EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been working for decades to reduce nutrient losses from agricultural lands and improve water quality. Thanks to the hard work of states, tribes and stakeholders we have made significant progress reducing excess nutrients in some watersheds. Now is the time to build on that success.

EPA – in partnership with USDA – is encouraging increased engagement and a reinvigoration of state, tribal and federal efforts to reduce excess nutrients in waterways, with a focus on market-based and other collaborative pollutant reduction approaches. The Agencies are committed to working with federal agencies, states, tribes and stakeholders such as agricultural producers, wastewater and drinking water service providers, and conservation organizations, to develop solutions tailored to the needs of specific communities and watersheds.

• Joint EPA-USDA letter to state environmental and agricultural departments (PDF)(2 pp, 364 K)
  This is an example of the letter that EPA and USDA leadership sent to all state environmental and agricultural agencies.