Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - November 15, 2002
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November 15, 2002
AMSA/EPA Pretreatment Workshop Continues Tradition of Success
The 2002 AMSA/EPA Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop concluded today, marking the thirteenth successful Workshop meeting and bringing pretreatment professionals together to exchange experiences and ideas and to discuss pertinent issues with local, state and federal policymakers. Key EPA officials were on hand to discuss the direction the Agency is taking on effluent limitation guidelines, pretreatment streamlining, emerging pollutants and other pivotal pretreatment issues. The panel discussions also provided lively discussions on available biological solutions to oil and grease buildup, and the steps necessary to successfully enforce pretreatment violations. AMSA thanks all the participants for making the 2002 AMSA/EPA Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop such a success. More detailed information on the Workshop will be available in next month’s Regulatory Update and Clean Water News.
AMSA Works to Prevent Watershed Rule Derailment
EPA’s proposed Watershed Rule, which would revise current requirements for the development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), is facing serious hurdles which threaten to stop it in its tracks. Although EPA was poised to send the proposed rule to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) only a few weeks ago, AMSA understands that concerns raised by several farm groups over EPA’s role in reviewing nonpoint source (NPS) “load allocations” have the potential to derail the proposal. These groups are resisting a strong EPA role in reviewing NPS load allocations, despite the willingness by other agriculture groups to accept this role in the rule proposal phase. EPA has stated that it will decline to issue the proposal altogether should the decision be made to omit Agency review of NPS load allocations. AMSA believes that scrapping the proposal will leave the TMDL program in further disarray and will sacrifice improvements expected to result from the rulemaking process. AMSA is actively working with a broad array of industrial and agricultural groups to help prevent the proposal from being shelved and to demonstrate the solid support for moving forward with the Watershed Rule. In a related matter, EPA sent a proposal this week to OMB to withdraw the 2000 Clinton Administration rule. Should this proposal succeed, the 1992 TMDL rule would remain in place until a replacement rule is finalized. Further Watershed Rule updates will follow as developments transpire.
Plan Now To Attend AMSA’s 2003 Winter Conference
AMSA’s annual management conference, The Evolving Public Utility… Leading the Workforce of Today, set for February 4-7 in scenic Santa Fe, New Mexico, will examine essential issues, developments and trends that support effective utility leadership of the workforce of today … and tomorrow. With the holiday season on our doorstep, now is the time to reserve your hotel accommodations for the conference by calling the Eldorado Hotel, 800/955-4455, by the January 3 deadline. Conference information and registration materials are available online on AMSA’s web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/meetings.
- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its report titled Future Investment in Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure this week. The CBO document contains a range for wastewater infrastructure costs of between $13 billion and $20.9 billion per year from 2000-2019. More information on the report will be available in a future Update. The document is at http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=3983&sequence=0&from=7.
- There will be no FaxAlert next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!