News
1. DNR Updating State Protected Plant and Animal Lists
2. Support Georgia River Network When You Buy Online From Patagonia
3. Four Major GA Lakes Proposed To Be Added To State’s Water Quality List
Policy Updates
4. Buffer Destruction Bill Defeated
5. State Budget- Monitoring, Trust Funds, and E&S Positions
Group Spotlight
6. Southwings
Workshops/Conferences/Calendar Items
7. April DNR Board Meetings – Atlanta
8. ICL Leading Cooperative Efforts: Skills for Survival and Success - Atlanta
9. Backyard Conservation Webcasts
10. Back to the Chattahoochee Race - Atlanta
11. ICL Board University – Atlanta
12. Webcast – Citizen Involvement in the Clean Water Act
13. Altamaha River Run – Wayne County
14. Alliance for Justice: The Rules of the Game: Election Activity by Nonprofits
15. CRBI Canoe Race - Rome
Resources
16. Techsoup Offers New Adobe Products at Reduced Prices to Non-Profits
17. PIRG Report on Clean Water Act Compliance
18. Organization Assessment Tools from ICL
Fundraising Deadlines
19. Fundraising Deadlines
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1. DNR Updating State Protected Plant and Animal Lists
DNR is currently updating the state protected plant and animal lists. The process started on Feb 24, but there is still is still time for people to provide comments. Details are at the following link: http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/. (Click NonGame and then click Protected Species Update.)
2. Support Georgia River Network When You Buy Online from Patagonia
Georgia River Network is a grant recipient from Patagonia. As a grantee, we
receive 7% of all funds generated when you shop Patagonia through a special
on our website at www.garivers.org. This link is currently posted on our
homepage and can also be accessed through our bookstore.
3. Four Major GA Lakes Proposed To Be Added To State’s Water Quality List
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) proposes adding three new major lakes and additional sections of a fourth major lake to Georgia’s 305(b)/303(d) Integrated List of Waters. The List of Waters is a federally required list of water bodies within the state that do not meet water quality standards. “The EPD decision to add lakes Lanier, Walter F. George, Carter’s and additional sections of Allatoona to the draft 305(b)/303(d) list is the next step toward ensuring water quality in these important lakes,” said EPD Director Carol A. Couch. Each of the lakes proposed to be listed have data indicating they have periodically exceeded the water quality standard for chlorophyll a over the previous five-year monitoring period. Data collected from monitoring stations at Carter’s Lake in northwest Georgia, portions of lakes Allatoona and Lanier located northwest and northeast of metropolitan Atlanta respectively, as well as Lake Walter F. George south of Columbus, indicated the chlorophyll a standards adopted for each specific lake location were periodically exceeded. Locations of monitoring stations where water quality standards for chlorophyll a were periodically exceeded include:
• Lake Allatoona-Etowah River, Little River, Midlake and Allatoona Creek
• Carter’s Lake-Upstream Woodring Branch and Coosawattee River
• Lake Lanier-Brown’s Bridge, Lanier Bridge and Flowery Branch
• Lake Walter F. George-Midlake (Highway 82)
Currently, the water quality problems in the four lakes do not pose a threat to human health or safety, but fishing, recreation and drinking water supplies could eventually be affected if the chlorophyll a problem is left unchecked. The draft 305(b)/303(d) list is available for review at http://www.gaepd.org/Documents/305b.html or at the EPD Watershed Protection Branch office at 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101, Atlanta, Georgia 30354. Public comments may be mailed to the EPD Watershed Protection Branch Chief at 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101, Atlanta, Georgia 30354 or faxed to the attention of Linda MacGregor at 404/675-6244. Comments will be accepted through 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 15, 2006.
4. Buffer Destruction Bill Defeated
On the final night of the Georgia General Assembly, the House voted the Stream
Buffer Destruction Act down by a vote of 139-30! This represented a huge
victory for the environmental community and for the Georgia Water Coalition.
The Coalition would like to congratulate all of the representatives who helped
make this happen. This broad effort to defeat SB 510 supports the position
that environmental issues are bipartisan. Thanks again to everyone who worked
against this bad legislation and helped to keep Georgians’ drinking
water clean!
