The Environmental Protection Agency is encouraging states to develop water quality trading programs to tackle nutrient pollution, which has become an increasingly visible issue in farm country. In a memorandum to EPA regional administrators, Assistant Administrator for Water David Ross said the agency wants to move toward more market-based solutions to address excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the nation’s waters. The memo follows up on a December letter to states from Ross and USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey seeking input on water quality solutions, and a Memorandum of Understanding released last week between EPA and the Water Research Foundation on affordable technologies to recycle nutrients from livestock manure. More>>
