Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
april 2017

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water

Early warning and management can minimize impacts of harmful algal blooms

April 4, 2017

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hosted a briefing on April 4 to discuss the economic and public health impacts of harmful algal blooms. An algal bloom is a rapid accumulation of algae in freshwater or marine systems. It can be caused by various different species, both harmful and non-harmful, and may often be recognized by discoloration in the water caused by their pigment.

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) in particular are a major public health concern. Certain types of cyanobacteria produce toxins that can cause mild to severe illnesses in humans and animals. The illnesses associated with these toxins have most commonly occurred after exposure through recreational activities or drinking water. During August 2016, for instance, at least 19 states issued public health advisories because of cyanoHABs.

The economic impacts of cyanoHABs include loss of recreational and tourism revenues, decreased property values, increased costs of drinking-water treatments, and commercial fisheries losses. A preliminary study on the economic impacts of various cyanoHABs in Lake Eerie estimated that an event in 2014 cost the city of Toledo, Ohio $65 million in lost benefits.

According to the USGS, understanding environmental influences of cyanoHABs is critical to developing effective forecasting, mitigation, and management strategies to better inform decision-making. Under the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA), ongoing integrated ecosystem studies are conducted throughout the United States by an Interagency Working Group (IWG-HABHRCA), which includes the USGS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other member agencies, to better understand the diverse range of factors affecting the formation, duration, and intensity of cyanoHABs.

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey

Senate EPW committee hearing reviews Clean Water Act rule

April 26, 2017

On April 26, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) held an oversight hearing to review the Obama Administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The WOTUS rule, also known as the Clean Water Rule, was established to provide a more clear definition of the waters protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

The EPA developed a report on water connectivity to inform the WOTUS rulemaking process, which confirmed the basic hydrologic principle that all parts of a watershed are connected to some degree. According to Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Chairman of the EPW Committee, the EPA’s report fails to examine whether connections are significant, and it does not address the issue of federal jurisdiction, therefore it cannot be used to justify the WOTUS rule.

Witnesses provided testimony during the hearing to assess which streams and wetlands should be subject to federal regulation. Misha Tseytlin, Solicitor General for the State of Wisconsin, said that the WOTUS rule is “an overbroad assertion of federal authority over local waters, which are rightfully subject to state, not federal, regulation.” According to President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Wildlife Foundation (NWF) Collin O’Mara, however, the WOTUS rule is an important part of collaborative federal and state conservation efforts. Mr. O’Mara explained that the rule is a product of years of transparent scientific and public deliberations, and it protects the drinking water for more than 117 million Americans.

The hearing follows an executive order signed by President Trump on February 28 directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to review and then rescind or revise the WOTUS rule. The rule is currently stayed (postponed from further action) pending legal challenges, including a petition before the Supreme Court to decide whether or not circuit courts should have jurisdiction to hear challenges to the rule.

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Senate