Proposal for a Sierra Club Grassroots Network Grant
2016 Funding Request (Annual)
Submitted January 4, 2016
Resurrection and Expansion of the Fountain Creek (CO)
Water Sentinels (FCWS) Program:
Phase 1: Recruitment & Infrastructure Development
Phase 2: Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism
Proposal Originators with Their Relevant Sierra Club Positions:
Ross Vincent, Member, National Water Sentinels Team
Conservation Chair for the Sangre de Cristo Group, RMC
EXCOM Member of the Sangre de Cristo Group
GN FCWS Steering Committee
Kirby Hughes, RMC Conservation Co-Chair
RMC Volunteer Coordinator and RMC Groundwater & Mining Issues Chairs
EXCOM Member of, and Volunteer Coordinator for, the Pikes Peak Group, as well as for the RMC
GN FCWS Steering Committee
Jim Lockhart, Conservation Chair and Pikes Peak Massif Chair for the Pikes Peak Group, RMC
EXCOM Member of the Pikes Peak Group
GN FCWS Steering Committee
Charlotte Tournay, Webmaster for the Sangre de Cristo Group, RMC
EXCOM Member of the Sangre de Cristo Group
GN FCWS Steering Committee
Scott Estep,
Vice Chair for the Sangre de Cristo Group, RMC
GN FCWS Steering Committee
Dr. Kirk Cunningham, RMC Conservation Co-Chair
RMC Water Quality and Habitats Issues Chair
EXCOM Member of the Indian Peaks Group, RMC
Conservation Chair for the Indian Peaks Group
GN FCWS Steering Committee Advisor
Section 1 - GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Team Information
Team Leader Name (person applying for the grant):_Ross Vincent____
Team/Entity: __Fountain Creek Water Sentinels ______
Grassroots Team Page URL, if applicable:____
_
Other URLS (e.g., campaign page on a chapter website, Facebook Page, etc.)
__
__
__
Team Leader Email: _ ______
Team Leader Phone Number: _ (719) 561-3117 _____
2. Will the Team Leader be the primary person responsible for the oversight/implementation of this project?
__X_ Yes ____ No
If you answered “No” please provide the name and contact info for the responsible leader:
Name:______
Email: ______Phone No: ______
Additional Core Team Members (please list):
➤➤ Kirby Hughes, Steering Committee
➤➤ Jim Lockhart, Steering Committee
➤➤ Charlotte Tournay, Steering Committee
➤➤ Scott Estep, Steering Committee
➤➤ (Kelly Farmer, Steering Committee, currently inactive)
3. Type of Funding for which you are applying:
_X_We are applying for 501(c)3 Funds
___We are applying for 501(c)4 Funds
If you are not sure of the difference between c3 and c4 funds and the category your proposal might fall into, please contact . More on c3/c4 funding here on Clubhouse.
4. Compliance Review (proposals must receive approval from Compliance prior to award)
For more information about Compliance and why it’s important, click here.
- This proposal has been submitted to
__X_Yes ___ _No
- Date submitted: ___4 Jan 2016______
- This proposal has been approved by
____Yes ___X_No
- Date Approved______
Section 2 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This proposal seeks to continue funding for our Water Sentinels program which commenced in 2014, with Fountain Creek Water Sentinels being members and friends of the Sierra Club’s Pikes Peak and Sangre de Cristo Groups residing within the Fountain Creek watershed. We’re assisted by advisors from the Club, government and academia, with others sharing our commitment to clean water. We understand much about the creek’s history, so our effort was created to determine the extent of the Fountain Creek watershed pollution, advocate for its reduction as we identify details, and encourage actions to improve the creek’s water quality (ref. Atch A, Draft Only).
We accomplished quite a lot in 2015 as outlined in our 2015 year-end report, and are eagerly looking forward to 2016! With this, however, we experienced difficulties in carrying out some of our proposed activities, partially due to the loss of key Steering Committee members who either relocated or were temporarily unable to fulfill their roles. We also significantly underestimated the difficulty of recruiting volunteers with technical expertise, so we didn’t fully develop our Data Assessment and Collection Team (now re-formed into teams #1 and #6) to expand our water sampling program to the extent we’d antici-pated; importantly ref. Atch B showing our team structure). We’ve recently recruited new team members for Teams #1 and #6, however, and should be more effective in 2016. Our on-going effort will adjust the sampling/testing program to be in line with current capabilities, and will expand our communication and regulatory monitoring activities. In 2016 we’re proposing to expand our testing parameters, while also focusing on e-coli and selenium in the watershed (all segments of Fountain Creek are officially impaired for one or both pollutants), requiring commercial lab analyses. (Note our efforts to gain access to free or low-cost lab facilities for water sample analyses were unsuccessful in 2015.)
