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May 6, 2005 NACWA Fax Alert

Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - May 6, 2005

May 6, 2005

35th Anniversary
Annual Meeting, Policy Forum Are Solid Successes
NACWA held its 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting this week in Washington, DC, during which the Association unveiled its new name and logo at a Welcoming Reception on May 2. NACWA also welcomed its new president, Donnie Wheeler, General Manager of the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Va., as well as new and returning Board members who will be featured in the inaugural edition of NACWA’s Clean Water News.

NACWA’s Annual Meeting was followed by the 2005 National Clean Water Policy Forum presented by NACWA and the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Among the many highlights of the Policy Forum was a luncheon address by Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), a senior member of the influential Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Rep. Pascrell delivered a passionate speech reminding attendees that they are the true environmental stewards of the country and that Congress must hear from them if there is to be a solution to the wastewater infrastructure challenge. During the luncheon Rep. Pascrell was presented with the 2005 National Environmental Achievement Award for Federal Public Service. Also receiving Federal Public Service Awards were Representatives John J. Duncan (R-TN), Chairman of the House Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee, and David Camp (R-MI), Chairman of the Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee. Reps. Duncan and Camp received their awards at the Capitol Hill Reception and provided brief remarks, reassuring attendees they would continue their efforts to secure funding for critical water quality projects.

The regulatory perspective was provided by EPA during the conference through panels, speakers and technical roundtables. EPA’s Benjamin Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, provided the opening Keynote Address. Grumbles offered the Office of Water’s priorities including water monitoring, the watershed approach to permitting and sustainable wastewater infrastructure. Significantly, Grumbles noted the Agency’s view on blending citing that the process “is not a long-term solution to wet weather issues” which NACWA believes suggests that EPA wants to reduce the potential use of blending over time. Grumbles also noted that EPA’s Offices of Water and Enforcement and Compliance Assurance are working closely together to ensure reasonable approaches to complex issues such as blending and sanitary and combined sewer overflows. Grumbles told attendees that the Agency’s number one priority at this time is finalizing the pretreatment streamlining rule by the end of June, a welcome outcome considering NACWA’s advocacy on this issue for the past several years. The Technical Roundtable portion of the Forum afforded attendees the opportunity to actively engage and interact with key EPA officials in a technical discussion in issue-specific areas, including asset management, wet weather, security permitting, water quality standards and pretreatment. NACWA would like to thank all the participants for making the 2005 National Clean Water Policy Forum and 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting such a success.

AMSA is now NACWA, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). This name change is accompanied by a new website address (www.nacwa.org) and a streamlined new look. A special thanks goes out to all NACWA members who helped make the name change a reality.