Anacostia Watershed Summit II

Yup, the 2nd annual Anacostia Summit is here.

When? Saturday, March 22, 2008. 8:30am - 4:00pm

Where? University of Maryland, Stamp Student Union in the Prince George's Room

Why? To discuss effective stormwater management and steam restoration for restoring the Anacostia watershed.

Here's the agenda:

8:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 Welcome – Mary Barber, Emcee (AWCAC Chair) and Dana Minerva, Executive Director (AWRP)

9:10 Summit Goals, Objectives and Ground Rules - Phil Favero (Summit Facilitator)

9:20 Issues for the Day• Benjamin Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water (US EPA)• The Honorable, Jim Rosapepe, MD Senate, District 21, Prince George’s County

9:45 Controlling Stormwater Runoff in Urban Watersheds - Tom Schueler, CSN

10:15 Advocating for Stormwater Progress – Katherine Baer, Director, (American Rivers)

10:35 Break

10:50 Panel on Anacostia Stormwater Management Approaches, Techniques and Costs• Ben Belton, Capitol Projects, Project Manager (PGDER)• Steve Shofar, Watershed Management Division Chief (MCDEP)• Sarah Murphy, Greenroof Designer

11:35 Question and Answer Session

11:45 (Transition to next panel)

11:50 Panel on Channel Erosion, Sedimentation and Stream Restoration –• Sean Smith, Geologist, Ecosystem Restoration Services (MDDNR)• Cherie Miller, Stream Water-Quality Studies Section Chief & Water-Quality Specialist (USGS)• Dan Harper, Manager, Watershed Restoration Program (MCDEP)

12:30 Question and Answer Session

12:40 Lunch

1:10 Lessons Learned from Summit 2007 & Subwatershed Success Stories from the Past Year

1:25 Guest Speaker, Meosotis Curtis, Montgomery County’s Rainscapes Demonstration Project (MCDEP)

1:45 Questions and Answer Session

2:10 Moderated Roundtable Discussion #1 – “What Do We Want To Achieve Next Year?” Top Priorities, Issues of Concern, Needs and Possible Next Steps at the Subwatershedubwatershedubwatershed Level

3:10 Moderated Roundtable Discussion #2 – “What Do We Want To Achieve Next Year?” Top Priorities, Issues of Concern, Needs and Possible Next Steps at the Watershedatershed Level

3:50 Wrap Up – Mary Barber, Dan Smith, and Phil Favero

4:00 Adjourn

You must register at www.anacostia.net/workshops/summit2.html

Sponsored by: Anacositia Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee and The Summit Fund of Washington

See you all there!!

Free watershed outreach workshop!!

Public Outreach 101 for Watershed Groups

Saturday, March 8, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Takoma Park Middle School
(Cafeteria #180)

Stuck with e-mail lists of interested parties, and core activists? Despite great intentions and enthusiasm, even the best watershed groups are plagued with lack of time and strategies to keep the ball rolling with active participation on watershed protection actions. To be effective at the never-ending work of protecting local water quality, it takes awareness, education and behavior change among a broad range of citizens.

This workshop will help you develop a strategic approach to public outreach on watershed topics including identifying target audiences, crafting messages, figuring out appropriate formats and distribution techniques. Learn how to think like a social marketer and use marketing techniques for messages and themes relevant to Montgomery County. Plan for initial projects that get support and recognition, and learn how to build up momentum step–by–step.
The workshop will be conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection’s Public Outreach Manager and will offer a mixture of presentations, small work group exercises, and discussion.

All Potomac and Anacostia watershed groups are invited and encouraged to attend!
Pre-registration is encouraged because space and materials are limited. Please register by February 29, 2008. (Registration form is attached)


Registration Form
Public Outreach 101 for Watershed Groups
Saturday, March 8, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Takoma Park Middle School
7611 Piney Branch Rd
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Name: ____________________________________________________
Address:___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Affiliation:________________________________________________
Home Watershed:__________________________________________
(optional)
Phone: ____________________________
E-mail:

Please fill out this registration form and send it to:
Ansu John
Department of Environmental Protection
255 Rockville Pike, #120,
Rockville, MD
Fax: 240-777-7773
Or, e-mail the information:
To: askdep@montgomerycountymd.gov and
Cc: outreach@fosc.org

Plan to attend The New Stormwater Mgt Act Workshop

Stormwater Regulations Workshop -
The 2007 Maryland Stormwater Management Act
When: Saturday, February 23, 2008
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Where:
Fairland Regional Park - Stormwater Management Pavilion
13950 Old Gunpowder Road
Laurel, MD 20707

The goals of the workshop are to:

Ø Discuss the opportunity for the Anacostia that the 2007 legislation presents,
Ø Formulate a response to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) regarding implementation of the 2007 Stormwater Act and
Ø Inform the Maryland Legislature of our response.

**REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED**
Seating capacity is limited. Please contact
Phong Trieu at ptrieu@mwcog.org to register.
For more information, see flyer or visit
http://www.anacostia.net/

AGENDA:

8:30 Registration

9:00 Welcome, Agenda, GoalsTopics: What will the 2007 Stormwater Act and new regulationsdo for the Anacostia? What can citizens do to make it better?

