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Water Quality Trading

"Water quality trading (WQT) under the Clean Water Act is an option for compliance with a water quality based effluent limitation (WQBEL) in a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit...Water quality trading can provide greater flexibility on the timing and level of technology a facility might install, reduce overall compliance costs, and encourage voluntary participation of non-point sources within the watershed. Trading can provide ancillary environmental benefits such as carbon sinks, flood retention, riparian improvement, and habitat." Environmental Protection Agency.

Public Interest Comment on the Environmental Protection Agency's Proposed Water Quality Trading Policy ( pdf | 308KB )

Mercatus Center, George Mason University. Regulatory Studies Program.

Describes the value of market incentives in water quality trading and analyzes a proposed version of EPA's Water Quality Trading Policy and its expected impacts on society.

AgEcon Search

University of Minnesota. Magrath Library and Department of Applied Economics.

Search for articles on environmental credit trading in this full text collection of scholarly research including working papers, conference papers, and journal articles. For example, find "Nitrogen Sources and Gulf Hypoxia: Potential for Point-Nonpoint Trading."

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Water Quality Trading

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