Download or read book Regulating Farm Nutrient Runoff written by Annemarie H. Herbst and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Federal and state programs designed to address nonpoint agricultural nutrient pollution rely almost exclusively on voluntary programs and financial incentives to encourage farmers to adopt nutrient management plans and other best management practices. In 1998, after highly publicized fish kills highlighted shortcomings in the voluntary approach, Maryland adopted the nation's strictest and most comprehensive nutrient management regulations. Seven years later, a majority of farmers are not in compliance with the law. This thesis examines the Maryland Department of Agriculture's implementation of the Water Quality Improvement Act. I find the department has continued to adhere to a voluntary approach to nutrient management. As a result, farmer practices are largely unchanged and the efficacy of a mandatory approach remains untested.
Download or read book Clean Coastal Waters written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2000-08-17 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental problems in coastal ecosystems can sometimes be attributed to excess nutrients flowing from upstream watersheds into estuarine settings. This nutrient over-enrichment can result in toxic algal blooms, shellfish poisoning, coral reef destruction, and other harmful outcomes. All U.S. coasts show signs of nutrient over-enrichment, and scientists predict worsening problems in the years ahead. Clean Coastal Waters explains technical aspects of nutrient over-enrichment and proposes both immediate local action by coastal managers and a longer-term national strategy incorporating policy design, classification of affected sites, law and regulation, coordination, and communication. Highlighting the Gulf of Mexico's "Dead Zone," the Pfiesteria outbreak in a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, and other cases, the book explains how nutrients work in the environment, why nitrogen is important, how enrichment turns into over-enrichment, and why some environments are especially susceptible. Economic as well as ecological impacts are examined. In addressing abatement strategies, the committee discusses the importance of monitoring sites, developing useful models of over-enrichment, and setting water quality goals. The book also reviews voluntary programs, mandatory controls, tax incentives, and other policy options for reducing the flow of nutrients from agricultural operations and other sources.
Download or read book Managing Farm Nutrients written by Bradley M. Crowder and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Water Quality and Agriculture written by James Shortle and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-06-12 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Water pollution control has been a top environmental policy priority of the world’s most developed countries for decades, and the focus of significant regulation and public and private spending. Yet, significant water quality problems remain, and trends for some pollutants are in the wrong direction. This book addresses the economics of water pollution control and water pollution control policy in agriculture, with an aim towards providing students, environmental policy analysts, and other environmental professionals with economic concepts and tools essential to understanding the problem and crafting solutions that can be effective and efficient. The book will also examine existing policies and proposed reforms in the developed world. Although this book addresses and has a general applicability to major water pollutants from agriculture (e.g., pesticides, pharmaceuticals, sediments, nutrients), it will focus on the sediment and nutrient pollution problem. The economic and scientific foundations for pollution management are best developed for these pollutants, and they are currently the top priorities of policy makers. Accordingly, the authors provide both highly salient and informative cases for developing concepts and methods of general applicability, with high profile examples such as the Chesapeake Bay, Lake Erie, and the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone in the US; the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe; and Lake Taupo in New Zealand.
