the-nutrient-loss-reduction-strategy---lurkins

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy: What Does It Mean For Illinois Ag? Lauren Lurkins Director of Natural and Environmental Resources Illinois Farm Bureau WHY IS THE STRATEGY NEEDED? • Gulf Hypoxia Task Force • USEPA Guidance Memo in March 2011  Purpose: Encourage states to develop nutrient reduction strategies while continuing to develop numeric nutrient standards  Lays out elements of a framework • Federal litigation in Louisiana STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT Stakeholders met August 2013 – May 2014:  Illinois Department of Agriculture, Illinois EPA  University of Illinois Science Team  Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Illinois Corn Growers Association, GROWMARK, Inc  Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts  University of Illinois Extension  NRCS  Sanitary Districts/Wastewater Treatment Plants  Prairie Rivers Network, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Sierra Club  Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group STRATEGY IS FINAL…NOW GET TO WORK! • NLRS was finalized and released in July 2015 • Now work continuing to IMPLEMENT the NLRS SCIENCE ASSESSMENT • February 2013 – Illinois EPA partnered with University of Illinois to develop the Science Assessment:  Current conditions in Illinois of nutrient sources and export by rivers in the state from point and non-point sources  Methods that could be used to reduce these losses and estimates of their effectiveness throughout Illinois  Estimates of the costs of statewide and watershed level application of these methods to reduce nutrient losses to meet TMDL and Gulf of Mexico goals • major river systems used in estimating nutrient loads • Gaging stations are upriver from the state boundary, so the estimated area is smaller • • • • • • • • Rock River - Joslin Green River - Geneseo Illinois River – Valley City Kaskaskia River – Venedy Stn Big Muddy River - Murphysboro Little Wabash River – Carmi Embarras River – Ste Marie Vermilion River - Danville RIVERINE LOADS OF NITRATE-N AND TOTAL P SCIENCE ASSESSMENT Illinois contributes 20% of nitrate (410 M lbs) and 11% of phosphorus (37.5 M lbs) that makes it to the Gulf STRATEGY TARGETS AND COSTS • Baseline – Average annual loading of nitrate-N and P from the 1980-1996 levels • Targets – (5 year running average)  N: 15% by 2025, 45% ultimate  P: 25% by 2025, 45% ultimate • Estimated costs – over $800 million annually from point source and nonpoint source, with no new funding sources KEY NLRS COMPONENTS • Extends ongoing regulatory and voluntary efforts • Identifies priority watersheds for nutrient reduction efforts • Lays out strategies for improving collaboration among government, non-profits and industry • Defines a process for regular review and revision • Creates (and counting) ongoing working groups ONGOING WORKING GROUPS Policy Work Group Nutrient Monitoring Council Nutrient Science Advisory Committee Agricultural Water Quality Partnership Forum Urban Stormwater Working Group Point Source Working Group • Summary of all these, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, etc available on IEPA’s website: http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/waterquality/watershed-management/excess-nutrients/nutrient-lossreduction-strategy/index CURRENT IFB NLRS PRIORITIES • Education and Outreach • Research • Implementation • Evidence EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IFB: • Iowa Issues Tour in August • County Farm Bureau meetings • FarmWeek, RFD radio, Partners magazine, social media • Toolkit for CFBs (infographics, social media, handouts, resource guide) • CBMP website – BMPs • Conservation Story Map • External meetings ONLINE RESOURCES Looking for a one-stop shop for videos, webinars, news articles and other resources about BMPs? Visit www.illinoiscbmp.org and join the newsletter! CONSERVATION STORY MAP RESEARCH • Living document, reviewed/revised every years by the Policy Work Group • NREC – BMP http://www.illinoisnrec.org/ IMPLEMENTATION • IFB: • Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program • $100,000 • 15 projects / 32 counties • Free, confidential water testing (CBMP, ICGA) • 21 counties • 2017 programming – STAY TUNED!!! • Promotion of other programs • USDA FSA - CRP/CREP • USDA NRCS – CSP, EQIP • Watershed-level - IEPA 319 grants • Partnerships - RCPP PROJECTS CFB Project Bureau Lady Landowners Spring Seminar & 4R Field Day Champaign First Steps I Can Do Video series Clinton Influence of Manure Management and Cover Crops on Reducing Nutrient Losses Hancock & Adams Water Testing Program Jo Daviess Cover Crops and Utilization of Nitrogen Knox Saturated Buffer Field Demonstration Macoupin Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed Project Mason Nitrate Awareness and Water Testing Program Massac, Pulaski-Alexander, Union Nutrient Management Seminar Series McDonough Nutrient Sampling Piatt Keeping Our Soil Outta Streams and Rivers Pike Water Testing in Sny Island Levee and Drainage District Rock Island, Mercer, Henry, Whiteside Early Adopters of Improving Soil Health Thru Nutrient Management Stephenson, Winnebago-Boone Responsible Nutrient Management Wayne, Crawford, Edwards, Hamilton, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, White Tile Drain Monitoring in the Wabash River Valley PARTNERS 23 SWCDs, 12 NRCS offices, FSA office, Extension offices County Farm Bureau Foundations (Two Rivers, Mason) IL Department of Agriculture Commodity Groups: IL Corn Growers, IL Pork Prod., IL Milk Prod., IL Beef Association FS: Ag View, Gateway, Stephenson Service Co., Southern, Prairieland, Wabash Valley Council on Best Management Practices (CBMP) Colleges: Western IL University, John Wood Community College, Wabash Valley College Professional Labs: Key Agricultural Services, Waters Ag Lab AgriEnergy, CHS, M&M Service Terry Wysciskalla Heartlands Conservancy, Lower Kaskaskia Stakeholders Inc (LKSI) Maschhoff Pork American Farmland Trust Central IL Irrigated Growers Association Sny Island Levee and Drainage District Klingner and Associates, P.C Forest Preserves of Winnebago County, Boone County Conservation District IN THOSE 15 PROJECTS… field days held videos created water testing programs started producer meetings/seminars held lab-based water, soil, or tissue testing programs structural BMPs installed EVIDENCE • Progress will be reviewed and reported to the public every years (FIRST REPORT JULY 2017) • Point sources • Non-point sources • INPUTS/HUMAN: • Ag Water Quality Partnership Forum • LAND: • Agencies • NASS survey • WATER: • Nutrient Monitoring Council USDA-NASS Baseline of BMP adoption: 2011 July roll-out Questions about 2011 and 2015 CONCLUSION • Adopt the BMPs that work for you on your farm • Continuous improvement – 4Rs, cover crops, end of pipe practices • Tell your neighbors! This will take something happening on every acre • Be willing to talk about what you • We are all in this together! QUESTIONS? Lauren Lurkins llurkins@ilfb.org (309) 557-3153 Lyndsey Ramsey lramsey@ilfb.org (309) 557-3279