Click on the image above to view a story map detailing who we are and some of our recent work.
Our work, centered on the Clean Water Act, involves many steps:
These steps apply to many different water types, from lakes, to rivers, wetlands, and estuaries – many of which have shores and banks in more than one state. NEIWPCC’s Water Quality Program assists our member states in every aspect of this often complicated process.
Workgroups are our primary tool for fostering collaboration; Water Quality staff meet regularly with representatives from the New England states, New York State, EPA, and other involved organizations. Workgroup members exchange information and ideas on current Clean Water Act-related initiatives and technical projects. We have workgroups devoted to the following issues:
Programs that focus on a specific watershed, region, or state are in integral part of our work. Staff members in the Water Quality Division support the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan, Long Island Sound Study, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, Peconic Estuary Program, and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management – Office of Water Resources. Our staff members in these programs work every day to support programs to evaluate, monitor, protect, and preserve the region’s water quality.
Making sure that decision makers in Washington hear the voice of the Northeast is another task that NEIWPCC takes very seriously. By working closely with partners in our member states, the Water Quality Division staff develops comment letters and position statements that represent the states’ viewpoints on national policy and legislation. Because of our strong history of representing our states’ interests, the NEIWPCC staff is also a resource for those with questions about the states’ environmental policies and positions.
The program also coordinates, designs, and conducts water quality monitoring and management studies. We create technical guides and educational publications that are either specific to one of the 26 interstate basins in our jurisdiction or are focused on a particular subject area. Whatever the project or location, our role is clear-to help our member states work together to solve water quality problems.
Special Projects
For more information, contact Richard Friesner, NEIWPCC’s director of water quality programs at rfriesner@neiwpcc.org.
