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July 29, 2010 IA, WI, and PA’s Reports to Congress (see em). EPA’s Numerical Nutrient Criteria – this effort by EPA is cause controversy
in many states (CO, FL, WI, KS, etc).
Florida is the furthest down the path of new regulations. Many (including Florida Rural Water),
believe the regulations are insecurity for protecting the environment. However, when a few Congressmen looked at correcting
the situation, they were labeled as “polluter-lobbyists” (more). Kansas, facing a similar suit, if hoping
their state’s
2004 nutrient reduction plan will usurp a suit in Oz. ME Source Water Protection Program Success
on TV (see video
report). Tons of contaminated
soil removed to protect the town's drinking water. Update
on BABs and Lifting the PAB Cap – Congress passed their key tax bill (more)
without provision for extending the BABs program or lifting the cap on PABs
for water (as had been proposed). A
key House Chairman has introduced
legislation to extend the BABs program (more). Appropriations Bills Moving Quickly in
Congress – the House takes
up the transportation-HUD bill today after passing Military Construction last
night, while four additional spending bills are slated for markup in the
House and Senate. WRDA Update – Legislation to make investments in
water-related infrastructure was introduced today by Rep. Oberstar (MN), H.R.
5892, authorizes approximately $6 billion for navigation, flood damage
reduction, environmental restoration projects, and studies by the Army Corps
of Engineers (more). Expanding
the Scope of the Clean Water Act (House Action and briefing paper). July 22, 2010 Rural Water Invited to Testify Before the Senate
Agriculture Committee on the Farm Bill.
Yesterday,
Dennis Sternberg with Arkansas Rural Water testified before the Senate
Agriculture Committee on rural water initiatives (see hearing
video and testimony). Sternberg said,
“To overcome the lack of density in rural areas, rural communities have
turned to the USDA rural water & wastewater loan and grant program to
build or extend water systems and repay the loans at reasonable rates and
terms. Without this assistance, they
could not construct new systems, expand existing ones, or comply with
mandates. Unlike other environmental
funding programs, USDA targets its funds to the smallest, most economically
disadvantaged communities. As a
result, the program has become the backbone of compliance with environmental
mandates and increased public health/economic development in rural areas.”
Earlier this week, the House Agriculture Subcommittee held a similar hearing. Chairman McIntyre (NC) said, "Today's hearing was intended to review
rural development programs in advance of the next Farm Bill.” CNN
Looking for A Utility with Wood Pipes Moving Water… if you know of such a
system that would like a visit from CNN, contact
us. July 20, 2010 Update on Congressional EPA Funding - Thurs, July 22nd, HOUSE Appropriations, Interior and Environment Subcommittee Markup, FY 2011 Interior & Environment Appropriations - 2:30PM Arizona’s David Saddler on EPA’s Drinking
Water Advisory Committee –
the EPA’s advisory panel meets this week in DC. Our representative on the panel attended the meetings and
continues to raise issues important to small communities (see panel’s members and
agenda). Update
on BABs and Lifting the PAB Cap – yesterday, the Senate
voted to move/pass an extension of unemployment benefits. Provisions to extend the Build America
Bonds and lift the cap on Private Activity Bonds for water projects was not
part of the Senate bill (it was part of a previously past House
companion bill). Local group
continue to press for an extension of the BABs program (more). Wisconsin
Rural Water Calls the Alarm on the State’s Draconian Effort to Lower NPDES
Permits – from WRWA: the Senate
Environment Committee has announced a hearing on proposed revisions to NR 102
and NR 217 related to phosphorus water quality standards criteria and WPDES
permit provisions for phosphorus which were recently approved by the DNR's
Natural Resources Board. The hearing
will be held on July 28. Facts: According to the DNR’s own
estimates, to comply with the proposed regulations 163 Wastewater Treatment
Plants in Wisconsin would have to install new filtration systems at a cost of
between $1.8 million and $6.9 million per system. These costs could climb to
between $8.6 million and $26 million per system, once land acquisition and
other costs are included. Municipal
WWTPs have already spent millions of dollars to remove up to 90% of their
phosphorus discharges-and it would cost an additional $200 per pound to
remove phosphorus to the levels proposed.
Although 163 communities would initially be affected, virtually every
municipal WWTP would eventually be forced to comply with the new
standards. These rules do not address
agricultural runoff, failing septic systems or other sources that account for
up to 80% of the phosphorus pollution in Wisconsin waters. Municipal WWTP operators and municipal
representatives are strongly encouraged to provide written comments or attend
this hearing. Let your legislators know your community cannot afford to spend
millions of dollars on this unfunded mandate for additional treatment, while
the larger issue is not addressed! EPA Announces Public Information Meetings for the Proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule - EPA is holding four public information meetings to provide information on the proposed revisions to the TCR. During the public meetings, EPA will discuss the major provisions of the current TCR, the history of the development of the proposed RTCR, the core elements of the proposed RTCR, the comparison between the current TCR and the proposed RTCR, and specific areas where EPA is requesting comment. The first public meeting is Aug. 3, in DC. July 18, 2010 Appropriations
Update – the Senate Ag Subcommittee marked-up their initial FY2011
funding bill Friday afternoon increasing the rural water source water
protection initiative and maintaining the rural water circuit rider
initiative (more). The Committee made the following statement
on this year’s bill, "This year's bill spends less money than last year
and is less than the President's budget request for fiscal year 2011.
It reflects tough decisions to reduce spending" (more) Update on BABs and Lifting the PAB Cap – legislation
to extend the Bonds for America authorization and to lift the cap on private
activity bonds is stalled in Congress (more from the
WSJ). July 16, 2010 Talking Points on NRWA National Policy Activities – these notes were assembled for some state association conferences discussing the topic (notes). EPA Makes the Argument that Confusing the Public on Water Quality Is Part of Protecting the Public Health – (see EPA statement). Latest on EPA’s Climate Change Policy – rural water has been participating on the EPA established advisory panel drafting a policy recommendation on how water utilities should address the impacts of climate change (see panel). Rural water is represented on the panel by Paul Whittemore - board member from New Hampshire. The panel has drafted a final policy recommendation. Today, Paul told the panel that this report will likely result in a shifting of essential resources away from local priority issues water systems need to address to more ambiguous/uncertain impacts of climate change. Paul is advising NRWA that we may want to hold off on supporting the report as currently written. Please contact us (or Paul “pjwhittemore at comcast.net”) with any comments. NYCity Promotes Its Drinking Water – on t-shirts, etc (more) and pushes city prohibition on the purchase of bottled water within city government (more). Chemical Security Legislation Update – speculation that board new chemical security legislation will not pass this Congress (more) – at the same time Sen. Lautenberg proposes legislation to regulate water and wastewater supplies (see bill). New Federal Legislation for Collective Bargaining Rules Only Apply to Police, Fire and Paramedics (thanks to Steve in Maryland for pointing this out – see July 3rd posts for details). (notes: ID CO bilats, fracking, clev afford) July 3, 2010 Atlantic States Rural Water Gives Credit Where Credit is Due (see press statement) – for Circuit Rider funding, Source Water funding, Grants & Loans, etc… Thank you Atlantic States! Flashback 2009 – Atlantic States RWA recognizes Chairwoman DeLauro for ARRA funding. Atlantic States RWA awards Congresswoman DeLauro with 2008 Green Key accolade for protecting the rural environment. USDA Announces Water Quality Projects – this week, for farmers and ranchers
to conserve water and improve water quality on agricultural lands through the
Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP), which provides technical and
financial assistance to help farmers and ranchers implement activities to
improve agricultural water (more). Possible New Legislation for Collective
Bargaining Rules for Municipalities – (flagged by KS RWA) the House of Representatives passed
supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 4899) includes a mandatory collective
bargaining provision, the so called Public Safety Employer-Employee
Cooperation Act of 2009.” The
legislation mandates that all municipalities, counties and states would be
required to collectively bargain with public safety employee labor unions
over wages, benefits and working conditions, under one-size fits all federal
rules to be developed later. The
mandatory collective bargaining provisions, should they become law, would
interfere with and in some cases override longstanding state and local laws
governing public sector employment relationships (see text of provision). The House and Senate are in recess for the
July 4th holiday next week and will return to work on July 12th. June 30, 2010 Appropriations Season Beings – the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee marked-up their FY2011 bill today which contained level funding for rural water priority initiatives. Thank you Chairwoman DeLauro from Connecticut! The remaining appropriations bills could be marked up in the coming weeks. However, the path to final passage remains unclear and likely to be impacted by election year politics. Last week, House Appropriations Chairman Obey (WI) said that he wanted to move forward on appropriations bills this year but that progress would be dependent on a variety of factors. Obey said he intended to move the Homeland Security bill to full committee markup and the floor but was less certain regarding the fate of other bills. House Majority Leader Hoyer (MD) recently acknowledged that most appropriations bills this year wont see individual House floor action. Town in NY Attempts to be First to Ban Bottled Water (NYTimes). Gasland Movie Debuts Last Week (including lighting tap water on fire). Other water movies include Tapped, Thirst, and the Louisiana Rural Water Assn movie. More on Fracking….. at the AWWA conference last week, we heard that EPA is currently studying the impacts on ground water supplies from hydraulic fracturing of gas wells. What seems most noteworthy was a comment from an EPA official that EPA had not previously found problems from fracking of vertical wells, but now EPA is looking at the fracking of horizontal (directional) wells and did not characterize the same confidence of safety in these new types of wells. USGS Releases Study of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater - contributions from pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities may be responsible for 10- to 1,000-fold increases in wastewater effluent pharmaceutical concentrations, according to a new study by the US Geological Survey (more). EPA’s Climate Change Ready Water Utility Policy Initiative Update – see the re-drafted EPA panel drafting a recommendation for a “Climate Ready Water Utility” findings, adaptive response framework, and recommendations in the format of a draft Final Report. Rural Water is represented on the EPA panel by NRWA & Granite State Rural Water board member Paul Whittemore. According to the facilitator of the panel, the draft document would look very different without Paul at the table making the case to not allow this initiative to preempt the existing needs of water utilities versus the unknown needs of climate change. Paul is also pressing for additional attention on the issues of energy use, leak detection, metering, timely repairs etc. in small systems. BABs and Private Activity Bonds’ Cap Update – legislation that could extend the BABs
authorization and lift the cap on PABs for water projects is stalled in the
Senate. On Wednesday, the Senate fell
short, 58-38 votes to invoke cloture, in their latest attempt to pass
unemployment extension legislation.
