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Today, at the annual meeting of the Chesapeake Executive Council, each member spoke to the unique challenges facing their jurisdictions in their work to restore the Chesapeake Bay. Notably, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania committed an additional $28 million to help reduce nutrient pollution in the state.
The Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load, or Bay TMDL, sets limits on the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment allowed to run into the Bay each year. It requires the six watershed states and the District of Columbia to ensure that all pollution-reducing practices needed to fully restore the Bay and its tidal rivers are in place by 2025, with actions in place to achieve at least 60 percent of the reductions by 2017. Nutrient and sediment pollution from Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed have been reduced, but nitrogen reductions are not on pace to meet Pennsylvania's 2017 and 2025 goals under the Bay TMDL.
Members of the Executive Council—which represents the seven watershed jurisdictions, a tri-state legislative commission and federal agencies—met to review the state of the Chesapeake Bay Program and set guidance and goals for the coming year at their annual meeting, held at the Virginia State Arboretum in Boyce, Virginia.
"We are seeing real progress through our ongoing collaboration with local, state, regional and national partners to restore the Chesapeake Bay and the creeks and rivers that feed it," said Executive Council Chair, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. "Our legacy to future generations must include the preservation of this unique resource, which is so crucial to the Commonwealth's quality of life and our work to build a new Virginia economy."
The Executive Council also agreed to sign a resolution to support local government engagement: commending the actions taken by local governments to address their wastewater pollution reduction goals and committing to raise awareness about the benefits of investing in protection and restoration efforts at the local level. The Council also elected Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe as Chair for a second term.
After this year's annual meeting, on October 6th, Governor McAuliffe will meet to discuss recommendations from the local government, citizen and scientific communities with the council's three advisory committees—the Citizens Advisory Committee, the Local Government Advisory Committee and the Science and Technical Advisory Committee.
Read a factsheet on the Joint State-Federal Strategy to Accelerate Nutrient Load Reductions in Pennsylvania's Chesapeake Bay Watershed, or learn more about the 2016 Executive Council Meeting.
This is the time of year we reflect back on what we have accomplished over the past year and look forward to what we can do to continually improve. For those of us who are planners, we often set measurable goals at the beginning of the year to see the progress we make—and we adjust those goals in our next round of resolutions to continually improve our lives. So too, we at the Chesapeake Bay Program took a step back in 2014 and re-envisioned our direction with the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, in which we set out ten goals and 31 outcomes to achieve our vision for the watershed, as well as the principles by which we would conduct ourselves as a partnership.
In 2015, our emphasis was on setting the stage to support the achievement of that vision. Many of you participated in the development of the 25 management strategies that identified the factors likely to affect the outcomes, recognized existing work and gaps, and outlined the partnership's direction for meeting the outcomes of the Watershed Agreement. Public input and expert advice helped us improve each management strategy, which we adopted and delivered to the Chesapeake Executive Council in July.
These management strategies provide our overall direction for the next ten years—they focus on achieving our vision of clean water, abundant life, conserved lands and engaged communities, with an increased emphasis on expanding and diversifying our partnership and our outreach to citizens, strengthening the knowledge and capacity of our local governments, recognizing the need to adapt and find resiliency in the face of a changing climate, committing to continually improve our approaches as we learn, and increasing our emphasis on transparency and accountability.
Our next step was to develop detailed plans to guide our work toward meeting our goals. These short-term workplans include specific actions we as partners—and as individual agencies and organizations—will take over the next two years to get us jump-started in achieving the outcomes of the Watershed Agreement. Some of you are already participating in developing these workplans, and we will be seeking additional input this winter to make sure we are focusing on the right actions to help us achieve these outcomes.
In addition, we've been working on developing our "measuring sticks," or indicators, so we can track not only whether we are doing what we said we would do, but whether we are getting the results we are hoping to get. We are organizing these measures in a way that will help us make better decisions, learn from our successes and our challenges, and improve our work. By developing a framework to organize these measures, we can more effectively communicate how we are doing.
As we move into 2016, we will continue to share the successes and challenges we face in our work. Early next year, our annual Bay Barometer report will give a quick but comprehensive glimpse at our progress, and our soon-to-be released ChesapeakeProgress website (part of the ChesapeakeStat suite of products) will allow you to dig more deeply into these achievements and the reasons behind the progress. Both products will allow you to be a part of our continual process of reflection and improvement, and your feedback during the public input process for the two-year workplans will help guide our path over the next two years.
Written by Carin Bisland, Associate Director for Partnerships and Accountability at the Chesapeake Bay Program
On June 16, 2014, the Chesapeake Executive Council signed the historic Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, charting the future course for the multi-state and federal partnership known as the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Governor Terry McAuliffe assumed the chairmanship of the Chesapeake Executive Council, the Bay Program's top leadership body, on January 1st of this year, and on July 23, 2015, he chaired his first meeting. This meeting focused on specific actions that will further our collective efforts to restore the Bay, from increasing the amount of forested stream corridors, excluding livestock from streams, advancing critical land conservation needs and working to increase the funding available for restoration.
Experts, scientists, agency staff and non-profits collaboratively developed the management strategies for meeting the goals and outcomes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. These strategies, presented to the Executive Council at the July 23rd meeting, go far beyond water quality improvement, addressing issues from land conservation and fisheries management to environmental literacy and climate change.
The ongoing efforts to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay are at a critical point. The deadline called for in the Chesapeake Bay TMDL for 60 percent of nutrient and sediment reductions by 2017 is fast approaching. The more difficult task of meeting our pollution reduction commitments by 2025 will take continued progress across the entire range of nutrient and sediment sources.
Each of the six states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, along with the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the federal government represented by EPA, are responsible for meeting our collective goals. As the "downstream" state in the watershed, we in Virginia depend on our neighbors to the north and west to achieve healthy waters and the benefits that come from a clean Bay. Our neighbors will also benefit from cleaner water and more abundant fisheries and wildlife in their rivers and streams. Whether you are in Cooperstown, New York, or in Hampton, Virginia, we are all in this together.
Clean water, healthy stream corridors and the related habitat and ecological benefits make our counties, cities and towns more livable and more attractive to prospective employers, and they support our traditional industries such as agriculture, forestry, tourism and fishing, which in turn support jobs and serve our goals of a vibrant and sustainable economy.
All Bay Program partners are now fully engaged in the implementation of the management strategies. As partners, we will continue the progress we have made in meeting our water quality goals and seek the continued cooperation of key urban and agriculture sectors. We will work to bring new resources, including private and federal, to meet the costs of implementation and progress. We will be open and public about our science-based decisions and the rationale for making them. We will reach out to all sectors, public and private, to ensure that regulatory obligations are fulfilled and voluntary efforts are supported and valued.
Although we may face significant challenges in such a large and developing watershed, the payoff in terms of environmental health and economic prosperity will be enormous, and it will benefit ours and future generations.
Written by Molly Joseph Ward, Secretary of Natural Resources, Commonwealth of Virginia. Ward is chair of the Chesapeake Bay Program's Principals' Staff Committee.
Today, the Chesapeake Executive Council announced the release of twenty-five management strategies outlining the Chesapeake Bay Program's plans to meet the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, advancing the restoration, conservation and protection of the Bay, its tributaries and the lands that surround them.
Members of the Executive Council—which represents the seven watershed jurisdictions, a tri-state legislative commission and federal agencies—met to review the state of the Bay Program and finalize the strategies at their annual meeting, held at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.
In addition to announcing the strategies, the Executive Council passed two resolutions—first, endorsing the recommendations of the State Riparian Forest Buffer Task Force and committing to collaborative efforts that will increase the miles of forests on agricultural lands, and second, that the Bay Program hold a symposium on financing environmental restoration efforts. Members also agreed to two joint letters, one supporting programs to keep livestock out of streams and another supporting funding in the President's 2016 budget for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which includes more than $33 million for the Rivers of the Chesapeake collaborative proposal.
"Our partnership to restore the Bay continues to move forward," said Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Executive Council Chair, in a release. "We recognize the significant challenges we face and look forward to meeting them head on to ensure the restoration of our ecologic and economic treasure, the Chesapeake Bay."
