NAWM Webinars/Conference Schedule
Building State and Tribal Wetland Program Regulatory Capacity: Findings from ASWM’s Multi-year Project
Held Tuesday, March 23, 2021 - 3:00 – 4:30 pm Eastern
INTRODUCTION
- Marla Stelk, Executive Director, Association of State Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
PRESENTERS
- Brenda Zollitsch, Association of State Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Yvonne Vallette, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Matt Schweisberg, Wetland Strategies and Solutions [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
ABSTRACT
This final webinar in our Wetland Regulatory Capacity Building Series shared final findings and products from ASWM’s multi-year project. The webinar highlighted key takeaways on fundamental building blocks for regulatory development, including addressing regulatory gaps, identifying sustainable funding strategies and tips on working with state legislatures to support regulatory programs. Next, the webinar highlighted EPA Wetland Program Plans as strategic planning tools and potential funding for states and tribes developing regulatory program elements. The webinar then covered ways to build compliance and enforcement capacity, possible value-added from integrating with other state agency programs, and ways to expand reach through partnering with state wetland associations. While the project primarily focused on state agency considerations, findings may also be useful to tribes. The final segment of the webinar delved a little deeper into strategic planning, sharing a new tool from ASWM – an extensive checklist that walks interested parties through considerations around planning for regulatory enhancements. The webinar ended sharing some strategies for effective communication around regulatory capacity building efforts and sharing of how to access ASWM’s new regulatory capacity building resources.
BIOS
Brenda Zollitsch is Senior Policy Analyst at the Association of State Wetland Managers. Over the last two years, Brenda has led ASWM’s Wetland Regulatory Capacity Building Project, coordinating the project workgroup, dialogues and research to develop the resources that will be presented during this webinar. At ASWM, Brenda conducts research and policy analysis on wetland and stream issues; works to analyze and respond to emerging wetland-related rules and regulations; manages projects; and designs, coordinates and evaluates training for wetland professionals. Brenda is also currently leading a multi-year national project on assumption of the Clean Water Act Section 404 Program. Brenda earned a double Master’s degree in International Relations and Environmental Resource Management from Boston University and her PhD in Public Policy from the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service
Yvonne Vallette is an Aquatic Ecologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For the last twenty-five years she has worked at EPA Region 10’s Oregon Operations Office in Portland serving as the Region’s coordinator for enhancing State and Tribal Programs. Her work with EPA is focused on the technical and policy aspects of the Clean Water Act (CWA), including Section 404. Her practicable experience includes work in: aquatic resource monitoring and assessment, 404 enforcement, compensatory mitigation, impact analysis, CWA jurisdiction, 404 program assumption, and aquatic resources restoration.
Matt Schweisberg is the Principal of Wetland Strategies and Solutions, LLC, where he provides policy, regulatory and technical advice and assistance for clients seeking to navigate a wide range of regulatory and non-regulatory issues related to wetlands and other aquatic resources. He works throughout the U.S. Matt is a Professional Wetland Scientist under the Professional Certification Program of the Society of Wetland Scientists. He is a retired federal wetlands ecologist and wildlife biologist who spent over 32 years with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency at its HQ office in Washington, D.C. and New England Region office in Boston. Matt served as Chief of the New England Region’s Wetlands Protection Program and Senior Wetland Ecologist, and on national work groups developing guidance and regulations on Clean Water Act jurisdiction. He has testified before federal grand juries and served several times as an expert witness in federal, state, and private litigation. He co-instructs a week-long intensive course on wetland identification and delineation at the Eagle Hill Institute in Maine, and has taught courses in wetland regulation, restoration and creation, wetland ecology, and wetland identification and delineation for federal and state agencies, academic organizations, and environmental consultants. He received his degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine..
View Past Wetland Regulatory Capacity Building Webinars Here
2020 |
View a List of Wetland Regulatory Capacity Building Webinar Recordings Here
This webinar series addresses key elements and issues of assumption that are faced by states and tribes. Webinars cover some of the basic considerations for states and tribes, as well as share examples of states and tribes working on assumption activities. Content in this webinar series does not replace formal rulemaking and guidance from EPA.
For more information and/or to join our email list for notices about upcoming events, please contact Laura Burchill at laura@nawm.org or (207) 892-3399.
View a List of Past Section 404 Assumption Webinar Recordings Here
Please click on a year below to view past webinars.
Conducting Federal-State/Tribal Regulatory Crosswalks for Clean Water Act Section 404 Assumption
Held Monday, March 22, 2021 - 3:00 – 4:30 pm Eastern
INTRODUCTION
- Brenda Zollitsch, Senior Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
PRESENTERS [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Heather Mason, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Barbara Poage, Oregon Department of State Lands
- Les Lemm, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources
- Ken Powell, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources
ABSTRACT
In the assumption planning process, states and tribes must complete a regulatory crosswalk. The purpose of the crosswalk is to examine any differences between state and federal standards and to provide insights into any gaps that may need to be filled. The regulatory crosswalk allows states and tribes to show that the final program, when ready for assumption, provides a no less stringent than federal regulatory program. This webinar discussed the basics of regulatory crosswalks and provide three different experiences from states that have completed or are in the process of completing a regulatory crosswalk as part of their assumption planning process. Presenters included staff from Florida (which recently assumed the 404 Program), Oregon which has completed the crosswalk but is still in the process of developing their assumption package, and Minnesota, which is in the early phases of conducting their analysis. Each presenter shared when in the assumption process they conducted their crosswalk, what process and format they used to conduct it, and any challenges they encountered. They shared what their crosswalk found/is finding, whether there were any gaps or inconsistencies that needed to be addressed and how they filled them. Each presenter shared lessons learned and tips for others planning to conduct a regulatory crosswalk. The webinar ended with a Q&A session with the presenters.
