Draft; May 2, 2011
Proposed Steering Committee Note
Note to Source Water Collaborative Members:
Subject:
Communication with Your Members on EPA Memorandum on a Framework for State
Nutrient Reductions
As you may be aware, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Assistant
Administrator for the Office of Water, Nancy Stoner, released the attached memorandum to EPA
Regional Administrators on March 16, 2011. The memorandum, entitled “Working in Partnership with
States to Address Phosphorus and Nitrogen Pollution through Use of a Framework for State Nutrient
Reductions,” reaffirms EPA’s commitment to partner with states and collaborating with interested
stakeholders to accelerate progress in reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to our nation’s
waters. Accompanying the memorandum is a framework, “Recommended Elements of a State
Framework for Managing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution”, that asks EPA Regions to initiate dialogue
with interested states, to tailor a framework for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus non-point source
pollution that is broad-based at the state level, and encourages partnerships with outside stakeholders,
coupled with cooperative efforts with agencies like USDA with expertise and financial resources to spur
improvement in best practices by agriculture and other important sectors. The memorandum
encourages these efforts to engage all stakeholders and sectors, federal, state and non-governmental
organizations, to develop and implement watershed-scale plans to address nonpoint runoff of nitrogen
and phosphorus, targeted to areas where they are most needed.
The watershed scale focus of the Framework offers an opportunity for Source Water
Collaborative (SWC) member engagement. In collaboration with this renewed energy and focus on
reducing non-point source pollution in our nation’s waters, the SWC is also focusing on state and local
efforts to reduce nutrient loadings to surface and ground waters, and has reached out to a number of
federal agencies and other state and local organizations also working to achieve a reduction in loadings
to waters. The Steering Committee is urging Collaborative member organizations to share this EPA
memorandum with their members. We encourage you to send the following cover communication,
separately, or in collaboration with other Collaborative members, transmitting the March 16, 2011
memorandum.
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Proposed Transmittal Communication
[Insert your organization(s) name here] is/are providing the attached March 16, 2011
memorandum from the EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator of Water, Nancy Stoner, entitled “Working
in Partnership with States to Address Phosphorus and Nitrogen Pollution through the Use of a
Framework for State Nutrient Reductions” and are urging our respective members to work with your
local and state-level agricultural and environmental agencies as they consider voluntary options outlined
in this memorandum to develop local, regional, and statewide partnerships and plans that can be part of
a framework for achieving nutrient loading reductions and improving water quality. These options are
on a watershed scale and include approaches that identify high priority watersheds to target most
effective practices where they are needed most, and this would include protecting drinking water
sources.
More specifically, the Framework includes several elements that can help protect sources of
drinking water, and provide opportunities for SWC member involvement at the state and local level.
Impacts on public and private drinking water supplies are specifically mentioned as criteria to be used in
prioritization of sub-watersheds (see Element 1). In addition, there are partnership opportunities
identified in agricultural areas to “develop watershed-scale plans that target the most effective practices
where they are needed most” (Element 4), and to provide input as a state considers how it will “use
state, county and local government tools to assure nitrogen and phosphorus reductions from developed
communities not covered by the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4)” (Element 5). EPA's
memorandum solicits feedback from stakeholders, and encourages watershed-scale "partnerships with
federal and state agricultural partners, NGOs, private sector partners, landowners, and other
stakeholders."
We believe that you, our members, by offering your assistance to federal, state and local
agencies working on elements of this Framework and particularly “watershed-scale plans" can provide
extremely valuable assistance, tools and expertise to ensure successful development and
implementation of effective short- and long-term approaches to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus
impacts on drinking water sources. Therefore, we encourage you to share this information with your
members, and to contact the appropriate state and local agencies and non-governmental entities, and
offer your assistance.
Sincerely,
Organization 1
Organization 2
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