Each management strategy addresses one or more of the Watershed Agreement's thirty-one measurable, time-bound outcomes that will help create a healthy watershed. They will reduce nutrient and sediment pollution; ensure our waters are free of the effects of toxic contaminants; sustain blue crabs, oysters and forage fish; restore wetlands, underwater grass beds and other habitats; conserve farmland and forests; foster engaged and diverse citizen stewards through increased public access and education; and increase the climate resiliency of the watershed's resources, habitats and human communities.
Considerable public input was sought and received which had a substantial impact on the content of the management strategies, representing a collaborative effort between Bay Program partners, academic institutions, local governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses and citizens. Stakeholders throughout the region participated in the development of the strategies and submitted hundreds of comments during the public review period. In the continued work toward accomplishing the goals of the Watershed Agreement, Bay Program partners are currently drafting two-year work plans that summarize the specific commitments, short-term actions and resources required for success.
Prior to this year's annual meeting, Governor McAuliffe met to discuss recommendations from the local government, citizen and scientific communities with the council's three advisory committees—the Citizens Advisory Committee, the Local Government Advisory Committee and the Science and Technical Advisory Committee.
Learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement or the 2015 Executive Council Meeting.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has been selected to chair the Chesapeake Executive Council, beginning January 1, 2015.
The Chesapeake Executive Council, established in 1983, is responsible for guiding the Chesapeake Bay Program's policy agenda and setting conservation and restoration goals. Members include the governors of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission Chair and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator.
"I am humbled that my colleagues on the Chesapeake Executive Council have selected me to lead our collective efforts at this critical time in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay," said Governor McAuliffe. "Not only are we engaged in the implementation of the recently signed Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, but we are continuing the difficult work of meeting our water quality goals under the framework of the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load. The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and an enormous economic asset for Virginia and our neighboring states. I look forward to working with my counterparts in this region to restore and protect the Bay for generations to come."
Governor McAuliffe succeeds Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who became chair in December 2013. Under the leadership of Governor O'Malley, the Executive Council adopted the landmark Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. He also served two consecutive terms as the Executive Council Chair in 2007 and 2008 and was instrumental in developing two-year milestones that focus on short-term, achievable goals.
"The Bay has been at the top of my agenda during my two terms as Governor and I have been honored to have served as chair three times during my tenure," said Governor O'Malley. "I know Governor McAuliffe will provide the leadership necessary to meet our collective goals, and I wish him along with the other members of the Council well."
The Chesapeake Executive Council signed the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement today, recommitting Chesapeake Bay Program partners to restoring, conserving and protecting the Bay, its tributaries and the lands around them.
Agreement signatories include the governors of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Delaware; the mayor of the District of Columbia; the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission; and the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of the Federal Leadership Committee for the Chesapeake Bay. This marks the first time that the Bay's headwater states of New York, West Virginia and Delaware have pledged to work toward those restoration goals that reach beyond water quality, making them full partners in the Bay Program's watershed-wide work.
"Today we celebrate the most inclusive, collaborative, goal-oriented Agreement the Chesapeake Bay watershed has ever seen, highlighted by unprecedented participation from the headwater states and the public," said Chesapeake Executive Council Chair and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley in a media release. "This Agreement not only addresses our continuing water quality and land use challenges, it also confronts critical emerging issues—environmental literacy, toxic contaminants and climate change. Finally, it builds upon the strength of our diverse citizenry, calling to action the nearly 18 million people that call our watershed home. Together, we can and will achieve our united vision of a healthy Bay and a productive watershed, cared for by engaged citizens at every level."
Years in the making, the Agreement contains 10 goals and 29 measurable, time-bound outcomes that will help create a healthy watershed. They will lower nutrient and sediment pollution; ensure our waters are free of toxic contaminants; sustain blue crabs, oysters and forage fish; restore wetlands, underwater grass beds and other habitats; conserve farmland and forests; boost public access to and education about the environment; and increase the climate resiliency of the watershed's resources, habitats and human communities.
Public input had a direct impact on the content of the Agreement—encouraging partners to include goals related to environmental stewardship, toxic contaminants and climate change—and will continue to contribute to how the Agreement is achieved. Indeed, partners plan to work with universities, local governments, watershed groups, businesses and citizens in creating the management strategies that will define how we will accomplish the Agreement's outcomes and goals.
In addition to signing the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Executive Council members heard from the Bay Program's three advisory committees, which represent citizens, local governments and scientific and technical interests from across the watershed. Executive Council members also heard from four high school students representing Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. While each of these students was introduced to conservation in a different way, they have all had valuable experiences on the Bay and spoke about the importance of engaging future generations in environmental restoration, advocacy and leadership.
Learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement or the 2014 Executive Council Meeting.
The Chesapeake Executive Council named Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley its new chair at its annual meeting, held this morning at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.
The Chesapeake Executive Council was established in 1983, and is responsible for guiding the Chesapeake Bay Program's policy agenda and setting conservation and restoration goals. O'Malley served two consecutive terms as chair in 2007 and 2008, and accepted this morning's transfer of leadership from District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray, who became chair in July 2012.
At a public press conference, O'Malley promised to lead the Bay Program and its partners into a new era of progress and accountability, which he hopes will include the signing of a new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The agreement, now in its draft form, will be the fourth of its kind and will set a series of goals and outcomes that will guide restoration across the watershed.
"I thank my fellow council members for the opportunity to once again take the helm of this partnership, and to help get a new Bay agreement signed, sealed and delivered to the 18 million souls who call the Chesapeake's watershed home," O'Malley said in a media release.
A longtime champion of the Bay, O'Malley has during his career developed an innovative restoration tracking tool, undertaken the largest oyster restoration project of its kind and spearheaded Maryland's efforts to meet its milestones under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load, or "pollution diet."
Former Chesapeake Executive Council chair Gray was also commended for his environmental initiatives, including his government-led plan to make the District of Columbia the healthiest, greenest and most livable city in the United States.
The Chesapeake Executive Council announced progress toward Chesapeake Bay cleanup milestones, discussed plans for meeting requirements of the Bay "pollution diet," and encouraged individual Bay stewardship at its annual meeting on July 11 in Richmond, Virginia.
Executive Council members in attendance included U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator and Executive Council Chair Lisa Jackson; Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell; Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley; Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett; District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray; Chesapeake Bay Commission Chair Sen. Michael Brubaker; U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan; and representatives from Delaware, New York and West Virginia.
Chesapeake Bay Program partners are currently working toward short-term pollution reduction goals called milestones. All seven Bay jurisdictions are currently on-track or ahead of schedule in meeting these milestones. The deadline for the current set of two-year milestones is December 31, 2011.
Executive Council members also talked about their watershed implementation plans (WIPs), local restoration plans that show how each jurisdiction will meet pollution reductions required by the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. The jurisdictions are now in the second phase of developing their draft plans, which are due at the end of 2011.
Additionally, the Bay Program's three advisory committees – Citizens, Local Government, and Scientific and Technical – presented to the Executive Council about Bay restoration activities from their unique areas of expertise.
The 2011 Executive Council meeting was held at the Maymont Foundation, located on the James River in Richmond. Executive Council members spent part of the afternoon touring exhibits on topics such as native plants, Bay-friendly lawn care, and soil health and testing. The location was chosen to highlight the meeting's "Get Grounded in Tour Watershed" theme, which stresses the importance of connecting people with their local waterways. Through its Nature Center and educational programs, Maymont offers local residents a place to learn about and connect with Virginia's environment.
"The focus of our discussions today was on empowering every citizen in the Bay watershed to be part of restoring these important waters," said Jackson. "The actions of federal, state and local governments are just the beginning of revitalizing the Bay. We are also counting on the partnership of millions of people who live in this region to join in protecting the waters that support their health, their environment and their economy."
The Executive Council sets the policy agenda for the Chesapeake Bay Program. Visit our Chesapeake Executive Council page for more information.
