News
Federal Register: Proposed Tribal Baseline WQS
On May 5, 2023 EPA proposed to establish Federal WQS for Indian reservation waters that currently do not have WQS under the CWA. The baseline WQS will establish human health and environmental objectives as the basis for CWA protections. Under this proposal, EPA would implement the baseline WQS, in consultation with Tribes, for location-specific water quality conditions and Tribal circumstances. Baseline WQS would not apply in instances where Tribes with “Treatment as State” authority have EPA-approved WQS. EPA is holding two public hearings to allow for interested, registered parties to provide oral comments on EPA’s proposed rule. If you require special accommodations, please contact James Ray at 202-566-1433 or Ray.James@epa.gov, at least three weeks prior to the session.
- REGISTER: Tuesday, June 27, 2023, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern Time
- REGISTER: Wednesday, July 12, 2023, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern Time
EPA is proposing to baseline WQS for all waters of the United States in Indian country, with the following three automatic exclusions: (1) where an independent federal water quality standard has been promulgated; (2) where EPA has explicitly found that a state/tribe has jurisdiction to adopt and EPA where EPA has approved; and (3) where Indian country waters in off-reservation allotments or dependent Indian communities (DICs). The proposed rule would also allow case by case exclusions by Regional Administrators in consultation with Tribes. The proposed rule describes the designated uses, water quality criteria, antidegradation implementation methods, and certain other WQS provisions that would apply as an applicable baseline WQS for the Indian reservation waters. EPA is proposing an effective date of 120 days after final publication.
EPA is providing a 90-day comment period. Comments are due August 3, 2023. More details can be found here.
EPA Releases Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution
The “Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution,” builds upon EPA’s National Recycling Strategy and focuses on actions to reduce, reuse, collect, and capture plastic waste.
New and innovative approaches are necessary to reduce and recover plastic materials and improve economic, social, and environmental impacts. With input from organizations, EPA identified three key objectives for the strategy:
- Objective A: Reduce pollution during plastic production.
- Objective B: Improve post-use materials management.
- Objective C: Prevent trash and micro/nanoplastics from entering waterways and remove escaped trash from the environment.
Shifting to a circular approach for plastics management in the U.S. involves actions surrounding:
- Understanding the effectiveness of programs and policies, and preventing plastic pollution through reducing, reusing, collecting, and capturing plastics from land-based sources.
- Improving the U.S. capacity to reuse and refill products.
- Increasing data availability and conducting life cycle assessments to understand the environmental, economic, social, and health impacts attributed to plastics.
- Addressing and improving consumer outreach and understanding of the proper management of plastic and other waste.
- Improving the wastewater/stormwater management and capture systems.
Link to executive summary (pdf).
CIFA Releases MythBuster on the Impact of Earmarks
CIFA released a one-pager to dispel the most common myths about the impact of earmarks on the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The MythBuster, which is designed to compliment state profiles on earmarks, can be shared with lawmakers, policymakers, and other interested constituencies. Individual myths can also be incorporated into customized advocacy, education, and briefing materials.
Also, state profiles on the impact of earmarks have been updated with the final allotments. A state profile has been created for all states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. Based on the final allotments, Congress has cut net federal funding for water, wastewater, and stormwater projects (SRF + earmarks) in 36 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. to pay for earmarks. Check the impact on your state.
Oregon Proposes Animal Agriculture Updates
The state legislature this week proposed a number of new restrictions and requirements for large farms that would address a number of livestock issues including air and water pollution. State law makers have been expressing concerns about “factory farms” and have been pointing to a large dairy as an example farm with 200+ environmental violations that ultimately closed down in 2019 as part of a bankruptcy case. More recently several large chicken operations in Oregon announced they were planning to expand by 13.5 millions birds per year. And while a moratorium on certain types of activities and growth were the expected legislative outcome, more recently there has been a shift in the conversation with several state legislators pushing for immediate program enhancements. New program updates as part of SB 85 would include: several restrictions on new facilities including siting restrictions inside ½ mile from fish bearing streams, schools, and facilities with vulnerable adults; new limits on water withdrawals; a report on USEPA’s air study; and new individual permits for groundwater discharges in a groundwater management are. More details on the bill can be found here:
CAFO MODERNIZATION SB 85 (oregonlegislature.gov) and SB0085 (oregonlegislature.gov)
Association Updates
2023 National Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop – Final Registration Notice
May 15 at 8:00 am – May 16 at 5:00 pm
Boise, ID
Both virtual and in person registration closes on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Please register here ASAP.
More details about this meeting can be found here.
