Advisory and This Week in Washington – WEF

July 23rd, 2010

House Appropriations Subcommittee Approves FY 2011 $32.2 Billion Department of Interior-EPA Spending Bill

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on July 22 approved a $32.2 billion fiscal year 2011 spending bill for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, including EPA and other environmental programs beginning October 1. The bill provides $10.018 billion for EPA, i$271 million less from FY2010, including over $3.2 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure assistance that will be used to assist 1208 American communities meet their clean and safe drinking water needs. Of that amount, $1.9 billion funds the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to help meet the goals of the Clean Water Act, and $1.2 billion funds the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to protect public health by improving drinking water systems. An additional $1.3 billion is provided for the Superfund program. The bill provides $473 million to protect major American lakes and estuaries, and fully funds the $300 million request for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This bill also makes significant investments to protect other American great water bodies including Puget Sound, Long Island Sound, the Gulf of Mexico, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Mississippi River, and increases funding above the request for the National Estuaries Program.

The bill includes $455.5 million for climate change adaptation and scientific efforts, which is $9 million above the request and $91 million above 2010. The bill includes $42 million for EPA research on Climate Change and response, $58 million for EPA and state regulatory programs, and $129 million for EPA Climate Protection Programs and Grants. The bill provides the requested amount of $23 million for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Regional Science Centers and National Wildlife Centers and $168 million for other Department of the Interior Climate Change programs. The bill also includes $15 million for Forest Service and Smithsonian research programs. In addition, there are funds in the bill to deal with intersex fish. The bill focuses more federal resources towards research on endocrine disrupting chemicals by providing $7 million for USGS scientific research and $32 million for EPA’s research grants and screening programs. Summary table for Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies FY 2011 Appropriations

EPA Seeks Small Business Input on Proposed Stormwater Rule

EPA announced on July 21 that it is inviting small businesses and municipalities to nominate representatives to provide input on a proposed stormwater rule. The rule would strengthen the national stormwater program under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and focus on stormwater discharges from developed sites, such as subdivisions, roadways, industrial facilities, and commercial buildings or shopping centers. Selected participants would provide input to a Small Business Advocacy Review panel, which will consist of officials from EPA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Office of Management and Budget. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act, EPA is establishing this panel because the rule could have a significant economic impact on small entities. The representatives will provide input on how EPA can minimize the potential burden on small entities of the proposed regulation. Nominations must be received by August 4, 2010.

WEF Board Endorses Watershed Principles

On July 16, 2010, the WEF Board of Trustees endorsed a broad set of 12 principles focused on advancing watershed management to protect and improve water quality. These proposed principles are generally consistent with the WEF position on Clean Water Act Modernization. In February, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) invited State Water Quality agency representatives including Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA) staff, selected environmental organizations and WEF to discuss ways to improve meaningful implementation of watershed management. The group determined that a broad set of watershed principles could serve as a common discussion framework with a diverse set of stakeholders, including agricultural and other nonpoint source interests. Based on several workgroup meetings, NACWA staff drafted a set of 12 broad watershed principles.

NACWA has requested that the various workgroup organizations now consider formal endorsement. Supporting organizations will be working jointly to add more organizations to the statement of principles to ensure the broadest array of support toward a viable watershed approach. Once finalized later this summer, these principles will serve as a common basis for all supporting organizations in ongoing discussions with EPA, Congress and others to help ensure that watershed approaches are more effectively used in clean water policy and program development and implementation

WEF Nutrients Publication Submitted to EPA

On July 14, 2010, the authors of a now completed WEF special publication “Technical Submission to EPA: Removal of Nutrients with Currently Available Secondary Treatment Technologies” briefed EPA Office of Water managers and staff, including Ephraim King, Director, Office of Science and Technology, and his Deputy Director, Jeff Lape. The WEF briefing team was led by Jeanette Brown, Executive Director, Stamford {CT} Water Pollution Control Authority; Adrienne Neumra, Brandon Koltz, and Steve Wordelman also participated. The WEF Government Affairs Committee’s nutrient work group prepared this report to provide the best currently available technical information on secondary treatment and options for nutrient removal. The report was peer reviewed by a panel of experts. This report is intended to assist EPA in evaluating a petition filed by several citizens groups requesting that EPA redefine municipal secondary treatment requirements to include nutrient removal. WEF takes no position on whether EPA should grant or deny this petition.

The report includes technical and cost information on secondary treatment baselines, nitrogen removal, phosphorus removal, integrated N/P systems, and the water quality impacts and benefits of nutrient controls. Following a good discussion about the report, EPA expressed interest in continuing a dialogue with WEF and possibly other stakeholders on reasonable approaches to advance nutrient management. EPA did not indicate any specific next steps on responding to the petition. This report will soon be available on the WEF website.

House Committee Explores Job Creation from Clean Water Investment

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment held a hearing on July 15 this week on the impact clean water infrastructure investment would have on the economy. Each of the panelists, as well as Democratic and Republican committee members agreed that water and wastewater infrastructure investment will impact the country in several beneficial ways. Panelists, including George Hawkins of the District of Columbia Water and Sewage Authority, praised the investments made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as crucial to solving the problem of our nation's aging infrastructure as well as ailing construction business and all relating industries. The Clean Water Council (CWC) estimated that every $1 billion invested in water and wastewater infrastructure creates approximately 27,000 jobs. Dennis Vander Molen of the Associated Equipment Distributors urged Congress, "to enact long-term Clean and Drinking Water SRF reauthorization bills that dramatically upgrade our deteriorating water infrastructure in urban and rural areas."

Leading Global Water Organizations Launch New Journal

WEF, WateReuse Association (WRA), and the WateReuse Research Foundation (WRRF) announced on July 19 the launch of a new trade and professional journal, World Water: Water Reuse & Desalination™. The collaborative journal, designed to address the growing informational, technical and operational needs of global water reuse and desalination professionals, will be unveiled at WateReuse’s 25th Annual Symposium this September in Washington, DC. The initial issue will be launched at WEF’s 2010 Annual Meeting, WEFTEC 2010, in October. WEF and WateReuse will initially publish the new journal on a quarterly basis in both print and electronic formats. Plans call for the expansion to six annual print and electronic issues by the end of 2011, with translation into Chinese and Arabic to follow. Also planned is a companion, peer-reviewed journal that will be aimed towards academics, engineering students, and the technical reuse and desalination communities.

Modeled after WEF’s highly successful international trade journal, World Water, the editorial content of World Water: Water Reuse & Desalination will reflect the global outlook, knowledge, and technical expertise of water supply solutions unique to the growing area of reuse and desalination. Editorial content will include potable water and industry reuse issues; seawater desalination; water quality issues in reuse and desalination processes; and the financial, policy, and public acceptance aspects of water reuse and desalination.

EPA Announces Public Information Meetings for Proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule

EPA is holding four public information meetings to provide information on the proposed revisions to the Total Coliform Rule (TCR). The proposed revisions are contained in the proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) which was published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2010. During the public meetings, EPA will discuss the major provisions of the current TCR, the history of the development of the proposed RTCR, the core elements of the proposed RTCR, the comparison between the current TCR and the proposed RTCR, and specific areas where EPA is requesting comment. Additional topics that will be discussed include the cost and benefit information of the proposed rule and the planned guidance manuals that will be developed to support the implementation of the final rule. The first public meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Eastern Time (EDT), at the EPA East Building, Room 1153, 1201 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. To register, contact Cesar Cordero at (202)564-3716 or at .