Pesticides, Fertilizers, Air & Water Pollution

Health:

Our Most Important Asset

When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.

Ben Franklin

Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.

Anonymous

Treat the earth well, It was not given to you by your parents, It was loaned to you by your children.

Native American Proverb

The Problem

• Discharges into Lakes, Rivers, etc.

• Harmful Air Emissions

• Consumption of Hazardous Household Products

• Family Farms Struggling Due to High Costs of Pesticides and Fertilizers

Where will VT be in 20 years if we ignore the problem?

California Model:DETERIORATED HEALTH AND

ENVIRONMENT

• Increased Cancer Rates• Increased Infant Mortality• Toxic Water• SMOG• Loss of Family Farms

Where could VT be in 20 years if we address the problem?

Slovenia Model:

HEALTHIER FAMILIES & CLEANER ENVIRONMENT

•Decreased Infant Mortality•Movement towards Organic•Anti-GMO •Population - 2 million•Vibrant Tourist Industry•Recently Seceded

Strategies for Behavioral Change

• Education – Raise Public Awareness

• Reduce Consumption – Price Adjustments

• Reuse – “Gray Water” Irrigation

• Innovation – Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Practices

Air PollutionThe Problem

1. Most air pollution is from non-point sources.

2. Due to the rural nature of our state, 50% of energy expenditures in VT are for transportation and this accounts for most of the air pollution in the state.

3. This transportation related pollution has been dealt with by the Carbon Tax explained earlier.

Air Pollution

• Air Toxics Program

• Title V

Title V - ConstructionBasic Fee Schedule Type Amount New Rate

Permit Application Major Stationary $11,500 $15,000

Non-Major Stationary $750 $1,000

Indirect Source $4,000 $5,000

Minor Amendment Clerical $100 $100

Technical $500 $500

Supplemental Fee Schedule for Non-Major Stationary Sources

Type Amount New Rate

Engineering Review   $1,460 $2,000

Air Quality Impact Analysis

Screening Model $600 $600

Refined Model $1,170 $2,000

Observe and Review Emissions Testing

  $1,750 $2,000

Audit Performance of Ambient Air Monitoring

  $1,750 $2,000

Implement Public Comment Requirement

  $500 $500

Title V - Operating

Emitters have to pay for permission to release harmful chemicals into the

atmosphere. They pay fees to the state to cover the cost of monitoring

their businesses and then get charged by the amount of pollution emitted. Usually by the pound or gallon of

chemical.

Air Toxics - Definition• "Air toxics" refers to 188 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) listed in the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1990.

• HAPs include industrial chemicals, solvents, metals, pesticides, and combustion by-products.

• Top 10 air toxics exceed health-based standards in Vermont.

1. Acetaldehyde

2. Formaldehyde

3. Benzene

4. Methylene Chloride

5. 1,3-Butadiene

6. Tetrachloroethylene

7. Carbon Tetrachloride

8. Mercury

9. Chloroform

10. Styrene

Air Toxics

• Mobile Sources: On and off road vehicles and aircraft.• Area Sources: Burn barrels, gasoline filling stations,

woodstoves, paint stripper, surface coatings, drycleaners, industrial boilers, etc. (small stationary sources)

• Point Sources: Manufacturing operations (large stationary sources).

Air Toxics – Management

• UVM

• Cargill

• OMYA

• Burlington Electric

• Middlebury College

These 218 Point Sources released 11,086 tons of toxics into the air in Vermont during 2000.

Entities producing more than 5 tons of “criteria” air pollutants must register with the state. These include approximately 218 entities including:

Air Toxics Revenues• In 2003 VT raised $153,576 in revenues from toxics.

Basic Fee Schedule Amount New Rate

For facilities with emissions greater than 5 tons but less than 10.

$ 0.016 per pound of emissions of SO2,

PM, 00, NOR, or Hydrocarbons

$250 plus$0.032 per pound

For facilities with emissions greater than

10 tons.

$840 plus$ 0.016 per pound

$1,680$ 0.032 per pound

Hazardous Contaminant Surcharge

Fee assessed based on emissions with regard to public health. Please consult the Air Division for type definitions.

