The
Green Piece
Stewardship News you can Use!
Thank you for taking the time to read the first newsletter
from GreenGolfUSA!
Its been a long time coming, but we have completed Version
1.0 of the IPM Plan and data entry tables at www.greengolfusa.com.
We thought it would be simple to create a way for golf course
superintendents and turf managers to document their IPM strategies.
It wasn't. In fact, it was hard! If it weren't for the great
people I have helping me with this effort we would have had
a great idea but no way to get there. And, don't forget our
Sponsors and Supporters!
What does Version 1.0 mean? We have been working on the IPM
Plan tool on a beta-testing basis for the last year. That
means we built the programming and developed the output, but
still needed to debug the system so that it works each and
every time someone uses it. There are about 3,000 variables
behind the scenes at GreenGolfUSA.
Manipulating the data accurately, designing the data entry
forms so that the right information gets put in the right
spot, and making sure the output is as customized as we can
get it are the hurdles we had to cross to get to a tool I
felt we could call Version 1.0.
Each time you create an IPM Plan (or soon, BMP documentation)
your document will get labeled with the version number. As
we update the output or add functionality to the data entry,
we will increment the version number. If your plan has an
older version number, all you need to do to keep your IPM
Plan current is to "Save and Next" through the data entry
pages to confirm they still reflect your practices, diseases,
pests, action thresholds, and pesticide usage, then download
a new plan! Voila! You're up-to-date! The same will hold true
for the BMP Generator (we'll be starting beta testing of that
system in the very near future!).
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The USEPA is developing a general NPDES permit for the use
of aquatic herbicides. Until early this year, no permit was
required to apply pesticides to water as long as it was used
in accordance with the pesticide label. A decision by the
6th Circuit Court of Appeals, on January 7, 2009, vacated
the rule that allowed this practice. A draft general permit
is expected to be available for public comment in 2010, with
the final general permit expected to be required starting
in 2011. Some states, such as Washington, already require
NPDES permits for aquatic pesticide applications so be sure
to check with your state's environmental agency or EnviroLogic
Resources, Inc. to find out what is required.
The Oregon
DEQ has beefed up its Underground Injection Control (UIC)
staff. Another name for UIC is drywell. If you have unregistered
drywells, or have drainage pipe that might meet the definition
of a drywell under the UIC rules, consider completing the
registration process and get in compliance. Click this link
for more information. Call EnviroLogic Resources,
if you have questions about this program or if you need to
respond to DEQ.
The State of Florida and the EPA will be setting water quality
criteria for nutrients by January 2010. I believe the state
is taking the lead, working with stakeholders, and EPA will
be reviewing the standards proposed. This action in Florida
is likely only the first. Other states will probably follow
suit as time goes on. We posted an earlier report on our blog
at GreenGolfUSA.com.
The Oregon Pesticide Use Reporting System was suspended until
at least 2016 during the last legislative session. I understand
when it comes back, it will require reporting at a watershed
scale versus the basin-scale reporting required previously.
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Over the last few years the Oregon
DEQ has been developing a list of Priority Persistent
Pollutants for regulation in Oregon waterways. Increasingly
called the "P3 list" by members of the environmental community,
this list covers a variety of bioaccumulative compounds including
certain plasticizers, fire retardants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals,
hormones, and personal care products. Several pesticides used
at golf courses are listed on the P3 list. Substances on the
list are considered toxic and persist in the environment or
accumulate in human, fish, wildlife, or plant tissue with
associated health effects. DEQ will add these substances to
surface water monitoring priorities and may address them within
its water quality programs in the future as part of an agency-wide
surface water toxics reduction strategy.
Using existing data, DEQ must report to the Oregon Legislature
by June 2010 on the wide variety of P3 sources, and identify
source reduction and control methods that can reduce P3 discharges.
P3 sources are not exclusive to point (end-of-pipe) and legacy
sources of persistent pollutants in Oregon. Non-point P3 sources
must also be addressed.
The DEQ began addressing comments on its draft proposal for
the selection of "trigger levels" for P3 chemicals. This program
has already identified PCNB as a "Tier 2" chemical, meaning
that its considered a "legacy" chemical. Legacy chemicals
are those that are banned or have otherwise lost registration
for use. Some commonly used pesticides on the Tier 3 list
include chlorothalanil, bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, pendimethalin,
triadimefon, trifluralin, and myclobutanil.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT? The P3 list, as currently defined,
should not have a direct effect on your operations, unless
your storm water runoff enters a municipal sanitary sewer
system. But, land and turfgrass application of P3 substances
at golf courses in Oregon now may carry an inherent liability.
The "easiest" way to limit the potential for P3 discharges
to surface water is by eliminating the use of the chemical
altogether. There may be alternative, less-toxic, or natural
products or other means that will perform to the desired result.
If the use of a certain pesticide cannot be avoided, implementing
an integrated pest management (IPM) plan can help reduce the
frequency and volume of applied pesticides while maintaining
a specified minimum level of performance. Best Management
Practices, such as on-site storm-water retention/infiltration,
water reuse, and streamside buffering, can also reduce the
impacts to nearby surface waters. The results of water quality
monitoring and sampling can provide useful information for
optimizing turf health while minimizing the impacts to the
environment.
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The recession (or slight depression, if you prefer) has
affected all of us. Luckily, GreenGolfUSA
is a free service. It doesn't cost you anything to document
an IPM program. Rick Brandenburg, PhD, in a recent Golf
Course Management magazine article talks about how IPM
can save you money. I think there are many ways to incorporate
Rick's ideas in a GreenGolfUSA
IPM Plan to demonstrate savings and have a plan that helps
keep costs down.
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Well, that concludes our first GreenGolfUSA
newsletter! I'll work on introducing regulatory updates from
other states in future newsletters.
As always, feel free to contact us or EnviroLogic
Resources, Inc., if you have questions or comments
about GreenGolfUSA,
environmental stewardship programs, or need any other help
we can provide. Request
a copy of our SOQ.
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