nonpoint source pollution reductions – estimating a tradable commodity allen r. dedrick associate...
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Nonpoint Source Pollution Nonpoint Source Pollution Reductions – Estimating a Reductions – Estimating a Tradable CommodityTradable Commodity
Allen R. DedrickAssociate Deputy AdministratorNatural Resources & Sustainable Agricultural SystemsAgricultural Research ServiceU. S. Department of Agriculture
Research Support for Research Support for Environmental Credit Environmental Credit TradingTrading
Allen R. DedrickAssociate Deputy AdministratorNatural Resources & Sustainable Agricultural SystemsAgricultural Research ServiceU. S. Department of Agriculture
Environmental credit Environmental credit trading programstrading programs
Market-based Market-based mechanisms for mechanisms for allocating pollutant allocating pollutant reductions among reductions among different sourcesdifferent sources
Offer the lowest-cost Offer the lowest-cost methods to reduce net methods to reduce net emissionsemissions
Role of agricultural science Role of agricultural science in developing trading in developing trading systemssystems
Water quality and quantity Water quality and quantity included among goalsincluded among goals
Market-based solutions Market-based solutions should be developedshould be developed
USDA Secretary Ann USDA Secretary Ann Veneman's vision for Veneman's vision for achieving conservation achieving conservation goalsgoals
Role of agricultural science Role of agricultural science in developing trading in developing trading systemssystems
Producers need voluntary Producers need voluntary conservation opportunitiesconservation opportunities
Comprehensive conservation benefits Comprehensive conservation benefits index to assess value of all projectsindex to assess value of all projects Needs to be risk-based for objective Needs to be risk-based for objective
scoringscoring Contracts awarded based on the greatest Contracts awarded based on the greatest
benefit/cost advantagesbenefit/cost advantages
USDA Secretary Ann USDA Secretary Ann Veneman's vision for Veneman's vision for achieving conservation achieving conservation goalsgoals
Objectives include trading credits in ways that Objectives include trading credits in ways that achieve ancillary environmental benefits achieve ancillary environmental benefits beyond the required reductions in pollutant beyond the required reductions in pollutant loads, e.g., creation and restoration of loads, e.g., creation and restoration of wetlands, floodplains, and wildlife habitatwetlands, floodplains, and wildlife habitat
Need technical tools for making site-specific Need technical tools for making site-specific determinations of nonpoint source reductions determinations of nonpoint source reductions in pollutantsin pollutants
Role of agricultural science Role of agricultural science in developing trading in developing trading systemssystems
EPA's Water Quality Trading PolicyEPA's Water Quality Trading Policy
Trading works best when…..Trading works best when…..
The problem occurs The problem occurs over a large areaover a large area
There are many There are many sources responsible sources responsible for the problemfor the problem
The cost of controls The cost of controls varies from one varies from one source to anothersource to another
Emissions can be Emissions can be consistently and consistently and accurately measuredaccurately measured
Major contributions from Major contributions from research organizationsresearch organizations
Developing methods for Developing methods for quantifying emissions and quantifying emissions and reductions under different reductions under different conditions and at different conditions and at different scales (time and space)scales (time and space)
Comparing methods for Comparing methods for efficiencyefficiency
Developing and improving Developing and improving ways to reduce nonpoint ways to reduce nonpoint source pollutantssource pollutants
Major contributions from Major contributions from research organizationsresearch organizations
Incorporating ancillary Incorporating ancillary benefits whenever benefits whenever possiblepossible
Developing Developing environmental benefits environmental benefits indices that are risk-indices that are risk-based, are quantifiable, based, are quantifiable, and can be assigned and can be assigned monetary valuemonetary value
Research is an important Research is an important part of USDA’s missionpart of USDA’s mission
““Practical and scientific experiments” since Practical and scientific experiments” since 1862.1862.
By World War II, USDA received about 40% of By World War II, USDA received about 40% of all Federal research funds.all Federal research funds.
Agricultural Research Administration created Agricultural Research Administration created during World War II.during World War II.
Agricultural Research Service created in 1953.Agricultural Research Service created in 1953.
Agriculture in U.S. EconomyAgriculture in U.S. Economy
16% of the $9 16% of the $9 trillion U.S. gross trillion U.S. gross domestic productdomestic product
17% of employed17% of employed 8% of U.S. exports 8% of U.S. exports
in 1999in 1999 <2% U.S. <2% U.S.
workforce on workforce on farmsfarms
100% of the 100% of the citizens are userscitizens are users
ARS improves the way America ARS improves the way America produces and uses food and produces and uses food and fiber.fiber.