Maryland has awarded $6 million in grants from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund to help local communities and landowners reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley announced the recipients at the recent Chesapeake Executive Council meeting in Baltimore, noting that the appropriation is the trust fund's highest to date.
The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund was created in 2007 to accelerate Bay restoration by focusing financial resources on the most effective pollution control projects that help achieve the state's two-year milestones.
"These dollars are targeted in areas and ways that science shows us will have the best results," said Gov. O'Malley. "This process allows us to select those projects that will deliver the greatest possible benefits to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries."
The recipients announced at the Executive Council meeting include:
The projects will be funded for up to three years.
Trust fund grants were available to local governments and non-government organizations that demonstrated an ability to implement projects necessary to help achieve the two-year milestones for Bay restoration.
The first of the two-year milestones – short-term pollution-reduction goals set in 2009 – are scheduled to be met by December 2011. Under the milestones, the six Bay states and the District of Columbia will put actions into place to reduce a projected 15.8 million pounds of nitrogen and 1.1 million pounds of phosphorus.
The trust fund is generated through motor fuel taxes and car rental taxes in Maryland. When fully funded, it is expected to generate $50 million annually. This year's budget sets aside a total of $20 million for the trust fund for the new fiscal year beginning in July.
Visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' website for more information about the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.
June 2010 -- At its annual meeting on June 3, the Chesapeake Executive Council launched ChesapeakeStat, an online tool to increase accountability and improve coordination of Bay Program restoration activities. ChesapeakeStat presents comprehensive information about Bay Program activities, funding and progress toward goals.
The Executive Council establishes the policy agenda for the Chesapeake Bay Program and is represented by leaders from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, West Virginia, the District of Columbia and the Chesapeake Bay Commission.
ChesapeakeStat allows Bay Program leaders, federal and state agencies, local governments, non-governmental organizations, and members of the public to use the same information to track and plan restoration efforts.
ChesapeakeStat will also be used to highlight local restoration activities. Photos can be entered on a map, and the public can submit ideas for how the website can be improved.
"We've initiated a new era defined by bold action and unparalleled levels of accountability," said EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "ChesapeakeStat will be instrumental in ensuring nothing short of real, measurable results."
Maryland's BayStat provided the inspiration and model for ChesapeakeStat, which will be improved and evolved over time.
"Since 2007, BayStat has proven a powerful tool in Maryland for assessing, coordinating, targeting and accelerating our Bay restoration and conservation programs," said Governor Martin O'Malley. "With Administrator Jackson's leadership, ChesapeakeStat can provide these same critical benefits."
In addition to launching ChesapeakeStat, Executive Council members discussed restoration work done since the last Executive Council meeting in May 2009 and progress on the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). Bay Program partners are currently developing the Bay TMDL, which will be a comprehensive "pollution diet" that will include rigorous accountability for all levels of government, sources of pollution and stakeholders.
States are currently developing detailed plans to meet TMDL pollution limits, with draft plans due September 1 and final plans due November 1. The final Bay TMDL will be competed by the end of December.
The 2010 Executive Council meeting was held in Baltimore at the Living Classrooms Foundation, where council members spent part of the afternoon with Baltimore students restoring a wetland.
In attendance at the Executive Council meeting were EPA Deputy Administrator Robert Perciasepe, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Chesapeake Bay Commission Chair Thomas McLain Middleton.
January 2010 -- The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been named chair of the Chesapeake Executive Council, assuming responsibility for the Chesapeake Bay Program's policy-setting committee from outgoing Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine.
During a meeting of the Executive Council in Arlington, Va., EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson promised to continue the Bay Program's positive momentum and lead the regional partnership into a new era of progress and accountability as Executive Council chair.
"It's an honor to chair the Executive Council at this moment of unprecedented opportunity," Jackson said. "Chesapeake Bay communities have spent years calling for cleaner water and a healthier environment. We have a renewed opportunity to show them real progress."
Administrator Jackson noted that 2009 was a historic year for the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort, with the states' commitment to two-year milestones for implementing pollution controls and President Obama's Executive Order on the Chesapeake Bay.
2010, however, could be a turning point for the Chesapeake Bay through the completion of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL and a new restoration strategy required by the Executive Order. The six states and District of Columbia will also receive $11.2 million in federal funding – more than double 2009 levels – to increase permitting, enforcement and other regulatory activities.
"Success in restoring the Chesapeake Bay and local waterways hinges on the collective effort of all stakeholders, and this partnership provides a vehicle for federal and state governments to collaborate and ultimately reach our common goals," said Jackson, who also serves as chair of the Federal Leadership Committee established by the Executive Order.
Governor Kaine held the position of Executive Council chair since November 2008. His gubernatorial term ends this month.
"Last year, we charted a new, more effective course for improving the health of Bay waters by establishing critical two-year milestones that will serve as the foundation for future success," said Kaine. "I am pleased with what we've been able to accomplish by working together, and I have no doubt that Administrator Jackson will build on our progress in 2010."
As Governor of Virginia, Kaine permanently conserved nearly 400,000 acres of land, worked with Maryland to better protect the blue crab population, strengthened stormwater regulations, and launched climate change planning.
As chair of Executive Council, Kaine led the effort to create two-year milestones, which represented a fundamental shift in goal-setting, and worked with the White House on the Executive Order, the most significant federal action on the Chesapeake Bay in 25 years.
(Learn more about Governor Kaine's environmental accomplishments.)
"The health of our Chesapeake Bay is critical to the environmental and economic future of the states that surround it and the people who enjoy it, and these regional partnerships have been invaluable to these efforts," said Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, past chair of the Executive Council. "Adding to these efforts the passion, partnership and authority of EPA Administrator Jackson will guide us through a new era of progress and accountability."
"The Chesapeake Bay Commission looks forward to continuing the strong partnership we have established with the Bay Program and working closely with Administrator Jackson in finding new and innovative ways to clean our Bay and preserve this national treasure for generations yet to come," said Chesapeake Bay Commission Chair, Virginia Delegate John A. Cosgrove.
Video from the Executive Council meeting
Virginia Governor and outgoing Chesapeake Executive Council Chair Timothy Kaine
Maryland Governor and past Chesapeake Executive Council Chair Martin O'Malley
Chesapeake Bay Commission Chair and Virginia Delegate John Cosgrove
EPA Administrator and incoming Chesapeake Executive Council Chair Lisa Jackson
Media Question and Answer Session (two parts)
The governors of the six Chesapeake Bay states, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission have submitted a letter to the U.S. Congress to include in the reauthorized Federal Surface Transportation Act a policy to reduce polluted stormwater runoff from federal highway construction and reconstruction projects.
Nationwide, roads and related infrastructure make up at least two-thirds of all paved, impervious surfaces, according to the letter. These areas promote runoff because they do not allow water to naturally soak into the ground. When it rains, pollutants from tailpipe emissions, fluid leaks, break linings and tire wear are picked up in runoff and carried to the nearest sewer or waterway.
The letter points to a 2002 study in Maryland that showed highways in the state accounted for 22 percent of nitrogen and 32 percent of phosphorus coming from urban areas. The study showed that highways and mobile sources annually contribute 36 million pounds of nitrogen that pollute Maryland's land, air and water. By comparison, wastewater treatment plants contribute 17 million pounds of nitrogen per year.
Most federally funded highways were constructed without the stormwater runoff controls needed to protect the health of local streams, creeks and rivers. As a result, 66 percent of the waterways listed on the national Clean Water Act 303(d) list of impaired waters are polluted because of highway runoff.
Today, the green infrastructure techniques that relieve these impacts are well-known and, according to the letter, should be included in the reauthorized Federal Surface Transportation Act.
The letter was addressed to Reps. James L. Oberstar (D-MN) and John L. Mica (R-FL), who serve as chair and ranking member, respectively, of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
For more information, read the full letter to Congress.
At its annual meeting on May 12, the Chesapeake Executive Council set new short-term goals to reduce pollution to the Bay and dramatically accelerate the pace of restoration of the Bay and its rivers.
Instead of pursuing a distant deadline, the seven Bay jurisdictions -- Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, New York and the District of Columbia -- will now focus on short, two-year goals called milestones. The milestones announced at the 2009 EC meeting are set to be met by December 31, 2011. (View the 2011 milestones to reduce pollution.)
Many states will significantly increase the pace of cleanup.
By meeting these and future milestones, the Bay jurisdictions will put in place all pollution control measures necessary for a restored Bay no later than 2025.
"We have charted a new course for the Chesapeake Bay's recovery that will succeed because it includes the short-term goals necessary to make steady progress and is backed by federal and state leaders who share a profound conviction to protect our environment," said Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council.
