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Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - July 13, 2001

July 13, 2001

AMSA Urges House To Fully Fund Wet Weather in FY02 EPA Budget
AMSA, in coalition with other key organizations, sent a joint letter today to all members of the House Appropriations Committee, urging them to restore full funding for wastewater infrastructure in the VA, HUD-Independent Agencies (VA, HUD) appropriations bill. The letter responds to a July 10 VA, HUD Subcommittee bill markup that zeroed out grants for sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) and combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and funds the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) at only $1.2 billion. Under the Wet Weather Water Quality Act (WWWQA) full funding of the CWSRF at $1.35 billion would trigger an additional 2-year, $1.5 billion grant program for CSOs and SSOs. AMSA is working hard with the full House Appropriations Committee – scheduled to markup the bill on July 17 – and with the Senate VA, HUD Subcommittee – scheduled to markup its EPA bill July 19 – to ensure full funding under the WWWQA. See http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/7-13-01lettertovahud.pdf.

AMSA Meets With EPA, Unveils Initial Dioxin Survey Data
AMSA met with EPA this week to discuss the preliminary data from the Association’s 2000 Dioxin in Biosolids Survey, showing that the average dioxin in biosolids level was well below EPA’s proposed Part 503 limit. Significantly, the report also contains strong evidence that in addition to being well below EPA’s current proposed standard, dioxin levels in biosolids are on the decline. This issue will be discussed in greater detail at AMSA’s summer biosolids conference next week in Milwaukee. Upon completion of the final analysis of the data, AMSA will make a report available to the membership. EPA will share its data from its own similar survey with AMSA, probably within the next few weeks. The Association will work with EPA on its dioxin in biosolids risk analysis and as it moves towards final rules in December 2001.

AMSA Meets with EPA on Agency’s CSO Report to Congress
AMSA and key Association members met this week with EPA officials and other stakeholders in Chicago, Ill., to discuss the preliminary findings and direction of the Agency’s Report to Congress on Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), due to be issued in September. High-level EPA officials at the meeting indicated that controlling CSO impacts requires a watershed approach, and significantly better data to characterize the progress of publicly owned treatment works’ (POTWs) CSO controls. While EPA officials also indicated that the report will take into account the need for increased water infrastructure funding, AMSA also noted that the report needs to focus on the billions of local dollars spent controlling CSOs. AMSA will continue working with EPA on the CSO report, and the impending SSO proposed rule, to ensure consideration of POTWs’ wet weather concerns.

AMSA Meets for First Time With EPA’s Water Chief Nominee
AMSA’s Executive Director Ken Kirk met this week with the nominee for EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Water, Tracy Mehan, to discuss AMSA’s critical role in ensuring sound water quality policy and the Association’s priority issues. Mehan indicated that EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman has made water infrastructure an Agency priority and expressed great interest in AMSA’s leadership on this issue. Mehan also discussed the need to address nonpoint source pollution, a priority of AMSA’s that the Association will continue to work on with Mehan and EPA. Mehan also recognized AMSA’s long tradition as a water quality policy leader, and valued AMSA’s offer to help in his future efforts.

AMSA looks forward to seeing you next week at our July conference in Milwaukee, Wisc. Onsite registration is available if you have not yet registered. Have a safe trip!

July 20th is the application deadline for the Water & Wastewater Leadership Center, so apply today!