Quality and nutritional valueQuality and nutritional value Sustainability of natural resources and Sustainability of natural resources and
environmental qualityenvironmental quality Economic value for producers, Economic value for producers,
consumers, and communitiesconsumers, and communities
104 Locations, ~70 in 104 Locations, ~70 in Natural ResourcesNatural Resources
$1 billion annual $1 billion annual budget (FY03), ~budget (FY03), ~$175 $175 million annually in NRmillion annually in NR
~2,000 scientists~2,000 scientists
1,000+ research 1,000+ research projectsprojects
ARS Laboratory LocationsARS Laboratory Locations
Examples of ARS research products Examples of ARS research products that support development of that support development of environmental credit trading programsenvironmental credit trading programs
Measurement Measurement technologies for technologies for nutrients and sediments nutrients and sediments in waterin water
Models to estimate Models to estimate nutrients and sediments nutrients and sediments in water on different in water on different geographic scalesgeographic scales
Examples of ARS research products Examples of ARS research products that support development of that support development of environmental credit trading programsenvironmental credit trading programs
Models linking Models linking pollutants, pollutant pollutants, pollutant reductions, and reductions, and “downstream” impacts “downstream” impacts
Information linking Information linking management practices management practices to nutrients and to nutrients and sediments in watersediments in water
Measurement technologies for Measurement technologies for nutrients and sediments in nutrients and sediments in waterwater Acoustic, radar, and Acoustic, radar, and
visible light visible light technologies for technologies for measuring sediment measuring sediment loads in waterloads in water
Automated stream Automated stream samplingsampling
Models to estimate nutrients and Models to estimate nutrients and sediments in water on different sediments in water on different geographic scalesgeographic scales Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation
(RUSLE)(RUSLE) – an updated version of USLE that – an updated version of USLE that estimates soil erosion by raindrop impact estimates soil erosion by raindrop impact and surface runoff, which then contributes and surface runoff, which then contributes to sediments in surface waters. to sediments in surface waters.
Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) - - widely accepted by government agencies widely accepted by government agencies for estimating loading and transport of for estimating loading and transport of sediments and nutrients in river basins.sediments and nutrients in river basins.
Models to estimate nutrients and Models to estimate nutrients and sediments in water on different sediments in water on different geographic scalesgeographic scales
HUMUS (Hydrologic Unit Model for the United States) is based on SWAT and a GIS interface
Models linking pollutants, pollutant Models linking pollutants, pollutant reductions, and “downstream” reductions, and “downstream” impactsimpacts Agricultural Non-Point Source Agricultural Non-Point Source
Pollution Model (AGNPS)Pollution Model (AGNPS) - - predicts non-point source predicts non-point source pollutant loadings within pollutant loadings within agricultural watersheds, assists agricultural watersheds, assists with determining Best with determining Best Management Practices, Total Management Practices, Total Maximum Daily Loads, risks to Maximum Daily Loads, risks to environmental resources, and environmental resources, and cost-benefit analysescost-benefit analyses
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991YEAR
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
RU
NO
FF
(m
m)
Measured Runoff
Simulated Runoff
GOODW IN CREEK W ATERSHEDAnnAGNPS SIMULATED & MEASURED RUNOFFSTATION #1 1982-1991
Information linking management Information linking management practices to nutrients and practices to nutrients and sediments in watersediments in water
Impacts of riparian buffers, Impacts of riparian buffers, tillage systems, and other tillage systems, and other management practices on management practices on surface runoffsurface runoff
Reducing nitrogen fertilizer Reducing nitrogen fertilizer movement into surface and movement into surface and ground watersground waters
Information linking management Information linking management practices to nutrients and practices to nutrients and sediments in watersediments in water
Development of national Development of national phosphorus index to phosphorus index to minimize nutrient losses minimize nutrient losses into surface and into surface and groundwatergroundwater
Applications of precision Applications of precision farming for environmental farming for environmental benefitsbenefits
Research opportunitiesResearch opportunities
Conduct modeling, field Conduct modeling, field experiments, and case experiments, and case studies to determine which studies to determine which Farm Bill conservation Farm Bill conservation practices promote an practices promote an optimum combination of optimum combination of pollutant load reduction, or pollutant load reduction, or carbon sequestration, versus carbon sequestration, versus intended or ancillary benefits. intended or ancillary benefits.
Research opportunitiesResearch opportunities
Develop models that can Develop models that can integrate prediction of integrate prediction of non-point source nutrient non-point source nutrient loading along with carbon loading along with carbon sequestration, to examine sequestration, to examine total environmental total environmental benefits of programs and benefits of programs and practices practices
Conservation Effects Assessment Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)Project (CEAP)
The principal focus of the CEAP effort The principal focus of the CEAP effort is to produce an assessment of is to produce an assessment of environmental benefits derived from environmental benefits derived from implementing USDA conservation implementing USDA conservation programs. programs.
The project has two major The project has two major components and reporting scales: components and reporting scales:
National Assessment National Assessment
Watershed AssessmentWatershed Assessment
CEAP--Conservation practices that CEAP--Conservation practices that will be emphasized include…will be emphasized include…
conservation buffersconservation buffers nutrient managementnutrient management pest managementpest management tillage managementtillage management pest managementpest management irrigation managementirrigation management
Research is an important Research is an important foundation for any environmental foundation for any environmental credit trading programcredit trading program Existing tools may need Existing tools may need
modification for estimating modification for estimating nonpoint source pollutants nonpoint source pollutants and reductions on a large and reductions on a large geographic scale.geographic scale.
Monitoring tools and Monitoring tools and methods must be rapid methods must be rapid and inexpensive for wide and inexpensive for wide application.application.
Research is an important Research is an important foundation for any environmental foundation for any environmental credit trading programcredit trading program New conservation practices New conservation practices
must be developed and must be developed and tested under different tested under different conditions for reliability.conditions for reliability.
Research reduces Research reduces uncertainties in estimating uncertainties in estimating pollutant reductions, thus pollutant reductions, thus contributing to their contributing to their increased economic value.increased economic value.
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