Nomination Guidance / Beneficial Sewage Sludge Use Awards Program for Operating Projects, Technology Development, Research


vvEPA
            Untied States
            Environmental Protection
            Agency
              Office of Municipal
              Pollution Control (WH-595)
              Washington, DC 20460 '
            Water
              January 1991
Nomination
Guidance
            Beneficial
            Sewage Sludge
            Use
            Awards
            Program
            For
            Operating Projects,
            Technology Development,
            Research

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INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to
announce the 1991 Beneficial Sewage Sludge Use Awards Program. This
program recognizes outstanding operational projects, research studies, and
technological advances which promote the beneficial use of municipal
sewage sludge. EPA Regional Offices will join the Water Pollution Control
Federation (WPCF) in helping to implement this program. The awards
program includes separate competitions within most of our Regions to
recognize additional beneficial sludge use efforts.
EPA actively promotes the beneficial use of sewage sludge. Creative and
widely applicable techniques for the beneficial use of sewage sludge are vital
to our efforts to protect and better utilize our resources. Many municipalities,
businesses, individuals and groups have worked for years to make significant
contributions to the study and practice of safer beneficial use of municipal
sewage sludge. These awards help demonstrate the operational viability of
sewage sludge management practices which beneficially use sludge in a
manner that is environmentally safe, economically attractive and acceptable
to the public. Winning entries will receive formal awards and along with other
worthy nominations will be publicly recognized in various EPA, WPCF, tradq
and municipal publications. We encourage you to nominate worthy
candidates deserving of recognition.
The National awards will be made in October 1991 at the Annual WPCF
Conference in Toronto, Canada. This pamphletdescribes the awards
program in detail and gives guidance for preparing and submitting
nominations. Please note that this year you need to send your nominations to
EPA ’s Regional Offices by their deadlines so that these outstanding efforts
can be considered for both the regional and national competitions.
Sincerely,
Paul M. Baltay
Director, Municipal Facilities Division
Office of Municipal Pollution Cqntrol

