Clean Water Current Archive

An op-ed published in The Hill newspaper last week by two NACWA utility members highlights the important role that Congress can play in helping to advance and ensure a qualified water workforce in the United States.

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is asking utilities to help assemble baseline data on the amount of resource recovery taking place at facilities in the country by completing a survey by August 10.

The EPA extended the public comment period on July 3 for their advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM): Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Costs and Benefits in the Rulemaking Process. This ANPRM seeks more information on how costs and benefits are to be considered by the EPA and whether the Agency can increase consistency and better improve transparency across all environmental statutes.

Building upon the recent PFAS National Leadership Summit in Washington DC, EPA announced on June 27 that the Agency would expand its community engagement on per- and poly-fluoroalkl substances by holding more local workshops this summer in Pennsylvania, Colorado and North Carolina.

Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt submitted his resignation late last week, and EPA Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler was named Acting Administrator effective July 9.

The Senate passed its version of the 2018 Farm Bill prior to the July 4 recess, and the bill included several key priorities that were advocated for by NACWA and its Farm Bill Working Group. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 86-11.

The EPA’s Water Security Division is hosting several webinars which may interest public clean water utilities.

The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a unanimous decision in Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (OVEC) v. Pruitt on June 20, reversing the trial court’s application of the constructive submission doctrine to West Virginia’s development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). The court’s reasoning embraces NACWA’s position in the case that application of the constructive submission theory to the TMDLs in question was not appropriate.

After several weeks of the House’s 2018 Farm Bill being held up due to controversial unrelated immigration legislation, the House last week passed its version of the Farm Bill by a slim two-vote threshold. In May, the same version of the legislation failed to pass, as a faction of House Members demanded a vote first on the immigration legislation in exchange for their support for the Farm Bill.

NACWA was well represented at an event hosted by the Brookings Institute on June 21 to discuss water workforce issues. The gathering was built around the recent release of a report, entitled Renewing the water workforce: Improving water infrastructure and creating a pipeline to opportunity, that provides a first-of-its-kind analysis of jobs involved in the construction, operation, and maintenance of the country’s water infrastructure.

Several pieces of legislation have been introduced recently in support of advancing water technology innovation.

NACWA hosted the latest installment of the Hot Topics in Clean Water Law webinar series on June 20, with over 130 attendees participating. The webinar featured a panel of expert clean water attorneys, with discussion focused on recent litigation surrounding climate change impacts and a case study of how utilities can respond.

EPA published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) in the Federal Register on June 13, requesting public comments on Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Costs and Benefits in the Rulemaking Process.

The Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC) met last week to discuss a number of security and related issues impacting the water sector. Among the topics discussed was an update on the work of the WaterISAC and an “after action” report on the performance of the Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN) to recent natural disasters, including Hurricanes Harvey and Maria.

Time is running out to make your hotel reservations for NACWA’s 2018 Utility Leadership Conference (ULC) – the deadline is Monday, July 2!

NACWA would like to wish you and yours a happy and safe Independence Day holiday! In observance of the Fourth of July, the Clean Water Current will be on hiatus next week and will return on Tuesday, July 10, to continue bringing you the very latest clean water advocacy news and developments. Have a great holiday!

The Senate Appropriations Committee released and quickly marked up, last week, its Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) Interior, Environment, & Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The Senate bill received a bipartisan 31-0 Committee vote in favor. In a key victory for NACWA and the municipal clean water sector, the bill maintains the significant increases for clean water infrastructure funding enacted in FY18. This demonstrates the continued advocacy commitment of NACWA and its members to robust federal infrastructure investment.

A new report released June 14 by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Institute provides a first-of-its-kind analysis of jobs involved in the construction, operation, and maintenance of the country’s water infrastructure.