Bay restoration will be intensified by an Executive Order, issued by President Obama, that declares the Chesapeake a national treasure and increases the federal commitment to restoring the Bay. The Executive Order includes:
Further federal action is coming from the U.S. EPA, which is creating the Chesapeake TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load). The TMDL is essentially a pollution diet for the Bay that will drive the six states and D.C. to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus entering the waterways in their states that flow to the Bay.
Under the Executive Order, the EPA will also be developing strategies to ensure compliance and enforcement with pollution laws throughout the watershed. Additionally, the Clean Air Interstate Rule will reduce nitrogen pollution to the Bay by an estimated 10 million pounds annually beginning in 2010.
The Chesapeake Executive Council establishes the Bay Program's policy agenda. Participating in the meeting were:
We're (slowly) adding video of the 2008 Executive Council meeting to YouTube. Check out what we have up so far:
From the news conference: Mayor Fenty, Governor O'Malley (two parts) and Governor Kaine.
From the public "poster session": presentations on Bay Program partners' progress on their champion roles (given by Peter Marx from the Bay Program office) and the Chesapeake TMDL (two parts, given by Jon Capacasa at EPA Region 3 and Rich Batiuk at the Bay Program office).
You can visit our YouTube channel to check out the rest of the footage as it is added.
The 2008 Chesapeake Exective Council meeting is just two days away, and agencies throughout the Bay Program partnership are busy finalizing details for this annual event. This year, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, and representatives from Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, West Virginia, the USDA and the Chesapeake Bay Commission will be on hand to review the past year's Bay restoration efforts and set a new agenda for 2009. You can read more details about the meeting at the Bay Program's website.
The meeting will be held at Union Station in Washington and is open to the public from 12:30-3 p.m. We're also planning to have a live webcast of the meeting on our website; stay tuned for that link.
The Chesapeake Executive Council adopted at its annual meeting on Nov. 20 a new strategy to speed up the pace of Bay restoration and become more accountable by setting two-year milestones to reduce pollution to the Bay and its rivers.
The Executive Council will establish the new two-year deadlines in spring 2009, when the most current scientific data about pollution levels becomes available through the Bay Program's annual Health and Restoration Assessment. These milestones will focus the Bay Program partnership on achieving short-term goals, thereby intensifying restoration efforts. The two-year milestones will lead up to an overall deadline for Bay restoration, which will also be set next spring.
The decision to set short-term goals comes after the Executive Council confirmed at its 2007 meeting that the Bay Program partnership would not meet its Chesapeake 2000 commitment to clean up the Bay by 2010.
"Setting goals that are a decade out, for example, do not create pressure to produce results," said Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine, the incoming Executive Council chairman. "We're going to change the way goals are set."
The new two-year deadlines will be created at the 2009 Executive Council meeting, which will be moved to spring to coincide with the release of the Health and Restoration Assessment and allow Executive Council members to more effectively coordinate restoration initiatives with government budget cycles and legislative sessions.
In addition to the decision to set two-year milestones for restoration, the Executive Council also announced at its meeting plans to request support for the Bay from the President-elect, pursue development of next-generation biofuels in the Chesapeake Region and increase partner accountability for restoration of the Bay and its watershed.
The Executive Council, led this year by outgoing chairman Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and incoming chairman Governor Kaine, establishes the Bay Program's policy agenda. Participating in the meeting, which was held at Union Station in Washington, D.C., were executives from the six Bay states, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"The work of this partnership and the actions taken today reflect our unwavering commitment to restoring the health and beauty of the Chesapeake Bay for the millions of area residents and visitors who enjoy the Bay or make a living from it," said Governor O'Malley.
Summary of 2008 Executive Council actions:
To accelerate progress toward cleaning up the Bay, the Executive Council agreed to set restoration milestones every two years. These milestones will focus the partnership on achieving short-term goals to reduce excess nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment. The specific milestones will be calculated in spring 2009, once the most current scientific data becomes available, and will be announced at the next Executive Council meeting, which will also be held in spring 2009.
The Executive Council will also use the milestones and scientific data to establish a new deadline for implementing the restoration measures needed for a healthy Bay.
Bay Program partners have worked with the EPA to shape the Chesapeake TMDL, a federally mandated pollution budget for the watershed. The Chesapeake TMDL will allocate loadings of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment to all jurisdictions in the watershed. The two-year milestones will be used to assist the TMDL process. When complete in December 2010, the Chesapeake TMDL will be the largest in the country.
(Read more about the Chesapeake TMDL.)
The Bay Program is seeking a renewed federal commitment to protecting the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary. On behalf of the six Bay states, the District of Columbia and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, Governor Kaine and Governor O'Malley will deliver a request to the President-elect and 111th Congress to elevate Chesapeake restoration to a top environmental priority and support regional and national legislative measures to accelerate Bay and watershed restoration.
The Executive Council launched a plan to position the Chesapeake region as a national leader in production of next-generation biofuels. This new sector of biofuels does not rely on food crops and can be grown sustainably to yield environmental and economic benefits while also advancing Bay restoration goals.
(Read the Executive Council directive to implement state biofuels action plans and recommendations included in the recent Next-Generation Biofuels report.)
Bay Program partners have made significant progress on the "champion" roles they selected at the 2007 Executive Council meeting. Champion issues include the promotion of low-impact development, support of agricultural conservation practices and improvement of wastewater treatment. Partners will continue to take this type of targeted action on vital issues in 2009.
To increase the accountability of the partners working to clean up the Bay, the Executive Council has requested the Bay Program be evaluated by a national independent science organization. The evaluator role is designed to identify shortcomings and recommend solutions for improving the Bay Program's effectiveness.
The Executive Council signaled its support for Chesapeake Bay FieldScope, a project led by National Geographic to educate students about human-environment interactions in the watershed and to engage them directly in environmental monitoring. The Executive Council has agreed to explore opportunities to work with National Geographic to introduce the program throughout the watershed.
Political leaders of the Bay region met on Friday, Sept. 22, on Kent Island, Md., for the annual Chesapeake Executive Council meeting to adopt new measures aimed at improving water quality throughout the watershed.
The waters of the Bay served as the backdrop for the signing of important policy directives:
Prior to Friday's formal meeting, a Watershed Restoration Fair was held at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Md., to celebrate the organizations throughout the watershed that are helping to make Bay restoration a reality. The fair included exhibits and presentations by over 90 conservation and restoration groups, including:
American Rivers
National Aquarium in Baltimore
Perdue AgriRecycle
Snyder County (Pa.) Conservation District
Upper Susquehanna Coalition
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fish
Four Businesses for the Bay facilities received recognition from Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich for their pollution prevention and nutrient reduction successes: Volvo Powertrain (Md.), Wenger's Feed Mill (Pa.), Trammell Crow Company (D.C.) and Degussa Goldschmidt Chemical Corporation (Va.).
The Forest Conservation Directive obligates the signatories to identify where forests are needed most to protect water quality in their jurisdiction, and to establish individual numeric goals for forest conservation. In addition, the directive provides guidelines for developing a framework with milestones to help implement and track progress toward the numeric goal.
This directive will mark the first time the partners have joined together to support a forestland conservation initiative, formally recognizing the vital and often overlooked role forests play in improving water quality.
Coinciding with the signing of the Forest Conservation Directive is the release of The State of Chesapeake Forests. This in-depth report paints a clear picture of the values of and threats to the watershed's forests, and is the first-ever comprehensive look at how retaining and expanding forests in critical areas of the watershed may be the most cost-effective strategy to ensure long-term nutrient load reductions to the Bay.
The Executive Council partnered with the Lawn Care Product Manufacturing Industry to sign another groundbreaking policy. The Healthy Lawns and Clean Water Initiative will, by 2009, reduce by 50 percent the pounds of phosphorus in lawn care products sold in the watershed. A second initiative addressing nitrogen in fertilizers will be developed for the 2007 Executive Council meeting.
In a complementary action, the non-federal members of the council signed an agreement to support efforts to have funding included in the 2007 Farm Bill that would provide the watershed's 87,000 farms the ability to institute environmentally sound practices. The directive includes a statement recognizing the importance of technical assistance to conservation program implementation, and lists three state commitments regarding the leveraging of federal funds, the provisioning of adequate technical assistance and the coordination of state efforts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
This resolution recognizes the need for a unified voice from the farming community to help guide the Partnership in a direction that enhances clean-up efforts in the watershed, while providing increased farm viability.
It urges state secretaries and commissioners to periodically meet and discuss issues related to farming and Bay watershed restoration, and tasks them to report back to the Executive Council with recommendations to enhance the role of agriculture in the Bay Partnership.


