News

1. Group Spotlight: OCRK and Altamaha Riverkeeper Settle Clean Water Act Lawsuit

2. Volunteerism on the Rise

Workshops/Conferences/Calendar Items

3. Join us for Georgia River Network Conference – Milledgeville

4. DNR Board Meetings – Atlanta

5. Coastal Treasures - Savannah

6. Nonprofit Board Seminar at UGA – Athens

7. Jumpstart: An Online Workshop to Strengthen Your Board

8. Red Clay Conference - Athens

9. Implementing TMDLs and Trading Through the National Estuary Program - Webcast

10. Register Now: National River Rally – Washington State

11. Sustainable Water Infrastructure Conference – Atlanta

12. Register Now: Paddle Georgia on the Ocmulgee

13. National River Clean Up Week – June

14. Canoochee River Race

15. Southeast Watershed Roundtable and Call for Presentations - Braselton

Resources

16. League of Women Voters’ Citizen’s Handbook

17. Water Efficiency Factoid

18. River Network reports on Water, Energy & Climate Change

19. Addressing Challenges to Board Giving

Fundraising Deadlines

20. Fundraising and Grants

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1. OCRK and Altamaha Riverkeeper Settle Clean Water Act Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart Outparcels Developers (from Ogeechee Canoochee Riverkeeper update)

How do you keep a river healthy? Answer: you have to keep the streams that feed it free flowing and clean. And that is just what the Georgia Center for Law in the Public Interest—representing Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper and Altamaha Riverkeeper—has done by negotiating a settlement in their lawsuit filed against a Swainsboro developer. The lawsuit alleged that the developers of the Swainsboro Super Wal-Mart “outparcels” illegally trenched a stream, removed a stream buffer, filled in wetlands, and violated the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for construction storm water by discharging excessive amounts of dirt into the surrounding streams and a downstream lake. The groundbreaking settlement under the Clean Water Act allows Pine Tree II, the developers of additional parcels of land around a Super Wal-Mart complex, to complete development of a small portion of land while preserving more than 15 acres of protected wetlands and streams that flow into the nearby Ohoopee River. A public land trust organization to be named in the near future will manage the conservation easement. To read the full-text of the press release visit: http://canoocheepress.mediatools.org/news/item.tcl?news_item_id=103583.

2. Volunteerism on the Rise
According to a new report on national volunteering trends, teens today volunteer more than twice as often as they did back in 1989, and nearly 40% as often as in 1974. The report, based on U.S. Census results from the past three decades, has several other interesting findings. The so-called Baby Boomers, adults aged 45 to 64, have created the highest mid-life volunteer rate in 30 years. Older adults, who bring a tremendous amount of life experience to their service, are now the most likely group to volunteer more than 100 hours each year. Over 27% of survey respondents said they volunteered for a charitable organization in 2005, nearly a third more than in 1989. Information from www.volunteermatch.org. The report can be found at http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/role_impact/VOLGROWTH.

3. Join us for Georgia River Network Annual Conference
Georgia River Network’s 7th Annual Conference: Ensuring A Clean Water Legacy

Fri. and Sat., February 16-17, 2007 at Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville

Keynote Speakers

*An Update on Georgia’s Statewide Water Plan – Dr. Becky Champion, EPD

*Climate Change and Rivers, presented by Don Elder, President, River Network

*Current State Legislative and Policy Issues, presented by Neill Herring, Sierra Club, and Jason Rooks, Georgia Conservation Voters

Three informative tracks on Saturday:

*Ensuring Enough Clean Water for Georgia -Featuring presentations on strategies for water conservation, toxics in our waters and dredge and fill permits.

*Moving Beyond the Basics: Tools for Your Watershed - Featuring presentations on fundraising, health issues, innovative outreach, and the Clean Water Act. Track chaired by Georgia Adopt-A-Stream.

*Reducing the Impacts of New Construction-Featuring presentations on erosion and sedimentation problems and solutions, enforcement of buffers, and case studies of Georgian’s who are cleaning up their watersheds through local government protections.

