Friday, March 6, 1998
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
RSH-902 Hart Senate Office Building
Registration and Continental Breakfast: 8:30 - 9:00

EESI, the House Sustainable Development Caucus, the Federal Water Quality Association and the National Capital Chapter of the American Water Resources Association invite you to a symposium on the importance of water resources to sustainable community development.

It is widely accepted that the key to combating urban sprawl and promoting more sustainable community development is wise land use planning and management. Because metropolitan regions normally encompass numerous local government jurisdictions, a high degree of cooperation is essential to sustainable development. It is increasingly recognized that involvement of business, civic and other nongovernmental organizations and individuals in the planning and decisionmaking processes is an important ingredient of success. Finally, there is growing undestanding that central cities, inner and outer suburbs and adjacent rural areas share interests in economic development which will preserve and improve their natural, human and cultural resources, environment and quality of life while allowing them to compete effectively in the globalized economy.

These statements are equally applicable to watersheds - the key to their protection is wise land use planning and management; most involve multiple political jurisdictions, requiring a high degree of cooperation between affected jurisdictions, widespread public involvement and recognition of the shared interests of central cities, inner and outer suburbs and adjacent rural areas. Yet, surprisingly little attention has been focused on these similarities and the importance of watershed protection to sustainable community development. The purpose of the symposium is to fill that void.

Two of the featured speakers at the symposium will be Robert Perciasepe, Assistant Administrator for Water of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Craig Cox, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They will discuss the Clinton Administration's recently announced Clean Water Initiative as it relates to sustainable community development. Other speakers and the subjects they will address are:

• Bernard Ewart, County Executive, Prince William County, Va., "Managing Suburban Growth";

• Norman Le Blanc, Chief of Technical Services, Hampton Roads, Va. Sanitary District, "Meeting Water Quality Goals for the Chesapeake Bay";

• Tom Schueler, Executive Director, Center for Watershed Protection, "Designing New Development to Minimize Runoff and Non-point Source Pollution";

• Kathleen Blaha, Vice President and Director for Green Cities Initiative, Trust for Public Land, "Preserving Watersheds for Drinking Water and Flood Control";

• John Kelmelis, Chief Scientist for Geographic Research, U.S. Geological Survey, "Sediment and Water Quality Impacts of the 1993 Midwest Flood - Lessons for Design of Sustainable Communities"; and

• Michael L. Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, "Initiatives to Restore Watersheds for Flood Control and Water Quality."

The symposium is free of charge, and no reservations are required. For further information call EESI at (202) 662-1886.