SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Municipal
Pollution Control (WH-595)
Washington DC 20460
Water
January 1990
Nomination
Guidance
Beneficial
Sewage Sludge
Use
Awards
Program
For
Operating Projects,
Technology Development,
Research
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INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce
the 1990 Beneficial Use of Sludge Awards Program. This program continues to
recognize outstanding operational projects, research studies, and technological
advances which promote the beneficial use of municipal sewage sludge. EPA
Regional Offices will again join the Water Pollution Control Federation (WPCF) in
helping implement this program. The awards program will include separate
competftions within most of our Regions to recognize additional beneficial siudge
use efforts.
EPA is actively promoting the beneficial use of sewage sludge. Creative and widely
applicable techniques for the beneficial use of sludge are vital to our efforts to
protect and improve our resources. Many municipalities, businesses, individuals
and groups have worked for years to make significant contributions to the study and
practice of safer, beneficial use of municipal sewage sludge. We believe that these
awards are helping to focus attention on the critical need 10 develop and put into
operation sewage sludge management practices which beneficially use sludge and
which are environmentally safe, economically attractive and acceptable to the
pub nc. Winning entries will receive formal awards, while all worthy nominations will
be publicly recognized in various EPA and WPCF publications. We encourage you
to nominate worthy candidates deserving of recognition.
The National awards will be made in October 1990 at the National WPCF
Conference in Washington, DC. This pamphlet describes the awards program in
detail and gives instructions for preparing and submitting candidate nominations.
Please note that this year you need to send your nominations to EPA ’s Regional
Offices by their deadlines so that these outstanding efforts can be considered for
recognition.
Sincerely,
PaulM.Baltay /
Director, Municipal Facilities Division
Office of Municipal Pollution Control
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DESCRIPTION OF AWARDS PROGRAMS
Purpose
The purpose of the awards program is to encourage the development and use of
cost-effective and environmentally safe sewage sludge beneficial use practices
which recycle nutrients, improve soil conditions or otherwise conserve valuable
natural resources.
Award Categories
Nominations will be accepted to recognize excellence in a wide range of activities
that have stimulated beneficial use of municipal sewage sludge. National awards
will be presented in the following three categories:
I Operating Projects. Outstanding, full-scale, beneficial use technologies.
• Technology DevelopmentActlvlties. Sign if icant technological
improvements that have been developed and fully proven at the
operational level; these may be pilot or full- scale activities.
• Research Activities. Studies that have contributed substantially to an
improved understanding of sludge beneficial use practices such as
environmental effects, improved public acceptance or technology
improvements.
Nomination Process
S Candidates for awards may be nominated by anyone including EPA
Regions, States, municipalities, consultants, researchers or other interested
parties.
• Completed nomination packages in specified format must be submitted in
duplicate to the EPA Regional Office in which your State is located (see
pages 6 and 7).
• Important—Please check with your Regional Office contact (page 7) for any
Region-specific nomination guidance and for that Region’s submission
deadline. The tentative Regional deadlines for receipt of nominations are
shown on page 6.
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• Entries will be considered for Regional awards (where established) as well
as National awards. Regions will forward one copy of all entries to WPCF
for the National competition by the June 22, 1990 National deadline.
• During June, July and August, nomination packages received for the
National competition will be reviewed by a panel consisting of
representatives from EPA, WPCF and other groups. EPA Regional Offices
will also review the nominations for projects in their Region.
• National award recipients will be notified by August 31.1990 .
• National awards will be presented in October 1990 at WPCPs National
Conference in Washington, DC.
• Each National award will consist of a project certificate and plaque.
• An exhibit or poster session display and a short article describing each
National award winning beneficial use activity will be developed and made
available at the WPCF Conference. Subsequent publications describing
Regional as well as National activities will be encouraged.
• We especially encourage submission of nominations in the technology
development and research categories. Last year fewer awards were given
to applicants in these categories because of a lack of enough good
candidates.
• Note that there are two categories for operating projects this year with
awards for both small and larger projects.
• Previous first place winning projects or activities will not be considered as
candidates for the same award category. However, previous first place
winners can submit different projects or activities for award consideration.
Unsuccessful nominations and all other previous winning projects or
activities may be submitted again for consideration.
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EVALUATION CRITERIA
The beneficial use of sewage sludge award candidates wilt be evaluated against the
following criteria
For Operating Projects [ Two categories: (1) 5 MCD (2) 5> MCD]
* Significant recycling/reuse of natural resources (e.g., nutrients, organic
matter and energy).
• Sustained (several years), full-scale, proven operation.
• Consistent, cost-effective operation.
• Publicly acceptable.
• Compliant with applicable Federal, State and local regulations.
