Nas Panel Crafts Roadmap For Epa To Cut Mississippi Nutrient Levels

摘要

A National Academy of Sciences (NAS) advisory panel has crafted a roadmap for EPA to begin implementing a regulatory program for reducing nutrient levels in the upper Mississippi River basin The report's proposals include detailing a process for setting and allocating interim "load reduction targets" as part of a pollution trading scheme, taking steps toward setting basin-wide criteria, and standards for nutrients and enforcing monitoring requirements for point sources for possible future discharge limits. At issue is widespread hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and elevated nutrient levels in the 31-state Mississippi River Basin. Excessive levels of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, from both point and non-point sources result in diminished oxygen levels in waters because they increase algal growth - a process known as eutrophication -which eventually lowers oxygen levels. The excess nutrients come from both point sources like wastewater treatment plants and nonpoint sources.