News

President Releases FY 2023 Budget Request

The Administration released its FY 2023 Budget Proposal with a proposed $11.88 billion funding to EPA that is designed to advance the priorities in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan, including tackling the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, protecting air quality, upgrading the Nation’s aging water infrastructure, and rebuilding core functions at the Agency. The proposal includes 1.6 billion for CWSRF, $251 million for state 106 grants, and $188 million for the Sec. 319 program.  The proposal also includes steady funding for key geographic programs such as the Chesapeake Bay and the Puget Sound. ACWA’s updated Funding Chart is available here and will be updated as the process moves forward.

EPA Releases FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

EPA released its final FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan outlining its vision, priorities, and strategies to accomplish the Agency’s mission over the next four years, serves as the framework for annual planning and budgeting and development of grant work plans and provides the basis for monitoring progress and adjusting strategies. The Plan renews commitment to EPA’s three principles— follow the science, follow the law, and be transparent while adding a fourth foundational principle: advance justice and equity. The plan includes a strategic goal focused exclusively on addressing climate change and a  strategic goal to advance environmental justice and civil rights. These priorities are integrated throughout the Plan’s programmatic goals and cross-agency strategies. The plan also includes four cross-agency strategies that articulate essential ways of working to accomplish mission outcomes, including collaborating with traditional and new partners – Tribal nations, state and local governments, and communities. Finally, the plan includes three Agency Priority Goals to jump-start action on climate change, environmental justice, and civil rights. Goal 5 of the Plan focuses on ensuring clean and safe water for all communities.  Under Goal 5, EPA outlines two objectives: (1) Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure and Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds.

CWA Hazardous Substance Plan

This week, EPA published in the federal register proposed requirements for certain types of large facilities near navigable waters to develop response plans for chemical spills. In particular, facilities would need to plan for the “largest foreseeable discharge in adverse weather conditions, including those due to climate change.” The proposed rule is requiring facilities to consider “increased risks of worst-case discharges from climate change as well as impacts to communities with environmental justice concerns.” EPA’s press release also indicates that “[t]he response plan requirements are an important tool for communities and first responders to ensure preparedness in the event of a worst-case discharge of hazardous substances. The proposed rule discusses the various components that comprise response plans, including hazard evaluation, personnel roles and responsibilities, response actions, and drills and exercises.” A copy of the press release can be found here. More details on the proposed rule can be found here. EPA is providing a 60-day comment period with comments due no later than May 27, 2022.

Nominees: Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee

This week EPA announced in the Federal Register soliciting nominations to serve on its Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC). The FRRCC provides policy advice, information, and recommendations to EPA on a range of environmental issues and policies important to agriculture and rural communities. The FRRCC was recently rechartered for a two-year period and EPA Administrator has issued a new charge for the committee to focus on advancing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies for U.S. agriculture. The advice and recommendations from the rechartered FRRCC will help EPA to support farmers and ranchers in their efforts to reduce emissions and accelerate a more resilient food and agriculture system. FRRCC members are selected from a variety of relevant sectors including farmers, ranchers, and rural communities; allied industries, including farm groups, rural suppliers, marketers, and processors; academia and researchers; state, local, and tribal government; and nongovernmental organizations. Nominations should be submitted to FRRCC@epa.gov by May 16, 2022, with the subject line “FRRCC Membership 2022.” Nominations should include a résumé or curriculum vitae and a statement of interest. Letters of support and recommendation will be accepted but are not mandatory.

In addition, Administrator Regan has issued a formal response today to the most recent set of FRRCC recommendations regarding food loss and waste, water policy, and pesticide policy, which were published in December 2021. This communication includes clear examples of how EPA is taking action to respond to priorities identified by the committee. For more information about FRRCC, please click here.

Updated White Paper on State PFAS Standards Available

On March 31, ECOS published an updated white paper on state processes and considerations for setting PFAS standards. Revisions include updates to state guidelines from last April’s update, the addition of 3 states, and many updates to regulatory and science developments (e.g., EPA actions, hazardous definitions, analytical methods, etc).

Please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah Grace Longsworth Hughes if you have any questions. And thank you to all of the state staff who contributed to compiling information, editing, and revising this important document.

The USGS National Water Quality Program Releases Report on VOCs in Groundwater

What is already known on this topic?