BIOS
Heather Mason is an Environmental Administrator at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, leading the Submerged Lands and Environmental Resources Coordination program’s training and rulemaking team. Her team is currently working on Florida’s 404 assumption effort. Her education includes an M.S. in Environmental Science and B.S. in Environmental Management. She is also a certified Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS).
Barbara Poage is a Hydrogeologist with 20+ years in environmental and hydrologic consulting for private sector, tribal, non-profit, industrial, and state and federal government. She has managed innumerable environmental investigation and remediation projects throughout the west coast, has served as a tribal Superfund (CERCLA) Program Manager in New Mexico, and has excelled in state and federal rule and statute application and interpretation throughout her career. She has worked for Oregon Water Resources Department in water rights for many years and is currently the Clean Water Act 404 Assumption Analyst for Oregon Department of State Lands. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from University of Idaho and a Masters in Hydrology from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. As well, Barbara is an instrument-rated pilot and FAA Part 107 Certified sUAS (drone) Pilot Operator and small business owner (Right Strut Aviation LLC).
Les Lemm is the Wetlands Section Manager for the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. He is responsible for overseeing implementation of the State Wetland Conservation Act, Minnesota’s comprehensive wetland protection law, including a robust wetland banking program. He has a variety of other experience, including working as a charter boat captain on Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods, a natural resource consultant, and the District Manager for the Lake of the Woods Soil and Water Conservation District. Les has a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s degree in Resource Economics from North Dakota State University.
Ken Powell is the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act Operations Supervisor for the state’s wetland regulatory program. He has worked at the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources for the last 14 years and has been a practicing wetland scientist and policy specialist since 1992. He earned a B.S. in Wildlife from the U. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and an M.S. in Biology from Kansas State University.
Findings from ASWM’s Multi-Year Clean Water Act Section 404 Assumption Project
Held Tuesday, March 16, 2021 - 3:00-4:30 pm Eastern
- Marla Stelk, Executive Director, Association of State Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
PRESENTERS [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Kathy Hurld, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Brian Wolff, Indiana Department of Environmental Management
- Laura Johnson, Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
- Brenda Zollitsch, Association of State Wetland Managers
ABSTRACT
This webinar will share the findings of the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) multi-year project on assumption of the Clean Water Act Section 404 Program. The webinar will outline the key elements of a complete assumption package, walking through project findings on each element from ASWM’s multi-year project on assumption. The webinar will introduce participants to new resources developed through the project, including a matrix of existing examples of assumption package components, a checklist of considerations for those exploring assumption, and many support documents, as well as how to access ASWM’s archived assumption webinar series. The webinar will include basics for each element, as well as key lessons learned from states that have explored or are working towards assumption. The webinar will end with discussion about the new forthcoming Clean Water Act 404(g) Rule and some of the important things to look for when it is published (expected 2021). The webinar will include time for participants to ask questions of the panelists.
BIOS
Kathy Hurld is an Environmental Protection Specialist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, DC. Her nearly 30 years’ experience working on ocean, coastal, wetland, agroforestry and other environmental issues, has taken her throughout the U.S. and internationally as she worked on both the local and international level. Currently, Kathy is the EPA’s staff lead on Clean Water Act Section 404(g) and works to assist states and tribes pursuing assumption of the program. Kathy has a BS in biology from Hope College and a Master’s in Public Administration from American University.
ASWM’s Assumption Project Workgroup Members have been meeting monthly for more than two years. Comprised of state, tribal, federal and academic experts, ASWM’s Assumption workgroup has more than 30 members. Each month, the workgroup has tackled complex issues around assuming the 404 Program. These have included dialogue around conducting regulatory crosswalks, completing assumable waters analysis, developing memoranda of understanding, and more. Workgroup members will join in presenting key findings and lessons learned.
Brian Wolff, a member of ASWM’s project work group, has served as the Branch Chief of Surface Water, and Operations for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the past 6 years. The branch covers Wetlands, Stormwater, MS4’s, and operational duties for all of the water quality division. Prior to joining Water Quality, Brian served 10 years as manager of the Special Projects Section in the Office of Air Quality, and for 5 years evaluated risk assessments in the Office of Land Quality. Brian has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Indiana University.
Laura Johnson is the Clean Water Act 404 Section Supervisor for the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy managing the 401 water quality certification program and leads a 404 assumption team. She has been with the Department since 2012 and served as the Integrated Report and TMDL Coordinator for the first 7 years. Laura earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Economics with a minor in Water Science from the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
Brenda Zollitsch is Senior Policy Analyst at the Association of State Wetland Managers. Over the last two years, Brenda has led ASWM’s Assumption Project, coordinating the project workgroup, dialogues and research to develop the resources that will be presented during this webinar. At ASWM, Brenda conducts research and policy analysis on wetland and stream issues; works to analyze and respond to emerging wetland-related rules and regulations; manages projects; and designs, coordinates and evaluates training for wetland professionals. Brenda is also currently leading a multi-year national project on Wetland regulatory Capacity Building. Brenda earned a double Master’s degree in International Relations and Environmental Resource Management from Boston University and her PhD in Public Policy from the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service.