ACWA Legal Affairs Committee Quarterly Call
The next ACWA LAC committee call will be held on June 21 from 2-3 PM ET.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsd-CsrTwtE9zY3QwbfthFE8fEeMENLceg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We will be discussing 2 cases:
South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, et al., v. EPA, et al.
Dakota Finance, LLC, et al. v. Naturaland Trust et al.
Meetings and Webinars
EPA Tools and Resources Webinar Series: National Nutrient Inventory
Nutrient pollution contributes to issues like dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and ongoing smog/air quality issues in many cities across the country. EPA researchers have developed nutrient inventories to track how the likely sources of nutrient pollution from farms, natural areas, and cities are evolving through time across the US. These inventories are publicly available and are being used by federal agencies, states, and local communities to guide watershed prioritization efforts and nutrient reduction strategies. They are also being used as communication tools to highlight successes in reducing nutrient pollution and to communicate ongoing and emerging challenges
EPA Webinar: Developing and Implementing a PFAS Monitoring Strategies for NPDES Pretreatment Programs and POTWs
Date: Tuesday, June 22, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm Eastern
Registration: Webinar Registration – Zoom (zoomgov.com)
Description: Join us to learn about varying approaches for addressing PFAS in the pretreatment program and specifically POTWs receiving industrial discharges. EPA HQ and regions will share strategies for locating, targeting and permitting PFAS discharges in the NPDES permitting and pretreatment programs. EPA speakers will walk through the contents and highlights of the memo and provide training on implementing its key components:
- How to identify PFAS sources and create a PFAS Industrial User Inventory
- How to develop a PFAS sampling plan for POTWs
- Real world examples of permitting language and monitoring results
Job Opportunities
Water Quality Assessment Data Coordinator
Location: Richmond, VA
Closing Date: 5/12/2023
Serves as a member of the Water Quality Assessment team responsible for data coordination in the 305(b) Water Quality Assessment process. Specific duties of this position are to compile and submit to EPA every even numbered year the 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report, including coordinating the data and information used for development of the 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report, maintaining assessment data analytic tools and making electronic transfers of assessment data to EPA as required. Assist in coordinating related monitoring activities and managing special projects as assigned. Manages the development of the Water Quality Assessment (WQA) team’s data analytic tools, applications and other WMA information technology projects as needed.
For more information and to apply, click here.
401 Hydropower Coordinator (Natural Resource Specialist 4)
Location: Portland, OR
Closing Date: 5/18/2023
You will be the statewide coordinator for the 401 Hydropower Water Quality Certification program. You will lead a small team by providing guidance and training to staff, coordinating project workloads, and providing budget oversight. As a technical subject matter expert, you also will provide consultation and technical guidance for the implementation of a complex, statewide environmental program that ensures hydroelectric facilities meet water quality standards and protect beneficial uses of water for the duration of their 30–50-year federal licenses. You will ensure coordination with other state and federal agencies that have overlapping or complementary jurisdiction and represent DEQ in determining which of the conditions proposed by other state agencies should be included under Clean Water Act section 401 authority. You will make determinations regarding fish and wildlife protection, recreation, geological hazard and erosion potential, and instream flow requirements. In addition, you will negotiate funding for and determine the scope of the hydroelectric program at DEQ, including the number of staff, the projects they work on, and their location within the state, as well as the scope of certifications themselves.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Municipal Permit Data and Compliance Professional (Environmental Specialist 3)(In-Training)
Location: Lacey, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
This position is an outstanding opportunity to use your project management skills to make tangible improvements to water quality in Washington. Our Permit Data and Compliance Professional works alongside of our team of water quality engineers and scientists to help issue and manage individual permits for municipal wastewater treatment and reclaimed water facilities throughout our southwestern region. You’ll provide administrative support for individual municipal permit issuance, compliance and quality assurance reviews of municipal permit data, technical assistance to permit holders, and enforcement administration. This position also provides specialized expertise and technical assistance to staff, permittees, and the public on our Permit and Reporting Information System (PARIS) database, Public PARIS database, and WebPortal reporting sites. You’ll also handle regulatory oversight of facilities covered under the Water Treatment Plant general permit, including permit data quality assurance reviews, periodic compliance inspections, and permit administration.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Environmental Engineer 3
Location: Lacey, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
As a licensed professional engineer, you will independently plan and conduct investigations of, and propose solutions to, environmental engineering problems relating to pollutant loading capacity, mathematical modeling of water quality, and effluent dilution. This position is directly related to Ecology’s mission of protecting, preserving, and restoring Washington’s environment.
For more information and to apply, click here.
Municipal Stormwater Permit Implementation Planner (Environmental Planner 3)
Location: Multiple Locations – Western Washington, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
Nonpoint Source Water Quality and Compliance Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)
Location: Lacey, WA or Vancouver, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
