ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XIV, Issue 4 (Week of February 6, 2023)

News

EPA Seeks Input on Inflation Reduction Act Environmental and Climate Justice Program

EPA has issued a Request for Information (RFI), asking for input on its Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) program, funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. This program provides EPA with approximately $3 billion for ECJ program grants and technical assistance for environmental and climate justice efforts that benefit overburdened communities.

EPA is seeking input on multiple aspects of the ECJ Program including, but not limited to:

• ECJ Program Design
• Types of Projects to Fund
• Reducing Application Barriers
• Reporting and Oversight
• Technical Assistance

The deadline to provide input is March 17, 2023. To view and respond to the RFI, visit www.regulations.gov.

Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) (AA23-039A): ESXiArgs

On Wednesday, February 8, 2023 CISA and the FBI provided information in response to the ongoing ransomware campaign, known as “ESXiArgs” where VMware ESXi servers running unpatched and out-of-service or out-of-date versions of VMware ESXi software are being targeted with ransomware. ESXiArgs actors have compromised over 3,800 servers globally. CISA has released an ESXiArgs recovery script and help file found here: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa23-039a

The EPA recommends that Water & Wastewater utilities remain vigilant and implement the following countermeasures as highlighted by CISA and FBI:

• Update servers to the latest version of VMware ESXi software
• Harden ESXi hypervisors by disabling the Service Location Protocol (SLP) service, and
• Ensure the ESXi hypervisor is not exposed to the public internet.

The U.S. EPA Office of Water requests the WSCC review this CSA and pass along to all Water & Wastewater utilities that may be susceptible to this threat. Although OW recognizes that there is no direct mention of this threat specifically applying to the Water & Wastewater sector or any specific critical infrastructure for that matter, we are confident that this information would enhance WWS cyber resilience and defense.

Association Updates

2023 National NPDES Permitting Meeting

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.

Save the Date – 2023 National Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop

May 15 – 16, 2023 – Boise, Idaho

Purpose: This meeting is intended to help support states and EPA to build staff capacity, identify challenges & barriers to pretreatment program implementation, highlight opportunities for program improvement & enhancement, showcase pretreatment program innovations, assist with analysis of training, guidance, tools, and other support material needs, improve administrative efficiencies, clarify roles and responsibilities, build strong linkages to other programs, improve data management, identify program areas where targeted technical assistance would be most beneficial, and attempt to solve some of the most intractable pretreatment program issues.

Meeting Venue: Hampton Inn and Suites, 495 S. Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702. ACWA has secured room nights for $147 + tax per night for the week, should you wish to remain at this hotel while attending the rest of the NACWA meeting (walking distance). A hotel link to secure this rate will be posted on ACWA’s website shortly.

Website: Future updates for this meeting can be found on ACWA’s website:

2023 National Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop

Agenda: ACWA will be reaching out to state and federal program staff to identify individuals interested in participating on an Agenda Planning Committee. If you are interested in participating on this Agenda Planning Committee or presenting at this meeting, please contact Sean Rolland at srolland@acwa-us.org.

Meetings and Webinars

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Report: Advancing Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEMM Organizations: Beyond Broadening Participation

February 14, 2023 | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET | Register Here

The report will review the literature on bias and racism in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) workplaces; approaches to increase racial and ethnic diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in STEM organizations (e.g., universities, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and industry); and offer best policies and practices for DEI and anti-racism initiatives, as well as outline goals for relevant, future research and for organizational strategic planning.

Please join Dr. Gilda Barabino and Dr. Susan Fiske, the study co-chairs, and committee members for an overview of the report and a discussion of the conclusions and recommendations. 

Modernizing Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimation: Framing The Study

February 16, 2023 | 2:00PM – 4:30PM ET | Register Here

This is the first meeting of the National Academies committee charged with making “recommendations for the development of an updated approach that can serve as a national standard for estimating probable maximum precipitation in a changing climate.” PMP is commonly used in the design of critical infrastructure. The committee is charged with establishing a common understanding of PMP; reviewing and assessing existing approaches to PMP estimation and for incorporating the impacts of climate change on those estimates; assessing PMP data needs and sources; and recommending a preferred approach for PMP estimation that incorporates the impacts of climate change and the characterization of uncertainty.

This open session will focus on “framing the study” and feature presentations by the study sponsor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and a range of stakeholders. Speakers will be asked to share their perspectives on the study statement of task, including which issues they believe should be addressed in a successful report. The meeting will include an opportunity for the committee members and the public to ask questions of the sponsor and stakeholders.

A detailed agenda and additional information will be available closer to the meeting date on the meeting website.

EPA NPDES BASIC PERMIT WRITERS’ COURSE

Virtual Guided Learning
March 9 – April 13, 2023

Course Description and Registration Information

The objective of this course is to provide the basic regulatory framework and technical considerations that support the development of wastewater discharge permits required under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. The course was designed for permit writers with six months to one year of experience in the NPDES program, but experienced permit writers wanting a refresher course and other water program staff wanting to learn more about the NPDES program also are welcome.

The 5-week course will begin on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Participants should anticipate a time commitment of approximately 8 -10 hours per week and should seek supervisor approval before signing up. Participants will be expected to complete some pre-course assignments the week of March 5th prior to the course start. The course is scheduled to conclude on April 13th, however a “rain date” of April 18th should be reserved by the participants in case of technical issues.

Each week, participants will have assigned “homework” consisting of NPDES online modules and permit writing exercises. These modules and exercises will then be discussed in a live virtual classroom setting on Tuesday and Thursday of each week. Participants will have the opportunity to join live office hour discussions with instructors and other participants each Tuesday as well. Microsoft Teams will be utilized for the virtual classroom and can be accessed through the desktop application or a web browser. Course materials will be provided electronically on the Microsoft Teams classroom site for download by the participants prior to the start date.

As a foundational course, the training does not address in detail specialized topics such as industrial and municipal stormwater, concentrated animal feeding operations and pesticide discharges. For more information on these specialized topics, please visit EPA’s NPDES Web site at www.epa.gov/npdes

If you have questions regarding the course, please contact Sean Ramach at: npdestraining@epa.gov or call him directly at (202) 564-2865.

ACWA Legal Affairs Committee Quarterly Call

March 29, 2023, 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET.

The next call of the ACWA Legal Affairs Committee will be held on March 29, 2023, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET. Presenters on the call will provide an overview of STATE OF ARIZONA, STATE OF NEVADA, STATE OF COLORADO, THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, et al., Petitioners, v. NAVAJO NATION, et al.  SCOTUS will review a decision that revived a long-running lawsuit by the Navajo Nation, which claims that the U.S. Interior Department has a duty to develop plans to provide the reservation with an adequate water supply. If you are interested in joining the call, please contact Julia Anastasio for registration information.

Job Opportunities

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency- Summer College Intern Opportunities

Surface Water Modeling
Location: Columbus, OH
Closing date: February 27, 2023

Engineering
Location: Bowling Green, OH
Closing Date: February 27, 2023

Fish and Bug
Location: Groveport, OH
Closing Date: February 27, 2023

Surface Water- Multiple Locations
Locations: Dayton, Columbus, Twinsburg, OH
Closing date: February 27, 2023

Water Quality- Multiple Locations
Locations: Bowling Green, Logan, OH
Closing date: February 27, 2023

Storm Water- Multiple Locations
Locations: Logan, Twinsburg, OH
Closing date: February 27, 2023