Held Friday,February 26, 2021 - 3:00-5:00 pm ET
INTRODUCTION
- Brenda Zollitsch, Association of State Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
PRESENTERS
- Donna Downing, Association of State of Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Eric Metz, Marsh MD Wetland Consulting [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Barbara Poage, Oregon Department of State Lands [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Timothy Rach, Florida Department of Environmental Protection [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Denise Clearwater, Maryland Department of the Environment [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
ABSTRACT
An increasing number of states are looking to create regulatory consistency and stability in their aquatic resource permitting programs. The Clean Water Act Amendments allow states to increase responsibility by assuming some administration of federal regulatory programs – State Programmatic General Permits (SPGPs) and 404 Assumption. While the options of developing general permits and assuming the § 404 program have been around for a long time, there remains confusion about what each option can offer and what some of the challenges and opportunities around them are. This webinar discussed the differences between developing a general permit and assuming the § 404 Dredge or Fill Permit Program, as well as some of the pros and cons for each. Panelists shared key questions that they recommend a state or tribe explore before making decisions and the importance of context and timing. The webinar ended with a discussion of developing a general permit as a stepping stone towards assumption and an opportunity for webinar participants to ask questions on the topic.
BIOS
Donna Downing is the Senior Legal Policy Advisor, Association of State Wetland Managers. Donna was the Jurisdiction Team Leader in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds. Donna worked on a variety of issues at EPA, with a focus in recent years on the geographic scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA) in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions. She also served as EPA’s staff lead for CWA section 401 water quality certification, and on wetland-related legal issues. Prior to joining EPA in 1998, Donna worked for the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment and in private law practice. She has a BA magna cum laude from Harvard University, an MPP from the University of California at Berkeley, a JD cum laude from Georgetown University Law School, and an LLM in Environmental Law summa cum laude from George Washington University Law School. Donna has been an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School since 1996, teaching environmental law. In what’s left of her time, she moonlights as a professional potter and an unprofessional horse trainer. Donna also enjoys traveling and has traveled by reindeer sled in the Swedish Arctic, gone winter camping with dog sleds in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Wilderness Area, and bicycled the Burma Road in China.
Eric Metz, PWS, is the Principal of Marsh MD Wetland Consults based in Salem, Oregon. Most recently Eric was a Senior Policy & Legislative Analyst for the Oregon Department of State Lands and a senior manager in the Oregon State Removal-Fill Program. Earlier in his career, he was the Wetland Coordinator for the California Coastal Commission, for a combined total of more than 30 years of experience with two state wetland regulatory programs. Eric has also been a private wetland and environmental consultant in the Pacific Northwest and in Alaska and a wetland restoration project manager for the National Audubon Society. In 2014 Eric teamed up with Oregon Wetland Consultants and provided the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation a cost analysis for operating a state-assumed 404 program. Eric has a BA in geography with a minor in biology from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, and a Master of Landscape Architecture with an Environmental Planning emphasis from the University of California, Berkeley.
Barbara Poage is a Hydrogeologist with 20+ years in environmental and hydrologic consulting for private sector, tribal, non-profit, industrial, and state and federal government. She has managed innumerable environmental investigation and remediation projects throughout the west coast, has served as a tribal Superfund (CERCLA) Program Manager in New Mexico, and has excelled in state and federal rule and statute application and interpretation throughout her career. She has worked for Oregon Water Resources Department in water rights for many years and is currently the Clean Water Act 404 Assumption Analyst for Oregon Department of State Lands. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from University of Idaho and a Masters in Hydrology from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. As well, Barbara is an instrument-rated pilot and FAA Part 107 Certified sUAS (drone) Pilot Operator and small business owner (Right Strut Aviation LLC).
Timothy Rach is a Program Administrator in the Submerged Lands & Environmental Resources Coordination Program at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). He has been with DEP for over 23 years in various management and supervisory positions. Most of his time has been in the Environmental Resources Permitting program regulating development in wetlands and surface waters. Tim is responsible for overseeing the statewide implementation of the ERP rules and regulations within the Department, Water Management Districts and local delegated programs. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Marine Biology from Troy University and a Masters of Science degree in Ecology from Old Dominion University.
Denise Clearwater has worked in Maryland’s wetland programs since 1986. She has a background in developing and implementing programs in wetland regulation, wetland training, and mitigation, as well as managing special projects for grants and program improvement and assisting in policy development. She has represented the Wetlands and Waterways Program in the Maryland Department of the Environment on numerous interagency work groups for regulatory, wetland monitoring, restoration, preservation and stream health and is a past co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Program Wetland Work Group. She is also a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists. Denise has a B.S. in zoology from the University of Maryland and an M.S. in wildlife management from Frostburg State College (now University).