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) encompass thousands of chemicals that have a wide range of uses such as solvents, fuels, refrigerants, or fumigants. They can also be formed as byproducts of water disinfection. Previous USGS studies have detected generally low levels of VOCs in 50 to 60 percent of public-supply wells sampled at selected locations across the United States. Several of these VOCs have enforceable U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) established to protect human health, but measured concentrations typically have been far below these levels.

What is added by this report?

This study was designed to provide a spatially representative assessment of the occurrence of 85 VOCs in raw (untreated) groundwater pumped from principal aquifers, which represent about 80 percent of the volume used for public drinking-water supply across the United States. Of the 85 VOCs analyzed, 43 VOCs were not previously included in national USGS studies, and many of these newly monitored compounds are manufactured or imported in large volumes in the United States. Eight of these 43 VOCs are being assessed by the EPA for potential future regulatory action.

What are the implications for water availability?

Although VOCs are broadly present in groundwater used for public supply in the United States, their low concentrations are unlikely to substantially limit water availability for human use.  

For more information, contact Laura Bexfield.  

Citation: Bexfield, L.M., Belitz, K., Fram, M.S., Lindsey, B.D., 2022, Occurrence, explanatory factors, and human-health context; Science of The Total Environment, v. 827, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154313.

SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance Testing Guide for Public Health Laboratories

The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) is excited to announce the SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance Testing Guide for Public Health Laboratories has been published. Due to the complicated nature of testing wastewater and its value as an early warning system, this guide was developed for public health laboratories looking to implement this testing. The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the SARS-CoV-2 wastewater laboratory setup and analytical process to orient public health laboratories as they implement testing.

The guidance provides details on the management system and controls needed to produce quality, robust wastewater testing data that can be reported to health officials and to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) for public health decision-making. Topics covered include the role of the public health laboratory in wastewater surveillance, wastewater surveillance testing methods, laboratory infrastructure needed for wastewater testing and program performance evaluation.

APHL hopes this guidance will help members and their public health partners build or enhance wastewater surveillance capacity to inform public health decision-making surrounding the pandemic. Please contact eh@aphl.org if you would like to receive a print copy of the guidance, or if you have ideas for other wastewater surveillance analytical resources that would help your laboratory.

Association Updates

Nutrients Permitting Workshop

Date: April 12-14, 2022
Location: Kansas City, MO
Register here

Registration is now open for ACWA’s upcoming Nutrients Permitting Workshop in Kansas City, MO!

This workshop will be a discussion-heavy event, focusing on drafting policy recommendations based on a variety of topics covered throughout the previous six workshops in this series. Below, you will find information on how to register, where to book a room at the hotel, and travel support.

Registration

You may register for the workshop here. Registration closes 4/4.

In order to register you will need to read and accept the terms of ACWA’s Communicable Disease Waiver. You will then be prompted to select which breakout sessions you would like to be a part of. Please keep in mind that attendees are expected to participate in a speaking role during the breakout discussions. We may have multiple breakouts per topic based on the number of attendees. The draft agenda can be found here. A virtual option will be available but may not include all sessions at the event.

Hotel

The workshop will be held at the Hotel Phillips, in downtown Kansas City, MO. ACWA has procured the local gov’t per diem rate of $123/night for Monday, April 11 – Thursday, April 14.

Meetings and Webinars

Sea Grant Strategic Listening Sessions

NOAA Sea Grant’s mission is to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine, and Great Lakes resources to create a sustainable economy and environment. In order to inform its 2024-27 strategic plan, Sea Grant is hosting a series of listening sessions about the current strategic plan. There will be three listening sessions to discuss the strategic plan as a whole, and eight listening sessions on the specific focus area goals – one listening session per goal. You can find the schedule for the listening session series below, along with registration links.

You are invited to join any of the webinars, but if you are unable to attend, the National Sea Grant Office is providing other opportunities to gather input.  On our website you can find a virtual comment card to share your ideas.

Broadly Focused webinars

The webinars are open to anyone who is interested in attending. Please use the links below to register and then join the webinar. The following listening sessions are for the strategic plan as a whole. Content presented will be the same for the March 30, April 13, and May 4 sessions.

Wednesday, April 13, 1:00 pm Eastern, 11 am Pacific, 3 am Guam | Register here

Wednesday, May 4, 3:30 pm Eastern, 12:30 pm Pacific, 5:30 am Guam | Register here

Sea Grant Strategic Goal Listening Sessions Information:

The webinars are open to anyone who is interested in attending. Please use the links below to register and then join the webinar. The following listening sessions are organized by Focus Area Goals within the current strategic plan.

