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Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - July 7, 2006

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July 7, 2006

Municipal Coalition Seeks
Public Utility Exemption from Chemical Security Bill
NACWA, as part of a municipal coalition, sent a letter (http://www.nacwa.org/private/leg_outreach.cfm) this week to all Senators urging them to withhold their support for the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act (S. 2145) until water and wastewater facilities are exempted from being covered by the legislation. The letter was signed by ten groups including NACWA, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), and others. Currently, S. 2145 would apply to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) covered under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act — up to 30 percent of NACWA members — subjecting them to extensive security planning and reporting requirements intended to address private sector chemical plant security. The Associations’ letter points out that EPA, not the Department of Homeland Security, should retain authority over security programs for wastewater utilities. Also, as the letter states, since water and wastewater treatment facilities “are a local public service, S. 2145 places an unfunded federal mandate on local governments.”

NACWA Public Relations Survey
Responses Available, White Paper on its Way
NACWA is pleased to make available to members the responses to its Public Relations (PR) survey, which has been put in a convenient table format for member review (http://www.nacwa.org/private/pr/general.cfm). NACWA staff has also drafted the corresponding PR White Paper, which provides a thorough analysis of the more than 70 pages of survey data received from the more than 40 NACWA member agency respondents. The survey responses and forthcoming White Paper cover a host of PR/advocacy-related issues and provide significant insight into member agency PR capabilities, including PR budget and staff sizes, as well as successful media and community outreach strategies and initiatives. These initiatives shed significant light on how to maximize the success of local, regional, and national clean water advocacy initiatives. NACWA staff has provided a draft of the PR White Paper to the leaders of the Communications and Public Relations (PR) Committee for an initial review and expects to have the final version of the document available for all Association members early next month. If you have any questions concerning the survey data or upcoming White Paper, please contact Adam Krantz at 202/833-4651 or akrantz@nacwa.org.

NACWA Draft Paper on
Options for Farm Bill Policy Circulated for Member Review
A NACWA draft options paper, 2007 Farm Bill Reauthorization and Potential Benefits for Municipalities, recommending strategies the Association should consider to ensure the next Farm Bill significantly strengthens programs that will benefit water quality has been distributed to a select group of members for initial review and comment. NACWA believes that ongoing trade talks will result in reduced farm subsidies, freeing up money --- perhaps several billion dollars annually — that can be used for conservation measures aimed at improving water quality to the benefit of downstream users. Multiple studies have shown that regardless of how much NACWA members invest to meet their Clean Water Act obligations, their goals will not be achieved unless significant commitments are made to curb agricultural runoff. The options paper recommends NACWA advocate for a sound farm policy with a strong commitment to water quality. Specifically, the Association should advocate for Farm Bill legislation that 1) maximizes funding for water quality improvements through coordinated efforts with like-minded interest groups; 2) ensures these funds are used for their targeted purpose of water quality improvements; 3) ensures the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) facilitates coordination with POTWs on how to maximize the funds available to meet the goals of the Clean Water Act; and 4) incorporates language supporting land application on farms as a sound way to manage biosolids. NACWA’s involvement in the Farm Bill reauthorization process will be a hot topic at the Legislative Policy Committee meeting, July 20, at NACWA’s 2006 Summer Conference & 36th Annual Meeting in Seattle and will be sent to all members in August.