(October 23, 2018) - The National Network on Water Quality Trading released a new report on October 15 entitled, Breaking Down Barriers: Priority Actions for Advancing Water Quality Trading.  As a member of the National Network, NACWA and its members participated in a series of meetings and interviews that the Network conducted to better understand why there haven’t been more water quality trading programs to date.  These meetings and interviews served as the foundation for the report.  

The report contains a demand assessment – outlining the Network’s current understanding on what keeps utilities and states from pursuing and implementing trading programs – and an “Action Agenda” specifying the products, processes, and campaigns that the Network believes will help to advance water quality markets in the United States.

EPA is actively looking at the role of trading and other market-based approaches to address the nutrient challenge and NACWA will remain engaged with Agency senior political staff as they consider next steps.