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Friday, August 8, 1997
EPA Outlines Plans to Reinvest in National Biosolids Program
Bob Perciasepe, EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water recently met with senior management and staff to request a reevaluation of the level of effort and oversight for biosolids management being provided by the Agency. EPA has now concluded that this need became apparent because of the ongoing difficulties in gaining public acceptance, particularly with the recent negative media reporting series by CNN in June. Fourteen potential areas were identified by Agency staff based on a draft list of recommendations that were developed by a group of biosolids stakeholders, including AMSA, that had met in mid-May in Potomac, MD to identify issues that warranted attention. Various individuals within the EPA were assigned the responsibility to further develop options for additional Agency and stakeholder efforts in these areas. EPA announced at a biosolids management specialty conference in Philadelphia this past week its intent to reinvest additional resources to this program and has invited both AMSA and WEF to forge a partnership through a proposed management group with the Agency to focus on priority activities and a mechanism for implementation of projects. A proposed Advisory Committee involving other stakeholder groups could also be created to help define the tasks to be performed.
EPA has identified five priority areas that it would like to pursue and fund over the next fiscal year. These priorities include the preparation of a code of good management practices for biosolids; conducting a biosolids quality survey to compare data from 1988-89 with post Part 503 quality; formation of SWAT teams comprised of biosolids experts to assist in the investigation and preparation of quick responses of significant alleged problems similar to those reported by CNN; renewed EPA oversight by the Office of Enforcement & Compliance Assurance to develop enforcement priorities and to work on cases and to provide compliance assistance; and increased technical assistance and research & development into emerging national issues such as radioactivity, dioxin, pathogens, and animal manures. AMSA, WEF, and EPA will be considering various priority options over the next few months.
Radioactivity Workgroup Meets with Nuclear Regulatory Commission
A workgroup comprised of AMSA, WEF, and EPA also met in Philadelphia with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to discuss issues relating to the recently released draft NRC guidance on radioactivity in biosolids and to institute a mechanism for participation in a proposed survey of radionucleide content in POTW biosolids. The AMSA National Office forwarded NRC's "Draft Guidance for POTWs on Radioactive Materials in Sewage Sludge/Ash," via Regulatory Alert RA 97-15. Comments will be consolidated by the National Office and forwarded to NRC in August. Based on preliminary comments and potential public perception concerns with beneficial use activities should any radioactivity be found in biosolids, AMSA proposed that its members assist NRC with writing sections of the guidance to better address POTW concerns; EPA's Office of Water develop risk criteria for radionucleides over the next year before the survey is conducted to assist with interpretation of sampling results; survey design be restructured along the lines of the Part 503 National Sewage Sludge Survey as a random national survey of radionuceide content of POTW biosolids versus the current targeted sampling effort proposed by EPA and NRC; and NRC form a Steering Committee, that includes AMSA, to review the survey results and ensure that the activity has POTW oversight. NRC was also requested to review how POTWs may exercise its legal authority under the pretreatment program to force a licensee to cease the discharge of radionucleides that exceed risk criteria established by EPA and results in pass through and interference. NRC had initially planned to conduct its POTW survey later this year; however, AMSA and WEF will send a joint follow up letter to NRC in August urging NRC and EPA to delay the survey until the above steps have been implemented. The Radioactivity Group plans to meet again in Chicago at WEFTEC in October.