News
EPA ORD Releases State Engagement Focus Product Portfolio
EPA has released a new publication, “State Engagement Focus Product Portfolio for the Strategic Research Action Plans FY 2023-26,” which highlights the relationships cultivated with state and territorial partners over the past several years.
The Product Portfolio contains 124 research products that are most closely aligned with state interests. These products were identified based on state research needs from the 2022 ERIS States’ Research Need Survey Summary, as well as feedback from states and territories during various meetings and engagements over the recent years. Continued engagement is planned through the research implementation period.
EPA Requires Industrial Facilities to Enhance Preparation for Chemical Discharges to Water in Adverse Weather Conditions
EPA has finalized new safeguards for communities and the environment from facilities that store and could discharge dangerous chemicals into a river, lake, or other waterbody. These protections build on EPA’s recent issuance of the “Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention Rule,” which contains the strongest ever safety provisions to prevent and address explosions and other accidental airborne releases from chemical facilities. The science is clear: climate change can supercharge the risks of dangerous chemical releases. That is why both actions require facilities to evaluate those risks and to plan for and respond to such releases. Both actions also strengthen protections for communities already overburdened by pollution because many regulated facilities have historically been located in or near these communities.
In developing the final rule, EPA considered input received during the 120-day public comment period. The final rule revised the proposed criteria to lower the threshold quantity of Clean Water Act hazardous substances on site to more comprehensively screen for facilities that could cause substantial harm to the environment.
For more information on the final rule, please see EPA’s Clean Water Act Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plans website.
Pollution Prevention Grants – $24 million
This week EPA announced the availability of $24 million in grants to support states, U.S. territories, and Tribes “in providing technical assistance to businesses to develop and adopt pollution prevention practices.” The funding is available through two notices through EPA’s Pollution Prevention program, with approximately $14 million in grants available at no cost share/match requirement. Pollution prevention, or P2 source reductions are essential for protecting health, improving environmental conditions–including in and around disadvantaged communities–and preserving natural resources like wetlands, groundwater sources, and other critical ecosystems. For both grant funding opportunities, EPA is encouraging applicants to address environmental justice in their project(s) to help transform disadvantaged communities, as identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, into healthy, thriving communities capable of addressing the environmental and public health challenges they have historically faced, as well as current and future challenges.
The two grant opportunities being announced today include:
- $14 million: This is the third of five annual installments of P2 grant funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This opportunity does not include the fifty percent grantee funds matching requirement required by traditional P2 grants, increasing access to the funding for all communities. Grants supported with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will be fully funded at the time grants are awarded (rather than receiving funding in installments). The maximum amount of each grant is $350,000.
- $9.94 million: These funds are part of the traditional P2 grants program that has been administered by the Agency for over 25 years. The funding is over a two-year funding cycle with individual grant awards up to $700,000 for the two-year funding period or $350,000 funded per year and includes a cost share/match requirement of fifty percent.
Applications are due by May 17, 2024. Additional information is available on grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Announcements:
EPA-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-001
EPA-I-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-002
EPA will host three informational webinars for potential applicants and interested stakeholders. The webinars will review information about the P2 Grant Program and the application process to help potential applicants submit a high-quality application to EPA for consideration. Time will be provided during the webinars for questions from participants.
- March 26, 2024, 2-3:30 p.m. ET Register here.
- March 27, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET for Tribal entities Register here.
- April 11, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET Register here.
Read details about P2 here: P2 Program.
Association Updates
Notice – No Wrap the Week of March 25th
Next week is ACWA’s 2024 Mid-Year Meeting. Look out for our next edition the week of April 1st!
2024 Mid-Year Meeting Registration – Virtual Registration Added!
Dates: March 26 & 27, 2024
Venue: The Washington Marriott Metro Center DC
Registration is live for the upcoming 2024 ACWA Mid-Year Meeting. This year’s meeting will take place on March 26 & 27, 2024, in Washington, D.C. This will be a closed meeting intended for state members and federal guests. The agenda is in development and will be updated as appropriate.
A virtual registration option has been added! The virtual registration fee will be $125/line. More information regarding virtual access will be shared with registrants closer to the meeting.
Register here!
If you or the person you are registering already has an account with Member365, please use that login information to complete your registration. If you are unsure whether or not you have an account, or need assistance accessing your existing account, please contact Lexy Bailey, Member Services Associate.
Check back here for more updates.
2024 National CAFO Roundtable – Registration Now Live!
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Date: April 30 – May 3, 2024
Purpose: The 2024 National CAFO Roundtable supports the implementation of animal agriculture programs nationwide by helping support states and EPA to further identify challenges & barriers to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) program implementation, sharing new technologies, best management practices, showcasing innovative state programs and initiatives, 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 agriculture industry and other stakeholders.
