. 

12 
Urban Rivers Initiative After the Storm TV Program Linking Girls to the Land 

Interagency Partnership 

Watershed Management 

EPA partnered with The In 2004, EPA worked with seven other federal 

Weather Channel to pro- agencies to further this successful partnership

duce ‘After the Storm,’ a with the Girl Scouts of the USA, which offers 

thirty minute television spe- hands-on conservacial about watersheds. The tion activities to more 

show highlights three case than 3.8 million Girl 

studies—Santa Monica Bay, Scouts nationwide. 

the Mississippi River Basin/ This year, the partnerGulf of Mexico, and New York ship produced a new

City— where polluted runoff “Get with the Land” 

threatens watersheds highly patch, which encourvalued for recreation, commercial fisheries and navigation, and drinking water. 

Key scientists, water quality experts, and citizens 

involved in local and national watershed protection efforts provide insight into the problems as 

well as solutions to today’s water quality challenges. The program has reached more than 6 

million TV viewers since it premiered in February 2004. EPA now own full rights to the program and is marketing the program to other stations as well as teachers and the general public. 

For more information on ordering free VHS copies of the video and for future air dates, please 

see: http://www.epa.gov/weatherchannel/ 

OMB PART Exercise for Section 319 

OWOW led and engaged Regions to help 

guide Watershed Subobjective measures 

analysis and planning to help meet the 

performance measures outlined in our new 2004-

2008 Strategic Plan. Together, we gained a common understanding of what watershed plans and 

watershed approach means to various parts of 

EPA. For more information on the water component of the Agency’s Strategic Plan see: 

http://www.epa.gov/water/waterplan/. 

ages participation in a 

variety of agencysponsored environmental projects, including World Water Monitoring Day and EPA’s 

Water Drop Patch Project. To date, more than 

30,000 Girl Scouts nationwide have earned the 

Water Drop Patch, which offers communitybased watershed activities for Girl Scouts of all 

ages. EPA also launched a new interagency web 

site— http://epa.gov/linkinggirls/—to promote 

this exciting partnership and worked with the 

other agencies to produce a new Environmental Resources Guide for Councils. 

13 
 Urban Rivers Initiative 

ally helped focus federal agencies to 

Watershed Management 

 “The Urban River initiative has reI

n November 2004, EPA and the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers (Corps) re-signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to facilitate 

continued collaboration and cooperation for the 

environmental remediation and restoration of the 

country’s urban rivers. The MOU seeks to foster 

the restoration and future protection of degraded 

urban rivers to ensure the protection of public 

health, and economic and community vitality, 

through collaborative restoration activities under 

various statutory authorities, including the Clean 

Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Safe 

Drinking Water Act, and the Water Resources 

Development Act. EPA and the Corps signed a 

similar MOU in July 2002. 

OWOW assists in this partnership by helping 

integrate water programs and authorities to clean 

up and restore these highly impacted urban rivers. Additionally, as a second phase of the initiative, OWOW plans to broaden these partnerships 

by hosting dialogues on two pilots (Anacostia 

River and Passaic Rivers) and transferring information we gain to other urban river restoration 

and revitalization efforts. Significant progress has 

been made by the Regions in restoring and revitalizing eight urban river projects selected under 

the first MOU. These pilot projects include: 

• Blackstone/Woonasquatucket in MA/RI, 

• Passaic River in NJ 

• Gowanus Canal in NY 

• Elizabeth River in VA 

• Anacostia River in D.C./MD 

• Fourche Creek in AK 

• City Creek in UT 

• Tres Rios in AZ. 

work more cooperatively than before 

with each other and the community 

here, to bring about major restoration 

progress.” 

Marjorie Mayfield Jackson, 

Executive Director of the 

Elizabeth River pilot 

project 

These projects were selected through a competitive process that emphasized partnerships, including collaboration among businesses and the 

nonprofit community; advanced pollution prevention; water quality improvements; restoration 

of wildlife habitat; and reuse. At a successful national meeting in Salt Lake City, UT in June 2004, 

participants discussed future activities. For more 

information about the Initiative, visit 

http://www.epa.gov/oswer/landrevitalization/ 

urbanrivers/index.htm.

