SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released enforcement results for fiscal year 2009, and has developed a new Web-based tool and interactive map that allows the public to get detailed information by location about the enforcement actions taken at approximately 4,600 facilities.

In FY2009, EPA concluded enforcement actions requiring polluters to invest more than $5 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects.

Civil and criminal defendants committed to install controls and take other measures to reduce pollution by approximately 580 million pounds annually once all required controls are fully implemented.

The new mapping tool allows the public to view the locations of facilities that were the subject of those enforcement actions on interactive maps of the U.S. and territories.

The maps show facilities where civil enforcement actions were taken for environmental laws for air, water, and land pollution, and a separate map shows criminal enforcement actions.

To access the mapping tool visit www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2009/2009-map-allactions.html .

Viewers can click on specific facilities to find historical information about specific enforcement actions, such as violations and monetary penalties. In addition, viewers can use the zoom function to find out which facilities are located near water bodies that are listed as "impaired” because they do not meet federal water quality standards.

EPA mapped the locations of more than 90 percent of the facilities that were the subject of enforcement actions last year. EPA did not map the locations of drinking water treatment plants due to potential security concerns.

For the past 10 years, EPA has described annual enforcement results by focusing primarily on two measures, the estimated pounds of pollutants reduced and estimated cost of commitments made by defendants to control or reduce pollution. These measures vary significantly from year to year and are dependent upon the number of large cases that settle in a given year.

While these large cases are a vital part of our work to protect public health and improve compliance, they do not reflect the totality of the annual environmental enforcement activities, and do not capture the number and variety of enforcement actions taken to help clean up local communities. The new mapping tool will help increase transparency, improve access to data, and provide the public with the bigger picture of enforcement activity occurring in communities around the country.

More information is available at www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2009/index.html .

Like fine wine itself, a toast is an opportunity to savor. Over the next few weeks, countless people will stand up and say a few words at holiday meals, office parties and various New Year's festivities.

"Delivering a toast is a classic form of public speaking," says Gary Schmidt, president of Toastmasters International. "It's an easy way to connect with an audience."

In that spirit, Toastmasters offers these tips on the art of toasting:

• Be brief. Keep your comments short and they'll have a greater impact. Talk for more than a couple of minutes and the guests will grow antsy.

• Be bold. Step up and act confident. Speak loudly and clearly.

• Be prepared. Know what you want to say ahead of time. Your words might inspire reflection or provide some much-needed laughter, so make the most of the moment – don't wing it.

• Be fresh. Your drink shouldn't be stale and neither should your words.

• Cliches and platitudes mean little to listeners; be original and speak from the heart.

• Be you. Don't try to be hilarious if that's not who you are. Skip the serious message if it doesn't feel right. Just be yourself.

New Year's events are particularly ripe for a toast. Some celebrate family and friends, others talk about goodwill for the world. One suggestion is to touch on obstacles you've overcome in the past year. Then mention a few goals for 2010. End your remarks on a hopeful note.

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. The organization currently has 250,000 members in 12,000 clubs in 106 countries. Since its founding 85 years ago in October 1924, the organization has helped more than four million men and women give presentations with poise and confidence.

For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org .

The following is a list of parade winners:

• Best automobile theme winner: Lake County As.

• Best float: Girl Scouts.

• Best funniest group/ float: Clearlake Car Club.

• Best costumes: Yuba College.

• “Christmas in Paradise” theme: Orchard Park.

• Best choir: Performance Mechanical.

fter the parade children and families visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus with the help of Davis Photography, Lakeshore Lions and Lioness provided cocoa and cookies, and a very special Christmas tree lighting by Lake County Hospice.

This year's event was taped by TV8 and Carle High School so you can enjoy this event several times throughout the month of December.

The city of Clearlake, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce and Lake County Hospice collaborated to host this festive event, with many thanks to the following to make this event wonderful: Americorps, Carle High School, City of Clearlake's Public Works Department, Davis Photography, musician Dennis Chrisp, Judge and Mrs. Freeborn, Thomas Hewlett DDS, Jones & Lewis Chapel, Judy Thein, Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Leonard, Lakeshore Lions and Lioness of Clearlake, Lakeshore Fire, Lower Lake High School Jazz Bands and Choir, Mendo Mill, PEG Channel TV8, Russ Cremer and Family, Shore Line Realty and the many chamber members and volunteers.