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I've said before, everyone has an opinion. Now TrustedReviews wants yours, in this year's Reader Survey. Better still, to persuade you to spare a few moments of your time, one lucky participant will walk away with a Toshiba 32XV505D 1080p 32in HDTV (pictured) - all £600-odd worth of it.
Completing the survey should take no longer than 5 minutes and by doing so you'll not only be helping TrustedReviews to continue to provide the quality content already accessible on the site, but also helping to shape the future of the site. Do you want to see user-generated reviews alongside ours? What do you think of the forums? What is it that keeps you coming back to TR?
What are you waiting for? Dive into the TrustedReviews Reader Survey 2008.
The Reader Survey has now closed. Thank you to everyone who took part.

subset: commoncrawl


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text: Dallas (TNT) Season 2 Episode 4 "False Confessions" February 11, 2013 Dallas, News Dallas (TNT) Season 2 episode 4 "False Confessions" airs Monday, Feb 11 at 9 p.m. on TNT. Synopsis: With the future of Ewing Energies in jeopardy, Christopher does everything possible to keep a key deal alive. J.R. works to undermine Pamela, forcing John Ross to choose between a Ewing and a Barnes. Cliff Barnes (guest star Ken Kercheval) returns to meet with an unlikely visitor. Show Synopsis: This all-new series based upon one of the most popular television dramas of all time centers on the bitter rivalries and family power struggles within a Texas oil and cattle-ranching dynasty. Famous for its ratings-grabbing cliffhangers, the original series was known for its wealth, seduction, scandal and intrigues. Set in the big state of Texas, TNT's new Dallas also lives life large and in the fast lane and brings a new generation of stars together with cast members from the original drama series. Click Any Photo Below To Enlarge Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) http://www.facebook.com/jeff.urban.98 Jeff Urban For Texans, these people can't shoot very effectively. The scripts become tedious after FIVE failures. Where's the ninja? http://www.facebook.com/rambleonrose Rose Murphy LOVE THE SHOW !!!!!!!!. AS GOOD AS EVER!!…BRING ON MORE EPISODES!!


