The land application of biosolids is currently permitted in more than 70 counties in Virginia. Much of this recycling occurs on very rural and private farms. The recycling and beneficial use of biosolids on Richard Clemmer’s farm in Rockbridge County, however, occurs within sight of one of the busiest roads on the East Coast of […]
October 2, 2017 (Richmond, VA) This past winter the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required most biosolids management programs to submit their annual biosolids reports electronically. Annual biosolids reports are required by 40 CFR Part 503 and must be completed by February 19, 2017, with data from the prior year. The 2016 data collected this […]
Essex County has some of the most fertile soils in Virginia. It is located in the historic Middle Peninsula, bordered by the York River to its south and the Rappahannock River to its north. It is solidly rural, and much of the economic activity is centered on farming and forestry. Ray Thomas’ family is a […]
In December 2016 a Virginia Circuit Court upheld the regulations that control the application of biosolids on Virginia’s farms and determined they protect the environment and public health. A month earlier, in November, in the City of Los Angeles v. Kern County, a California Superior Court judge ruled in its statement of decision that biosolids do […]
Water reclamation facilities across the country periodically assess their existing biosolids management program. When the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA) began evaluating its program recently it, like many others, focused on diversifying its program, but it also set an important objective to create an additional revenue stream. WVWA serves the city of Roanoke, and the […]
The Board of Directors of the Virginia Biosolids Council established a Code of Good Practice in 2009. The Code establishes a set of guiding principles for the production and beneficial land application of biosolids in Virginia for its members. In October 2015, the Board of Directors amended the Code and established a process to measure […]
The Richmond Circuit Court on December 14 upheld the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Biosolids Regulations against the Potomac/Shenandoah Riverkeeper’s legal challenge. The Court found there was substantial evidence to support the State Water Control Board’s decision to approve the amendments. The Board was aided by the report of the Expert Panel, which found that […]
This should come as no surprise, but Virginia’s forests are a resource that really enhances the quality of life of her citizens. Our forests are a source of income – from timber harvesting to a variety of forest-related products. The total economic impact of agriculture and forestry-related industries in Virginia is more than $75 billion […]
22Charles City County ‘s population today is only about 1,500 more than it was when our country gained its independence in 1776. It is still a county that has as its border the historic James River, and an economic foundation grounded in agriculture and forestry. One of many farms that populate the historic land in […]
Started in 1970, Mother Earth News features practical and money-saving information on organic gardening; do-it-yourself projects; cutting energy costs; using renewable energy; green home building and remodeling; rural living; and conscientious, self-sufficient lifestyles. It also addresses, through the use of bloggers, environmental and natural resource matters. Over the last several months one of the publication’s […]