Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - August 30, 2002
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August 30, 2002
Budget Office Seeks AMSA’s Input on Chemical Security Act
AMSA, this week, responded to a request from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for input in their efforts to determine the impact of the Chemical Security Act of 2002 (S.1602) on public sewerage treatment facilities. S.1602 would provide EPA authority under the Clean Air Act’s §112(r) risk management plan provisions to require that plants that store or manufacture chemicals (including wastewater treatment plants that meet certain requirements) must identify hazards, via vulnerability assessments, which may result from an accidental or criminal release; ensure safer design and maintenance of that source; and minimize the consequences of any such release. Tough penalties, including criminal enforcement actions, could apply for failure to comply with these requirements.A small number of AMSA members have confirmed that they are subject to regulation under CAA §112(r). Based upon input from member agencies, it is the Association’s position is that S.1602’s requirements would be unduly burdensome and costly and that many public wastewater utilities are already using AMSA’s VSAT™ software to perform vulnerability assessments to ensure utility security. If you are an agency that is covered by the CAA §112(r), and have not already done so, please contact AMSA’s Lee Garrigan at 202/833-2672 or at lgarrigan@amsa-cleanwater.org and provide any information regarding your agency’s position concerning S.1602. S. 1602 is available on AMSA’s web site for your review at: http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/legupdate/leg_tracker.cfm#9.
At the same time, the wastewater community continues to perform voluntary vulnerability assessments using AMSA’s VSAT™wastewater software, making additional requirements as contained in S.1602 unnecessary. Wastewater utilities, however, are not the only entities interested in learning more about the security tool. Key committees in both chambers of Congress have requested and received briefings on the tool – as has the General Accounting Office where VSAT™wastewater was the focus of a demonstration and discussion this week. VSAT™wastewater has proved to be of considerable interest as Congress and federal agencies grapple with how to best support public utilities’ efforts to understand their vulnerabilities and enhance security and emergency preparedness. For more information on AMSA’s VSAT™ initiative, visit www.vsatusers.net.
AMSA’s CSO Recommendations Mirrored in EPA’s IG Report
EPA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released this week its evaluation report of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) program, Wastewater Management: Controlling and Abating CSOs. The OIG report, which identifies implementation barriers to CSO programs and suggests actions to remove these barriers, includes recommendations which echo several of the key findings in AMSA’s February 2002 Communities at Work ... The National Response to Combined Sewer Overflows. Taking a cue from AMSA’s report, the OIG document identifies insufficient funding as a significant barrier to CSO abatement and recommends, among other things, the use of a watershed approach to address water quality. National office staff met with OIG officials during the research phase of the report to provide feedback on the municipal perspective. AMSA’s CSO report is available on AMSA’s web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/regalerts/ra02-04.cfm. The OIG’s CSO report can be downloaded at http://www.epa.gov/oigearth/ereading_room/csofinal.pdf.