Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - November 18, 2005
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for the FaxAlert ArchiveNovember 18, 2005
EPA Year-End Accountability
Report Shows Strong Water Quality Improvement
This week EPA made public a large amount of helpful data through its Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2005 (Accountability Report) (http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/finstatement/2005par) and its Annual Compliance and Enforcement Report for Fiscal Year 2005 (Enforcement Report) (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/results/annual/fy2005.html). The Accountability Report, which tracks Agency-wide activity, demonstrates both the effectiveness of municipal wastewater treatment plants over the past year and offers insight into the direction of future Agency initiatives. Significantly, the report found that EPA, states and municipalities "attained water quality standards in an additional eight percent of waters previously identified as impaired." The Accountability Report also outlines EPA’s activities over 2005 regarding homeland security initiatives, hurricane and emergency response actions, and efforts to improve regional watersheds. Despite the Accountability Report’s finding of solid water quality progress, owed in large part to the efforts of the nation's clean water agencies, the Enforcement Report suggests no slow-down in Clean Water Act (CWA) enforcement actions, with a continued focus on sewer overflow control. The Agency touts nearly $12 billion in injunctive relief since 1998 as a result of sewer overflow enforcement actions, with a majority of this figure resulting from major consent decrees with municipalities on sewer overflow control, which were concluded this year. NACWA is conducting a more thorough review of the reports and will provide more detailed information in future Alerts and Updates.Pretreatment Conference Draws
Over 200 Attendees, EPA Streamlining Rule the Focus
The 2005 National Pretreatment and Pollution Prevention Workshop drew nearly 220 wastewater treatment professionals from around the United States to learn more about the recent pretreatment streamlining rule issued by EPA in October. The Workshop, held Nov. 16-18 in Kansas City, opened with presentations and a roundtable discussion of EPA’s plans for its pretreatment program and a detailed overview of the new rule as well as an explanation by NACWA Pretreatment and Hazardous Waste Committee leaders on implementation issues.Also featured was a session on information management, with an emphasis on electronic data management. Regional roundtables were popular as pretreatment officials had the opportunity to discuss, face-to-face with EPA officials, questions and concerns about the new pretreatment streamlining rule. Two sessions on emerging contaminants looked at the current state of science regarding these compounds in U.S. rivers and streams and discussed how the issue intersects with the National Pretreatment Program. Although EPA grant funding for the Workshop has been zeroed out due to Agency-wide budget cuts, NACWA remains committed to continuing to provide the pretreatment community with a forum to discuss these vital issues. PowerPoint presentations from the Workshop will be available on the Association’s Conferences & Meetings website (http://www.nacwa.org/meetings/) next week.
.NACWA Members Encouraged to Participate in GAO Survey
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is conducting a report, at the request of the Senate’s Environment & Public Works (EPA) Committee, on activities that crucial wastewater facilities have taken since 9-11 to improve security. In response, GAO is conducting a web-based survey, the results of which will be aggregated and presented to Congress in summary form. NACWA member agencies serving residential populations of 100,000 or greater should have received this survey by e-mail. As legislation on wastewater security is contemplated (see NACWA FaxAlert 11/11/05), it is essential that the EPW Committee receive an accurate sense of security efforts at clean water utilities. NACWA members are urged to take action now to complete and return the survey without delay.Due to the Thanksgiving holiday NACWA’s National Office will be closed November 24 & 25 and there will be no FaxAlert on November 25. The Association wishes you a happy and safe holiday.