Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - January 7, 2005
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January 7, 2005
Join AMSA for its 2005 Winter Conference,
Speaker Agenda Now Available Online
AMSA has posted a detailed narrative agenda, that includes the full roster of speakers for its 2005 Winter Conference, Sustainable Systems, February 1-4 at the Westin La Cantera in San Antonio, Texas (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/meetings/05winter/). One highlight will be the conference keynote by motivational speaker Keith Harrell. Harrell’s keynote address – along with the Winter Conference’s comprehensive agenda and distinguished speakers and panelists – will offer valuable information to individuals in utility leadership positions. In addition to a packed conference agenda, mark your calendars for a day-long joint meeting between AMSA and the Water Environment Research Foundation’s (WERF) Research Council preceding the Winter Conference on Monday, January 31, 2005. If you are interested in attending the meeting, please contact Chris Hornback at chornback@amsa-cleanwater.org or 202/833-9106.The hotel reservation deadline for the Winter Conference has been extended until January 10, 2005. To reserve your hotel accommodations, call the Westin La Cantera at 210/558-6500 and indicate that you are an AMSA registrant to receive the special rate of $175 per night. AMSA also encourages attendees to pre-register for the Winter Conference by January 19, 2005 to ensure that you are included in the conference Participants List. Hotel, agenda and registration information can all be accessed on AMSA’s website (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/meetings/05winter/).
AMSA Revises Proposed Trust Fund
Legislation, Seeks Further Input from Stakeholders
Earlier this week, AMSA disseminated a revised draft of its proposed trust fund legislation, The Water Assistance Trust and Environmental Restoration (WATER) Act of 2005, to all AMSA members and to key stakeholder groups for further comment on the proposal. The revisions directly respond to comments received from AMSA members and other organizations following an initial review period that ended in mid-December. The proposed bill is an evolving project and it is critical for Association members to continue to provide valuable input as the legislation progresses. Please submit your comments by January 21, 2005 to Lee Garrigan at lgarrigan@amsa-cleanwater.org or by fax to 202/833-4657. For more information on the legislation, see Legislative Alert 05-1 (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/legalrts/la05-1.cfm).AMSA Members Express Interest in Venues for Tsunami Aid
Acknowledging the critical role safe drinking water and wastewater services will play in the post-Tsunami recovery efforts, many in the clean water community are exploring avenues through which they can be of assistance. The following summarizes several options for your consideration: The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) is operated under a grant from the US Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and maintains a Disaster Assistance Registration Database, which facilitates the volunteering of technical assistance. Interested utilities may register on the Disaster Assistance Database (www.cidi.org, and scroll down the home page and click on "Register Offers of Goods or Services"). Water for People is accepting donations for long-term sanitation development projects in tsunami-affected countries (contact Steve Werner at swerner@waterforpeople.org, for details). Additionally, AWWA, through their relationship with Water for People will seek to match business or utility resources with critical needs in the coming months (contact Greg Kail at gkail@awwa.org). The International Water Association is another source of information (http://www.iwahq.org.uk/template.cfm?name=home).