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• • STAFF ORIGINATOR: MEETING DATE: TOPIC: VOTE REQUIRED: BACKGROUND AGENDA ITEM 6B Marty Asleson May 27, 2008 Consideration of Resolution No. 08 -55, Approving Agreement with The Rice Creek Watershed District for Membership in the Blue Thumb Program. 3/5 The Blue Thumb project is a Rice Creek Watershed District planting initiative that addresses clean water. City participation in the program was included as one of the 2008 Environmental Board goals. The Blue Thumb program is an online outreach program with A to Z information to help residents plan and plant native gardens, rain gardens, and shorelines with native plants. The Blue Thumb program was started by the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) as an outreach program to help residents do their part to protect water and to help cities meet strategic water quality improvement goals and federal Clean Water Act mandates. This includes providing online A to Z information to help residents plan and plant native gardens, rain gardens, and shorelines with native plants. The program will address the public education requirements under the City's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements. By participating in the program we can avoid duplication of educational efforts and provide our residents with a greater wealth of water quality information. The Blue Thumb partnership combines resources and helps partners present a unified, public education message that saves both water resources and tax payer dollars. Blue Thumb is specific to water - quality friendly gardening activities, but the model can be easily transferred to other areas.