The agreement provides funding to ohio environmental protection agency (oepa)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $1,750,000 Project Grant to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (CFDA #66.469) program. The grant funds will be used to demonstrate technologies for reducing nutrient loading from nonpoint sources and addressing harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie.

Specifically, Ohio EPA will work with partners Maumee Watershed Alliance and The Ohio State University to implement the following key activities:

• Demonstrate a suite of technologies to recover nutrients from livestock manure and convert them to value-added fertilizer products
• Test and demonstrate application of a slow-release phosphorus fertilizer product
• Conduct field demonstrations and outreach to educate farmers, extension educators, and crop advisors on these nutrient application methods to reduce phosphorus runoff

The anticipated deliverables include technical reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, extension materials, and presentations aimed at improving knowledge and awareness of alternative nutrient technologies to benefit farmers, communities, and the western Lake Erie ecosystem. The project period runs from Jun 1, 2023 to Mar 31, 2028.

Specifically, the recipient will demonstrate technologies for reducing nutrient loading from nonpoint sources and addressing harmful algal blooms in western lake erie.activities:oepa will work with partners to demonstrate a suite of technologies to recover nutrients from livestock manure and convert them to value-added fertilizer products and to test and demonstrate application of a slow-release phosphorus fertilizer product.subrecipient:maumee watershed alliance and ohio state university will implement demonstration projects for agricultural nutrient application products and techniques that reduce phosphorus runoff. The organizations will also prepare and disseminate reports and outreach products to farmers, extension educators, and crop advisors and consultants. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include reports summarizing the development and application of the technologies and methods, water quality impacts, and cost analysis. Deliverables also include education and outreach products, including fact sheets for non-academic audiences, peer reviewed articles in academic journals, web and print media articles, field demonstrations and presentations. The expected outcomes include improved knowledge and awareness of alternative nutrient application technologies and methods for reducing phosphorus runoff. The intended beneficiaries include farmers, extension educators, crop advisors and consultants, and all those who live and recreate in the western basin of lake erie.