The House has passed a broader bill of tax extenders and other
measures that also included an unemployment extension and is waiting on the
Senate to pass legislation before reconciling to two versions (more). Chairman Oberstar Prepares to Pass Expansion of Clean
Water Act in September – In the Spring, House Transportation and
Infrastructure Chair Oberstar (MN) introduced legislation to expand federal
regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act – America's Commitment to
Clean Water Act (H.R. 5088). The bill
changes federal regulatory authority by changing the long-standing language
in the Act from "navigable waters" to "waters of the
U.S." Chairman Oberstar has requested House floor time in
September for the bill. A group of
rural Republicans has asked for hearings on the bill (see their letter and text of the
bill). First Florida, Now Wisconsin to Face Leviathan of State Nutrient Reduction Rules – The Wisc. state government recently approved sweeping and costly new regulations to limit phosphorus in state waterways that could top $1 billion. The measure, championed by the state and environmentalists, sets water quality standards for phosphorus and by putting new limits on municipal wastewater treatment plants and factories that have their own treatment systems. Some rules will go into effect in the next year. Environmental groups had threatened to file a lawsuit if phosphorus standards weren't set, and the DNR said it tried to balance environmental and economic interests. But municipalities will pay the biggest share when the vast majority of phosphorus pollution comes from non-point sources (more). A week later, the state announces revisions to its nutrient plan to manage the cost of the new rules. Specifics on changes not provided (more). The Self-Executing Clean Water Act? Can a Simple Lawsuit Result in Your State Being Mandated to Adopt New and More Stringent Nutrient Standards for All NPDES Permits – some are expressing concern that an effort by local activists to force EPA to develop numeric nutrient criteria for the Kansas River could cause an avalanche of similar demands on EPA. Water resources offices are beginning to take notice of the Kansas effort as proof that such a suit can be brought virtually anywhere. On June 2 Friends of the Kaw (FOK) filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue EPA for its failure to establish numeric water limits for nitrogen and phosphorus in the Kansas River, which contribute to the hypoxic "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. Officials in Kansas has said that their own implementation of state nutrient limits will protect them from the suit, however, Florida tried the same strategy and lost in federal court. An environmental commentator said this could lead to a cascade of similar suits in other impaired waters nationwide. Environmentalists last November sent EPA a notice of intent to sue for numeric criteria in Wisconsin, and other activists petitioned EPA to take action in the Mississippi River basin. Mass Rural Water Member Comments on Trend in State Suits for Nutrient Plans – “the science supporting the justification of numeric values for determining impaired waters is well documented and has been defended by the courts. To question its flaws would take considerable scientific and legal effort that, I think we are not prepared to do nationally. Taking into consideration the full range of natural variability that exists even within a small watershed, I feel it would seem almost impossible to realistically set numeric nutrient criteria unless they were watershed or stream specific. We should stress that "one hat fits all" criteria is not proper for setting these types of standards - that it should be site specific. Secondly, our efforts should also be focused on the financial impacts on communities (and even on the individuals living along bodies of water) especially during these critical economic times....” A New 10-year Study in Bangladesh Promises
to be the Definitive Study to Determine the Effects of Arsenic Exposure - conducted by a team from Chicago, New
York, and Bangladesh the study claims to be the first study to accurately
measure the relationship between individual arsenic exposure and its
associated mortality risk. Of the
12,000 Bangladeshis who took part, more than twenty percent of deaths were
attributable to arsenic in the drinking water. For the 25 people exposed to
the greatest levels, mortality risk grew to nearly 70 percent. For those
exposed to moderate levels, the study noted an increase in deaths from
chronic diseases. Millions of these
wells were installed in the 1970’s by global health organizations concerned
with providing clean water to Bangladesh. As many as 77 million people, or
half the population, who drink from these wells, have been unwittingly
exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic. The World Health Organization (WHO)
has called in "the largest mass poisoning of population in history” (more). Section 1926(b) Update in Oklahoma – in the ongoing dispute between Rural
Water District No.1, Logan County and the City of Guthrie in federal court,
the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit asked two questions to the state
supreme court as part of their deliberations. This week the Oklahoma State Supreme Court responded that the
state law provides no "exclusive franchise by the Oklahoma Legislature
to a district.... this Court holds that an indebted rural water district's
right to temporarily exclude a competitor's water service within its district
is a right bestowed upon the indebted rural water district by Congress
pursuant to the terms of the USDA loan agreement; therefore, article 5,
section 51 of the Oklahoma Constitution is not implicated (see ruling). Chlorine Distributor Fined $19,472 by EPA
Over Risk Management Program (RMP) – resulting in $19,472 settlement (more)
June 20, 2010 Appropriations Season Begins This Week – The House Approps Committee announced the first mark-up of the year next week and is expected to complete two markups per week. The Agriculture Appropriations bill is typically one of the first bills to be marked-up.
Rural
Water Applauds Rep. Etheridge –
for efforts to prioritize technical assistance in House Bill to Reauthorize
the State Revolving Funds (more).
USDA’s Latest Source Water Protection Initiatives – the USDA unveiled three new showcase watersheds designed to demonstrate what can be achieved by combining strong partnerships, sound science and funding to solve natural resource problems in a targeted watersheds (more).
Build
Climate Change Tops EPA Priorities in 5-year Plan – responding to climate change will be "Goal 1" for U.S. EPA in the next five years, according to a draft strategic plan released by the agency this week.
Privatization – the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is attempting to pass legislation to rewrite the laws governing the state revolving loan funds. The Committee proposal includes new authority for private water utilities to be eligible for SRF funding (subsidized funding from the federal government). Is this a good policy? Expert water attorney, Tim Stranko weighs in on the topic this week.
AWWA’s Water Utility Council (WUC) Meets
This Week – at the AWWA annual conference in
The President’s Proposal for New Authority to Make Cuts to Appropriations Bills Received Support from Republicans on the House Budget Committee while Democrats were Split (more). [lobbyists ban, Ig
usda, swp progress, NM TMDLs]
June 12, 2010 EPA Releases Its Semiannual Regulatory Agenda – a comprehensive review of all the regulatory actions that EPA is working on or considering. The Spring 2010 listing includes a description of the actions and schedules for Lead and Copper, Aldicarb, Radon, MTBE, Perchlorate, Radionuclides, Total Coliform Rule, UCMR, and the 6-Year Review (see report).
June 10, 2010 EPA’s
Numerical Nutrient Criteria Conflagration in Fla. – as the sunshine state
continues its battled against EPA draconian mandate to reduce nutrients (more), the lawsuit that was
used on Florida to force the EPA regulation is being proposed in Kansas (see notice to sue). However EPA Continues to Reform TCR Rule – rural water continues to press for
immediate reform of the
misleading public notice requirements in the current TCR rule. This week our representative on the EPA
panel looking at rewriting the rule scribed this letter to EPA to follow-up
on the potential for states to waive the current PN for non-health related
TCR violations (see letter). Is God an Environmentalist? Religion’s Role in Sustainability (more).
Wisc. Water Tower Catches Fire – at the corner of Prairie & Walden Way (story and photos).
EPA Moving Forward on a SSO Rule – to address a variety of controversial issues
related to so-called wet weather events to clarify Clean Water Act permitting
requirements for sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs)... blending fully and
partially treated wastewater during significant storm events and previously
unregulated satellite collection systems.
EPA is planning a series of meetings in June and July around the
country to collect information (more). June 9, 2010 The
Amish and the EPA in the NYTimes - The
Amish present a challenge for the environmental agency to steer the farmers
toward new practices without stirring resentment of a culture are notoriously
wary of outsiders and of the government in particular and very resistant to
government interference. However six
of the 19 wells sampled contained E. coli bacteria, and 16 had nitrate levels
exceeding those allowed by the EPA (more). House Passes Legislation to Lift Cap on
Private Activity Bonds for Water Projects - H.R. 537, passed the House
as part of H.R. 4213. The Senate must
now find the votes for the broader American Jobs Bill to be signed into law (more
from NAWC). June 5, 2010 Rural
Water Invited on EPA Panel for
a new Strategic Drinking Water Initiative, Launched by Administrator Jackson to strengthen implementation of the
Safe Drinking Water Act (see explanation of new
policy and agenda for tomorrow’s first meeting). Mike McNulty with West Virginia Rural
Water will be representing NRWA on the EPA panel. ASDWA’s Newsletter Featuring: New TCR Products, Article on Nutrients, Pharmaceuticals in the Environment, Rulemaking on Sanitary Sewer Overflows, etc. (newsletter).
