Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR)

The Maryland Center for Environmental Training (MCET) offers technical assistance to Maryland's communities and businesses. Our technical assistance is designed to help with compliance issues, but the assistance is non-regulatory and voluntary.

Currently, we are assisting facilities move from BNR to ENR - or in some cases straight to ENR. If you are interested in this program and would like our assistance please use our request form below and send to MCET. Other ways to contact MCET for this assistance: e-mail us at Info@mcet.org or call 301-934-7500 for a technical assistance request form.

Technical Assistance Request Forms:

Why an Enhanced Nutrient Removal Program?

http://www.mde.state.md.us/Water/CBWRF/evolution_ENR.asp

Recognizing that more needs to be done, the Chesapeake Bay 2000 Agreement requires further reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Bay by about 20 million pounds and 1 million pounds per year respectively. The Maryland Department of the Environment will use the Bay Restoration Fund to upgrade the 66 major wastewater treatment plants, which discharge to the Chesapeake Bay, with enhanced nutrient removal (ENR) technologies.

Once upgraded, these plants are expected to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in the wastewater down to 3 mg/l total nitrogen and 0.3 mg/l total phosphorus, achieving approximately one-third of the needed reduction under the Chesapeake Bay 2000 Agreement. Other pollutants will continue to be reduced by more than 90%.

Maryland's Policy for Nutrient Cap Management and Trading

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) through a public process has developed a Policy for Nutrient Cap Management and Trading (Policy), which took effect on April 17, 2008. It is a creative and innovative approach to managing point sources nutrient load caps. One aspect of Maryland’s approach is unique. Other states allow trading in lieu of upgrading a WWTP. In Maryland, upgrade of major WWTPs is required and the Bay Restoration Fund (BRF) was instituted to fully fund these upgrades. Trading is not available as a substitute for the upgrades. Nutrient reductions achieved through the upgrades must be maintained to meet Bay water quality goals. The Policy addresses both the need to achieve early nutrient load reductions from point sources through enhanced nutrient removal upgrades and the need to address new or increased point source nutrient loads associated with a growing population. The need to address planned growth is met through various environmentally sensitive offset/trading options and requirements outlined in the Policy. Facts About Nutrient Cap Management/Trading - Phase One provides a summary of the Policy along with frequently asked questions about the Policy. Under this policy, Maryland will continue to be a leader in the effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay while accommodating expected population growth.

Courtesy of MDE: http://www.mde.state.md.us/Water/nutrientcap.asp

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