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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 UpdateSenate 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.


GaRWA
Leads to Ensure Fracking Safety – as hydraulic fracking extends to Georgia, GRWA is holding a forum on the topic with the industry (API) at the GRWA conference this month (agenda). GRWA says it has an obligation to ensure that ground water sources of public drinking remain safe, and to keep their members and the citizens of Georgia informed with factual information.

 

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 Dimock, PA, where residents have complained since 2009 of cloudy, foul-smelling water after Cabot Oil & Gas Corp drilled for gas nearby (Reuters).

 

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 U.S. state, 157 selected watersheds were identified to offer financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to implement conservation practices to help provide cleaner water for their neighbors and communities (more).

 

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 Idaho Falls, ID, to protect the nation's power grid, water and communications systems.” Spear-phishing has become one of the attack vectors of choice for cyber spies, attacking a specific person in the organization often using social networking sites.

 

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 – Wisconsin not fully enforcing strict phosphorus limits adopted two years ago to reduce algae blooms that make people sick. Only 19 permits with stricter limits had been issued since September 2010 (more).

 

April 26, 2012

Iran Targeting U.S. Water Systems (more).

 

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 Boston as an EPA 2012 Environmental Merit Award for efforts in response to Tropical Storm Irene (more).

“With key and timely assistance from Vermont Rural Water Association, the staff reached out to over a hundred water systems in the impacted areas. In the end, 30 public water supply systems, serving more than 16,000 people, were put on boil water orders and effectively managed throughout the water crisis.”

 

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 Liberia (video report).  Disinfection 5 gallons at a time.

 

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 India – Woman must pay for restroom, men don’t (BBC).

 

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).

DEA National Pharmaceutical Take-Back Day: April 28th (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.

 

Afghanistan Water Poisoning – girls’ school drinking water supply poisoned – 150 girls severely sick (more).

 

Sec. 1926(b) Update – El Oso Water vs. City of Karnes, in the Western District of Texas.  The Court ruled (4/11/12) in favor of the USDA indebted system saying the USDA loan protects the district for as long as it remains in effect.  The City was enjoined from further interference and ordered to pay liquidated damages as a result of breach of a pre-existing contract that was violated (more).  North Carolina, the town of Chadbourn against Columbus County over 125 water customers.  Consent order provide each taking about half of the customers (more).

 

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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