Rural Water Reaches Out to National Hospice Association to Prevent Pharmaceuticals from Reaching Water Sources – lead by the initiative of Florida Rural Water, NRWA has begun a dialogue with the national association of hospice. Florida rural water is holding an unused medicines collection day at a member water utility to demonstrate leadership from water utilities in keeping flushed unused medicines out of waters and to provide an alternative disposal opportunity. At the national level we will be discussing the current policy of flushing unused medicines for disposal. Thank you FL rural water for the innovative directive and ideas.
From Wisconsin Rural Water – “Bottled Water Scam, the industry would have us believe that their product is purer than tap water and free of harmful chemicals and micro-organisms; however, research suggests that about a third of all bottled water is contaminated. Our own Public Health Madison and Dane County laboratory has found bacteria and some chemical contaminants in bottled water at levels above the acceptable range for municipal drinking water.” (more) EPA’s Climate Ready Water Utility Working
Group – continues on their
exorable march toward crafting a policy or recommendation on defining a climate
ready water utility. Rural water is
represented on the panel by our tireless traveler Paul Whittemore with
Granite State Rural Water Association who will attend the next EPA meeting in
EPA Announces New Research – on the identification of high-priority distribution system research and information collection project areas (more). Additionally, EPA recently added a resource web page, which provides links to each states' cross-connection control and backflow prevention requirements (see more).
AWWA Backs House SRF Rewrite Legislation (more) – two weeks ago, Steve Levy with Maine Rural Water was invited by a House Committee to testify on the legislation to reauthorize the SRF (see all the witnesses’ testimony) and watch the hearing on here.
Rural Water Emergency Response – representatives of the City of Bay St Louis (MS) will be giving a presentation to the Deputy Director of FEMA about the response to Katrina in the coming days. Part of the presentation will be on how much MsRWA and the surrounding rural water states were there to help them restore service even for weeks after the storm.
June 1, 2010 House
Extends Build
May 28, 2010 NYC Study Shows No Risk from
Pharmaceuticals in NYC Drinking Water Findings Confirm NYC Water is Safe and
Healthy to Drink – NYC DEP
has concluded a study that indicates that the presence of pharmaceuticals in
Gotham's source waters pose no public health risks. The one-year pilot
program tested for the presence of pharmaceuticals in the city's three
upstate watersheds, finding only extremely minute quantities of these
compounds. The findings confirm that NYC Water remains safe and healthy for
the 9 million New Yorkers who rely on it each day (more). From the Economist, a Special Report on
Water – topics: But many water
providers still have a long way to go, Can the world solve its water problems?, China's peasants look to the skies, If water has the capacity to enhance life, its absence
has the capacity to make it miserable, No country manages its water as well
as Singapore, Water, it is said, is the new oil, For decades the Great Lakes
region has seen a slow ebb, Making farmers matter,
The ups and downs of dams, Mostly because of farming, water is increasingly
scarce. Managing it better could help, How to avoid water wars, and How to make tight supplies go further (see all articles).
EPA’s Agenda on Distribution Systems – and EPA panel has released the Priorities of the Distribution System Research and Information Collection Partnership (Priorities document). The Priorities document is a product of the Research and Information Collection Partnership (comprised of EPA and the Water Research Foundation) to identify priorities for research and information collection on seven distribution system issues (more). Also, a compilation of existing cross connection control requirements, guidance, and other information has been published (more). May 27, 2010 Dr. Water (Peter Gleick) On Anti Bottled
Water Media Tour – goes
in-depth with Diane Rhem on bottle water today (listen). Politics Delays Tax Extenders Bill – some House Democrats want to see a less
expensive price tag on package of
tax breaks, benefit extensions, physician reimbursements and other items
before agreeing to vote. That could put the bill in danger of being shelved
until after the Memorial Day recess, although Speaker Pelosi pledged the
problems would be resolved before then. Build
May 26, 2010 EPA Releases 2011 National Water Guidance – which describes water program priorities and strategies,
including the suite of water performance measures and their targets, for the
coming fiscal year (more).
EPA
Announces New Clean Water Act Enforcement Web Tools – a new set of web tools, data, and
interactive maps to inform the public about serious Clean Water Act
violations in their communities from 40,000 permitted Clean Water Act
dischargers across the country. The report lists state-by-state summary data
of violations and enforcement responses taken by the states for smaller
facilities (more). Quality of Water from Public-Supply Wells
in the United States, 1993-2007 – about 105 million people receive drinking water from 140,000 public
water systems that rely on groundwater pumped from wells. USGS studied the occurrence of naturally
occurring and man-made contaminants in source water from public wells (more). The
Bureau of Reclamation Has $1 Million Available for Desalination and Advanced
Water Treatment – pilot scale projects, and demonstration scale projects
in desalination and water purification (more). Reclamation is partnering with private
industry, universities, water utilities, and others to address a broad range
of desalting and water purification needs. May 25, 2010 Public
Citizen’s Analysis of the Private Water Industry’s Agenda (more). The
President’s
Cancer Panel’s Report – (page 27) number one recommendation to reduce
chemical exposures, “removing shoes
before entering the home….” And number tow, “Filtering home tap or well
water…” New York Times Science Writer Reviews Dr. Matt Ridley’s book The
Rational Optimist – Tierney writes, “Every now and then, someone comes along to note
that society has failed to collapse and might go on prospering … Dr. Ridley
expects bottom-up innovators to prevail. His prediction for the rest of the
century: ‘Prosperity spreads, technology progresses, poverty declines,
disease retreats, fecundity falls, happiness increases, violence atrophies,
freedom grows, knowledge flourishes, the environment improves and wilderness
expands.’” May 23, 2010 Rural Water Success, Waxman/Markey SDWA Bill Includes Etheridge Bill – see note to Congressmen Etheridge and section of bill that is predicated on the Etheridge bill. The corollary of this success is that there is now no opposition to awarding EPA technical assistance based on merit and the may lead to the elimination of the need to annual ask Congress to earmark technical assistance funding. EPA opposed this provision in the Waxman/Markey bill saying they it was beyond their ability to determine what type of technical assistance was most beneficial to small and rural communities. See news article on the Subcommittee passage of the bill, which covers the partisan vote on Davis Bacon and the successful vote on the amendment by LA Congressman Melancon on increasing technical assistance funding (more).
EPA Continues to Reform TCR Rule – rural water continues to press for immediate reform of the misleading public notice requirements in the current TCR rule. Last week, Rural Water raised, again, the idea of immediately eliminating the pubic notice for total coliform violations. EPA seemed to a have responded that this could occur presently. David with DE rural water followed up with EPA for the exact process that states can use to waive the current PN for non-health related TCR violations. We will post EPA’s response ASAP. See all the data, updates, and ppts presented to the TCR stakeholders meeting last week at EPA headquarters.
Should Rural Water Support Lifting the Cap on Private Actively Bonds for Water Projects (more)? The private water industry strongly backs the idea… pressing for passage of S. 3262 and H.R. 537, which continue to receive positive attention in Congress for the bill. The private water industry says the bills are a “low-cost and creative approach to tapping private capital for water infrastructure investment projects.” (see more)
Study On Perchlorate Bolsters Industry Fight Against EPA Rules – a new study indicating that pregnant women’s thyroid function is not harmed by drinking water tainted with the rocket fuel ingredient perchlorate, undermining the findings of a landmark 2006 study that environmentalists have cited to pressure EPA to strictly regulate the chemical. EPA is also said to be considering an alternative approach for limiting the risks of perchlorate exposure that relies on nutritional supplements to offset potential harms from the chemical, which is known to contaminate drinking water sources in 35 U.S. states. The findings could call into question the 2006 study by CDC indicating that as many as one-third of American women could be at risk for thyroid problems from food and water exposure (more).
Maine Program Keeps Drugs Out of Water
Supply – a ton of unused
pharmaceuticals was prevented from entering the water supply and landfills
under a pilot mail-back program undertaken in Maine and funded by a grant
from the EPA. Pharmaceuticals are
among the most prominent emerging contaminants in drinking water. EPA is
planning a survey of water utilities that will try to gauge the presence of
drugs and other pollutants in drinking water. A total of 9,400 envelopes was distributed and 3,926 (42
percent) were returned (more). Florida Rural Water is planning to
hold an unused pharmaceuticals collection day at a water utility soon to
demonstrate leadership in keeping the medicines out of waters.
EPA Claims Congress Forced Davis Bacon Wage Rules For Water Funds – EPA is saying that “plain language” in the agency’s fiscal year 2010 appropriations law required the broad application by failing to include text to limit its scope. In a letter to senators who are critical of the wage provisions’ application to past agency water funds, EPA says the agency is bound by the language of the FY10 spending law to take that approach and that the law fails to include “restricting language” that could otherwise limit application of the wage requirements to amounts awarded to states from that particular appropriations law and ban it from applying to other funds. Some states are so concerned over the policy that they are weighing litigation against EPA over the issue. May 19, 2010 House
Subcommittee Moves to Pass SRF Reauthorization Today (more). Rural
Water Backs Rep. Melancon’s Amendment to SRF Reauthorization bill (more). Update
on Media Perplexed by Rural Water’s Support of Waxman/Markey SRF Reauthorization Bill (more).
Boil Water Orders – around the country and their implications (more).