5. State Budget- Monitoring, Trust Funds, and E&S Positions
Here is a summary of environmental spending contained in the final FY 2007 budget passed by the Georgia General Assembly. There are significant improvements in response to citizen, industry, and local government calls for funding.
· $400,000 was restored to EPD to enhance water modeling and monitoring.
· $4,500,000 was allocated to the Solid Waste Trust Fund. This brings total funding for FY 2007 to $6 million, which is slightly less than full funding.
· $7.6 million was allocated to the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund for FY 2007. This is approximately half of the $14 million in fees and fines that are collected each year, so this fund is still far from being fully funded.
· No funds were included for the 8 positions ($300,000) for erosion and sedimentation control at EPD. Three years after Georgia initiated user fees for land disturbance activities to fund these positions, EPD has only been able to hire 35 new inspectors - instead of the 80+ new staff that were promised.
6. Group Spotlight: Flying With SouthWings
SouthWings offers skilled pilots and aerial education to enhance conservation efforts across the Southeast. Since their inception in 1996, they have provided flights to more than 400 organizations, from small, community-based groups to national organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Their flight partners use this aerial perspective to educate community leaders, policy-makers, and the media; to document illegal land management activities; monitor land and water conservation; and provide data for research. SouthWings flights are provided free of charge to qualified conservation and public-interest non-profit organizations. They have worked with over 30 organizations throughout Georgia, including many RiverKeeper groups and watershed alliances. SouthWings overflights are the most effective means for identifying sources of river pollution and gathering evidence to affect change. Contact their office to schedule a flight (828-225-5949), or email Caroline Douglas at caroline@southwings.org. SouthWings is always looking for qualified pilots to join their team. They are in need of volunteer pilots who love to fly and serve their communities as well. Contact Taylor Barnhill at (828)225-5949 or taylor@southwings.org if you know of any prospects!
7. DNR Board Meetings – Atlanta
April 25 and 26 - For details on DNR Board Meetings, visit http://www.gadnr.org/
(bottom left corner of home page). To view the schedule, visit http://gadnr.org/documents/sched-agenda.html.
For an archive of the Georgia Environmental Council’s reports on board
meetings, visit www.garivers.org and click on advocacy.
8. ICL Leading Cooperative Efforts: Skills for Survival and Success - Atlanta
The Institute for Conservation Leadership and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits announce a new workshop: Leading Cooperative Efforts: Skills for Survival and Success on Thursday, May 11, 2006 from 9:00am-4:00pm at the Georgia Center for Nonprofits office in Atlanta, GA Working together collaboratively is one of the toughest things for leaders and organizations to accomplish, but these days it's simply a requirement of any nonprofit leader's job. Networks, coalitions, and other cooperative efforts require distinct leadership skills if they are to be effective. This one-day workshop offers skills and tools to effectively manage and participate in a variety of cooperative efforts. This workshop offers participants: * Best practices and skills for effectively leading cooperative efforts, * Tools to assess your own leadership and to better manage cooperative efforts and their persistent tensions, * A “learning lab” environment in which to address difficult issues with your colleagues or simply take stock and consider your next steps. Register online by April 21, 2006 at www.icl.org. The workshop fee includes lunch and a copy of the Institute's newest publication, "When Groups Work Together: A Toolkit for Activists Working in Cooperative Efforts." For environmental groups, the fee is $95 for the first person and $40 for each additional person from the same organization. For all other nonprofits, the fee is $95/person or $80 per person for members of GCN. For further information, please email or call Courtney Carlson (courtney@icl.org) at ICL, or call (301) 270-2900 x7.
9. Backyard Wetland Conservation Webcasts
The Izaak Walton League of America is broadcasting live webcasts that will
help you conserve wetlands and provide a home for wildlife near your home,
office, or schoolyard. Wet Spots into Wonderlands will air on April 25, 8:00-10:00pm.
This webcast will teach you simple techniques that will attract wildlife to
your property, reduce stormwater runoff, and help to improve the water quality
in your neighborhood. Visit http://www.iwla.org/ and click on the Wetland Webcast
link to register and learn more, or contact Suzanne Zanelli at 301-548-0150
ext. 223 or email szanelli@iwla.org.
