Association of Clean Water Administrators

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ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XII, Issue 3 (Week of Jan. 18, 2021)

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News

Biden to Appoint Radhika Fox to Key Office of Water Post

President Biden is poised to name Radhika Fox as the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water. Fox mostly recently served as the CEO of the US Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all.

The administration also announced that Jane Nishida will serve as the agency’s acting administrator until Michael Regan is confirmed to lead the EPA. Nishida most recently served as the Agency’s principal deputy assistant head of the Office of International and Tribal Affairs.  It was also announced that Andrew Sawyers, Director of the Office of Wastewater Management, will lead the Office of Water until a Senate nominee is confirmed.

Biden Releases List of Agency Actions for Review

On Inauguration Day, the Biden administration released a non-exhaustive list of agency actions that heads of the relevant agencies will review in accordance with the Executive Order: “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis.” Additional agency actions also will be reviewed to determine consistency with Section 1 of the Executive Order. Office of Water agency actions identified in the memo include Sec. 401 Water Quality Certification Rule, the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, and the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule—Phase 2 Extension. Other agency actions in the memo include the Science Transparency Rule and the Nationwide Permits.

EPA Publishes Draft Pesticide General Permit

On January 15, 2021, EPA’s published notice of a draft 2021 Pesticide General Permit (PGP) with a 60-day comment period. This draft NPDES general permit contains proposed permit requirements for point source discharges of biological pesticides and chemical pesticides that leave a residue. The final permit will replace the 2016 PGP which expires on October 31, 2021. The draft permit covers mosquito and other flying insect pest control; weed and algae pest control; animal pest control; and forest canopy pest control. The draft 2021 PGP requirements are virtually identical to those found in the 2016 PGP. Comments are due by March 16, 2021. ACWA would very much like to hear from those states/interstates that plan to comment or would like to see ACWA develop a comment letter.

All of EPA’s ten regions are proposing this permit. A list of regional contacts can be found below.

2021 Multi Sector General Permit

On January 15, 2021, EPA signed and issued the 2021 NPDES Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) for stormwater discharges from industrial activities. The final permit will become effective on March 1, 2021 and replaces the 2015 MSGP, which expired on June 3, 2020 and was administratively continued for the last several months. EPA issued a No Action Assurance for new facilities that discharged between June 3, 2020 and March 1, 2021. Beginning March 1, 2021, all operators seeking coverage must submit a new “notice of intent” to obtain authorization to discharge. The MSGP covers stormwater discharges from industrial facilities in areas where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority (e.g. DC, MA, NH, NM, ID – will be fully authorized July 1, 2021). The MSGP permit establishes requirements for eligibility, notice of intent, effluent limits, inspections, monitoring, and other conditions. Twenty-nine industrial sectors are covered by this permit. To learn more about the 2021 MSGP, click here. The 135-page fact sheet can be found here.

Wisconsin Publishes First PFAS-based Great Lakes Fish Consumption Advisory

Wisconsin DNR and DHS have recommended a Lake Superior fish consumption advisory based on fish tissue sampling for Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS). The up-to-one-meal-per-month advisory, developed consistent with the recommendations of the Great Lakes Consortium for Fish Consumption Advisories, applies to rainbow smelt, a non-native species. While several Great Lakes states maintain advisories applying to various Great Lakes based upon mercury and PCBs, Wisconsin is the first to issue a PFAS-based Great Lakes consumption advisory. The advisory is based on sampling of smelt and several other species in 2019. Of note, larger predator species that may consume rainbow smelt frequently contained PFOS levels that did not warrant a consumption advisory. Access the Wisconsin DNR press release and other resources here.

Association Updates

ACWA Annual Membership Survey

The ACWA FY2018-FY2022 Strategic Plan directs management to annually survey the membership to evaluate ACWA’s services and member satisfaction. The survey results are intended to assist leadership, management, and staff in planning for the future. This short survey is only 9 questions long and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. This survey is being directed to the primary/main ACWA member representative from each state/interstate and all of their staff that participate on ACWA committees and workgroups. Please complete this survey by February 5, 2021 – thank you!

Draft Agenda for ACWA’s 2021 Mid-Year Meeting Now Available

The draft agenda for ACWA’s upcoming 2021 Mid-Year Meeting has now been posted. It is available through the meeting’s event page or by clicking this link. Registration information will be coming soon, so stay tuned!

Job Opportunities

Environmental Engineer IV | Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Location: Boston, MA

Closing Date: Applications received by February 1st are given first consideration

MassDEP Wetlands and Waterways Division is seeking applicants for the position of Wetlands Environmental Engineer IV.  The Wetlands EEIV will focus on project review, permitting, and compliance for MassDOT Highway bridge projects primarily through the 401 Water Quality Certificate (WQC), as these projects are exempt from Wetlands Protection Act (WPA), Waterways Chapter 91, and Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act (MEPA) review. Projects range from basic to complex including use of innovative construction practices, fast tracking, and design/build processes. The position will include performing periodic construction inspections to verify permit compliance, providing technical assistance, and coordinating with state and federal agencies on project permitting and compliance.

For more information on the position and how to apply, click here.

Environmental Engineer V/Senior Wetlands Analyst | Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Location: Boston, MA

Closing Date: Open until filled

MassDEP Wetlands and Waterways Division is seeking applicants for the position of Wetlands Environmental Engineer IV.  The Wetlands EEIV will focus on project review, permitting, and compliance for MassDOT Highway bridge projects primarily through the 401 Water Quality Certificate (WQC), as these projects are exempt from Wetlands Protection Act (WPA), Waterways Chapter 91, and Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act (MEPA) review. Projects range from basic to complex including use of innovative construction practices, fast tracking, and design/build processes. The position will include performing periodic construction inspections to verify permit compliance, providing technical assistance, and coordinating with state and federal agencies on project permitting and compliance.

For more information on the position and how to apply, click here.

Water Quality Program Development Services Section Manager | Washington State Department of Ecology

Location: Thurston County – Lacey, WA

Closing Date: Open until filled

This Water Quality Section Manager leads WA’s Program Development Services Section and reports to the Water Quality Program Manager. You will be leading a team of engineers, environmental scientists, planners, geologists, administrative professionals, and more, all working to protect and restore Washington’s waters to support healthy watersheds and communities.

For more information on the position and how to apply, click here.