Comments on: Sticking up for the little guy: the California freshwater shrimp http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/04/07/sticking-up-for-the-little-guy-the-california-freshwater-shrimp/ Science, Environment, and Nature in the SF Bay Area Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:39:48 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Brent Plater http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/04/07/sticking-up-for-the-little-guy-the-california-freshwater-shrimp/comment-page-1/#comment-56839 Brent Plater Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:39:19 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/04/07/sticking-up-for-the-little-guy-the-california-freshwater-shrimp/#comment-56839 The Freshwater Shrimp is one of 33 endangered species found within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which contains more endangered species than any other national park in continental North America. You can find out how to see and save each of these species as part of a year-long competition called the GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year. Find our more at www.ggnrabigyear.org. The Freshwater Shrimp is one of 33 endangered species found within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which contains more endangered species than any other national park in continental North America. You can find out how to see and save each of these species as part of a year-long competition called the GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year. Find our more at http://www.ggnrabigyear.org.

]]> By: Peter Maier http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/04/07/sticking-up-for-the-little-guy-the-california-freshwater-shrimp/comment-page-1/#comment-56775 Peter Maier Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:04:39 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/04/07/sticking-up-for-the-little-guy-the-california-freshwater-shrimp/#comment-56775 All life fits in certain ecosystems, which are based mainly on food sources. Due to the horrendous increased use of synthesized fertilizer and population densities and the fact that nitrogenous waste (urine and proteins) from municipal sewage are not treated, the ecosystems in open waters systems had to adjust and sometimes that means that certain species are disappearing. While farmers are getting blamed for their pollution (CAFO’s and agricultural runoff), cities still are allowed to dump the same pollution (now called nutrients) in our open waters, in spite of the fact that the goal of the Clean water Act was to eliminate (100% treatment) all water pollution by 1985. The reason? Simple, but also very embarrassing! EPA, like the rest of the world, used an essential pollution test incorrect and the pollution (now called nutrients) caused by nitrogenous (urine and protein) waste and prior to 1984 would fine and replace treatment facilities considered to be out of compliance with their NPDES permits, while in reality these facilities treated their sewage better than was required by their permits. Nitrogenous (urine and proteins) waste like fecal waste exerts an oxygen demand, but in all its forms is a nutrient (fertilizer) for algae and aquatic plants. In 1984 EPA acknowledge the problems with this test, but in stead of correcting this test (so we finally would be able to evaluate the true performance of such facilities and determine what their effluent waste loading on open waters would be), EPA allowed an alternative test and officially lowered the goal of the CWA from 100% treatment to a measly 35% treatment, without even informing Congress, as apparently the media also did not understand what was going on. But who cares, this is a technical issue and for that you have to trust the experts, who clearly in this case prefer the status quo. If you like to know more you can visit my website www.petermaier.net and in the Technical PDF section read a description of the BOD test and the consequences if you apply the test as still is applied. All life fits in certain ecosystems, which are based mainly on food sources. Due to the horrendous increased use of synthesized fertilizer and population densities and the fact that nitrogenous waste (urine and proteins) from municipal sewage are not treated, the ecosystems in open waters systems had to adjust and sometimes that means that certain species are disappearing.

While farmers are getting blamed for their pollution (CAFO’s and agricultural runoff), cities still are allowed to dump the same pollution (now called nutrients) in our open waters, in spite of the fact that the goal of the Clean water Act was to eliminate (100% treatment) all water pollution by 1985.

The reason? Simple, but also very embarrassing!
EPA, like the rest of the world, used an essential pollution test incorrect and the pollution (now called nutrients) caused by nitrogenous (urine and protein) waste and prior to 1984 would fine and replace treatment facilities considered to be out of compliance with their NPDES permits, while in reality these facilities treated their sewage better than was required by their permits. Nitrogenous (urine and proteins) waste like fecal waste exerts an oxygen demand, but in all its forms is a nutrient (fertilizer) for algae and aquatic plants.

In 1984 EPA acknowledge the problems with this test, but in stead of correcting this test (so we finally would be able to evaluate the true performance of such facilities and determine what their effluent waste loading on open waters would be), EPA allowed an alternative test and officially lowered the goal of the CWA from 100% treatment to a measly 35% treatment, without even informing Congress, as apparently the media also did not understand what was going on.

But who cares, this is a technical issue and for that you have to trust the experts, who clearly in this case prefer the status quo. If you like to know more you can visit my website http://www.petermaier.net and in the Technical PDF section read a description of the BOD test and the consequences if you apply the test as still is applied.

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