The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced a policy memorandum that outlines its commitment to work with a range of groups to reduce excess nutrients in the nation's waterways.
The EPA will work with federal agencies, state co-regulators, water stakeholders, local Tribes, farmers and the agricultural community on these efforts; the agency said in a news release on its website.
Nutrient pollution poses an increasing problem that is costly to the nation, and the EPA's memo serves as a call to action; EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox said in the release.
"At the same time, promising innovations, creative partnerships, holistic One Water solutions and unprecedented opportunities to invest in clean and safe water through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have the potential to rapidly accelerate progress on nutrient pollution," Fox said.
Robert Bonnie, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's under secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, noted that his agency is pleased to be working with key stakeholders, including the EPA, farmers and ranchers to tackle the problem of excess nutrients in the waterways across the country.
The EPA's commitment to working with states is welcome news to Preston Cole, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the release said. He expects the EPA's nutrients memo to help drive progress to protect the nation's waters.
