The first official progress report issued by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program shows that local government and regulatory partners are on or ahead of schedule in achieving most of the priority goals for bay improvement .

Estimated Acres of Marshes and Mangroves Restored: 1995-1999

Under the terms of the landmark Interlocal Agreement signed last year, local government and regulatory partners of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program were required to submit detailed plans describing how they will fulfill their responsibilties for bay restoration and protection. This initial progress report, covering the 1995-1999 time frame, was finalized this spring -- and shows mostly good news for Tampa Bay.

For example, recovery of seagrass meadows in the bay is proceeding at about 500 acres per year baywide. If that pace is maintained, the overall seagrass restoration target of 12,350 acres will be reached in 25 years.

And rehabilitation of low-salinity marshes that are critical fish nurseries also is exceeding expectations, with more than 250 acres restored throughout the bay -- well above the 5-year target of 100 acres.

"Although the bay suffered a minor setback last year from El Nino, the collective actions being taken by local governments, agencies, industries, and concerned citizens are keeping the Tampa Bay ecosystem solidly on the road to recovery," said Dick Eckenrod, Executive Director of the Estuary Program.

An evaluation of the combined action plans submitted by TBEP partners shows that some progress has been made in implementing all 41 of the specific actions recommended in Charting The Course, the bay management plan. Substantial progress has been documented for many of those actions.

In keeping with the flexible management approach advanced by the Estuary Program, partners were not limited to specific types of projects. Instead, they were encouraged to undertake a broad spectrum of bay management activities within their organization and report all projects and programs that help advance bay improvement goals.

TBEP's Management and Policy board members concluded that success in restoring the bay should be measured by their collective progress in achieving the priority goals of the program, not by the individual contributions made by their respective governments and agencies. Board members were particularly interested in assessing the net ecological benefit of their collective actions on the living resources of the bay, such as seagrass communities and fish and wildlife populations.

Where We're Exceeding Expectations

Restoring and Protecting Bay Habitats:

The 250 acres of low-salinity habitat that will be restored by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and other partners by the year 2000 will collectively exceed the management plan goal by 150 percent.

The 1,340 acres of mangrove and saltmarsh habitat that will be restored during the 1995-1999time frame add significantly to the 18,800 acres of those habitats found in 1994.

To ensure the protection of existing coastal habitats, all 28 priority sites identified in TBEP's habitat master plan have been given the highest priority for acquisition under land-buying programs administered by the Water Management District.

Nitrogen Management Goals and Expected Reductions: 1995-1999

"Holding the Line" on Nitrogen Loadings:

The Tampa Bay Estuary Program's Nitrogen Management Consortium is a precedent-setting alliance of local governments, regulatory agencies and key industries affecting Tampa Bay. Consortium members have developed a comprehensive plan detailing how they will"hold the line" on nitrogen loadings to the bay, even with continued growth.

When fully implemented, the 105 projects planned or underway by Consortium members will reduce the amount of nitrogen entering the bay by an average of 134 tons per year -- exceeding the target by 60 percent.

Increasing the Number and Diversity of Bay Fish and Wildlife:

Very good progress has been made toward the goal of protecting the endangered manatee population in Tampa Bay. A Manatee Protection Task Force formed in 1997 and its successor organization, the Manatee Awareness Coalition (MAC), have actively promoted the use of trained volunteers to help educate and encourage boaters to go slow in waters frequented by manatees. This "Manatee Watch" educational component, coordinated by Tampa BayWatch, is accompanied by a comprehensive monitoring program developed by the Florida Marine Research Institute to assess the effectiveness of voluntary versus regulatory approaches to manatee protection. Both efforts are being closely coordinated through the Manatee Awareness Coalition which benefits from the participation of Florida's Save the Manatee Club.

TBEP continues to support efforts to restore the bay scallop to Tampa Bay. Stocking programs supported by various TBEP partners are ongoing, and citizen-volunteers help to measure the effectiveness of those efforts each year through the Great Bay Scallop Search.

Reducing Oil and Chemical Spills:

In Fall 1998 the Tampa Port Authority announced significant progress toward the implementation of a state-of-the-art Vessel Traffic System that will reduce the potential for ship collisions and groundings in Tampa Bay. Beginning in 1999, as many as 26 harbor pilots will be equipped with lap-top computers linked to a digital GPS system to provide real-time information on shipping traffic in Tampa Bay.

