In this eBulletin:
1- NWB Congratulates and Thanks Terri Prather!
2- NWB Resource Library: Polyester
3- Research Short Story: Outcomes from the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements
4- Master Class with Dr. Sally Brown Feat. Ned Beecher
5- Updates from Canada Submitted by Deidre Bartlett
6- Dept. of Ecology Updates on PCHB Decision
7- Best Management Practices for Land Application of Sewage Sludge Removed From Lagoons
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Biosolids Technical Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)
WA Dept. of Ecology
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Northwest Senior Solids/Energy Technical Leader
Brown & Caldwell
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Project Director - Wastewater
Brown & Caldwell
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Do you have a job opening to advertise? NWB members can email job postings to [email protected]
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James Dunbar
President
Darrell Winans
Vice-President
Ben Nydegger
Secretary
Terri Prather
Treasurer
Tania Gheseger
Past President
Deidre Bartlett
Cat Gowan
JR Inman
Karla Guevarra
Mike Van Ham
MacLeod Pappidas
Mike Gates
Rebecca Singer
Kasie Auger
Education Committee
Cat Gowan, Chair
Rebecca Singer, Biofest Chair
MacLeod Pappidas, Vice-Chair
JR Inman
Sally Brown
Karla Guevarra
Mike Gates
Dave Kenney
Terry Alber
Elizabeth Goltiao
Membership Committee
Mike Van Ham, Chair
Alan Aplin
Darrell Winans
Terri Prather
Mike Gates
Ben Nydegger
Outreach Committee
Rebecca Singer, Chair
Deidre Bartlett, Vice-Chair
Steve Wilson
Alan Aplin
Research Committee
Tania Gheseger, Chair
Ben Nydegger
Tyson Schlect
Greg Mockos
Cat Gowan
Kasie Auger
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Congratulations Terri Prather! |
We are wishing Terri Prather all the best as she will be retiring on April 15, 2024. Terri completes a 27-year career, first for the city of Olympia, then for the LOTT Clean Water Alliance in downtown Olympia. Terri Prather has been a long-time member of NWB and will be missed greatly. She volunteered not only as a NWB Board Member but most recently served as the NWB Treasurer. Her primary duties were assisting with budget preparation and ensuring that our finances were accurate and responsible to our members. Terri has been an asset to the organization.
“The best that can said about her work was that we didn’t have anything to say! She was professional and kept our accounting up to date with an eye on the growing needs of a major research association. I know her day job employer (LOTT in Olympia) will miss her, and from NWB, we will miss her even more. Congratulations and continued success in your post-work life.” – Jim Dunbar, Northwest Biosolids President
“Terri brings positivity and joy to every interaction! Northwest Biosolids – and I – will greatly miss her kindness, positive outlook, knowledge, and dependability! Wishing you all the best, Terri!”
– Amy Ohlinger, Northwest Biosolids Executive Director
We hope to see you at a Biofest between your retirement adventures. Congrats & thank you for all you have done!
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Polyester
By Dr. Sally Brown, University of Washington
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I truly dream of the day when we can all (or at least the vast majority of us) realize that land application of biosolids is a way that people can heal the soil rather than how we poison the soil. When that happens, you very likely won’t need to read the library or I can devote every library to new articles extolling the benefits of biosolids. That day is not likely to fall in March 2024. |
Outcomes from the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements
By Deirdre Griffin LaHue, Assistant Professor, WSU Mount Vernon
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The first time I visited the Long-Term Dryland Biosolids Research site in Douglas County, WA (a.k.a. GP-17) was in April 2019, just a couple months after I started working at WSU. I was there with scientists from the Soil Health Institute (SHI) to sample the site for their North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements. GP-17 was one of 124 sites (and one of two biosolids sites) in North America selected to be sampled for this project, the goal of which was to evaluate the effect of soil management practices...
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Master Class with Dr. Sally Brown Feat. Ned Beecher
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This month's Master Class features Ned Beecher. Ned was the director of NEBRA from 1998 to just a few years ago. During his tenure at NEBRA he helped develop the BEAM model for carbon accounting of biosolids, worked to avert phosphorus-based bans on biosolids use, and confronted PFAS head-on. During his last few years at NEBRA he was the point person for all things related to PFAS. In this interview, Ned gives the history of when PFAS first entered his vocabulary, talks about where things are now, and how the PFAS story will likely play out in the Northeast. |
Updates from Canada
Submitted by Deidre Bartlett
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The land application of biosolids in Canada is regulated by the provinces. The federal government (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) has a Canada-wide approach that supports the beneficial use of biosolids.
Currently, there are no encompassing guideline for PFAS in Canadian biosolids. The CCME released soil and groundwater guidelines for PFOS in 2021 and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has banned the manufacture, import, sale, and use of certain PFAS chemicals, with the intent to protect Canadians and our environment from PFAS. Consistent with other jurisdictions globally, they have announced their intention to deal with PFAS as a class of chemicals.
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DOE Updates on PCHB Decision |
In June of 2022, Ecology reissued the General Permit for Biosolids Management. Soon after, we received an appeal from Ed Kenney and the Nisqually Delta Association. During the following months, Ecology worked through the appeals process with our legal team. On January 29, 2024, we learned the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) ruled for the appellant. This decision voided the current general permit issued in 2022. The PCHB concluded our Determination of Nonsignificance issued for the General Permit did not comply with SEPA. |
Best Management Practices for Land Application of Sewage Sludge Removed From Lagoons |
The EPA published a document that provides wastewater operators with best management practices for complying with the Clean Water Act when land applying sewage sludge that has been removed from lagoon treatment systems. As excess sewage sludge accumulates in these lagoons over time, their functionality and effectiveness are reduced. Excess accumulated sludge requires periodic removal to maintain full functioning capacity of the wastewater treatment process within the lagoon. Removal of sludge also allows operators to make critical infrastructure repairs and upgrades. Communities served by lagoon systems tend to be small, rural, Tribal, economically disadvantaged, and may have additional environmental justice concerns. Hence, the EPA’s document also identifies some funding opportunities available to wastewater operators in these communities when cleaning out their lagoons. |
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