Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - June 1, 2001
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June 1, 2001
AMSA Responds To Pending Mercury Legislation in New York
AMSA is taking the lead in ensuring that publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) are protected from unrealistic and inconsistent effluent limits for mercury set at the state level, and is continuing to highlight the critical importance of a consistent, national compliance strategy for mercury. In keeping with this policy, AMSA this week sent a letter to key members of the New York State Senate and Assembly, where two bills are pending that would require POTWs to comply with mercury effluent levels of less than 1 part per trillion (ppt). As AMSA points out in its letter, the New York standard would be lower than the detection level in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) analytical test method for mercury. Critically, AMSA also says in the letter that there is currently no method available that can meet mercury levels of less than 1 ppt, and that such a level would automatically, and arbitrarily, force POTWs into non-compliance. The letter is available on AMSA’s web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/6-1-01lettertony.pdf. The New York legislation demonstrates the urgent need to support Sen. Susan Collins’ (R-ME) mercury bill, S.351. This bill would create an Interagency Task Force on Mercury in order to develop a national environmental mercury compliance strategy. AMSA requests that each member send letters to their Senators to support S. 351 (Legislative Alert 01-05). Members can access a convenient letter template on AMSA’s website at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/legalrts/la01-5.cfm.
Senate Confirms EPA Deputy Administrator, Linda Fisher
The U. S. Senate has confirmed Linda Fisher as Deputy Administrator of EPA. Fisher will be top managerial and policy assistant to EPA Administrator, Christine Todd Whitman. She has been involved in environmental issues throughout her career, including a decade of experience at EPA, from 1983 to 1993, where she held a number of high-level positions, including Chief of Staff, Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning & Evaluation and Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides & Toxic Substances. Additionally, from 1995 to 2000, Fisher was Vice President and Corporate Officer at the Monsanto Co. She also practiced law with the firm of Latham and Watkins. AMSA is sending a letter of congratulations to Fisher along with a copy of the Association’s Priority Issues List.
AMSA Advances POTW Interests on EPA’s MP&M Proposal
AMSA’s Metal Products & Machinery (MP&M) working group is meeting this weekend to draft comments on EPA’s proposed MP&M Effluent Limitations Guidelines on behalf of POTWs. AMSA’s Pretreatment Committee is concerned that the proposal is not based on sound science and does not sufficiently resolve the concerns of POTWs. At the meeting, responses received from a survey sent to 150 POTWs and all AMSA members will be reviewed and ultimately incorporated into AMSA’s written comments to EPA. For AMSA members who have not yet responded to the survey, please do so as soon as possible so that the Association can incorporate issues critical to you before the comment period closes on July 2nd. AMSA will also generate a white paper that integrates the survey results with an analysis of EPA’s baseline methodology that will be made available to the membership. If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact Chris Hornback of AMSA’s National Office at (202) 833-2672.
> AMSA’s summer conference, The Biosolids Challenge . . . Ensuring Success, from July 17-20, 2001 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is rapidly approaching and it appears we will have a packed house, so please be advised that the cutoff to make hotel reservations is June 20th. To make reservations, please call the historic Pfister Hotel at 1-800-558-8222. AMSA looks forward to seeing all of you there!