Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - May 9, 2003
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May 9, 2003
Security Funding Bill Passes House by Overwhelming Margin
AMSA’s efforts on behalf of wastewater security funding legislation have enjoyed key success, with the U.S. House of Representatives passing the Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act of 2003 (H.R. 866) this week by an overwhelming, bipartisan vote of 413 to 2. Now action moves to the Senate, where the staff of the Environment & Public Works Committee Chair, James Inhofe (R-OK), has reassured AMSA that identical legislation will be introduced next week with a mark-up likely to follow this month, perhaps while attendees are in Washington, DC for AMSA’s National Environmental Policy Forum. AMSA is working with key congressional staff toward the goal of having the Senate pass Inhofe’s legislation with bipartisan support similar to that enjoyed by H.R. 866. The April Legislative Update contains more information on AMSA’s security initiatives and is available at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/legupdate/april03/.AMSA Provides Input to EPA on Mercury Action Plan
AMSA attended a listening session this week on EPA's Mercury Action Plan, which being developed by an intra-agency working group comprised of officials from each major Agency office. First drafted in 1998, the Plan is intended to outline the Agency's strategy for addressing multi-media mercury pollution and exposure over the next several years. AMSA and other stakeholders were critical of the 1998 draft, suggesting that it was little more than a list of activities EPA was then taking related to mercury. According to EPA officials, the updated version of the Plan, expected to be released this fall, will be more strategic and include a set of goals and plans for measuring progress toward these goals. Margie Nellor, Assistant Department Head, Technical Services, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County and Chair of AMSA's Mercury Workgroup, and Keith Linn, Environmental Specialist, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, participated in the meeting via conference call and urged EPA to develop a broad, national mercury strategy. AMSA highlighted the activities of its Mercury Workgroup, including its studies on residential sources of mercury, the effectiveness of pollution prevention programs, and a new study to evaluate programs requiring dental offices to install amalgam separation equipment. AMSA will next meet with Agency officials at a July 8-9 stakeholder forum to discuss the goals and priority areas of the Plan.AMSA Releases Wet Weather Survey Report
AMSA's Wet Weather Survey Report is now available on AMSA's website at: http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/advocacy/wwsurvey/. The Survey Report provides an overview of the data collected from AMSA’s wet weather member survey and brings together critical information that will add clarity to the complex factors publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) consider when sizing their sewer collection systems. Taken together, the results of the Survey underscore the importance of flexible, performance-based approaches when developing national standards, in lieu of prescriptive, one-size-fits-all requirements. AMSA extends special thanks to its SSO Workgroup and Wet Weather Issues Committee for their hard work in preparing both the survey and the Report.
- The advance registration deadline for AMSA’s 2003 National Environmental Policy Forum is Monday, May 12th, so visit www.amsa-cleanwater.org/meetings/ for online registration today. The Hyatt Regency is sold out! If you have a reservation at the Hyatt Washington and do not plan to attend, please contact Nirah Forman immediately — prior to canceling your reservation — at 202/833-2672 or nforman@amsa-cleanwater.org, so that the accommodations can be offered to another Policy Forum attendee. If you are in need of hotel accommodations, please contact Nirah as well.