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Member Pipeline
Clean Water Current - September 28
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September 28, 2012
Water Sector Representatives Talk Sustainability with EPARepresentatives from the major water sector organizations, including NACWA, the American Public Works Association (APWA), the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF), along with state water regulators and infrastructure financing experts met with EPA this week to discuss water utility sustainability. The day and a half-long meeting was organized by the Agency as a forum to discuss ongoing sustainability efforts, identify any gaps in information or resources, and consider potential next steps for maintaining the current momentum among water sector utilities on sustainability.EPA has had an interest in sustainable utilities for years and was a driving force behind the effort that led to the Effective Utility Management (EUM) attributes and keys to management success, which were developed collaboratively by representatives from the six lead water sector organizations in 2007. During the September 25-26 meeting, EPA reiterated that its continued activity in this area is intended to provide information on the benefits of sustainability, without a top-down federal push for utilities to adopt these practices. The Agency understands that continued progress is dependent on the ongoing engagement of the water sector organizations and convened the meeting in an effort to maintain momentum now that the EUM effort is more than five years old. Tom Sigmund, Executive Director of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District and Diane Taniguchi-Dennis, Deputy General Manager of Clean Water Services in Hillsboro, Oregon, participated in the discussion on behalf of NACWA. Meeting participants discussed the continuum of sustainability practices from the most basic to the more advanced and what resources or information might be useful to utility managers to help them move along this continuum. Participants also discussed the characteristics of two broad utility business models – conventional and emergent – what sustainability practices are most likely associated with each model, and what steps are needed to move from the conventional to the emergent model. The utility representatives in attendance stressed that it will be important to keep in mind that moving to a more sustainable business model – the emergent model – will be difficult for many that are still working to optimize their current practices, and that the limitations of smaller utilities must be recognized and addressed. The participants at the meeting underscored that a top priority is compliance 100 percent of the time. As a result, utility managers will naturally avoid innovation and the risk associated with new technologies or approaches. To achieve more than small, incremental improvements along the sustainability continuum, a new, shared-risk approach that rewards rather than penalizes innovation and risk, may be needed. EPA plans to develop a summary of the discussions during the meeting and may schedule a follow-up discussion with the participants to further refine the notes and discuss next steps. Senate Releases Draft of FY 2013 Interior & Environment Appropriations BillThis week, the Senate Appropriations Committee released a draft fiscal year (FY) 2013 Interior Appropriations bill, to fund the EPA, the Interior Department, and the Forest Service at $29.7 billion in FY2013. This is a 1.7 percent increase over current levels and about on par with the Obama administration's request. The bill would increase EPA’s budget to $8,515,832,000, and funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund and the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF and DWSRF) programs would also see a slight bump to $1,466,456,000 and $917,892,000,000 respectively. The House proposed spending levels for EPA and the SRF are much lower than the Senate’s proposal – with EPA slated to receive $7 billion and the CWSRF and DWSRF programs targeted to receive approximately $689 million and $829 million respectively.The Senate Appropriations bill will likely be conferenced with the House Appropriations bill if/when both chambers complete their work on an Interior, Environment & Related Agencies Appropriations bill. In the absence of Congress passing an Interior Appropriations bill during the lame duck, federal agencies will continue to operate under a continuing resolution, which funds the government through March 27, 2013 at FY2012 levels. Funding for EPA and other federal agencies beyond that point is unknown at this time. Spending levels for this fiscal year will also be influenced by the budget sequestration process which will impact federal budgets January, 2013 unless an alternative budget agreement is put in place to avoid the automatic spending cuts. NACWA will continue to track developments on the Federal budget and report them to our members as they occur. For more information on federal budget or appropriations, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , NACWA’s Legislative Manager. NACWA Joins WEF’s Water Puts America to Work Initiative, Urges Members to Become SupportersNACWA has signed on as a supporter of the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Water Puts America to Work campaign, which is seeking to deliver a clear message to our elected officials and political candidates that investment in water infrastructure is an investment in America that creates jobs and spurs economic growth. The Water for Jobs website makes the business case for this initiative by emphasizing the irrefutable link between water infrastructure investment and job creation.It is estimated that an investment of $188.4 billion over the next five years would generate $265.6 billion in economic activity and create nearly 1.9 million jobs. By allowing the gap between needs and investment to grow, we not only miss an opportunity to address unemployment but also create a threat to existing jobs and businesses. The failure to make the necessary investments will result in unreliable water delivery and wastewater treatment services and may lead to $206 billion in increased costs for businesses and households between now and 2020. With millions of Americans out of work, there has never been a more critical time to reinvest in our essential water infrastructure. NACWA, WEF, AWWA and others are working together to deliver the message that water investment must be a national priority and the Association encourages your public agency to get involved as well. Time is of the essence given the rapidly approaching national elections. Visit the Water for Jobs website for more information on how you can become a supporter of this effort and to get more involved. Law Seminar to Address Opportunities, Challenges of Integrated PlanningHelping clean water utility attorneys and managers understand both the opportunities and potential challenges presented by EPA's recent integrated planning framework will be a key focus of NACWA's upcoming Developments in Clean Water Law Seminar, scheduled for November 14 - 16 in Seattle, Washington. An all-star panel of clean water professionals will lead a discussion on the opening day of the Seminar examining the integrated planning approach Included on the panel will be senior EPA officials from the Office of Water and the Office of Enforcement & Compliance Assurance who will explain how the Agency intends to apply the framework document and how utilities can best use it. Municipal clean water legal experts on the panel will provide analysis and suggestions on how utilities can pursue an integrated plan in both a permitting and enforcement context, highlighting how an integrated planning approach could provide communities with additional flexibility and prioritization in meeting Clean Water Act (CWA) obligations. Speakers will also address some of the potential hurdles utilities may face in developing an integrated plan, including tips on how to overcome these challenges. Additionally, there will be significant time allotted for Seminar participants to ask questions and engage in robust dialogue with the panel speakers, including EPA staff, to determine how integrated planning might work best for individual utilities.Additional Seminar panels will continue the integrated planning theme, including an examination of recent consent decree developments incorporating an integrated planning approach and a discussion of how to use the framework’s new flexibility to attain a utility's objectives during discussions about permitting and enforcement actions. A number of other hot legal and regulatory topics will be addressed during the conference as well, including nutrients, stormwater, key CWA court cases of the past year, and an analysis of the results from the 2012 elections and their likely impact on the national clean water advocacy agenda. Registration information and an updated Seminar agenda are available on NACWA's website, along with details on Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits available for Seminar participants. The hotel registration deadline is October 23, so hurry and make your plans today! 3rd Annual Urban Water Sustainability Leadership Conference to Convene in CincinnatiThe U.S. Water Alliance (formerly the Clean Water America Alliance) will convene its 3rd annual Urban Water Sustainability Leadership Conference, October 15-17, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Leadership Conference is co-hosted by the CONFLUENCE Water and Technology Cluster of Greater Cincinnati. Influential policy makers will headline the event including The Honorable Nancy Sutley, Chair of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality and Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator for Water for EPA. As in past years, the Conference will shine a light on the best municipal models with teams providing presentations on their cross-department/agency, community and business partnerships and how these have resulted in environmental, economic, and social benefits. These team presentations include NACWA members the North East Ohio Regional Sewer District in Cleveland; Metro Wastewater Reclamation District in Denver; the Kansas City Water Department; Onondaga County, N.Y; and, Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department, Ariz. Roundtable discussions will also generate fresh ideas and new perspectives. There is still time left to register! Visit the U.S. Water Alliance’s website for more details. |
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