Monday April 11, 2022
In a new policy memorandum on Accelerating Nutrient Pollution Reductions in the Nation’s Waters issued April 5, the Environmental Protection Agency commits to deepening existing partnerships and fostering new collaboratives with USDA, states, tribes, territories, agriculture, industry and the broader water sector. But the agency’s suggestions aren’t completely welcomed.
In the agency’s memo, EPA commits to supporting innovation and pursuing science-based and data-driven strategies to reduce excess nutrients in our nation’s waters, along with technical assistance and other support to help scale effective nutrient loss reduction strategies. Funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law will provide resources to accelerate these efforts, such as the work happening through the Gulf Hypoxia Taskforce on state nutrient reduction strategies.
“Nutrient pollution is one of America’s most widespread, costly and challenging environmental problems,” says EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Our nutrients memo is a call for scaling up the innovative approaches being used by farmers, ranchers, water agencies, local municipalities, industry and communities to make progress.”
The American Soybean Association appreciates that EPA plans to deepen its collaboration with agriculture in Washington, D.C. and on the ground, working to help USDA target funds to locations and practices that will best reduce nutrient loads and expanding engagements with ag stakeholders and highlighting their successes.