14
– OSV Bold 

New Survey and Research Vessel Vessel Discharges 

Ocean & Coastal Protection 

For decades, EPA’s ocean survey vessel, the 

OSV Anderson, collected important monitoring data about the health of our oceans 

and coasts, but by 2003, the ship was showing its 

age. In 2004, after significant efforts and negotiation with the Navy, OWOW secured a 

de-commissioned Navy T-Agos class vessel, the 

OSV Bold, at no cost to the Agency. The OSV 

Bold, which is 60 feet longer and almost twice as 

wide as the Anderson, will carry state-of-the-art 

mapping, sampling, and analysis equipment, including a sonar system for sea floor mapping, 

over-the-side equipment for collecting sediment, 

water, air, plants, and animals, and a wet lab for 

analysis. Its greater size also will allow the Bold to 

travel to and work along the West Coast of the 

United States, in addition to the East Coast, Caribbean, and Gulf. In addition, OWOW is initiating new education and outreach programs, such 

as for teachers and professors, to participate in 

oceanographic 

surveys. 

Transfer of 

the vessel 

from Navy 

to EPA in 

Hawaii involved working through complicated contracting issues, getting a new crew assembled and 

on-board, working with multiple Navy and port 

personal, negotiating with the government of 

Panama and State Department to secure passage 

through the Panama Canal, and getting the vessel up and running. OWOW is working closely 

with engineers and scientists to make this vessel 

best suited to meet EPA’s ocean and coastal protection needs. With a modification plan now established, work is underway to turn the Bold into 

a premiere ocean survey vessel. 

In 2004, OWOW, in partnership with the Office 

of Science and Technology, carried out a number 

of activities to address discharges from vessels. 

Ballast Waters: In 2004, the Coast Guard completed rulemaking requiring ballast water management, based on a largely EPA-developed Environmental Assessment. Also, OWOW worked 

with an interagency workgroup to assess an international ballast water treaty, which was completed and opened for signature in 2004. For more 

information, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/invasive_species/ 

bal_links.html. 

Our Cruise Ship Team completed a million dollar sampling effort to characterize wastewater discharges from cruise ships to aid in the development of regulations governing sewage and gray 

water discharges from cruise ships operating in 

Alaskan waters. The team also drafted a survey 

questionnaire (and related ICR documents) to 

collect technical and economic information from 

cruise ships operating in Alaska. This effort demanded strong partnerships between EPA, the 

State of Alaska, the Coast Guard, the cruise line 

industry, and the interested environmental 

groups. For more information, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/cruise_ships/. 

Uniform National Discharge Standards 

(UNDS) This year, the UNDS team facilitated the 

development and completion of an extremely difficult and controversial cumulative environmental impact analysis for the joint EPA/Navy 

rulemaking setting standards for discharges from 

vessels of the Armed Forces. The complications 

of such an interagency effort required significant 

effort to find common ground. The team succeeded in building the trust and relationships 

necessary to move the project forward. For more 

15 

information, see http://unds.bah.com/ . 
Best Management Practices for 

Artificial Reefs 

National Estuary Program 

Ocean & Coastal Protection 

ration of the vessel prior to sinking. Essentially, 

http 

On August 2, 2004, a notice of availability 

and request for public comments on the 

Draft National Guidance: Best Management 

Practices for Preparing Vessels Intended to Create 

Artificial Reefs was published in the Federal Register [69 Fed. Reg. 46141 (August 2, 2004)]. This 

joint EPA/MARAD guidance document identifies 

materials or categories of materials of concern 

that may be found aboard vessels and where specifically they may be found. For each material or 

category of materials, there is a general performance clean-up goal and information on methods for addressing those clean-up goals in prepathis guidance document provides national, environmentally-based best management practices 

for the preparation of vessels to be sunk with the 

intention of creating artificial reefs. 

On October 1, 2004, the public comment period 

for this document closed. Currently, EPA and 

MARAD are reviewing all submitted comments 

and will revise the document accordingly. A response to comments letter to the file will be included in the docket. In addition to the public 

comments, EPA will consider “lessons learned” 

from the ongoing Oriskany vessel-to-reef project 

before finalizing the document. 

For more information, see: 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/habitat/ 

artificialreefs.

I

n 2004, OWOW conducted another round of 

National Estuary Program (NEP) implementation reviews, which concluded that all NEPs 

reviewed (9 of 28) were making good progress on 

implementing plans and achieving environmental results. In 2004, the NEPs protected or restored 

over 100,000 acres of habitat – including over 

20,000 acres of wetlands. This brings the total 

number of acres protected and restored by NEPs 

since EPA started tracking in 2000 to almost 

900,000 acres. Also, EPA’s financial return on its 

investment in the NEP is very high. The 28 NEPs 

around the Nation leveraged almost $10 for every $1 of CWA funds they received in FY 2004. 