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Tourism to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument creates $190 Million in Economic Benefit
Report shows visitor spending supports 1488 jobs in local economy
Page, AZ – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 2,136,542 visitors to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument in 2012 spent $190 million in communities near the parks. That spending supported 1488 jobs in the local area.
"Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument are proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world," said Superintendent Todd Brindle. We are delighted to share the story of these places and the experiences they provide and to use the parks as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy – returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service – and it's a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities."
The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park Service. The report shows $14.7 billion of direct spending by 283 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park unit. This spending supported 243,000 jobs nationally, with 201,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.75 billion.
According to the report most visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores (39 percent), hotels, motels and B&Bs (27 percent), and other amusement and recreation (20 percent).
To download the report visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/
The report includes information for visitor spending at individual park units and by state.
To learn more about national park units in Utah and Arizona and how the National Park Service works with Utah and Arizona communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/UTAH or www.nps.gov/ARIZONA.


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The Real Election Night Winner – Diane Sawyer? [POLL]
You had multiple options for Election Night coverage, so you may have missed Diane Sawyer on ABC acting in a way we are not accustomed to seeing her.
The 66-yr-old mainstay of ABC News since 1989 (20/20, Prime Time Live, GMA), the current ABC World News anchor was the lead on the network's Election coverage and became a Twitter sensation for her behavior that was out of character.
Sawyer was seen rambling, slurring and stumbling over her words, and at times looking like she was being held up by her elbows. Those watching who could Tweet did so by the thousands, and the rumor surfaced that Sawyer was drunk live on air.
Tweets ranged from "And Diane Sawyer declares tonight's winner is … chardonnay!" (from They Might Be Giants), to "I'll have what Diane Sawyer is having" (from Josh Groban).
You might not think that a professional of Sawyer's caliber would be drunk, but the footage last night speaks volumes and raises questions – check out this montage of Diane from Election Night.
This is not the first time Diane Sawyer has been in this kind of shape in front of the camera. Go back to 2009 to see her reporting on Obama's inauguration:
Sawyer recently responded to "Buzzgate" (as it is being coined) by sending out her own Tweet saying "Read your Tweets – the good, the bad and the funny. See you on ABC World News".
Questions still abound here – was Diane Sawyer drunk, having a reaction to a prescription drug, totally sleep deprived (ABC has said she has worked non-stop for the last 2 weeks for Election Night and Hurricane Sandy coverage), or is she slipping as she is getting older.
Whatever the case is, Sawyer is the talk of Election Night and the star of the show.


text: Slanted Hem Heidi Pullover Style: 570119357 Out of Stock Love it? Everyone else did too. This item sold out! Use our search tool, chat online or call 1.888.855.4986 to find something equally desirable. The v-neck sweater with subtle shimmer, an elongating center seam, and an on-trend slanted hem. Length: 25" to 29". 70% cotton, 19% rayon, 8% metallic, 3% polyester. Machine wash. Imported. Read More… Share on Facebook Tweet Pin


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Definition of arctic
1 often capitalized : of, relating to, or suitable for use at the north pole or the region near it arctic waters arctic animals arctic clothing
2a : bitter cold : frigid arctic airb : cold in temper or mood an arctic smile
arcticallyplay \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
Examples of arctic in a Sentence
The group is involved in Arctic exploration.
the arctic air of deep winter
Origin and Etymology of arctic
Middle English artik, from Latin arcticus, from Greek arktikos, from arktos bear, Ursa Major, north; akin to Latin ursus bear, Sanskrit ṛkṣa
First Known Use: circa 1540See Words from the same year
Other Ecology Terms
Definition of arctic
: a rubber overshoe reaching to the ankle or above
First Known Use of arctic
Other Clothing Terms
ARCTIC Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of arctic for English Language Learners
: of or relating to the North Pole or the region around it
: very cold
ARCTIC Defined for Kids
Definition of arctic for Students
1 often cap : of or relating to the north pole or to the region around it arctic explorers
2 : very cold arctic temperatures
History for arctic
The Big Dipper is a group of stars in the northern sky. It looks like a dipper to us, but ancient people thought it looked like a large bear. The ancient Greeks gave it a name that meant "bear." The English word arctic came from the Greek name for the Big Dipper. Because when we look at the Big Dipper we are looking toward the north, the word arctic refers to the region around the north pole.
Definition of Arctic for Students
2 regions around the Arctic Circle
Learn More about arctic
See words that rhyme with arctic Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for arctic Spanish Central: Translation of arctic Nglish: Translation of arctic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of arctic for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arctic
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up arctic? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


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Zachary Goldfarb provides statistical evidence to support his claim that the past several years have been an "age of austerity" in the United States.
Goldfarb: "You must consider the stance of fiscal policy relative to the environment we're in."
As a response to recovery from a devastating recession, "it makes sense that the government will do what it can to make up for a massive shortfall in demand."
"Except, the government has been doing a lot less to stimulate the economy for each of the past few years."
"Consider this chart based on data from Moody Analytics' Mark Zandi, which measures the change in the structural deficit as a percentage of GDP. The structural deficit measures whether government policy alone is adding or subtracting from economic growth. As you can see in the red, over the past few years, fiscal policy has been subtracting substantially from economic growth."
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Rocky Mountain Laboratory workers arrived at work to feed research animals on the morning of Sunday, Feb. 8, and found dead monkeys.
During the night, a thermostat malfunction had spiked temperatures in the animal holding facility to 100 degrees, compared to the 72 degree norm. An emergency alarm went off, but the signal didn't reach facility guards, even though they're on-site 24 hours a day.
The death toll included 13 squirrel monkeys and 74 hamsters used in Chronic Wasting Disease research. Thirteen additional squirrel monkeys survived the ordeal, as well as all 14 of the macaque monkeys. The monkeys that died were confined in cages close to the ceiling, where hot air collected. The alarm mechanism has since been rewired to better notify guards of future episodes.
But at a time when the facility is trying to convince the public of the safety merits of a proposed biosafety Level 4 expansion, the monkey incident casts doubts on the lab's credibility.
If granted Level 4 status, the lab will be handling more than just monkeys. It will be in charge of protecting Hamilton from the deadly viruses to be studied in the expanded facility, the deadliest of which is the Ebola virus.
Friends of the Bitterroot member Jim Olsen called the malfunction "another example of stuff not working like it's supposed to" at the lab.
Rocky Mountain Laboratory Associate Director Marshall Bloom notes that that response comes from a group known to oppose the lab's expansion. More reasonable people, Bloom says, "have been impressed with how rapidly and completely Rocky Mountain Labs evaluated the situation, made the necessary modifications in procedure and notified all segments of the community," Bloom said.
That's reassuring: When Ebola escapes in the night, Hamiltonians can sleep soundly knowing they'll be notified first thing in the morning.
Here's an idea: Why don't you busy homeowners just wait until the very last minute to weigh in on the University of Montana's proposal to double your property taxes? UM Vice President Bob Duringer is on his knees begging for ideas to raise money for the Montana University System, but by all means don't waste your breath before you have to. He's a big boy; he can figure it out. Best to sit tight for now—If the property tax hike becomes a legislative initiative, there'll be plenty of time to scream, holler and punch fists through particle board.
Last Tuesday, Duringer presented seven proposals for raising money for the pinched UM. The idea likely to draw the most criticism is the one where you folks pay. But fewer than 10 community members showed up at the presentation. Duringer described the showing as "pitiful" the following day, but says he wasn't surprised at the low turnout. Over the phone, he said that UM could be giving away money; it could be hosting a public execution—the campus just doesn't draw. Unbelievable. Perhaps his office has been flooded with phone calls, at least? "We have not received a call," says Duringer. "Not one."
Means y'all are on board, right? Sure. At any rate, here's the logic behind the proposal: UM—especially its sports fans—spill plenty of cash into the city. Every kid scarfing a burger and beers after the game, or anyone swilling Bloody Marys at the Press Box at 10 in the morning on game day, puts money into the community—about $300 million each year. So, asks UM, how 'bout a little quid pro quo?
"Please," said Duringer during one plea for input, "come and tell me if we're full of beans or not." Heed the man's plea, folks. Wednesday night. 7:00. Gallagher Business Building Room 122. Help the poor guy out.


