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Grants 15. Quantifying Nitrogen Fate from Hybrid Poplar Production on Biosolids Incorporated into Deep Rows. G.K. Felton, J.S. Kays, E. Flamino. Sponsor: USDA [McIntire - Stennis Funds] Funding: $60,000 Duration: January 2003 - December 2007 Role: P.I. Description: A five-year project incorporating research and Extension education will be implemented to investigate the effect of tree density and application rate on water quality resulting from deep row biosolid applications. The project is designed to determine the effect of soil and biosolid application rates on water quality around deep rows on a gravel mine spoil and to determine the contribution to nutrient removal made by trees. Pan lysimeters, suction lysimeters, wells, and soil sampling will be utilized to quantify fate of nitrogen in this system. 14. Mid-Atlantic Regional Water Quality Coordination Project. T.W. Simpson, G.K. Felton. Sponsor: USDA - CSREES Funding: $1,294,500 Duration: Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2004 Role: Co-P.I. Description: This Extension project integrates water quality activities among nine institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region. Project activities will be tracked by watershed and presented spatially using GIS technology. Topic teams will develop integrated regional educational programs on six specific topics. 13. Determination of Optimum Tree Density and Biosolid Application Rate and the Effect on Water Quality and Tree Growth Using the Deep Row Biosolids Incorporation Method. Kays, J.S., G.K. Felton, D. Johnson, E. Flamino. Sponsor: Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission Funding: $265,262 Duration: January 2002 - December 2004 Role: Co-Investigator Description: This project will apply biosolids at 3 rates (6,000, 12,000, and 18,000 lbs nitrogen/acre) to grow hybrid poplar trees for a six year cycle at 10' x 10' and 10' x 17' spacing. Water quality measurements will be collected to define nutrient fate and transport. Optimum spacing and economics will be evaluated. Extension education aimed at regulators and legislative aids will be given. 12. Nutrient Fate and Transport Associated with Poultry Litter Stock Piles G.K. Felton, L.E. Carr; U. MD. E.Collins and B. Ross; VPI&SU. Sponsor: US EPA - Chesapeake Bay Program Funding: $94,722 Duration: October 2000 - September 2002 Role: Principal Investigator Description: The effects of poultry litter stockpiles on nutrient availability and movement will be evaluated for the major poultry producing regions in Virginia and Maryland. The effect of covering stockpiles with tarps will be compared to properly built uncovered piles. In each of the two states, two areas of the poultry-producing region will be used. 11. Immobilization of Soluble Phosphorus in Animal Waste with SWAN-Gypsum and Iron Oxide Filter Cake Co-Products. Felton, G.K., K.J. Hughes, and L.J. Ottmar Sponsor: Maryland Industrial Partnerships and Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Inc. Funding: $309,676 Duration: February 2000 - January 2002 Role: Principal Investigator Description: Two locally produced materials that contain both calcium and iron, SWAN-gypsum (SWAN) and Iron Oxide Filter Cake (FC), will be tested for suitability as amendments to manures. These amendments form insoluble metal-phosphorus complexes, thereby decreasing phosphorus concentrations in soil pore water and surface runoff. Methods of investigation include laboratory incubation experiments and the construction of phosphorus sorption isotherms, as well as greenhouse and field plot experiments. 10. Phosphorus Removal from Animal Waste with SWAN-Gypsum. G.K. Felton, K.J. Hughes Sponsor: Millenium Inorganic Chemicals Inc. Funding: $175,000 Duration: 1999 - 2000 Role: Principal Investigator We propose to: (1) develop a single tank phosphorus treatment system, suitable for agricultural use, that utilizes chemical precipitation with SWAN-gypsum (a locally produced industrial byproduct with an extremely high P sorbing capacity in a neutral pH environment ) as a means of removing soluble phosphorus from animal wastewater; (2) determine the suitability of the solids generated in the precipitation tank and poultry litter amended with SWAN-gypsum as a soil amendment in terms of both soluble P in leachate and basic soil fertility; and (3) demonstrate, on-farm, the viability of the design under day-to-day operational conditions. The process generates a liquid effluent and solid waste that is sustainable and economically feasible in terms of both time and money and is easily incorporated into existing farm wastewater treatment and handling systems. The resulting products maintain the nitrogen fertilizer value of both liquid and solid animal waste and is an agronomically valuable soil amendment that can be applied to local agricultural land based on crop nitrogen requirements. 9. Baltimore Sun Partnership to Raise Environmental Awareness of One Million Citizens. Felton, G.K. Sponsor: USDA/CSREES Water Quality Program Funding: $40,000 Duration: June 1999 - May 2000 Role: Principal Investigator Description: This grant is partial support of the Tributary Teams outreach project to develop a guide with specific steps that the citizen can take to improve water quality. This 32 page guide will be delivered to every subscriber of the Baltimore Sun (approximately 1.1 million households.) 8. Urban Nutrient Management in Maryland. Felton, G.K., and T. Miller. Sponsor: USDA/CSREES Water Quality Program Funding: $60,000 Duration: June 1999 - May 2001 Role: Principal Investigator Description: Increase delivery of educational programs concerning water and the urban sector. Increase public understanding and involvement in decision making policies concerning water resources issues. 