Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - July 3, 2002
Click Here
to see previous Fax Alerts
July 3, 2002
NAS Issues Biosolids Report, Finds No Evidence of Health Risk
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released today its report, Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices (the NAS Report), making the “overarching finding” that “[t]here is no documented scientific evidence that the Part 503 rule has failed to protect health.” The NAS Report does, however, also recommend that additional scientific work is needed to further reduce any lingering uncertainty regarding the land-application of biosolids, a position that AMSA endorses and is working toward with other stakeholder groups.The NAS Report makes four basic recommendations: Use improved risk-assessment methods to establish better standards; conduct a new national survey of chemicals and pathogens in sewage sludge; establish a framework for an approach to implement human health investigations; and increase resources devoted to EPA’s biosolids program. In its official response to the NAS Report today, EPA stated that “[t]he Agency believes existing standards adequately protect public health but also shares the Academy's view that additional scientific research and data gathering would be helpful.” AMSA will be performing an in-depth analysis of the NAS’s recommendations and what they mean to wastewater treatment utilities. AMSA’s analysis will be made available to members via a Regulatory Alert next week. The NAS Report is available at http://books.nap.edu/books/0309084865/html/index.html.
To further the understanding of the biosolids process, AMSA and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) also issued this week a joint Guide to Understanding Biosolids (the Guide), which provides background information regarding the benefits of, scientific developments in, and studies underway to further improve, biosolids management. As the Guide states, “Studies by EPA, the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and . . . AMSA have demonstrated that the beneficial land application of biosolids poses a negligible risk to human health.” The AMSA/WEF Guide is on the Association’s web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/070202gubiov70102.pdf.
AMSA Anticipates July 22 Release of Security Software Tool
AMSA anticipates releasing its Vulnerability Self Assessment Tool (VSAT™) for publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) on July 22. The VSAT™ software will provide POTWs with a comprehensive, user-friendly system to analyze and prioritize their vulnerability to both intentional threats, such as terrorism, and a host of natural disasters, including floods, hurricanes and others. VSAT™ organizes data, documents vulnerability analyses, and provides information on potential countermeasures for the full suite of utility assets, including physical plant, employees, knowledge base, information technology, and customers. VSAT™ will help manage the information obtained through the vulnerability assessment phase and will enable POTWs to track their remediation efforts.Funded through a cooperative agreement with EPA, VSAT™ will be distributed free of charge to public wastewater utilities across the nation. The tool will be forwarded to AMSA members upon its release. Users of the software will be supported not only by a comprehensive users guide, but also through user support offered online at VSATusers.net and a series of training opportunities slated for later this summer. More information on VSAT™ and upcoming training programs will be available to members in upcoming Alerts and Updates and on AMSA’s Security web site at www.amsa-cleanwater.org.
AMSA WISHES YOU A HAPPY AND SAFE INDEPENDENCE DAY!