A Clear Commitment to America’s Waters
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A Clear Commitment to America’s Waters
Bingaman’s CES bill includes energy produced from biogas, including
biogas produced as part of the municipal wastewater treatment process,
making it eligible for clean energy credits. However, energy produced
using biosolids as a separate feedstock, for example as a supplement to
cement kilns, was not included and NACWA’s efforts going forward on
this issue will revolve around making sure it is added.
Precedent for Future Energy Legislation Set
Senator Bingaman has acknowledged that it may be difficult to move
this legislation through Congress during this election year. Still, hav-
ing energy from biogas and biosolids included as clean energy in this
bill would set a precedent for future clean energy legislation as well as
provide some momentum to wastewater treatment utilities that are
advancing clean energy production projects in their communities.
NACWA’s commitment to this issue aligns with work the Association
undertaking to explore the water resources utility of the future, which
looks at the transformational shift in how public clean water agencies
are managing their systems and becoming energy recovery agencies in
addition to complying with the requirements of the CleanWater Act (
see
related article on page 1)
). The Association will provide members with up-
dates on the CES as they occur.
Energy Legislation
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
provide stronger tools to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
for greater progress toward reducing nutrient pollution from agricul-
tural sources. Nearly
ninety organizations
across the country have
formally endorsed the recommendations.
The Healthy Waters Coalition unveiled these recommendations at a
press conference
at the National Press Club onMarch 6. At the event,
Ron Kreider, a Pennsylvania farmer, made the case for why farmers
should do more to reduce their impacts on water quality and why he
made a commitment to do so because of the impact his operations
were having on the Chesapeake Bay. Former USDA Secretary Ed
Schafer participated and explained that technology and best man-
agement practices exist to tackle this issue.
Also participating in the event were NACWAMember Agency rep-
resentatives Kevin Shafer, Executive Director of the Milwaukee
Metropolitan Sewerage District, Wisc. and Steve Hershner, Utilities
Environmental Manager of the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The
Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA)
and the Association of CleanWater Administrators (ACWA) pro-
vide a state perspective, and the Association of MetropolitanWater
Agencies (AMWA) reinforced the concerns of the drinking water
community. The NGO community also provided their perspective,
including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC),
the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the CleanWater America
Alliance (CWAA), the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and
American Rivers. The event demonstrated the broad array of stake-
holders that recognize that without significant reductions by agricul-
tural operators, nutrient pollution in our waterways will continue to
be a significant water quality challenge.
Heathy Waters Coaliton
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
NACWA Releases Nutrient Report
In a report released March 6 NACWA suggests that to improve water quality and tackle the problem of excessive nutrient pollution in our wa-
ters, the Nation needs to look toward the agricultural sector for more affordable approaches to this issue. Controlling Nutrient Loadings to
U.S. Waterways: An Urban Perspective, produced with support from the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the Turner Foundation,
the expresses the view that the nation has not paid sufficient attention to agricultural sources of nutrients, especially compared to the direct
regulatory focus on reducing nutrients from municipal point sources.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) are significant sources of impairment of
rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and coastal waters of the United States. These impairments are leading to unhealthy aquatic eco-
systems, a reduction in water-based recreation and property values, compromised drinking water quality, and the loss of commercial fisheries
and shellfisheries.
The report asserts that it is far more economical to control agricultural runoff compared to additional reductions from urban point sources.
The cost to remove a pound of nitrogen or phosphorus from farm runoff and drainage is typically 4 to 5 – and sometimes up to 10 to 20 –
times less than the cost to remove the same amount from municipal wastewater or stormwater.