View Past Section 404 Assumption Webinars Here
2020 |
View a List of Past Section 404 Assumption Webinar Recordings Here
Protecting and Restoring Wetlands for People and Wildlife
We invite you to join us for NAWM’s Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination (STFC) Meeting, to be held at the Arbor Day Farm’s Lied Lodge in Nebraska City, NE from Tuesday, May 2nd through Thursday, May 4th, 2023, with an optional field trip available on Friday, May 5th. The purpose of this annual meeting is to support state and tribal wetland program managers, and other wetland professionals as they respond to challenges in the coming year. Although the meeting is currently scheduled to be held in person, we will be monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic very closely and will follow all federal guidelines and mandates related to public health and safety. If circumstances require it, we will shift the meeting to a fully virtual format.
Dates Arbor Day Farm Lied Lodge |
Index |
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Early Bird Registration is Now Open!
Registration fee includes meals but does not include lodging.
Student/Senior/Retiree - If you are not a current member of NAWM, please call Laura Burchill at 207-892-3399 for a discount code to complete your registration. If you would like to become a member of NAWM, visit our membership page.
The Missouri River has been highly altered the past century, including impoundment and channelization, eliminating thousands of acres of aquatic and terrestrial habitats, including many fringe and floodplain wetlands. The mainstem upstream impoundments have changed the natural hydrograph, temperature, and turbidity profile, which negatively affected many native species. The field trip will be by boat, with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission fisheries biologists who are very familiar with operating on the Missouri River. The several hour boat tour will begin and end in Nebraska City, and shuttles will be provided to get people to and from the boat ramp. During the tour, we will sightsee the current channelized Missouri River, visit a couple of early fish and wildlife habitat mitigation sites, talk about wetland restoration efforts, and discuss the associated Missouri River fish and wildlife species.
There is no charge for the field trip. Please come prepared for the weather and life jackets will be provided.
Cancellation - Refund Policy
If your plans change and you cannot attend, written notice must be provided to Laura Burchill, Office Manager at NAWM, laura@nawm.org by the following deadlines:
• January 4 – February 27, 2023: Full refund, less a $25 processing fee.
• February 28 – March 31, 2023: 50% of Registration Refunded
• After March 31, 2023: No refund
* You may transfer your registration to another individual, but you must notify NAWM of the change no later than April 14, 2023.
Draft Agenda is now posted (1/13/23)
Daily Schedule | |
Day 1: Tuesday, May 2 | |
8:30am – 5:00pm | ♦ Opening, welcome, and full day of sessions |
7:30pm – 9:00pm | ♦ Wetland Videos & Popcorn |
Day 2: Wednesday, May 3 | |
8:30am – 5:00pm | ♦ Full day of sessions |
8:00pm – 11:00pm | ♦ Bonfire (weather dependent) |
Day 3: Thursday, May 4 | |
8:30am – 5:00pm | ♦ Full day of sessions |
Day 4: Friday, May 5 | |
8:00am – 1:00pm | ♦ Optional field trip |
♦ Hosted by the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission | |
– a guided field trip on the Missouri River | |
– only 36 seats available so it will be first come first serve! |
Call for Abstracts is now closed.
Be a part of this great event – secure your spot as a sponsor today! The earlier that you become a sponsor, the more visibility will be available to you via our website, NAWM publications and social media channels. For more information and to become a sponsor, please go here. Sponsorship deadline is Friday, March 31, 2023
State and Tribal scholarships application is now closed.
Jon A. Kusler Student Scholarship Award
Jon A. Kusler Student Scholarship Award competition is now closed.
Call for Silent Auction and Raffle
Arbor Day Farm's Lied Lodge
An Arbor Day Foundation Property
2700 Sylvan Road, Nebraska City, NE 68410
Room Rates
$139.00 per guest room per night plus tax
$98.00 per guest room per night (government rate; will be tax exempt if paid with a tax-exempt government credit card)
To make your lodging reservations, call 1-800-546-5433 by April 3rd and request a guest room under National Association of Wetland Managers block or on-line reservations can be made here, and in the drop-down special rate box select Group/Block and use the block code 2305NATION. You will need to give your credit card information to hold your room.
Transportation to and from Omaha Eppley Airfield or the Lincoln Airport is available upon request and should be booked at least 7 days prior to arrival. Fill out the airport shuttle request form or contact their Reservations Department by phone: 1-800-546-5433. They will pick up based on your flight information. The cost is $40.00 per person per trip. Specify you are with the National Association of Wetland Managers group.
NAWM is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for the annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination (STFC) Meeting. All individuals participating in any in-person aspect of the Annual Meeting are required to follow the policies of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arbor Day Farm’s Lied Lodge. We will continue to revise our procedures as needed to reflect the current state of the pandemic. Anyone who refuses to follow Arbor Day Farm’s Lied Lodge protocols and requirements will be required to leave the facility immediately and will not receive a refund for any expenses incurred by attending NAWM’s Annual Meeting. NAWM cannot, however, guarantee that NAWM staff, board members or other in-person attendees at this meeting will not become infected with COVID-19. Learn more here.
NAWM would like you to share your favorite wetland photos which will be included in meeting materials. We are looking for a variety of images - wetlands, flora, fauna, and wetland friends! Photos should be submitted in .jpg, .png, or .pdf format and have a file size between 100KB - 10MB. To share your photo(s), please fill out this form.
