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Rural Water May 15, 2012 Fracking Adverse
Impacts – not for groundwater, but for the health of local
residents from the air/fumes – causing sickness (NPR). Also on NPR, fracking problems of water
use, traffic congestion, toxic wastewater, and potential long-term
contamination (NPR).
Also from NPR, most health effects on people occur in rural areas (NPR). GAO Report – environmental groups reimbursed
million of dollars for suing federal agencies and wastewater
supplies (more).
American Rivers’ Report – Most Endangered Rivers, the annual report released
Tuesday: urban development is funneling tons of polluted rainwater to the
river, that chemical fertilizer and manure from farms make matters worse, and
that wastewater overflowing from sewers, along with pharmaceuticals flushed down
toilets, contribute to dead zones (WaPost). Water Movie – “Watershed,” by Robert Redford, the story of the Colorado River (more). May 13, 2012 EPA Appropriations Not to Come to House Floor – Too Controversial (more). Cyber Security
Legislation Update – Senate may move legislation to Floor
debate by end of May. Competing
proposals: S. 2105
which calls for new security regulations, versus S. 2151, which
relies on information sharing between government and cyber infrastructure
owners.
City & Rural
Water District Compete for Hookups in IL – Sam Wade notes this
atypical 1926(b) situation in Macomb,
IL. Dimock PA, No
Fracking Contamination – on Friday, EPA said drinking water is safe to consume
in a small PA town that has attracted national attention after residents
complained about hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. The EPA has tested water at 61 homes in May 11, 2012 State SRFs Oppose Buy
American Rules – the Council of Infrastructure Financing
Agencies (CIFA) and the Assoc. of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) have
urged the Appropriations Committee to not include a “Buy American”
provision in SRF FY2013 funding. They
say it would delay water infrastructure projects, calling it “a
costly and damaging mandate significantly undermining our efforts to help
communities address their pressing water quality issues.” A CIFA
representative said, there is discussion about applying the provision
not just to this year's SRFs but to the whole program - it could apply
to any project that uses SRF money even if it is just a small percentage (more). House Bill Seeks to
Permanently Raise Bank-Qualified Limit – Florida Rural Water comments
that this legislation would be "good for water
utilities and our members."
Kansas Rural Water agrees, and recently reached
the limit of $10 million for bond issues through the Kansas Rural Water
Finance Authority. The
“Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2012,” introduced Thursday, would
permanently increase the bank-qualified debt limit to $30 million from $10
million and index it for inflation. It would allow banks to deduct
80% of the cost of buying and carrying the tax-exempt bonds of issuers whose
annual issuance does not exceed $30 million. The bill also would apply
the higher $30 million limit to individual borrowers – rather than the issuer
– in conduit financings, and would allow nonprofits to use bank-qualified
bonds (HR 5705).
EPA
Finalizing New Report on
Impacts & Implementation of the Arsenic Rule (draft report) – NRWA
participated on the panel that assembled this report, represented by Maryland
Rural Water Association’s George Hanson with Chesapeake Water Association in Lusby,
MD. Maryland’s First-of-its
Kind Law Requiring Stormwater Cost Paid By User Fees – the
May 2 law sets a deadline of July 1, 2013, for county and municipal
authorities holding Phase I Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
permits to begin collecting user fees based on "the share of stormwater
management services related to the property and provided by the county or
municipality (more).” The new source of funding could also help
other states meet the demands of TMDLs, according to environmental
organizations. EPA Upcoming Water Webinars (you
are invited): ·
Consecutive Systems (more). ·
May 31, Water System
Energy Use Assessment Tool (more). ·
June 12, overview of Sustainability: “A Handbook
for Water and Wastewater Utilities.”
For both drinking water and
wastewater utilities (more). New EPA National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Electronic Reporting Rule – soon to be proposed as part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to advance
electronic reporting. The proposal will encompass available IT technologies
to improve the availability of NPDES information to EPA and the states
through electronic reporting directly from the NPDES permittees. The proposed rule should be published in
the next few months. The Agency will
host a webinar on the proposed Rule on May 23 (more). NRWA’s suggestion for EPA to work with
state associations and rural water members to ensure ease of implementation
was accepted by the Agency. NRWA also
suggested that EPA consider identifying available resources that could be
available to the smallest communities.