Using our most conservative measures, we estimate that the NEPs generated $167 million from 

the $17 million in base funding provided (9.9:1 

leveraging ratio). These resources allowed the 

NEPs to undertake substantial projects with significant on-the-ground results. For more information, see: http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/ 

16
p

Final Report on Surveys of No 

Discharge Zones National Estuaries Day 

://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries. Ocean & Coastal Protection 

EPA held a variety of community events celebrating National Estuaries Day, which helped to educate people about the importance of protecting 

our estuaries. The featured event, sponsored by 

EPA and NOAA, was EstuaryLive!, a real-time, 

interactive, internet field trip to seven different 

estuaries that are part of the National Estuary 

Program and National Estuarine Research Reserve Program. Over 700,000 students across the 

country took the live webcast journey. Trained 

naturalists and educators guided the internet 

expeditions through estuaries in North Carolina, 

New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington, Alabama and Massachusetts. Students took an up 

close look at different estuarine habitats, including wetlands and eelgrass beds, saw many interesting estuarine species such as sea stars, scallops, and brown pelicans, and learned about the 

importance of estuaries. 

Visit http://www.estuaries.gov to see what a national estuary program is doing near you. To find 

out about these programs, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries. 

In 2004, OWOW issued the final report of surveys 

regarding the efficacy of No Discharge Zones (areas in which all–treated and untreated—discharges of sewage from vessels is prohibited). EPA 

surveyed boaters and marinas in 15 coastal and 

Great Lakes No Discharge Zones (NDZs) around 

the country to evaluate the effectiveness of NDZs, 

which are established by States under CWA Section 312(f)(3). In particular, EPA was interested in 

the availability of adequate pumpout facilities and 

the public’s awareness of the discharge prohibition in these areas. Among the findings: 93% of 

boaters reported that they had no occasions in 

2003 when they looked for, but could not find, a 

working pumpout or toilet dump facility in the 

NDZ. Most boaters— 94%— stated that they 

knew that the area in which they were boating 

was an NDZ, and 97% knew that the discharge of 

treated or untreated sewage is prohibited in an 

NDZ. For more information, see: 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulatory/ 

vessel_sewage/ndzdocument.html.

New Brochure on Mercury in Fish and Shellfish 

17 
Handbook on Community-Based 

Management 

Ocean & Coastal Protection 

Watershed National Dredging Team 

I

n 2004, OWOW completed Community-Based 

Watershed Management: Lessons from the National Estuary Program. This handbook describes the highly successful approaches to watershed management implemented by the 28 National Estuary Programs (NEPs). The NEPs are 

unique partnerships of the U. S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) and numerous federal, 

state, and local organizations that jointly address 

coastal watershed management challenges. This 

handbook presents new information from nearly 

20 years of the NEP experience. It pulls together 

principles, techniques, and information for effective watershed management into a single, userfriendly source. The NEP process and examples 

described in this document will be useful to Federal, State, and local governments as well as nonprofits who are working to establish, implement, 

and evaluate watershed protection and restoration efforts. The handbook is expected to be published in early 2005. 

OWOW played a leadership role in enhancing coordination of the Federal-level, 

interagency National Dredging Team 

(NDT), co-chaired by OCPD Deputy Director 

Craig Vogt, and in addressing the 22 recommendations listed in the NDT’s recently published 

Dredged Material Management: Action Agenda for 

the Next Decade. Approximately 15 of these recommendations are underway or have been completed by NDT partners. The NDT’s priorities for 

2004 focused on enhanced coordination with Regional Sediment Management stakeholders, a 

meeting with the Regional Dredging Teams that 

will be held in February 2005, strengthened coordination with Federal and State partners, and initial planning for a national workshop on sediment 

management with dredging and watershed stakeholders. For more information, see: 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/ndt/.

Smart Growth 

I

n FY 2004 OWOW’s Smart Growth Team continued to work with other EPA offices to integrate 

water resources and Smart Growth activities into Agency programs. The OWOW Smart Growth 

Team worked with the Development, Community, and Environment Division in OPEI and staff 

at NOAA to create a collaborative workplan and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) related to 

Smart Growth and Coastal Community Development. The MOA was signed by Admiral 

Lautenbacher at NOAA December 29, 2004 and is expected to be signed by the EPA Administrator in 

early 2005. In addition to work with NOAA and its SeaGrant program, Smart Growth team members participated in a two-day training in Atlanta for Region 4 Water Program staff, and team members were featured speakers at several national conferences and workshops in 2004. The team completed work on the first chapter of a module on Growth and Water Resources that will be available 

soon on EPA’s Watershed Academy web site at: http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/. 

