United States
Environmental Protection Agency
The US Environmental Protection Agency Watershed Coordinator's duties focus on the protection of the ecological health of the waters of the Kenai Peninsula.
His responsibilities include:
Community Assistance: The Watershed Coordinator offers technical assistance to local communities and groups interested in developing watershed protection strategies. He can help facilitate community meetings for the purpose of creating community based efforts at aquatic resource protection.
Grant Management: Congress mandates the EPA to make grants available to Tribes, States and local communities each year. The Watershed Coordinator manages grants that are designed to protect wetlands and other waters. He occasionally manages other grants as well. The Watershed Coordinator can offer guidance to grant applicants to ensure that proposals are consistent with EPA priorities. However, the Watershed Coordinator cannot help write a grant proposal or endorse specific proposals.
Law Enforcement: The Watershed Coordinator is the local Environmental Protection Agency Inspector for the Clean Water Act. If you suspect that someone has discharged fill material, dirt, gravel or waste water into wetlands, streams, lakes, bays, inlets or the ocean without having a permit from EPA or the Army Corps of Engineers, please call the Kenai River Center. If you suspect other illegal activities that could affect the environment, he will help you contact the appropriate authority.
Project Review: The Watershed Coordinator can help landowners or other development project proponents tailor their projects to lessen environmental impact. If permits are needed for the project from the Army Corps of Engineers because of discharge of fill to wetlands or other waters, the Watershed Coordinator may formally review the project for the Corps of Engineers.