To: Members, Subscribers & Attorneys From: National Office Date: August 25, 1997 Subject: LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO MEET DURING WEFTEC'97 Reference: MU 97-20 AMSA's Legal Affairs Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 21 at the Chicago Hilton & Towers in Chicago, IL, in conjunction with WEFTEC'97. The meeting will take place from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm in the Marquette Room. All AMSA attorneys and interested members are encouraged to attend. A preliminary agenda is attached for your information.
EPA Officials Invited to Speak About Enforcement, TMDLs, Biosolids
AMSA's Legal Affairs Committee meets during WEFTEC to take advantage of the large gathering of wastewater professionals. This year we have invited several officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide updates and answer questions on initiatives under their purview. Brian Maas, Director of the Water Enforcement Division in the Office of Enforcement & Compliance has met previously with AMSA's Legal Affairs Committee and has been asked to return to talk about recent enforcement initiatives, including the Agency's evolving position on SSOs. Geoff Grubbs, Director of Assessment & Watershed Protection Division in the Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds has invited to speak about EPA's recent policies for establishing and implementing TMDLs, as well as the status of TMDL lawsuits across the country. Mike Cook, Director of the Office of Wastewater Management, a frequent AMSA speaker, has been asked to provide an update on wet weather issues, including the progress of the Agency's Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) committees and to speak about current Great Lakes issues. Alan Rubin, Senior Scientist with the Office of Science & Technology, has been asked to join AMSA members Ray Kearney, Regulatory Liaison with the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works and Bob Dominak, Residuals & Air Emissions Manager with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to provide an update on biosolids and incineration issues.
Nonpoint Study Featured
Other invited speakers include Jim McElfish with the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, DC. The Institute is conducting a survey with EPA to identify, inventory and analyze enforceable mechanisms available under state law to control nonpoint source pollution. The survey examines all laws in all sectors, including agriculture, nutrient management, forestry, urban runoff, new development, site development, construction requirements, onsite disposal systems, highways and road infrastructure and maintenance, dams drainage, as well as other sectors identified during the course of the survey. The ELI survey is expected to be completed and released prior to this meeting of the Legal Affairs Committee. The survey was featured during AMSA's Summer Conference, Point & Nonpoint Sources ... Balancing Responsibility for Pollution Prevention, in a presentation given by Dov Weitman, EPA's Project Manager.
The committee meeting will provide an excellent forum for Q&A and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with the EPA officials and network with attorneys in the wastewater profession. If you have any questions about this meeting or agenda, please contact Christy Kettell at the National Office (phone: 202/833-3692; fax: 202/833-4657; or email: ckettell@amsa-cleanwater.org).
Visit AMSA's Booth - Clean Water at the EXPO
Please stop by AMSA's booth during WEFTEC'97. The Association will be showing off its new website, Clean Water on the Web. An interactive station will be set up at AMSA's booth and WEFTEC participants will be encouraged to "surf" the site. This is a great opportunity to share the benefits of membership with AMSA with nonmembers, and we encourage you to visit the site with a colleague who may be interested in learning more about the Association. Please check your exposition directory and locate AMSA at the McCormick Place North exposition site.
Attachment:August 25 Draft Legal Affairs Committee Meeting Agenda