EPA Publishes POTW Study Notice in Federal Register
The second notice announcing the National Study of Nutrient Removal and Secondary Technologies: Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) Screener Questionnaire was published in the Federal Register on Friday, December 29. You can view the notice here. Comments are due January 29, 2018. You can view the latest version of the screener questionnaire here. EPA is holding a call for ACWA members on the study on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at 3:00pm Eastern (for call-in information, contact Mark Patrick McGuire). Please save the date for this call.
President Trump Signs Incidental Discharge Exemption Extension
President Trump signed a bill that extends the exemption of vessels less than 79 feet in length from EPA’s incidental discharge permit requirements. The exemption originally expired on December 18th, 2017 but has now been extended to January 18th, 2018. This extension give congress a couple of weeks to enact a more permanent legislation. ACWA, along with other media organizations, has written a letter opposing one of the purposed legislation, Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, which would preempt state authorities to protect state waters from harmful invasive species and water pollution discharged from vessels.
ACWA and Willamette Publish Water Quality Trading Toolkit Videos
Recently, ACWA and Willamette Partnership published two videos on the Water Quality Trading Toolkit. The Toolkit, based on the National Network on Water Quality Trading publication Building a Water Quality Trading Program: Options and Considerations, consists of a series of templates that provide a blueprint for states/organizations seeking to create a water quality trading program. USDA – Office of Environmental Markets provided partial funding for the production of the videos. The first video is an introduction to the Toolkit and can be viewed here. The second video explains in greater detail how a state or organization can use the Toolkit and can be viewed here.
New Source Water Collaborative Learning Exchange: Source Water Protection through Conservation Funding
The Source Water Collaborative, of which ACWA is a member, is pleased to announce its latest Learning Exchange, Source Water Protection through Conservation Funding. This module features case stories from drinking water industry and conservation leaders who have capitalized on resources provided through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to target source water concerns through voluntary local conservation partnerships. Through the RCPP program, NRCS brings together expertise and local knowledge of farmers, conservation and farm organizations, and state and local agencies to provide financial and technical support to farmers to install and maintain conservation measures in priority natural resources areas. Since RCPP’s creation under the 2014 Farm Bill, USDA has partnered with a range of public and private sector actors to invest over $1 billion in conservation projects. The RCPP program represents an important and under-utilized opportunity to establish cross-sector collaborations that support sustainable land use practices and help protect drinking water supplies from harmful runoff. Register here for the January 11th 1:30-3:00pm ET webinar, Conservation Funding & Drinking Water Utilities: Partnering for Success
The Learning Exchange showcases a number of case studies and information resources aimed at supporting groups considering submitting an RCPP application, including examples of successful proposals, links to application guides, an interactive map with details of RCPP-supported source water protection partnerships, a webinar featuring Jimmy Bramblett, USDA NRCS’s Deputy Chief of Programs, and a presentation from Iowa’s Middle Cedar Rapids Partnership. For more information, contact Julian Gonzalez.
Model MOU to Coordinate Contaminated Sediment Actions
EPA issued guidance and a model memorandum of understanding (MOU) to assist regulators in coordinating Superfund and CWA actions at contaminated sites. EPA’s waste, water and enforcement offices crafted the memo and MOU for regional offices, states, tribes and other federal agencies to address the interplay between the two laws at contaminated sediment sites.
2018 National Stormwater Roundtable Registration is LIVE!
Event and hotel registration for this meeting is now live!
The 2018 National Stormwater Roundtable will occur February 20 – 23, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. There are a limited number of hotel rooms available at government rate – please secure your hotel rooms and register for this meeting ASAP.
The Stormwater Roundtable is a national meeting specifically organized by state and federal regulators for EPA and state program staff representatives. These meetings support implementation of federal and state municipal, industrial, and construction stormwater programs nationwide by sharing best management practices, showcasing innovative state programs and initiatives, highlighting new technologies, facilitating discussion on national program enhancements and improvements, identifying state resource needs including tools, training and guidance, and proposing solutions to challenges and barriers faced by the regulators and other stakeholders.
Attendees should include program managers, permit writers, inspectors, and compliance staff involved in managing and regulating stormwater. For more details on the meeting including registration information, please click here. If you have any issues registering for the meeting please contact Annette Ivey.
SAVE THE DATE – ACWA National Pretreatment Meeting
The ACWA National Pretreatment Meeting will take place April 17-18, 2018 at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. The agenda is currently in development. For more information, go here or contact Mark Patrick McGuire. If you would like to request travel assistance and have not yet done so, please make your request by January 12, 2018.
ACWA Mid-Year Meeting 2018
Register Now! Early Bird Registration Ends January 31, 2018
The 2018 Mid-Year Meeting will be a closed meeting for ACWA members and invited guests. Go here for more information and to reserve your lodging accommodations. To register and pay for your registration, go here. If you encounter problems logging into ACWA’s new member AMS system, Member 365, go here for more information. If you encounter issues while registering, contact Annette Ivey. The agenda for this meeting is currently in development.
Coming Up…
ACWA Farm Bill Workgroup Call
Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 2:00 pm Eastern
For call-in information, contact Mark Patrick McGuire
On this call, Adam Carpenter of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Coleman Garrison of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) will provide background on their respective organizations’ 2018 Farm Bill priorities.