9:10 Panel on the 2007 Law and the Developing Regulations

10:00 Panel on Anacostia Stormwater Perspectives

11:00 Break

11:15 Facilitated Discussion - Strengthening the Model Ordinance,Regulations and Manual.

12:00 Open Discussion - Next Steps for Implementation/Considerationby AWCAC, Stormwater Consortium, and Watershed Groups (Advocacy)

12:30 Adjourn

12:30-1:00 Optional On-site Stormwater BMP Tour (Weather permitting)

Feb. 7.PBPRA Meeting. Be there!

Greeting: Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance (PBPRA) Members and Friends

Subject: February Meeting of the (PBPRA)

Meeting Date: Thursday February 07, 2008

Meeting Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Meeting Place: Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church – 3000 Pa. Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20020

Distribution list: PBPRA Team Members & Friends


THIS IS A FRIENDLY REMINDER!!!!

Our Next Scheduled Meeting of the Alliance is Thursday February 07, 2008 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at our usual location "The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church located at 3000 Pa. Ave., SE Washington, DC 20020".

We have reached a very critical point in the Pope Branch Park Restoration Project(s). On October 2, 2007, the Design Team of Black and Veatch (B&V) submitted the design Alternative technical memorandum to DCWASA, DDOE, & DDPR the projects three MOU Agencies. Since that time they have been in consultation and have reached logical conclusions on ways to proceed. We look forward to discussing & learning more about the design directions. It is necessary that best practice is employed in the design and execution of the project forward.

We have good news regarding Certificate of appreciation for the Anacostia Senior High School Students that assisted in planting the two Rain Gardens in our park. We are awaiting the schools decision regarding when to present them to the students. Also, we need to move forward with plans for a formal dedication of the Rain Gardens this spring.

DDOT is invited to present their plans to repair the culvert between M Street and M Place SE located just west of Branch Avenue.

Refreshments will be available at the meeting.

If you have questions or would like to communicate on issues regarding these project; please contact Joseph Glover at the email address jagbfree@comcast.net or call on 202-581-1214 H/O or 202-997-9927 Mobile.

Blessings to all,

Joseph A. Glover, Chair PBPRA

A message from Chairman Joseph Glover

Good Evening PBPRA Members and Friends:

We are very excited and elated; we are EXCITED that our project is moving forward toward a better result. We ask you to save the date and join us at our February Regular Meeting. See attachment for details. We are ELATED over the results of our 2nd Annual MLK, Jr. National Day of Service that took place on Monday January 21, 2008 in Pope Branch Park. It is exciting that our project was chosen by the Mayor as the Ward 7 signature site. With this designation came an entitlement of official 2008 MLK, Jr. Day of Service - Serve DC - Shirts. These shirts were distributed to volunteers during the day of service. Also Official Serve DC Banners were placed at our Project Site, and media/public officials were notified.

Please see our official thank you that follows. It was crafted by Mr. Irv Sheffey, Sierra Club & PBPRA Member. We thank him for the message.

Best regards and love to all,
Joseph A. Glover, City Leader & Founder and Chair Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance (We're in our 41st year of service)

A Huge Thank You to all the Volunteers! -Irv-

Thanks….. it could not have been done without you!


What do 58 large bags of trash, two lawnmowers, a fence, the remains of a metal utility shed, three mattresses, several automobile tires, hubcaps and assorted miscellaneous debris have in common? They all were among the items cleared from along the creek as part of the 2nd Annual Pope Branch Park Clean-up Event in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of National Service held yesterday, January 21st, 2008

This could not have been accomplished without the support of the members and staff of the Earth Conservation Corps, Casey Trees, the DC Department of the Environment, DC Department of Parks and Recreation, DC Department of Public Works and the 100 plus volunteers from east and west of the river who braved the cold to be of service. The event was truly an expression of Dr. King’s vision of people of diverse backgrounds coming together, making a difference for all of the community.

On behalf of the Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance (PBPRA), I want to thank all who participated. If you are interested in the on-going efforts of the PBPRA, to restore and revitalize this little community gem and the tributary that runs through it, into the Anacostia River, please come to our monthly meeting. That meeting is held on the first Thursday of each month, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, 3000 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington DC 20020. For more information you can contact Joseph Glover, founder and chair, PBPRA by calling (202) 581-1214 or by email: jagbfree@comcast.net

The next meeting is scheduled for February 7th, 2008.

Irv

2nd Annual Pope Branch Park Clean-Up Event

Pope Branch Park
Restoration Alliance
In conjunction with the

Earth Conservation Corps ● Casey Trees Endowment ● DC Department of Parks & Recreation
DC Department of the Environment ● Sierra Club

Invites you to join us at our

2nd Annual Pope Branch Park Clean-up Event
in honor of the
Martin Luther King Jr.
Day of National Service
January 21, 2008
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

A Community Service Project
To restore and beautify the Pope Branch Creek tributary of the Anacostia River



We will gather as a community to remove trash and invasive plant species from along the creek.
Meet us at Fairlawn Avenue & M Street, SE
For additional information and to register as an individual or as a group, please contact

Joseph Glover, Chair
Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance
(202) 581-1214 ● jagbfree@aol.com