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Home > News and Updates > Weekly Wrap > ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XIV, Issue 2 (Week of January 23, 2023) 

ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XIV, Issue 2 (Week of January 23, 2023) 

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News

Updated Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Chart

ACWA has updated its funding chart to reflect the latest numbers from the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus package that was signed into law at the end of 2022. The FY 2023 package appropriated $10.13 billion dollars to EPA, a slight increase from the previous fiscal year. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund received $1.63 billion and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund received $1.12 billion. Regional programs received small appropriations increases in FY 2023 as compared to FY 2022. ACWA’s funding chart will next be updated when the President proposes the FY 2024 budget.

WRDA 2022 Public Comment Period

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA(CW)) is issuing this notice to update the public on the status of the implementation guidance for the 196 provisions in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA). The ASA(CW)) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will conduct a 60-day public comment period to provide an opportunity for the public to give input and recommendations on the implementation of any provision contained in the WRDA of 2022. WRDA of 2022, a subset (Division H) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, was signed into law on December 23, 2022.

Additionally, the ASA(CW) and USACE will host a series of virtual public listening sessions where participants can provide input and recommendations on the implementation of any WRDA 2022 provision. The public may attend the virtual listening sessions via Webex meeting https://usace1.webex.com/meet/WRDA2022 or by phone (Phone Number: 844-800-2712, Code: 199 937 4287) on the days and times listed below.

  • February 15, 2023 – 2:00-4:00 pm Eastern
  • February 22, 2023 – 2:00-4:00 pm Eastern
  • March 1, 2023 – 2:00-4:00 pm Eastern

The public comment period will be held from January 20 through March 21, 2023. You may submit comments, identified by Docket ID No. COE-2023-0002, by any of the following methods:

  • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
  • Email: WRDA2022@usace.army.mil. Include Docket ID No. COE-2023-0002 in the subject line of the message.
  • Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: Ms. Amy Frantz, CEW-P, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 3F91, 441 G St NW, Washington, DC 20314.

Signed implementation guidance will be posted on the USACE public website at https://hq.usace.afpims.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Water-Resources-Development-Act/#LatestWRDA.
All requests for further information on this notice may be directed to Mr. Gib Owen, 571-274-1929 or gib.a.owen.civ@army.mil, or Ms. Amy Frantz, 202-761-0106 or WRDA2022@usace.army.mil.

Case Study Application of Nutrients Removal Life Cycle Assessment: “Upgrade Options to Improve Nutrient Removal for the City of Santa Fe, NM, Paseo Real Wastewater Treatment Plant” (January 2023)

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a standardized method for evaluating the environmental impacts and benefits of a product or process over its full life cycle. An LCA helps regulators, decision-makers, stakeholders, and the public holistically understand the environmental outcomes of different options for manufacturing a product, or building and operating a process in terms of their environmental trade-offs.

This report is a case study application of EPA’s 2021 LCA report. The report presents the results of an LCA of several options for process optimization and treatment upgrades to meet more stringent effluent nutrient limitations at the Paseo Real wastewater treatment plant which serves the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

ECOS Whitepaper: PFAS in Biosolids

For years, states have been actively working to address PFAS contamination in a variety of environmental media. One recent challenge is the management of solids, which may be contaminated with PFAS as a result of its discharge to sewer systems from industry, businesses, and households and subsequent accumulation in biosolids produced from municipal wastewater treatment processes. This challenge encompasses a variety of considerations about testing, disposal, treatment, migration to groundwater and drinking water, and potential uptake to crops and animals if land applied. As there is no federal regulation or guidance for PFAS-contaminated biosolids, it is currently up to individual states to determine best practices for managing these contaminated wastewater residuals.

In November 2022, ECOS collected information from state environmental agencies on policies, testing, research gaps, and risk communication challenges related to PFAS in biosolids. Thirty-four states responded to the survey. This paper outlines ECOS’ findings on how these states manage biosolids, and where opportunities exist for regulation, research, and risk communication. You can access the paper here.