Where We're Meeting Expectations

Understanding The Link Between Air Pollution and Water Quality:

The Tampa Bay Estuary Program continues to take a leadership role among estuary programs nationwide in assessing the role air pollution, or atmospheric deposition, plays in the bay's water quality. With funding assistance from EPA's Great Waters Program, and significant in-kind services from air management divisions in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, eight research and monitoring projects addressing atmospheric deposition are underway in the Tampa Bay watershed.

Making The Bay Safe For Swimming and Shellfish Harvesting:

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), Pinellas County Health Department, University of South Florida, TBEP and other stakeholders in the region are jointly sponsoring a research project to address public health concerns associated with swimming and shellfish harvesting in Tampa Bay. By identifying appropriate indicators of microbial contamination, the prevalence of those indicators at bay and gulf beaches, and probable sources of these contaminants, the "Healthy Beaches Tampa Bay" project will lay the ground work for the goal of reducing contamination to levels safe for swimming and shellfish harvesting.

Establishing and Maintaining Adequate Freshwater Flows to the Bay:

TBEP has provided technical assistance for the adoption of minimum flows for rivers that empty into the bay. In February 1999, the SWFWMD Governing Board approved a draft minimum flow rule for the Hillsborough River. TBEP facilitated scientific evaluation of salinity regime and dissolved oxygen criteria for consideration by district staff in developing the proposed rule. The draft minimum flow rule, calling for further evaluation of flows necessary to support plant and animal communities below the dam and a stepped-up evaluation of alternative sources to meet the minimum flow, will hopefully provide a basis for resolving the conflict over competing uses of the river.

Where There's Room For Improvement

Developing a Long-Term Dredged Material Management Plan:

Due to substantial differences in contracting policies, a lengthy delay was experienced in finalizing an agreement between the Estuary Program and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prepare a long-term dredged material management plan for the bay. Those differences have recently been resolved and a special Dredged Material Advisory Committee is currently being organized by the Tampa Port Authority and will meet for the first time this summer. The long-range dredging plan is slated for completion by March 2000.

Reducing Toxic Contaminants In Bay Sediments:

The Estuary Program was scheduled to develop targets by March 1999 for cleaning up contaminated bay sediments. While the Program has collected a considerable amount of scientific data on levels of contaminants in bay sediments and the abundance of bottom-dwelling animals, a good deal more work lies ahead in interpreting the data. Consensus on goals for sediment quality is not expected to be reached any earlier than June 2000.

Improving On-Water Enforcement of Marine Laws:

From purchasing endangered wetlands and uplands to promoting environmentally friendly landscaping of public properties to installing sewage pump-out facilities at municipal marinas, TBEP's partner governments and agencies are bringing their commitment to improving Tampa Bay to life. Here's a small sample of what they're doing.

Acres of Seagrasses: 1988-1994 Goal (38,000 acres)

Hillsborough County

Preparing watershed plans for each of the county's 17 drainage basins. The plans include an environmental assessment to identify low-salinity streams where habitat restoration can be integrated with stormwater treatment improvements.

Sponsors a variety of programs to educate residents about stormwater pollution, including Adopt-A-Pond, Officer Snook, Operation Bayworks and Storm Drain Marking.

Retrofitting the county's garbage-to energy facility to meet new emission standards. The improvements are expected to lower nitrogen oxide emissions from the facility by 341 tons per year.

Adopted an ordinance in 1998 requiring the use of environmentally beneficial Integrated Pest Management techniques at all county facilities including schools, parks and office complexes.

Manatee County

Implementing Florida-friendly landscaping and maintenance concepts on 7,500 residential sites encompassing 1,875 acres by the end of 1999 -- including the entire Manatee Community College campus.

Recently added protection, restoration and enhancement of significant habitats, especially seagrasses, to its Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

Providing fact sheets to all owners and managers of buildings greater than 10,000 square feet explaining the need to safely handle and dispose of lamps and other devices containing mercury.