Attendees: The CAFO Roundtable is a meeting of state AFO/CAFO regulators and EPA regional and headquarters representatives. Attendees generally include:
- State program managers, permit writers and inspectors involved in regulating AFOs/CAFOs
- EPA Headquarter and Regional staff involved in AFO/CAFO regulation
- Partnering state and federal agency staff that provide technical and/or regulatory assistance to AFOs/CAFOs
- Invited Guests
ACWA Meeting Webpage: 2024 National CAFO Roundtable – Association of Clean Water Administrators (acwa-us.org)
2024 Water Quality Standards Workshop
Dates: April 16-18, 2024
Venue: Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North, Albuquerque, NM
ACWA will be holding the 2024 Water Quality Standards Workshop April 16-18, 2024, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This workshop is a national meeting for State program managers and staff involved in water quality standards, as well as for both Regional and Headquarters-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency managers and staff. This workshop will primarily feature case studies and presentations on how states have worked towards developing water quality standards for complex criteria.
ACWA does anticipate having travel support for state staff.
You may Register here!
View the draft agenda here.
Lodging is now available at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North. ACWA has procured the local gov’t per diem rate of $141/night. Reserve your hotel room with this link.
Save the Date: 2024 Cross-Program Workshop
Dates/Venue: June 6-7, 2024 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV
Attendees: This co-regulator workshop is organized by state and federal regulators for participation by state and federal Clean Water Act (CWA) program managers. Unless stakeholders are invited for specific sessions, we anticipate focusing attendance on state, EPA Regional, and EPA HQ personnel who manage the CWA Section 303(c), 303(d), and 402 programs. Attendees should come prepared to discuss cross-program challenges and needs, as well as ways in which cross-program coordination has been an important aspect of successful CWA program and/or restoration plan implementation.
Workshop registration will be limited to state and federal officials. Please contact Ward Scott for information about Workshop registration.
Objective: ACWA’s Cross-Program Workshops are intended to bring together state and federal CWA program administrators to discuss and share ways in which cross-program coordination and collaboration can be strengthened to more effectively and efficiently restore and protect the nation’s waters. This year’s Workshop will focus on opportunities and challenges for state administrators of CWA Section 303(c), 303(d), and 402 programs in coordinating the planning and implementation of efforts to restore and protect the nation’s waters. State and federal clean water leaders will identify cross-program challenges and barriers to CWA implementation; work towards solutions to cross-cutting water quality topics; identify ways to improve technical capabilities (e.g., data management and interpretation, and applying the outputs of one program to the other programs); highlight opportunities for cross-program co-operation, implementation, and efficiencies; clarify linkages, roles, and responsibilities among the programs; and, identify areas where technical assistance would most benefit state staff.
Meeting Venue: The Cross-Program Workshop will take place June 6-7 (Thursday morning through Friday morning), at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. We are excited to announce that the Workshop will be run partially in conjunction with the Environmental Law Institute’s 2024 National Training Workshop on Water Quality Assessment and Plans. Cross-Program Workshop attendees are invited and encouraged to arrive on Wednesday, June 5 to participate in ELI’s workshop sessions and events on Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Agenda and Registration: ACWA has assembled a Workshop Planning Committee and will provide a draft agenda and additional information to ACWA Members soon.
Travel Support: ACWA plans to provide limited state travel support in the form of a post-workshop reimbursement. Please contact Ward Scott directly if you know you cannot attend without travel support.
Travel Logistics: Coming from Dulles International Airport, attendees will be provided with free shuttle transportation to the NCTC on Wednesday, June 5, and back to Dulles at the conclusion of the Workshop on Friday, June 7.
Website: Future updates for the 2024 Cross-Program Workshop will be available on ACWA’s website Events page.
Save The Date: 2024 National Stormwater Roundtable
Dates: October 22 – 24, 2024
City: Washington, DC
Meeting Space: EPA HQ Meeting Space
Hotel: Grand Hyatt Washington
Website: 2024 National Stormwater Roundtable
The 2024 National Stormwater Roundtable supports implementation of federal and state municipal, industrial, and construction stormwater programs nationwide by sharing best management practices, showcasing innovative federal and 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.
Meetings and Webinars
EPA Basic NPDES Permit Writer’ Course
The 5-week course will begin on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Participants should anticipate a time commitment of approximately 8 -10 hours per week and should seek supervisor approval before signing up. The course is scheduled to conclude on May 9th, however a “rain date” of May 14th should be reserved by the participants in case of technical issues.