A Friday Workshop on “Strategies for Protecting Your Watershed at the Local Level”, featuring training on effective campaign planning, tools to protect your watershed at the local level, and case studies from citizens and groups who have fought for and won local protections for their watersheds

A Friday Night Party and Auction featuring Awards, River Jam, food and drinks

Third Annual River Celebration Awards honoring Georgia’s watershed groups, volunteers and river conservationists

Demonstration flights by Southwings. Visit http://www.garivers.org/events/conferences/2007/southwings.html.
Networking opportunities and Exhibits

Conference Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor - Stack & Associates
Conference Sponsors - Georgia Wildlife Federation, Georgia College and State University Department of Biological Sciences, School of Education and Office of Academic Outreach, GCSU Environmental Science Club

Breakfast Sponsors - Ogeechee Canoochee Riverkeeper, Turner Foundation, The Wilderness Society, UGA's Fish Action Response Team, UGA Fisheries Society

Lunch Sponsor - Georgia Conservancy

Party and Awards Sponsor - Georgia Water Coalition, Stormwater Systems, Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper

Contributing Sponsor - Satilla Riverkeeper

Cost: GRN Member Rate - $80 before February 1, 2007, $90 after February 1, 2007

GRN Non-Member Rate - $95 before February 1, 2007, $105 after February 1, 2007

For a discounted rate, please call 706-549-4508 or email info@garivers.org

For More Information Contact: Dana Skelton, Georgia River Network, 706/549-4508.

Visit http://www.garivers.org/events/grn_conference.html.

4. DNR Board Meetings – Atlanta

Committee meetings are scheduled for February 27 and the Board meeting for February 28 in the DNR Boardroom in Atlanta. 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.

5. Coastal Treasures Tickets Available Now - Savannah

Join Georgia River Network and Ogeechee Canoochee Riverkeeper on April 14, 2007 for "Coastal Treasures" at Delegal Marina in Savannah. Tickets include a dinner by Gerald’s Diner, beer by Moon River Brewing, silent auction and entertainment. There are also ticket options to take a coastal cruise or visit Ossabaw Island. For complete event details, visit http://www.garivers.org/events/fundraisers.htmll.

6. Non-Profit Board Seminars at UGA – Athens
The Nonprofit Program of the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, will conduct its Winter/Spring 2007 Non-Profit Board Seminars on the following Wednesdays: February 21, and March 21. These seminars run from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and cover the topics of Strategic Planning, Working with Volunteers, Roles & Responsibilities of the Board, and Fund Raising. There is no charge for these seminars and lunch is provided. Because of space limitations, each organization is limited to four attendees at a given seminar, and you must have a written, confirmed reservation to attend. Contact nonprofit@terry.uga.edu or 706.542.3750 to register or if you have any questions.

7. Jumpstart: An ICL Online Workshop to Re-Energize and Strengthen Your Board

The Institute for Conservation Leadership's Board JumpStart is for teams of key board leaders (and the executive director, if you have one) to map out the path to a stronger board. Through preparatory reading, a two-hour interactive web conference, and a follow-up consulting call, Board JumpStart provides proven tools and one-on-one consulting, and best of all you and your team of two to four people participate together right from your office, via conference call and a web connection. Choose from one of two upcoming Board JumpStart web conferences Friday, March 9, 2007 from 3-5:00PM ET - register by February 23rd or Thursday, April 19, 2007 from 3-5:00PM ET - register by April 5th.

For more information, visit www.icl.org or contact Baird Straughan at ICL at baird@icl.org or 301-270-2900 x4.

8. Red Clay Conference - Athens

March 23, 2007 Urban Sprawl: Where Red Clay Meets Black Asphalt
The Red Clay Conference is the annual University of Georgia Environmental Law Conference. This year's conference will focus on issues surrounding land use and urban sprawl. Panels will be on water use, wetlands, inverse condemnation and New Urbanism. Art Domby of Troutman Sanders will speak on sign ordinances and Professor Robert Glennon of the University of Arizona will be the keynote speaker. 6 CLE credits will be available. The fun kicks off at 8:30 with breakfast at Dean Rusk Hall - UGA Law School.
For more information go to www.law.uga.edu/redclay.

9. Implementing TMDLs & Trading Through the National Estuary Program – Webcast

Feb. 21st this webcast will provide an overview of the National Estuary Program (NEP) and highlight how the Long Island Sound NEP is successfully using its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan as the basis for developing a total maximum daily load. The Webcast will also discuss the trading program used in Long Island Sound aimed at reducing nitrogen loads faster and more cost effectively. Register at: www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts. Also, be sure to mark your calendars for March 28th, the next Webcast entitled, Key EPA Internet Tools for Watershed Management!

10. Register Now: National River Rally – Washington State
River Network's 2007 National River Rally will take place May 18-22 in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Join over 500 river and watershed protection advocates at Skamania Lodge (www.skamania.com) for four days of education, inspiration and celebration. Over 100 workshops will provide you with unsurpassed professional and personal development. Nonprofit staff and volunteers, tribal, agency and corporate representatives working on freshwater issues are invited and encouraged to attend!
If you want to protect and restore rivers and watersheds - this is one national confluence you don't want to miss. Scholarship deadline is March 15. Visit http://www.rivernetwork.org.