Download or read book Environmental Regulation and Agriculture written by Megan Stubbs and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2012-08-02 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the U.S. and global economies continue to struggle, some inside and outside of Congress have expressed concern about how environmental regulation may stifle growth and productivity. Much of the criticism has focused on environmental regulations promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some claim that EPA is overreaching its regulatory authority and imposing costly and burdensome requirements on society. The agriculture community, among others, has been vocal in its concerns, contending that EPA appears to be focusing some of its recent regulatory efforts on agriculture. Environmental advocates, on the other hand, support many of EPA's overall regulatory efforts to protect public health and the environment. Where agriculture contributes to environmental impairment, these groups say, it is appropriate to consider ways to minimize or eliminate the adverse impacts. A healthy agriculture industry and a healthy environment are both important to the nation. However, agricultural production can have varying impacts on the environment. The use of both natural resources and synthetic inputs in agricultural production can sometimes create a negative impact on human health and the surrounding ecosystem. The magnitude of these environmental impacts varies widely across the country and changes over time. Given the agricultural sector's size and potential to affect its surrounding environment, there is interest in tightening environmental policies while also maintaining an economically viable industry. Most recognize the agriculture community's efforts to protect natural resources while striving to maintain a sustainable and abundant food supply. The current federal response to environmental issues associated with agriculture is viewed as being both restrictive and supportive. Traditionally, farm and ranch operations have been exempt or excluded from many environmental regulations. The challenges and complexity of regulating numerous crop and livestock operations can be cost-prohibitive for government regulators; thus environmental policies have historically focused on large industrial sources such as factories and power plants, not farms. Much of the current farm policy addressing environmental concerns is through economic incentives to encourage beneficial production practices. Growing interest in the impact of EPA's regulatory actions on many sectors of the economy is evident in Congress, which has been examining the roles of EPA and other federal agencies in regulating environmental protection. Among the broad options for Congress, besides conducting general oversight, are reviewing rules under the Congressional Review Act, amending current law to modify an agency's authority, introducing freestanding legislation, or using appropriations bills to prevent funds from being used for specific actions. The majority of environmental regulations that could affect agriculture are administered by EPA, though not all. In some cases, agriculture is the direct or primary focus of the regulatory actions. In other cases, agriculture is one of many affected sectors. Of particular interest to agriculture are regulatory actions affecting air, water, energy, and chemicals. Issues associated with air (e.g., dust and emissions) and water quality (e.g., fertilizer and nutrient run-off) are a primary focus of many regulations affecting agriculture because of agriculture's potential to affect these resources. Changes in energy policy, namely bioenergy, have recently become important to many in the agricultural industry based on the potential of corn-based biofuel production to contribute to the nation's energy supply. The risks associated with agricultural chemical use and possible impacts on human health and the environment have also led to recent federal regulatory reviews of chemical fertilizer and pesticide use.
Download or read book Water Quality and Agriculture written by Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) and published by IWA Publishing. This book was released on 2012-03-15 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report on Water Quality and Agriculture examines the linkages between agriculture and water quality. It discusses the overall trends and outlook for agriculture and water quality in OECD countries; describes recent actions by policy makers to address water quality issues in agriculture; and provides a set of recommendations for countries to meet the challenge of improving agricultural water quality.
Download or read book Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-12-04 with total page 423 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York City's municipal water supply system provides about 1 billion gallons of drinking water a day to over 8.5 million people in New York City and about 1 million people living in nearby Westchester, Putnam, Ulster, and Orange counties. The combined water supply system includes 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes with a total storage capacity of approximately 580 billion gallons. The city's Watershed Protection Program is intended to maintain and enhance the high quality of these surface water sources. Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program assesses the efficacy and future of New York City's watershed management activities. The report identifies program areas that may require future change or action, including continued efforts to address turbidity and responding to changes in reservoir water quality as a result of climate change.
Download or read book Governing Water Quality Limits in Agricultural Watersheds written by Courtney Ryder Hammond Wagner and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The diffuse runoff of agricultural nutrients, also called agricultural nonpoint source pollution (NPS), is a widespread threat to freshwater resources. Despite decades of research into the processes of eutrophication and agricultural nutrient management, social, economic, and political barriers have slowed progress towards improving water quality. A critical challenge to managing agricultural NPS pollution is motivating landowners to act against their individual farm production incentives in response to distant ecological impacts. The complexity of governing the social-ecological system requires improved understanding of how policy shapes farmer behavior to improve the state of water quality. This dissertation contributes both theoretically and empirically to NPS pollution governance by examining the impacts of water quality policy design on farmer nutrient management decision making and behavior. In the first study, I theoretically contextualize the issue of agricultural NPS pollution in the broader discussion of environmental public goods dilemmas to suggest that an increased focus on the link between policy and behavior can improve sustainable resource management. I propose two empirical approaches to study the policy-behavior link in environmental public goods dilemmas: 1) explicit incorporation of social psychological and behavioral variables and 2) utilization of actor mental models, or perceptions of the world that guide decision making, to identify behavioral drivers and outcomes. In the second and third studies, I then use these approaches to examine how water quality policies for agricultural NPS collectively change farmer behavior to reduce nutrient emissions. The second chapter uses a quantitative, survey-based approach to examine the relationship between mandatory policy design and behavior change in New Zealand. I find that a shift to mandatory policy is not immediately associated with increased adoption of nutrient management practices, but the mandatory policy design is important for potential future behavior change and long-term policy support. In the third study, I combine qualitative methodology with network analysis of qualitative data to examine a spectrum of agricultural NPS pollution policies in Vermont, USA and Taupo and Rotorua, New Zealand. I use farmer mental models to examine behavior change within each of the regions, the perceived drivers of behavior change and perceived outcomes of the policy. In this study, farmers across all three regions cite mandatory water policy as a key behavioral driver, but in each region, policy design interacts with the social-ecological context to produce distinct patterns of behaviors and perceived outcomes. Taken together, this dissertation demonstrates that agricultural NPS pollution policy design must consider the interactions between policy and other social-ecological behavioral drivers in order to achieve long term water quality improvements.
