Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - November 9, 2001
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November 9, 2001
In Key Victory for the Wastewater Community,
Congress Funds AMSA Security Initiative, NBP, and the CWSRF
The House and Senate passed the VA, HUD and Independent Agencies appropriations bill yesterday, containing provisions that benefit publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) nationwide. Congress approved AMSA's request for $500,000 for its security initiatives, approved $1 million in fiscal year 2002 funding for the National Biosolids Partnership (NBP), and fully funded the clean water state revolving loan fund (CWSRF) at $1.35 billion. Also, Congress boosted funding for wastewater, drinking water and ground water infrastructure projects to $344 million; the House had initially set aside $200 million for grants and the Senate only $160 million.These decisions were directly linked to AMSA and its members’ advocacy efforts, including a successful campaign by the membership to contact their Senators and urge full funding for the biosolids program. Also, the Senate supported full funding for the CWSRF, despite the House’s preference to cut funding in the program. President Bush has indicated he will sign the bill when it reaches his desk. AMSA takes its hat off to its members for their unified action in support of ensuring that these critical POTW concerns are at the top of Congress’s priority list.
EPA to Move Forward with SSO Proposal, Seeks Mediation
EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water Tracy Mehan announced at the AMSA-EPA Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop Meeting this week in Nashville, Tenn., the Agency’s intention to move ahead with its sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) proposed rule. The SSO proposal will include the language from the Clinton-era, January 2001 regulation, which AMSA opposed and which was subsequently withdrawn by the Bush Administration. Critically, EPA has committed to substantial revisions to the preamble that will include potential, alternative regulatory options for the SSO rule, which will allow AMSA ample opportunity to express its concerns with the rule’s "zero tolerance" for SSOs, and other key provisions.The Agency is also suggesting the use of a post-proposal mediation process between key parties to resolve their differences. AMSA is supportive of a process that will fully take into account the concerns of POTWs and that will facilitate a more conducive forum for negotiating final rule components. Based on several meetings with Mehan and EPA officials, AMSA believes the Agency will take strides towards accounting for the concerns of municipal wastewater agencies. AMSA will work closely with EPA to ensure that, whatever process the Agency chooses, the rule will incorporate POTW concerns.
- AMSA thanks all the participants who made the 2001AMSA/EPA Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop in Nashville, Tenn., such a great success. Details on the conference will be available in upcoming Updates, Alerts and the November Clean Water News. AMSA also looks forward to seeing you at its Nov. 14-16 Developments in Water and Wastewater Law seminar in Savannah, Georgia.