11. Sustainable Water Infrastructure Conference - Atlanta
Paying for Sustainable Water Infrastructure: Innovations for the 21st Century - EPA and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority will bring together stakeholders from all levels of government and the private sector to explore creative methods to pay for sustainable water infrastructure. This conference, scheduled for March 21-23, 2007 in Atlanta, GA, will be the first national conference to address the challenge of integrating the diverse tools and strategies to pay for sustainable water infrastructure. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss these issues with leaders and peers in four tracks: 1)Sustainable Water Infrastructure; 2) SRFs and Federal Assistance Programs: A Fresh Perspective; 3) State and Local Innovations; and 4) International Innovations in Finance, Technologies, and Management. More information about the conference is available at http://www.payingforwater.com.

12. Register Now: Paddle Georgia on the Ocmulgee
Paddle Georgia 2007 is scheduled for June 23-29, 2007 on the Ocmulgee River. The trip will cover almost 120 miles of Ocmulgee River from Lloyd Shoals Dam between Jackson and Monticello to Hawkinsville. The first 42 miles of the journey wind through the
Piedmont, around the John Birch Dam at Juliette, over shoals and rapids to Macon. From Macon, the journey descends into the Coastal Plain for 71 twisting, turning miles beneath Spanish moss-draped trees to the final take out at Hawkinsville. Highlights of the trip
include Oconee National Forest and mill ruins at Forty Acre Island, historic Juliette and John Birch Dam, downtown Macon, Ocmulgee National Monument, Georgia Power's Plant Scherer, the Ocmulgee Wildlife Management Area and downtown Hawkinsville. The canoe trip is suitable for beginners with a handful of exciting Class I-II shoals. A special paddling workshop will be held on June 22. Registration opens Feb. 19.

PG 2007 Itinerary
Day 1: Piedmont Polka Lloyd Shoals Dam to Ga. 83 (14 miles)
Day 2: Juliette Jitterbug Ga. 83 to Popes Ferry (14 miles)
Day 3: Mambo to Macon Popes Ferry to Spring Street (14 miles)
Day 4: Echeconnee Cancan Spring Street to Echeconnee Creek (20 miles)
Day 5: Oxbow Bolero Echeconnee Creek to Hwy 96 (20 miles)
Day 6: Coastal Plain Conga Hwy 96 to James Dykes Park (17 miles)
Day 7: Hawkinsville Hustle James Dykes Park to Hawkinsville (14
miles)

Visit http://www.garivers.org/paddle_georgia/pghome.html.

13. National River Clean Up Week – June

Looking for a hands-on way to get people of all ages directly involved in protecting the rivers they love? American Rivers invites you to take part in National River Cleanup Week June 2-10, 2007. This annual event raises public awareness of the magnitude of trash accumulating in our nation’s waterways. Since 1992, more than 500,000 volunteers have participated in more than 4,500 cleanups, covering more than 100,000 miles of waterways. National River Cleanup Week kicks off hundreds of river cleanups in communities across the country. So pitch in to protect your favorite river, creek or stream by organizing a local cleanup or by volunteering to help. Register a cleanup by April 15 at www.NationalRiverCleanup.org to receive free trash bags, generate publicity, recruit volunteers, enter contests for free prizes, and help report data on trash in our nation’s rivers. (Even if your river cleanup is scheduled for a different date, stand up and be counted!)

Trash Facts from American Rivers

Type of Litter – Fast food waste (33%); Paper (29%); Aluminum (28%); Glass (6%); Plastic (2%); Other (2%)

How Long Litter Lasts – Orange peel (2-5 weeks); Paper bag (1 month); Cigarette butt (up to 5 years); Leather shoe (45 years); Plastic bottle (430 years); Aluminum can (200-500 years); Disposable diaper (550 years); Glass bottle (Approx. 1 million years); Styrofoam container (1 million years).

14. 2007 Canoochee River Race and Paddle-A-Thon

Register Now. Race will be held March 31. For more information, contact Melanie Hendrix at mhendrix@ocrk.org or 912-764-2017.

15. The 10th Annual Southeast Watershed Roundtable: Sustaining Our Water Infrastructure Through Watershed-Based Approaches – Call for Presentations

August 1-3 at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton, GA

Oral and poster presentations are currently being sought for this year's Roundtable. If you have a case study or project where communities, utilities, industries and local organizations have partnered to use many of the EPA's “Four Pillars of Sustainable Water Infrastructure" as well as other innovative strategies to protect their land and water to meet future needs, please submit a presentation abstract for consideration. Visit http://www.southeastwaterforum.org.