For Technology Development Activities
• Sustained excellence in advancing our knowledge of technology (e.g.,
improved design criteria or operational practice).
• National application technology has potential for use in many areas across
the country.
• Operationally proven.
For Research Activities
• Greater public acceptability of sludge beneficial use.
• Greatly improves our understanding of the environmental effects
associated with beneficial use of sludge.
• Substantial contrStion toward the development of improved technology
design and operation.
• Key information generated for the development of improved sludge
regulations and guidance.
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NOMINATiON FORMAT
All nominations must be submitted inffijplicate in the following format to the
appropriate EPA Regional Office (see pages 6 and 7).
1. IdentifyIng InformatIon (Front page)
Name, address, affiliation, telephone number, NPDES number (if applicable) and the
spokesperson for the project or activity.
2. ExecutIve Summary (2 pages or less)
Describe the project or activity indicating the award category for which the
nomination is proposed and its relevance to the evaluation criteria.
3. FacilIty/Activity InformatIon (4-5 pages)
Provide the following relevant information to adequately support the nomination.
(a) Sludge type, volume, quality and processing information. Be specific
regarding the unit processes, including sludge production and processing
details, sludge quality (e.g., nutrients and pollutants), and other details
relevant to the beneficial use practice.
(b) Cooperating parties and their contributions to the beneficial use project or
activity.
(c) Duration and size of the project or activity, extent of ability to operate at design
level, and cost information.
(d) Compliance record with applicable local, State and Federal regulations.
(e) Project monitoring program, including its use to evaluate and modify
management practices.
(I) Description of training activities where applicable, leading to improved
operations, performance and public acceptability.
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(g) P01W pretreatment program and its effectiveness, if appropriate.
(h) Special innovative practices or activities.
(i) Obstacles (technical, political, public acceptance or other) overcome
as a result of the activity.
(9 Evidence of enhanced benefits resulting from the activity (such as
lower sludge management costs, lower energy consumption, enhancde
soil properties, better crop productivity and quality, enhanced platn
disease resistance, lower human health risks, greater national adoption
of practice and improved public acceptance).
4. Attachments
Supporting materials may be attached. The attachment should include a short
cover index page that lists the various supporting materials and gives about a 4- to
6-line description of each item.
Photographs of the activity are strongly encouraged (where appropriate).
Note: Sheer bulk of information is not desirable. Be concise and attach items that
truly substantiate the importance and relevance of the beneficial use project or
activity. Please do not send materials that you wish to have back because
application materials are not returned.
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Tentative Regional Deadlines for Nominations
EPA
Tentative
Region
Deadline Dates States
1 05-25-90 Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
2 05-01-90 New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico,
Virgin islands
3 05-01-90 Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia
4 05-25-90 ftJabama, florida, Georgia . Kentucky .
Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee
5 06-01-90 Illinois, Indiana. Michigan, Minnesota,
Ohio, Wisconsin
6 05-01-90 Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, Texas
7 05-01-90 iowa, Kansas, Missouri 1 Nebraska
8 06-01-90 Colorado, Montana, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
9 06-01-90 Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada,
American Samoa, Guam
10 05-01-90 Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
* These deadline dates for receipt of award nomination packages are tentative. Please
check with your Regional Office for verification.
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EPA Regional Contact: (See List of States in Each Region, Page 6)
Region Address Contact Telephone
1 Municipal Evaluation Section Chades Conway 617-565-3517
Waler Managnnt Division
JFK Federal Building, AM 2103
Boston, MA 02203
2 Water Management Division Pat Haney 212-264-8958
26 Federal Plaza, FIn 837
Now Yak. NY 10278
3 Water Management Division Jim Kern 215-597-3423
841 Chestnut Street 3W)422}
Philad4hia, PA 19107
4 Municipal Facilities Branch Vince Miller 404-347-3633
Water Management Division
345 Courtland Street
AIl S GA 30365
5 Pernits Section 15W(P-TUB-8) Joan Kamauskas 312-886-6090
Water Division
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, L60604
6 Municipal Facilities Branch Ancil Jones 214-655-7130
Wa Ist Aariagnn% Division
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, IX 75202
7 Construction Grants Branch Frank Mischlich 913-236-2613
Water Management Division
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
B Municipal Facilities Branch Jim Brooks 303-293-1549
Water Management Division
999 18th Street, Suite 500
Denver. CO 80202-2405
9 Pemits Branch (W-5-2) Lauren Fondahl 415-566-3910
Water Division (415-706-2078
1235 Mission Street AiterFeb. 15)
San Francisco, CA 94102
10 Municipal Facilities Branch Dick Hetheiington 206-442-1941
Water Division, WD-085
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 96 101
Also Contact: The Water Pollution Control Federation 703484-2400
Mention: Technical Services
601 Wythe Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
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