ARCHIVE SITE - Last updated Jan. 19, 2017. Please visit www.NACWA.org for the latest NACWA information.
ARCHIVE SITE - Last updated Jan. 19, 2017. Please visit www.NACWA.org for the latest NACWA information.
December 5, 2008 NACWA Meets with Mayors, Other Advocacy Groups on StimulusNACWA has continued to work aggressively to ensure that significant funding is included in the economic stimulus package for wastewater projects and strongly encourages public clean water agencies to contact their members of Congress to urge support for this proposal. NACWA is seeking $10 billion in grants for wastewater infrastructure projects that could be ready-to-go within 120 days. The Association met this week with a number of other stakeholder groups to refine its strategy for moving forward and also hosted a meeting with representatives from the EPA transition team of President-Elect Barack Obama that included a lengthy discussion about the importance of investing in wastewater infrastructure as a way to help stimulate the economy.
NACWA Meets with Obama’s EPA Transition Team on Key PrioritiesNACWA met Dec. 3 with members of President-elect Barack Obama’s EPA transition team to outline the clean water community’s priorities for the new administration. Representing the transition team were Chuck Fox, former EPA assistant administrator for water, and Meryl Harrell. They explained that their role was primarily to gather information about NACWA’s priorities. The representatives said they have also been meeting with senior EPA water officials and other stakeholder groups in an effort to gather the most comprehensive information possible for the incoming administration to ensure a smooth transition.
NACWA Sponsors Meeting on Antimicrobials in Consumer ProductsNACWA convened a meeting of the National Dialogue on Safe and Sustainable Consumer Products this week to focus on how to address antimicrobials, such as triclosan and nanosilver, in consumer products. The dialogue is designed to address concerns by NACWA members and other stakeholders about consumer products with ingredients or additives that end up in the sewer system and eventually are released into the environment. The meeting included a discussion of EPA’s proposed rule on data requirements for antimicrobial pesticides, which includes a “Down-the-Drain” model that will be used to assess the impacts of antimicrobial pesticides on the wastewater treatment process and the aquatic environment (see Regulatory Alert RA 08-05 for more information).
Supreme Court Denies Review of ELG Case, Preserves NACWA VictoryThe U.S. Supreme Court announced Dec. 1 that it would not review a lower court ruling in Our Children’s Earth Foundation v. U.S. EPA, preserving a key legal victory for NACWA in a case challenging EPA’s implementation of the effluent limitation guidelines (ELG) program. The U.S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a previous decision earlier this year affirming EPA’s actions under the ELG program. Specifically, the appeals court determined that EPA has discretion to determine the timing of ELG plan publication and can identify potential new categories of pollution sources without necessarily developing new effluent guidelines for them. In addition, ELGs are not required to be reopened and revised every five years, the court said. The court also found that EPA has the discretion to decide whether guidelines should incorporate technology-based criteria. NACWA was a participant in the case at both the trial court and appellate court levels, arguing in favor of EPA’s implementation of the ELG program, and is pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision not to review the Ninth Circuit’s ruling. Additional information on the case and NACWA’s participation can be found on the Litigation Tracking section of the Association’s website.
EPA Releases Revised CWA Jurisdiction Guidance to Congressional CriticismEPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released revised joint guidance Dec. 3 attempting to clarify the scope of Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction, a move that was met with immediate criticism from key congressional leaders. The guidance updates an earlier version from June 2007 that attempted to provide clarity regarding CWA jurisdiction after the fractured 2006 Supreme Court decision in Rapanos v. U.S. over what qualifies as a “waters of the U.S.” The 2007 document identified three broad categories of jurisdictional distinction that could be used to implement the Rapanos ruling. The first category included waters that clearly fall within CWA jurisdiction. The second category identified waters that would not be jurisdictional, and a third category contained those waters whose jurisdiction would be determined on a case-by-case basis using the “significant nexus” case outlined by the Supreme Court. The revised guidance released this week maintains the major components from the 2007 version while making a few small changes, including a change to the meaning of “traditional navigable waters” under the CWA, which may result in a narrowing of federal jurisdiction in certain cases.
NACWA Web Seminar on Impacts of Economic Downturn Open to Members & AffiliatesIt is not too late to register for NACWA’s free web seminar for public agency members and affiliates scheduled for Dec. 11 from 2:00 - 3:00 pm. NACWA President Marian Orfeo, director of planning & coordination for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority in Boston will moderate the seminar, The Economic Downturn – Impacts & Opportunities, which will focus on the impacts and potential opportunities for nation’s clean water agencies resulting from the ongoing economic downturn. The featured speakers will be municipal finance experts, John Friar, executive professor of entrepreneurship at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., and Tom Paolicelli, executive director for the New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority, N.Y. More information and registration is available on NACWA’s website.
Apply today! 2009 Water & Wastewater Leadership Center Applications due Dec. 12!Space is still available for the 2009 Water & Wastewater Leadership Center executive education program, March 8 – 20, 2009, at the Kenan-Flagler Business School on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The deadline for applications is Friday, Dec. 12, 2008, and interested individuals are strongly encouraged to apply now, as space in the program is limited. The Leadership Center is specifically designed to prepare current and up-and-coming water and wastewater utility leaders to effectively and efficiently manage their utilities while meeting the current needs of their customers with the highest level of service and quality. No other program cultivates leadership and management skills like this intensive 12-day executive management learning experience. Students are challenged to broaden their perspective on evolving issues facing utilities and the changing business environment, while key course elements provide instruction on how to think strategically and lead confidently. This targeted curriculum is enhanced by the state-of-the-art facilities and engaging and dynamic instructors offering an excellent forum for learning. To request a Leadership Center application or additional information, visit the NACWA’s website or contact Kelly Brocato at 202/833-1449 or kbrocato@nacwa.org
Register Today for NACWA’s 2009 Winter ConferenceAs policymakers contemplate how to respond to the economic crisis, NACWA will bring together the best and the brightest to offer key insights at its 2009 Winter Conference, Controlling Chaos: Managing Capital Costs in an Uncertain Economic Environment, scheduled for Feb. 3 - 6, 2009, at the Westin Buckhead Atlanta in Atlanta, Ga. The conference will explore the drivers requiring clean water agencies to reprioritize capital spending and examine the factors critical in improving the efficiency of current spending. Recent economic developments have affected every sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal wastewater community is no exception. Even before the crisis, rapidly rising capital costs were posing challenges for clean water agencies. With the cost of borrowing money now on the rise, the value of municipal bonds in flux, and the price of insurance for large projects skyrocketing, clean water agency resources will be stretched even further.
DHS to Present Webinar on Critical Infrastructure ProtectionThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is presenting a webinar on December 10, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm EST, entitled Critical Infrastructure Protection Mission and Vision: A Shared Responsibility for Now and the Future. Robert B. Stephan, DHS Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection, will be conducting the webinar, which will focus on the vital importance of protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR), the goals and objectives of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, and the benefits of forming partnerships to protect CIKR. Registration for the webinar is available at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/888437216. |