Tuesday, April 5, 5:00 pm Eastern, 2 pm Pacific, 7 am Guam | Resilient Communities and Economies Goal 2 – Water resources are sustained and protected to meet existing and emerging needs of the communities, economies and ecosystems that depend on them Register here (NOTE: We will discuss RCE Goal 2 before RCE Goal 1)

Thursday, April 7,  5:00 pm Eastern, 2 pm Pacific, 7 am Guam | Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture Goal 1 – Fisheries, aquaculture and other coastal and freshwater natural resources supply food, jobs and economic and cultural benefits. Register here

Tuesday, April 12,  5:00 pm Eastern, 2 pm Pacific, 7 am Guam | Resilient Communities and Economies Goal 1 – Coastal communities use their knowledge of changing conditions and risks to prepare for and adapt to extreme weather and environmental events, economic disruptions and other threats to community well-being.  Register here (NOTE: We will discuss RCE Goal 2 before RCE Goal 1)

Thursday, April 14, 5:00 pm Eastern, 2 pm Pacific, 7 am Guam | Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development Goal 2 – A diverse and skilled workforce is engaged and enabled to address critical local, regional and national needs Register here

Tuesday, April 19, 5:00 pm Eastern, 2 pm Pacific, 7 am Guam | Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture Goal 2 – Natural resources are sustained to support fishing communities and industries, including commercial, recreational, subsistence fisheries and aquaculture Register here

Thursday, April 21, 5:00 pm Eastern, 2 pm Pacific, 7 am Guam | Healthy Coastal Ecosystem Goal 2 – Land, water, and living resources are managed by applying sound science, tools and services to sustain ecosystems. Register here

This information is also on the Sea Grant website.

EPA Climate Resilience Training Workshop for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative is providing a series of five, free webinars for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater (water sector) utility owners and operators, as well as other water sector stakeholders in Alaska. This webinar training series titled “Building Resilience and Adapting to Climate Change Impacts for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities” begins with an Introductory webinar concentrating on the impacts of climate change in Alaska, the identification of adaptation options, and a utility climate change risk assessment case study. The following four webinars focus on conducting a climate change risk assessment using EPA’s Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT), developing resilience and adaptation projects, and identifying financing programs to pay for infrastructure projects.

CREAT is a web-based risk assessment application for water sector utilities to assess and address current and potential future climate change impacts. This free training will help utilities incorporate climate change considerations into their decision-making, identify adaptation projects to build long-term resilience, and learn about federal and local resources for financing utility resilience projects. To learn more about CREAT success stories visit our Case Study and Information Exchange Map and to view other trainings visit the CRWU Training Center.

CREAT training Session 1	Tuesday, April 5, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time
CREAT training Session 2	Thursday, April 7, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time
CREAT training Session 3	Tuesday, April 12, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time
CREAT training Session 4	Tuesday, April 26, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Alaska Time

You can register for the free Introductory webinar here.

You can register for the free CREAT training sessions here.

Public Meetings on Environmental Justice Considerations Related to Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS

Date: April 5, 2022
Register here

EPA invites the public to participate in two identical virtual public meetings related to environmental justice and the development of the proposed Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) on April 5, 2022 (5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, eastern time). Registration is required.

The sessions will be an opportunity for EPA to share information and for communities to offer input on environmental justice considerations related to the development of the proposed PFAS NPDWR. We encourage the public to share thoughts on addressing PFAS drinking water contamination issues in their communities.

When registering, you will also have an opportunity to sign up to provide brief verbal comments during a meeting. Translations and disability access support can be requested during meeting registration as well.

Additionally, EPA is accepting written public comments submitted to the public docket. You can submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No, EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0114 at here. More information is available here.

FY22 Exchange Network Grant Solicitation Notice Webinars

April 6, 3-4:30pm EST and April 11, 12:30-2pm EST

Each webinar will include the same presentation on the following topics: a brief overview of the EN Grants Program and FY 2022 timeline, critical elements of the Solicitation Notice, notable changes from FY 2021, an overview of new guidance materials and optional templates, and common mistakes to avoid. This will be followed by a question-and-answer session with participants. Please note that the sessions will end when all the participants’ questions have been addressed.
Please direct any questions to Erin McGown, Exchange Network Grants Acting Program Manager, at ENGrantProgam@epa.gov.

