Posted December 6, 2013
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced an expanded
partnership to support water quality trading and other market-based approaches that
provide benefits to the environment and improve compliance with the Clean Water
Act, according to a USDA news release available here. Farm Futures also reported on the story here.
“New water quality trading markets hold incredible
potential to benefit rural America by providing new income opportunities and
enhancing conservation of water and wildlife habitat,” said Secretary of
Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Additionally,
these efforts will strengthen businesses across the nation by providing a new
pathway to comply with the regulatory requirements.”
Trading would allow regulated entities to purchase and
use pollutant reduction credits generated by other sources in a watershed as a
cost-effective approach for regulated entities to comply with Clean Water Act
requirements.
Through this partnership, USDA and EPA will coordinate
and enhance communications and outreach efforts, engage experts, share
information on the development of rules and guidance that may affect water
quality trading, collaborate on developing tools and information resources, and
co-host a workshop by 2015.
For more information on water law and the clean water
act, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center here and
here.