10. Back to the Chattahoochee Race
4th Annual Back to the Chattahoochee Race & Festival! Upper Chattahoochee
Riverkeeper sponsors this race on Saturday - June 10, 2006. Race 9:00 am and
Festival 10:00 – 2:00pm For more information: http://www.ucriverkeeper.org/community5.htm.
11. ICL Board University - Atlanta
The Institute for Conservation Leadership invites you and your board to attend
their popular one-day Board University Workshop on Saturday, June 17, 2006
in Atlanta, GA. This workshop allows board members to work together to focus
and strengthen their work. The Atlanta Board University is co-sponsored by
and will be held at the Georgia Center for Nonprofits from 8:30am-5:00pm.
At the Board University workshop, you and your team will assess your board;
align your board’s work with your organization’s needs; explore
best practices to make your board more effective, efficient, and enjoyable;
and plan for implementing the changes your board needs. Who should participate?
The workshop is designed for organizational teams of two or more people including
board members, executive directors, and other staff members who work with
the board. Cost: This workshop costs $95 for the first person from your organization
and $40 for each additional person from the same organization. The cost includes
a full day of training, all materials, and lunch. Registration and payment
are due Friday, May 26th. For more information or if you have any questions,
please email or call Courtney Carlson (courtney@icl.org) at ICL at (301)
270-2900 x7. Visit www.icl.org for more information.
12. Webcast – Citizen Involvement in the Clean Water Act
EPA's Watershed Academy is having a free Webcast Seminar on April 19, 2006 on:
"Opportunities for Citizen Involvement in the Clean Water Act" by Gayle Killam, River Network. See http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/webcasts/ for details and sign up.
13. Altamaha River Run - Wayne County
Altamaha River Run - Canoe & Kayak Excursion - Saturday, April 22, 2006
The Wayne County Board of Tourism is sponsoring a 16 mile canoe/kayak excursion beginning at Paradise Park and ending at Altamaha Fish Camp at Everett City in Glynn County. This family paddle will be led by experienced guides and members of the Wayne County Rescue squad will also accompany the paddlers. Bring a sack lunch for the midpoint stop at Williamsburg Landing. Entry fees for adults and children over 10 will be $5.00. Children 10 and under free. Altamaha River Run T-shirts will be available for the purchase price of $10. An approved list of outfitters can be obtained from Heather Altman at the Wayne County Board of Tourism at 427-2028. Registration forms are available on the tourism website at www.waynetourism.com/riverrun.htm. Bring your canoes, kayaks, life jackets, sunscreen, and a sack lunch for a great day of fun and relaxation on the Altamaha River.
14. Alliance for Justice: The Rules of the Game: Election Activity by Nonprofits
This one-hour web-based training will cover the rules for election-related activity including candidate elections, voter guides, voting records, and candidate debates and forums. When: Wednesday, April 26, 2006, 2:00 pm, Eastern You will need a computer with internet access and working computer speakers in order to participate. Once you've registered, you will receive two e-mails: the first will be automatically generated letting you know your registration is complete, the second will be sent two days before the training and will include instructions on how to log in to the training (if you do not receive the instructions please e-mail vanessa.dick@afj.org). Cost: $30. Questions: Vanessa Dick at vanessa.dick@afj.org or 202-822-6070. Website: http://www.afj.org/.
15. CRBI Canoe Race - Rome
The Early Bird Registration Deadline for CRBI’s 6th Annual Canoe-a-thon & Race is fast approaching. Registration fees are $50 for tandem boats and $40 for solo boats. After April 21, registration fees for tandem boats jump to $60 and registration fees for solo boats jump to $50. Don’t miss this opportunity to spend the day on the beautiful Oostanaula River with 100 or more of your closest river friends! To register, visit www.coosa.org where you may download a registration form for mailing or you may register online using PayPal. Prizes including a new recreational kayak, a North Carolina mountain getaway vacation and outdoor clothing will be awarded to those participants generating the most money for CRBI through the Canoe-a-thon. Participants generating more than $150 may have their registration fees reimbursed. Register now and begin soliciting donations today. Don’t have a boat, don’t worry. A very limited number of canoes are still available for use at no charge. For more information, call (706) 232-2724.