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make matrix animate
I made a function that has many matrices as output. It's in fact puzzle 15
board, where in sequent matrices zero (blank space) moves
left/right/up/down. Is there a way to make a graphical animation (like
Do[Plot[...) with my output?
Thanks a lot, Borut


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If you want to go fishing now, but you don't to pay the price of new boat, here is a great deal. This center cole is loaded with storage and fish holds. It has been lift kept and only has 170 hours on the engines. The center console is large enough for a porta potti or can be used as storage. It's complete with a lean post and large cooler. If you're considering a new boat, check this one out first. Price reduced !! New T-top just added !!
Lanoka Harbor Marina
888 Bay Way, Suite 2
Lanoka Harbor, NJ 08734
United States


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If recent trends continue, the climate for truckers on Ohio roads could improve. Overall state inspection numbers have fallen the last two years from about 75,000 total annually to just under 72,000,Read More
Lights can go out when you're running, but some drivers contend "a lot of these lights are off before the trip starts." If you don't catch them, you can bet that if your run takes you through Ohio, somebody else will.Read More
NASTC, ATA, OOIDA and most readers lodge displeasure with FMCSA's crash-fault analysis, while some readers suggest the feds may have it right in reticence to rely on police reports to assess fault.Read More
Incorporating crash accountability into the CSA carrier ranking program would not improve the DOT's ability to target for intervention carriers most at risk for crashes, nor would it be easy to implement or cost-effective, FMCSA concluded.Read More
With speeding accounting for nearly half of all moving-type infractions marked on inspection reports in 2013, Indiana ranks first in the nation for those violations.Read More
Part 2 in this Channel 19 year in review highlights the most-read stories from the blog this year having to do with regulations -- and their enforcement. CARB, insurance, CSA, hours...Read More
If you think the FMCSA's Compliance, Safety, Accountability program has misdirected carriers' safety focus in a big way, you'll find a friend in Oregon DOT's David McKane.Read More
The state of Oregon is known among owner-operators for more than its scenic mountain passes and rocky coast: Oregon's weight-distance tax data sharpens its focus on log violations.Read More
And what about drivers' information? some readers ask as broad swathes of trucking industry representatives call for hiding carrier CSA scores.Read More
In a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx dated Nov. 14, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance echoed industry calls for CSA's SMS scores to be removed from public view.Read More


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Spicy beef curry recipe
This tender Indian beef curry can be served mild or spicy, depending on your family's tastebuds. Simple to make, and simply scrumptious to eat. Find more on Kidspot New Zealand.
- 60g margarine spread
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 500g lean chuck steak, cut in 2.5cm cubes
- 2 tbs plain flour
- 2 tbs curry powder (hot or mild according to taste)
- Pinch chilli powder
- 2 tsp reduced salt tomato paste
- 1 potato, diced
- 1 apple, cored and sliced
- 2-3 reduced salt beef stock cubes
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup Kellogg's Sultana Bran
- 250g frozen (or fresh) broccoli (optional)
Melt margarine spread in a deep frying pan.
Sauté onion and garlic until tender.
Dust meat with seasoned flour.
Brown with onions & garlic.
Blend in curry powder.
Cook 1 minute.
Add all remaining ingredients (except broccoli) and bring to the boil.
If using broccoli, place in base of a casserole.
Pour curry on top of broccoli.
Cover, & bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for 1 - 1 ½ hours.
- Serve with rice and condiments.
- Tested by The Australian Women's Weekly TEST KITCHEN.
- This recipe was created by Kellogg's nutritionists.


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Watch The Briefcase OnlineTag: putlocker The Briefcase, watch The Briefcase, putlocker The Briefcase TV series links
CBS this summer will invite a dozen families to open The Briefcase and then decide what to do with its contents — $101,000. The six-week series, debuting Wednesday, May 27 at 8/7c, presents hard-working American families experiencing financial setbacks with a briefcase containing not just the aforementioned sum but with it a potentially life-altering decision: they can keep all of the money for themselves, or give all or part of it to another family in need. The twist: Unbeknownst to either party, the "other family in need†has also received a briefcase loaded with $101K, and has 72 hours to assess the other brood's burden and decide how much if any of their windfall they will part with. (Source: tvline.com)
Release Date: May 27, 2015
Genre: Reality Series, Family
External Link: Official Website, Watch The Briefcase on Putlocker
Share The Briefcase TV Show page on Facebook Twitter Google+
Most recent episode: The Briefcase Season 1 Episode 6 – Moyas / Vendely-Salgados


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When a dress shoe seems a bit too much, this suave casual ticks all the right boxes. Boasting wingtip brogue detailing and smooth leather finish, it's just the thing for everyday wear, paired with denim or rolled up chinos.
- Heel height: flat
- Upper: Leather
- Lining: Leather
- Sole: Rubber
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Julius Marlow - Born Burgundy


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The BlackBerry Torch 9860 uses a 3.7in LCD display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. This makes it entirely middling on most fronts but don't let that put you off. Its ~252ppi pixel density makes it nice and sharp while it produces really punchy colours and has good viewing angles. There's a bit of contrast and colour shift when viewed from extreme angles but nowhere near enough to concern us. It's not spectacular but it gets the job done.
The same can be said for this phone's CPU. The single-core 1.2GHz chip keeps the phone zipping along nicely but on a technical comparison it trails the dual-core or even 1.4GHz single-core chips used on much of the competition. For general navigation this difference isn't really noticeable as RIM has done an excellent job with what it calls its "liquid graphics". This refers to the smooth, stylish animations that accompany you as you move around the interface that always ensure you feel like you're in control.
That said, every now and again you do encounter the odd pause that we just know would be avoided on a dual-core handset. Also as app support improves and more and more powerful apps and games become available, the slower chip may become a limiting factor.
Benchmarks on mobile phones must always be taken with a pinch of salt but they give a small indication of just what sort of a performance difference you may feel between handsets. As such we ran the browser-based SunSpider and RightWare BrowserMark benchmarks and found the 9860 to be a surprisingly strong contender, posting scores of 2704 and 50992 respectively. These compare to 4057 (lower is better) and 37827 (higher is better) on the iPhone 4. Showing just what dual-core can get for you, the iPhone 4S posts scores of 2261 and 89530.
Wireless connectivity is decent with the requisite 3G, Wi-Fi 02.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS/A-GPS all accounted for.
We had no problems obtaining and keeping a strong signal and found call quality to be excellent. In fact, it was better than than the Bold 9900 in our tests (though a certain amount of this may have been signal dependent) with plenty of volume on tap and a full realistic sound. The speaker is also a return to form after the disappointing one on the Bold 9900. It's among the loudest and clearest on the market, making it great for handsfree and conference calling, and of course blasting music to all your highly appreciative fellow train and bus passengers.
Battery life on the other hand is only average. Use the phone heavily and it'll run dry in a day but using it more sparingly it will last for two or three. In fact, if you're particularly sparing it will keep going for an age but then that's hardly sensible usage.
What does annoy, though, is how temperamental BlackBerrys can be about what can and can't charge the phone from flat, with it refusing to work using some microUSB cables and chargers. Moreover, you can't use the phone straight away when plugged in but must wait quite a while for it to charge before it will spring into life – most annoying if you just want to quickly check something while you have access to power.
BlackBerry Torch 9860 - 4GB - Black (Unlocked) Smartphone GSM - NW$47.99 View Item
Brand New BlackBerry Torch 9860 GSM Unlocked 3G Smart Phone AT&T Tmobile - Black$39.95 View Item
Blackberry Torch 9860 AT&T 3G Smartphone Cellular Phone Touch Screen CLEAN IMEI$21.99 View Item
Unlocked BlackBerry Torch 9860 TouchScreen World GSM HSDPA Smartphone$37.99 View Item
BlackBerry 9860 Torch Unlocked Cell Phone GOOD$34.75 View Item
If you're going to compare benchmarks on new phones I think you should use the latest available OS versions. It's only fair.
The SunSpider and BrowserMark scores you posted for the iPhone 4 are not the current ones for iOS 5, e.g. the latest SunSpider is about 3593.
Source: http://gigaom.com/apple/benchmarking-the-ios-5-update/
The BB Torch 9860 is the fifth smartphone I have used. It is by far the worst. I have previously had iPhones and Samsung as well as BB Bold.
The loading time is pathetic and the lack of options the OS offers is frustrating to say the least. BB tout as a business tool but they refuse to allow call recording and browsing is too technical. As a sales manager I need my phone to be fast and the calls clear. This phone fails on both counts and don't get me started on the keypad. BB have a long way to go if they wish to dominate the business phone market.
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Phones Down In Parts Of Alachua County
Alachua County, FL (February 11, 2009) – The Alachua County Department of Public Safety has received information that phone lines in certain parts of Alachua County have been cut. This prevents residents from contacting law enforcement and fire services. The areas affected are High Springs, Alachua, La Crosse and Hague. If your phone is not working and you need any type of emergency service, please respond to your nearest police or fire station. Here is the list of police and fire departments near the areas affected:
Alachua Police Department: 15000 NW 142nd Terrace, Alachua
Fire Station 21: 15040 NW US 441, Alachua
High Springs Police Department: 110 NW 2nd Avenue, High Springs
High Springs Fire Department: 205 NW 1st Avenue, High Springs
La Crosse Volunteer Fire Department (ASO Staffed): 20421 N SR 212, La Crosse
As soon as phone service is restored, we will notify affected residents.
For more information, please contact the Alachua County Department of Public Safety, Public Information Officer, Carol Davis at 352-258-9966.
Related Stories
- MCSO: Student gets abducted at prom, police track her down using phone app
- Gainesville/Alachua County's 10-Year plan to end homelessness- Part 2
- Cell Phone Addiction Part 1
- Cell Phone Addiction Part 2
- Cell Phone Addiction Part 3
- Archer Man Shot Woman After She Kicked Down His Front Door
- Alachua County Volunteers Track Down the Homeless
- Democratic Chair Steps Down 'While Party is Strong'
- Number of Deaths from Prescription Pills Down Across the State
- Stafford Jones Stepping Down After 10 Years of Service


