June 2011: Good news for the
endangered Santa Ana Sucker! A U.S. District Court judge ordered
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries
Service and the U.S. Forest Service to enhance protections in four
Southern California national forests for 40 endangered species,
including the Santa Ana Sucker. Patel gave the federal agencies
six months to develop and implement long-term safeguards for the
species.Click
here to read more. Los Angeles Times,
6/29/11.
March 2011: The Environmental Protection Agency
plans to require water utilities to test drinking water for 28 unregulated
contaminants in hopes to understand and control pollution from perfluorochemicals
(PFCs). PFCs are used in a variety of industrial products and pose
as a potentially serious health threat since they do not break down
in the environment. Testing is expected to start in 2013. Environmental
Working Group, EPA
to require tap water tests for unregulated contaminants
Jan. 2011: Nitrogen and phosphorus (nutrient)
pollution is one of the top causes of impairment of our nation's
waters. The EPA is tightening the regulations over nutrient criteria
to improve water quality and nutrient management practices. Water
managers are concerned these changes will hurt the economy and are
not scientifically sound, but some argue this cleanup plan is a
noble cause. Brown and Caldwell, Nutrients
take center stage
Jan. 2011: The EPA has proposed
a revision to California's current drinking water standards for
chromium-6. Two of the five cities with the highest levels of this
contaminant tested throughout the US are in California - Riverside
and San Jose. Hinkley, Ca, made famous by the movie Erin
Brockovich, also has reported toxic levels of this
pollutant. The new limit is aimed to be set at 0.02 parts per billion
(ppb), much stricter compared to the current 0.06 ppb. USA
Today, California
seeks to slash chromium-6 in tap water
Dec. 2010: The San Bernardino Valley Audubon
Society and approximately 22 volunteers met between December
15th and January 5th to experience the pursuit of birding. The counters
tallied the species identified through sight or sound for the San
Jacinto Lake count area. This year, 154 species were identified
which is the highest its been in over eight years. At its peak,
the Salton Sea tallied just over 150 species, but usually sits between
135 to 145 species. Press Enterprise, "Species
Diversity High in Annual Count"
Dec. 2010: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service designated 9,331 acres in San Bernardino, Riverside,
and Los Angeles counties as critical habitat to protect and recover
the threatened Santa Ana Sucker. Click
here to read more about the fight
to save the Santa Ana Sucker. Press Enterprise,
12/05/2010.
ARCHIVED NEWS ITEMS:
IEWK Snapshot Day, May 2006 On May 20, 2006,
volunteers of Inland Empire Waterkeeper and the Riverside/Corona
Resource Conservation District participated in California’s
fourth coast wide water quality monitoring event this year. Fourteen
Inland Empire sites were tested, creating a “snapshot”
of water quality in our area. The volunteers included non-profit
environmental groups, as well as interested citizens. The samplers
were trained in collecting samples and used analytical methods approved
by the state to assure data accuracy.
As expected, the results of the water quality tests came
back poor. All streams suffer from excess nutrients, and many from
high bacteria counts as well. Although poor results were expected,
poor water quality is a concern for all inland residents.
The data gathered during this monitoring event will be used
to increase public awareness of the water quality issues affecting
our watersheds and the ocean, to emphasize the importance of water
quality monitoring, and to demonstrate the key role volunteer monitors
play. This test demonstrates that, overall, Inland Empire water
quality is poor and is in continuing need of improvement.
If you are interested in obtaining the test results from Snapshot
Day 2006, or participating in future water quality events, please
contact IEWK.
Clean Up Mill Creek, October 2006 On October
28, 2006 a crew of 80 community volunteers cleaned up 34 TONS of
garbage from an open space around Mill Creek near Prado Wetlands
in Chino Saturday, October 28th. Volunteers, with the assistance
of 3 tractors, removed 34 tons of garbage and 600 lbs of recycling,
including a treadmill, furniture, construction materials, a bathtub,
and a recreational boat. The site, used as an illegal dumping ground,
drains rainwater from the area into Mill Creek, which flows into
the Santa Ana River, providing drinking water for Orange County
residents and habitat for native wildlife. The Mill Creek
area has long been used as a dumpsite by trespassers. Previous attempts
to thwart dumping have included installing a chain link fence, but
trespassers have knocked down the fences and the dumping continues.
Much of the problem at this site is due to illegal dumping. This
service project is designed to promote citizen involvement in protecting
local water supplies and provide information about alternatives
to dumping. Litter on the ground is not only an eyesore, but it
also invites people to add more.
Inland Empire Waterkeeper promoted Proposition 84 for Clean
Water, Parks, and Coastal Protection at the event. In addition to
the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District, the cleanup was
assisted and co-sponsored by the following organizations: REI, California
Coastal Commission, Viramontes Express Inland Empire Waterkeeper,
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Orange County Water
District, San Bernardino County Regional Parks, Starbucks, BJ’s
Restaurant and Brewery, the City of Chino, San Bernardino County,
US Army Corps of Engineers, Waste Management of the Inland Empire,
Inland Valley Humane Society, Henry’s Farmers Market of Chino
Hills, the Regional Water Board, Santa Ana Watershed Association,
Hands On Inland Empire the Chino High School Key Club, Chino High
School Interact Club, and Rancho Cucamonga High School Key Club.
Plans are underway to install gates and create boulder and earthen
berms to discourage future dumping at Mill Creek. |