16. Techsoup Offers New Adobe Products to Non-Profits at Low Cost
Visit www.techsoup.org and click on techsoup stock to browse available products.
17. PIRG Report on Clean Water Act Compliance
Want to find out who in your watershed is exceeding their permits to dump pollution
in your river? Click here to see a list of major facilities in Georgia exceeding
their clean water act permits from January 1, 2002-June 30, 2003: http://uspirg.org/reports/troubledwaters2004/GA.pdf.
The list comes from the Public Interest Research Group’s (PIRG’s)
report: “Troubled Waters: An Analysis of Clean Water Act Compliance,
July 2003-December 2004,” which found that major facilities across
the state and country continue to dump more pollution into our waterways
than their Clean Water Act permits allow. To read the full report visit http://uspirg.org/
and click on reports. PIRG found that 60% of Georgia’s facilities exceeded
their Clean Water Act permits at least once in the time period studied; on
average, the facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits did so by
427%.
18. Organizational Assessment Tools from ICL
Benchmarking Your Organization's Development will help your organization assess
its practices against 38-46 best practices benchmarks, identify the most
important benchmarks to improve, and set next steps for becoming stronger
and more effective. The workbook can be used by individual leaders or as
part of a group activity, and includes 21 indicators to track your progress.
There is a version for all volunteer groups and a version for small to mid-size
groups. Benchmarks cover: Vision and Planning, Programs and Campaigns, Fundraising
and Resources, Budgeting, Accounting, and Reporting, The Board, Staff, Members,
Volunteers, and Leaders, Public Communications and Alliances. Price: $20.00.
To order, visit http://icl.org/toolkits/benchmarking.php.
19. Fundraising Deadlines
The following foundations are either new to our list of grants or have upcoming
deadlines to submit proposals. To view grant makers that give throughout
the year, visit our website at www.garivers.org and click on “Grants”.
The Community Foundation funds projects in the 23 county Metro Atlanta area. Visit www.atlcf.org. The foundation receives proposals between January and July.
ConAgra Foods Foundation works to improve the quality of life in communities
where ConAgra employees work and live. The Foundation focuses its resources
in the areas of arts and culture; civic and community betterment; education;
health and human services; and hunger, nutrition and food safety. Nonprofit
organizations in communities with company facilities throughout the United
States are eligible to apply. Consult your local phone directory or contact
your Chamber of Commerce to find out if ConAgra Foods operates in your community.
Applications are due the last working day of January, April, July, October.
Visit http://www.conagrafoods.com/company/corporate_responsibility/foundation/index.jsp.
The Environmental Support Center empowers grassroots environmental activist groups by helping to improve their management, planning, funding and communications capabilities. Grants are reviewed monthly. Visit http://www.envsc.org.
The Fund for Wild Nature supports grassroots projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico for campaigns to save and restore native species and wild ecosystems, including actions to defend wilderness and biological diversity. The Fund supports projects premised on effective, intelligent biocentric strategies on issues that are not receiving adequate national attention, and may not be fundable through mainstream sources. The Fund provides grants for advocacy, litigation, public policy work, development of citizen science, and similar endeavors. The remaining deadlines for 2006 are April 28 and November 3. For application guidelines and forms visit http://www.fundwildnature.org/.
Georgia Watchable Wildlife Grants - Apply by April 28
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division is
accepting proposals to sponsor up to $5,000 dollars for nongame educational
and watchable wildlife projects. Applicants may include local governments
and non-profit organizations. For more information: http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=483.
Hewlett-Packard Company will award up to 100 nonprofits in the U.S. and Puerto Rico with a wireless technology package valued at $17,000 and preference will be given to nonprofits in Atlanta and Alpharetta, communities near HP sites, among other communities. Grants are designed to provide tools to enhance nonprofits' effectiveness and support the use of mobile technology. Applicants must operate programs in one or more of the following areas: health and human services; workforce development; environment; arts and technology; or community and economic development. Applications and more info will become available Feb. 27 online. Visit http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/grants/us/programs/tech_community/.
