HYPOXIA TASKjfepRCE
NEWSLETTER

October 2019 | issue 1

Welcome Message from
Hypoxia Task Force Co-Chairs

Welcome to the first issue of the Hypoxia Task Force (HTF)
Newsletter! This newsletter is intended to better inform
interested parties of the work being done to reduce the hypoxic
zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico and improve water quality
throughout the Mississippi River/Atchafalaya River Basin.

Each newsletter issue wiil highlight state and federal activities,
upcoming events, resources, and more to help support nutrient
Resources	reduction initiatives.

	 The HTF is a model for federal-state cooperation on one of the

most challenging water quality issues facing our country—the
impacts of nutrients lost into our nation's waters. Going forward,
we will use this newsletter to amplify success, innovation,
opportunities, and challenges we face as states implement their
Nutrient Reduction Strategies with strong federal support.

EPA, on behalf of the HTF, will work collaboratively with
members to publish this newsletter.

Thank you,

Dave Ross

Assistant Administrator, Office of Water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Co-Chair, Hypoxia Task Force

Mike Naig

Secretary, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
State Co-Chair, Hypoxia Task Force

HTF Message

State Activities

Federal
Activities

Hypoxia Task Force Meeting
Accomplishments and Next Steps

The HTF met on May 15-16, 2019 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
to discuss how the partnership collaborates to track progress,
share best practices in implementing nutrient reduction
strategies, and engage with partners, stakeholders, and the
public.

Tracking progress requires multiple tools and measurements to
capture the varied factors that influence the landscape and
Gulf. HTF and partners measure basin-wide water quality and
nutrient reduction at multiple scales through monitoring, trend
analyses, nonpoint and point source metric tracking, and


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annual hypoxic zone model forecasts and measurement. The
HTF also issues periodic progress reports on metrics. View
the 2017 Report to Congress on metrics and progress.

The HTF is committed to sharing information on successes,
challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned. Engaging with
partners and the public is vital to catalyzing new approaches to
tackle the scale of nutrient reductions needed to meet the HTF
goal of reducing the hypoxic zone. Networking opportunities for
partners, public engagement through annual meetings and
state website updates, and presentations at conferences are all
best practices in which we are committed to better communicate
our progress.

Overall, work continues towards implementing the HTF 2008
Action Plan. The HTF is committed to its work and expanding
engagement with the public to communicate the progress being
made to reduce excess nutrient loads to the Gulf and improve
local water quality throughout the Basin.

State Activities

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality
Act

£ £ The Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality
Act has been a successful tool in the
protection of water quality across
the state.

- Charles G. Snavely

Secretary discusses the challenges with nutrients
Mexico, Kentucky's nutrient reduction efforts, and
agriculture water quality plans to reduce soil erosi

Marking the 25th anniversary of the
state's Agricultural Water Quality Act,
Kentucky Secretary ofAgriculture Charles
G. Snavely wrote an article that appeared
in the September 2019 Kentucky Farm
Bureau News Magazine. In this article, the
and the hypoxia issues in the Gulf of
the importance of farmers implementing
an and improve water quality.

Read the article EXIT

Crop Insurance Discount for Iowa Farmers Who Plant Cover Crops

On September 30, the Iowa Department ofAgriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS)
announced that farmers planting cover crops this fall may be eligible for a $5 per acre
reduction on their spring 2020 crop insurance premiums. Cover crops can help prevent
erosion and improve water quality and soil health; cover crops reduce nitrogen loads by 28-
31 percent and phosphorous loads by 29 percent.

This is a joint three-year demonstration project administered by IDALS and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency. Applications will be accepted through
January 15, 2020 or as funding is available.

"All lowans have a role to play in improving water quality in our state and downstream. Cover
crops are proven to reduce nutrient loads and improve soil health. As part of [Iowa's] Nutrient
Reduction Strategy our goal is to have at least 14 million acres of cover crops planted in the
state of Iowa. This program represents just one of many funding sources available to help
farmers add conservation practices to their fields." -Iowa Secretary ofAgriculture Mike Naig

Read more EXIT

Federal Activities


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EPA Seeks Comment on New Policy Proposals to Facilitate Market-
Based Opportunities to Improve Water Quality

On September 5, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced an important step to help
promote the use of market-based approaches to efficiently and cost-effectively improve water
quality across the nation. Speaking at the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council meeting,
Administrator Wheeler announced new policy proposals that could simplify and give more
flexibility to states, tribes, and stakeholders seeking to develop market-based programs or to
generate or use nutrient reduction credits.

EPA published the Federal Register notice titled, "Water Quality Trading Under The
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program" on September 19, 2019.

•	EPA welcomes comments, which must be received on or before November 18,2019.

•	A combined in-person and online listening session will be held at EPA Headquarters in
Washington, D.C. on October 21, 2019, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EDT.

"EPA is proposing updates to our water quality trading policy that would help state and local
partners take advantage of new technologies or develop market-based programs for
improving water quality. Building on efforts already underway at the state, local, and tribal
level, EPA is helping facilitate the use of innovative tools and technologies that will deliver
critical water quality improvements at a lower cost." -EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler

Read more

EPA Provides $1.2 Million to Hypoxia Task Force States

On August 22, EPA announced that it is providing a total of $1.2 million to the 12 state
members of the Hypoxia Task Force to help implement state plans to reduce excess nutrients
in the Mississippi River/Atchafalaya River Basin. Through this funding, EPA is promoting
tailored and effective nutrient reduction efforts that are developed through state leadership in
coordination with EPA.

