MJRT 2014 Annual Meeting - May 14, 2014
(Registration deadline: May 7, 2014, Richmond, Virginia)
Join us for the Middle James Roundtable 2014 Annual Meeting, Back to Baysics. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at the Virginia Commonwealth University Trani Center for Life Sciences, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia.
This year's agenda will feature sessions on innovative projects and initiatives throughout the watershed related to incorporating TMDLs into MS4 permits, implementation and management of stormwater utilities, identifying viable sites for stormwater retrofits, initiating residential best management practices, and other water quality related topics.
Attendance is open to any organization, government agency, or citizen who has an interest in the health or well-being of the Middle James River.
A draft agenda with more information on speakers and presentations will be available soon.
Registration includes coffee, lunch and refreshments and will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parking will be available in the VCU West Cary Parking Deck for $10.00/day. Receipts are available from the attendant for your records.
Click here to register for the event. Registration closes Wednesday, May 7, 2014.
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 What is the P.U.P. Club? P.U.P. stands for Pick Up Poop. The P.U.P. Club was formed by the Richmond Regional Pet Waste Committee as a way to recognize pet owners that are doing their part by picking up after pets and properly disposing of the waste.
The goal of the Richmond Regional Pet Waste Committee is to educate the public about the environmental impacts of pet waste and the importance of picking up after pets. The committee also aims to create uniformity in the information on pet waste that is being spread by the localities in the Richmond area. Committee representatives include state and local government, non-profits and other constituent groups in the Richmond, Virginia metropolitan area. The committee was formed in response to many of the area's rivers and streams being impaired by bacteria, including bacteria from pet waste.
Watershed Announcements & Events
Chesterfield County Rain Barrel Workshops
(April 12, 2014 10:00 am & 1:00 pm
May 10, 2014 10:00 am & 1:00 pm)
Chesterfield County Fairgrounds
10300 Courthouse Road
Chesterfield, VA 23832
Come make a rain barrel to harvest rain water and reduce polluted runoff. Workshop participants will learn about water conservation and make a rain barrel of their own to take home!
Sponsored by: Chesterfield County, James River Soil and Water Conservation District, Virginia Cooperative Extension
Fee: $40.00
Register at: http://www.chesterfield.gov/rainbarrels/
For information: 804-748-1920
Presquile National Wildlife Refuge Public "Field Day"
(April 12, 2014)
The public is invited to join the US Fish and Wildlife Service and their partners to celebrate the beauty and benefits of nature. Presquile National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,329 acre island in the James River.
Parking and boat transportation will occur at 4700 Bermuda Hundred Road, Chester, VA. Both the event and parking are FREE of charge.
Click here to view the event flyer. Additional information is available in the event news release.
Go X-Stream: Rivanna Makeover Volunteer Days
(April 17-26, 2014)
Events will take place all over the watershed and particularly in Moores Creek. Volunteers are needed for buffer plantings, cleanups, and restoration projects, and more. Click here to volunteer for one of the events.
More information available at www.rivannariver.org.
Lynchburg RiverTrends Water Monitoring Training
(April 19, 2014, Lynchburg, Virginia)
Saturday, April 19, 2014 9am to 1pm
Riveredge Park
Amherst County, VA
Are you interested in learning more about your local stream? We need volunteers to collect important data on streams in the James River watershed around Lynchburg, VA. We will provide training and supplies, all you have to do is commit to attending the training and monitoring a site once a month.
You'll be analyzing water to collect data on core parameters such as dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, water clarity, and bacteria. All of these tests will be performed in the field using kits and equipment.
Click here to register.
Registration is required. This training is hosted jointly by Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and James River Association. Funding for the training and supplies is provided by the Middle James Roundtable and the VA Department of Environmental Quality.
For more information about the Alliance's RiverTrends Program, visit https://allianceforthebay.org/our-work/connecting-people/rivertrends/.
JRA Tree Reimbursement Program
(April 2014 & September - November 2014, Richmond, Virginia)
Do you live in the City of Richmond? Are you interested in planting trees in your yard and becoming a River Hero Home? If you answered yes to both of these questions JRA wants to give you free trees! This program is open to both new and already certified River Hero Homes.
You can receive up to $200 reimbursement per home (not per tree). Reimbursements are available on a first come-first served basis, based on the date of application, and will be available until funding has run out. Delivery fees can be included in the reimbursement request, but the total reimbursement amount will not exceed $200.
This program is only open to City of Richmond residents and reimbursements are only available from March-April and September-November 2014.
For more information about this program, and to see if you qualify, go to http://www.jrava.org/what-we-do/river-hero/tree-incentive.
Rivanna River Sojourn
(April 26, 2014 and October 18, 2014)
The Rivanna Conservation Society, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports and their partners are hosting a professionally guided, family friendly paddle along the beautiful Rivanna River.
Spring Float - Saturday, April 26th :
Milton/Shadwell to Palmyra with lunch at Crofton (18 miles)
Fall Float - Saturday, October 18th:
Palmyra to Columbia (the confluence of the James river, with lunch at Hell's Bend Farm (16 miles)
Visit www.rivannariver.org for more information.
