Comparing U.S. and International Strategies to Address Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution

Abstract

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution originates from many diffuse sources, caused by precipitation or irrigation transporting pollutants from land into surface and groundwater. Agriculture is a significant contributor to NPS pollution, and the contamination of waterbodies with agricultural pollutants including nutrients, pesticides, and sediments has caused major environmental, health, and economic effects globally. Due to its diffuse nature, identifying and controlling sources of NPS pollution is challenging. In the U.S., efforts to address NPS pollution primarily focus on incentivizing farmers to adopt voluntary pollution control measures. However, the U.S. could benefit from examining approaches used by other countries to strengthen its policies and programs. This project compares strategies to address NPS pollution in the U.S. with those used in several countries from different regions of the world and highlights international approaches that could be adopted in the U.S. Key recommendations for the U.S. include 1) expanding precautionary regulations on nutrient management and pollution control at the state-level, 2) piloting outcomes-based incentives for agricultural pollutant load reductions, 3) granting greater regulatory authority to interstate river basin commissions over water quality and permitting, and 4) improving methodologies and models for estimating load reductions.