7. Environmental Benefits and Costs of a Voluntary Riparian Forest Buffer Program in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Hardie, I., A.H. Baldwin, G.K. Felton, L.L. Lynch, E. Russek-Cohen, R.L. Tjaden. Sponsor: USDA/CSREES Fund for Rural America Funding: $205,000 Duration: 1999 - 2000 Role: Co-Investigator Description: Develop analysis of the type of education and financial incentives necessary to implement the voluntary Chesapeake Bay Program goal of 2010 miles of riparian forest buffer (RFB) by the year 2010. The objectives are 1) establish data base that matches physiographic information about buffer sites with agronomic, land use, and socio-economic characteristics of the land and the owners; 2) determine the types of information that owners find most useful in making RFB decisions; 3) determine the level of financial incentives that owners require to adopt RFB on a voluntary basis; and 4) determine the type and level of environmental benefits that might reasonably be expected from the voluntary incentive based RFB program. 6. Residential Environmental Management, Felton, G.K. Sponsor: Chesapeake Bay Improvement Grant (CBIG) Funding: $47,500/year Duration: July 1998 - December 2000 Role: Principal Investigator Description: This grant, originated in 1995, supports Wanda MacLachlan's salary (but not benefits) and provides some operating funds. This project proposes actions to increase awareness, knowledge and adoption of best management practices that reduce the input of fertilizers and pesticides in the urban areas of Maryland. This outcome is obtained through publications, training programs, group presentations and demonstration projects. The project focuses on residents and groups in the NPDES counties and Baltimore City but, through the MCE County Network system, would be a Statewide effort in environmental improvement. I am the PI and do the grant management and service. I have written and received the continuation grants. 5. Home Environment Assessment Guide for Public Television. Felton, G.K., and M. Greene. Sponsor: USDA/CSREES Water Quality Program Funding: $151,306 Duration: October 1997 - May 2001 Role: Principal Investigator Description: Develop three 28 minute television programs for PBS television, in order to a) break the material into three smaller sections [Stormwater management, Wells, Septics, and Drinking Water; Household environmental management; and Urban Nutrient Management], b) teach the material by audio and visual elaboration, as a complement to the Home*A*Syst manual, and c) address thousands of households at one time. The programs developed would be suitable for any area, hence nationally applicable (i.e., avoid Bay-specific programming). 4. Regional pilot residential environmental stewardship demonstration and educational project. Felton, G.K. (PI), and T.H. Miller (Co-PI) Sponsor: Md. DNR using USEPA 319 pass through funds. Funding: $34,950 Duration: July 1997 - November 1998 Role: Principal Investigator Description: The goal is to educate the individual citizen concerning the consequences of their actions and the relationship of their own residence to ecosystem management of the tributary and the Chesapeake Bay. HomeWork, a comprehensive program focusing on natural resources and environmental interactions, contains a series of presentations on residential topics such as nutrient management, lawn and garden care, well and septic system management, and household wastes. This project will implement HomeWork which involves establishing demonstration homes and lawns, obtaining a cooperation from a local business, guiding tours of the demonstration sites, and presenting workshops on the HomeWork topics. 3. Use of the WWW for the Distribution of Extension Publications. P.D. Schreudders, Felton, G.K. Sponsor: Maryland Cooperative Extension Service Funding: $6,000 Duration: August 1997 - July 1998 Role: Co-Principal Investigator Description: This project is developing a Web page that has all the Extension publications that the Department has developed available as both HTML and a .pfd file . The page will be organized so that someone can get to the article in no more that four clicks and each page will provide some information. 2. Maryland Monocacy River Watershed Water Quality Demonstration Project. R. Weismiller. Sponsor: USDA/CSREES Water Quality Program Funding: $161,743 annually Duration: October 1990 - September 1998 Role: Co-Investigator Description: One of 16 original USDA National Water Quality demonstration sites, the purpose of the Monocacy project is to promote widespread voluntary adoption of BMPs to reduce nonpoint source pollution and protect water quality. This project focuses on "demonstration farm" educational programs and utilizes enhanced interagency educational, technical, and financial assistance. 1. Environmental Benefits and Costs of a Voluntary Riparian Forest Buffer Program in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Hardie, I., A.H. Baldwin, G.K. Felton, L.L. Lynch, E. Russek-Cohen, R.L. Tjaden. Sponsor: USDA/CSREES Fund for Rural America Funding: $205,000 Duration: 1998 - 1999 Role: Co-Investigator Description: Develop analysis of the type of education and financial incentives necessary to implement the voluntary Chesapeake Bay Program goal of 2010 miles of riparian forest buffer (RFB) by the year 2010. The objectives are 1) establish data base that matches physiographic information about buffer sites with agronomic, land use, and socio-economic characteristics of the land and the owners; 2) determine the types of information that owners find most useful in making RFB decisions; 3) determine the level of financial incentives that owners require to adopt RFB on a voluntary basis; and 4) determine the type and level of environmental benefits that might reasonably be expected from the voluntary incentive based RFB program. |