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DESCRIPTION OF AWARDS PROGRAM
Purpose
The purpose of the awards program is to encourage the development and
use at cost-ettective and environmentally sate sewage sludge beneficial
use practices which recycle nutrients, improve soil conditions or otherwise
conserve valuable natural resources.
Award Categories
Nominations will be accepted to recognize excellence in a wide range of
activities that have stimulated beneficial use of municipal sewage sludge.
National awards will be presented in the following three categones
• Operating Projects. Outstanding, full-scale, beneficial use
technologies.
• Technology Development ActIvIties. Significant technological
improvements that have been developed and fully proven at the
operational level; these may be pilot or lull-scale activities.
• Research Activities. Studies that have substantially contributed to a
improved understanding of sludge beneficial use practices; improved
public acceptance; and/or advanced the technology.
Nomination and Award Guidance
• Candidates for awards may be nominated by anyone including the
nominee, EPA Regions . States, municipalities, con ultants,
researchers or other interested parties.
• Completed nomination packages in specified format (see pages 4 and 5)
must be submitted jn duplicate to the EPA Regional Office in which
your State is located (see pages 6 and 7).
• important--Please check with your Regional Office contact (page 7) for
any Region-specific nomination guidance and for that Region’s
submission deadline. The tentative Regional deadlines for receipt of
nominations are shown on page 6.
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• Entries will be considered for Regional awards (where established) as
well as National awards Regions will forward one copy of all entries to
WPCF for the National competition by the June 15, 1991 National
deadline.
• During June, July and August, nomination packages, received for the
National competition, will be reviewed by a panel consisting of
representatives from EPA, WPCF and other groups. EPA Regional
Offices will also review the nominations for projects in their Region.
• National award recipients will be notified by August 31, 1991.
• National awards will be presented in October 1991 at WPCF’s Annual
Conference in Toronto, Canada.
• Each National award will consist of a project certificate and plaque.
• An exhibit or poster session display and a short article describing each
National award winning beneficial use activity will be developed for the
WPCF Conference. Subsequent publications describing those
Regional as well as National activities will be encouraged.
• We again encourage submission of nominations in thetechnology
development and research categories because these activities are
impbrtant in developing new alternatives and improvements in
available beneficial use practices.
• Note that there are -two categories foroperating projects this year with
awards for both large and small projects.
• Previous first place winning projects or activities will not be considered
as candidates for the same award category for a five-year period.
However, second place winners can reapply after a one year wait to try
for first place in the same award category. Unsuccessful nominees for
awards may be immediately submitted again the next year. This
persistence paid off for a project that won first place in 1990 after
improving its submission each year for three years.
• Nominated and winning activities have included both individuals and
groups from private as well as publ.ic organizations.
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EVALUATION ÔRITERIA
The beneficial use of sewage sludge award candidates will be evaluated
against the following criteria.
For Operating Projects [ Two categories: (1)  5 MOD (2) >5 MOD]
• Significant recycling/reuse of natural resources (e.g., nutrients, organic
mailer and energy).
• Sustained (several years), full-scale, proven operation.
• Consistent, cost-effective operation.
• Publicly acceptable.
• Compliant with applicable Federal, State and local regulations.
• Excellence in project management.
For Technology Developmeflt ActivitIes
• Sustained excellence in advancing our knowledge of technology (e.g.,
improved design criteria or operational practice).
• National application technology has potential for use in many areas
across the country.
• Operationally proven.
For Research ActIvities
N !3reater public acceptability of sludge beneficial use.
• Greatly improves our understanding of the environmental effects
associated with beneficial use of sludge..
• Substantial contribution toward the development of improved technology
design and operation.
• Key information generated for the development of improved sludge
regulations and guidance.
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NOMINATION FORMAT
The information descnbed in the Nomination Format should be supplied in
the nomination package. The completeness of information provided and
manner in which the nomination addresses the Evaluation Criteria in the
Executive Summary and text is especially important.
All noniinations must be submitted in duplicate in the following format to the
appropriate EPA Regional Office (see pages 6 and 7).
1. Identifying InformatIon (Front page)
Name, address, affiliation, telephone number, NPDES number (if
applicable) and the spokesperson for the project or activity.
2. ExecutIve Summary (2 pages or less)
Describe the project or activity indicating the award category for which the
nomination is proposed and how it meets the evaluation criteria.
3. Facility/ActIvity informatIon (4-5 pages)
Provide the following relevant information to adequately support the
nomination. -
(a) Sludge type, volume, quality and processing Information. Be
specific regarding the unit processes, including sludge production
and processing details, sludge quality (e.g., nutrients and
pollutants) and other details relevant to the beneficial use practice.
(b) Cooperating parties and their contributions to the beneficial use
project or activity.
(c) Duration and size of the project or activity, extent of ability to
operate at design level and cost information.
(d) Compliance record with applicable local, State and Federal
regulations.
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(e) Project monitoring program, including its use to evaluate and modify
management practices.
(f) Description of project management activities emphasizing efforts to
hold down qosts and to maintain and promote excellence in project
performance.
(g) Description of training activities, where applicable, leading to
improved operations, performance and public acceptability.
(h) P01W pretreatment program and its effectiveness, if appropriate.
(i) Special innovative practices or activities.
(D Obstacles (technical, political, public acceptance or other)
overcome as a result of the activity.
(k) Evidence of enhanced benefits resulting from the activity (such as
lower sludge management costs, Idwer energy consumption,
enhanced soil properties, better crop productivity and quality,
enhanced plant disease resistance, lower human heafth risks,
greater national adoption of practice and improved public
acceptance).
4. Attachments
Supporting materials maybe attached. The attachment should include a
short cover index page that lists the various supporting materials and gives
about a 4- to 6-line description of each item.
Photographs of the actiVity are strongly encouraged (where appropriate).
Note: Sheer bulk 01 information is not desirable. Be concise and attach
items that truly substantiate the importance and relevance of the beneficial
use project or activity. Please do not send materials that you wish to have
back because application materials are not returned.
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Tentative Regional Deadlines for Nominations
EPA Tentative
Region Deadline Dates t States
1 05-24-9 1 Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
05-01 -91 New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico,
Virgin Islands -
3 05-01 -91 Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania. Virginia, West Virginia
4 05-24-91 Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee
5 05-01 -91 Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota,
Qhio, Wisconsin
6 05-01 -91 Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, Texas
7 05-01 ’-91 Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
8 05-31 -91 Colorado, Montana, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
9 05-3 1 -91 Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada,
American Samoa, Guam
10 05-01 -91 Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
lhese deadline dates for receipt of award nomination packages are
tentative. Please check with your Regional Office for veilfication.
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EPA Regional Contact: (See List of States In Each Region, Page 6)
Region Address Contact Telephone
1 Municipal Evaluadon Section Charles Conway 617-565-3517
Water Division
JFK Federal Building, WCM 510
Boston, MA 02203
2 Water Management Division John Melto 212-264-5677
26 Federal Plaza, Rrn 837
New York, NY 10278
3 Water Management Division Jim Kern 215-597-3423
841 Chestnut Street (3WM22)
PhiLadelphia, PA 19107
4 Municipal Facibties Branch Vince Miller 404-347-3633
Water Management Division
345 Courtland Street
-Atlanta, GA 30365
5 Permits Section (5WOP-TUB-8) John O’Grady 312-353-1938
Water Division
- 230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL. 60604
6 Municipal Facilities Branch Ancil Jones 214-655-7130
Water Management Division
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202
7 Construction Grants Branch Frank tylischlich 913-551-7449
Water Management Division
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
8 Compliance Branch Bob Brobst 303-293-1627
Water Management Division
999 18th Street, Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2405
9 Permits and Compliance Lauren Fondahl 415-144-1909
Branch (W-5-2)
Water Division
75 Hawthorne St
San Francisco, CA 94105
10 Municipal Facilities Branch Dick Hethenngton 206-442-1941
Water Division, WD-085
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Also Contacf
The Water Pollution Control Federation 703-684-2400
Attentiorv Technical Services
601 Wythe Street
Alexandna 1 VA 22314 7

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