2014 Green Spaces Competition:
RE:MARKET | Richmond Landmark Reimagined
(Submissions Due: May 16, 2014)
The 2014 James River Green Building Council (JRGBC) Green Spaces Design Competition kicked off on Thursday, March 6, 2014. This year's challenge will give new life to one of Richmond's iconic structures, the 17th Street Farmer's Market.
JRGBC is asking participants to propose a design solution that re-purposes the salvaged market building materials into three unique new structures: a Market Pavilion, Trailhead Pavilion, and Garden Pavilion. Each structure will have a different scale, site context, and degree of modularity as outlined in the challenge details.
Find out more about the competition on the JRGBC website.
The deadline for design submissions is 5:00 pm, Friday, May 16, 2014.
Virginia Water Monitoring Council 2014 Conference: Exploring Emerging Water Issues
(June 18, 2014, Henrico, Virginia)
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM (Registration and coffee at 9 AM)
Henrico County Training Center, 7701 E. Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23294
Co sponsors:
Virginia Water Monitoring Council, Clean Virginia Waterways, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, Longwood University and Henrico County.
Please take a few minutes and let us know what emerging water issues YOU want to explore at the Virginia Water Monitoring Council conference. Please tell us what topics are of interest to you...and let us know of specific speakers you would like to hear.
Share your thoughts by taking this short survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1spQc5xWCbl8kZggF-1N1uMMzMkl0nwSZI21297mLO0w/viewform
Grant Opportunities
USDOT Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant Program (Deadline: April 28, 2014)
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER Discretionary Grant program) has up to $600 million available for capital projects related to highways, bridges,public transportation, rail,ports, andintermodalprojects. A primary selection criterion specifically mentions addressing stormwater through natural means, avoiding impacts to water quality, and providing benefits like groundwater recharge, brownfield redevelopment, and stormwater mitigation including green infrastructure. Of this funding, $35 million is available for project and regional-level planning that include factors like stormwater and future risks and vulnerabilities like extreme weather and climate change.
Eligible applicants are State, local, and tribal governments, transit agencies, port authorities, metropolitan planning organizations, other political subdivisions of State or local governments, and multi-State or multi-jurisdictional groups applying through a lead applicant. TIGER applications are due April 28, 2014.
Additional details: www.dot.gov/tiger
NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants
(Deadline: May 2, 2014)
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in Virginia. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2014 will be up to $350,000. Applications are requested from eligible governmental or non-governmental organizations or individuals for competitive consideration of grant awards for projects between 1 and 3 years in duration. Individual grants will not exceed $75,000. This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions for CIG projects. Applications will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete applications will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be mailed to the applicant. Applications must be received at the NRCS State Office in Richmond, Virginia, by 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), on Friday, May 2, 2014. Applications sent via hand-delivery, express mail or overnight courier service must be sent to the following address: Blaine Delaney CIG Program Manager USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation Innovation Grants Program, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 209, Richmond, Virginia 23229-5014. The contact phone number for hand-delivered pre-proposals and applications is (804) 287-1691. Applications sent via the United States Postal Service must be sent to the following address: USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation Innovation Grants Program, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 209, Richmond, Virginia 23229-5014.
For more information contact Blaine Delaney CIG Program Manager USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 209 Richmond, VA 232229-5014 PHONE: 804-287-1663 EMAIL: blaine.delaney@va.usda.gov
Click here for more information.
NFWF 2014 Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund
(Deadline: May 15, 2014)
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals to restore the habitats and water quality of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. The Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund (CBSF) will award approximately $8 million - $10 million in grants in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Program. Major funding for the CBSF comes from the Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Forest Service, Altria Group, CSX, Shell, and Alcoa Foundation. A Request for Proposals detailing NFWF's funding priorities and other key considerations is attached. Proposals are due by midnight, May 15th and must be submitted through NFWF's online application at www.nfwf.org/easygrants.
View the full RFP here.
For additional information, please contact Jake Reilly (jake.reilly@nfwf.org), Elizabeth Nellums (elizabeth.nellums@nfwf.org), or Mark Melino (mark.melino@nfwf.org) via e-mail or by phone at (202) 857-0166.
Newsletters
The Roundtable Newsletter is distributed through Constant Contact. Please contact us at info@mjrt.org to be added to the Roundtable distribution list.
Watershed Educational Activity Sheets & MJRT Beverage Coasters are available!
The Roundtable has James River Watershed Educational Activity Sheets available at no charge. The activity sheets educate children and adults about watersheds and pollution prevention. They display a watershed illustration that can be colored by kids and a variety of puzzles and activities. We have distributed tens of thousands of sheets to organizations throughout the James River watershed. One of the main goals of this project is to reach a diverse audience. If you are interested in distributing the sheets in your community please consider a variety of venues! In order to obtain activity sheets please contact info@mjrt.org. To view the activity sheet, please click here.
The same Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Grant used to design our activity sheets also supported to the reprinting of our popular beverage coasters. The beverage coasters contain 5 ways to help the James River. To view the beverage coaster and its contents, please click here.
More information about the James River Watershed Educational Activity Sheets and Beverage Coasters can be found on our featured projects page. |