Political Action
Get Involved
Two petitions are currently circulating, asking for the end of the "land application " of sewage sludge. You can sign on by clicking the link to the petition.
A MoveOn.org petition asking the EPA Administrator to ban sludge disposal on land.
A We the People petition asking the Obama Administration to work with the EPA to ban sludge disposal on land.
What are the steps the EPA Administrator could take to ban the disopsal of sewage sludge on land?
- Place an immediate moratorium on the land application of sewage sludge.
- Freeze the issuance of new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits authorizing the Land Application of Bulk Sewage Sludge.
- Rewrite and reissue NPDES permits to require a method of sludge disposal other than land application to replace all NPDES permits currently in force that allow the Land Application of Bulk Sewage Sludge.
- Initiate rulemaking to change the Part 503 Sludge Rule (promulgated under the authority of the Clean Water Act at 40 C.F.R. §503) to eliminate land application as an acceptable practice for sludge disposal.
Contact your representatives.
Congressional action can end the practice of dumping sewage sludge on land as a disposal practice. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is one place to go to ask for changes in federal policy regarding the use and disposal of sludge (also known by its marketing name "biosolids").
Tell your political representatives you want the practice stopped. Ask the environmental organizations you know to get involved. Inform your health department about the hazards of sludge dumping and ask them to weigh in. Work with your neighbors to protect your land, your water, and your families.
Environment and Public Works Committee – 113th Congress
| Senate Majority Committee Members | Representing |
|---|---|
| Barbara Boxer (Chairman) | CA |
| Max Baucus | MT |
| Thomas R. Carper | DE |
| Kirsten Gillibrand | NY |
| Frank R. Lautenberg | NJ |
| Benjamin L. Cardin | MD |
| Bernard Sanders | VT |
| Jeff Merkley | OR |
| Sheldon Whitehouse | RI |
| Tom Udall | NM |
| Senate Minority Committee Members | Representing |
|---|---|
| James M. Inhofe | OK |
| David Vitter | LA |
| John Barrasso | WY |
| Mike Crapo | ID |
| Roger F. Wicker | MS |
| Jeff Sessions | AL |
| Deb Fischer | NE |
| John Boozman | AK |
How can you get involved?
Tell your story. Let people know what is happening out there, in the fields and farms, gardens, parks, committee rooms, citizen meetings, and in meetings with state and local representatives.
Contact information for members of the U.S. Senate
Contact for the U.S. House of Representatives