Clean Water Current

We are excited to announce that Michael S. Regan, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will address the water sector for the first time during the Water Week Policy Zoom-In on Tuesday, April 27, 2:00-4:30 p.m. ET – and the timing could not be more critical. With conversations heating up on a national infrastructure plan, environmental justice, and emerging contaminants like PFAS, EPA Administrator Regan and his team will play a central role in addressing these and other priority issues facing the water sector.

Clean water has been front and center this week before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee and the full U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Finance Advisory Board (EFAB) convened virtually April 20 and April 21 to discuss progress from several internal workgroups and to review existing charges as well as a new charge that will explore financing pollution prevention efforts for small manufacturers.

This week NACWA hosted its first Hot Topics in Clean Water virtual event of 2021, Security Threats Facing Today’s Clean Water Utilities.

The Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Congressional appropriations process ramped up this week as EPA Administrator Michael Regan testified before both the Senate and House Appropriations Committees.

After receiving support from the NACWA Board of Directors, NACWA has recently begun the process of updating its document, Wet Weather Consent Decrees: Negotiation Strategies to Maximize Flexibility & Environmental Benefit.

The White House released its initial proposed Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) budget on April 9. This document serves to outline the President’s annual funding priorities, which Congress will consider as it drafts its annual Appropriations bills.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Community Services (OCS) will be hosting an online listening session on April 20 about the new Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) that has been recently funded by Congress.

Radhika Fox, currently serving as the Acting Assistant Administrator (AA) for EPA’s Office of Water, was nominated by President Biden on April 14 as the full-time Assistant Administrator for Water. Her nomination will now go to the Senate for consideration.

Water Week 2021 is fast approaching and will be here April 25th – May 1st, with the annual fly-in being replaced this year by a virtual Zoom-In on April 27, from 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST.

Water sector associations, including NACWA, are asking all drinking water and wastewater utilities to complete a survey on cybersecurity by April 28.

The U.S. Census Bureau has recently proposed changing the criteria for defining urban areas – a common step after each decennial census. The proposed changes could potentially impact the Clean Water Act’s municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) program and how EPA determines communities that must be permitted. Currently, small MS4 Phase II communities are identified by the Census Bureau’s definition of urbanized areas.

On March 31st, President Biden released his Build Back Better plan, outlining his vision for mobilizing the country to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure, improve economic competitiveness, and address climate change. In its plan, the Administration has proposed a total of $111 billion dollars in clean water and drinking water investments.

EPA announced on March 29 that municipal grant funding is now available for the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Program. Funding for this Program was originally authorized 20 years ago but money was never appropriated until the 2018 and 2019 America’s Water Infrastructure Act process that secured $28 million and $40 million in appropriations, respectively. NACWA is pleased that the funding is now available for this Program and encourages members to apply.

Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) reintroduced the "Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act" on March 25th, taking the reins from recently retired Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) to champion this legislation.

On March 29th, U.S. Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and Steve Stivers (R-OH), who Co-Chair the bipartisan House Municipal Finance Caucus, re-introduced the Investing in Our Communities Act.

Congress and the Biden Administration ramped up their focus on a comprehensive infrastructure and investment bill this week.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Michael Regan March 10 as the newest EPA Administrator in a 66-34 vote. NACWA sent a letter congratulating Mr. Regan on his new role and shared with him our key priority issues.

Water and wastewater utilities are facing increasing security threats from outside parties to both their cyber platforms and critical infrastructure. News reports abound detailing events such as ransomware attacks on wastewater utility records, attempts by hackers to remotely poison water supplies, and intimidation of utility workers at treatment facilities by armed activists.