To join each webinar, click these Microsoft Teams links at the meeting start time: April 6th | April 11th

Pre-registration is not required but appreciated. Please email to Shela Poke-Williams (Poke-williams.shela@epa.gov) indicating the session you plan to attend and listing the participant name(s), organization, and state, tribe, or territory.

EPA Webinar: ECHO Reporting

Date: April 12, 2022
Time: 1:30pm – 2:30 PM EST
Register here

Join U.S. EPA for its next Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) webinar on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 1:30-2:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time. This webinar focuses on the reports available in ECHO. ECHO reports display compliance, enforcement, and environmental data on a webpage for a facility or permittee, many of which are specific to an environmental program or type of emission (e.g., air, wastewater). We will highlight the data and features available through various reports in ECHO and learn how to access each report through ECHO searches. We will cover the following ECHO reports:

• Detailed Facility Report
• Air Pollutant Report (air emissions)
• Biosolids Facility Report (biosolids management)
• Effluent Limit Exceedances Report (wastewater discharges)
• Civil Enforcement Case Report
• Criminal Enforcement Case Report

If you can’t make it, don’t worry, ECHO tutorials and recorded webinars are available at any time.

Feel free to forward this announcement on to anyone who might be interested.

Underground Storage Tanks Finder Database Demonstration: Preparing and Responding to Extreme Events

Date: April 13
Time: 2-3 PM EST
Register Here

Climate change and extreme weather events are increasingly important in how we prevent, prepare and respond to management of underground storage tanks. Former Senior Director for Resilience Policy in the National Security Council, Alice Hill, framed this issue as, “We are colliding with a future of extremes. We base all our choices about risk management on what’s occurred in the past, and that is no longer a safe guide.” The fuel supply network and its infrastructure are critical elements in the supply chain to prepare for and address in the recovery of disasters. As an example, in Hurricane Harvey, the ability of emergency managers to understand post-storm supply chain issues was constrained by limited pre-storm assessment of vulnerable and critical supply chain nodes.

EPA developed and recently released UST Finder, the first comprehensive national database on underground storage tanks in the US, providing the first national accounting of this infrastructure and its geospatial data. This public, open-source data provides information to emergency responders at the national, state and local levels with time critical data to identify facilities at risk in advance, during and after emergency situations. This presentation will address emergency response scenarios and the use of UST Finder in assisting these efforts.

Speakers:

• Alex Hall serves as a geographer in the Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. In this position he is responsible for the data analytics and the development of geographic information system tools in addressing source contaminants and impacts on water quality. His work has included the development of national database and web mapping application of underground storage tanks and private domestic wells, and tools to prevent contamination of source waters to protect public water supplies.
• Dr. Fran Kremer serves as a Senior Scientist in the Office of Research and Development’s Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. Fran works with Agency Program Offices, Regions and States and public/private partnerships to further research and its implementation in managing contaminant sources and water quality. This has included foundational work in understanding the characterization and treatment of contaminant sources to leading interagency efforts in conducting field studies to advance innovative technologies. She has led field projects ranging from treatment of contaminated shoreline in the Exxon Valdez oil spill to assessing impacts of flooding and debris management in the Hurricane Katrina response.

SACC Meeting on Draft TSCA Systematic Review Protocol

Date: April 19-21
Register Here by April 4

Registration is now open for EPA’s April 19-21, 2022, virtual meeting of the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). During this meeting, the SACC will peer review the Draft Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Systematic Review Protocol. The SACC’s virtual meeting is open to the public and registration is required.

The draft protocol, released in December 2021 for public comment, incorporates changes to address the National Academies of Science recommendations as well as comments received from the SACC and the public. The SACC review will provide a transparent process to ensure that the protocol follows sound science and incorporates independent scientific advice and recommendations.

If you would like to provide oral comments during this peer review virtual meeting, you must register by 12:00 p.m. EST on April 4, 2022. You may register as a listen-only attendee at any time until the end of the meeting on April 21, 2022.

The SACC serves as a primary scientific peer review mechanism of the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and is structured to provide scientific advice, information and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the scientific basis for risk assessments, methodologies, and pollution prevention measures and approaches for chemicals regulated under TSCA.

Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council

Date: April 19
Time: 10:30-5:30 PM EST

The meeting agenda and information on how to register for and attend the meeting online will be provided on EPA’s website prior to the meeting.

EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water is announcing a virtual meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC or Council) as authorized under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The purpose of the meeting is for EPA to update the Council on Safe Drinking Water Act programs and to consult with NDWAC as required by SDWA on a proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for PFAS including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).

EPA Tools & Resource Webinar: Use of Electronic Health Records to Address Pressing Environmental Health Questions

Date: April 20, 2022
Register here

From environmental justice to the coronavirus pandemic, the current environmental health needs facing individuals, communities, and the nation as a whole, are complex and often unprecedented. Addressing these needs requires novel research tools – one of the most promising tools in this arsenal is electronic health records (EHRs). Using EHRs for environmental epidemiology allows researchers to rapidly construct cohorts relevant to studying a variety of environmental health questions. This webinar discusses the use of EHRs in environmental epidemiology. We’ll cover the ethical, legal, and infrastructure challenges in adapting EHR resources for environmental epidemiology, successes in the use of EHRs to study health risks among various understudied patients with unique health risks, as well as the National COVID Cohort Collaborative as an emerging national EHR resource which is being used to study health risks related to the coronavirus pandemic.

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) Two-day Public Meeting

Date: April 20-21, 2022
Time: 1-5 PM EST
Register here

Individual registration is REQUIRED. This free meeting is open to the public. Members of the public are encouraged to provide comments relevant to the specific issues being considered by the NEJAC.

Please make sure you have the latest version of zoom

 Agenda: The meeting discussion will focus on the business of environmental justice as it relates to the Justice 40 Initiative, the new infrastructure bill, and EPA’s endeavors on investments and related topics.

 Public Comment Period: The NEJAC is interested in receiving public comments specific to EPA investments and the public’s recommendation as to where investments are made. Registration to speak during the public comment period will close at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, April 13, 2022.  Every effort will be made to hear from as many registered public commenters during the time specified on the agenda on April 20, 2022. Submitting written comments for the record are strongly encouraged. Written comments can be submitted up until May 4, 2022.

Written comments can be submitted in three different ways:

1. Using the webform
2. Entering comments in the Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2022-0051 here
3. Sending comments via email to nejac@epa.gov with additional materials.

For more information about public comment, see here. For more information on the NEJAC, click here.

 Questions: Please contact Fred Jenkins at jenkins.fred@epa.gov or by phone (202) 566-0344.

Using Geospatial Indicators of Watershed Condition to Support Freshwater Conservation Actions – Watershed Academy Webinar

Date: April 21, 2022
Time: 1-3 PM EST
Register here

Registration is now open for EPA’s Watershed Academy webinar on Using Geospatial Indicators of Watershed Condition to Support Freshwater Conservation Actions, which will take place on April 21, 2022. This webcast presents the latest news about the hundreds of local catchment and watershed-based metrics that help depict watershed conditions in the nation’s streams and lakes available from the StreamCat and LakeCat datasets, respectively. 

Join this webinar to learn more about accessing and using StreamCat and LakeCat datasets available across the conterminous United States. Speakers will discuss how this data can be used to estimate and predict watershed integrity and healthy watershed functions. Additionally, attendees will learn how these metrics can be applied at the local level to identify waterbodies and local biota that are underperforming or overperforming relative to their watershed conditions. Applications such as this could be used, in concert with local information, to target resources and improve watershed restoration and protection decisions.

Speakers:

Ryan Hill, Geospatial Aquatic Ecologist, Office of Research and Development, EPA
Luisa Riato, ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow, Office of Research and Development, EPA
Marc Weber, Geographer, Office of Research and Development, EPA 

For more information on the Watershed Academy, click here.

The U.S. EPA Biosolids Webinar Series Presents: Fecal Coliform and Salmonella Methods for Biosolids

Date: April 21, 2022
Time: 2-3 PM EST
Register Here

This webinar will feature Laura Boczek, EPA ORD, and will be recorded and available on the EPA YouTube page for future viewing.