Developing an extensive water reuse network that will reduce groundwater withdrawals and nitrogen in Tampa Bay by piping treated wastewater to agricultural interests.

Pinellas County

Preparing comprehensive watershed management plans for key drainage basins such as Allen's Creek, Lake Tarpon, and Lake Seminole.

Constructing 15 major stormwater treatment projects throughout the county to install treatment ponds, improve drainage and restore wetlands that assist in filtering pollutants.

Developed and distributed an informational booklet for homeowner with septic tanks explaining proper maintenance and operation of these systems.

Planning to use revenues from the "Penny for Pinellas" sales tax to acquire or restore more than 2,220 acres of endangered lands within the county by the year 2010.

City of Clearwater

Developing a citywide reclaimed water plan that will ultimately redirect 16 million gallons a day of treated wastewater currently discharged into Tampa Bay.

Implementing an innovative Brownfields redevelopment project to revitalize 1,842 acres within the city's downtown core.

Expanding central sewer service to a large subdivison in the Allen's Creek watershed previously on septic tanks.

Investing in a capital improvement project to reduce infiltration of stormwater into the city's wastewater collection systems to prevent sewer overflows.

City of St. Petersburg

Implementing an extensive restoration and stormwater retrofit project at Lake Maggiore that will reduce nitrogen loading and toxic contamination in the bay.

Restoring more than 20 acres of low-salinity tidal creeks leading to Tampa Bay.

Spending $30 million to upgrade and improve its wastewater collection system to reduce sewer discharges to Tampa Bay. The plan includes an aggressive maintenance program to prevent back-ups as well as replacement and relining of segments of the system throughout the city.

Replaced inefficent/ high-energy air conditioning units at the Bayfront Center and the St. Petersburg Police Department with energy-conserving systems. The city also has replaced incandescent lighting systems with energy-saving flourescent systems in 26 city buildings.

City of Tampa

Installing or enhancing existing stormwater treatment ponds at several key locations, including Al Lopez Park, Lowry Park and Palma Ceia, to collect and treat runoff from more than 500 acres.

Exploring the potential of using some wastewater effluent currently discharged to Tampa Bay to irrigate homes and businesses in South Tampa instead.

Enacted a landscape code that limits water-guzzling plants to less than 30 percent of the landscaped area. The city also is installing low-maintenance landscapes on at least 50 percent of all new and revamped public landscapes.

Implementing energy-conservation programs at the Tampa Municipal Office Building and the Tampa Convention Center. Energy savings of 45 percent have been achieved at the Convention Center through the use of energy-saving lights.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Adopted the goals set forth in TBEP's nitrogen management strategy as the basis for establishing pollution limits for Tampa Bay.

Pioneering the Whole Farm Planning pilot project, in which regulatory agencies agree to issue a single, consolidated permit for a farm that meets overall pollution prevention criteria. SanWa Growers of southern Hillsborough County is the participating agricultural operator.

Played a major role in establishing the Hillsborough River Greenways Task Force, a community-based effort to promote wise stewardship of the Upper Hillsborough River watershed, utilizing principles of ecosystem management.

Created the Clean Marina Program to assist marinas in implementing operating and maintenance programs that protect the environment.

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Providing cooperative funding of up to 50% of the project cost for the construction of 11 major water reuse projects that will reduce or eliminate direct and indirect wastewater discharges to the bay.

Using the habitat restoration targets adopted by the Estuary Program to prioritize purchase of endangered lands through the Preservation 2000 and Save Our Rivers programs.

Incorporating TBEP's water clarity and nitrogen loading goals into management plans the District is currently preparing for river and stream basins throughout the Tampa Bay system.

In cooperation with local governments, has completed or initiated construction of 28 stormwater retrofit and 40 habitat restoration projects in the Tampa Bay watershed.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Financing extensive research into the causes and effects of air pollution on water quality in Tampa Bay.

Conducted an educational seminar for local wastewater treatment operators to encourage them to perform preventive self-audits of their collection and treatment systems to prevent sewer overflows.

Organized a national workgroup to assess environmental impacts associated with power plants, and proposed that a case study be conducted in Tampa Bay.

Volunteers are needed to participate in a community-wide effort to educate area boaters about the importance of protecting manatees and the seagrass meadows they depend upon.