Smart controller devices are irrigation clocks that adjust the amount of water applied to a landscape in response to environmental changes.

Using sensors and/or weather information, these controllers adjust your irrigation system automatically in response to rain, wind or temperature changes. Smart controllers can help reduce landscape water usage and in some cases can offer dramatic savings. They can also help you maintain a more healthy landscape.

Smart controllers are becoming very popular in states like California which are experiencing severe water shortages. However, if used incorrectly this device may not give the desired water saving results.

CLCA offers these recommendations to help you maximize the efficiency of this water saving device and to help keep your landscape beautiful.

Program it correctly

In order to maximize and maintain water efficiency, the smart controller needs to be programmed correctly. These mini computers need in depth information about soil, plants, exposure, type of irrigation etc. because they are customized for your property.

Like any computer, if it receives inaccurate information, it will not achieve the desired results, possibly resulting in over or under irrigated areas and damaged plants or hardscapes.

Monitor your site

Site conditions must be monitored, especially the first few weeks after installing your controller to fine tune and adjust your controller settings.

Look for runoff, poor plant heath, color changes and/or any other signs that settings might need to be modified. Several adjustments may be needed.

Water mandates and restrictions

If you are limited to day of the week watering restrictions, your smart controller may not be allowed to function correctly.

CLCA recommends to either use the smart controller or follow the allocated watering days, not both. If only allowed to water one or two days a week, it defeats the purpose of watering based on sensors and weather information.

Smart controllers and good water management are often more effective at reducing landscape water usage than assigned watering days because most people soak their lawns during their allocated time, actually using more water than the site actually needs. Some cities and water districts are now allowing those with smart controllers to be exempt from limited day watering restrictions.

Be sure to check with your local water district regarding restriction exceptions.

Regular maintenance of current irrigation system

It is important to regularly inspect your irrigation system and repair leaks and/or other problems. Since these controllers consistently adjust your watering, if there is a leak or other problem with the irrigation system, even if programmed correctly, your landscape may not receive the correct amount of water that it needs. Learning to read your water meter will help you determine if you have a leak.

Installing new landscape

If new landscape is being installed, group plants into similar areas based on water needs. These areas, called hydrozones will help your plants receive the proper amount of water to meet their needs and help to maximize the efficiency of your controller because all the plants have the same water usage requirements.

When selecting an irrigation system for your new landscape, take time to learn about the most efficient irrigation devices and about the water requirements of the plants being installed. Also consider including drought tolerant plants in your landscape design.

A well-planned landscape incorporating advanced irrigation technology, drought resistant plants and a smart controller will see the most water savings.

Smart controllers are an excellent tool to help reduce landscape water usage. When used and programmed properly, a smart controller can help you achieve substantial water savings.

For additional water saving information, visit www.clca.org/clca/about/consumer/drought/index.php .

Wood smoke is made up of a mixture of gases and fine particle pollution that isn’t healthy to breathe indoors or out – especially for children, older adults and those with heart disease, asthma or other lung diseases.

EPA has established the Burn Wise campaign to reduce wood smoke pollution, helping to protect your home, health and the air we breathe, while keeping those who use wood for heat warm throughout the winter.

If you’re burning wood, you can have a cheaper, safer and healthier fire by following these tips:

• Burn only dry, seasoned wood. It’s better for the air and your wallet. Look for wood that is darker, has cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when hit against another piece of wood. Dry seasoned wood is more efficient at heating your home and can add up to significant savings over the winter. Never burn painted or treated wood or trash.

• Maintain your wood stove or fireplace and have a certified technician inspect it yearly. A certified technician can clean dangerous soot from your chimney and keep your wood stove or fireplace working properly, which reduces your risk of a home fire.

• Change to an EPA-certified wood stove or fireplace insert. These models are more efficient than older models, keeping your air cleaner, your home safer and your fuel bill lower, while keeping you warm in the winter. An estimated 12 million Americans heat their homes with wood stoves each winter, and nearly three-quarters of these stoves are not EPA certified. An EPA-certified wood stove can emit nearly 70 percent less smoke than older uncertified models.

More information on Burn Wise is available at www.epa.gov/burnwise .