May 18, 2010 New EPA Video Highlights the Water Profession – as a career for young adults (watch).
Peter Gleick Discussing Bottled vs TAP Water on NPR’s Fresh Air (listen). John with MA rural water forward us the feature and said Dr. Gleick has some interesting observations and useful anecdotes.
Reclamation
Funding for Rural Development Available Now – the Bureau announced the availability of the funding opportunity
announcement for the Rural Water Supply Program to assess their potable water
supply needs and identify options to address those needs. The grant
announcement is available on www.grants.gov using funding opportunity number R10SF80458. Reclamation will make at least $2
million available for conducting appraisal investigations and feasibility
studies through grants and cooperative agreements. A statement of interest is due by May 28, 2010. To learn more about Reclamation's Rural
Water Program and this Funding Opportunity Announcement please visit www.usbr.gov/ruralwater.
1926(b) Decision from the 8th Circuit Reverses USDA Position – that indebtedness for sewer loan will provide 1926(b) protection for water service (see opinion). Attorney Steve Harris to file motion to reconsider (and motion for en banc review) in the coming days. Harris says the decision is also a rejection of 10th Circuit law, creating a fairly clear conflict between the two circuits.
May 13, 2010 Steve Levy with Maine Rural Water Just Wrapped Testifying – in the House of Representatives on new legislation to reauthorize the state revolving loan fund (see all the witnesses’ testimony) and watch the hearing on here. May 12, 2010 Rural Water’s Testimony on the House SRF Bill to be delivered tomorrow AM by Steve Levy (pdf or doc). The hearing should be telecasted on the net at the committee’s page. May 10, 2010 House
SRF Reauthorization Bill (final). May 7, 2010 Chairman Dicks Message to Rural Water on EPA Funding (more).
House SRF Reauthorization Bill – the House Energy and Commerce Committee has drafted a bill to reauthorize the drinking water SRF (see draft bill). The committee intends to introduce the bill next week and hold a hearing on the bill this Thursday. They have invited rural water to testify on the bill and we are hoping Delaware Rural Water’s David Baird will be able to appear on our (your) behalf. See the initial comments on the bill from members of the rural water Regulatory Committee (comments).
2012
Farm Bill
Total Coliform Rule Revision – this epic continues next week at EPA (see agenda), David DE rural water and Paul NH rural water will represent rural water at the meetings (video documentary on the effort on YouTube).
House Appropriations Chairman Obey (WI) to Retire – long-time rural water supporter and legendary Chairman of the powerful House Committee announces his retirement. Announcement ignites battle among appropriations committee members (Rep. Dicks-WA and Rep. Fatah-PA) to win the vote to become the next chairman (more). Precautionary Principle in Congress, the
U.S., and Europe – (the following
is excerpted from www.acsh.org) ACSH’s and the
Hoover Institution discuss the flawed logic of the precautionary principle
and how it relates to a proposed federal ban on the chemical BPA from food
containers (published
in Forbes). The President’s
Cancer Panel has caused quite a stir with its release of a report imputing cancer to environmental chemicals. The report
practically plagiarizes the work of anti-chemical activist groups, including
the Environmental Working Group’s catchphrase that babies are “pre-polluted”
with chemicals, and in its frequent homage to the precautionary
principle. “This so-called
Presidential Cancer Panel, which consists of two physicians, has obviously
been politically pressured by the activists running the EPA,” says ACSH’s Dr.
Gilbert Ross. “When they mention babies being ‘pre-polluted’ and the alleged
dangers of all of these chemicals, they not only sign their name to activist
screeds, they neglect to mention that the dose makes the poison, and that
finding traces of chemicals at levels of parts-per-billion does not imply a
health hazard. And of course they do not address the potential health hazards
of banning important chemicals from consumer products.” The New York Times’ Nicholas
Kristof, who is not known for
dry-eyed rationality when it comes to chemicals like BPA, is in a predictable
state of panic: “One reason for concern is that some cancers are becoming
more common, particularly in children. We don’t know why that is, but the
proliferation of chemicals in water, foods, air and household products is
widely suspected as a factor.” Kristof also seems credulous when the report
blames “the existing regulatory presumption that chemicals are safe unless
strong evidence emerges to the contrary.”
“One ‘devil chemical’ that pervades this report is BPA,” says Dr.
Whelan. “Scientific panels are under so much activist pressure to ban BPA
that even when the FDA did its third evaluation and still found no evidence
of danger, they added some words of caution to appease the activists. What
makes the report even more insidious is that imaginary dangers like using
plastic food containers are mixed together with actual risk factors like
smoking and excess UV radiation, so that unscientific chemical ‘dangers’ are
implicitly compared to smoking. Dr. Michael Thun, emeritus vice president of
epidemiology at the American Cancer Society, “we agree that there are many
important issues here … but a reader would come away from this report
believing that pollutants cause most cancer,” Dr. Thun tells the L.A. Times
“In fact most cancers are caused by tobacco, alcohol, overexposure to
ultraviolet light, radiation and sexually transmitted infections. The report
‘presents an unbalanced perspective’ of the relative importance of these
various factors, he said.”
EPA’s Deliberations on Defining a “Climate Read Water Utility….” – Paul with NH rural water attended EPA’s advisory committee meeting this week in Chicago on the topic (more). Paul raised two key points: (1) that many small communities are stressed with the current demands placed on them by EPA, etc., and we don’t want to divert their attention to immediate critical demands with possible less critical (and clearly uncertain) demands of planning for climate change, and (2) water utilities are already planning for future contingencies of water supply and crises management – and it is unclear what additionally is needed to be consider climate change ready. Paul’s points to raise much discussion on the panel, which will be meeting for the rest of the year to try and negotiate a policy on the topic (see the latest from the panel and a compendium of literature on the issue).
Senators Introduce S. 3262 to Allow More
Tax-Exempt Private Activity Bond Funding for Water Projects - the Sustainable Water Infrastructure
Investment Act of 2010, S. 3262, will remove state volume caps on private
activity bonds (PABs) for water and wastewater projects, freeing up billions
of private capital dollars for investment in the nation’s water
infrastructure. A similar bill introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives last year by Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) was passed by
the House as part of the Small Business and Infrastructure Tax Act (H.R.
4849) last month (more).
Wisconsin’s Phosphorus Program – the state is considering new rules to
reduce phosphorus in lakes, rivers and streams… But a traditional
regulatory approach - focusing primarily on municipal wastewater treatment
plants, industry and commercial sources of phosphorus - will not be effective
in achieving meaningful improvements in water quality. In most watersheds, those sources account
for only 10 percent to 20 percent of the phosphorus reaching Wisconsin's
waterways. The majority of phosphorus comes from runoff from
agricultural fields, construction sites and urban areas. Without effective
control of these sources, phosphorus discharges to water will not be
significantly reduced (Madison
Metro. Sewerage District).
Is Green Infrastructure Good Policy - states and other water interests are
questioning the usefulness of green infrastructure projects to meet EPA requirements for
receiving fiscal year 2010 water infrastructure funding through the agency’s
state revolving loan fund (SRF) programs which requires at least 20 percent
of clean water and drinking water SRF money to be spent on green
infrastructure. EPA says states should
not use the SRF to “encourage the expansion of centralized infrastructure to
accommodate growth where there are available projects that repair, replace,
and upgrade infrastructure in existing communities.” But some state officials
fear there may not be enough green infrastructure projects that meet the
set-aside requirements and address SDWA’s public health requirements. One
state source says trying to find projects to meet the 20 percent set-aside
could impede projects that have public health benefits. States may have more
pressing public health needs that cannot be addressed by green
infrastructure, the source says, adding that it is more difficult to find
green infrastructure projects in drinking water systems compared to
wastewater treatment systems. States Urge EPA Not To Implement Florida
Nutrient Process Nationally
- and are questioning the validity of EPA’s ability to accurately connect
nutrient limits in Clean Water Act (CWA) permits and with improved aquatic
ecosystem health through the methods EPA plans to use to set numeric nutrient
water quality criteria in Florida and are urging the agency to avoid using
the methods as a model nationally.
However, many believe EPA is likely to use the same approach in other
states that are continuing to rely on less precise narrative nutrient
criteria, and the proposed criteria for Florida have drawn more than 2,300
comments by the April 28 deadline. Activists are increasingly looking to EPA
to pressure states into implementing numeric water quality criteria for a
range of pollutants in order to bypass a perceived reticence by state
regulators, using EPA’s issuance of numeric criteria for nutrients in Florida
as a model for action. Times Square Bomb Relevance to Water – we were asked just is the relevance? One, culprit used propone cylinders and gasoline to weaponize the bomb. Chlorine cylinders have been considered a likely potential component of such bombs – the point that many systems are supplanting gas with bleach. Two, the terrorist chose a crowed city center as his target. Water systems have been determined to be critical infrastructure for protection the federal government. May 2, 2010 Times Square Bomb Relevance to Water – a member of the public alerted police. The bomb was made up of gunpowder, three propane tanks and two five-gallon containers of gasoline. A metal box resembling a gun cabinet was retrieved from the car with eight bags of unknown substance (perhaps fertilizer). Bomb said to be incendiary in nature, similarities to two car bombs planted by Islamic terrorists outside nightclub in London in 2007. All material said to be easily and locally obtainable. "Times Square, I think, is now safe," said DHS Sec. Napolitano.
