News
EPA Releases Beach Report
This week EPA released the Beach Report: 2023 Swimming Season. The BEACH Act (2000) authorized EPA to provide funding to states, territories, and tribes to monitor their coastal recreational waters for bacteria. There are 6,415 beaches in the United States, 5,090 (79%) of those are “program beaches” funded by the Beach Act. In 2023, 3,561 (70%) of the program beaches were monitored for bacteria. The program beaches were open and safe for swimming 91% of the time in 2023. In 2023, 30 percent of the nation’s program beaches (1,541 out of 5,090) had at least one notification action, which is either an advisory or a closing. Beach advisories/closings can result from a variety of known pollution sources: stormwater runoff after rainfall; pet and wildlife waste; waste from boat discharge; leaking sewer lines and septic systems; malfunctions at wastewater treatment plants; combined sewer overflows; or harmful algal blooms. While stormwater runoff was the known source reported most often, more than a third (41%) of the sources were reported as unknown. Find Information about a Particular U.S. Beach | US EPA
Lower Yakima Dairies Sued
This week EPA announced legal efforts to force three large Lower Yakima Valley dairies to “test down-gradient wells within an area approximately three-and-one-half miles” south and southwest of the dairies and “supply alternative drinking water to homes where well water exceeds the federal standard for nitrate of 10 milligrams per liter.” EPA/DOJ filed a “Motion for Preliminary Injunction” in the Eastern District Court of Washington following a lawsuit filed June 26 claiming three dairies, which collectively have over 30,000 animals, have failed to comply with a legal agreement they entered into with EPA in 2013 which aimed to reduce nitrate leaching from their facilities and protect downgradient community members with nitrate contaminated well water. A copy of the June 26 complaint can be found here.
EPA is also urging nearby community members in that vicinity to visit www.epa.gov/lyvgw for information on how to get their wells tested. Specifically in the motion EPA has asked the court to have the dairies:
- Continue monitoring groundwater
- Offer nitrate testing of drinking water wells within three-and-one-half miles hydrologically downgradient
- Offer to provide impacted homes with either a treatment unit or bottled water delivery
- Offer professional maintenance service for any impacted home with a treatment unit
- Immediately test a lined lagoon for leaks
Spring 2024 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions
The Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions is a semiannual compilation of information about regulations under development by federal agencies, published in the spring and fall. The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires that agencies publish semiannual “regulatory flexibility agendas” describing regulatory actions they are developing that will have significant effects on small businesses and other small entities (5 U.S.C. 602). In addition Executive Order (EO) 12866, the “Regulatory Planning and Review” and Office of Management and Budget memoranda implementing Section 4 of that Order establish minimum standards for agencies’ agendas, including specific types of information for each entry. The Unified Agendas helps agencies fulfill these requirements.
The new Spring 2024 Agenda can be found here:
2024 Spring Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (reginfo.gov)
The updated long term actions can be found here:
Updated Long Term Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (reginfo.gov)
ACWA rules chart updated to reflect current and long term relevant EPA clean water related actions:
Rulemakings – Association of Clean Water Administrators (acwa-us.org)
EPA Releases Fish Tissue Contaminant Monitoring Recommendations
This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published updated recommendations for contaminants that Tribal, state, and territorial fish advisory programs should consider monitoring in locally caught fish to protect public health. The EPA’s latest recommendations consist of two lists of fish tissue contaminants, both of which include several per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).
Read the press release and view the lists of contaminants to monitor on the EPA’s website
EPA Releases Fifth Edition of Climate Change Indicators in the United States
On July 2, EPA released Climate Change Indicators in the United States: Fifth Edition. The report highlights new data showing the continuing and far-reaching impacts of climate change on the people and environment of the United States. New to the report this year are an indicator on Marine Heat Waves (showing trends related to multi-day high ocean temperatures) and a feature on Heat-Related Workplace Deaths.
According to EPA: “Understanding and addressing climate change is critical to EPA’s mission of protecting human health and the environment. Tracking observations over time reveals valuable information about what people are experiencing today and can help inform climate solutions. The Fifth Edition of the Climate Change Indicators in the United States report provides abundant evidence of how climate change is happening all around us. Taking action to fight the urgent threat of climate change is an opportunity to build more resilient infrastructure, protect public health, advance environmental justice, strengthen America’s working communities, and spur American technological innovations.”
Please click here to download the report.
Association Updates
ACWA Leadership Elections – Vote Today!
The ACWA Leadership Election ballot is open.
ACWA’s Leadership Election ballot is currently open and all ACWA members should have received an email with a link to the ballot from the Executive Director. If you did not receive a link to the ballot, contact Julia Anastasio. The odd Regions are up for election this year along with the Executive Officers. Please vote no later than Noon ET on August 1, 2022. All “members in good standing” may participate in these elections, but cast only one vote per state/interstate. The “member in good standing” is the formal or primary ACWA representative for the state/interstate agency that paid dues for the previous fiscal year (FY2024). If you are unsure whether your FY2024 dues are paid contact Julia Anastasio or Annette Ivey.