Things to do Lied Lodge/Nebraska City
Arbor Day Farm Lied Lodge - Activities Webpage
Nebraska City
Please contact Ted LaGrange with any question on things to do around
Nebraska City at ted.lagrange@nebraska.gov.
Agenda
Marla Stelk, Executive Director
National Association of Wetland Managers
(207) 892-3399; marla@nawm.org
General Information
Laura Burchill, Office Manager
National Association of Wetland Managers
500 Washington Avenue, Suite 201, Portland, ME 04103
(207) 892-3399; Fax: (207) 894-7992; laura@nawm.org
In March 2021, ASWM completed a multi-year project on Building State and Tribal Wetland Regulatory Capacity. This webinar series will provide useful findings, state and tribal lessons learned and useful tools and techniques that can be used to help wetland programs increase effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and predictability in regulatory activities.
For more information and/or to join our email list for notices about upcoming events, please contact Laura Burchill at laura@nawm.org or (207) 892-3399.
View a List of Wetland Regulatory Capacity Building Webinar Recordings Here
Please click on a year below to view past webinars.
Please note, this was an ASWM Members’ Webinar that we have made available to the public.
The Navigable Waters Protection Rule: Highlights & Initial Take-Aways
Held Wednesday, March 25, 2020 - 12:00pm-2:00pm Eastern
INTRODUCTION
- Brenda Zollitsch, Senior Policy Analyst, Association of State Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
PANELISTS
- Royal Gardner, Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, Stetson University College of Law [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Mark Patrick McGuire, Association of Clean Water Administrators [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Ken Norton, National Tribal Water Council [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
- Brenda Zollitsch, PhD, Senior Policy Analyst, National Association of Wetland Managers [POWERPOINT PRESENTATION]
BIOS
Royal C. Gardner is Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law. He is an internationally recognized expert in wetland law and policy. Recent projects include serving as the Chair of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, testifying before a World Bank arbitration panel, advising the Government of Oman regarding wetland policy, and coauthoring amicus briefs on behalf of environmental scientists. In WOTUS-related litigation, he has filed amicus briefs in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and in the U.S. District Courts for the District of North Dakota and the Southern District of New York.
Mark Patrick McGuire joined ACWA in January 2016 as an Environmental Program Manager. He manages Association work in the following subject areas: Nutrients policy, legal affairs, NPDES permitting, compliance, and enforcement, pretreatment, and water quality trading. Patrick holds a J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and a B.S. in History from Northeastern University. He is an active member of the Rhode Island and Massachusetts bars.
Ken Norton, Chair of the National Tribal Water Council, is an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, and serves as the Director of the Hoopa Valley Tribal Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA). Ken has expertise in water quality and the development of water quality standards. He is a fisheries expert understanding the water quality needs of healthy salmon and other river life, and is experienced in watershed restoration. As TEPA Director, Ken oversees tribal water programs and tribal environmental programs, such as superfund, brownfields, air, pesticides, lead and solid waste. In prior years (2004 and 2009), Ken served as the Vice-Chair of the National Tribal Operations Committee (NTOC) and as the NTOC Tribal Caucus lead for water issues.
Brenda Zollitsch is Senior Policy Analyst for the Association of State Wetland Managers. Brenda leads national policy analysis and research projects on a wide range of wetland issues and currently leads two national EPA Wetland Program Development Grant projects, one on state and tribal assumption and the other on building regulatory capacity in state and tribal wetland programs. She also leads analysis on proposed regulatory changes to both Clean Water Act Sections 401 and the Waters of the U.S. Brenda received her PhD in Public Policy from the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service in 2012.
View Past Clean Water Act Webinars Here
2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2015 | ||||||
Protecting Waters in a Time of Rapid Change
We invite you to join us for NAWM’s (formerly ASWM)Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting, to be held at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) from August 15-19, 2022. The purpose of this annual meeting is to support state and tribal wetland program managers, and other wetland professionals as they respond to challenges in the coming year. Although we are currently scheduled to be at the NCTC, we will be monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic very closely and will follow all federal guidelines and mandates related to the pandemic. If circumstances require it, we will shift the meeting to a fully virtual format.