16. League Of Women Voters’ Citizen’s Handbook
This guide contains a complete listing of the Georgia delegation. Visit http://www.garivers.org/advocacy/public_officials.html.

17. Water Efficiency Factoid
Replacing a pre-1994 toilet with a new high-efficiency model can reduce water used for toilets by at least 60 percent and save about 14 percent of total indoor water use. Savings for a typical household would be more than 10,000 gallons per year, enough to fill a backyard swimming pool! More information about WaterSense: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/.

18. River Network Reports on Water, Energy & Climate Change
One of River Network’s current initiatives is to illustrate just how much water, energy and money every community in America could save by building its long-term water management programs on the foundation of water conservation, efficiency and re-use. By simply employing basic, proven water conservation and efficiency measures, we can easily meet all the needs of a growing and increasingly prosperous U.S. population. In fact, we can do so while saving energy and money. Read Water, Energy & Climate Change at https://www.rivernetwork.org/files/climatechangeenergyandwaterjan07.pdf.

19. Addressing Challenges to Board Giving

Successful fund-raising programs are built upon boards of directors that provide leadership in both their giving and “asking.” And while this is often accepted as basic knowledge in fund-raising circles, we frequently hear fund-raising professionals talk about the difficulty they are having with their boards. This article explores the three biggest challenges to board giving and involvement in fund raising, and presents strategies for addressing these challenges. (Brought to you by FundraisingINFO.com). Visit http://www.gcn.org/CVBoardGiving.aspx.

20. 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 http://www.garivers.org/resources/tools/grants.html.

Abelard Foundation East is a family foundation with a forty-year history of progressive funding. The Foundation is committed to supporting social change organizations which reflect, through membership or grassroots participation, the communities in which they are based; expand community control over economic, social and environmental decisions affecting the community's well-being; and build a strong informed voice on public policy issues. The Foundation's eastern office reviews applications for organizations east of the Mississippi. The eastern office accepts proposals throughout the year. However, applications mailed by March 15th will be reviewed for the spring meeting and applications mailed by September 15th will be reviewed for the fall meeting. Visit http://foundationcenter.org/grantmaker/abelardeast/.

Captain Planet Foundation provides grants to organizations that promote an understanding of the environment and involve youth ages 6-18. Grants range from $250 - $2,500. Deadlines for submitting grant applications are March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31. Visit http://www.captainplanetfdn.org/.

Community for a Renewed Environment - CARE is a unique community-based, community-driven, multimedia demonstration program designed to help communities understand and reduce risks due to toxics and environmental pollutants from all sources. The CARE grant program will help communities form collaborative partnerships, develop a comprehensive understanding of the many sources of risk from toxics and environmental pollutants, set priorities, and identify and carry out projects to reduce risks through collaborative action at the local level. CARE’s long-term goal is to help communities build self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to improve human health and local environments into the future. The 2007 CARE Cooperative Agreement Request for Proposals (RFP) is now available on-line at: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=12472&mode=VIEW.

For additional information about CARE, projects awarded in 2005 and 2006, or how to apply for the cooperative agreements, visit EPA’s Web site at http://www.epa.gov/care. The CARE program will conduct three identical national informational sessions for potential applicants via a national Webcast on the following dates and times: February 20, 2007 from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. eastern time, February 26, 2007, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. eastern time and March 1, 2007, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. eastern time. To register for the upcoming CARE Internet Seminar for either of the above dates, please go to: http://www.cluin.org/studio/seminar.cfm#upcoming and click on the registration link for the "CARE Request for Proposals Q&A".

Corcoran Education Grant - In 2006 the North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA) is again offering up to $1000 to sponsor a project or projects to educate the general public about native North American fishes and their environment. The Gerald C. Corcoran Education Grant will fund such educational projects as: producing and distributing educational materials (books, brochures, posters, displays, video, Internet resources, etc.),stream surveys with public education as a primary goal, public lectures,nature center displays, school materials and displays, and teacher training workshops. The award was established in memory of past NANFA President Gerald C. Corcoran, who stressed public education regarding the continent's native fishes. NANFA is an organization made up of home and professional aquarists, university and other professional researchers, conservationists, anglers and naturalists. As its name implies, the group is dedicated to the study and conservation of North America's native fishes. Grant proposals are due March 31, 2007. Proposals will be evaluated and ranked by a review committee, and funding awarded on June 1, 2007. Qualifying applicants must be members of NANFA but non-members may submit their annual dues with their proposals. For additional information, contact: Robert Denkhaus at Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge at (817) 237-1111, email Robert.Denkhaus@fortworthgov.org or visit http://www.nanfa.org/corcoran.shtml.

