Some 169 toxic algal blooms were reported in 40 states in 2017, compared to only three blooms in 2010, says the Environmental Working Group in a report released today that names agricultural runoff as a primary factor. The EWG says farmers should be required to meet basic standards for control of nutrient runoff because voluntary efforts are insufficient.
“The rising number of blooms is directly related to the staggering intensification of crop and livestock production,” said EWG’s Craig Cox. “Farmers get billions of taxpayer dollars each year through federal farm and insurance subsidies. It’s more than fair to ask them to take steps to prevent pollution in return for such generous support from their fellow citizens.”
According to EWG’s research, toxic algal blooms have occurred in every state since 2010. Based on news coverage and satellite imagery, the EWG counted 288 blooms in rivers, lakes and bays in 48 states. “Toledo was the wake-up call for many people,” said Cox, referring to the toxic bloom that made drinking water unsafe for the city on the banks of Lake Erie. The EWG said Lake Erie “isn’t the only place with a reliable yearly bloom – in recent years, federal regulators began issuing an annual ‘bloom forecast’ for some coastal states and plan to expand the program.”
To read the report or watch an EWG video, click here.