Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - January 21, 2005
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January 21, 2005
Municipal Coalition
Signs Letter in Support of EPA’s Blending Policy
AMSA organized a broad coalition of national, regional and state organizations representing municipal interests who joined in sending a letter (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/reg_outreach.cfm) to EPA Administrator, Michael Leavitt, this week in support of the Agency’s November 7, 2003 blending policy. The organizations joining AMSA on the letter include the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of Counties, the National Association of Towns and Townships, the Water Environment Federation and over 20 other municipal organizations. As the letter states, the signatories believe that “[A] national blending policy is essential to the cities across the country that use blending to manage and provide clean water treatment to unpredictable, exceptionally heavy rain and snow melt” and that such a policy will “increase permitting consistency and make more information publicly available on a long-standing, EPA-approved wet weather management practice.” AMSA and its coalition partners will continue to work to ensure EPA finalizes its proposed blending policy as swiftly as possible.AMSA Sends Key Informational
One-Pager on Blending to Congress, EPA and Media
In response to “Dear Colleague” letters circulating in the House and Senate opposing EPA’s proposed blending guidance, as well as increased media attention on the issue, AMSA created an informational “Fact/Fiction” one-pager (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/reg_outreach.cfm) to address mischaracterizations of the blending policy. Specifically, the fact sheet shows that the blending guidance is not a "rollback" and, instead, provides a critical environmental safeguard, is used to protect public health, does not change any current regulations, is only used for short-term discharges during heavy periods of wet weather and must meet Clean Water Act permit requirements, namely water quality standards. AMSA would like to thank the leaders of its Wet Weather Committee, Legal Affairs Committee and SSO Workgroup for their help in creating this document.The fact sheet is being distributed to all Congressional members and their environmental staff, key EPA officials and over 1000 media outlets to provide accurate information regarding blending. This comes at a critical juncture as three members of the House of Representatives, Reps. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R-FL), Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), are urging their colleagues to sign on to a letter that calls on EPA to abandon its proposed policy on blending. This is the House version of a Senate letter circulated by James Jeffords, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, in late-December 2005 which received 15 signatories. AMSA members are encouraged to download and use the “Fact/Fiction” document to support their efforts on behalf of the blending policy. AMSA will also be calling on its members from key districts to weigh in with their members of Congress on the blending issue and will continue to inform and advise Congress on the need for EPA to finalize its proposed blending policy.
Apply Now for AMSA’s 2004 Peak Performance Awards
AMSA encourages eligible member agency facilities to apply for the Association’s 2004 Peak Performance Awards by the March 3, 2005 deadline. The program recognizes utilities for excellence in wastewater treatment as measured by their compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements. Honorees will be recognized at the Awards Luncheon during AMSA's 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting, May 2, 2005, in Washington, DC. All award-winning facilities will also be showcased in the June edition of the Clean Water News. AMSA members should refer to Member Update 05-01 (http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/membership/mu05-01.cfm) for more detailed information or contact Shawnita Dickens at sdickens@amsa-cleanwater.org or 202/833-1449.