April 2025

Wisconsin Utilities and Farmers Work Together to Improve Water Quality

During this episode, listeners learn about reducing phosphorus loading to waterways in Green Bay and Madison, Wisconsin using adaptive management practices. Both utilities highlight the role of voluntary cover crop planting and no-till farming as part of the implementation of their respective Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).

In Brief

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection awarded $825,000 in grants to eight Cape Cod towns to divert nitrogen pollution from wastewater.

The Long Island Sound Study will host public webinars on April 24 and June 4 to gain input on a strategy to support the Long Island Sound Stewardship Initiative’s 33 areas.

The Rhode Island Clean Water Association is sponsoring a series of open houses at five wastewater treatment plants in recognition of National Clean Water Week (April 6 - 12). The events offer free tours to the public of the state’s water resource recovery facilities in Bristol, Newport, Quonset Point, Warwick, and Providence.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund is seeking proposals to restore the health and living resources of the Sound. Proposals are due on May 29.

Massachusetts announced $2.1 million in grants to support 17 projects focused on restoring rivers and wetlands throughout Massachusetts.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council announced more than $2 million in funding for 13 projects from the first round of the 2024 Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Fund Program. This financial assistance is for adaptation and resilience projects that protect or enhance coastal or riverine habitats to address the impacts of climate change.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recently released the 2024 Long Island Sound Hypoxia Season Summary as a web report utilizing open science software (R Markdown and Leaflet). The report contains interactive graphics, links to download data, and videos.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drafted a plan to eliminate the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and remove up to 75% of the people who work there. The ORD is the scientific research arm of the EPA that conducts research to understand what pollutants are in the environment and how they impact human health and the environment.

A new study, published in Scientific Reports, used long-term monitoring data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Estuarine Research Reserve program to examine conditions in 20 estuaries across the U.S. over the past two decades. The results showed rising frequencies of marine heat waves in East Coast estuaries.

The Long Island Sound Study announced the development of a new hypoxia forecast model to support public awareness and scientific understanding of oxygen depletion in the Sound.

The "interstate” crew at the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) meeting in Alexandria, Virginia included representatives from the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB); Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO); Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC); and NEIWPCC Executive Director Susan Sullivan (top left) and Richard Friesner, director of Water Quality Programs (bottom right).

Accolades

Ann-Marie Caprioli, environmental analyst and Hudson River National Estuary Research Reserve program coordinator, received NEIWPCC’s Annual Achievement Award at the 2025 All Staff Meeting. Caprioli received nominations for her dedication, collaboration and professionalism leading grants administration and operations at the Reserve.

Anya Grondalski, information officer and Long Island Sound Study science communicator, co-presented the webinar, “Exploring the Land and People of the Long Island Sound Watershed with a StoryMap.”

Job Opportunities

Employment opportunities and internships are posted as they become available. We are currently accepting applications for the following full-time positions:



• Business Operations Intern (Lowell, Mass.)
• Emerging Water Professional Internship Program (Nashua, N.H.)

Upcoming Events

April 2-3, NEWWA Spring Conference, Worcester, Mass.

April 2-3, North Country Convention, Presque Isle, Maine (hosted by NEIWPCC)

April 6-12, Water Week, Washington, DC

April 9-10, Annual Nonpoint Source Conference, Freeport, Maine (hosted by NEIWPCC)

May 6-9, WEF Residuals and Biosolids Conference, Baltimore, Md.

May 11-14, NEWEA Spring Meeting, Portland, Maine

May 22, Green Mountain Water Environment Association Spring Meeting, Killington, Vt.

June 8-11, American Water Works Association, ACE25, Denver, Colo.

To submit your event for possible inclusion in a future issue, please send an email with a link to your event to: NEIWPCC.