Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts SpecialEdition - January 21, 2004
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January 21, 2004
AMSA Offers Opportunity to Comment on Blending at “Click of a Button”
The Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) once again urges its members to provide comments on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA or the Agency) proposed blending policy by the February 9, 2004 deadline. For the first time, AMSA is providing members with an online form to automatically send comments on an Agency action. Members are encouraged to go to AMSA’s website at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/temp/epa_comment.cfm, to send comments in support of the Agency’s blending policy with the “click of a button.” Simply fill out your contact name and agency information and hit the “send” button at the bottom of the page. This will e-mail your comment directly into EPA’s comment docket. AMSA urges members to forward this website address to agency staff and with any organization or individual with a stake in finalizing the blending policy. Both the quantity and quality of supportive comments are critical in order to retain the practice of blending.Detailed AMSA Comments Available for Member Use
If members wish to submit more detailed comments on the policy as well, AMSA’s comments are available at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/2003-01-09BlendingComments.doc or by contacting Chris Hornback at chornback@amsa-cleanwater.org or 202/833-9106. Public agency members who blend, or want to protect their ability to blend in the future, should feel free to use AMSA’s comments in whole or in part. The comments are available in Microsoft Word so that you can “cut and paste” as you see fit, or feel free to simply put your agency’s letterhead on AMSA’s comments.Again, to e-mail comments to EPA on its blending policy go to http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/temp/epa_comment.cfm, where AMSA has set up a form for easy comment submittal. Alternatively, send an e-mail with more substantive comments to OW-Docket@epa.gov and insert the docket number, OW-2003-0025, in the subject line. For further comment submittal instructions, see the Agency’s Federal Register notice at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/regulations/blending_fr_notice.pdf.
Unless AMSA members demonstrate unequivocally that overall the blending policy is an environmental step forward for their communities, they will be faced with a situation where the guidance does not get finalized — an outcome that could be used to show that the Agency de facto opposes blending. This interpretation could lead to a crackdown on blending by states and EPA Regions which could cost publicly owned treatment works nationwide approximately $200 billion, taking needed funds away from other, higher priority environmental projects.