Nutrient Trading and the Implications on Mid-Atlantic Waters
Nutrient trading is a market-based approach to addressing water quality goals that allows one source to meet its regulatory obligations by paying another source to reduce it's emissions beyond their own requirements. While water quality credit trading can produce economic and water quality benefits, it may not be the best solution in every watershed.
Designing trading programs to achieve desired outcomes and ensuring that they accurately measure those outcomes is a key to successful implementation. To provide program managers, policy-makers, and stakeholders with unbiased information on the potential benefits and costs of nutrient trading programs, the Mid-Atlantic Water Program hosted several workshops on the theory of water quality credit trading, its goals, and the implications of putting trading into practice on Mid-Atlantic waters.
Events and Presentations
- Nutrient Trading and Implications of Mid-Atlantic Waters
March 22, 2007 – Frederick, MD
An introduction to nutrient trading in the Mid-Atlantic. Co-sponsored with the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program. - Water Quality Credit Trading Symposium
January 29, 2007 – Savannah, GA
Held at the National Water Conference, Savannah, GA. A national discussion on nutrient trading and its implications on water quality. - EPA Region 3 Nutrient Trading Workshop
December 12, 2007 – Rockville, MD
A workshop to facilitate greater discussion on nutrient trading in the region. Co-hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Water Quality Trading Forum.
Publications
- Water Quality Credit Trading and Agriculture: Recognizing the Challenges and Policy Issues Ahead. Published in Choices magazine, 2nd Quarter (2007)
- A Primer on Water Quality Credit Trading in the Mid-Atlantic (2006)
State Specific Interests:- Pennsylvania (2007)
- Virginia (2007)
- West Virginia (2007)
- Nutrient Trading Resource Directory (2005)
Other Resources
- U.S Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Pennsylvania's Nutrient Trading Program: Legal Issues and Challenges (2007)
This white paper was commissioned by the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program. This product was prepared by the National Sea Grant Law Center.