» Clean Water Current Archive

January 22, 2010

Senate Poised to Move Forward on Job Creation, NACWA Urges Members to Contact Senators

The Senate remains poised to consider a domestic jobs package following lawmakers’ return to the Capitol after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. According to staff in the office of Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the jobs package remains a high priority of Senate leadership with the expectation that it will likely be considered in the next month or two. In anticipation, NACWA is working with the offices of Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to circulate a “Dear Colleague” letter asking for the inclusion of at least $4 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and $2 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) — the same amount as was provided for in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. NACWA staff continues to make the case in the Senate that funding for wastewater infrastructure projects is a proven, effective way to create solid jobs, improve the economy, while also creating long-term environmental benefit. As a result of the Massachusetts Senate race, Senate Democrats have lost their veto-proof majority but it remains to be seen how this may impact the progress of a jobs bill. It is clear, however, that in the wake of the Massachusetts Senate race, the White House and Congress are refocused on economic issues and the jobs package will be a key component of addressing the unemployment challenge.

As a reminder, last week NACWA issued its first Advocacy Alert of 2010 urging Members to contact their Senators in support of $4 billion for the CWSRF in the jobs bill. If you have not done so already, please contact your Senators and urge their support of the “Dear Colleague” letter and increased investments in the Clean Water SRF as part of the jobs package.

EPA Provides Update to NACWA on BEACH Act Agreement Implementation, Next Steps

NACWA and other parties to the Natural Resources Defense Council v. EPA (BEACH Act) litigation received an update Jan. 15 from EPA on implementation progress under the settlement agreement for development of new recreational water quality criteria, which NACWA helped to negotiate in 2008. The two update documents, a consent decree status report  and a settlement agreement status report , highlight the actions EPA has completed over the past six months in line with the terms of the litigation settlement agreement and outline what work the Agency anticipates completing in the next six months. Among the items that were completed by EPA in the second half of 2009 were epidemiological studies at marine beaches impacted by discharges from wastewater treatment plants and urban runoff, work to develop new ambient test methods, and the hosting of a stakeholder workshop in October to discuss the results thus far of EPA’s efforts. NACWA participated in the October stakeholder meeting. Work planned for the coming six months includes additional epidemiological studies, continued analysis of the data from past studies, and further work on new testing methods. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, EPA is to complete all research and develop new recreational water quality criteria by the end of 2012.

NACWA intervened in the BEACH Act litigation in 2006 to ensure the interests of the Association’s utility members were protected during development of the new recreational water quality criteria. As a result of NACWA’s aggressive participation in settlement negotiations, the final agreement included opportunity for stakeholder input during the criteria development process, including access to EPA’s data, stakeholder workshops to discuss ongoing efforts, and an expert scientific panel to review the criteria before they are finalized. More information on the litigation and NACWA’s role can be found on the Association’s Litigation Tracking web page. Another status update from EPA on implementation of the settlement is expected in July 2010.

NACWA Helps Water Infrastructure Network Shape Strategy for Trust Fund

This week at a Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) meeting, NACWA joined with other organizational members of WIN to develop key strategies to continue to build momentum for the Water Protection and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 3202). The group developed a refined strategy focused on gaining the support of members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee to help develop momentum toward ensuring the committee’s consideration of the bill this year. In the last four months, NACWA worked closely with AGC and other WIN members to increase support for the trust fund, gaining 17 additional co-sponsors for H.R. 3202. This week’s strategy session helped crystallize a commitment among the groups to build on this momentum and will assist in continuing to move the bill forward during the 111th Congress. The bill gained its newest co-sponsor yesterday, Massachusetts Representative Bill DeLaHunt (D).

Register Today. . . Don’t Miss Out on These Unique Opportunities!

Join your clean water colleagues for the following offerings – additional information and registration is available on NACWA’s Conferences and Professional Development section of it website.

• Time is running out to register for NACWA's 2010 Winter Conference: Transcending Tradition… The Expanding Roles & Relationships of the Clean Water Utility, February 2-5, 2010 in Austin, Texas. This year’s program will examine the new roles clean water agencies are assuming – but also put those roles into context as utilities continue to deal with an aging workforce, tough economic times, and growing capital program challenges. Register today for the Winter Conference! A discounted registration rate is available for public utilities that send multiple employees. Registrants wishing to take advantage of this offer must submit paper registration forms together to NACWA. To register, click here for the online registration form, or here  for a PDF version of the form. Visit NACWA's website today for a detailed conference agenda and additional information on the 2010 Winter Conference.

• Sign up today for NACWA’s second Web Seminar of the Flow Series! Join us March 10, 2010, from 2:00 – 3:00pm Eastern for Climate Change: It’s all about Water with featured speaker Richard Heim, meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Heim will be discussing in detail the water resource impacts caused by a climate-impacted world. Work underway at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center – and its importance to wastewater and stormwater utilities – will receive in-depth attention. This web seminar, along with the other seminars in the FLOW Series, will provide timely and relevant information for all of NACWA’s members. Register today and engage all the key members of your staff in this unique offering. There is also still time to register for all three remaining seminars for only $250. Visit NACWA’s website for registration information.