Excludes emission from thecombustion of fuels except for

“solid waste” fuel.Type 1: $ 0.008 per pound

emittedType 2: $ 0.084 per pound

emittedType 3: $ 0.840 per pound

emitted Type 4: $ 8.40 per pound emitted

Excludes emission from thecombustion of fuels except for

“solid waste” fuel.Type 1: $ 0.08 per pound emittedType 2: $ 0.84 per pound emittedType 3: $ 8.40 per pound emitted

Type 4: $ 84.00 per pound emitted

Hazardous Contaminant Surcharge on the

amount of fuel burned annually.

Coal: $0.43pertonWood: $ 0.103 per ton

#6 Fuel Oil: $ 0.0005 per gallon#4 Fuel Oil: $ 0.0004 per gallon#2 Fuel Oil: $ 0.0002 per gallon

LPG: $ 0.0002 per gallonNatural_Gas: $0.87 per million ft3

Coal: $0.86pertonWood: $ 0.206 per ton

#6 Fuel Oil: $ 0.001 per gallon#4 Fuel Oil: $ 0.0008 per gallon#2 Fuel Oil: $ 0.0004 per gallon

LPG: $ 0.0004 per gallonNatural_Gas: $1.74 per million ft3

Current Water Taxes• Water Discharge Fee

– Application for discharge permit is $100– Application review fee ranges from $50

to $30,000

• Stormwater Fee– Administrative fee of $100– Application review fee

• $300 per acre of impervious surface in a Class B watershed

• $1170 per acre of impervious surface in a Class A watershed

– Annual operating fee• $50 per acre of impervious surface in a Class

B watershed• $235 per acre of impervious surface in a

Class A watershed

Price ChangesCurrent

• Water Discharge Fee• $100 permit• $50-$30,000 review fee

• Stormwater Fee• $100 administrative operating fee• $300-$1170 application review fee• $50-$235 annual operating fee

Revised

• Water Discharge Fee• $300 permit

• $150-$90,000 review fee

• Stormwater Fee• $300 administrative operating fee

• $900-$3510 application review fee

• $150-$705 annual operating fee

Water Consumption Fee: Part I

• First 100 gallons of water used per household will be free (as it already is), but every gallon thereafter will be subject to the 1 cent per gallon fee.

• Currently an average household consumes about 200 gallons of water per day.

Water Consumption Fee: Part II

Ease of Administration– Meters already in place on houses.

– Meters can easily be placed on wells.

Equity– Because the first 100 gallons will be free of charge, only excessive

use of water will be taxed.

Economy– A Water Consumption Tax will generate an enormous amount of

money which can displace other taxes.

Environment– Taxation on the consumption of water promotes efficiency and

conservative use. It also encourages recycling, reuse, and innovation.

Pesticide & Fertilizer Revenues

Product registration feeCurrent $75.00

Proposed $300.00

Dealer’s License & Application Fees for Pesticides

$41,000 $82,000

Fertilizer product registration fees @ $15.00/nutrient

max. $105.00

@ $30.00/nutrient, max. $210.00

Fertilizer tonnage tax@ $.25/ton

with a min. of $50.00

@ $.50/ton with a min. of $100.00

Total $932,000 $3,203,000

Sales Tax Exemption for Agriculture

6.0% Sales Tax Exemption for Agricultural Use of Pesticides and Fertilizers

Current

Revenue

Fair Tax Proposal

Green Tax Proposal

Farmers, Nurseries, Orchards, etc

$0.00 $1,100,000.00 $0.00

Total Current -$932,000

Proposed - $3,203,000

$10,000

$510,000

$1,010,000

$1,510,000

$2,010,000

$2,510,000

$3,010,000

Registration annual fee for newpesticide products, household

products

Commercial pesticide dealer'slicense & applicator licenses

fees

Fertilizers product registrationfee

Fertilizers tonnage tax

Chemicals

Benefits of Our Proposed Change

• Healthier Vermonters

• Pure Water

• Fresh Air

• Increased Tourism

• Family Farms Flourish In Vermont!

• The GREEN Mountain State Prevails!

Resources

• http://www.chem.unep.ch/pops/POPs_Inc/proceedings/abu-dhabi/KOVACS.html

• http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=108&subsecid=900003&contentid=253035

• http://cpr.radicaldesigns.org/article.php?id=210

• http://www.anr.state.vt.us/air/Planning/docs/rptFacEmissionsTotal-2000.rtf

• http://www.vtwaterquality.org

• http://www.vpirg.org