Water Quality Trading
Upcoming for California Growers
The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced TODAY an expanded partnership to support water quality trading and
other market-based approaches that provide benefits to the environment and
economy.
“New water quality trading markets hold incredible potential to benefit rural
America by providing new income opportunities and enhancing conservation of
water and wildlife habitat,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.
“Additionally, these efforts will strengthen businesses across the nation by
providing a new pathway to comply with regulatory requirements.”
“EPA is committed to finding collaborative
solutions that protect and restore our nation’s waterways and the health of the
communities that depend on them,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “We’re
excited about partnering with USDA to expand support for water quality trading,
which shows that environmental improvements can mean a better bottom line for
farmers and ranchers.”
Water quality trading is an innovative approach
for achieving water quality goals at lower cost. Water quality trading can also provide
additional environmental and economic benefits, such as air quality
improvements, enhanced wildlife habitat, carbon capture and storage, and new
income and employment opportunities for rural America.
Where
appropriate, trading is a powerful and effective market-based approach to
achieving cleaner water. Trading is
based on the fact that sources in a watershed can face very different costs to
control the same pollutant. Trading programs allow facilities to meet
regulatory obligations by purchasing equivalent or superior pollution
reductions from another source -- achieving water quality improvements in a
cost-effective manner.
EPA and USDA are working together to implement and coordinate policies and
programs that encourage water quality trading. The Department and the Agency
will identify opportunities to work collaboratively to help improve water
quality trading programs across the country. Cooperative management and
technical assistance will improve resource management and public services, and
accelerate implementation.
USDA and EPA will:
-
Coordinate and enhance communications and outreach to states, agricultural
producers, regulated sources, and interested third parties on water quality
trading;
-
Engage expertise across agencies in the review of grants, loans or technical
assistance programs focused on water quality trading;
-
Share information on the development of rules and guidance that have the
potential to affect water quality trading;
-
Collaborate on developing tools and information resources for states and credit
generators to guide decision making, reduce costs in program design and
implementation, improve environmental performance, and foster consistency and
integrity across regional initiatives;
-
Co-host a workshop by 2015 to share tools and resources available to assist in
stakeholder decision making and opportunities.
The purpose of this policy is to support states, interstate agencies and tribes
as they develop and implement water quality trading programs for nutrients,
sediments and other pollutants where opportunities exist to achieve water
quality improvements at reduced costs.
For
a basic introduction to water quality trading, please check the EPA website site.
Labels: USDA EPA partner to support water quality trading, Water Quality Trading Upcoming for California Growers