Dates August 15-19, 2022 National Conservation Training Center
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INDEX |
Draft Agenda is posted here. (8/4/22 - PDF)
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY - BE A PART OF THIS GREAT EVENT! Sponsor Benefits: Sponsors are invited to attend and interact with meeting participants throughout the four-day meeting. In the past, this meeting has been attended by approximately 135 engaged in-person participants. All sponsors receive prominent logo placement on all meeting materials and the option to have an exhibitor table at the meeting. Sponsor logos will appear on the Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting event website, meeting program and conference communications (including social media). Deadline to apply is Friday, July 22, 2022. NAWM is looking to celebrate wetland art and photography at the STFC meeting this year! We ask you to submit your wetland related photography, as well as photos of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and other forms of art using the following link. What will happen with these images? Specifically, NAWM is planning to run a slideshow of selected images with the title and submitter’s name during the breaks at our August meeting at the NCTC. You will also be asked if you approve the use of these images in NAWM publications and on the NAWM website. We encourage you to give NAWM permission to use your photos after the August meeting, but it is not required for your participation in the slideshow shown during breaks. |
Thank you to our Sponsors
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Updated 8/4/22
FIELD TRIP INFORMATION - FRIDAY, AUGUST 19TH - MORGAN WETLAND IN LIEU FEE SITE AND COOL SPRING NATURE PRESERVE (8AM-2PM, WITH BOXED LUNCH)
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and The Potomac Valley Audubon Society have graciously offered to be our guides at two wetland sites near the NCTC. First, we will head over to the Morgan Wetland In Lieu Fee Site by Lake Louise where we will learn about the past history of the site, current challenges, and identify several native plant species. Then we will head over to Cool Spring Nature Preserve owned and managed by Potomac Valley Audubon Society. The Preserve consists of 63 acres of forest, meadow, and marsh in southern Jefferson County. Bullskin Run, a major stream with significant historical value, borders one side of the preserve. Cool Spring is designated as a “birding hotspot.” In Spring 2020, the entire preserve was placed under a conservation easement with the West Virginia Land Trust. Download iNaturalist on your smart phone for this visit! These sites will provide good opportunities to discuss restoration strategies as well as get out to enjoy summertime in West Virginia.
A maximum of 24 people will be allowed to attend, so if you are interested you should sign up soon. All attendees will be required to sign a liability waiver. Ticks and bees are a risk at these sites please be prepared and bring plenty of sun protection and water.
We will depart from the NCTC at 8:00am and return by 2:00pm at the latest. Boxed lunches will be ordered for field trip participants during the meeting in preparation for Friday’s field trip.
More information on the field trip. (PDF)
REGISTRATION - LATE RATE DEADLINE IS AUGUST 5TH - REGISTER HERE
REMOTE PARTICIPATION - REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10TH AT 3:00 P.M. ET
We are pleased to be providing Remote Participation for the meeting sessions through the "Go to Webinar" software that NAWM uses for its regular webinars. Although we do our best to keep the meeting on schedule, please keep in mind that this is a live event, thus start and end times for presentation and panels may vary slightly from the agenda. REGISTER HERE FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION. Once you have registered and paid, you will receive link(s) to the remote sessions by email from NAWM.
*Please note that registration is for a single log on access to the "GoToWebinar" system. Multiple logons under the same registration will be removed from the system.
CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY FOR IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION
If your plans change and you cannot attend, written notice must be provided to Laura Burchill at NAWM (laura@nawm.org) by the following deadlines:
Cancellation Deadlines | ||||||
July 18 - August 1, 2022 | Full refund, less a $50.00 service charge | |||||
After August 1, 2022 | No refund | |||||
Any time before August 10, 2022 | You may substitute the name on your registration, but you must notify NAWM of the change. |
NAWM is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for the annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination (STFC) Meeting. All individuals participating in any in-person aspect of the Annual Meeting are required to follow the policies of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC). We will continue to revise our procedures as needed to reflect the current state of the pandemic. Anyone who refuses to follow NCTC COVID-19 protocols and requirements will be required to leave the facility immediately and will not receive a refund for any expenses incurred by attending NAWM’s Annual Meeting. NAWM cannot, however, guarantee that NAWM staff, board members or other in-person attendees at this meeting will not become infected with COVID-19. Read more here.
NCTC COVID POLCY (Updated 7/28/22)
Reminder: Only participants/instructors are allowed on campus at this time.
The NCTC is committed to the safety of everyone involved in our trainings and meetings. Please read below to understand the policies we have in place to manage operations with your safety in mind.
Covid-19 Protocols:
Please do not travel if at any time within 10 days of your meeting or course if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, if you have been exposed to COVID-19, or if you have been ill with COVID-19. If you experience any of the aforementioned conditions within 10 days of your meeting or course, please contact me to cancel your enrollment.
Before you travel to ANY NCTC course:
- Prepare to be flexible.
- Review CDC Travel Guidance: What you need to know before you travel.
- Pack the following:
- Face masks (these will be required if NCTC’s status is orange)
- Tissues
- Alcohol based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol)
- Disinfectant wipes (at least 70% alcohol)
- Thermometer
- Rapid tests (rapid tests are available from the NCTC nurse)
- Decongestant/cough suppressant/fever reducing medicines
- Remember safety first. NCTC reserves the right to cancel or postpone a meeting or class at any time before or during the course as needed to keep participants safe.
Current Vaccination and Masking Information:
The NCTC follows CDC’s mask guidance and agency protocols for in-person gatherings, based on COVID-19 community-level risk metrics that consider local hospitalization and intensive care capacity and transmission rates. The community level for the Jefferson County, West Virginia may be found by searching here. The current community level is communicated on signage throughout campus, and may change immediately prior to or during your meeting or course, so please be prepared for changing conditions and requirements, including universal masking.
Based on the current community level, the NCTC will be following the protocols for in-person meetings, courses, or events listed in the table found on the NCTC COVID-19 information page. When the community level is yellow or orange, all attendees at NCTC courses or events will be provided with a vaccination attestation form with their registration materials upon arrival. Attendees who are not fully vaccinated or who decline to attest to their vaccination status must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken within three days prior to entering the event, if asked. Please plan accordingly. Masks are required in ANY shared vehicle regardless of community level (busses, shuttles, government vehicles, etc.).