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WTB: Belly Pan e46 51718268244
Im looking for a nice used plastic engine belly pan, the large one that hooks to the bumper back to the undercariage. part # 51718268344. If someone is parting a car out and had one my zip is 46151.. I found new ones for $125.00 shipped but if i can buy one cheaper from someone who could use the money let me know.. thanks
I think what your looking for is 51718268344
I too tried to find a used on and couldnt. Ordered mine from TheBMWPartStore.com. 92.50+shipping which ended up being about $105.
ECS also sells a aftermarket one for around $70+shipping. Was going to try it but it was backordered at the time (and is right now as well).
I see I put a typo, Your correct and I do need the Number you stated.. 51718268344.. I have checked ECS and they wanted $80 for Shipping.. I found it for around $100 bucks too, I was just wanting to see if someone around me was parting out a car and i could save a few buck and help someone out..
Thanks for finding my mistake.
I need this part too :(
i think i have one. if anyone is intersted pm me and ill dig it out and take some pics
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Member since 9/16/2012
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Questions from annamarina
Tear Trough Loss of Volume - Which Filler?
In the pastI have had juvederm for tear trough filling with good results even though not exactly what I wanted. I trust the PS I had viisited and he also pointed out that could... READ MORE


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Plans by Porter Airlines Inc. to fly jets out of Toronto's island airport are facing new challenges with news that the city will not have key noise studies in time for a planned December report to city council.
Porter wants to expand its flight network at the downtown airport, which would require lengthening the runway at both ends into Lake Ontario. City staff are evaluating the proposal, and on Tuesday released an interim report.
The mayor's executive committee will consider the update next week. A final report is expected to go to the same committee Dec. 5 and to council Dec. 16.
Staff say Transport Canada has advised them it does not expect it will able to confirm until next May or later the noise data on the Bombardier CS100 aircraft that Porter wants to buy.
Councillor Pam McConnell, who represents the ward that includes the downtown waterfront, predicts the delay – along with other issues raised by staff – will poke "enormous holes" in Porter's business plan. "It would be impossible for council to make a decision until they see the report on noise," she said.
Ms. McConnell, who tried this year to have council vote against the airport expansion, said she will make another attempt at its October meeting.
Porter said Tuesday the city would have enough information to finish the report on time.
"Everyone, including the city, has been aware of the final certification timeline by Transport Canada for many months," airline spokesman Brad Cicero said in an e-mail. "There will be testing completed in the coming weeks that will be provided to the city so that a final report can be completed in November. We don't anticipate that the timelines set out by city hall for staff reports will be affected."
Porter is seeking to have the ban on jets flying to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport lifted or to have a special exception made for the CS100s. Currently, Porter can fly only turboprop planes into the airport, which is governed by a tripartite agreement between the city, the Toronto Port Authority and federal regulators.
Bombardier told city staff that the manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., had delivered an engine to a test facility where it could be evaluated. But the city's aviation consultants advised that this did not conform to international testing standards and that the engine needed to be tested on the aircraft's frame in flight.
The city's update also noted that the only aircraft noise monitoring being done is an annual review by Transport Canada. "This annual assessment does not take into account how individual aircraft noise is actually perceived by individuals or affected by atmospheric or physical conditions around the airport," the report said.
The city update said that three noise measurements need to be done with the aircraft in use – "if these three measurements are not provided to the city … city council will have insufficient information to make an informed decision on whether the CS100 aircraft can operate at BBTCA in compliance with the Tripartite Agreement."
Earlier Tuesday, Porter president Robert Deluce said he does not anticipate significant delays in Bombardier's schedule for delivering the CS100s by 2016, assuming Porter gets approval.
"I don't think there's any major alteration to when our deliveries are going to come, if any," he said. "My guess is that those January, 2016, airplanes will actually be on time. There's no real reason why they wouldn't be, as long as the test flight program goes well. And there's no reason to think that won't happen."Report Typo/Error
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Juan Mata has surprised everyone by revealing he will sport the less memorable No 8 shirt at Manchester United, not the iconic No 7.
The Spanish midfielder, who joined from Chelsea for £37.1m, will hope to have more success in it than its previous owner - the Brazilian midfielder Anderson, whose largely forgettable spell at United appears to have ended after he joined Fiorentina on loan for the rest of the season.
The previous incumbent before Anderson was Wayne Rooney, who then decided he would rather sport No 10, and then midfielders Nicky Butt and Paul Ince before him.
But is the No 7 shirt at Old Trafford now a poisoned chalice? The last owner, Antonio Valencia ditched the shirt because of the pressure it held, and the England international Michael Owen failed to set the world alight in it.
So the search now continues for the next wearer of that red No 7 shirt, following in the footsteps of George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Manchester United's most expensive signings... were they worth it?
Manchester United's most expensive signings... were they worth it?
1/12 Juan Mata - £37m - January 2013
Spain midfielder Juan Mata arrives from Chelsea as a proven dynamo in midfield. During his two full seasons at Chelsea, he was voted their player of the season.
But will he be a success? As the following slides show, spending lots of money isn't always the answer
2/12 Dimitar Berbatov - £30.75m - September 2008
Manchester United spent the summer of 2008 pursuing Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov, but it was just a dramatic few minutes before the close of the transfer window that they got their man. And the Bulgarian didn't come cheap at £30.75m - United's most expensive ever signing (until Mata).
Compared with Eric Cantona upon his arrival, Berbatov fell well short of expectations. 48 league goals in 108 appearances is not a bad return, but that he didn't even make the bench for the 2011 Champions League final against Barcelona spoke volumes.
Best remembered for his saved penalty against Everton in the semi-final of the 2009 FA Cup in which his casual spot-kick made him look like a plonker, and on the flip-side, his hat-trick against Liverpool in 2010.
Sold to Fulham for around £5m in 2012.
3/12 Rio Ferdinand - £29.3m - July 2002
When United paid Leeds United £29.3m back in 2002, it appeared a crazy amount of money to spend on a defender. Yet Rio Ferdinand has been a linchpin of the squad in the intervening decade (excluding the eight months he was banned for missing a drugs test) and was worth every penny.
United won the league in his first season and another five after that. He also helped United win the Champions League in 2008.
4/12 Juan Sebastián Verón - £28.1m - July 2001
The arrival of Juan Sebastián Verón from Lazio was one of the most glamourous signings in the history of the Premier League - yet sadly for United it was only that, with little substance to the £28.1m man.
The Argentine never settled at Old Trafford and made just 51 league appearances in which he scored seven goals. Two years after arriving, he was sold to Chelsea (who incredibly paid £15m for a player who would make just 14 appearances for the west Londoners).
5/12 Wayne Rooney - £27m - August 2004
After bursting onto the scene at Goodison Park, and then appearing as though he could carry England to the Euro 2004 title before injury struck, it was obvious Everton would not be able to hold on to their boy wonder.
And it was Manchester United who came calling, splashing out £27m on the then 18-year-old. It was a huge fee for such a young player - but in retrospect a bargain. On his debut he scored a Champions League hat-trick against Fenerbahce and he never looked back. Rooney is currently the fourth highest scorer in Manchester United's history.
6/12 Robin van Persie - £24m - August 2012
Robin van Persie, Ferguson's final big-name signing, scored 30 goals in his first season at the club as United reclaimed the title from Manchester City with ease.
There is no doubt that the Dutchman is among the best in the Premier League, but injury problems under David Moyes have raised concerns that he fitness record at Old Trafford could be as frustrating as when he was at Arsenal.
7/12 Anderson - £20.4m - July 2007
Still only 25-years-old, there remains perhaps a little more time for Anderson to justify why United paid Porto in excess of £20m for the midfielder's services.
Yet it must be said that the box-to-box midfielder has been disappointing in the six-years he's spent at Old Trafford, showing only marginal progress during that period. Although, if Anderson does nothing else, he will be able to say he scored United's sixth attempt from the penalty spot in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea. John Terry missed with the next spot-kick as United claimed their third European Cup triumph.
8/12 Ruud van Nistelrooy - £19m - June 2001
Alex Ferguson pursued Ruud van Nistelrooy for years, and it was only injuries that stopped the Dutch striker transferring from PSV Eindhoven to United earlier. He would be worth the wait.
In 150 league appearances he would score 95 goals, while his record in the Champions League was incredible. During his time at United he scored 38 Champions League goals - more than any other United player in the club's history. After five-years at the club he was sold to Real Madrid.
9/12 David de Gea - £18.9m - June 2011
United needed to replace the retiring Edwin van der Sar with a top-class stopper, yet while David de Gea clearly had ability, Ferguson's decision to put his faith in a 20-year-old with relatively little experience surprised many.
Signed from Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2011, the Spaniard started shakily but has since silenced the doubters (barring his horrendous error against Sunderland in the Capital One Cup semi-final)
10/12 Michael Carrick - £18.6m - July 2006
Another player Tottenham reluctantly sold to United, Michael Carrick has been a consistent force in Ferguson's midfield since joining in 2006.
Among other honours, the England international has five league titles to his name and a Champions League medal. There are few better passers in the Premier League, but his inability to find the back of the net remains a frustration.
11/12 Nani - £17.3m - July 2007
Unfairly compared to his countryman Cristiano Ronaldo after arriving from Sporting Lisbon in 2007, Nani had a slow start to his Old Trafford career.
Yet he has showed signs of breaking free of those shackles, netting 10 goals from midfield in both the 2010/11 and 2011/12 season. Despite signing a new contract after the arrival of David Moyes, he continues to be linked with a move away.
12/12 Owen Hargreaves - £17m - July 2007
Consistent displays at the heart of Bayern Munich's midfield, and then impressive performances in an England shirt under Sven Goran-Eriksson brought Owen Hargreaves to the attention of the British public, and Alex Ferguson, and in the summer of 2007 he joined Manchester United in a £17m deal.
Some described him as one of the most naturally talented midfielders England had ever seen - yet Manchester United fans didn't get much of a chance to see for themselves. Injuries would limit Hargreaves to just 39 appearances for the club before he was released.
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RotoZip vs. Dremel 400
i got a rotozip a few weeks ago and i've used it for cutting out holes etc. i decided that i also needed a dremel for fine grinding and sanding. however, i discovered that both tools can have a flex-shaft extension, which is less of a perk with dremel because it is already pretty small (though the flex-shaft extender is even smaller). my question for the experienced folks here is: how justified is it to have both tools, since there seems to be a larger intersection of application than i originally thought ?
i plan to use dremel for stuff like fine woodwork lacquer removal (corners etc.), polishing antique bricks etc. i intended rotozip for stuff like cutting out holes, etc. i have to say that i do not like rotozip that much, since the sabre bits for it are real fragile and break like crazy.
I own both of them and they really are two different tools. They might have some over lapping tasks but each one has their own set of tasks they do. The rotozip is used alot for drywall and wood and metal and tile, and is much more heavy duty than the dremel. The dremel is more of a precise/detail tool. It has more bits for polishing/sanding and other detail jobs. I've tried to do some heavy jobs with the dremel like remove grout, cut drywall out, etc. and found it just doesn't do the job like a rotozip. I don't think the rotozip would be good at doing the more precise/detail jobs being it is heavier and has more power than the little dremel. In my opinion they are not an interchangeable tool.
thanks ponch, this is helpful.
No problem. Most of the attachments for the dremel that make it seem like it can do anything don't really work well. Like the grout removal attachment and the router attachment, I tried them and the dremel is best used as a dremel and not other tools. You mentioned that you have been snapping alot of bits in the rotozip? I snap a bit now and then but not enough to complain about. I found the biggest reason they snap is when I push to hard and they heat up. What are you trying to cut threw? Are you pushing it hard or just letting the tool do the work? I think there might be a reason that you are breaking enough bits to be unhappy about it.
I have cut alot of plywood with my rotozip and never noticed the bits snapping alot. Are you using the guide bits or the bits with cutting edge all the way to the end of the bit? How deep does the bit go in to the wood? How many bits are you snapping? Just sounds like something is going on to cause this many problems.
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Given Microsoft's propensity to scale many of its products across various platforms, it seems logical the company would want to see the Xbox gaming ecosystem grow along similar lines. The idea being that if Microsoft can make it easier for developers, then they will choose to build such apps using Xbox framework.
Of course, iOS has Apple's Game Center, Android has Google Play Game Services and even Amazon has GameCircle. The challenge to Microsoft is then what it would bring to the table that would want to entice developers to use what would essentially be a third-party service rather than the core development tools available for iOS and Android.
From a user perspective, the experience would at least afford the ability to earn achievements, social integration and possibly cross-platform gaming. That will certainly find an audience. It is up to Microsoft to find ways to get developers on board to build such features using the framework that Microsoft wants to create.
source: The Verge


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Roughly the 600th film written and directed by Woody Allen, this Jazz Age existential comedy sees him reshuffling his usual deck of cards. Colin Firth stars as Stanley Crawford, a misanthropic conjuror who sets out to discredit Sophie Baker (Emma Stone), a self-styled psychic plying her trade among expatriates in the South of France.
All the latter-day Allen trademarks are here: pretty scenery, warm diffused lighting, Dixieland tunes, lengthy master shots, familiar-sounding one-liners, along with repetitive philosophical debates pitting illusion against grim truth. Like many of his scripts, this one is haunted by the ghosts of various classic works of fiction – most obviously My Fair Lady, but also Henry James' Daisy Miller, in which the protagonist puzzles endlessly over the free and easy ways of an American girl abroad.
|Reviewer rating
|Magic in the Moonlight
|Woody Allen
|Woody Allen
|Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Jacki Weaver, Marcia Gay Harden, Ute Lemper
|OFLC rating
|Run Time
A romantic comedy about an Englishman brought in to help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.
Full synopsis
Magic In The Moonlight is not liable to change anyone's mind about Allen, not that he, in turn, could care less about his detractors. The fact that Stanley performs his magician act in yellowface, with a bald cap and a drooping moustache, tells you all you need to know about the film's attitude to political correctness.
Then there's the age gap between the leads, which Allen pretends not to notice, although he makes a point of telling us that Sophie was long ago abandoned by her father, which gives her attraction to Stanley a slightly unsettling basis. More generally, the film is self-evidently a fantasy about a disillusioned older artist brought back to life by an encounter with beauty and youth.
Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Allen remains an utterly personal, idiosyncratic filmmaker. Part of the fascination of his late work is that each film involves a tussle between his romantic and cynical sides, the pendulum swinging one way then the other. In this case, romance triumphs – and for once, a woman retains the upper hand.
Best of all, Allen has finally found a leading lady with a gift for comedy (something that could hardly be said of his previous muse, Scarlett Johansson). Stone has the face of a natural cut-up: those huge green eyes seem boldly sketched, even cartoonish, as does the toothy smile that's always about to break out. When she strikes "spiritual" poses – looking modestly downward, or up and far away – the effect is almost that of a parody of Katharine Hepburn, implying a scepticism that turns the period setting into a joke in itself.