Abstract
Agricultural runoff is a major source of nonpoint pollution in the U.S., where portions of fertilizer are carried away as runoff before polluting navigable waters. Commercial fertilizers containing heavy concentrations of nitrate and phosphate are the dominant source of nonpoint pollution. In 1972, the Clean Water Act (CWA) was implemented to protect navigable waters from discharges of point source pollutants. However, currently there are only limited provisions regarding nonpoint source pollution. Instead, regulation is left to the states through a variety of voluntary management programs. To properly address nonpoint source pollution, the CWA needs additional amendments that focus on more comprehensive oversight towards state management programs, including larger incentives for farmers to adopt management programs that tackle nonpoint pollution. Otherwise, agricultural pollution will continue to plague navigable waters and damage local ecosystems.
Recommended Citation
Christopher Berg,
Downstream Interests in Agriculture: The Clean Water Act’s Failure to Adequately Address Nonpoint Source Pollution,
102 Neb. L. Rev. 430
(2023)
Available at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nlr/vol102/iss2/5