Download or read book Control of Water Pollution from Agriculture written by E. D. Ongley and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 1996 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agricultural operations can contribute to water quality deterioration through the release of several materials into water: sediments, pesticides, animal manures, fertilizers and other sources of inorganic and organic matter. This ''guidelines'' document on control and management of agricultural water pollution has the objectives of delineating the nature and consequences of agricultural impacts on water quality, and of providing a framework for practical measures to be undertaken by relevant professionals and decision-makers to control water pollution.
Download or read book Nutrients in the Nation s Waters written by David K. Mueller and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nutrients in water are necessary for productive aquatic ecosystems, but in high concentrations, nutrients such as nitrates, ammonia, and phosphates can adversely affect aquatic life and human health.
Download or read book Nutrient Pollution from Agricultural Production written by Arlene Walters and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nutrients are elements essential to plant and animal growth. In agricultural production, the focus generally rests on the three primary macronutrients -- nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) -- because of their relative abundance in plants. As crops grow and are harvested, they gradually remove the existing nutrients from the soil and over time will require additional nutrients to maintain or increase crop yield. When nutrients are added in excess of the plants' ability to utilize them, there is an increased risk that the nutrients will enter the surrounding environment (water or air) and create environmental problems. The nutrients of primary environmental concern in agriculture are nitrogen and phosphorus. This book discusses the types and sources of nutrient pollution from agricultural production; possible environmental effects of nutrient pollution; examples of current control measures; the federal response to excess nutrients, including regulatory and incentive-based programs; and future considerations for nutrient management policy at the federal level.
Download or read book Modern Treatment Strategies for Marine Pollution written by Senthil Kumar and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2020-10-23 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Modern Treatment Strategies for Marine Pollution provides an overview of assessment tools that identify contaminants in marine water, also discussing the latest technologies for removing these contaminants. Through templated and consistently structured chapters, the author explores the importance of seawater to our marine ecosystems and the devastating effects pollutants are causing. Sections cover the emission of toxic pollutants from industries, wastewater discharge, oil spills from boarding ships, ballast water emission, abnormal growth of algal blooms, and more. Techniques explored include huge diameter pipelines erected for removing floating debris from seawater, which is denoted as a primary idea for cleaning contaminants. The book includes numerous case studies that demonstrate how these tools can be successfully used. It is an essential read for marine ecologists and oceanographers at the graduate level and above, but is also ideal for those looking to incorporate these techniques into their own work. Presents and discusses advanced technologies used in the treatment of marine water Includes case studies to show what techniques have been successful Provides new information on contamination assessment and analytical protocols for identifying pollutants, which is essential for readers to use in their own work
Download or read book Control of Water Pollution from Cropland written by United States. Agricultural Research Service and published by . This book was released on 1975 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Maintaining a Healthy Water Supply While Growing a Healthy Food Supply written by Mary Jane Angelo and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although agriculture is one of the most significant and pernicious causes of water pollution in the U.S., federal environmental laws designed to protect water resources exclude or exempt most agricultural activities. State efforts to address water quality impacts from agriculture have met with little success. The challenge of finding a way to reduce agricultural water pollution without causing severe economic harm to farmers is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. Large scale industrialized agriculture, with its heavy reliance on fertilizer, pesticide and water inputs, is a major contributor to water pollution. Agricultural practices can cause serious adverse impacts to the quality of both groundwater and surfacewater. Rain or irrigation water that falls on farm fields, picks up water soluble pesticides such as atrazine and nutrients such as nitrites found in fertilizers, causing them to leach into groundwater. Rain and irrigation water that is not absorbed into the soil runs off of agricultural fields carrying with it a variety of pollutants which ultimately end up in surface water bodies. Run-off from farm fields frequently contains high levels of sediments from soil erosion from tilled fields, pesticides and fertilizers. Pesticides that enter waterbodies can adversely impact aquatic life. Nutrients from fertilizers can cause waterbodies to be hypereutrophied, which can severely impact submersed plants and aquatic animals. Run-off of sediments from soil erosion due to tilling can clog streams and fill in shallow areas in water bodies, thereby reducing habitat and light availability to submersed plants. A report by the National Water Quality Inventory identified agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution as “the leading source of water quality impacts on surveyed rivers and lakes, the second largest source of impairments to wetlands, and a major contributor to contamination of surveyed estuaries and ground water.” The federal Clean Water Act (CWA), the primary federal authority for addressing water pollution, has been largely successful at reducing water pollution from point sources such as wastewater treatment plants and industrial discharges through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). A major shortcoming of the NPDES program, however is that it does not apply to NPS discharges, including most agricultural runoff. Although most pollutant discharges to waterbodies from agriculture are not subject to NPDES regulation, the federal CWA does require states to establish water quality standards and total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) that can be used by the states to address agricultural water pollution through regulatory or non-regulatory mechanisms. A TMDL tells you how much of a particular pollutant a particular water body can assimilate without a violation of a water quality standard. Thus, the establishment of TMDL's is an important step in ensuring that state water quality standards are met. The greatest challenge, however, is the allocation of TMDLs among all point and nonpoint source dischargers, and the implementation of the TMDLs. For point source discharges, TMDLs are allocated and implemented through the NPDES permit program and may require pollution reductions beyond what would be required using only technology-based standards. For nonpoint sources such as agricultural, the allocation and implementation of TMDLs is much more daunting. This Article will explore a number of legal mechanisms that could play a role in ensuring that discharges from agricultural activities do not cause or contribute to violations of water quality standards. Specifically, this article will evaluate the relative effectiveness of: 1) narrative nutrient criteria and numeric nutrient criteria, 2) TMDL implementation through regulatory and nonregulatory mechanisms; and 2) Design-based standards such as Best Management Practices (BMPs) and performance-based standards in reducing water pollution form agriculture. The Article will draw on experiences from the State of Florida, including Everglades's restoration efforts, and efforts to reduce agricultural pollution in the Chesapeake Bay basin to demonstrate the efficacy of a variety of approaches and will suggest a multifaceted, watershed-based approach comprised of a combination of regulatory and nonregulatory federal and state efforts.
Download or read book Soil and Water Quality written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1993-02-01 with total page 541 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can the United States meet demands for agricultural production while solving the broader range of environmental problems attributed to farming practices? National policymakers who try to answer this question confront difficult trade-offs. This book offers four specific strategies that can serve as the basis for a national policy to protect soil and water quality while maintaining U.S. agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Timely and comprehensive, the volume has important implications for the Clean Air Act and the 1995 farm bill. Advocating a systems approach, the committee recommends specific farm practices and new approaches to prevention of soil degradation and water pollution for environmental agencies. The volume details methods of evaluating soil management systems and offers a wealth of information on improved management of nitrogen, phosphorus, manure, pesticides, sediments, salt, and trace elements. Landscape analysis of nonpoint source pollution is also detailed. Drawing together research findings, survey results, and case examples, the volume will be of interest to federal, state, and local policymakers; state and local environmental and agricultural officials and other environmental and agricultural specialists; scientists involved in soil and water issues; researchers; and agricultural producers.
Download or read book A Better Planet written by Daniel C. Esty and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2019-10-22 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A practical, bipartisan call to action from the world’s leading thinkers on the environment and sustainability Sustainability has emerged as a global priority over the past several years. The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change and the adoption of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals through the United Nations have highlighted the need to address critical challenges such as the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, water shortages, and air pollution. But in the United States, partisan divides, regional disputes, and deep disagreements over core principles have made it nearly impossible to chart a course toward a sustainable future. This timely new book, edited by celebrated scholar Daniel C. Esty, offers fresh thinking and forward-looking solutions from environmental thought leaders across the political spectrum. The book’s forty essays cover such subjects as ecology, environmental justice, Big Data, public health, and climate change, all with an emphasis on sustainability. The book focuses on moving toward sustainability through actionable, bipartisan approaches based on rigorous analytical research.
Download or read book Water and Agriculture Sustainability Markets and Policies written by OECD and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2006-10-23 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores how both governments and the private sector can expand the role of markets to allocate water used by all sectors and to get agricultural producers to account for the pollution that their sector generates.