18
Ocean Commission Report:

to disseminate information on the Ocean Commission report 

and work with the Regions and Headquarters to identify perOn December 17, 2004, the 

Administration released its response, entitled “U.S. Ocean 

Action Plan.” 

the Commission that protecting and enhancing ocean and coastal resources 

For more information, visit 

Ocean Commission Report, Coral Reefs, and other 

Administration Priorities 

Ocean & Coastal Protection 

 OWOW led the effort within EPA 

tinent EPA actions for submission to CEQ for inclusion in 

the Administration response. 

The Administration response agrees with 

is critical, and identifies activities that closely align with a number of EPA 

priorities, including implementation of the President’s wetlands initiative, the 

BEACH Act, and the executive order on the Great Lakes. 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/oceancommission.html. 

Coral Reefs: OWOW continues to be an active 

participant on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and 

the Task Force steering committee. A key Task 

Force focus is assisting member jurisdictions 

implement coral reef local action strategies (LAS) 

to address 

key threats to 

coral reefs in 

their jurisdiction. Consistent with 

EPA’s expertise and mission, our emphasis has been on working with the jurisdictions 

to address the threats to reefs from land-based 

sources (LBS) of pollution. In 2004, OWOW and 

USDA hosted a workshop for the Caribbean jurisdictions (FL, PR, and VI) on reducing LBS pollution impacting coral reefs. The two agencies 

had previously hosted a similar workshop for the 

Pacific jurisdictions. For more information, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/coral/ 

Invasive Species OWOW initiated implementation of its invasive species strategy. In particular, we started work on guidance on rapid response, and are working with EPA’s Office Policy, 

Economics and Innovation on a workshop on the 

economic impacts of aquatic invasive species. For 

more information, visit 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/invasive_species/. 

The Zebra Mussel The Sea Lamprey 

19 
regulators, dredgers, and environmental groups.

London Dumping Convention 

and International Activities 

Ocean & Coastal Protection 

OWOW continues to play a leadership role in the 

London Convention (LC), an international treaty 

to control pollution from ocean dumping. 

OWOW has led the interagency LC workgroup 

in drafting legislative changes that would be necessary to ratify the 1996 Protocol to the London 

Convention. OWOW also continues to play a 

leadership role in the LC’s Scientific Group, which 

is currently chaired by OCPD Deputy Director 

Craig Vogt. In 2004, this Scientific Group developed comprehensive Waste Assessment Guidelines that are now being used by countries around 

the globe to control the dumping of waste materials into the oceans. In addition, OWOW is leading efforts to assist less developed members of 

the London Convention by supporting workshops and providing technical assistance on a 

broad range of marine protection issues, including land based sources, vessel discharges, and 

ocean dumping. For more information about 

ocean dumping, see 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulatory/ 

dumpdredged/oceandumping.

OWOW also helped charter the Environmental 

Commission of the World Organization of Dredging Associations (WODA), a technical professional 

organization composed of the three dredging associations, eastern (Asia and Australia), western 

(North and South America), and central (Europe 

and Africa). Dredged material management is a 

major issue world-wide—many sediments are 

contaminated and disposal of dredged material 

in sensitive marine environments can cause serious ecological damage and pose threats to human 

health through fish consumption. Another international OWOW contribution was the establishment of “Environment Day” during the international WODA Conference, a day devoted to environmental issues associated with dredging. Over 

400 delegates from around the world attended the 

September 2004 WODA Conference in Hamburg, 

Germany. Environment Day focused upon gaps 

in information between stakeholders, such as 

OWOW also participates in the U.S. delegations 

to the MARPOL treaty and the new (but not yet 

in force) treaty on ballast water discharges, as well 

as assisting others in evaluating other marine treaties (e.g., on hull coating, and regional treaties). 

Diversity Action Team

The Diversity Action Team, comprised of 

Senior Management and staff members, 

has led the way in enhancing EPA’s 

workforce through the recruitment and retention 

of talented individuals from diverse backgrounds 

to achieve our goals of environmental protection. 

The team has had many accomplishments over 

the past year. Among them is a successful Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) agreement with Hampton University, (a Historically 

Black College), which will allow two Hampton 

University interns to join OWOW in 2005. This 

partnership is instrumental in supporting Goal 2 

of the EPA 2004 Human Capital Strategy, “EPA 

attracts and maintains a diverse and talented 

workforce.” As part of the program, OWOW will 

also present environmental science seminars at 

Hampton during 2004-2005. In addition, in 

2004, the team sponsored two successful communication and outreach activities, which included a showing of the diversity film, “The Color 

Yellow,” as well as a tour of the new Brown vs. 

the Board of Education exhibit in the Museum 

of American History. In order to highlight these 

successful diversity activities, the team has published its first OWOW quarterly diversity newsletter, which will include features on OWOW staff. 

20