The Manatee Watch program, coordinated by Tampa BayWatch in cooperation with the Estuary Program's Manatee Awareness Coalition (MAC), will give area boaters the information and tools they need to safely navigate in shallow grass flats where manatees feed and rest. A key element of the program will be the distribution of "MAC-pacs" containing polarized sunglasses, push poles, maps and other materials that are essential to safe boating in shallow waters.

Volunteers are needed to provide information to boaters on the water, at area boat ramps and in bayfront neighborhoods. Training will be provided by Tampa BayWatch with support from MAC members, including Save The Manatee Club, Tampa Electric Co., Florida Power Corp., Lowry Park Zoo and others.

CORPORATE SPONSORS NEEDED!!

Corporate donations are needed to finance equipment for the area's new "Manatee Watch" educational program coordinated by Tampa BayWatch and the Manatee Awareness Coalition. Contributions are need to purchase an ongoing supply of "MAC-pacs" containing polarized sunglasses, push poles and other safe boating tools; to support the volunteer training program; and to acquire and outfit a manatee-friendly pontoon boat that will serve as a floating information station manned by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and a variety of sponsorship levels are available. Call Tampa BayWatch at (727) 896-5320 for details..

"Manatee Watch" represents an innovative approach to resource protection that TBEP hopes will serve as a model for other communities. Instead of mandatory boating restrictions, the program emphasizes voluntary compliance with recommended "go-slow" area of the bay, primarily in shallow waters less than six feet deep where seagrasses flourish. These grass flats are critically important not only for manatees, but for a variety of popular sportfish. A comprehensive research program, developed by manatee biologists with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida Marine Research Institute, will assess the effectiveness of this voluntary educational campaign in changing boater behavior in manatee habitats. Volunteers also are being recruited for this component of Manatee Watch, and will be trained to use a spotting scope and enter appropriate data on survey sheets.

Continuing Education Units are available from Hillsborough Community College for participation in either the research or educational outreach elements of Manatee Watch. For more information about volunteer activities or to sign up for a training session, call Manatee Watch Coordinator Tabitha Whalen at (727) 896-5320 in St. Petersburg.

Six manatees that spend all or part of the year in Tampa Bay are the newest additions to Save The Manatee Club's Adopt-A-Manatee program. Expansion of the popular program was recommended by the Estuary Program's Manatee Awareness Coalition (MAC) to help raise community awareness of the importance of Tampa Bay as a feeding, nursery and winter refuge area for the endangered marine mammals.

Ziggy, Jemp and Vector are the eligible male manatees, and Elsie, Ragtail and Ginger are the females. All bear scars from encounters with boats, fishing line or other human-related hazards. Indeed, their scar patterns are what enable manatee researchers to identify and keep track of them.

Adoptive "parents" of the Tampa Bay manatees receive a photo, life history, adoption certificate and Save The Manatee Club newsletter. Researchers with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) will provide regular updates on the manatees' travels in each newsletter edition. Adoptions cost $20 for individuals, $30 for families and $10 for school classes. A portion of the revenues from the adoptions will be spent on manatee eductaion programs and projects in Tampa Bay. In February 1999, a record 230 manatees were spotted in Tampa Bay, gathered near the warmwater discharges of power plants operated by Tampa Electric Company and Florida Power Corporation.

Citizens are invited to attend a free national conference focusing on the health of the nation's beaches to be held in Tampa on October 18 and 19.

The "East Coast Regional Beach Conference" is one of two national forums sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to share information about key issues related to assessment and management of beach waters, and obtain public input on areas of concern.

The two-day conference will be held at the Wyndham Harbour Island Hotel in downtown Tampa. Attendance for the conference is FREE, but you must pre-register. A pre-registration form is available online at http://www.epa.gov/OST/beaches or by calling Mary Crowe of Tetra Tech, Inc. at (703) 385-6000 or e-mailing her at crowema@tetratech-ffx.com.

Recent news reports about unpermitted sewage discharges into Tampa Bay have once again raised concerns about the impacts of overflows and other unforeseen releases on the bay's health, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and community education to resolve this chronic and complex problem.

