DEVELOPING AND DEMONSTRATING A FRAMEWORK FOR NUTRIENT TRADING IN A PENNSYLVANIA WATERSHED

A partnership has formed to design and implement an initiative with the vision of increasing incentives to enhance watershed ecosystem functional quality using environmental credit markets. The partnership's mission is to create a credible pollutant trading pilot in the Conestoga River watershed and a framework for a statewide trading program that facilitates cost-effective nutrient reductions targeted at meeting nutrient reduction goals and encourages restoration and watershed stewardship. The project will develop the economic and scientific information necessary to identify and implement pilot trades, including consolidating GIS-based land use data and developing a system to prioritize and target where projects should be implemented to create the most attractive nutrient credits. Opportunities for input and participation from interested parties is a cornerstone of the project—outreach activities involve various sectors of the watershed community, including potential trading partners, as well as local planners, environmental groups, and citizens. Maximizing community input will ensure sound policy decisions and a workable trading framework.