On July 22 & 23, 2003 the USEPA Sponsored a National Forum on Water Quality Trading:

Looking Ahead: Trading Opportunities and Next Steps
Interactive Dialogue with Expert Panel: Next Steps in Trading Implementation

Overview

Co-sponsored by EPA, Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA), USDA-NRCS, and Water Environmental Federation (WEF), the Forum attracted over 250 participants from state environmental agencies, the agricultural community, municipal and industrial dischargers, and other watershed interests. Case studies, policy analyses and a panel discussion were presented during the Forum to provide the audience with updated information on water quality trading policy and steps needed to develop successful trading programs.

Leaders and experts who presented at the forum included Mack Gray, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA; Marc Curtis, National Association of Conservation Districts; Art Baggett, California Water Resources Board; David Mabe, Idaho DEQ; David Bachelor, EPA; Terry Young, Environmental Defense. EPA Assistant Administrator, Tracy Mehan gave the opening and closing remarks for the forum.

Panel Discussion

A panel of experts was convened on the second day of the Forum. Panelists included:

• Terry Young, Environmental Defense
• David Mabe, Idaho DEQ
• Tom Christensen, USDA
• Brent Gregory, Illinois-American Water Company

The panel, moderated by Mark Kieser of the ETN, addressed two key questions identified in advance of the conference as well as questions from the audience. The two, two-part questions for the panelists included:

1. A. What is the single most important action or effort needed to broaden trading applications (i.e., to take it beyond the current demonstration/pilot types of projects)?
• B. Who or what do you see as key catalysts for future trading programs?
2. A. One issue that emerges in trading programs between permitted point sources and federally unregulated nonpoint sources is the issue of how to ensure accountability (outside of the federal permit program) for nonpoint source actions to create "pollution reduction credits." From your point of view, what are some potentially workable accountability mechanisms for nonpoint sources that choose to participate in trades?
   • B. What features would these mechanisms need to have to operate successfully?

Follow-up Questions to the Panel Discussion

Forum participants posed a variety of questions to the panelists. Recognizing the limited time available to address all of the questions, the ETN has posted a compilation of these on the Discussion Board to promote additional discussion. The Discussion Board provides a mechanism for all Forum participants and other website visitors to review and comment on these issues. Click the above "Questions" button to read each question. Questions have been categorized within a range of topics including:

I. General Questions
II. Developing a Trading Program
III. Designing a Trading Program
IV. About Individual Programs
V. Trading, Permits, and TMDLs
VI. Technical Issues
VII. Legal Issues

Click any of the above topic links to connect to that topic thread in the Discussion Board.

How to Respond

The questions have been grouped by the above categories and posted on the Discussion Board. Each category represents a topic thread, under which the appropriate questions are listed in the opening communication. You can link directly to that topic thread in the Discussion Board by clicking any of the category links above. You are invited to join the Discussion Board and respond to any of the question topics. Click on the Discussion Topic you wish to read/respond to. After reading the Topic, click "reply" to add a response to that topic. The Discussion Board is open to everyone. Anyone can read the prior discussions. To post a response or start a new topic thread, you must first register. Your registration information will not be shared.

The ETN Discussion Board is established to:

• Advance the theory and practice of environmental trading markets;
• Provide a forum on technology and policy issues in developing and operating environmental trading markets;
• Facilitate exchange among practitioners of environmental trading markets.

Therefore, the ETN and the Discussion Board webmaster reserve the right to moderate discussions sent to this electronic bulletin board in order to keep them focused on the mission of the Discussion Board and ETN.

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