Come help us build Fishing Line Recycling Bins on Wednesday, Feb. 18th at 6:30pm at Bass Pro Shop. Discarded and entangled fishing line has become a serious issue in waterways around the greater Toledo area. To combat this, Partners for Clean Streams is coordinating the installation of Fishing Line Recycling Bins to safely collect, track and eventually recycle discarded fishing line. The bins encourage anglers to dispose of their fishing line easily and properly decreasing entanglement of animals, increasing aesthetics and improving safer recreation along the river for everyone. We will have volunteer groups Adopt-a-Bin to monitor and track the amount of line being collected. Organizations also can sponsor the bins with their logo and name on educational signage.

But before we can distribute the bins this spring, we must make them! We are looking for 10-15 volunteers to help build 20 fishing line recycling bins. We will be meeting at Bass Pro Shops in Rossford to assemble the bins at 6:30pm-8pm on Wednesday, February 18^th. We will be gluing PVC pipes together with the fittings and putting stickers on the bins. We will be using very strong glue (PVC Cement or Gorilla Glue). Volunteers must be 18 or older. For more details and to RSVP contact us at 419-874-0727 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For information about hosting, adopting or sponsoring a bin, you can learn more at http://partnersforcleanstreams.org/events/reel-in-and-recycle.

The Maumee AOC Advisory Committee is being re-formed and will begin meeting at least quarterly this year. The list of new members for the MAAC has been announced and can be viewed at MaumeeRAP.org.

The deadline for Request for Proposals for the small grant opportunity has been extended until Wednesday, February 11 at 5:00pm.

The brief proposals are due Feb. 11, 2015 with funds likely to be available in April for work to be completed by July 2016. Three to four small, on-the-ground or in-the-water implementation/demonstration projects will be awarded with one project focused in a specific sub-watershed of the Ottawa River and other projects awarded anywhere within the Area of Concern. Projects should focus on improving Beneficial Use Impairments and/or demonstrating successful implementation of projects that would, on a larger scale, "move the needle" in improving conditions associated with impairments. For more information, please see visit MaumeeRAP.org. 

MaumeeRAP.org also includes access to the Data Management and Delisting System (DMDS) for the Maumee Area of Concern. The DMDS is a new online tool and hub for data for the Maumee AOC.  You can stay updated on Facebook (Maumee AOC) and Twitter (Maumee AOC) as well.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency will be hosting the 2015 Area of Concern Annual meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, March 11-12 at the University of Toledo, Toledo, OH.  Please visit http://1.usa.gov/15tNZK3  to view the agenda and register for this year’s conference.  The conference fee is $50. This conference is ideal for State AOC Program managers and staff, Advisory Council chairs, Private Sector interests, Academics and other AOC Leaders. Contact John Perrecone, 312-353-1149, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., for questions.

Join Partners for Clean Streams at a pre-conference reception at the University of Toledo on Tuesday evening and help showcase the work towards fishable and swimmable waters that’s happening right here in Toledo. The reception is included in the cost of your registration but there will also be additional opportunities to support our local efforts towards clear, clean and safe waters so bring your wallets (plus there’s a cash bar)!