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Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - March 24, 2006

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March 24, 2006

Wastewater Security Legislation
to be Introduced Following Release of GAO Report
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has completed work on a second report on wastewater security and has sent the results to the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which is expected to release it to the public at the end of April. EPW Committee Chairman, James M. Inhofe (R-OK), requested the study assess the state of security at the nation’s clean water utilities and gather data on how these facilities have addressed potential vulnerabilities since September 11, 2001. In response to the GAO report, Chairman Inhofe will propose new legislation that will draw significantly on a bill that passed the Committee in 2003, the Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act of 2003 (S. 1039) (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:s.01039:). Committee staff, in a meeting with NACWA this week, reported that the Chairman hopes to introduce a wastewater security bill simultaneously with the public release of the GAO report. EPW Committee staff will discuss the findings of the GAO report and the new legislation during a panel discussion as part of the NACWA/WEF 2006 National Clean Water Policy Forum.

NACWA, Municipal Groups
Meet with EPA to Discuss High-Priority Water Issues
NACWA and other municipal groups met this week with officials from EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management to discuss topics ranging from the policy for addressing peak wet weather flows to infrastructure funding. Agency officials said they were trying to resolve issues raised in the 76 comments received on its draft peak wet weather policy (http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/wetweather.cfm) and were hoping to have a finalized document by the end of the year. NACWA expressed its willingness to work with EPA to expedite the process. The meeting also focused on Agency efforts to collaborate with water sector organizations regarding effective utility management. The Agency also briefed the groups on its 2004 Clean Water Needs Survey, currently under review at the White House Office of Management and Budget, as well as EPA plans for the 2008 survey, which will make it much easier for municipalities and states to provide input online. NACWA will provide a more detailed report from this meeting in its April Regulatory Update.

NACWA, Stakeholder Groups
Seek Increased Funding for Water Quality Programs in FY 07
 NACWA, along with a coalition of stakeholder groups, including American Rivers, the American Water Works Association, the Sierra Club, and the Water Environment Federation, among others, sent letters (http://www.nacwa.org/private/leg_outreach.cfm) this week to leaders of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and the Senate Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee requesting increased funding for the National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) and the Ground-Water Resources Program. The letters urge Congress to provide $70 million for the NAWQA program and $8.5 million for the Ground-Water Resources program in the Department of Interior’s fiscal year (FY) 2007 budget. The coalition noted the importance of funding these two programs as they are “the only non-regulatory federal programs that conduct long-term, scientifically-based monitoring of our nation’s streams and ground water to support sound management and policy decisions relating to the nation’s water resources.” NACWA will continue to work with industry, municipal, and environmental activist groups on issues of mutual concern to ensure water quality progress.

NACWA Urges Members
to Make Hotel Reservations for the 2006 Policy Forum Today!
 The hotel deadline for the 2006 National Clean Water Policy Forum is rapidly approaching, so make your accommodations today by calling the Capital Hilton at 202/393-1000 to guarantee the special conference rate of $219 single/double by April 7, 2006. For agenda and online registration information, visit NACWA’s Conferences & Meetings webpage (http://www.nacwa.org/meetings/06may/).