Boston
Boil Water Order Impacts 2 Million – could be without safe water until midweek, as efforts continued to
repair a major pipe supplying treated water to the region. MA Governor declares state of emergency,
run on bottled water in area, people showing up in emergency rooms worried
they drank unclean water. Pipe break
caused 8 million gallons of water per hour flooding into the nearby
AWWA Security Funding Catalogue – list all agencies, all programs, and case studies (see report).
House Appropriations Delays – House Appropriations Budget Chairman Spratt said Thursday that Democratic leaders will have to decide soon whether or not to pursue an FY11 budget resolution in order to have a fighting chance to pass appropriations bills out of the House by the August recess. "The appropriators have got to start marking up their bills if we are going to get a number of the bills passed by the first of August," Spratt said. "They are going to need a green light pretty soon." Lobbying
Congress To Delay EPA Arsenic Risk Assessment – Industry groups are launching
a new congressional lobbying push to win support for their effort to delay
EPA’s controversial draft cancer assessment of arsenic, which strengthens the
agency’s existing hazard assessment of the chemical by 17 times, in a bid to
force EPA to include new data that industry hopes will soften the
assessment. The new lobbying push
comes as EPA’s science advisers are reviewing the agency’s draft assessment,
a review that industry charges is too narrowly focused to consider their
concerns and could result in unattainable standards for water, waste and
toxics regulations. Many have sent the agency a number of letters,
complaining about the scope of the peer review, the conduct of the
chairwoman, Elaine Faustman, a University of Washington professor, and urging
EPA to include an additional 200 studies that industry says the agency should
include in the assessment. EPA is sorting through data to update its cancer
risk estimate for inorganic arsenic. EPA’s draft Toxicological Review of
Inorganic Arsenic, published Feb. 19, estimates a cancer risk 17 times
greater than the current estimate.
However, EPA will not incorporate the latest peer-review published
arsenic studies and continue to reply on the southwestern Taiwan data from
the 1960s (Wu & Chen). In a 2007
report, the Science Advisory Board agreed that the Taiwan database “remains,
at this time, the most appropriate choice for estimating bladder cancer risk
among humans, though the data have considerable limitations” (see full article
including interview with Dr. Lamm). A
collection of scientists filed a 25-page analysis contradicting EPA’s recent
assessment of their data set, which does not include the peer-review
published studies refuting EPA’s risk assumptions (see their comments).
April 30, 201 Is Colorado the Next Wisconsin, Which Was
the Next Florida for Numerical Nutrient Criteria? – The WI DNS is currently proposing
changes in phosphorus limits in rivers and streams. About 163 wastewater treatment plants would have to install new
filtration systems at a cost between $1.8 million and $26 million per system.
Now Jim Dunlap’s Vision Coming to Fruition – in mid May, the Bureau of Reclamation will publish an announcement of funding (at http://grants.gov/) for the appraisal and feasibility studies of rural water systems – as authorized by the Rural Water Supply Act of 2006 (PL 109-451). In Dec. 2008, Reclamation published an interim final rule, which spells out the eligibility and programmatic criteria (www.usbr.gov/ruralwater). Reclamation will announce how they will evaluate the proposals concurrently with publication of the funding announcement. About $2 million will be available for these initial studies.
EPA to Launch Pilot Program to Test Water Quality at
Schools, Day-Care Centers - to test
the lead content of drinking water (more).
Biosolids Case Before Supreme Court – water authorities are calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by an appellate courts that they say could set a precedent that allows communities to bar disposal of biosolids that are transported in from other jurisdictions (City of Los Angeles v. County of Kern). Water agency organizations are siding with the city of Los Angeles in the city's challenge of the circuit court decision. They said it could pose problems for water authorities throughout the country when disposing of treated domestic sewage sludge, also known as biosolids.
April 29, 2010 EPA Prepares for Climate Change Planning for Water Utilities – see their draft policy on “Climate Ready Water Utilities.” Paul from NH rural water is a member of this advisory panel and had the following comments on this process so far. The advisory group meets next week in Chicago. 7 USC Sec. 1926(b) – Larry with TN rural water discussed 1926(b) with the deputy of USDA’s rural development agency – and Larry scribed the following memorandum on the merits of the 1926(b) to the deputy Under Secretary.
EPA Releases Guidance Document on Implementing the Special Provisions of this Year’s SRFs (see EPA memo).
EPA and Water System Sustainability – Steve
Levy with ME rural water attended the CIFA
conference this week in
April 26, 2010 Privatization
in USA Today – “the City Manager has advice for communities that are
tempted to sell their water systems to ease budget woes: "Be very
cautious." Pekin, a city of 34,000, doesn't own its water system. If it
did, Kief believes, rates would be lower and extending water lines to an
expansion of Pekin's industrial park and along a new bypass would be less
complicated. Most important, he says, owning such a crucial part of its
infrastructure would mean Pekin could "control our own destiny."
Dick Hierstein was Pekin's city manager when the referendum passed. Selling a
water system to a private company is ‘a terrible, terrible mistake,’ he
says.” (USA
Today) April 25, 2010 Status
of Appropriations Bill – Congress is delayed in passing their annual
budget this year. This
article attempts to identify the problems causing the delay. The budget process is often the first step
in the appropriations process, which some Republicans are claiming is going
to be delayed and controversial – including the likelihood of completion of
appropriations bills after the election (more). Key
House Leaders Facing Tough Elections – including long-time rural water
supporters like Chairman Obey, etc (NYTimes) Key
House Chairman Introduces CWA Clarification Bill to Address Recent Supreme
Court Ruling Limiting Federal Authority Over the Intrastate Waters (more). Fox News video report on the bill (watch). Malta, MT Break-in – residents were told to
avoid using city water —
not for drinking, cooking, washing or even flushing — after someone broke
into a secured area around the town's two tanks sometime Saturday. Montana Rural Water responded to the
emergency last Sunday and Monday (more). Malta Public Works warned people through
the radio and posted signs on billboards around town, schools closed, etc. Bottle Water Apostasy – "Carrying bottled water is on its way to being as cool as smoking while pregnant," claims the video "The Story of Bottled Water," which debuted on YouTube last month and garnered more than 450,000 views. The bottled water companies, the video insists, are "scaring us, seducing us, misleading us" into buying their products. Leonard, the writer and narrator, gives plenty of reasons why more and more people want to "take back the tap." (more) Wisconsin the Next Florida for Numerical
Nutrient Criteria? - The
WI DNS is currently proposing changes in phosphorus limits in rivers and
streams, and according to the DNR’s own estimates, to comply with the
proposed regulations, 163 wastewater treatment plants would have to install
new filtration systems at a cost between $1.8 million and $6.9 million per
system. A municipal group puts the
estimated cost per system between $8.6 million and $26 million per system
once land acquisition and other costs are included. This rule does not address agricultural runoff, failing septic
systems or other sources that account for up to 80% of the phosphorus
pollution in Wisconsin waters. We
will check in with Vermont this week and see how their state’s actions are
moving along. 1926(b) Response to House Committee – the Rural Water Alliance filed the following
response to the House Agriculture Committee’s question on 1926(b). Chemical
Security Update - Legislation
passed in the House last fall would require water systems with certain
chemicals including chlorine to consider converting to safer alternatives and
submit to stricter oversight by the EPA. Sen. Lautenberg (NJ) has said he
will introduce a bill at least as rigorous as the House version in the near
future. However at a March 3, Senate
hearing, the chemistry industry argued for the status quo, saying they have
taken steps to prevent accidental or terrorist-induced releases of dangerous
compounds. Sen. Collins (R-Maine) is sympathetic to their position and has
introduced legislation that would extend existing regulations for five years.
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chair Lieberman (CT) has called current
exemption for the nation’s drinking water and wastewater treatment plants a “troublesome
security gap.” Both types of operations would be covered under the 2009 House
bill (more). Graham Quits Climate Talks Days Before
Releasing Senate Legislative Proposal - dimming hopes for a bill.
Sen. Graham (SC) pulled out of negotiations to forge a climate- change
bill, protesting what he called a “cynical ploy” by Democrats to focus
instead on immigration. Graham’s move
dimmed hopes for legislation that he was set to unveil tomorrow with Senators
Kerry (MA), and Lieberman (CT), after more than six months of work (more).
USDA’s Rural Water Earth Day Celebration – Sec. Vilsack announced that 69 water and environmental projects will provide critical water and wastewater infrastructure improvements and help protect water quality and the environment in 36 states (more).
Carbon Capture and Storage Rule Update – Many water utility officials are concerned that EPA is considering granting industry a conditional exemption from hazardous waste laws for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestered underground -- the preferred method for complying with new greenhouse gas controls -- before policymakers have dealt with the issue of long-term liability for possible harm to drinking water, human health and environment. The officials fear any exemption could prevent them from recouping damages in the event CO2 leaks, damaging drinking water resources. EPA recently announced that it is “considering a proposed rule under [the Resource, Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA)] to explore options such as a conditional exemption from the RCRA requirements for hazardous CO2 streams in order to facilitate implementation of [geologic sequestration of CO2] while protecting human health and the environment.” EPA made the announcement in its just-released Action Initiation List for February 2010. Many industry officials have raised concerns that they could face massive remediation liability under RCRA and other environmental laws, in the event the gas that is pumped into CCS wells contaminates drinking water or harms human health, because the Supreme Court has ruled that CO2 is a “pollutant” under the Clean Air Act. A proposed rule EPA issued in 2008 under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) set standards and financial assurance requirements for CCS wells, but stopped short of clarifying the scope of potential industry liability. EPA’s proposed rule, which the agency is scheduled to promulgate at the end of 2010, creates a new class of underground injection control (UIC) wells for CCS designed to protect underground sources of drinking water from potential contamination by CO2, which can acidify water. April 19, 2010 1926(b) Update – our Rural Development Policy Wonkissimo, Bill Simpson submitted the following reply on 1926(b) to the House Ag Committee (in response to their question) last week. Elmer noted that the “bare ground’ or growth areas issue is not covered in the response, so we will cover that issue in the near future. The National League of Cities recently adopted a resolution to change 1926(b) in Congress. We are considering how to address this issue at the national level. Larry with TN rural water recently raised the topic with the head of USDA’s rural water agency. Under the previous administration, USDA was considering a review of the merit and appropriateness of the current 1926(b) authorities. This apparently was the result of the City of Guthrie’s (Oklahoma) concerns about 1926(b) that were presented to USDA. Rural Water continues our offer to help – USDA, municipal groups, and any other organization analyzing the merit of 1926(b).