In Phase 1, “Recruitment & Infrastructure Development,” initiated in late 2014 and continuing through 2015, we laid our groundwork by recruiting volunteers. We’ll expand the effort in 2016 by continuing Steering Committee telephone conference calls (telecons), and we’ll hold 4 face-to-face meetings to help with coordination. Teams #1 and #6 will hold 12 telecons and/or meetings, partially (more below) to facilitate building those teams’ memberships and participation. Team #2 should hold 4 telecons and/or meetings to train Team #1 members on data collection techniques, and members of Team #6 on data analyses. Team #3 should hold 4 telecons, partially (more below) to determine details for improving internal/external communication. Team #4, now a 1-person “team,” will identify new team members and hold 4 telecons, partially (more below) to engage volunteers, Groups’ members, and other folks. Team #5, also a 1-person “team,” may have to expand its membership, but only as pollution is verified and/or corroborated with other available data, so there’s no quick need to staff up this team.
In Phase 2, “Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism,” managed in the same timeframe as Phase 1, we initiated conservation efforts and intend to expand this effort in 2016 with continued Steering Committee efforts focusing on conservation-related topics. Teams #1 and #6 will hold 12 telecons and/or meetings, partially (more above) to facilitate analyzing their own data with that from other government and non-government sources. Team #3 will hold 4 telecons, also (see above) to promote the public’s information on regulations, and governments’ agency’s operations on pollution in the Fountain Creek watershed, and to facilitate Club activism in response to identified pollutants (coordinated with Team #4). Team #3, working with the Steering Committee, will continue producing a webinar/class to review the Clean Water Act (Webinar Series I), as initiated in late 2015. Team #3 will also investigate producing a webinar/class to review how government regulations are applied, with information on state & local governments’ organization and internal interactions (Webinar Series II). Team #4 will facilitate Club activism with Team #3 as needed. Team #5 will facilitate Club activism to determine options for dealing with regulators when excess pollution has been verified by Team #1, and/or corroborated in different data sets by Team #6.
Finally, we’re currently using our team’s experience to begin discussing similar programs with other Groups, including the Chapter’s Headwaters and Roaring Fork Groups. We’re now in discussions with both Groups to help them develop Water Sentinel efforts in 2016 or later, as their EXCOM staffing remains small and they’re seeking conservation efforts to attract new members.
Section 3 - PROPOSAL INFORMATION
1. Goals:
(a) Conservation:
- Collect additional data and improve methods for sharing those data with the public, including use of the “ArcGIS” Graphical Information System (GIS) which Colorado College allows us to use (ref: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/senseofplace/water/watershed.html ).
- Monitor enforcement of state and federal water quality laws and regulations in the Fountain Creek watershed and identify opportunities for action to achieve cleaner water;
- Conduct periodic physical streamside cleanups to continue coordination with the Fountain Creek Watershed, Flood Control and Greenway District and other groups’ creek cleanups;
- Work towards increasing recreational opportunities in and along the Fountain Creek watershed, initiating coordinations with local governments and citizens groups;
- Create a broader constituency for protection of the Fountain Creek watershed using our Media and Communication Team’s outreach efforts.
(b) Organizational:
- Establish the Sierra Club’s reputation as a primary defender of water in Fountain Creek;
- Increase visibility for the Club, grow our membership, and identify, recruit, and train new volunteers, leaders, and team managers (within this c(3) effort);
- Increase cooperation between the Pikes Peak and Sangre de Cristo Groups;
- Increase cooperation with other entities involved in the many aspects of managing the creek;
- Increase public pressure on federal, state and local officials to support and protect clean water in Fountain Creek;
- Continue efforts towards establishing new Water Sentinels projects in other parts of Colorado.
