Our Process to Get Biosolids to Your Soils
Information and Documents pertinent to the Landowner
Natural Selection Farms, Inc strictly abides by Washington State Law for biosolids management: WAC 173-308. We work closely with the Washington State Department of Ecology to ensure that we meet and exceed the highest of environmental and agricultural standards.
Permit Ground of Interest
The following section explains the one-time, no expense permit process NSF coordinates when a landowner is interested in applying biosolids.
According to Washington State law WAC 173-308, any ground that receives biosolids must have prior approval from the Department of Ecology. Once a landowner establishes an interest in supplementing his/her soils with biosolids, NSF begins to compile the necessary documents to submit the state-required Site Specific Land Application Plan (SSLAP) (WAC 173-308, Appendix 3).
Landowner Agreement
This agreement establishes that the landowner, and rentee (if applicable), are aware that their ground is being permitted for the application of biosolids. It is not a commitment to receive biosolids and DOES NOT automatically grant permission to spread biosolids on your ground.
Site Maps
NSF must submit site maps to Washington State Department of Ecology that include all information required by .
To ensure mapping accuracy, NSF personal will discuss the proposed application site(s) with the landowner/rentee. Please be prepared to provide us the following information (if applicable).
1. The location, number of acres, and means of access
2. The location and extent of:
- Perennial surface water bodies within ¼ mile of the site
- Seasonal surface water bodies and on site
- Wetlands
- Wells within ¼ mile (whether for domestic, irrigation, or other purposes)
- Property boundaries and adjacent property uses and their zoning classification (if applicable)
- Presence and extent of any threatened or endangered species or related critical habitat/areas
NSF will send maps to the owner/rentee for review prior to submission.
Current Crops
Whether you are considering improving your soils’ tilth and reducing your costs and your carbon footprint this year or in five years, the SSLAP application requires a list of the current crops in each field at the time of permit submission.
Public Notice
To meet the requirements of the Site Specific Land Application Plan, the proposed site must be posted with a public notice for 30 days following the submission of the Site Specific Land Application Plan.
Once the above process is complete, the specified areas are considered permitted for biosolids application. While we will need to request application rate approvals from ECY prior to every application, the ground will not need to be re-permitted.
Process for Permitting Land for Nutrient Rich Soil Amendment Applications
NSF uses lab analysis’ of the multiple, multi-depth soil samples we take from the field to compare nutrient availability in the soil with the nutrient requirements of the plants you plan to grow. We calculate our biosolids agronomic application rate to compensate for any deficiencies. Once the agronomic rate is approved, application may commence.