Fish Programs – Health Approaches with Tribes and Indigenous Peoples

Date: April 27, 2022
Time: 11:30 AM – 1 PM PST; 2:30 – 4 PM EST
Register Here

Fish are important to many tribes and indigenous peoples, particularly those that have significant cultural and spiritual connections to fish and rely on them for subsistence. EPA’s Office of Water supports tribes, tribal communities, and indigenous communities, by providing tools and resources to develop effective, consistent fish advisory programs, partnering with tribal fish advisory programs to create a collaborative network to share knowledge and best practices, and gathering and sharing the best science on contaminants in fish.

This webinar will discuss these EPA programs so tribes and indigenous peoples can protect the health of their communities and share information to allow individuals to make informed choices about the types and amounts of fish to consume. The webinar will also feature the work of an indigenous organization in Hawaii that is working to protect fish, fish habitat and the health of members in their community.

Presenters:

• Jerome Kekiwi Jr., President, Na Moku Aupuni o Ko’olau Hui, East Maui, Hawaii
• Karin Osuga, Coordinator, Maui Nui Makai Network, Maui, Hawaii
• Shari Barash, Branch Chief, National Branch, Standards & Health Protection Division, Office of Science Technology, Office of Water, U.S. EPA
• Sharon Frey, Environmental Protection Specialist, National Branch, Standards & Health Protection Division, Office of Science Technology, Office of Water, U.S. EPA
• Lisa Larimer, Lead Environmental Protection Specialist, National Branch, Standards & Health Protection Division, Office of Science Technology, Office of Water, U.S. EPA
• Danny Gogal, Tribal and Indigenous Peoples Program Manager, Office of Environmental Justice, U.S. EPA (Facilitator)

Background: This webinar is part of the U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Webinar Series for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples – to build the capacity of tribal governments, indigenous peoples and other environmental justice practitioners, and discuss priority environmental justice issues of interest to tribes and indigenous peoples. Please note that the webinar is planned to be recorded and is expected to be available on the following EPA website a few weeks after the webinar, here.

For questions about this webinar, or the EPA EJ Webinar Series for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples, please contact Danny Gogal, Office of Environmental Justice, gogal.danny@epa.gov.

2022 Montana Stormwater Conference

Date: May 2-4
Location: Missoula, MT
Register here

The Stormwater Conference seeks to enable resilience in our local communities and across the watersheds we call home.  We will bring professionals together to facilitate discussions and create networking opportunities to help build strong communities; rehabilitate blighted areas; learn ways to provide better services to those in our communities we serve; while continuing to find innovative ways to better protect water quality.

Attendees will learn about storm water program planning and management, watershed management and restoration, water quality monitoring, design/build best practices, new technologies, and hear stories of success. Special emphasis will be given to sustainability topics such as asset management, land-use planning, green infrastructure, low impact development, funding mechanisms, regulatory updates, and community engagement.

Public (Virtual) Meetings of the Science Advisory Board PFAS Review Panel

May 3 and May 6, 12-5pm EST | Please refer to the SAB website for details on how to access the meetings.

The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces two public meetings of the SAB PFAS Review Panel to discuss their draft report reviewing EPA’s Proposed Approaches to the Derivation of a Draft Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in Drinking Water; EPA’s Proposed Approaches to the Derivation of a Draft Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) in Drinking Water; EPA’s Analysis of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction as a Result of Reduced PFOA and PFOS Exposure in Drinking Water; and EPA’s Draft Framework for Estimating Noncancer Health Risks Associated with Mixtures of PFAS. Prior to the meetings, the agenda and other meeting materials for each meeting will be placed on the SAB website.

Creating the Water Workforce of the Future: Retaining a Strong and Resilient Utility Workforce

Date: May 4, 2022
Time: 1-2:30 PM EST
Register Here

As we all know, the water utility sector faces real challenges – not only to recruit a strong and resilient workforce but also to retain and cultivate these individuals once they are on board. Past webinars in this series have focused on ways in which utilities are using innovative strategies to attract workers. This webinar will focus on what happens next. You’ll hear from two leading utilities that are ensuring their employees have the right training, career progression opportunities, and other incentives to help them succeed and advance in their careers at the utility, not just in their current job. Please join us on May 4th to hear and learn from two outstanding water utility managers.

Moderator

• Jim Horne, U.S. EPA

Speakers

• Janet Barrow, Director of Human Resources and Administration, WaterOne, Johnson County, Kansas
• Gerard Yates, Deputy General Manager, Central Utah Water Conservancy District

Job Opportunities

Environmental Analyst VI | Vermont DEC