Clean Water Current

The Water Sector Coordination Council (WSSC) and the Water Government Coordinating Council (WGCC) have released the 2017 Roadmap to a Secure and Resilient Water and Wastewater Sector.

In response to EPA’s request for input under the Trump Administration’s regulatory reform initiative, NACWA submitted a list of Clean Water Act (CWA) and related environmental regulations and policies needing improvement, on May 15.

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has scheduled an oversight hearing Thursday, May 18 on water affordability and integrated planning.

NACWA delivered a national advocacy update to stormwater professionals at the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies (ORACWA) Stormwater Summit in Eugene, OR last week.

NACWA participated in the Region 8 Pretreatment Conference in Deadwood, SD, on May 9, with a presentation by Cynthia Finley, Director of Regulatory Affairs, on the Association’s Toilets Are Not Trashcans campaign.

NACWA participated in the River Network’s annual River Rally conference last week as both presenter and sponsor, sharing the municipal clean water utility perspective at a gathering of the nation’s leading river advocacy organizations.

Infrastructure Week 2017 has officially begun! From May 15-19, in cities across the country, a wide range of stakeholders will come together to discuss and advocate for one of the nation’s most pressing concerns: enhancing America’s vast infrastructure network—including water and sewer systems.

The White House announced May 12 that it has nominated Susan Bodine as Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA).

Capitol Hill was a busy place last week, as legislators passed a $1.2 trillion Continuing Resolution for FY 2017 spending to avoid a government shutdown and the House approved a healthcare reform bill. In addition to these major Congressional priorities, legislators also introduced several important pieces of water legislation.

A number of NACWA utility members met May 8 with senior staff from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) to share an important municipal perspective on Clean Water Act (CWA) enforcement issues, especially the role of the federal government around municipal CWA consent decrees.

As anticipated, President Donald Trump signed the $1.2 trillion Omnibus spending package on May 5, keeping the government funded through September 30, the close of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017.

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee plans to hold an oversight hearing May 18 on water affordability and integrated planning issues.

NACWA and the Association’s State & Regional Exchange network – comprised of representatives from 18 state and regional clean water organizations - discussed recent legal, regulatory, and legislative advocacy challenges and issues via conference call on May 3.

NACWA participated in the annual Wet Weather Partnership Conference May 2-4 in Indianapolis, providing an update on Trump Administration actions and legislative developments.

Registration is now open for a timely and free webinar offered by NACWA on May 24 at 2:00 pm ET, that will provide an update on the status of municipal clean water advocacy priorities under the Trump Administration and the new Congress.

EPA’s Office of Water gathered input from the public on potential areas for regulatory reform during a three-hour conference call listening session on May 2.

The Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC), which oversees utility partnership with federal agencies on matters related to security and emergency preparedness, held its quarterly meeting in Washington, DC on May 2-3.

NACWA was pleased to provide a national overview at a conference in Brooklyn, NY on May 3, bringing together the leadership of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) and Paris’ wastewater treatment agency (SIAAP) — two of the largest clean water agencies in the world.

NACWA will join a broad coalition of organizations to support Infrastructure Week, May 15 – 19.

After Congress passed the FY2017 Omnibus spending bill last week that maintains the funding levels for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), many feel that now is the perfect time to reflect upon the importance of this program and how it contributes to the improvement of our nation’s clean water infrastructure.