Unpermitted sewage discharges are caused by a variety of reasons -- malfunctioning equipment, broken pipes, human error or outdated sewage transport and collection networks that cannot accommodate the increased flows associated with growth. In coastal areas, the problem is compounded by low land elevations, high groundwater tables and heavy rains, which can result in vast amounts of stormwater infiltrating sanitary sewer systems, prompting emergency bypasses of treatment plants and direct discharge of raw sewage to Tampa Bay. That is what happened in 1998, when torrential rains associated with 1998's El Nino event strained wastewater collection systems throughout the bay area, resulting in the inadvertent release of about 32 million gallons of wastewater to the bay.

When incidents like these occur, citizens understandably ask two main questions: is there a danger to me, and is there a danger to the bay? Answering these questions responsibly and accurately requires an examination of many variables -- and even then, uncertainties remain.

Sewer overflows indeed pose a public health threat, when raw sewage containing bacteria and other pathogens is discharged. For this reason, communities around Tampa Bay automatically close public beaches in the vicinity of a sewer overflow. Beaches also are closed when heavy downpours wash large volumes of stormwater runoff into the bay, since stormwater also may carry bacteria. In both cases, beaches are reopened only when extensive monitoring shows that they are once again safe for swimming, windsurfing and other water-contact activities.

Community-wide recognition of the importance of safe, clean waters to our economy and quality of life is the driving force behind the creation of a program designed to improve monitoring of bay waters for health hazards and educate the community about solutions. "Healthy Beaches Tampa Bay," jointly sponsored by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, TBEP, the Pinellas County Health Department, the University of South Florida, seeks to identify more reliable indicators of bacterial contamination and provide science-based information about public health issues associated with water recreation. (See Bay Guardian Newsletter, Summer/Fall 1998 for more information).

Nitrogen contained in wastewater represents the primary environmental concern from sewer overflows, at least in Tampa Bay -- where too much nitrogen causes algae blooms that cloud the water and reduce light levels necessary to support seagrasses. State laws requiring all wastewater routinely discharged to Tampa Bay to be treated to the very highest standards (including removal of virtually all nitrogen) were a major catalyst in the bay's recent and dramatic recovery. However, overflows by their nature refer to unavoidable discharges of raw sewage that contains high levels of nitrogen. Even so, the ecological damage caused by overflows varies widely depending on the amount, timing and location of these discharges.

For example, the 1 million gallons of raw sewage accidentally discharged to the bay when a contractor ruptured a sewer line in St. Petersburg earlier this year appears to have caused little environmental damage. In fact, an analysis by TBEP staff showed that the amount of nitrogen added to the bay as a result of that discharge was less than 100 pounds, or about six bags of store-bought fertilizer.

On the other hand, St. Petersburg's accidental release of 123 million gallons of treated wastewater over a six-week period from the Albert Whitted treatment facility added an extra 14 tons of nitrogen to the bay, according to TBEP calculations. While this discharge originated at the treatment plant and not in the collection system, that additional nitrogen burden represents a 50 percent increase in the amount of nitrogen that was expected to enter Middle Tampa Bay between 1995-2000 as a result of growth and development.

Water quality samples routinely collected by environmental agencies will provide a more direct measure of what impact, if any, the Albert Whitted discharge had on algae concentrations and water clarity in Tampa Bay. That information will be reviewed by TBEP staff and technical advisers when it becomes available this summer.

Up-to-the-minute information about tides, winds and currents in Tampa Bay is now available on the Internet at http://www.ompl.marine.usf.edu. From the home page, click on the "PORTS" icon.

The site features information collected by the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) of buoys located at key positions around the bay. PORTS was created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to assist mariners traversing the bay. It has been particularly useful to captains and pilots of large commercial ships for whom constantly updated information about navigational conditions in the bay is essential, but all boaters are encouraged to use the system. PORTS data is now managed by the University of South Florida Department of Marine Science.

Early next year, fans of Tampa Bay will be able to show their support for Florida's largest open-water estuary every time they leave their driveway, by purchasing a special Tampa Bay Estuary license plate.