2024 Annual Meeting – Last Day to Book Lodging is July 29th!
View the draft agenda here.
Reserve Your Lodging at Renaissance New Orleans Pere Marquette French Quarter Area. The last day to book your stay is July 29th at 5 pm ET.
Register here. Please reach out to Lexy Bailey, Member Services Associate, for assistance.
More information can be found here on ACWA’s website.
Save The Date: 2024 National Stormwater Roundtable
Dates: October 22 – 24, 2024
City: Washington, DC
Meeting Space: EPA HQ Meeting Space
Hotel: Grand Hyatt Washington
Website: 2024 National Stormwater Roundtable
This week ACWA sent out emails regarding agenda topics, potential presenters, volunteers for the Agenda Planning Committee, and travel support. If you did not receive a related email, please contact Sean Rolland at srolland@acwa-us.org.
2024 Water Quality Modeling Workshop – Registration Now Open!
Dates: September 16 – 20, 2024
City: Philadelphia, PA
ACWA, in partnership with USEPA, will be holding the 2024 Water Quality Modeling Workshop in Philadelphia, PA, the week of September 16, 2024. The 2024 Water Quality Modeling Workshop supports implementation of state programs by continuing to build a community of practice among state agency staff who use or want to use water quality modeling in state water quality programs.
This year we will be offering hands-on trainings on WASP, SWAT+, and a Modeling 201: Demystifying your Modeling Project course which will feature presentations, case studies, and discussions.
This workshop is for state program managers and staff involved in water quality modeling, as well as for both Regional and Headquarters-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency managers and staff.
You may register for the workshop here.
To register, you will need access to ACWA’s member portal. If you are EPA staff, please reach out Lexy Bailey (abailey@acwa-us.org) for help getting set up. This workshop has 3 distinct tracks – including two hands-on trainings. Hands on trainings will be offered for WASP and SWAT+. A third track – Modeling 201 – will feature some hands-on work along with lectures and discussions.
Space is limited, so once you register, you will automatically be placed on the wait list. You will receive a confirmation email at a later date. This is to ensure an equal opportunity for some states that may need a few weeks to ensure they are able to participate.
Lodging is available at the Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square at the local per diem rate. The workshop will also take place in the hotel’s event space. You may Reserve your hotel room here.
ACWA does anticipate having some travel support for airfare and lodging.
Meetings and Webinars
How to Participate in Clean Water Act Permits to Protect Drinking Water Sources
Date: August 5, 2024
Time: 2:00 pm ET
Register: HERE
The Source Water Collaborative is hosting a webinar on August 5th at 2:00pm ET about a new tool – Using Clean Water Act Discharge Permits to Protect Drinking Water Sources – a guide to engaging in the water pollution discharge permitting process. The guide is designed to help drinking water utilities, local government entities, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders understand and provide meaningful comments on Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for facilities that discharge PFAS chemicals and other pollutants that impact drinking water sources
Job Opportunities
Volunteer Water Monitoring Prog Spec – State Program Admin (77883)
Location: St. Paul, MN
Closing Date: July 17, 2024
For more information and to apply, click here.
Air Compliance Unit Supervisor
Location: Various Locations, MN
Closing Date: July 22, 2024
For additional information about the application process, go to http://www.mn.gov/careers.
Watershed Project Coordinator
Location: Detroit Lakes, MN
Closing Date: July 22, 2024
For additional information about the application process, go to http://www.mn.gov/careers.
Environmental Engineer –Water Quality Bureau
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Closing Date: July 22, 2024 11:59 PM
Job Number: 24-04496
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has an exciting opportunity for a wastewater engineer who demonstrates technical skills, customer focus and a detail-oriented team player to join the Wastewater Engineering team in the role of an Environmental Engineer and help protect water quality. As a wastewater engineer, you will have the distinct opportunity to be an integral part of the engineering team that protects the environment and public health by providing engineering/technical review of construction permit applications and management of wastewater treatment and collection system infrastructure projects including approval of engineering planning reports, antidegradation alternatives analyses, plans and specifications and approve construction permits for non-funded wastewater projects and some Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) funded wastewater projects.
For more information and to apply, visit State of Iowa Careers.
Harmful Algal Bloom Water Quality Analyst (Natural Resource Specialist 3
Location: Portland, OR
Closing Date: July 22, 2024
For more information and to apply, visit Oregon Job Opportunities.
Macroinvertebrate Biologist – Research Scientist 2 (78042)
Location: Brainerd, MN
Closing Date: July 23, 2024
For more information and to apply, click here.
Hydrologist
Location: St. Paul, MN
Closing Date: July 31, 2024
For more information and to apply, click here.
Chemical of Emerging Concern Coordinator
Location: Thurston County- Lacey, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
Municipal Facility Management Engineer
Location: King County – Shoreline, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
Reclaimed Water Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5)
Location: Spokane, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
Shoreland, Wetland, Aquatic Resource Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)
Location: Yakima County – Union Gap, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
Natural Resources Analyst (Nonpoint Source Program)
Location: Various Locations, WY
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
Be sure to check out other opportunities on ACWA’s Job Opportunities page.