Published in Epidemiology (5/10 - Vol 21, p.
300), “There was little or no evidence for associations between total
trihalomethane concentration and adverse birth outcomes relating to fetal
growth and prematurity…(more)”
White House Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture Meeting – on May 6, 2010. The meeting will provide information about the Task Force and feature experts on capture and storage systems (more).
Safer Chlorine Technology Can Be Hazardous – 4/12, HazMat Teams from Phoenix responded to a chlorine bleach spill. A truck lost part of its load of chlorine bleach leaving 1,000 gallons of the material on the roadway. A driver of a chlorine bleach tanker in Georgia was killed when the rig rolled over spilling an estimated 4,000 gallons of a 10% commercial sodium hypochlorite solution. “Switching to a safer technology or product doesn’t mean hazard elimination” (source).
Utility Pay $100,000+ Settlement Over RMP Violations – St. Maries, Idaho have agreed to pay a $9,220 penalty and spend an estimated $113,550 to settle EPA Risk Management Program violations. The settlement came after EPA found that the city lacked an emergency prevention program to protect the public and the environment from an off-site release of chlorine at its wastewater treatment plant (more).
April 15, 2010 kramer EPA’s Forum on Clean Water and Sustainable Communities – we attended this elite EPA function today which featured the EPA Administrator, the Assistant Administrator for Water, past EPA Administrators and many other water luminaries (see agenda and background policy papers). Most notable from the rural water perceptive was a presentation from former EPA Administrator Bill Ruckelshaus on watershed protection. Mr. Ruckelshaus is the chair of the Puget Sound Partnership, a community effort of citizens, governments, tribes, scientists and businesses working together to restore and protect the sound. In his talk, Mr. Ruckelshaus detailed the history of a local source water protection plan on the Nisqually river. He explained that after years of the local fighting, suits, courts, ineffective enforcement and general acrimony a new process worked. The new process was that of facilitated collaboration and understanding among stakeholders, saying that all the interests where willing to accommodate the other stakeholders (farmers, recreation, aquatic life, drinking water, etc.) but they needed a deliberative/collaborative process. The process took a long-time but proved to be remarkably effective and harmonizing among the various water interests… going on to say that such consensus decreases (makes irrelevant) the need for governmental authorities. He emphasized the importance of leadership in the process and believes the goal of national watershed protection policy is to transfer this approach to other watersheds. He said regulators need to treat rural and agriculture land-use interests like costumers, and that young regulators six-months out of college with their regulatory manual coming out to enforce “the manual” often don’t go over well in rural areas… and lead to resentment – and the raise of property rights groups, etc. He, half seriously, said he wished all the environmental regulators could go to charm school. What is most prescient and relevant about this speech is that is sounded like Mr. Ruckelshaus was channeling John Montgomery when he divined the rural water source water protection program back in 1999 which has resulted in hundreds of locally supported watershed protection plans.
Florida Rural Water Takes on the EPA – on one of the broadest, costliest, and burdensome Clean Water Act regulations ever (see their latest effort in their grassroots campaign to make EPA rule reasonable in Florida).
NPR
Reports Rural
Water Executive Directors in DC – Steve Levy (ME), Gary Rhoades (WA), and
Dennis Sternbrg (A) were all in DC this week for with events with key Members
of Congress. Former
Environmental Layer Takes Over DC’s Water Supply - George Hawkins, the new head of the D.C.
Water and Sewer Authority, his task is to replace pipes that are in some
cases 100 years old -- and to convince residents to pay for these
improvements. Hear how Hawkins plans
how to sale rate increase to DC residents (listen to
interview). Hungarian
Water War – City officials forcibly reclaim water system from Suez Inc (news
video report). Mayor says “we
reclaimed the system from a multinational corporation that was making profits
from exploiting our water.” April 11, 2010
1926(b)
Happenings…. Larry with TN rural water met with the head of USDA’s rural
development agencies and discussed the importance of 1926(b) last week, and
NRWA replied to the House Agriculture Committee’s question: “what would be
the effect of amending 7 U.S.C. § 1926(b) to allow municipalities the ability
to serve customers inside a rural utility district, and what impact might
that have on the utility district’s ability to fulfill its obligations?”
(see question). Here is the draft of the reply;
the final version (completed by Bill Simpson) will be posted tomorrow.
April 9, 2010 EPA Draft Report Interpreting the FY2010
SRF Provisions – for states’
Intended Use Plans (see
report). SRF provisions include
additional subsidies, green projects, funding for decentralized wastewater Systems, etc. EPA to Hold Total Coliform Rule Stakeholder
Meeting May 11&12 –
rural water Paul from New Hampshire and David from Delaware were members of
this EPA advisory panel that recommended the elimination
of the current public notice requirements for total colifrom violations
(see agenda). The draft revisions to the TCR rule
include a system self assessment to replace the current MCL volitions for
positive total coliforms – here is an example of self-assessment
from
Overview
of Current Domestic Water Supply Infrastructure Status –
EPA
Continues to Determine Their New Sustainability Policy – see agenda from
this week’s teleconference meeting attended by panel member and NRWA board
member from
April 6, 2010 The House on 3/24 Passed the Small Business
and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act of 2010 (H.R. 4849) – the bill provides incentives for
small-business investment, relief for overburdened small-business owners, and
expanded opportunity for infrastructure investment by states and localities
in part through the removal of state volume caps on private activity bonds
(PABs) for water and wastewater financing. Also included in the bill was a
one-year extension of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption for private
activity bonds and an extension of the Build America Bond program. Rep. Bernice Johnson (TX) spoke about her
enthusiasm for the proposal on the floor of the U.S. House of
Representatives: “Removing state volume caps on Private Activity Bonds for
water and wastewater facilities is expected to reduce the cost of water
projects, increase the number of water projects that communities initiate,
improve our Nation’s water infrastructure, and encourage public-private
partnerships.” EPA
Exploring Use of Clean Water Act to Control Greenhouse Gases – citing
increases in oceans acidic at a rate that's alarmed some scientists (more). Clean
Water Act Citizen’s Suits in Baton Rogue for $2 Million in Fines – in wastewater
system that is under consent decree with EPA. However, EPA says they can’t say if consent decree is
protection against citizen suits (more). Natural Resources Conservation Service
Announced $61.2 Million for Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP)
Projects - to will help
producers conserve surface and ground water and improve water quality on
agricultural land. Nongovernmental
organizations are eligible for funding (more). Recession
is sending water bills up for many - for decades, April 4, 2010 Appropriations
Update – Final Letters (more). Now that the Dear Colleague letters are
finalized, all Members of the House should be asked to cosponsor HR 2206,
especially House Members who would not request earmarks this year, because if
enacted, HR 2206 would eliminate the need to earmark rural water funding and
replace the earmark with a merit-based process for awarding EPA technical
assistance funding. And all Senators
should be asked to introduce the bill in the Senate. Arsenic
Science Update – scientists from American, Georgetown, and Johns Hopkins
Universities (with recently published papers contradicting EPA’s risk
assumptions from older data sets) contest EPA’s conclusion that “when
appropriate models are used the (southwest) Taiwanese data show robust and
significant positive associations between arsenic exposures and cancer risks
for all the endpoints analyzed, even in low-exposure groups.” Last week, the collection of
scientists filed a 25-page analysis contradicting EPA’s recent assessment of
their data set, which does not include the peer-review published studies
refuting EPA’s risk assumptions (see their comments).
Congressional
Inquiry Into 1926(b) Changes – at a recent hearing on the USDA water
program, one Congressman asked “what would be the effect of amending 7
U.S.C. § 1926(b) to allow municipalities the ability to serve customers
inside a rural utility district, and what impact might that have on the
utility district’s ability to fulfill its obligations?” see question March 30, 2010 EPA Adds Bisphenol-A Its List of Chemicals
of Concern - requiring new
studies of concentrations of the plastic in surface water, groundwater and
drinking water to determine where it exists in levels requiring action (NYTimes). MD Rural Water Steve Comments on EPA’s TMDL
Burden – for Enhanced
Nutrient Removal (ENR) for VA, MD, WV, PA, and NY that sets effluent
concentration limits, plus annual weight caps (EPA). March 29, 2010 National
Geographic April Issue Devoted Entirely to Water (download). AWWA
Holds Capitol Hill Day – to press for key water issues in Congress (more). EPA Stimulus (ARRA) Funding Awarded to West
Virginia American Water
– $3.85 million in stimulus funding for new water meters. American Water is
the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company,
headquartered in NJ. American Water
recently announced its American Water Stock Direct, a dividend reinvestment
and direct stock purchase plan, which enables stockholders to reinvest cash
dividends and purchase additional American Water common shares without any
brokerage commissions or service charges.