2. Target:
(a) Phase 1: Recruitment & Infrastructure Development (Initiated Q4, 2014, Continued in 2015 and Proposed for 2016), working with:
- Sierra Club members and supporters;
- Other concerned citizens;
- Like-minded organizations;
- News media;
- Universities, colleges and other learning institutions.
(b) Phase 2: Data Gathering, Analyses, and Reporting with Club Activism to Improve Water Quality (Initiated in 2015 and Proposed for 2016), working with:
- Collection of additional data, analysis of more information, including more effective reporting of the findings;
- Local officials and regulators;
- Fountain Creek Watershed, Flood Control & Greenway District (Ross is on the District’s Citizens’ Advisory Group so this target is easily reachable);
- State and federal water quality officials;
- Specific polluters we can identify.
3. Message:
A better future for Fountain Creek, and for the people and communities it affects, begins with clean water. Clean water really matters: Protect Our Fountain Creek!
4. Strategy, Tactics and Timeline:
(a) Phase 1, Recruitment & Infrastructure Development, for 2016 (Continued from 2014-5):
Team structure is based on our proposed operations, and note that we’ll need to continue staffing our team in 2016. We propose to continue and expand Recruitment & Infrastructure Development in 2016, using our:
- Steering Committee, (Ross Vincent, Counselor) coordinating our 6 subcommittees and promoting recruitment and infrastructure development, working on:
+coordinating with External Entities,
+creating grant requests and presentations,
+seeking advice and assistance from members of National’s Water Sentinels Team;
+better using the Grassroots Network’s web-based tool and other tools like e-mail, Facebook, the telephone, and GOOGLE DOCS for our:
-membership/associate contacts and background information,
-on-going schedules, and
-storage of technical literature, water quality data, and regulation information, and
+printing additional t-shirts similar to those distributed by the former national Water Sentinels Program, and distributing them to build identity and cohesion among new volunteers to increase the program’s visibility within the affected communities;
- Team #1 (Tom Mourar, Interim Lead), accepting new members into this team;
- Team #2 (Scott Estep, Lead):
+accepting new members into this team,
+training related to water chemistry, watershed management, and water sampling equipment & testing procedures, and
+refining, updating and improving our training materials and brochures;
- Team #3, (Charlotte Tournay, Lead):
+accepting new members into this team,
+performing communication/outreach via our newsletter, Facebook and Grassroots Network pages, for internal training and public events,
+promoting educational programs on water law and regulations, and problems facing Fountain Creek, and
+distributing our flyer/brochure (ref. Atch A, Draft Only) on the program at public events;
- Team #4, (Kirby Hughes, Lead):
+accepting new members into this team,
+promoting volunteer recruitment, orientation, and placement, for both the FCWS and our two Sierra Club Groups,
+contacting local universities for additional student and faculty involvements,
+engaging volunteers by involving them in the design, implementation and evolution of Phase 2 of the program, and
+inspiring volunteers to join and participate in the SdCG and PPG Groups;
- Team #5, (Jim Lockhart, Lead), coordinating with Regulatory Agencies; and
- Team #6, (Tom Mourar, Interim Lead), accepting new members into this team;
Table 1 below identifies planned activities for recruitment & infrastructure development relative to these above enumerations:
Table 1
Activity/Tactic for Recruit-ment & Infrastructure Development / Related Milestone / Planned Date, Month, or Quarter / Responsible PersonSteering Cmte Telecons / Recruitment & Infrastructure Development: Management and Direction / 22 telecons in 2016: Jan – Dec (the same telecons as in 4(b), but with different discussion topics) / Steering Committee including the identified 5 People
Face-to-Face Steering Committee Meetings / Recruitment & Infrastructure Development: Management and Direction / 4 meetings in 2016: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 (the same telecons as in 4(b), but with different discussion topics) / Steering Committee members
Steering Cmte Coordinated Support / Initiate coordinations to in-crease recreational oppor-tunities along the creek / During the year in our 26 telecons & meetings / Steering Committee members
Teams #1 and #6 (Data Collection and Data Analysis):
Coordination Telecons /
- Team Building for Data Collection,
- Team Building for Data Analysis
Team #2 (Training):
Team Training / Train our Water Collection Team Members in Using Various Types of Equip-ment/Collection Procedures / 4 training sessions in 2016: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 / Scott Estep