Read more

EPA Announces More Than $7.5
Million in Water Quality Cooperative
Agreements Through Gulf of
Mexico Division

On August 14, EPA announced that it anticipates
awarding more than $7.5 million in Farmer to
Farmer Cooperative Agreements to fund projects
that improve water quality, habitat, and
environmental education in the Gulf of Mexico
watershed.

EPA's Gulf of Mexico Program initiative promotes innovative, market-based solutions for
monitoring and improving water quality whiie also maintaining a vital agricultural economy.

The seven recipients are:

•	B.F. Smith Foundation - $1,149,813 (Mississippi)

•	Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship -

•	Mississippi State University - $1,088,025 (Mississippi)

•	Practical Farmers of Iowa - $935,788 (Iowa)

•	Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

•	University of Iowa - $1,064,926 (Iowa)

•	Wnrock International -$1,150,000 (Arkansas)

Since 2018, approximately $9.5 million has been awarded through EPA's Farmer to Farmer

-$1,150,000 (Iowa)
-$1,000,000 (Florida)

IOWA FARM

?JK«)K£StS


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Cooperative Agreements.

"These grants are an important part of our efforts to support America's farmers in a manner
that strengthens both American agriculture and the protection of our nation's vital water
resources."

-EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler

Read the press release and learn more about the Gulf of Mexico Program here

EPA and Federal Partners Announce Winners
of Water Quality "Challenge"

On August 21, EPA along with four federal partners announced
the winners of a technology-accelerating water quality challenge.
This year's winners demonstrated how data from low cost water
quality monitoring sensors can be used to inform local-scale
nutrient management decisions.

Read more

IISDA Awards $48 Million Public-Private Investment to Improve
Critical Wetlands

On September 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (IISDA) announced an investment of
$48 million in wetland conservation projects in eight HTF states through its Wetland Reserve
Enhancement Partnership (WREP), implemented through USDA's Natural Resources
Conservation Service. WREP project partners are providing nearly $2.3 million in matching
funds, bringing the total investment to more than $50 million.

Read more

Five-Star Urban Grants Award $1.7 Million to Help
Restore Urban Waters and Streams

On August 28, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), with
support from EPA, announced grants totaling $1.7 million under NFWF's
Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program. The grants support
public-private partnerships that help restore wildlife habitat and urban
waters across the country.

Read more

Resources

Hypoxia Task Force Point Source Progress Report

The HTF published its second Point Source Progress Report in early October. The report
documents progress made by HTF states in adopting nutrient monitoring and discharge limits
and progress in reducing point source discharges from major sewage treatment plants since
the Task Force released its first Point Source Progress Report in 2016. The report also
contains a newly completed analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus loads from all major sewage
treatment plants in the 12 Hypoxia Task Force states discharging to the
Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB). In addition, many states provided supplemental
information on their programs for reducing nutrient loads from point sources.


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View the report

Innovative Financing Strategies for Reducing Nutrients: Webinar
Series and Workshop

EPA and USDA co-hosted a four-part webinar series this summer on innovative financing
mechanisms in both the public and private sectors that can be used to help reduce excess
nutrients in our nation's waters. The webinar series featured case studies of successful
approaches from across the country. The series culminated in the National Nutrient Finance
Forum on August 14 in Washington, D.C. to further explore the topic and encourage creative
problem solving. More than 65 participants discussed challenges, creative mechanisms for
financing projects, and what needs to be done to replicate out-of-the box approaches.

Sample of Findings - Opportunities for Success:

•	Enabling a Policy Environment that creates a need for nutrient exchange is a key
element of success.

•	Quantifying through Measurement and Verification using reliable data to quantify
the commodity are key.

•	Establishing Procedural Clarity and related governance/institutional frameworks will
help enable markets to succeed; market players will feel more confident in how to
participate.

•	Bridging the Gap between Agricultural and Municipal Communities can help
create a watershed-level approach to planning nutrient reductions.

•	Bundling Multi-Benefits as Ecosystem Services in the marketplace could be
instrumental in helping markets be successful.

View the webinar series

Check out future workshop opportunities

State Nutrient Reduction Strategies

State development and implementation of nutrient reduction strategies are a major focus of
the Hypoxia Task Force. States continue to implement state nutrient reduction strategies that
contain tailored methods for reducing nutrients in their state. Learn more about each state
strategy here.

Visit the EPA Hypoxia Task Force Website

Interested in learning more about the work of the Hypoxia Task Force? Our website features
recent reports and measurements, important documents, upcoming actions, and learning
opportunities. The "In the Spotlight" section of the homepage is a great place to start.

Check out the HTF Homepage

Sign Up for the HTF Newsletter

The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force Newsletter is a quarterly publication produced by
EPA's Office of Water in partnership with the Hypoxia Task Force. The newsletter highlights current
information about the task force, providing a snapshot of recent state activities, federal agency activities,
publications, and resources.

If you have content to submit for the next newsletter, please email maver.lauren@epa.gov


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