Don Correll, president and CEO of American Water said, "We
believe it provides a convenient and economic way to invest in American Water
common stock." Creative Kansas Passes New Law to Determine
Value of Annexed Rural Water Districts – “The district and the city shall each select one qualified
appraiser and the two appraisers so selected shall then select a third
appraiser for the purpose of conducting an appraisal to determine reasonable
value of the property, facilities, improvements and going concern value of
the facilities of the district annexed by the city (see legislation).” Should NRWA offer to initiate a similar
national process for resolving territorial disputes with the National League
of Cites to respond to their
opposition to the current 1926(b) law?
March 26, 2010 USDA Announces $993,000 Available for Household Water Well System Grant Program - the deadline for completed applications for a HWWS grant is May 31, 2010. RUS will make grants to qualified private nonprofit 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).
March 23, 2010 Chlorine Gas Often Gets the Blame - headlines read “chlorine gas sickens 32 people or kills gorillas at zoo.” However, chlorine gas gets the blame for injuries and fatalities involving sodium hypochlorite (bleach) and calcium hypochlorite (granular chlorine). In making decisions related to use of disinfectants being used you may want to first become familiar with concepts and principles of inherently safer technology (IST) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to avoid another MBTE. Chlorine in the headlines and additional information on IST / LCA may be viewed at: http://lepcnews.squarespace.com/chlorine-news/
EPA Announced Strategies to Curb Contaminants in
Drinking Water (NYTimes).
March 21, 2010
EPA Releases New Water System Sustainability Proposal – restructuring and full-cost pricing included in new proposal (see proposal)
Etheridge Bill Relevance – House Republican Members would not sign any letter supporting earmarks, including rural water EPA funding. Congressman Etheridge’s bill, HR 2206, if passed could allow rural water to continue to receive EPA technical assistance funding without relying on earmarking.
Chemical
Security Focus in Senate – just after release of an advocacy group's
report supporting water utilities' switch from gaseous chlorine (AWWA
reports). Troubled
EPA Issues Revised Guidance for the Public Notification
(PN) Rule - to provide support regarding
EPA's interpretation of the PN Rule since the addition of the Ground Water
Rule, the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, the Lead and
Copper Rule - Short Term Revisions, and the Stage 2 Disinfection Byproducts
Rule (more). EPA
retains rules that cause states and local governments that EPA’s public
notification rules mislead, confuse, and unnecessarily alarm the public (more).
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA is Funding Projects in 20 States – designed to protect public health by improving water quality and public sanitation services (more). The
Future: State Nutrient Limitations on Wastewater Treatment Systems…
Atrazine Regulation? – Advocacy group urges state and federal agencies to strengthen regulations for a heavily used agricultural chemical because scientific studies have found that atrazine-contaminated water increases the risk for birth defects and developmental problems for infants (more). March 15, 2010 House
Republicans Clarify What Is An Earmark (see their guidance) Appropriations
Update – changes to the House Dear Colleague letters (see more). EPA
Selects Hugo Wall School (KS) to serve as the Environmental Finance Center
(EFC) for EPA Region 7 (more)
to assist state and local governments to create environmentally and
financially sustainable solutions to answer the how to pay questions
associated with EPA mandates. Bottle
Water
NYTimes’ Toxic Water – another drinking water article this Sunday.
1926(b)
Case in
Proposed
Boycott on CCRs – the President of small
water supply in rural
Alamosa
Outbreak Report
- waterborne disease struck March 11, 2010 Earmark Circumlocutions – this week, the House Democrat decided to ban
all earmarks for “for-profit” organizations, the Senate Democrats quickly
denounced
this policy, and the House Republicans decided to take a
pledge to oppose ALL earmarks.
This last policy by the House Republicans is causing our Dear
Colleague sponsors to adjust their previously agreed upon strategy contained
in the Dear Colleague letters. Our
Dear Colleague sponsors are considering options on how to move forward on the
letters, which should be determined by midday on Friday.
SRF Reauthorization Update - Senate Republicans are blocking floor
consideration of a bill (S. 1005) boosting EPA’s water infrastructure funding
programs for fiscal years 2011-15 because of concerns that the agency has
broadened application of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements beyond what
Congress allowed in EPA’s FY10 spending bill. The bill authorizes $20 billion over five years for EPA’s clean
water and drinking water state revolving loan funds (SRFs) and revises the
formula for allocating funds among the states. Republicans want to ensure
that the agency’s policy does not apply to future SRF funds and they also
want to block the policy from applying to state contributions to the SRF. The
agency issued the policy Nov. 30 as part of the requirement in its FY10
appropriations law to apply prevailing wage requirements to projects funded
through the clean water and drinking water state revolving loan funds (SRFs).
The agency’s policy says that Davis-Bacon requirements apply not only to all
SRF contracts not finalized by Oct. 1, 2009 -- the start of FY10 -- but to
all assistance agreements executed on or after Oct. 30, 2009 and prior to
Oct. 1, 2010.
USDA Secretary Announces $5 Million in Funding for the Virginia-based
Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc (more). EPA Stands By Limiting Arsenic Analysis - EPA is rejecting consumer calls for a
broader scientific review of its draft assessment on arsenic’s cancer risks
and defending the study that the agency says is largely based on a 2001
review of the metal’s risks by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Experts say critics of EPA’s study now
have an uphill battle to convince the Science Advisory Board (SAB) to review
the study more broadly than they have been asked to by EPA, adding that
critics continue to mull their options on Capitol Hill. EPA says SAB, not EPA, makes the final
decision on what it will review. March 6, 2010 TMDL
Flexibility – In response to unworkable TMDL in rural EPA Discounts Peer-Review Published Arsenic Science (more). The federal law that
directs EPA to determined how to weight science “mandates” that EPA, “Use of science in decision making. In
carrying out this section, and, to the degree that an Agency action is based
on science, the Administrator shall use the best available, peer-reviewed
science and supporting studies conducted in accordance with sound and
objective scientific practices... The Administrator shall specify…
peer-reviewed studies known to the Administrator that support, are directly
relevant to, or fail to support any estimate of public health effects and the
methodology used to reconcile inconsistencies in the scientific
data." And last week, it was reported that EPA
rejected calls for a broader scientific review of its draft assessment on
arsenic’s cancer risks and defending the study that is largely based on a
2001 review of the metal’s risks by the National Academy of Sciences
(NAS). EPA Office of Research &
Development (ORD) chief Paul Anastas says SAB, not EPA, makes the final
decision on what it will review. “While we ask the SAB to respond to our
charge questions, there is nothing that precludes SAB from responding to
comments from the public or other interested parties,” Anastas said March
3. At issue is EPA’s draft
“Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic” that includes a cancer slope
factor, a measure of a substance’s cancer risk from lifetime exposure, of
25.7 mg/kg/day -- a 17-fold increase from the current safety standard and a
seven-fold increase from a 3.67 per mg/kg/day standard EPA’s water office
uses for developing drinking water standards for arsenic. The risk assessment, which the agency
released Feb. 21, is based in large part on a controversial Taiwanese study
-- the largest existing data set on arsenic exposure -- which EPA used to
support its arguments in 2001 when the agency tightened its drinking water
standard for arsenic to 10 parts per billion (ppb). EPA’s draft study has drawn broad criticism from the White
House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) and some within EPA who say it
may fall short of addressing 2007 recommendations from the agency’s SAB to
thoroughly analyze risks of the metal, especially the risks at low doses.
While EPA has agreed to have the SAB reconsider the draft assessment, the
agency limited the scope of the SAB review to a focused review on how EPA
responded to key SAB recommendations in its 2007 report. The biggest question about the cancer
risks of arsenic is whether the fundamental science on arsenic is at a point
where we can do anything more to figure out whether there really are risks at
low dose and whether the linear dose-response model is appropriate. NAS and
SAB both identified research that “suggested” a nonlinear pattern but sided
with a linear model in the face of continuing uncertainty. Scientist Samuel Cohen has presented
research purporting to rule out modes of action that would result in cancer
risks at very low doses. Cohen’s research shows direct DNA reactivity, the
only possible mode of action that would result in cancer risks at very low
exposure, has been ruled out (see presentation). Appropriations Update – current cosponsors and EPA Extends Comment Period In the Very Contentious Case
of Proposed Water Quality Standards in the Sunshine States (more)
– Florida Rural Water and other are suing to half the proposed EPA
regulations. Private Water Company Calls for Tax Break to Private
Water Supplies in Congressional Jobs Bill (more). The Cato Institute's report on "The Corporate Welfare
State: How the Federal Government Subsidizes U.S. Businesses." USA Today Headlines, “Tap water
contaminant 'castrates' frogs… an herbicide that contaminates the tap water
consumed by millions of Americans has been found to produce gender-bending
effects in male frogs, "chemically castrating" some and turning
others into females, a study shows. Frogs in the experiment were exposed to
amounts of the weed killer atrazine that are comparable to the levels allowed
in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency (more).” NPR interview lead scientists on this
issue (NPR). Discarded One Ton Gas Chlorine Tank Ruptured – in Indio, California, sent five workers to the hospital. The District Attorney's office is now trying to determine whom this container belonged to (more).
