Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - June 28, 2002
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June 28, 2002
House Support Picks Up for the Water Quality Financing Act
The efforts of AMSA and the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) to garner support for H.R. 3930, the Water Quality Financing Act of 2002, are proving effective, with cosponsors being added daily in response to an effective ad placement in the June 24 edition of Roll Call as well as stepped up advocacy efforts by WIN, AMSA, and Association members. The total number of cosponsors now stands at nearly 75, with more expected to join on a bipartisan basis in the days and weeks ahead. H.R. 3930 would increase the authorization level of the clean water state revolving fund to $20 billion over five years. The Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is working hard, in association with WIN members and AMSA, to increase support for H.R. 3930 and send it to the House floor for a vote this session. AMSA believes H.R. 3930 is a solid first step toward developing a long-term sustainable funding solution for wastewater infrastructure, and again urges its members to continue their efforts to gain further congressional support for H.R. 3930. The Roll Call ad is available at www.win-water.org.
AMSA Applauds EPA’s Proposed Meat and Poultry ELG
In its comments this week on EPA’s proposed Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG) and New Source Performance Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products (MPP) Point Source Category, AMSA commends the Agency “for not proposing categorical pretreatment standards” for indirect dischargers in the MPP point source category. As the comments state, AMSA met on numerous occasions with EPA staff to explain how MPP pretreatment standards would be duplicative of the treatment already provided by public wastewater utilities, and would unnecessarily deprive treatment works of a vital source of revenue. AMSA is pleased the Agency took the Association’s message into full account in the proposal. AMSA’s comments are available at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/062502comments.pdf and more information about AMSA’s recommendations concerning the Agency’s ELG program is available in AMSA’s White Paper on ELGs at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/062502attach.pdf.
Environment Committee Passes AMSA-Endorsed Mercury Bill
The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee this week approved the Mercury Reduction Act, S.351, which would phase out mercury thermometers, require EPA to keep the mercury collected from thermometers out of the stream of commerce, and create a federal task force to recommend a long-term mercury surplus management plan. AMSA member agencies played a vital role in securing cosponsors for S.351, which AMSA believes is a positive first step toward the ultimate goal of creating a national mercury strategy that not only deals with surplus mercury but also takes into account industrial and domestic mercury use. AMSA will continue to work with Congress via S.351 and other legislative vehicles to ensure that such a comprehensive national strategy becomes a reality and that wastewater treatment utilities play a key role as important stakeholders in this process.
- Rooms are still available at the Hilton Portland for AMSA’s 2002 Summer Conference — Controlling Wet Weather Overflows . . . Challenges and Solutions — in Portland Ore., July 16–19, so call the hotel at 503/226-1611 today and visit AMSA’s web site, www.amsa-cleanwater.org, for conference details and registration information.