Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Lisa Jackson in Kansas City


            In last minute fashion the Blue River Watershed Association put together press conference. The second week of June we received a phone call. It was from the federal office of the Environmental Protection Agency. A press conference had been called off in St. Louis to take place in Kansas City and the contact people were not responding. So once water quality in Kansas City was Googled BRWA was the first to pop up.

            On that initial call an idea was pitch that the press conference would take place at a local creek or stream where students were testing the water quality. After the idea was taken to the White House, we were notified to set it up.

            June 22 came and the event was set up at Kaw Point. There were students doing chemical monitoring and students identifying macroinvertebrates. Once Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator, arrived the festivities began. She first surveyed the activities taking place. Then gave a short press conference. After that she took a kit with a small group of students and headed for the water. The students taught Lisa how to run the test. Once she finished there she moved on down to look at some little critters. And she ended the day by unloading litter off of boats from the Kansas River. This was an amazing event to be part of. Everyone involved had a great experience. 

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