Congress Urges EPA to be Reasonable on Water Regulations – but EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is rejecting
Congressional calls to review drinking water requirements for low-income
areas that cannot afford treatment plant upgrades, saying Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA) standards are health-based protections and there are other means
to provide financial assistance to utilities. At a Feb. 24 House appropriations subcommittee hearing, Rep
Simpson (ID) raised concerns of rural areas frustrated at high costs
associated with making small reductions in contaminants. Simpson said his
constituents are asking, “Why are we spending this ungodly amount of money to
reduce our arsenic levels from 12 to 10 and sometimes 11 to 10?” Simpson’s questions came the day before
Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) reintroduced legislation, S.
3038, that would make reasonable requirements on small systems that
cannot afford the pricey upgrades that are often required by more stringent
EPA drinking water regulations. But
Administrator Jackson replied at the House hearing that “it’s EPA’s job to
promulgate regulations that protect human health and the environment. And the
levels of arsenic that are detrimental to human health and the environment
are no different depending on which community you’re in.” Senator Inhofe's bill would limit EPA’s
enforcement ability, blocking the agency to take an enforcement action
against a system serving less than 10,000 people without first ensuring that
it has sufficient funds to meet the requirements of the regulation. The bill also directs EPA to take
additional considerations into account when deciding whether to force a rate
hike, particularly that “the affordability criteria are no more costly on a
per-capita basis to a small water system than to a large water system.”
More Toxic Water Articles from the New York Times,
this week’s headline, “Rulings
Restrict Clean Water Act, Foiling E.P.A.” The Rural Water and Security and Emergency Response – your state associations have been the vanguard in providing
these critical services. And your
colleagues from MS (Kirby), LA (Pat), AR (Dennis), and TX (Tommy) presented
to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency on this topic this week to
see if rural water and FEMA could begin a new partnership to assist the
country’s water suppliers during emergencies (see briefing book). Montana Senator Tester to EPA: Big city water standards
drain rural, frontier communities - "we
need to make sure that we’re not eliminating the ability of communities to
provide water or they will disappear (more)"
February 28, 2010 Appropriations Update – Mass Rural Water finalizes Dear Colleague letter. (see more)
Regulatory Relief Introduced in U.S. Senate – U.S. Senator Inhofe (OK), together with Senators Crapo (ID), Barrasso (WY), Vitter (LA), and Risch (ID), introduced S.3038, the Small System Drinking Water Act of 2010, a bill to assist small communities comply with Federal drinking water standards, and require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to utilize all of its resources provided by the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act amendments (SDWA). "My goal is to ensure that small towns across the country have safe, affordable drinking water and that the laws are fair to small and rural communities," Inhofe said. "Today there are simply too many regulations coming out of Washington that come with a steep price tag for local communities. It is unreasonable to penalize and fine local communities because they cannot afford to pay for regulations we impose on them especially given all of the misguided spending coming out of Washington today. Forcing systems to raise rates beyond what their ratepayers can afford only causes more damage than good." (more) Chemical Security Legislation in the Senate – a bipartisan group of senators is pressing legislation to extend the DHS current chemical facility security rules by five years, warning that a competing House bill to expand chemical security programs at DHS and EPA would impose costly burdens on the economy. Four Senators introduced S. 2996, a bill to extend for five years DHS' Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) – rules that cover high-risk chemical facilities, but exempt water utilities. The House passed H.R. 2868 in November, which included a provision to require facilities that pose the greatest risk to conduct an inherently safer technology (IST) review, which could result in changes to local disinfection-type preferences. We have not heard any comments from the Senate Environmental Committee on how this bill will affect the movement of any chemical security legislation to regulate water supplies. AWWA released this letter this week opposing any inherently safe technology review of local disenfection choices (letter). The Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on Wed. focusing on the effectiveness of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program and how best to reauthorize it. See rural water’s thoughts on this question. And rural water and AWWA, et al. statement on the topic as well (water sector statement). February 24, 2010 Public Private Partnerships – the future of private water growth (more)? Global Water Roundup – EPA In Congress Defending Their Budget and Environmental
Policies – see this
week’s Senate testimony by EPA Administrator. Most of the Senate interrogatory focuses on climate change,
however, Senate Boxer inquired about small communities’ ability to comply
with the arsenic rule (77:30 into the video). And Senator Klobuchar talks about small community compliance in
Minnesota at 107:45 on the time indicator. February 23, 2010 What Does EPA’s New Sustainability Policy Mean for Water
Supplies…? Here is what David with AZ rural water (and a sitting Member on
the EPA Advisory
Committee) posits: this could be where EPA will start pushing the
"Full Cost Pricing" of water rates and tie that into their
sustainability formulas. Also don't
be surprised if consolidation doesn't come to the front of the pack again as
a way to achieve sustainability. At
the most recent NDWAC meeting I expressed concerns regarding the impact of
green energy programs and how underwriting these initiatives will most likely
be detrimental to rural systems attempts to become, or continue to be,
sustainable. EPA Includes Plans For Water Utility Sustainability In Budget - EPA has included plans in its fiscal year 2011 budget request to create sustainability requirements for drinking water and wastewater utilities receiving state revolving fund (SRF) loans for infrastructure maintenance, repair and upgrades. The agency will “produce new guidance to improve state capacity development programs,” and will “develop information to promote voluntary restructuring of unsustainable water systems,” EPA says in its congressional justification documents for the FY11 request. February 22, 2010 Climate Change and Your Water Supply – NRWA has been appointed to the EPA advisory panel to make
recommendations on how water supplies and EPA should manage climate
change. As the process advances our
representative on panel raise the point that is unclear is there is a
difference between climate change and emergency management planning – that
relying on there "climate change" is creating redundancy in how
water systems currently manage their resources. And the need analysis the data used to conclude that a water
system needs to expand (see more). February 21, 2010 Arsenic Science Evolution – EPA is seeking a “focused” Science Advisory Board (SAB) review
of its draft study on arsenic's cancer risks to examine whether the agency
properly addressed criticisms from a prior SAB review of the study, but many
are attacking the proposed review as too narrow and ignoring key scientific
disputes they have with the study. EPA's draft assessment found arsenic
cancer risks at a level that would likely trigger tough regulatory requirements. According to EPA's
Federal Register notice on Feb. 19, EPA has sent its Integrated Risk
Information System (IRIS) assessment of inorganic arsenic to SAB for a new,
second peer review to assess how the agency applied the board's criticisms of
the study in its 2005 review. Some
experts believe emerging research shows an exposure threshold below which the
metal is largely harmless, undercutting EPA's draft findings that there is no
safe exposure level. The Federal
Register notice is seeking SAB and public input only on EPA's response to
SAB's 2005 review on the draft arsenic study. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack Announces
Funding for 47 Rural Water Projects in 19 States – funded through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, are expected to provide construction jobs and create
infrastructure needed to support community growth (more
from USDA). February 17, 2010 1926(b)
News – Larry with TN rural water asks if we should build alliances with
other small community and rural associations in reaction to the recently adopted
resolution by the National League of Cities opposing 1926(b). Thank you Larry, and we will immediately initiate
a dialogue with NLC to better understand the reason for their
resolution. A similar initiative was
advanced with NLC in the 90s, which we were able to handle through dialogue
with NLC – our longtime ally. We will
update you on the dialogue. Also this
week, the Rural Water Alliance released this
video on 1926(b). Environmentalists Becoming Disappointed
with President (NYTimes). EPA
Steps-in to Regulate Water Quality in
Broad
Water Coalition Presses for More Private Activity Bonds for Water Projects
(see letter to
Senate urging for inclusion of legislation in Senate Jobs Bill). Can TMDLs Be Made to Be Reasonable and Locally Supported? Today we asked EPA to see if we can work together to make such objective happen… in a test case on the Mora River in New Mexico where a TMDL is resulting in some unintended consequences. And where an aggressive non-point source & septic system management program would be less expensive, more environmentally beneficial, and promote greater environmental justice in the community & river. We asked EPA if they would consider working with us on the implementation of an alterative compliance plan for the Mora River. It is likely that many similar situations will occur as the TMDL program matures and, if successful, this case study could be used by many more communities to realize economic and environmental benefits for TMDL compliance (more on Mora).
Mandatory
Misleading of the Public? – this week, EPA Fines NE Dairy $350,000 for Discharging
to City System – and fines
city $150,000 and the cost of wind turbine and solar panels for local school
(more). February 14, 2010 February 14, 2010 TMDLs and Adverse Impacts
– the Mora River (NM) TMDL is causing quite a stir in Congress – highlighting
the impacts of EPA’s TMDL program that result in harming low-income
communities and resulting in negligible environmental benefits (see their latest missive
to Congress).
CDC Lowers Their Estimate on Disease Outbreaks Resulting from Public Water Supplies – but fails to correct the New York Times on the reliance on CDC’s outdated assumptions. According to NRWA’s representative attending EPA’s recent climate change meeting in Las Vegas, CDC said that their estimates of 40 percent certain disease outbreaks from water supplies has been reduced to about 10 percent now that they look at how the data is recorded. Our representative on the EPA Advisory panel said this is a direct result of NRWA questioning the data during these EPA Advisory panel deliberations (nice work!). Feel free to thank rural water Paul for staying with this issue so the public gets the accurate information (even if the NYTimes doesn’t…..). FYI – we did respond, but the NYTimes chose not to include the full perspective. NPR’s Comprehensive Discussion on All Things Water – from the Diane Rehm show featuring: Steven
Solomon, author “Water,” the environmental change at the
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