Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts SpecialEdition - December 30, 2003
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December 30, 2003
EPA Responses to NRC Report, Petition for Biosolids Ban Support Land Application
The Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) has learned that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be taking several key actions demonstrating its continued support of land application as a viable biosolids management option. Tomorrow, EPA will publish its final response to the National Research Council’s (NRC) July 2002 Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices report, which found no scientific evidence linking land applied biosolids to human health risks but recommended that EPA perform further studies. This response, which will be available in the December 31st Federal Register, is expected to clearly show that EPA stands by the Part 503 biosolids program and that the Agency will continue to research pollutants in biosolids as necessary to further ensure the safety of the land application process. The response will also indicate whether there are currently any pollutants potentially requiring regulation.Tomorrow, EPA will also send its response to the Center for Food Safety’s (CFS) October 7, 2003 petition seeking an Agency ban of both Class A and B biosolids. AMSA expects this response to clearly reject this petition, demonstrating the importance of the united front that the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, AMSA, the Water Environment Federation and a dozen other municipal groups showed in their response to EPA concerning the CFS petition. The coalition response to CFS’ petition is available on AMSA’s website at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/regalerts/ra03-12.cfm.
Lastly, in line with AMSA recommendations following the publication of the 2002 NRC report, EPA sent a December 23, 2003 letter to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking their help in conducting human health incident reporting, tracking, and follow-up investigations to help further reduce any uncertainties related to human health claims linked to land applied biosolids. EPA’s letter to the CDC is available at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/2003-12-23EPACDC.pdf.
AMSA, its members, and the Biosolids Management Committee have worked hard to ensure that EPA continue to stand by the Part 503 biosolids program despite mounting criticism from a variety of individuals and organizations. The three documents referenced in this Alert unequivocally demonstrate EPA’s continued support of land application as a viable and beneficial management option and the Association will continue to work with EPA on these issues. AMSA will distribute to its members a more detailed Regulatory Alert on these key EPA documents next week.
AMSA’s National Office wishes you a safe, healthy and happy New Year!