Laura Gatz authored both these CRS reports, each of which was updated 8 July 2020.
The first report id s two-pager; the second is 30 pages. Click on the graphics to enlarge them.
1) CRS InFocus report (updated 8 July 2020): 'Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms: An Overview'
Download CRS_InFocus_Harmfeul_Algal_Blooms_Overview_8July2020
Scientific research indicates that in recent years, the frequency and geographic distribution of harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been increasing nationally and globally. They have been recorded in all 50 states. HABs can be detrimental to human health, pets, livestock, aquatic ecosystems, and the economy.
Cutting to the end:
Issues for Congress
While Congress, federal agencies, and states are taking steps to address HABs, many observers assert that further action is needed to make progress that outpaces the growing consequences of nutrient pollution.Congress has passed legislation to help drive and fund research efforts and improve collaboration among the many federal agencies involved in HAB-related activities. Moving forward, Congress may be interested in oversight of the implementation of HABHRCA and related authorities.
Most observers agree that further research is needed to understand the most appropriate way to predict, minimize, and suppress HAB outbreaks, including whether and how to regulate algal toxins. These advocates assert that Congress should ensure that adequate funding is available for such research.
To control HABs, some advocate regulating nonpoint source pollution, arguing that point sources are disproportionately regulated while nonpoint sources are the larger contributors to nutrient pollution. Others argue that EPA and other federal agencies should continue to focus on collaborative, voluntary efforts to address nonpoint source pollution that contributes to HAB formation and that Congress should continue to fund these programs.
For a discussion of the HAB-related bills introduced to date in the 116th Congress, as well as further information about the issues discussed above, see CRS Report R44871,Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms: Causes, Challenges, and Policy Considerations. (see below)
2) CRS Report: 'Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms: Causes, Challenges, and Policy Considerations'.
Download CRS_Report_Freshwater_HABs_Causes_Policy_8July2020
Summary
Scientific research indicates that in recent years, the frequency and geographic distribution of harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been increasing nationally and globally. Because the impacts of HABs can be severe and widespread—often with interstate implications—these issues have been a perennial interest for Congress. While algal communities are natural components of healthy aquatic ecosystems, under certain conditions (e.g., increased temperatures and nutrient concentrations), algae may grow excessively, or “bloom,” and produce toxins that can harm human health, animals, aquatic ecosystems, and the economy.In 2014, a cyanobacterial HAB in Lake Erie affected the drinking water for more than 500,000 people in Toledo, Ohio. In 2016, a massive HAB in Florida’s Lake Okeechobee negatively impacted tourism and aquatic life. HABs have been recorded in every state and have become a concern nationwide.
Many types of algae can cause HABs in freshwater systems. The most frequent and severe blooms involve the proliferation of cyanobacteria. Some cyanobacteria species can produce toxins—cyanotoxins—that can cause mild to severe health effects in humans and kill aquatic life and other animals.
HABs can also contribute to deteriorating water quality and ecosystem health. As masses of cyanobacteria or other algae die and decompose, they consume oxygen, sometimes forming “dead zones” where life cannot survive. These areas can kill fish and organisms, such as crabs and clams, and have detrimental economic effects.
Scientists widely consider nutrient enrichment to be a key cause of HAB formation. While nutrients are essential to plants and natural parts of aquatic ecosystems, excessive amounts can overstimulate algal growth. Sources include point sources (e.g., municipal wastewater discharges) and nonpoint sources (e.g., fertilizer runoff from agricultural and urban areas).
Congress, federal agencies, and states have taken steps to address HABs and nutrients that contribute to their occurrence. The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (HABHRCA), as amended, established an interagency task force, required the task force to prepare reports and plans addressing marine and freshwater HABs, and authorized funding for research, education, monitoring activities, etc.
In June 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used its authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to publish final water quality criteria for two algal toxins in waters used for recreational purposes. States may consider such criteria when developing water quality standards—measures that describe the desired condition or level of protection of a water body and what is needed for protection. Alternatively, they may use these values as the basis of swimming advisories for public notification purposes at recreational waters.
Further, EPA has emphasized the need to reduce nutrient pollution from all sources to reduce public health and environmental impacts associated with HABs. The CWA does not authorize EPA to regulate all sources. It authorizes EPA to regulate point (direct) sources of nutrients but does not authorize EPA to regulate nonpoint (diffuse) sources of nutrient pollution.
Some states have developed guidelines for algal toxins, primarily for use in guiding swimming advisories. Also, states have listed waters as impaired, or not meeting water quality standards, for algal blooms or algal toxins. Some of these states have begun to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)—essentially pollution budgets—to address them. Most states have identified nutrient-related pollution as a priority to be addressed by their TMDLs and/or alternative restoration plans. States rely heavily on financial assistance from EPA in implementing these plans and, more broadly, in addressing nonpoint source pollution that leads to degraded waterquality and HAB formation. Congress has long provided financial assistance through EPA for regional, state, and local programs through CWA Sections 106 and 319 grants, geographic programs (such as the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes), and other sources. The President’s FY2021 budget request proposes to either eliminate or significantly reduce funding for most of these programs.
Congress continues to show interest in addressing HABs. This interest has largely focused on funding research to close research gaps identified by scientists and decisionmakers and to coordinate the efforts of federal agencies and their partners to study and address HABs.
Cutting to the conclusion...
Conclusion
Recent HAB events highlight the public health, economic, and environmental consequences that communities in the United States may continue to experience, perhaps on a more frequent basis. EPA, NOAA, and other federal agencies are working together to conduct important HAB-related research in an effort to close the gaps in the scientific and management community’s understanding of how best to prevent, predict, minimize, and suppress HABs. EPA, states, and their partners are working to identify and restore waterbodies that are affected by HABs and the excess nutrients that contribute to their formation. Congress has passed legislation to help drive and fund research efforts and improve collaboration among the many federal agencies involved in HAB-related activities. Moving forward, Congress may be interested in oversight of the Administration’s efforts to implement HABHRCA and other HAB-related authorities. While Congress, federal agencies, and states are taking steps to address HABs, many observers assert that further action is needed to make progress that outpaces the growing consequences of nutrient pollution.Most observers agree that further research is needed to understand the most appropriate way to predict, minimize, and suppress HAB outbreaks, including whether and how to regulate algal toxins. These advocates assert that Congress should ensure that adequate funding is available for such research. To control HABs, some advocate for regulation of nonpoint source pollution, arguing that point sources are disproportionately regulated and that nonpoint sources are the larger contributors to nutrient pollution. Instead of regulation, some argue that EPA and other federal agencies should continue to focus on collaborative, voluntary watershed-level efforts to address nonpoint source pollution that contributes to HAB formation and that Congress should ensure that financial assistance for these efforts continues.
Controlling nonpoint sources of excess nutrients that contribute to HAB formation is challenging. Nutrient pollution is diffuse and pervasive and often attributable to many sources and activities rather than a single cause. Yet, scientists generally agree that the current trends in increasing numbers of overenriched waters and HAB events cannot be corrected without addressing nonpoint source nutrient pollution in a significant way and that controlling point sources alone is not enough. Given the consequences of HABs and the difficulty in controlling nonpoint sources of the nutrients that contribute to their formation, challenges and issues associated with HABs are likely to remain of interest to Congress.
Enjoy!
"The distrust of wit is the beginning of tyranny." - Edward Abbey
Recent Comments