Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - May 30, 2003
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May 30, 2003
Enforcement Office Says it Will Not Seek to Prohibit Blending
AMSA met today with J.P. Suarez, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), and other key Agency officials, to present the Association’s position on blending. AMSA wet weather issues leaders Lisa Hollander, Assistant General Counsel for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Cleveland, Ohio; David Williams, Director of Wastewater for the East Bay Municipal Utility District, Oakland, Calif.; and Jim Canaday, Engineer and Director of the Alexandria Sanitation Authority, Alexandria, Va., delivered AMSA’s position in support of blending as a viable option to treat excess flow during peak wet weather conditions in full compliance with Clean Water Act permit limitations. AMSA’s presentation included a detailed powerpoint slideshow that explained the legal, environmental and financial importance of blending. Significantly, Suarez reassured AMSA that OECA was not seeking to prohibit blending but restated his position that the Office of Water’s (OW) draft blending guidance was not sufficiently enforceable and that OECA and OW would be working together to find a mutually satisfactory result “as soon as possible.” Suarez also met recently with Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R—TN), Chair of the Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee, to encourage OECA to accept blending. OECA and OW will also be meeting again with EPA’s Deputy Administrator, Linda Fisher, on June 10 to discuss blending. AMSA will continue advocating on behalf of blending and will update members on developments in future Alerts and Updates. The powerpoint presentation, which members may use in their own advocacy efforts in support of blending, is available on AMSA’s web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/reg_outreach.cfm.Contact Local Media with Findings from Water Funding Poll
The recent findings of Frank Luntz, a preeminent pollster and communications expert who was commissioned by AMSA to survey the American public’s support for long-term clean and safe water infrastructure funding, deserve attention — including that of your local media. Among many other findings, the poll found that an overwhelming 84% of Americans would support legislation in the U.S. Congress that would create a long-term, sustainable and reliable source of federal funding for clean and safe water infrastructure, while 70% said they believed clean and safe water infrastructure funding was a federal responsibility and only 30% believed funding for clean and safe water was solely a local responsibility. For your convenience and to maximize local press attention, attached is a template letter-to-the-editor/editorial in support of long-term dedicated funding for clean and safe water with bracketed areas for you to incorporate local information. The Luntz survey results and the template letter are available on AMSA’s web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/leg_outreach.cfm. If you have any questions regarding the letter, please feel free to contact John Thibodeau, AMSA’s new Manager of Communications and Public Affairs, at 202/833-2672 or at jthibodeau@amsa-cleanwater.org.AMSA’s 2003 Summer Conference Is Rapidly Approaching
AMSA invites you to attend its 2003 Summer Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, Water Quality and the Wastewater Community: Emerging Pollutants, and New Challenges, July 15-18 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza. Individuals planning to attend the 2003 Summer Conference are urged to reserve hotel accommodations today by calling the hotel at 800/866-5577 to ensure the special conference room rate of $195 single/double, which is available through June 11. A detailed agenda and registration information is available on AMSA’s web site at www.amsa-cleanwater.org/meetings/03summer/ and members will receive the July conference flyer soon.