EPA is considering a waiver for certain communities to delay or assist
with implementation. USDA’s New National Water Quality
Initiative – improving impaired watersheds in every
Watershed Trading Can Reduce TMDL
Compliance Cost by 80% - says a study
released this week by the Chesapeake Bay Commission. Nutrient trading between
"significant" point sources ("large" POTW facilities),
regulated urban stormwater sources, and agricultural nonpoint sources can
result in savings of up to 80% (more). May 7, 2012 “Major”
Cyber Attack on Gas Pipeline
(more), “cyber security analysts work in the secretive cyber defense lab, in DHS Finds the Nation is Safer – May 3rd, 2012:
FEMA and its partners released the 2012 National Preparedness Report (NPR)
identifying significant progress the nation has made in areas of prevention,
protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. Overall the Report found that
the nation has increased its collective preparedness, not only from external
threats, but also for natural and technological hazards (more). May 5, 2012 Fracking Fluids Can Contaminant Groundwater – new Ground Water journal (study). “Simply put, the
rock layers are not impermeable," said author and hydrogeologist, Tom
Myers. “The Marcellus shale is being fracked into a very high
permeability," he said. "Fluids could move from most any
injection process." EPA has
maintained that there is no evidence of fracking contaminating groundwater (EPA). AWWA has called for federal regulations for
fracking; NRWA has not called for federalizing fracking to respect state
sovereignty and preference. Private Water’s State
Lobbying Highlighted (more). Cyber Security Legislation
Update (more). National Security Advisory Panel
Encourages DHS & EPA to Assist with Upgrading Vulnerability Assessments (letter). No Water No Future – NPR’s Interview with Jessica Yu, creator of “Last Call at the
Oasis,” (interview). Public Notice – NJ Towns must tell consumers, “we cannot be sure of the quality of your drinking water...” due to missed quarterly VOC tests (more). Ban on
Lead in Meters Complicates Meter Repair & Testing Planning – AWWA published this
notice educating water supplies of the pending ban on lead
components/pipes, etc. that takes effect Jan. 4, 2014. It appears that EPA may not be able to
develop implementing regulations before the effective date (set in the law)
and there is concern that meters pulled for required testing will be required
to be replaced with a lead free meter – at a substantial cost. NRWA is working to have these ambiguities
(meter testing, repair, calibration, etc.) cleared-up well before the final
deadline. Unregulated Monitoring List – this week, EPA published the list of 28 chemicals and
two viruses that approximately 6,000 public water systems will monitor from 2013
to 2015 as part of the Agency’s unregulated contaminant monitoring program (UCMR
3). The list of contaminants includes hexavalent chromium. USDA Grants for Organizations to
Help with Household Water Wells – USDA posted
an announcement of availability of $993,000 in grant funds for non-profit
organizations to establish lending programs for homeowners to borrow up to
$11,000 to construct or repair household water wells for an existing home (more). New
House Bill to Limit EPA on Scope of Clean Water Act – a number of Congressmen introduced HR
4965, a bill to prohibit the Administration from finalizing or
implementing the EPA and Corps Clean Water Act “guidance” on the scope of
federal jurisdiction under the Act (more). NRWA, AWWA, and AMWA submitted these
comments to EPA on the issue in 2011. Chlorine Smell in Tel Aviv, bin Laden
Considered Cl Gas Attacks (more). Readers’ Digest Top 10 Jobs You Can’t Live Without – number 2, water operators (more,
thanks NY RWA). May 2, 2012 Anarchy in the OH, Attempt to Attack
Infrastructure/Bridge – FBI apprehends, and Homeland Security following (DHS). May 1, 2012 EPA Proposal for New Inspections of
Storage Tanks – rural water is planning to urge OMB to
implement the proposed revisions to the Total Coliform Rule, which would
provide public notice relief for TCR violations (more). EPA has
proposed the possible regulation of finished water
storage tanks as part of the rule package (more). Rural water will be crafting a position on
this issue and your comments are appreciated. We are attempting to collaborate with our
friends in the environmental community on this effort. The environmental community also agreed to
the changes proposed in the revised TCR. States Criticized for Pace of NPDES
Renewals – April 26, 2012 CA RWA Security Expert Comments on
DHS/EPA Initiatives (comments). Farm Bill Update – House Agriculture holds Farm Bill hearings this week. IL RWA Frank Dunmire represented Rural
Water on Wednesday (thank you Frank!).
RCAP also testified at the hearing, explaining how current Section
1926(b) protection is a problem that needs to be addressed in Farm Bill
reauthorization (more). The Senate Ag Committee passed its version
of the Farm Bill today (more
& key provisions). VT RWA Honored with EPA Environmental Award – recognized yesterday at EPA
awards ceremony in “With key and
timely assistance from Senate Moves USDA Appropriations (more)
– rural water grants & loans increased to $522,481,000 (p.
58) and funding source water protection initiative expanded (p.
