Ross, Megan

Megan Ross, is a Business Development Manager for Kiewit. With expertise in process engineering and public utilities, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Central Florida. She previously served as utility director for Pinellas County, Florida and now sits on the Southeast Biosolids Association board, promoting sustainable biosolids management. An Envision Sustainability Professional, Megan is committed to collaboration and policy improvements to advance the water industry.

Titles from this speaker

Advocacy & Outreach in Biosolids Management

Abstract

There are numerous challenges faced by the biosolids management industry throughout the United States, notably the elimination of land application in the State of Maine. In Florida, the reduction of land application sites due to the Clean Waterways Act of 2020 was a significant step towards a more rigorous approach to ensuring that biosolids do not contribute to water quality concerns throughout the state. Legislative proposals continue to emerge that could further limit or eliminate land application, while the EPA's PFAS roadmap aims to target water resource recovery facilities and biosolids for controlling PFAS. Additionally, the implementation of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provisions poses potential impacts on utilities. Given these challenges, it is crucial for multiple stakeholders to unite and ensure the continuity of effective and established biosolids management practices. Various multistate coalitions such as the Northwest Biosolids Association, Midwest Biosolids Association, Mid-Atlantic Biosolids Association, Northeast Biosolids and Residuals Association, Virginia Biosolids Council, and the newly formed Southeast Biosolids Association along with state associations such as the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) and the Virginia Biosolids Council, aim to bridge public, private and agriculture interests for a more powerful approach to advocacy and public outreach efforts to combat legislation and regulations that threaten the sustainable use of biosolids in agriculture. Many utilities do not have a robust advocacy program and especially those within municipal and county structures which typically are battling more localized priorities. The complexity of the issues leads to many local government leaders struggling to understand and advocate effectively on the issues. Equipping utility professionals with a better understanding of the public policy process, and how they can be actively engaged in the process, will enable a higher level of input by utilities for legislation and rulemaking. Additionally, utilities can join with leading associations that can help them track the specific issues in their state, and craft response letters for them to use, rather than relying on their respective organizations to provide this support. Multiple opportunities exist for utility professionals to be engaged in the process of shaping policies. Starting with the very beginning of the process which involves introducing proposed language for consideration, or secondarily proposing amendments to bill language being considered. Finally, even after a law is passed, the rulemaking process is an opportunity to provide input. This is then followed by ratification where it has to go back to the legislature to be formally voted on and adopted. All of these points throughout the policy process can be viewed as opportunities where utilities can weigh in and use advocacy to insert their viewpoint on the issue and help to influence, change, modify or even create a new policy. The purpose with public outreach is education. However, explaining the technical concepts of utility operations to the public can be a challenging task. According to research conducted by the University of Minnesota, people only retain 50% of what they learned 8 hours after learning it. 6 months later, that number drops to 25%. When it's all said and done, 75% of what was initially learned, is not retained. Understanding this significant learning loss can help in developing strategies to overcome it. This includes using tactics to convey technical information to non-technical people and condensing information down to the top three of four issues. Additionally, EPA provides methods for effective public outreach and engagement sessions which allow for a more meaningful dialogue with the public. This presentation will expound upon the context of for which biosolids regulations and legislation is being developed and provide guidance including practical tools to help utility professionals communicate with non-technical people, such as state and federal elected officials, along with educating them on how to craft a persuasive argument will improve their ability to communicate with these groups. It will also review EPA guidelines for the development of effective public outreach events that achieve better engagement with the community.

This paper was presented at the WEF Residuals and Biosolids Conference, June 18-21, 2024.

SpeakerRoss, Megan

Presentation time

13:30:00

14:00:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionOutreach Updates: From State to Regional Solutions

Session number07

Session locationOklahoma City Convention Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TopicPartnerships, Public Education/Information/Communication, public private partnership

Author(s)

Ross, Megan

Author(s)M. Ross1

Author affiliation(s)SediVision LLC 1;

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Jun 2024

DOI10.2175/193864718825159424

Volume / Issue

Content sourceResiduals and Biosolids Conference

Word count7

Description: Getting a Biosolids Strategy Across the Finish Line: Engaging Elected Officials for...