If you become ill while on campus:
If you begin to experience COVID-related symptoms while on campus your first step is to quarantine by remaining in your room and following all quarantine and isolation protocols developed by the CDC. Please ensure you bring enough personal clothing and supplies (e.g., prescription medications) to last through a complete isolation period (up to ten days if symptoms persist), just in case you are infected with COVID-19 while you are visiting.
Next you should:
- Inform your Course Leader or event coordinator and your supervisor.
- Schedule a visit with the NCTC nurse (extension 7880, carla_savage@fws.gov).
- Follow CDC guidance for what to do if sick.
- The NCTC can assist COVID-19 positive individuals unable to travel by providing quarantine lodging space, as needed.
THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING CENTER
698 Conservation Way
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
Phone: 877-706-6282 or 304-876-7900
Single Room Rate is $165 per person per night (includes $15 per night sustainability fee and meal plan). Participants who lodge on-site must participate in the NCTC Meal Plan that begins with dinner on the day of check-in and ends with lunch on the day of check-out. Please call NCTC for reservations and mention that you are part of the NAWM room block. Please note, NCTC does not have any rooms available for the night of Friday, August 19th.
Location
The National Conservation Training Center, or frequently referred to as NCTC, is located just 60 miles or just over 1 hour outside the Washington DC metropolitan beltway. They are part of the Shepherdstown, West Virginia community also known for the nearby state university just down the road. They are located closest to the Washington Dulles International Airport, but many customers also use Baltimore/Washington International and Reagan National (DC) Airport.
Directions to NCTC ~ Maps ~ Shuttle Service ~ Facility
Directions to NCTC
Baltimore-Washington International Airport
Shuttle Service is available for arrivals from Dulles Airport to NCTC on Sunday, August 14th at 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Then from NCTC to Dulles Airport on Friday, August 19th at 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The cost is $100 for one way or round trip. You may reserve a time for the shuttle when making your room reservation.
Carpool Sign Up: Looking for a ride or can offer a colleague a ride, please sign up here.
Maps
Google Maps: Mapping websites have a difficult time locating NCTC using their mailing address. However, Google Maps will show you how to get to the NCTC entrance via 100 Col Shepherd Rd, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, USA.
General Information: Phone, Hours, Dining, Day Care, Service, Gym
NCTC: Points of Interest, USFWS Conservation Library, USFWS Conservation Museum and Archives, Vallen Comrades Memorial Wall, Elm Grove Overlook, Butterfly Garden
Facility Activities: Birding, Fishing, Hunting, Hiking, Running, and Photography
Things to Do in Shepherdstown
Shepherdstown Visitors Center
Jefferson County WV Chamber of Commerce
Berkeley County WV Chamber of Commerce
Calendar of Events
For more local activities, visit the Friends of NCTC website.
Recreation, Entertainment, Attractions
Antiques and Flea Markets
Cress Creek Country Club
Morgan's Grove Park
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Potomac Valley Audubon Society
Shepherdstown Music and Dance
The Shepherdstown Opera House
Upper Potomac Music Weekends
Vineyards
Yankauer Nature Preserve
Washington Heritage Trail
A complete list of things to do in Shepherdstown, can be found here.
Agenda
Brenda Zollitsch, Senior Policy Analyst
National Association of Wetland Managers
(207) 892-3399; brenda@nawm.org
Marla Stelk, Executive Director
National Association of Wetland Managers
(207) 892-3399; marla@nawm.org
General Information
Laura Burchill, Office Manager
National Association of Wetland Managers
500 Washington Avenue, Suite 201, Portland, ME 04103
(207) 892-3399; Fax: (207) 894-7992; laura@nawm.org
In the Courts - What's next for Waters of the United States Rule?
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Presented at the Association of State Wetland Managers 2018 Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting
INTRODUCTION
Jeanne Christie, Association of State Wetland Managers
PRESENTERS
- Kim Diana Connolly, University at Buffalo School of Law
- Steve Johnson, Mercer University School of Law
BIOS
Kim Diana Connolly has focused a large part of her academic career on laws and policies that regulate and protect the planet and its inhabitants. She serves as a Professor of Law, and the Vice Dean for Advocacy and Experiential Learning for the University at Buffalo School of Law, where she directs both the Advocacy Institute and the Clinical Legal Education Program. She teaches environmental law courses, including the Environmental Advocacy Clinic. She also studies, writes and speaks about environmental and animal law policies, creatively examining and sharing ideas as to how to move toward a sustainable future. Professor Connolly’s commitment to environmental justice began before she attended law school, when she ran a non-profit working to bring social justice to those facing a lack of access to clean water and sanitary wastewater removal in North Carolina. After earning her law degree, she has advocated in multiple arenas, including in judicial settings, before federal, state and local legislative bodies, with federal, international, state, and local administrative bodies, and beyond. When she joined academia, Professor Connolly began exploring environmental and related policies. She has written both traditional and non-traditional works, and presented at numerous conferences around the world. Professor Connolly’s work has been used by policy-makers as well as cited by scholars. Prior to her teaching career, she practiced law with a number of Washington, D.C., law firms, including Beveridge and Diamond and Hunton & Williams. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center and her LL.M. with highest honors from George Washington University Law School. Professor Connolly did her undergraduate work in chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a Morehead Scholar, and served as a VISTA volunteer between college and law school. She also received a certification in Non-Profit Management from Duke University.