39). House vs. Senate & White House
on Cyber Security – should federal government assist or regulate cyber
security. House to consider
legislation this week (more). PBS Coverage of Water Crises in Private Water Companies Advocating
for Fracking (more). Public Discord Over Chloramines – (Charlottesville,
VA), chloramines has gotten the attention of Erin Brockovich. Chloramines is quickly becoming a national
issue. Erin Brockovich is “getting involved because these stage 2
EPA regulations are just hitting now.” April 24, 2012 Right to Pee in Envrio
Commercial Says Politicians Are Protecting Polluters by Not Enforcing CWA (ad). EPA Web Conference on National Water
Program 2012 Strategy – focused on a response to
climate change on May 3rd (more). EPA O&M Training for Tribal Water and
Wastewater – May 2nd (more). Water Crisis Movie – “Last Call at
the Oasis,” coming in May (trailer). Movie’s maker published
in the NYTimes supporting water recycling as the solution to the “water
crises.” April 20, 2012 Earth Day is Rural Water Day at
USDA - 54 water and wastewater projects in 33
states will be funded (more). EPA Awards NJ RWA with 2012
Environmental Award (more). Farm
Bill Senate Votes Next Week – the
legislation that authorizes USDA grants & loans, circuit riders,
wastewater techs, source water techs, and 1926(b) is scheduled to be
reauthorized this year. The Senate Ag
Committee has release their version of the bill (more) – and it is good
for rural and small community water supplies.
Key Provisions: · Reauthorizes Circuit Riders, Wastewater Techs, and
Sourcewater Techs. ·
Authorizes USDA to guarantee
tax-exempt bonds (p. 504), a priority of NRWA. ·
Set-aside technical assistant to
be prioritized to assistance to systems with low-income
residents and water supplies that are unhealthful. ·
Retains current 1926(b)
protections EPA
Arsenic Review Closing – EPA is collecting comments from
their current review of the arsenic rule (which was mandated by Congress – agenda). George from MD RWA was appointed to the
review panel and submitted these comments. Thank you George. Nitrosamines Regulation – EPA is expected to make a decision whether to regulate nitrosamines
disinfection by-products late this year (AWWA). Nitrosamines regulation could impact
chloraminated water systems. EPA's Final Guidance on the Scope of the Clean Water Act
(CWA) – appears to make minor changes to previous
versions that narrow the law's reach over ditches and other "dry"
areas not previously subject to federal regulations. The document may be on hold until after the
presidential election. However, some
say the guidance will be released any moment.
The guidance has been under OMB review since Feb. 21. Ban Bleach Under Clean Air Act – environmentalists are urging the White House to require companies
to adopt "safer" chemical processes in their Clean Air Act-mandated
plans for reducing risks from a terrorist attack or accident on a
facility. They are calling on EPA to
use existing Clean Air Act authority to mandate IST in the risk plans under
section 112(r) of the air law. Some
are going as far to say presidential nominee Mitt Romney may endorse IST. The coalition pushing IST includes
Greenpeace, the Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club, United Auto Workers,
the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Physicians for Social
Responsibility, among others (more). Cyber Security
Legislation Proposals Before House Next Week (more). Is the Water in the UAE Causing Hair Loss (more)? CWA SRF Source Water Opportunities – EPA is highlighting existing CWA SRF flexibilities that allow
states to fund nonpoint source protection plans (EPA agenda). EPA stresses that SRF loans do not have to
be generated by the recipient of the loan -- they can be repaid by third
parties, such as through fees, by nonprofit organizations, business
districts, farmer income or through general state or local government
funds. Communities can use SRF funds
for land conservation, pollutant trading, purchasing parkland, etc. Also SRFs can lend funds to state
associations (so called “conduit lenders”) who can re-lend the funds to
farmers and non-point source efforts.
Conduit lending can relieve state regulators of having to track loans
and lend to small recipients directly. April 18, 2012 Water
Groups Collaborate Against Liability Exemption for MTBE (letter). Water groups opposed a House proposal to exempt manufacturers of MTBE and other fuel
additives from cleanup liability as part of a bill clarifying liability for
ethanol fuel spills that was considered in a House committee last week. Petroleum marketers and other supporters
say the bill is needed for provisions that assure the industry's existing refueling
infrastructure is compatible with new 15-percent ethanol fuel blends (E15),
which is more corrosive than conventional E10, and provides liability
protections for potential misfueling and underground storage tank (UST)
leaks. Rep. Waxman said the liability
waiver provisions make it impossible to support the measure. "The flaws
of this legislation would eliminate all recourse for communities that have
lost their drinking water supply to MTBE contamination," he said. Sec.
1926(b) Update – El Oso
Water vs. City of Pres. Threatens to Veto Appropriations Bills Over Cuts (more). KY RWA’s Compliance Check –
KY RWA offers a Compliance Check
program that provides participating utilities with the extra protection of
having a compliance expert to assist in setting up compliance records,
reports, handling the voluminous data that is produced through compliance
testing, and CCRs. Soon an updated KRWA Recordkeeping Package
will be available to those utilities that participate in the Compliance Check Program or
through a paid subscription plan. |
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