Elizabeth River Project Engagement Strategies

Transcription

1 Elizabeth River Project Engagement Strategies Joe Rieger Director of Watershed Restoration

2 Mission: Restore the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business, & community partnerships.

3 The Elizabeth River Project Mission: Restore the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business, & community partnerships. 2,000 citizen members 70 River Star facilities Government projects with US Navy, NOAA, US Army Corps of Engineers, US EPA, VA DEQ, VA DCR, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, & Chesapeake.

4 Elizabeth River Watershed 200 sq. mile watershed Lafayette River 4 cities Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach 500,000 residents Portsmouth Virginia Beach Chesapeake

5 50% wetlands loss since 1940s Factors Degrading Elizabeth River Sediment PAH contamination in the Southern Branch are higher than anywhere in the Chesapeake Bay. 18 times the average for Baltimore Harbor Mummichog contain high rates of precancerous lesions. Large volumes of urban runoff

6 Strategy for restoring the Elizabeth River

7 Mainstem Lafayette River Scotts Creek Paradise Creek Money Point

8 Our Compass Watershed Action Plan One of the 1 st Sub-Watershed Plans completed on the Bay (1996) EPA s Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation Focused efforts on priority actions that will make the most difference Developed with 120 stakeholders from government, science, citizen groups and industry

9 3nd Draft Watershed Action Plan Prepared by Watershed Action Team 2008: 100 plus diverse stakeholders Consensus: river s worst problems Consensus: affordable, acceptable, effective solutions

10 Watershed Action Plan Goals: Action 1- The goo must go! Clean the bottom of the Elizabeth River. Action 2-Restore & conserve wetlands, shellfish beds, and forested shores. Action 3- Increase DO and reduce nutrients Action 4- Make fishing & swimming safe for humans by reducing harmful bacteria. Action 5- Make environmental responsibility the standard for business Action 6- Integrated public policies and regulations Action 7- Community outreach. 7 Actions in plan

11 Action 1 The goo must go! Clean up the bottom of the Elizabeth River.

12 Action 2 Restore and conserve wetlands, shellfish beds and forested shores.

13 Action 3 Restore thriving marine life by increasing dissolved oxygen and reducing excess nutrients as well as toxics in the water.

14 Safe for human contact. Action 4 Make fishing and swimming safe for humans by reducing harmful bacteria to acceptable levels. Fishable: Safe for human consumption of fish & shellfish. Swimmable:

15 Action 7 Community Outreach Elizabeth River Project and UVA establish the Learning Barge as nation s only floating classroom on a steel barge featuring a living wetland

16 Money Point Restoration and Revitalization Money Point

17 Money Point PAHs: Contaminants of Concern

18 Cancer in the Mummichog Healthy Mummichog Liver Pre-Cancerous Mummichog Liver Cancerous Mummichog Liver

19 Money Point Revitalization Task Force Stakeholders worked together for 1.5 years and came up with an agreed upon cleanup plan. University of VA Institute for Environmental Negotiation facilitated development of a corridor restoration plan (Andrus Foundation grant, $100,000) Industrial landowners Nearby residents City of Chesapeake State/federal interests Expert advisors

20 Landscape Approach Seven industrial partners, UVA, City, state, federal partners participating in revitalization plan.

21 City of Chesapeake Doing Their Part for Stormwater

22 Preferred Remediation Option

23 Phase 1- Dredged 750 cy of sediment, placement of living cap and wetland restoration project (completed 2009) Phase 2 Dredging 15,000 cy of sediment (2011) Phase 3- Dredging 45,000 cy of sediment (TBD) Phase 3- Northern Dredging Phase 2- Central Dredging Phase 1- Living Cap, dredging, wetland restoration

24 Money Point Phase 1 Construction

25 Example of Material Dredged

26 Money Point Living Cap Combined with ERT Wetlands Restoration Living Cap ERT Wetlands

27 Living Cap Marsh Planted Out

28 Living Cap and ERT Wetland Project

29 Summer 2010

30 16 Species of Fish

31 Paradise Creek Nature Park To be Portsmouth s Third Largest Park 40 Acres with Water Access Restored Wetlands, Nature Trails, Canoe Launch, Pavilions, Outdoor Public Art

32 -Achieves City plans for 40 + yrs for a park on Paradise Creek - Portsmouth s only park targeting the outdoor enthusiast - Regional draw - Greens the SE gateway

33 Final Design Underway Phase I

34 Phase I, 2011/12 VPA Wetland Creation

35 Phase I 2 miles of trails and education stops

36 Phase I - Low Impact Access

37 Phase I - Earthworks Sculpture

38 Innovative Venues Help The Learning Barge - World s 1st floating wetland classroom

39 Mission Students and citizens learn handson what they can do.

40 Student field trips a big sell-out FALL - 1,340 students from 19 schools in first two months! (Oct. 2 Dec ) SPRING 3,800 students from 50 schools! Includes all Portsmouth fifth graders

41 Totally green design gives rare public access to an urban river 120 by 32 classroom powered by sun, wind

42 Six stations include River Lab, addressing excess nutrients and harmful algal blooms

43 Lessons from the Elizabeth 1) Local residents do care - when the message is simple and clear.

44 Lessons from the Elizabeth 2) Locally led projects can help you knit together diverse resources. Take the time to listen to all players, especially anyone who could stop you! Develop a consensus-based, stakeholder-based plan for sub-watersheds to ensure broad ownership and to ensure broad ownership and help with implementation Use a professional facilitator, invite all major interests, include social elements (meals)

45 Lessons from the Elizabeth 3) Locally led efforts move fast and mobilize extra resources. Work in partnership with non-profits sometimes we can do things government can t. Pro-bono marketing Public rallies Media attention

46 Lessons from the Elizabeth 4) Working with urban river restoration, locally led, could be the most satisfying work you do. People care passionately about their home river; urban rivers tend to be worst of the worst,

47 Lessons from the Elizabeth 5) Don t be afraid to collaborate with players who have a long way to go. They have the greatest potential to improve the watershed. Every project partner has something to offer, identify those opportunities and capitalize on them.

48 Lessons from the Elizabeth 5) Always show funders what their money bought. Newspaper TV Facebook Twitter Newsletters

49 QUESTIONS elizabethriver.org 399-RIVR