Stephen M. Johnson is a Professor of Law at Mercer University Law School in Macon, Georgia. He received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and an LL.M. in environmental law from the George Washington University Law School. Prior to teaching, he served as an attorney for the Bureau of Regulatory Counsel in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (now DEP) and as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Defense Section, where he worked on wetlands litigation and other environmental litigation.
He joined the Mercer faculty in 1993 and served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2002-2012. He specializes in Environmental Law, Administrative Law and Statutory Law. In addition to authoring numerous articles on environmental law and administrative law, he has written a book on Wetlands Law, published by CALI’s eLangdell Press, and co-edited an American Bar Association book on Wetlands Law.
What's next for Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS)?
Friday, February 9, 2018 - 10:30 a.m. ET
INTRODUCTION
Jeanne Christie, Association of State Wetland Managers [PowerPoint Presentation]
PRESENTERS
- Royal Gardner, Stetson University College of Law [PowerPoint Presentation]
- Stephen Samuels, Retired from the U.S. Department of Justice [PowerPoint Presentation]
ABSTRACT
On January 22, 2018, the Supreme Court held unanimously that challenges to EPA’s and the Corps of Engineers’ promulgation of the Clean Water Rule in 2015, which defined the term “waters of the United States” in the Clean Water Act, may be brought only in the district courts. What does this decision mean for the stay of the Clean Water Rule that was issued by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals shortly after the new rule took effect? And does it even matter now that the executive branch has announced its intention to rescind the Clean Water Rule and replace it with a definition of WOTUS that will narrow the reach of the Act? Two experts on WOTUS will explore these questions, and yours, in a webinar on Friday, February 9, 2018 at 10:30 AM EST.
BIOS
Royal C. Gardner is Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law. He is an internationally recognized expert in wetland law and policy. Recent projects include advising the Government of Oman regarding wetland policy, coauthoring a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief on behalf of environmental scientists, and creating an interdisciplinary course that facilitates discourse among experienced scientists, policymakers, and students.
His research and scholarship focus on U.S. and international wetland legal and policy issues, with an emphasis on biodiversity offsets. He has lectured in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. In 2006, he won the National Wetlands Award for Education and Outreach. In 1999–2001, Professor Gardner was appointed to the National Research Council’s Committee on Mitigating Wetland Losses.
An executive editor of the Boston College Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif, he graduated magna cum laude from Boston College Law School. He then clerked for Chief Judge Francis J. Boyle of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. From 1989 to 1993, he served in the Army General Counsel’s office as the Department of the Army’s principal wetland attorney, advising the assistant secretary of the Army (civil works) on legal and policy issues related to the Corps of Engineers’ administration of the Clean Water Act section 404 program. At Stetson, Professor Gardner has served as director of graduate and international programs, associate dean, vice dean, and interim dean.
Stephen Samuels, now retired, was previously Assistant Chief of the Environmental Defense Section of the Environment & Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. In that capacity, Mr. Samuels supervised a staff of 15 attorneys handling federal district court litigation involving all the major environmental pollution statutes. Mr. Samuels has 31 years of experience enforcing and defending the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory program. During that time, he helped lead the federal government’s litigation responses to the Supreme Court's decisions in SWANCC, Rapanos, Sackett and Hawkes. Until his retirement in January 2017, Mr. Samuels headed the DOJ litigation team that defended challenges to the Clean Water Rule. Mr. Samuels is a frequent speaker on Clean Water Act jurisdiction at conferences around the country. Mr. Samuels previously was an attorney with the U.S. Department of Energy and with the law firm of Breed, Abbott & Morgan. Mr. Samuels earned his J.D. in 1977 from Stanford Law School and his B.A. in 1974 from Tulane University.
View Past Clean Water Act Webinars Here
2020 | 2019 | 2017 | 2015 | ||||||
The federal Clean Water Act (CWA) is the main piece of federal legislation that protects the Nation's waters. Within the CWA, there are a number of sections that specifically address protection or regulation of wetlands. As such, NAWM closely follows all proposed and final CWA rules pertaining to wetlands and uses this webinar series as a vehicle to share timely information regarding any proposed regulatory changes and how they might impact state and tribal wetland programs.
For more information and/or to join our email list for notices about upcoming events, please contact Laura Burchill at laura@nawm.org or (207)892-3399.
If you haven’t used Go To Webinar before or you just need a refresher, please view our guide prior to the webinar here.
View Past Clean Water Act Webinars Here
View a List of Past Clean Water Act Webinar Recordings Here
Please check back for future Clean Water Act Webinars. Thank you.
The federal Clean Water Act (CWA) is the main piece of federal legislation that protects the Nation's waters. Within the CWA, there are a number of sections that specifically address protection or regulation of wetlands. As such, NAWM closely follows all proposed and final CWA rules pertaining to wetlands and uses this webinar series as a vehicle to share timely information regarding any proposed regulatory changes and how they might impact state and tribal wetland programs.
For more information and/or to join our email list for notices about upcoming events, please contact Laura Burchill at laura@nawm.org or (207) 892-3399.
View a List of Clean Water Act Webinar Recordings Here
Please click on a year below to view past webinars.