Team #3 (Media and Communications):
Coordination Telecons /
- Determine Details for Internal and External Team Communication Tools, and Their Integrated Usage, to Maximize Effectiveness
- Possible public tours of Colo. Sgs./Pueblo water facilities (not arranged)
Team #4 (Volunteer Recruitment & Orientation):
Coordination Telecons /
- Identify new Team #4 members
- Engagement of Volun-teers, Groups’ Members and Folks External to the Club for use in the FCWS effort, generally
Table 1 (Concluded)
Activity/Tactic for Recruit-ment & Infrastructure Development / Related Milestone / Planned Date, Month, or Quarter / Responsible PersonTeam #5 (Legal & Regulatory Coordination):
Coordination Telecons /
- Expand the Team: Iden-tify new team members (now a 1-person “team”), but only when Specific Excess Pollution has been Verified by Team #1, and/or Corroborated within Different Data Sets by Team #6
(b) Phase 2, Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism, for 2016 (Continued from 2014-5):
We propose to continue and expand Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism in 2016, via the:
- Steering Committee expanding our library of technical literature, existing water quality data, and regulatory requirements, and making it available to the team;
- Team #1 (Tom Mourar, Interim Lead):
+reviewing Agency-supplied Water Quality and Stormwater Data,
+assessing sampling data and groundwater information as it’s available, that we’ve collected for our GIS System, formatted for public display in the Colorado College GIS system, and
+identifying/acquiring additional materials and equipment needed for water quality testing;
- Team #3 (Charlotte Tournay, Lead), directing communication and outreach via the Grassroots Network webpage, Facebook and our newsletter;
- Team #4, (Kirby Hughes, Lead), supporting Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism, emphasizing volunteer activism when needed;
- Team #5 (Jim Lockhart, Lead), directing coordination with the applicable regulatory agencies; and
- Team #6 (Tom Mourar, Interim Lead):
+directing data evaluations of both our own information, as well as agency-produced water quality and stormwater data,
+gaining access (perhaps) to local universities’ laboratories analytical capabilities,
+using Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment information to help us assess various water quality issues including the presence of coliform bacteria in our samples, and
+identifying additional potential laboratory resources that might be available to analyze samples collected by Water Sentinels volunteers.
Table 2 below summarizes planned activities for data gathering, reporting and assessment, with Club activism relative to these items:
Table 2
Activity/Tactic for Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism / Related Milestone / Planned Date, Month, or Quarter / Responsible PersonSteering Cmte Telecons / Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism: Management and Direction / 22 telecons in 2016: Jan – Dec (the same telecons as in 4(a), with other discussion topics) / Steering Committee including the identified 5 People
Table 2 (Continued)
Activity/Tactic for Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism / Related Milestone / Planned Date, Month, or Quarter / Responsible PersonFace-to-Face Steering Committee Meetings / Data Gathering, Reporting and Assessment, with Club Activism: Management and Direction / 4 meetings in 2016: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 (the same tele-cons as in 4(a), with other discussion topics) / Steering Committee including the identified 5 People
Teams #1 and #6 (Data Collection and Data Analysis):
Coordination Telecons /
- Data Collection with 9 people, & Data Entry with a GIS data entry person/ data evaluator
- Team Analysis of Data Collected,
- Team Analyses of Various Data Sets
- Data collection at important col-lection points, monthly
- 12 Team telecons and/or meetings in 2016: Jan – Dec (the same telecons as in 4(a), with other discussion topics)
Team #3 (Media and Communications):
Coordination Telecons /
- Encourage the Public’s Knowledge of Regulations and our Governments’ Agencies with Respect to Water Pollution, to Protect the Fountain Creek Water-shed (ref. the Webinar Series I and II below)
- Investigate reg’l storm-water educators effort
- Facilitate Club Activism in Response to Pollution, Identification, Coordi-nated with the Volunteer Recruitment & Orien-tation Team. Activism could entail: 1) working with COS Utilities to reduce e-coli getting into the creek, and 2) partici-pating in 303d hearings for listing methodologies
- Become active in working with the CO Health Dept’s Water Quality Control Commission
Webinar Series I (with Optional Physical Classroom Guidance and Discussion):
Details of the Water Quality Act /
- Outreach for Public Education and Activism, as well as for Educating our Team & Club Groups
Table 2 (Concluded)