Extension of Comment Period for the Definition of “Waters of the United States”
EPA and the Army are extending the comment period by 30 days for the proposed first step of the review of the definition of ‘Waters of the U.S.’ to provide additional time for stakeholders to weigh in. A pre-publication version of the Federal Register notice is available on EPA’s Water of the U.S. webpage.
ASDWA CWA-SDWA Webinar: Creative Uses of Clean Water Funding for Drinking Water Benefits
On Tuesday, August 29, from 1:00 to 2:30 pm ET, ASDWA will host a free Clean Water Act – Safe Drinking Water Act (CWA-SDWA) webinar entitled, “Creative Uses of Clean Water Funding for Drinking Water Benefits.” The purpose of the webinar is to build on the efforts of ASDWA, ACWA, GWPC, and EPA to share and promote CWA-SDWA coordination activities across state and EPA water programs. State, interstate, tribal, and federal water programs, water utilities, technical assistance providers, and anyone else who would like to participate is encouraged to attend. During the webinar, presenters from the Virginia and Washington Drinking Water Programs and the Skagit Public Utilities District (in WA) will share how they collaborated with their state Clean Water Programs and other partners to creatively use some non-traditional funding routes to benefit their drinking water utilities, including one very small and disadvantaged water system. To register, go here.
EPA Webinar on Chlorophyll-based Water Quality Criteria
On Wednesday, August 16, Dr. Paul Bukaveckas of Virginia Commonwealth University presented his work with chlorophyll-based criteria in the James River Estuary. The purpose of the webinar was to show that chlorophyll-based water quality criteria may be a useful tool for mitigating eutrophication effects, particularly in flowing waters where dissolved oxygen standards may be difficult to derive due to well-mixed condition. For presentation slides, go here.
Reconsideration Steam Electric ELG
On August 11, 2017, Administrator Pruitt sent a letter to industry groups indicating EPA’s plans to conduct a rule making to revise the Steam Electric Rule. In particular, Pruitt indicated “It was appropriate and in the public interest to potentially revise the new, more stringent Best Available Technology Economically Achievable effluent limitations and Pretreatment Standards for Existing Sources in the 2015 rule that apply to bottom ash transport water and flue gas desulfurization wastewater.” EPA also intends to inform the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that it seeks to have challenges to those portions of the 2015 rule severed and held in abeyance pending completion of further rule making. This letter was in response to an April 2017 request made by the Utility Water Act Group and the Small Business Administration to reconsider the 2015 Steam Electric Rule.
Upcoming ACWA Meetings and Workshops
2017 National NPDES Program Managers Meeting
October 31 – November 2, 2017
Tommy Douglas Conference Center
Silver Spring, MD
ACWA Variance Workshop
November 16 – 17, 2017
Morrison and Clark Historic Inn
Washington, DC
2017 Nutrients Permitting Workshop
December 5 – 7, 2017
The Riverside Hotel
Boise, ID
2018 National Stormwater Roundtable
February 21 – 22, 2018
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
Atlanta, GA
2018 ACWA Mid-Year Meeting
March 18 – 21, 2018
Hilton Garden Inn, US Capitol Hill
Washington, DC
For more information on these events, contact any ACWA staff member.
Weekly Wrap Break
There will be no Weekly Wrap next week due to ACWA’s Annual Meeting in Burlington, Vermont. The Weekly Wrap will resume on September 1.