The attractive tag, featuring a dramatic, leaping tarpon designed by local artist and fishing guide Russ Sirmons, was recently approved by the Florida Legislature. Primary sponsors of the license tag bill were Senator Jim Sebesta and Representative Bob Henriquez. Several other Bay Area legislators co-sponsored the legislation, making its passage truly a bi-partisan, regionwide effort.

During a recent press conference to celebrate the Legislature's endorsement of the plate, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jan Platt, a member of TBEP's Policy Board, acknowledged the more than 10,000 residents who signed petitions in support of the tarpon tag and described its approval as a "real victory for the bay."

Commissioner Platt also lauded the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, which spearheaded creation of the plate and coordinated the petition-signing effort.

The bill authorizing creation of a Tampa Bay Estuary specialty tag directs 75 percent of the tag revenues to the Estuary Program for projects that advance the goals contained in Charting The Course, the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Tampa Bay. Twenty (20) percent of the license tag proceeds, or not more than $50,000, will finance bay improvement projects coordinated by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council's Agency on Bay Management.

Based on similar specialty tags, the tarpon tag will generate from $150,000-$250,000 a year, all of which will be spent locally to benefit the bay.

Examples of projects that would likely be eligible for funding include habitat restoration and exotic plant removal activities; installation of environmentally friendly alternatives to hardened shorelines; reusing treated wastewater as an alternative to bay discharge; treating stormwater runoff, and educating homeowners on the benefits of Florida-friendly landscaping practices.

The Tampa Bay Estuary Program's leadership in creating a public-private partnership to manage nitrogen loadings to the bay was recently honored by the Governor's Council for a Sustainable Florida.

TBEP received a Leadership Award from the Governor's Council for the Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium, which has brought together representatives from government, regulatory agencies and key industries bordering the bay to develop and implement a long-term nitrogen management strategy for Tampa Bay. The plan adopted by the Consortium lists 105 projects either underway or planned by Consortium members that will facilitate TBEP's overall goal of "holding the line" on nitrogen levels in the bay, even with future growth.

TBEP Executive Director Dick Eckenrod accepted the award at a February banquet in Tampa featuring Lt. Governor Frank Brogan.

Community groups throughout the Tampa Bay watershed are hard at work on a variety of citizen involevment and awareness projects funded by TBEP's popular Mini-Grant Program.

In fact, two of the organizations awarded grants of up to $5,000 earlier this year already have produced educational materials now available to the public.

The "Tampa Bay Beach Buddies" Internet site developed by the University of South Florida Department of Marine Science, the Tampa Bay Parrotheads and Marketing Works, Inc. is designed for students in grades 4-12. The site offers lesson plans about marine debris, shoreline cleanup statistics and a sign-up center where teachers can register their classes to participate in a local cleanup. The site makes learning about the consequences of marine debris fun by presenting information through a series of cartoon characters, including Cubby, a Florida Panther, Manny Manatee and Pinky Flamingo. The $5,000 grant also included creation of a poster promoting the web site that will be distributed to teachers in Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties.

"Tampa Bay Beach Buddies" can be found at http://www.marine.usf.edu/beachbuddies. The site also can be accessed through TBEP's website at www.tbep.org under the "What's New" section on the home page.

The Cockroach Bay Users Group (C-BUG), a coalition of south Hillsborough boaters and anglers, used its $3,000 Mini-Grant to launch a fishing line recycling program that includes placement and monitoring of recycling bins at Cockroach Bay boat ramps; free distribution of mesh bags in which anglers can stow discarded monofilament while on the water; and a brochure that shows anglers how to make their own fishing line storage container from old coffee cans or margarine tubs. C-BUG hopes the information and materials will reduce wildlife entanglement in fishing line by encouraging boaters to bring discarded monofilament back to shore with them for proper disposal.

For your free brochure explaining how to make a fishing line storage container, call the Tampa Bay Estuary Program at (727) 893-2765 or e-mail us at saveit@tbep.org. The brochure also is available at boat ramps, marinas and bait shops in the Cockroach Bay area.

The Mini-Grant Program provides funding to community groups for projects that teach citizens how to become better bay stewards. TBEP's Community Advisory Committee evaluated and selected the latest Mini-Grant recipients, awarding $30,000 to 10 applicants. Projects must be completed within one year of the award.