Senate Confirms David Ross as Assistant Administrator for EPA Office of Water
Today, the Senate confirmed by voice vote the Trump Administration’s nominee for Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water, David Ross, director of the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Environmental Protection Unit. Prior to that position, Ross was a Wyoming assistant attorney general who worked with Wisconsin DEQ on a number of environmental issues. He also recently served on the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT) subcommittee on Assumable Waters, which ACWA was also involved with. We look forward to reaching out and building a relationship with Mr. Ross as Assistant Administrator.
EPA Announces Appointment of Anne Idsal to Region 6 Administrator
Administrator Pruitt announced the appointment of Anne Idsal to become Regional Administrator for Region 6. Ms. Idsal joins the Agency having spent her career working for the Texas state government. Since 2015, Idsal has served as chief clerk and deputy land commissioner for the Texas General Land Office (GLO). She previously served as the general counsel to GLO. Prior to joining the Texas General Land Office, Idsal served as General Counsel to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Senate Confirms Matt Leopold to Serve as EPA General Counsel
The Senate also confirmed Matt Leopold for EPA General Counsel. In a statement, Administrator Pruitt praised the Senate’s action to confirm Matt Leopold to serve as General Counsel for the for EPA stating: “Matt Leopold has tremendous experience in environmental litigation and is committed to the rule of law. I want to thank Leader McConnell and Chairman Barrasso for their assistance in ensuring Mr. Leopold’s confirmation, and I look forward to working with Matt to maintain the integrity and lawfulness of the Agency.” Leopold comes to EPA from Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A., where he focused on environment, energy, water law, and litigation.
RFP: NGA Water Policy Learning Network Water & Energy
As part of the Water Policy Learning Network, the National Governors Association (NGA) is is seeking proposals from states to hold a policy retreat designed to help Governors’ offices improve the integration of water and energy to achieve efficiencies, conserve limited resources, and reduce customers’ costs in both urban and rural communities. WPLN has funding for two states to hold retreats this year, so please note that this is a competitive opportunity. Please note that NGA will accept only one application from each state, so applicants should coordinate with their energy and water departments. Proposals should focus on leveraging the power of the governor’s office to convene the different entities that govern both the water and energy sectors – health, environment and natural resource agencies that regulate water and public utility commissions (PUC’s), oil and gas commissions, environmental offices and energy offices that typically oversee energy policy – to identify cross-cutting policies that can provide cost effective conservation of both resources. NGA_Water_Energy State Retreat RFP_12_2017 (002)
2018 National Stormwater Roundtable
Event and hotel registration for this meeting is now live! The 2018 National Stormwater Roundtable will occur February 20 – 23, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. This meeting supports 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. The Stormwater Roundtable is a national meeting specifically organized by state and federal regulators for EPA and state program staff representatives. Attendees include should include program managers, permit writers, inspectors, and compliance staff involved in managing and regulating stormwater. For more details on the meeting please click on this link.
EPA Releases Annual Regulatory Plan
Today, EPA, along with the rest of the federal government, released its Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and Regulatory Plan. This document provides updates to the public about regulatory activity to support EPA’s core mission to protect human health and the environment. Specifically, EPA’s plan describes regulatory and deregulatory actions that are under development or review and rules expected to be proposed or finalized within the next year. To view EPA’s plan, go here.
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 still needs more members for the Planning Committee for this meeting, if you are interested in joining, please contact Mark Patrick McGuire ASAP.
Water Quality Trading Case Studies
ACWA is still seeking case studies on water quality trading programs to share on the ACWA website. We are looking for states at various levels of program development to describe their programs/efforts answering questions such as, what are/were the drivers for starting a water quality trading program?; what was the process to get the program created and running?; who are/were the players in the process?; what is the public reception of your program?; what do you hope to achieve with the program?; and what challenges did you face in development and implementation of your program?
If your state would like to contribute, please contact Mark Patrick McGuire. To view the case studies that have already been submitted, go here.
Nutrient Reduction Progress Tracker Update
Today is the due date for state responses to the Nutrient Reduction Progress Tracker. If your state would still like to contribute, please contact Mark Patrick McGuire ASAP. For more information on the Tracker project, go here.
Coming Soon
ACWA Watersheds/TMDL Modeling Workgroup Call/Webinar
Thursday, December 21st, 2:30 pm EST
Julian Gonzalez will be sending more info to committee members shortly
ACWA Monitoring, Standards, and Assessment Call
Wednesday, December 20th, 2:30 pm EST
For more information contact Frances Bothfeld.
