Hey Did You Know?

[PONDCHIK]

I read these boards often, but have never signed up or posted, but I felt that this is something that needs immediate attention by everyone on this board. I will be posting in on the other boards as well. If nothing else, go over and sign their petition
Edit by Mod- Removed bad link


Call To Action - Save Your Pond and Business NOW,
Before it’s too late !!!!!!!!!!!!

The IPPCA Legislative Action Team is calling for everyone in the Pond and Waterscape industry who is a professional, as well as the proud owners of Ponds and Waterscapes, To Take Action. Let the EPA Water Sense committee know what you think of the following “proposed” new EPA Water Sense requirement:

Ornamental Water Features 4.1.4 This specification establishes that builders shall not install or facilitate the installation of ornamental water features. Ornamental water features are defined as fountains, ponds, waterfalls, man-made streams and other decorative water related constructions provided solely for aesthetic or beautification purposes. Because these water features serve no functional or practical purpose their water use is not considered efficient.

We here at the IPPCA are outraged and truly offended by this blatant lack of pursuing and proposing standards that ignore scientific data and promote half-baked and incorrect perception in its place. Please send an e-mail or make a phone call to the following people to let them know your feelings.

The dead line for comments and reconsiderations on this as well as other proposed restrictions is July 21st, 2008. Don’t wait, do it NOW. Help us achieve and exceed our goal of 500 emails and 100 phone calls in the next 3 weeks. Please help us save the Pond and Waterscapes Industry from this backdoor ban.

Send e-mails to: flowers.john@epa.gov or call John Flowers at (202) 564-0624.

For those of you that choose e-mail, please consider CCing the IPPCA atWe will save these e-mails in a file and re-send them in file form the day before the deadline to let them know that this can’t be swept under the rug or ignored by them. We have to stop this now, before it is enacted in all 50 States.

Thank you all in advance for your participation in this vitally important time and action in our industry’s history and on its behalf.
Our Mission : “To Promote, Protect and Advance the Pond and Waterscape Industry”.



Thank you in advance for your timely response

[koiczar]

[quote=PONDCHIK;116246]I read these boards often, but have never signed up or posted, but I felt that this is something that needs immediate attention by everyone on this board. I will be posting in on the other boards as well. If nothing else, go over and sign their petition



Call To Action - Save Your Pond and Business NOW,
Before it’s too late !!!!!!!!!!!!

The IPPCA Legislative Action Team is calling for everyone in the Pond and Waterscape industry who is a professional, as well as the proud owners of Ponds and Waterscapes, To Take Action. Let the EPA Water Sense committee know what you think of the following “proposed” new EPA Water Sense requirement:

Ornamental Water Features 4.1.4 This specification establishes that builders shall not install or facilitate the installation of ornamental water features. Ornamental water features are defined as fountains, ponds, waterfalls, man-made streams and other decorative water related constructions provided solely for aesthetic or beautification purposes. Because these water features serve no functional or practical purpose their water use is not considered efficient.

Okay, if you read the fine print, I really think they are talking about "decorative" items found in places like malls, hotels, etc that have NOTHING in them, solely for decorative purpose. I pond that houses fish is not "solely" for aesthetic or beautification purpose. It is, in fact, a life support system for it's inhabitants.

If this is true, I have no problem with it as any body of water without fish is a waste, IMHO!

Mike

[jnorth]

Um maybe I'm missing something here but wouldn't that be something in the rules for being a WaterSense certified installer? And that means its not a law or anything but some sort of professional certification as a means of business promotion? Maybe the pros on the board can look at this and figure it out but it doesn't seem to be anything koi keepers need to worry about.

Landscape Irrigation Professionals | WaterSense | US EPA

[lypope]

What this proposal is referring to is a draft document, promulgating rules for new construction of single-family homes and townhomes to be labeled as "Water Sense" homes. It will not prohibit the installation of water features, nor does it apply to existing homes. It appears that the IPPCA powers that be have not read the entire draft, which can be easily found by going to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and searching for "Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification." Tempest in a doll-house-sized teapot...

[mstrseed]

Quote: Originally Posted by lypope What this proposal is referring to is a draft document, promulgating rules for new construction of single-family homes and townhomes to be labeled as "Water Sense" homes. It will not prohibit the installation of water features, nor does it apply to existing homes. It appears that the IPPCA powers that be have not read the entire draft, which can be easily found by going to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and searching for "Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification." Tempest in a doll-house-sized teapot...

The ace reporter must have been involved in that one......................

[KoiCop]

Quote: Originally Posted by mstrseed The ace reporter must have been involved in that one......................

Typical fare for Hot Air HooHaw and the rest of the folks on the Landscapers and Lawnmowers Board. Idiots.

[jnorth]

Thanks for looking that up . I kind of figured it was something along those lines.

[UP ALL NIGHT!!]

I was ready to go buy a gun. Lori

[MikeM]

Things tend to get hyper when trying to get public input to affect regulatory behavior. There is reason to be concerned that the general trend toward 'green construction' will have adverse effects on various hobbies that use water, fertilizers, insecticides, etc. Appears to me that this particular proposal will have a minor (perhaps negligible) effect on expansion of the hobby if a 'water sense' certification becomes important to the consumer. These things tend to be incremental. Personally, I find it rather silly. There is no doubt in my mind that koikeepers' use of water is not 'green', and neither are all the fountains in public squares, etc. However, the total volume of water involved is not even the proverbial 'drop in a bucket' compared to the water wasted through other activities. I do not mind a 'wasteful' use of water in a fountain that restores the soul. I do mind the billions of gallons needlessly consumed by inefficient equipment and poorly designed agricultural facilities.

[PONDCHIK]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM Things tend to get hyper when trying to get public input to affect regulatory behavior. There is reason to be concerned that the general trend toward 'green construction' will have adverse effects on various hobbies that use water, fertilizers, insecticides, etc. Appears to me that this particular proposal will have a minor (perhaps negligible) effect on expansion of the hobby if a 'water sense' certification becomes important to the consumer. These things tend to be incremental. Personally, I find it rather silly. There is no doubt in my mind that koikeepers' use of water is not 'green', and neither are all the fountains in public squares, etc. However, the total volume of water involved is not even the proverbial 'drop in a bucket' compared to the water wasted through other activities. I do not mind a 'wasteful' use of water in a fountain that restores the soul. I do mind the billions of gallons needlessly consumed by inefficient equipment and poorly designed agricultural facilities.

FINALLY SOMEONE WHO GETS IT!!

In a world were the now is all that is important you all have been correct. This will only affect the new homes built who want to VOLUNTARLY be labeled “WaterSense”. However think of the ramifications of these voluntary set of rules, when they are mandated into your local township(there are drought-stricken municipals already drafting similar LAWS into their communities). To my friend the researcher(lyloop)…. How may of the MANDATORY laws out there were initially voluntary? Whats to stop your local Municipal group adapting this VOLUNTARY set of “WaterSense” guidelines into MANDATORY laws to make your community “WaterSense”? Last time I checked the EPA was a very large environmentally concerned group. Anyone who wanted to be “Green” or “Earth Friendly” would care what the EPA thought “served no functional or practical purpose, therefore there water use is not consider effecent”. How many of you love to set at your pond and enjoy the “aesthetic or beautification purposes” of YOUR water feature. I would like to think I am not a “hot air HOHAW” or and “Idiot” for being worried that ANYONE might decide that a group as influential as the EPA might be right, and that all water features including my koi pond are not good for the environment!