Getting a Biosolids Strategy Across the Finish Line: Engaging Elected Officials for Informed Decision-Making

Abstract

In the realm of local governance, navigating biosolids management projects requires adept engagement with local government elected officials. This presentation delves into the intricate challenges surrounding the comprehension of biosolids technologies and regulations among policymakers, emphasizing the paramount importance of a transparent policy development process. From selecting alternatives to assessing options and developing criteria, this multi-step approach empowers elected officials to weigh choices effectively. By elucidating these complexities and advocating for a robust decision-making framework, stakeholders can expedite the journey of biosolids management projects across the finish line, ensuring informed and impactful outcomes. The development of a biosolids strategy is unique for every utility and region. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach as biosolids management strategies weigh heavily on quantity, quality, and available regional markets combined with state and federal regulations. Thus, navigating the selection of a particular strategy can prove to be challenging and often depends on multiple factors. One important factor is the desire of the agency to embrace sustainability and reuse. This is a key consideration as processes that implement a more sustainable approach to recycling and reusing biosolids are also more cost intensive. In far too many cases, we hear about utility policies or projects that were almost enacted but never received approval by the elected board and in some cases, it was squashed before even getting on a board agenda. We can call this 'getting across the finish line'. In some cases, much effort was expended in completing various studies and analysis for a particular project or program, yet for one reason or another, it just never got put into action because someone within the hierarchal structure decided that it was not politically feasible. It is my belief based on experience that 95% of the overall effort is in getting the project through the last 5% of approvals (with the final approval being the elected body). That said, it means that much more effort should be placed on political strategy to ensure successful approvals are obtained, enabling the program to move forward with implementation. Specifically, the strategy should involve a concerted effort towards a formal policy adoption process. Without that, projects will continue to stagnate, and progress towards a more vibrant utility will stall. Utilizing the Kraft policy process model, utilities can more effectively implement solutions through gaining approval and acceptance by elected officials. The policy process model is comprised of six steps that form the lifecycle of a policy -- or policy cycle. The six steps of the policy cycle are: - Agenda setting -- this represents the recognition of a problem combined with a definition of what the problem is. - Policy formulation -- this involves the development of a policy which seeks to remedy the identified problem. - Policy legitimation -- this involves the determination of authority for government to enact the policy. This step can involve all three executive branches through their checks and balances of laws enacted, enforced or challenged as well as public perception of the policy. - Policy implementation -- this involves the enforcement and execution of the policy after the law is enacted. - Policy and program evaluation -- this involves the study of the efficacy of the policy in solving the original problem. - Policy change -- this is a change or modification to the existing policy after new information is obtained and evaluated. A pivotal step in the policy formulation step is the assessment of alternatives. Kraft's policy approach to assessing alternatives and using criteria involves thoroughly evaluating potential options based on predetermined criteria. This includes analyzing factors such as cost, effectiveness, sustainability, and political feasibility for each policy alternative. By doing this, utilities can employ a systematic process to weigh the pros and cons of each alternative before making a final selection thereby guiding their elected board transparently and strategically through the policy evaluation process. By providing policy alternatives to the elected board or council, combined with analysis of criteria of each alternative, the elected body will be able to weigh each alternative and make an informed decision. This also enables the board to retain appropriate power and authority over the decision, while limiting options so that they are not overwhelmed with too many complexities that create confusion and indecisiveness. In this presentation, we will evaluate a case study involving a private sewer lateral policy in Pinellas County, Florida, that used an alternatives analysis approach to policy adoption and by doing so, successfully adopted a comprehensive policy with unanimous approval. This case study will include specific materials that were included in the board packets that provided summarized information for each option and therefore encouraged a more transparent process for decision-making. Then, we will take this approach and show how it could be applied to evaluating alternative options for a biosolids management strategy. In conclusion, I will summarize all of the key takeaways and provide reference materials that can be used to help guide the process. I will also provide an update on the ongoing activities of the Southeast Biosolids Association (SEBA) and the progress that has been made in standing up the organization as well as the significant advocacy efforts that are underway. Additionally, I will review the call to action for membership and staying vigilant in advocacy efforts that support the sustainable and beneficial use of biosolids.

This paper was presented at the WEF Residuals & Biosolids and Innovations in Treatment Technology Joint Conference, May 6-9, 2025.

SpeakerRoss, Megan

Presentation time

14:30:00

14:50:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionNavigating Land Based Biosolids Management

Session number16

Session locationBaltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA