Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms
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Technical/Regulatory Guidance Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms External Review June 2020 Prepared by The Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms Team NOTE This page is a placeholder. The support contractor prepares ABOUT ITRC The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) is a state-led coalition working to reduce barriers to the use of innovative environmental technologies and approaches so that compliance costs are reduced and cleanup efficacy is maximized. ITRC produces documents and training that broaden and deepen technical knowledge and expedite quality regulatory decision making while protecting human health and the environment. With private and public sector members from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, ITRC truly provides a national perspective. More information on ITRC is available at www.itrcweb.org. ITRC is a program of the Environmental Research Institute of the States (ERIS), a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the District of Columbia and managed by the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS). ECOS is the national, nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing the state and territorial environmental commissioners. Its mission is to serve as a champion for states; to provide a clearinghouse of information for state environmental commissioners; to promote coordination in environmental management; and to articulate state positions on environmental issues to Congress, federal agencies, and the public. DISCLAIMER This material was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof and no official endorsement should be inferred. The information provided in documents, training curricula, and other print or electronic materials created by the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (“ITRC” and such materials are referred to as “ITRC Materials”) is intended as a general reference to help regulators and others develop a consistent approach to their evaluation, regulatory approval, and deployment of environmental technologies. The information in ITRC Materials was formulated to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided "as is" and use of this information is at the users’ own risk. ITRC Materials do not necessarily address all applicable health and safety risks and precautions with respect to particular materials, conditions, or procedures in specific applications of any technology. Consequently, ITRC recommends consulting applicable standards, laws, regulations, suppliers of materials, and safety data sheets for information concerning safety and health risks and precautions and compliance with then-applicable laws and regulations. ITRC, ERIS and ECOS shall not be liable in the event of any conflict between information in ITRC Materials and such laws, regulations, and/or other ordinances. The content in ITRC Materials may be revised or withdrawn at any time without prior notice. ITRC, ERIS, and ECOS make no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to information in ITRC Materials and specifically disclaim all warranties to the fullest extent permitted by law (including, but not limited to, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose). ITRC, ERIS, and ECOS will not accept liability for damages of any kind that result from acting upon or using this information. ITRC, ERIS, and ECOS do not endorse or recommend the use of specific technology or technology provider through ITRC Materials. Reference to technologies, products, or services offered by other parties does not constitute a guarantee by ITRC, ERIS, and ECOS of the quality or value of those technologies, products, or services. Information in ITRC Materials is for general reference only; it should not be construed as definitive guidance for any specific site and is not a substitute for consultation with qualified professional advisors. HCB-1 Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms External Review June 2020 Prepared by The Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms Team Copyright 2021 Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council 1250 H Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20005 Permission is granted to refer to or quote from this publication with the customary acknowledgment of the source. The suggested citation for this document is as follows: ITRC (Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council). 2021. Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms. HCB-1. Washington, D.C.: Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council, Authoring Team. www.itrcweb.org. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The members of the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms Team wish to acknowledge the individuals, organizations, and agencies that contributed to Technology and Regulatory Guidance. As part of the broader ITRC effort, the Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms Team effort is funded primarily by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Additional funding and support have been provided by the US Department of Defense, the US Department of Energy and the Lake Champlain Basin Program. The Team also wishes to recognize the efforts of the following individuals: Angela Shambaugh, Team Leader Ben Holcomb, Team Leader Jean Bradford, Writing Group Leader Tony Ellanardo, Writing Group Leader Kathy Coyne, Writing Group Leader Steven Folsom, Writing Group Leader Keith Pilgrim, Writing Group Leader Michael Thomas, Writing Group Leader Amelia Jones, Writing Group Leader Kevin Sellner, Writing Group Leader Rob Newby, Writing Group Leader Beckye Stanton, Writing Group Leader Brian Reese, Writing Group Leader Christine Osborne, Writing Group Leader [Add other appropriate acknowledgments such as: state regulatory representatives who developed the document, stakeholder participants, agency participants, industry participants, those who provided review and comment on the draft document, paid consultants/experts, etc.]. i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Cyanobacteria are microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that can be found naturally in a wide range of freshwater aquatic systems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply and accumulate, to form harmful cyanobacteria blooms (HCBs). HCBs may produce potent toxins (cyanotoxins) that pose a threat to human health and their presence can also negatively impact animals, aquatic ecosystems and local economies by disrupting drinking water systems, recreation, commercial and recreational fishing, and property values. In the academic and private sectors, development of solutions to address HCBs in water bodies have been long underway. Many of these solutions involve the implementation of technologies to prevent or manage HCBs by: • reducing or removing nutrient loading to lakes, streams, rivers, reservoirs, ponds, and freshwater-influenced estuaries, • managing active HCBs by physical or chemical controls, • reducing the toxicity of cyanobacterial blooms, and • improving wastewater and drinking water treatment technologies. Because many of these technologies are emerging, proprietary, and span multiple scientific disciplines, water body managers are not well positioned to evaluate the efficacy of these technologies. Therefore, we developed this guidance document and associated web tools to provide criteria-based screening and third-party evaluation of the technologies’ peer-reviewed potential to prevent or manage HCBs. Crucial to successful management of HCBs are structured, effective monitoring and communication programs. This guidance is also intended to help you select accompanying monitoring and communication approaches for cyanobacteria, nutrient reduction, or management technologies that are suitable for use in your water body based on water body characteristics, environmental triggers, and human activities. A wide range of options from rapid, physical response techniques to targeted prevention strategies provide water body managers with a variety of well-vetted technologies to address HCBs in a manner determined to be most appropriate for their community. This guidance identifies a range of HCB monitoring, management, control, and prevention technologies relevant in the scientific community and environmental firms, and provides an independent evaluation, applicable to your water body through the filtering tools, to assess their potential implementation as a part of an integrated water resource management plan. As our understanding of cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins, and HCBs evolves, we recommend continued support for efforts focused on advancing innovative management of HCBs. The