OUR CRCPO BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2008):

Joseph Koncelik, Chairman
Tom Newman, Treasurer

Since then, the CRCPO has also become the lead partner in the Cuyahoga American Heritage River Initiative (CAHR), a federal program to assist in the restoration and protection of the environmental, economic, cultural and historical character of the fourteen designated American Heritage Rivers.

Most recently, the CRCPO has created a third initiative, the Cuyahoga/Lake Erie Environmental Resource Technology Center (CLEERTEC) to create economic development opportunities through innovative technological solutions for environmental restoration and protection.

Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan (RAP), which includes a strong emphasis on delisting actions (those which remedy the specific issues listed on the EPA's definition of a river at risk) and support for community-based tributary groups to help them develop watershed management plans to meet delisting goals. The RAP is directed and supported by a coordinating committee of 39 stakeholder partners including community groups, individuals, businesses, government agencies and local officials with a commitment to restoring the beneficial uses of the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries.

The RAP's Area of Concern includes the portion of the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries in approximately the western, downstream half of the river, as it turns north in Summit County and flows to the Lake, plus tributary watersheds that drain from Portage County and selected additional waterways that flow directly into Lake Erie.

Cuyahoga American Heritage River Initiative, which encompasses the entire Cuyahoga River from its headwaters in Geauga County, through Portage, Summit and Cuyahoga Counties to its outflow into Lake Erie. We work with our local AHR partners to develop restoration and protection strategies that enhance the quality of life of the river and its environs, and with other of the fourteen rivers designated as American Heritage Rivers on sustainability issues on a national scope.

CLEERTEC - The Cuyahoga/Lake Erie Environmental Resource Technology Center's first project will be to design and develop a prototype "green bulkhead" to replace aging steel bulkheads along the Cuyahoga River ship channel at the mouth of the river. The goal is to create environmentally-friendly structures that maintain the integrity of the riverbanks and allow for navigation of large ships, yet provide habitat for aquatic organisms and support fish as they migrate to and from the lake and the upper reaches of the river and its tributaries.

BIG CREEK WATERSHED ACTION PLAN
We are working with Friends of Big Creek and communities in the watershed on the plan for Big Creek.

MILL CREEK WATERSHED ACTION PLAN
We are working on a watershed plan for Mill Creek, which involves organizing and coordinating the watershed partnership and technical advisory groups, planning for resident involvement. Having completed an initial study of the challenges to the creek's health, we are now in the process of planning how to address the issues and solve the problems. This prioritization for restoration phase will also look at opportunities to address subwatersheds and their specific needs.

CHIPPEWA CREEK WATERSHED PLAN -
The communities of Brecksville, Broadview Heights and North Royalton have adopted the Balance Growth Plan developed last year, now begin to integrate PDAs and PCAs into planning.

BRANDYWINE CREEK WATERSHED PLANNING -
We are working with communities in "The Brandywine," as well as Summit County planners, engineers and soil and water conservation district, and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, to build a partnership and engage communities in the watershed, with the goal of developing a watershed management plan.

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING -
The Gund Foundation has awarded CRCPO a two-year grant (2007-2008) to support an initiative that includes creation of a communications collaborative to bring together groups with common environmental goals and develop a shared marketing plan to raise operational and funding support for our restoration and protection work.

With the fortieth anniversary of the June 22, 1969 burning on the river approaching, we are organizing 2009: THE YEAR OF THE RIVER, which we hope will be a year filled with programs, events and occasions to reflect on how far we have come (and how far we have to go.)

WETLAND ASSESSMENT SURVEY and WETLAND PRIORITIZATION -
Work continues on a USEPA-funded survey and prioritization of wetlands throughout the watershed. In the second phase of the project, wetlands are characterized and assessed in the context of their potential for use as
mitigation areas.

COMMUNITY STORM WATER AND LAND USE ORDINANCE INVENTORY -
CRCPO has completed the data-gathering portion of the project funded by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, to create a database of land use and storm water management ordinances which will provide a comprehensive inventory of strategies in use throughout the watershed. Fine tuning continues and the data was used first in workshops in Brandywine Creek and Mud Brook, with Furnace Run gathering to discuss the data in the fall.

BULDING BETTER WATERSHEDS: WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP & MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR CUYAHOGA RIVER TRIBUTARIES -
A grant from the Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF) allowed us to present all-day workshops for community leaders in high-risk tributary watersheds along the main stem of the river surrounding the Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Brandywine Creek, Mud Brook and Furnace Run. Followup workshops were held on Ordinances, and the third part on wetlands will be presented later in 2008.

The Watershed Book - a comprehensive user's guide to watersheds - is being produced as part of the same grant, scheduled for publication in fall or winter.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH -
Staff presented Watersheds 101 to an audience of naturalists and educators at the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center (CVEEC) and will continue to "train the trainers" with an LID workshop in the fall.

Staff has recently appeared as featured presenters at the Great Lakes Science Center's Great Lakes Adventure Week and continue to serve as exhibitors at communities' Green Days, EarthFest and other events.

DELISTING AND RESTORATION ACTION PLAN -
We are working to produce a comprehensive plan to identify, guide and evaluate consistent approaches in each tributary toward delisting goals.x