The mission of the Educational Foundation of America is to improve individual lives and their surroundings through education and awareness, in hopes of bettering humanity and the world we inhabit. The Foundation’s areas of interest include the environment, reproductive freedom, theatre, drug policy reform, democracy, peace and national security issues, education, medicine, and human services. Letters of inquiry may be submitted by email at any time. Visit http://www.efaw.org to review the Foundation’s 2005 annual report and access the letter of inquiry form.

The Five-Star Restoration Matching Grants Program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, provides grants on a competitive basis to support community-based wetland, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration projects. Supported projects should build diverse partnerships and foster local natural resource stewardship through education, outreach and training activities. The stars in "Five-Star" are the partners, funders, and participants necessary to complete the project. Projects should involve diverse partnerships of ideally five organizations, including schools, universities, businesses, community groups, local governments, nonprofit organizations, foundations, etc. Applications must be postmarked by March 9, 2007. Visit http://www.nfwf.org/programs/5star-rfp.cfm.

The Fund for Southern Communities is a publicly supported foundation established in 1981 to provide grants and technical assistance to progressive grassroots social change organizations working in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The Fund invites applications from organizations fighting discrimination based on race, sex, age, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic background, or physical and mental disabilities; struggling for the rights of workers; promoting self-determination in low-income and disenfranchised communities; protecting the environment; promoting and/or creating non-traditional arts and media; promoting peace. Regular grant deadlines are March 1 and September 1. Further information is available at the foundation’s website http://www.fundforsouth.org/.

Ittleson Foundation supports innovative pilot, model and demonstration projects that will help move individuals, communities, and organizations from environmental awareness to environmental activism by changing attitudes and behaviors. Initial letters of inquiry due by April 1st or September 1st. Click here for information.

Merck Family Fund - The goals of the Merck Family Fund are to protect the natural environment and ensure a healthy planet for generations to come, and to strengthen the social fabric and the physical landscape of the urban community. Through the Protecting the Natural Environment program area, the Fund supports the protection of vital ecosystems in the eastern U.S., and on a national basis, supports the shift towards environmentally sustainable economic systems, incentives, and behaviors. Through the Strengthening the Urban Community program area, the Fund provides grants to grassroots programs in New York City; Providence, RI; and Boston, MA that work to create green and open space, and that support youth as agents of social change. Letters of inquiry can be submitted at any time. Invited proposals are due March 1 and August 1, annually. For more information, visit http://www.merckff.org/.

Patagonia funds projects that are action oriented, build public support and involvement, are strategic and accomplish specific goals and objectives. Patagonia supports small, grassroots activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas. They look for innovative groups that produce measurable results, and like to support efforts to force the government to abide by its own - our own - laws. Patagonia helps local groups working to protect local habitat. Most grants are in the range of $3,000 to $8,000. Proposals must be postmarked no later than April 30 and August 31 each year. For more information, visit the Patagonia website. You can also apply for grants from the Atlanta Patagonia store which gives grants in the amount of $1,000 - $4000 with applications due each May. Contact Leigh Bost at 404.266.8182 or leigh_bost@patagonia.com for more information.

Project AWARE Foundation is committed to the conservation and preservation of the aquatic environment and its resources throughout the world. The Foundation will consider funding projects that focus on its priorities: coral reef conservation, shark protection, aquatic ecotourism, aquatic education (particularly for youth), and direct conservation activities in both marine and freshwater for up to $10,000. Projects which incorporate public education, grassroots involvement, and research that leads to conservation are examples of the types of projects the Foundation supports. The application deadlines are March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15, annually. Visit http://www.projectaware.org.

Sapelo Foundation's Environmental Protection Program addresses such issues as water and air quality, sprawl and sustainable development, corporate effects on rural communities, and the protection and management of natural resources. Currently, the primary focus is a strategic campaign addressing water resource management and policy in Georgia. The Trustees meet to consider grants twice each year. Deadlines for submission of proposals are September 1 and March 1. Grants range from $1,000 to $75,000. The average award is between $10,000 and $25,000. Visit http://www.sapelofoundation.org for more details.

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. Deadline: March 16, 2007. Visit www.towncreekfdn.org.

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Dana Skelton
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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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