For Immediate Release
April 7, 2003
Contact: Lori Burkhammer
1(703) 684-2400
WEF TO COMMENT ON EPA'S RESPONSE TO NAS REPORT
(Alexandria, VA) - (Alexandria, Va.) The Water Environment Federation (WEF) will comment on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's strategy to respond to the recommendations in the National Research Council's National Academy of Sciences July 2002 report entitled "Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices." "The public has a right to expect that biosolids land application programs will continue to have a sound scientific and technical basis. We commend EPA and in particular Tracy Mehan, Assistant Administrator for Water, for their leadership in formulating a response to the NAS recommendations," said WEF Executive Director Bill Bertera. "The Federation plans to submit comments during the 90-day comment period."
The report was an independent review of the technical basis of the chemical and pathogen regulations applicable to sewage sludge that is applied to land. The Federal Register notice, signed April 2, 2003, explains the Agency's rationale for the strategy and solicits public comment on the strategy.
In the Federal Register notice, EPA identifies three main objectives for attaining a better understanding of biosolids and reducing the potential for, or reducing the uncertainty related to, human health impacts: update the scientific basis of Part 503 by conducting research in priority areas; strengthen the biosolids program by evaluating results of completed, ongoing, or planned studies both within and outside EPA; and continue ongoing activities for enhancing communication with outside associations and with the public.
The Federation's Residuals and Biosolids Committee will review recommendations in the following categories: survey, exposure, risk assessment, methods development, pathogens, human health studies, regulatory activities, and biosolids management. Following public comment, EPA will publish specific pollutants for possible regulation in early 2004. To view the Federal Register notice, please visit http://biosolids.policy.net/relatives/25601.pdf. For more information about WEF, visit www.wef.org.
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes water quality professionals from 79 Member Associations in 32 countries.