Developing Solutions to Regulatory Challenges and Engaging Community Support to Expand Diversion of Food Waste to Anaerobic Digestion in the Northeast

NERC has worked with the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA) on a two-year contract to assist with the implementation of an anaerobic digestion (AD) project. The project developed guidance and training on environmental justice engagement and regulatory compliance to support AD in communities.


NERC provided the following services:

  • Played a pivotal role in the Project Team.
  • Helped form and participate in the Project Steering Committee.
  • Assisted with creating a contact list of AD operators, consultants, service providers, and environmental justice (EJ) groups in the Northeast.
  • Helped form and participate in the Regulatory Workgroup.
  • Assisted with writing, a regulatory guide for AD and a roadmap about how to get involved with AD. 
  • Wrote a best practices guide for community engagement with environmental justice communities about AD.
  • Assisted with publishing and publicizing all project deliverables. 
  • Assisted with organizing, promoting, and moderating a four-part webinar series about the project deliverables and anaerobic digestion. 
  • Presented about food donations and using wasted food to feed animals in Webinar 1 of the series.
  • Reviewed and commented on the AD roadmap.
  • Assisted with finding Spanish translation services for the AD roadmap.


Project Resources:


Webinars (Presentations and Recordings):


Project staff lead: Mariane Medeiros, NERC's Senior Project Manager.