Search

Member Pipeline - Regulatory - Alert (RA 01-05)

To: Members & Affiliates
From: National Office
Date: February 27, 2001
Subject: AMSA’s REGULATORY PRIORITIES FOR THE NEW EPA ADMINISTRATION
Reference: RA 01-5

AMSA Presents Regulatory Priorities to Administrator Whitman
The National Office wrote EPA Administrator Whitman on February 22 outlining the Association’s regulatory priorities (see attachment A). AMSA’s Regulatory Priorities for the New EPA Administration (see attachment B) were endorsed by the Association’s Regulatory Policy Committee at the 2001 Winter Conference in San Diego earlier this month. The Regulatory Policy Committee recommended that the Regulatory Priorities list be used actively by the National Office with EPA and Congress as an expression of AMSA’s key areas of concern with the clean water program.

The list highlights three issues in particular for priority attention, including infrastructure funding, TMDLs, and the proposed SSO rule. The infrastructure funding priority outlines WIN’s essential objectives and urges EPA’s full support for a long-term federal funding source for clean and safe water. AMSA also expresses its continued support for the TMDL program, while outlining several areas where the Agency should look to improve the process as well as the underlying water quality standards and listing approaches. The list also provides recommended improvements to the proposed SSO rule.

The Regulatory Priorities list details a number of other areas where improvements can be made under Clean Water Act programs. Specific recommendations are made to improve national programs relating to biosolids management, mercury use and disposal, pretreatment, water quality standards, and wet weather control. AMSA also calls attention to the need to reintegrate the Office of Enforcement & Compliance Assurance (OECA) and EPA’s National Program Offices, and to improve Regional Office coordination and responsibility.

In closing, AMSA’s letter requests a meeting with Administrator Whitman and her staff to discuss the Association’s Regulatory Priorities. A copy of AMSA’s Regulatory Priorities for the New EPA Administration has also been posted at the Clean Water Advocacy and Member Pipeline (under Correspondence & Outreach) sections of AMSA’s web site at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org.

Regulatory Priorities to be Spotlighted at AMSA’s May Meeting
The Regulatory Priorities list will provide a valuable tool in AMSA’s interactions with EPA and Congress in the coming year. The National Office is already inviting key EPA officials to participate in this year’s National Environmental Policy Forum & 31st Annual Meeting in Washington, DC on May 19 - 23. The Regulatory Priorities list is expected to be highlighted in all of our discussions with EPA at the meeting. Members will also have the opportunity to talk directly to EPA staff at AMSA’s popular Farewell Breakfast & Technical Roundtables, and to inquire into the Agency’s response to the list of Regulatory Priorities. We encourage you to attend this important meeting.

Please feel free to contact Greg Schaner at 202/296-9836 or by email at gschaner@amsa-cleanwater.org.

Attachments:

For these downloadable files, you must have the Acrobat Reader. If you don't have the Acrobat Reader, click on the icon below to download a copy. After you download and install a copy, return to this page and click on the link above for the downloadable file.