Basics of Sludge
Here is the important thing to remember: Congress banned sewage sludge from being dumped into the oceans or openly incinerated into the air because it was too toxic. These toxic materials, the cause of huge fish kills, were later rebranded as "biosolids" and promoted as fertilizer by the EPA.
Sludge, Wikipedia entry. This Wikipedia article gives an excellent overview and good starting point to learn more about sewage sludge.
The Gatekeepers and Dr. David Lewis, The Gatekeepers document is a must-read. It is about how the EPA tried to silence scientific whistleblowers who were against the land application of sewage sludge. Filled with must-know information about the biosolids program, its human and animal victims, and the damage to the ecosystem, much of it from court documents. The Gatekeepers
--Dr. Lewis' new book pub June 3 2014 Science For Sale by David L. Lewis, Phd.
--Independent Science News How EPA Faked The Entire Science of Sewage Sludge Safety: A Whistleblower's Story
Ten Government-Industry Myths About Biosolids by Caroline Snyder Ph.D. Ten Myths
EPA Timeline, EPA sludge history, courtesy of the United Sludge-Free Alliance
http://www.usludgefree.org/pdf/gov/gov_EPA_timeline_complete.pdf
Deadly Deceit, lots of links and information about sludge, its history and the people responsible for promoting it
Deadly Deceit
Deadly Deceit article about Rufus Chaney
USGS
--USGS Groundwater Basics (good info)
Virginia Counties
--(government site) November 2013 Thomas Jefferson Planning District 2014 legislative agenda (Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, City of Charlottesville, Greene, Nelson)
"We support legislation enabling localities, as a part of their zoning ordinances, to designate and/or reasonably restrict the land application of biosolids to specific areas within the locality, based on criteria designed to further protect the public safety and welfare of citizens. In addition, we support increased local government representation on the Biosolids Use Regulation Advisory Committee."
Thomas Jefferson Planning District
--(government site) November 2013 Thomas Jefferson Planning District 2014 legislative agenda (Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, City of Charlottesville, Greene, Nelson)
"We support legislation enabling localities, as a part of their zoning ordinances, to designate and/or reasonably restrict the land application of biosolids to specific areas within the locality, based on criteria designed to further protect the public safety and welfare of citizens. In addition, we support increased local government representation on the Biosolids Use Regulation Advisory Committee."
Thomas Jefferson Planning District
Bedford County
--(citizen site)Bedford Above Board, exellent site. Various reports including a list of permitted land owners and farms.
Chemical Lessons by Nancy Raine. This article discusses Bedford County and has a good discussion of the procedures (or lack thereof is some circumstances) that DEQ uses to oversee the biosolids program.
Campbell County
--(environmental site) Letter from Caroline Snyder of Citizens for Sludge-Free Land re Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit 03002, March 27, 2010
Nelson County
--(news site)news article Jan 28 2013 http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/news/nelson-gets-close-to-new-biosolid-law/article_8290d78e-60b6-5a88-8628-a4fee75600f7.html?mode=jqm--(government site) November 8, 2013 Board of Supervisors Meeting agenda summary
“We support legislation enabling localities, as a part of their zoning ordinances, to designate and/or reasonably restrict the land application of biosolids to specific areas within the locality, based on criteria designed to further protect the public safety and welfare of citizens. In addition, we support increased local government representation on the Biosolids Use Regulation Advisory Committee.”
Shenandoah County
July 2010 http://list.web.net/archives/sludgewatch-l/2010-July/005101.html
Spotsylvania County
-- Residents fight against sewer sludge near their homes CBS 6 WTVR, Nov 30 2012 by Angela Pellerano (news video and article)
--Spotsylvania Supervisors Plod Through Sludge Issue, August 15 2001 Free Lance-Star
--Google archive of Free Lance-Star Mar 16, 1991 large ad notice from citizens group warning of sludge
Surry County
--2008, Claremont, VA, "My Nightmare" by Sandra Wyatt
My Nightmare
Other USA States
New York
-- June 7 2014 Tonawanda, New York tonawanda-news.com Sewage Sludge Labeling Bill Pushed
South Carolina
Lake Wylie Pilot, April 14 2014 Charlotte PCB cleanup costs to top $1.3 million
(re: PCBs in sludge) South Carolina says no PCB contaminated sludge was land-applied to their knowledge, although they have reportedly asked farmers for samples of soil they suspect may have been contaminated, but where are the results of those tests? Why did certain documents regarding this problem suddenly disappear from the web in 2013? Why the secrecy? Let independent testing laboratories test suspect fields. (one of the huge problems in this process is secrecy, because the transaction is considered a private one between farmer and industry, but where public health is concerned there needs to be a way to get answers)
Shenandoah County
July 2010 http://list.web.net/archives/sludgewatch-l/2010-July/005101.html
Spotsylvania County
-- Residents fight against sewer sludge near their homes CBS 6 WTVR, Nov 30 2012 by Angela Pellerano (news video and article)
--Spotsylvania Supervisors Plod Through Sludge Issue, August 15 2001 Free Lance-Star
--Google archive of Free Lance-Star Mar 16, 1991 large ad notice from citizens group warning of sludge
Surry County
--2008, Claremont, VA, "My Nightmare" by Sandra Wyatt
My Nightmare
Other USA States
New York
-- June 7 2014 Tonawanda, New York tonawanda-news.com Sewage Sludge Labeling Bill Pushed
South Carolina
Lake Wylie Pilot, April 14 2014 Charlotte PCB cleanup costs to top $1.3 million
(re: PCBs in sludge) South Carolina says no PCB contaminated sludge was land-applied to their knowledge, although they have reportedly asked farmers for samples of soil they suspect may have been contaminated, but where are the results of those tests? Why did certain documents regarding this problem suddenly disappear from the web in 2013? Why the secrecy? Let independent testing laboratories test suspect fields. (one of the huge problems in this process is secrecy, because the transaction is considered a private one between farmer and industry, but where public health is concerned there needs to be a way to get answers)
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