Nutrients & Water Quality: A Region 8 Collaborative Workshop

1. Workshop Summary & Recommendations Nutrients & Water Quality:A Region 8 Collaborative Workshop Tina Laidlaw EPA Region 8 Nutrient Coordinator April 23, 2014

2. Purpose for EPA’s Nutrient Workshop Photo courtesy of M. Luers Nutrients are a nationwide and regional concern. The science and policy surrounding nutrients is complex. Need to bring together stakeholders from the various contributing sectors. Foster community of regulators and regulated, researchers, practitioners, managers, and policymakers. Photo courtesy of R. Clayshulte Photo courtesy of T. Robinson

3. Workshop Participants • Workshop participants included scientists, managers, and stakeholders from the following sectors: • Wastewater • Drinking water • Stormwater • Agriculture • Other point and nonpoint source stakeholders

4. Key Questions Related to Nutrients & Water Quality The workshop was divided into three sections to address three distinct questions Day 1: What is the Problem? Day 2: What is Being Done About the Problem? Day 3: How Can Stakeholders and Agencies Work Together in Managing the Problem?

5. Summary of Workshop Recommendations • Flexibility in Approach • Building Relationships • Financing Water Quality Improvements • Nutrient Controls and Standards to Improve Water Quality

6. Flexibility in Approach • Solutions will come from site-specific, sector-specific approaches, championed by those directly aware of local circumstances • Adaptive management should be considered integral • 100% achievement many not either be possible or necessary

7. Building Relationships Communication, relationships and trust should be established at the local level Regulators should become more knowledgeable about day-to-day operations of stakeholders. Continuity in agency staff is needed to foster productive relationships Education, information exchanges and continued dialog on nutrients are needed

8. Financing Improvements in Water Quality Investigate nutrient trading across sectors Means of financing nutrient controls needs to be built into any nutrient control program The relationship between benefits and costs needs to be understood and communicated to stakeholders, ratepayers, and dischargers

9. Nutrient Controls and Standards Nutrient controls should consider local input and involve local stakeholders Uniform sampling and data collection protocols should be established. Data sharing should be improved among all entities. Controls should consider nutrient loading, water quality impairments, and effectiveness of best management practices. Education and marketing are needed to achieve controls 

10. Unanimous Recommendation All participants stressed the need to continue the dialog leading to creative and collaborative solutions to nutrient problems.

11. Suggested Next Steps • Establish a small work group to champion actionable next steps • Encourage states to initiate internal dialogues • among stakeholders • Stage educational and relationship building opportunities (e.g., tours) • 4. Establish pilot projects to demonstrate possibilities.

12. Suggested Next Steps Establish a nutrient information clearinghouse 6. Choose exemplary examples and share them 7. Foster communication with other EPA Regions 8. Establish a Speaker’s Bureau with Power Point presentation available

13. More Information • Workshop Website: • www.cwi.colostate.edu/nutrients • Resource Library • Speaker Abstracts and Presentations • Speaker Biographies • Abstracts and Posters • Workshop Participant List • Workshop Photos