2/28/17
In Brief / en bref...

A bill (H.211) introduced in the Vermont legislature, includes a provision directing the state regulatory agency to come up with a plan to phase out land application of biosolids.  The particular language is sloppily written, and the premise on which the phase-out is based is a misrepresentation of a biosolids report provided to the Vermont Legislature in January 2016.  So far, the bill has not been taken up by the House Natural Resources committee to which it was assigned, and it may or may not be formally discussed this session.  NEBRA is working with the Green Mountain Water Environment Association (GMWEA) to provide accurate information on biosolids management and associated costs and ensure all options for solids management remain open into the future.

Synagro has signed another 5-year contract with Waterbury, CT.  The company will continue to operate and maintain the Waterbury sewage sludge incinerator, providing an outlet for wastewater solids from around the region, according to a Synagro news release.

WEF has a new Biosolids Program Manager, Dr. Patrick Dube, who started work at WEF on January 30th.   Patrick was hired into a new biosolids position as part of an increased investment in biosolids approved by the WEF Board in April 2016 based on a biosolids communication strategy and recommendations.  According to a WEF announcement, "We think Patrick will be anexcellent fit for WEF and a great asset in our service to our members.  With BS and Ph.D. degrees in engineering, Patrick has worked for USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.  His interests/expertise focus on resource recovery (e.g., energy recovery from manures and municipal wastes; nutrient recovery from manures and wastewater residuals). With Patrick’s arrival, biosolids will be unique in that no other core WEF technical program has dedicated staffing.... Our expanded investment in biosolids will also include contractual support for implementation of the biosolids communications strategy; input, expertise, and leadership from another new position – the Senior Communications Director; and part-time contractual services from a senior biosolids expert to enable us to provide additional support to MAs or utilities facing land application issues as part of our overall technical and outreach strategy."  NEBRA and other biosolids regional group leaders were instrumental in encouraging the WEF Board to heighten WEF's investment in biosolids.

U. S. EPA, under new leadership, has withdrawn the new dental amalgam regulation that was signed and ready to be published in the Federal Register (as noted in January NEBRA news).  Now, according to NACWA, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has sued EPA for the sudden change.  "The rule requires all dental offices that place or remove dental amalgam to install separators and follow two best management practices."  Such practices help protect biosolids quality by controlling a major source of mercury in wastewater.  "The Dental Rule was pulled pursuant to the regulatory freeze order issued by White House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus on January 20, requiring that all regulations that are sent to the Office of the Federal Register, but not yet published, be withdrawn," noted NACWA.  NRDC is arguing that a regulation that has gone through the full public comment regulatory administrative process and has been signed by the EPA Administrator cannot be legally withdrawn by the Executive without another full administrative process.  Stay tuned...