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October 13, 2000
Senate Passes EPA Funding Bill — SRF, NBP Funding Intact
In a legislative session far exceeding the close of the fiscal year, 2001 funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cleared a major hurdle this week with its passage in the Senate by an 87-8 vote. The bill was coupled with an energy and water spending bill that was amended following a veto by President Clinton.The Senate approved $7.8 billion for EPA, with support for the State Revolving Loan Fund at $1.35 billion and the $1 million in National Biosolids Partnership funding intact. Senate conferees have been named, but no House conferees have been appointed, leaving questions as to how and when slight differences between the two versions of the bill will be ironed out. EPA Administrator Carol Browner praised the Senate’s action, noting that the bill "largely funds President Clinton’s most important policy initiatives." With the hectic close of the 106th Congress and leading up to the November elections, AMSA will continue to keep the membership informed of all pertinent legislative developments through weekly FaxAlerts and frequent Legislative Alerts.
President Signs BEACH Bill
President Clinton on Tuesday signed into law H.R. 999, the Beaches Environmental Assessment & Coastal Health Act of 1999. The legislation amends the Clean Water Act to provide $30 million to help coastal states implement monitoring and notification programs for their recreational waters, and requires states to incorporate water quality criteria for pathogens and pathogen indicators into existing water quality standards. The president’s approval was widely anticipated. A copy of the bill and further information will be forwarded to the membership via Legislative Alert-08.
EPA SSO Proposal Hits Snag with DOJ
Although AMSA’s National Office had received word from EPA staff last week that the sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) proposal would be signed this week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is reported to have objections to the preamble’s wording. EPA staff told AMSA that DOJ and the White House Office of Management & Budget differ on the way the preamble requests comment on alternative approaches to treating peak excess flows. AMSA is maintaining close contact with EPA as the proposed SSO regulations near release and the National Office plans to make a copy of the national proposed rulemaking available to AMSA members in advance of its appearance in the Federal Register.
Law Seminar Tapes & Notebooks Available. . . Next week, AMSA members will receive a faxed order form for tapes and notebooks for the AMSA/Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies 2000 Legal Seminar – Developments in Water & Wastewater Law – November 2-3, 2000 in Phoenix, Ariz and the special Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act primer sessions on Nov. 1. These materials will be valuable legal resources for public wastewater agencies. Members are encouraged to place their orders early. For further information on the conference’s agenda and the topics covered, visit AMSA’s web site – http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org and click on "AMSA/AMWA Law Seminar."