WLA Analytical Preparedness Full-Scale Exercise (AP-FSE) Cohort

The WLA analytical preparedness full-scale exercises test the plans and personnel needed to coordinate analytical support during a water contamination incident and include utilities; laboratories; and federal, state and local emergency response partners. Laboratory analyses are performed in real-time. The WLA will be kicking off the 2nd AP-FSE Cohort on January 31. The Cohort approach is designed to: allow multiple exercise lead organizations to discuss perspectives related to planning; provide a means to collaborate with others on exercise planning; allow for the sharing of expertise with different organizations based on role and responsibility; and allow cohort members to provide and receive encouragement and feedback on action items and timelines. Participant organizations currently include: 1) Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water; and 2) Rivanna Water and Sewer, Charlottesville, VA.  To refer an organization that may be interested in participating please email mapp.latisha@epa.gov 

EPA publishes MS4 Compendium on Offsite Storage

Last week EPA published the 7th volume in a stormwater compendium series. This compendium presents examples of how MS4 permits can be written to allow off-site stormwater management. The compendium provides example permit language from a variety state and EPA issued MS4 permits. These examples serve as a road map for future permitting authorities/permittees with an interest in off-site stormwater management. EPA welcomes input on this compendium and will update as appropriate based on the comments received. EPA notes that the inclusion of any permit example should not be read as an endorsement of the entire approach taken in that permit, nor should it be read as EPA’s independent determination that the permit terms meet the Phase I and/or Phase II MS4 requirements. In addition, this document does not create any new legally binding requirements and does not confer any new legal rights. For more information about the NDPES Stormwater Program, visit www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater.

Association Updates

2023 National NPDES Permitting Meeting

(Only 7 hotel rooms left.)

February 28 – March 2, 2023
Washington, DC

This is a closed meeting intended to support state and EPA staff capacity, identify challenges & barriers to NPDES program implementation, highlight opportunities for permitting authority program improvement & enhancement, showcase NPDES program innovations, assist with analysis of training, guidance, tools, and other support material needs, improve administrative efficiencies, clarify roles and responsibilities, build stronger linkages to other programs, modernize permit terms, improve data management, discuss program performance measures, identify program areas where targeted technical assistance would be most beneficial, and attempt to solve some of the most intractable NPDES Program issues.

Updated information about this meeting can be found here. A draft agenda has been posted.

ACWA Mid-Year Meeting, March 15-16: Registration and Lodging Reminder

The 2023 ACWA Mid-Year Meeting is just weeks away! Visit ACWA’s meeting page to see the latest agenda updates and to register. ACWA will be joined by Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox and other EPA and state association partners. Reserve your room before February 20, 2023 as the room rate will not be guaranteed after this date. 

2023 Nutrients Permitting Workshop – May 1-3, 2023

The 2023 Nutrients Permitting Workshop will be held May 1-3, in Denver, CO!

This workshop is part of a series of meetings focused on nutrients permitting through a grant between EPA, ACWA, and WEF. The workshop series is intended to help support states and EPA to further identify challenges & barriers to nutrient permitting program implementation, highlight opportunities for program improvement & enhancement, showcase innovations, assist with analysis of training, guidance, tools, and other support material needs, improve administrative efficiencies, clarify roles and responsibilities, promote program streamlining, build stronger linkages to WQS & TMDLs, modernize permit terms and data management, revise program performance measures, identify program areas where targeted technical assistance would be most beneficial, and attempt to solve some of the most intractable nutrients issues.

This is the eighth and final workshop under this grant. This workshop will focus state successes and lessons learned based on a variety of topics covered throughout the previous seven workshops in this series. A portion of the agenda will also look ahead at what States feel is the future of nutrients permitting.

A draft agenda may be found here. Rooms are available at the local per-diem rate here.
This workshop is for ACWA Members, who may register here.

Meet our new Member Services Associate!

Alexys “Lexy” Bailey joined ACWA in January of 2023 as the Member Services Associate. She supports the mission of ACWA by aiding in the development and implementation of ACWA’s meetings and workshops, managing membership software, and overall support of staff, Directors, and leadership. Lexy received her B.A. in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from George Mason University and is an alumni of the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. You can contact her here.