The American Honda Foundation supports projects in the areas of youth and scientific education. The Foundation defines "youth" as prenatal through 21 years of age. "Scientific education" encompasses the physical and life sciences, mathematics, and the environmental sciences. The Foundation provides grants for K-12 education, higher education, and other nonprofit organizations that focus on youth and/or scientific education. Only projects that are national in scope will be considered for funding by the Foundation. Application deadlines are February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 of each year. Visit http://corporate.honda.com/america/philanthropy.aspx?id=ahf.
Kodak American Greenways Grant
The 2006 Kodak American Greenways Awards Program provides seed money to stimulate
greenway, blueway and trail planning and design. Schools are welcome to apply!
Recipients will be invited to attend an awards ceremony at the National Geographic
Society Headquarters in Washington DC. The program typically honors 3-4 awardees
each year. For more information: http://www.conservationfund.org/?article=2372.
Deadline: June 1
The National Forest Foundation supports projects that address community-based forest stewardship, watershed health and restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, and recreation issues in proactive ways. Projects should complete innovative on-the-ground conservation work in partnership with other community groups. The Foundation’s matching awards program focuses on “action-oriented” projects that serve to demonstrate measurable outcomes. The program provides challenge cost-share grants, on a competitive basis, to community-based organizations to engage in on-the-ground conservation initiatives benefiting National Forests and Grasslands. The Program provides matching federal funds to private, non-federal dollars. During 2006, the Foundation will support organizations in Southern Appalachia (Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia), the Oregon Coast and Central Cascades, the Selway-Bitterroot area (Montana and Idaho), the Central Colorado Rockies, and the Central Sierra (California). Some 20 percent of the Program’s funds will be allocated to projects outside of these areas. The deadline of July 28 is for pre-proposals. | Grant Range: $500 to $100,000 | Contact Info: Alexandra Kenny, Director Grants Program, 2715 M St. NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC, 20007, Ph: 202-298-6740 Ext. 3, akenny@natlforests.org. Visit http://natlforests.org/consp_04_map.html.
Norcross Wildlife Foundation primarily supports the environmental conservation efforts of local grassroots organizations throughout the U.S. The Foundation makes restricted grants for land protection, program-related office and field equipment, and public education/outreach materials. Grants range from $1,000 - $5,000. Applications are accepted year-round. Visit http://www.norcrossws.org for more information.
North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants
This small grants program promotes long-term conservation of North American
wetland ecosystems, and the waterfowl and other migratory birds, fish and
wildlife that depend upon such habitat. Visit http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/Small/index.shtm.
Tourism Cares for Tomorrow is a nonprofit organization that benefits society by promoting the responsible use of the world's natural, cultural and historic treasures and supporting education and research to help secure the positive future of travel and tourism worldwide. As part of its mission, Tourism Cares for Tomorrow distributes grants to nonprofit organizations worldwide with the following goals: 1. Projects that protect, restore, or conserve sites of exceptional cultural, historic, or natural significance and 2. Programs that educate local host communities and the traveling public about conservation and preservation of sites. The remaining deadlines for 2006 are June 30 and Nov 1. Application guidelines are available on the website at http://tourismcares.org/TourismCares/What+We+Do/Grants/.
Town Creek Foundation - The Foundation supports programs that engage citizens in challenging the unsustainable use of natural resources and in protecting biological diversity. Strategies supported are grassroots activism, monitoring the enforcement of environmental laws, public policy advocacy, collaborative opportunities, media outreach, and model or demonstration projects fostering sustainable policies and practices. Deadlines are January 15, May 15, and September 15. Visit www.towncreekfdn.org.
Join Georgia River Network
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River Network useful, we would appreciate your financial support! Visit www.garivers.org
and join today!
Dana Skelton
Director of Administration and Outreach
Georgia River Network
126 S Milledge Avenue
Athens, GA 30605
706/549-4508
706/549-7791 fax
http://www.garivers.org
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