Meetings and Webinars

CRWU Webinar: Building Resilience and Adapting to Climate Change Impacts

January 31, 2023, 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET | Register Here

Please join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a webinar on Building Resilience and Adapting to Climate Change Impacts for Water Sector Utilities. First, EPA will introduce a new initiative called the Very Small Drinking Water and Wastewater System Resilience Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Program, which will provide an incentive for water and wastewater systems who do not have to comply with America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) Section 2013 to prepare risk and resilience assessments (RRAs) and emergency response plans (ERPs). Next, attendees will hear from EPA’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative, which provides drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater (water sector) utilities, as well as their technical assistance providers, with the practical tools, training, and technical assistance needed to build resilience to climate change impacts. Through a comprehensive planning process, CRWU promotes a clear understanding of climate change projection data and long-term adaptation options to assist in decision-making related to water sector utility infrastructure financing. CRWU tools and training help water sector utilities to continue the provision of uninterrupted, clean, and safe water to their customers, in turn advancing EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. In this webinar, CRWU will provide an overview of their climate data maps and two climate risk assessment tools: their Resilient Strategies Guide, and their Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool which they call CREAT.

Panelists will include:

  • Audrey Ramming, EPA
  • Curt Baranowski, EPA
  • Charlene Kormondy,
  • EPA Jeff Oxenford, RCAP

EPA Webinar: Improving CWA-NPDES Permit Compliance at Small Wastewater Treatment Systems

Date:                           Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Time:                          1:00pm – 2:30pm eastern

Registration:               Webinar Registration – Zoom (zoomgov.com)

EPA’s Office of Compliance invites you to a free webinar on Tuesday January 31, 2023, as part of EPA’s ongoing Technical Assistance Webinar Series: Improving CWA-NPDES Permit Compliance at Small Wastewater Treatment Systems. EPA staff will provide an overview of EPA’s effluent guideline planning process as well as the contents of Effluent Guide-line Plan 15, including updates on EPA’s reviews of industrial wastewater discharges and treatment technologies, EPA’s 2021 annual review of effluent guidelines and pre-treatment standards, and EPA’s continued focus in evaluating the extent and nature of per- and polyfluoroalkyl sub-stances (PFAS) discharges and assess opportunities for limiting those discharges from multiple industrial categories, as outlined in EPA’s 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap.

Regarding certificates and CEUs: Webinar attendees will receive an emailed Certificate of Attendance from Laura Paradise one week after the webinar date. This email often gets sent to a junk or spam folder. Please discuss eligibility of continuing education credits with your state’s specific certification authority. EPA does not guarantee credits. Each state has different CEU requirements, so it is up to the individual to apply for credit with their state’s certification authority. Note that sometimes the certification authority requires advanced notice of the webinar to allow credit.

Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15

Tuesday January 31, 2023, 1:00-2:30pm | Register Here

EPA staff will provide an overview of EPA’s effluent guideline planning process as well as the contents of Effluent Guide-line Plan 15, including updates on EPA’s reviews of industrial wastewater discharges and treatment technologies, EPA’s 2021 annual review of effluent guidelines and pre-treatment standards, and EPA’s continued focus in evaluating the extent and nature of per- and polyfluoroalkyl sub-stances (PFAS) discharges and assess opportunities for limiting those discharges from multiple industrial categories, as outlined in EPA’s 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap.

EPA Tools & Resources Training Webinar: Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center (ARC-X) 

Thursday, February 9, 2023, 3:00 to 4:00 pm ET | Register Here

EPA’s Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center (ARC-X) is an innovative system designed to help all 40,000 communities across the US anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The ARC-X is unlike any other resource currently available to the public. Users are given an opportunity to first “self-identify” by indicating the region of the country in which they live and the specific issues of concern to them. The system then provides them with an integrated package of information tailored specifically to their needs, including insights on the implications of climate change for the issues they care about, case studies of how similar communities have successfully adapted, access to adaptation tools to replicate those successes, available training, and information on federal sources of funding. This webinar will provide an overview of ARC-X and how to use it.

Training Webinar Series: National Climate Resilience Training for the Tribal Water Sector

The CRWU initiative is providing a free, national training for tribal drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities and their stakeholders. The training is a three-part webinar series developed in coordination with the Indian Health Service, and will be held on March 7, 9, and 14 from 1-3pm ET. These webinars focus on building resilience to the impacts of climate change, identifying adaptation strategies, and tribal utility infrastructure financing. Email ramming.audrey@epa.gov for registration information or register for the training here under the name EPA CRWU Three Part Webinar Series.

State/ Interstate Only Briefing on Revised Definition of WOTUS

Representatives from EPA and the Army Corps will join ACWA on February 7, 2023, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM ET, to provide an overview of the revised definition of WOTUS and to answer implementation questions. If you are interested in participating in the call, please contact Julia Anastasio for a registration link.

Job Opportunities

Environmental Program Manager I or II | Association of Clean Water Administrators

Job Location: Combination of In Person at ACWA’s Washington, DC Office and Telework Opportunities

Apply By: February 8th, 2023. Please email a cover letter, resume, and a writing/materials sample to aivey@acwa-us.org with the email subject “Attn: Human Resources”.

This position reports to and supports the Executive Director in the development and implementation of ACWA’s mission and policies. The ideal candidate has working knowledge of Clean Water Act programs such as NPDES permitting and Water Quality Standards; is versed in water quality topics like nutrient pollution; understands government affairs and water quality stakeholders; and has experience with project management. Candidates should have a Post-Graduate Degree (Masters, Doctoral, JD), JD preferred. Some travel is required in this position for the purpose of meeting with stakeholders and for various ACWA meetings.

View the full position announcement here.

Wetland Program Project Officer | New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

Job Location: Santa Fe or Albuquerque

Apply By: February 5th, 2023

NMED’s Surface Water Quality Bureau has a new opening on the Wetlands Program Team. Wetlands Program Project Officers manage existing fully funded wetlands program projects and develop new wetlands restoration, mapping, monitoring, and planning projects through inter-agency and local coordination. Wetlands Program Project Officers also provide oversight to produce new wetlands action plans (watershed plans) for future wetlands program projects, prepare grant proposals and project work plans, conduct procurements for contractors, and implement projects through contractors and Bureau resources.

View the full position announcement here.

Surface Water Quality Bureau Project Officer | New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

Location: Santa Fe
Closing Date: February 17th, 2023
Job ID # 130426
NMED # 12203

NMED’s Surface Water Quality Bureau has a new opening on the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Assessment Team. The mission of the Surface Water Quality Bureau (SWQB) is to preserve, protect, and improve New Mexico’s surface water quality for present and future generations. This position supports the mission of the SWQB by providing technical expertise on complicated and cross-cutting topics and issues, such as Gold King Mine project administration, probabilistic water quality surveys and reporting, water quality planning projects, and grant and contract management. The SWQB Project Officer will manage and oversee Animas-San Juan Basin water quality projects including the WIIN Act grant and annual conference, serve as co-lead for the Bureau’s statewide statistical (probabilistic) water quality survey, and update the statewide water quality management plan and continuing planning process (WQMP/CPP).

View the full position announcement here.

Surface Water Quality Standards Specialist | New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

Location: Santa Fe
Closing Date: February 17th, 2023
Job ID # 130574
NMED # 29125

NMED’s Surface Water Quality Bureau has an opening on the Standards, Planning, and Reporting Team. The mission of the Surface Water Quality Bureau (SWQB) is to preserve, protect, and improve New Mexico’s surface water quality for present and future generations. This position supports the mission of the Bureau by investigating, developing, and proposing surface water quality standards (WQS) proposals and revisions in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act and NM Water Quality Act. The WQS define water quality goals by designating uses for New Mexico’s streams, rivers, lakes, and other surface waters; setting criteria to protect those uses; and establishing provisions to preserve water quality. This position also assists with quality assurance and public outreach.  This position is primarily responsible for evaluating proposed water quality standards amendments, preparing technical and scientifically defensible water quality standards demonstrations, and testifying before the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) on regulatory changes to water quality standards in accordance with State and Federal acts and regulations.

View the full position announcement here.

Research and Monitoring Seasonal Intern | New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC)

Dates: March 1, 2023 through December 29, 2023

For more details on how to apply, go here.