The objective of this course is to provide the basic regulatory framework and technical considerations that support the development of wastewater discharge permits required under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. The course was designed for permit writers with six months to one year of experience in the NPDES program, but experienced permit writers wanting a refresher course and other water program staff wanting to learn more about the NPDES program also are welcome. Microsoft Teams will be utilized for the virtual classroom and can be accessed through the desktop application or a web browser. Course materials will be provided electronically on the Microsoft Teams classroom site for download by the participants prior to the start date.
As a foundational course, the training does not address in detail specialized topics such as industrial and municipal stormwater, concentrated animal feeding operations and pesticide discharges. For more information on these specialized topics, please visit EPA’s NPDES Web site at www.epa.gov/npdes
EPA is offering a separate morning and afternoon session for this course offering. Please see the registration pages for the agenda with dates and times for each session. Please not that all times are in the Eastern Time Zone. There is no cost for the course. Registration is limited and available at:
NPDES Basic Permit Writers’ Course – Virtual April 2024 (AM)
NPDES Basic Permit Writers’ Course – Virtual April 2024 (PM)
ACWA Legal Affairs Committee Meeting – April 30, 2024
On April 30 at 2:00 pm ET, ACWA’s Legal Affairs Committee will host a meeting to discuss the recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion in Idaho Conservation League v. Poe, in which a private party was found to have violated the CWA when he dumped suction dredge mining waste into WOTUS without a required NPDES permit. We will be joined by Bryan Hurlbutt with Advocates for the West, who represented Idaho Conservation League in the case, and will lead the discussion.
Please register for the meeting by clicking here.
For more information about Idaho Conservation League v. Poe, please click here.
EPA/ASDWA Small Drinking Water Webinar Series: Harmful Algal Blooms
On March 26, 2024, from 2:00 – 3:30 pm ET, EPA’s Office of Research and Development and the Office of Water, in partnership with ASDWA, will host a webinar on Harmful Algal Blooms as part of its Small Drinking Water Systems Webinar Series. The webinar will provide presentations on Establishing an Algal Toxin Rule and Regulatory Program in Rhode Island, an Informal Case Study; and Insights on Harmful Algal Bloom Dynamics in Urban Lakes and Introduction to Benthic Sample Preparation. Please click here to register for the webinar.
EPA Watershed Academy Webcast: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience
On March 26, 2024, from 3:30 – 5:00 pm ET, EPA’s Watershed Academy will host a webcast, Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience. The webcast will feature professionals from across the country that are conducting nature-based projects to promote climate resilience. Speakers will discuss a variety of work related to the restoration, protection, and management of natural and modified ecosystems. Please click here to register for the webcast.
EPA Trash Free Waters Program Webinar: Plastics and Climate
On April 4, 2024, at 2:30 pm ET, EPA’s Trash Free Waters program will host a webinar to discuss the relationship between plastics and climate change. From production and transport to consumption and disposal, plastics have a profound impact on our environment, including our climate. During this webinar, three expert panelists will provide information on the effects of plastic consumption and production on climate change and answer your questions about this serious problem. Please register for the webinar by clicking here.
Job Opportunities
Information Officer – Contracts Management
Location: Lowell, MA
Closing Date: March 24, 2024
To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org by
March 24, 2024. Please reference #24-Lowell-005 in the email subject line. Accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Water Quality Standards Specialist (Natural Resource Specialist 3)
Location: Portland, Oregon
Closing Date: March 24, 2024
For more information and to apply, visit Oregon Job Opportunities.
Communications Intern – Long Island Sound Study
Location: Stamford, CT
Closing Date: March 24, 2024
To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and journalistic writing samples to jobs@neiwpcc.org by March 24, 2024. Please reference #24-LISS-003 in the email subject line. A full position description may be viewed at https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers. Additional information about LISS can be found on https://longislandsoundstudy.net/.
Environmental Engineer
Location: Des Moines, IA
Closing Date: March 26, 2024 11:59 PM
Looking to be an integral part of the team that creates the foundation for improving Iowa’s surface waters? The DNR is excited to present an opportunity to work for the State of Iowa as a TMDL modeling engineer. TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Loads) are watershed-wide models that act as the starting plan to improve waterbodies that are impaired for various pollutants. TMDLs are highly technical documents. As such, this posting is intended for applicants with a degree in environmental, agricultural, or civil engineering. May 2024 graduates are welcome to apply. Additionally, due to the high number of impairments on lakes in the state, the DNR welcomes applicants with degrees in limnology AND experience with modeling tools to apply as well.
For specific job duties, requirements, and application information, visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/iowa/jobs/4419092/environmental-engineer-tmdl-modeling-engineer?sort=PostingDate%7CDescending&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
Water Resource Professional II (TMDL Writer)
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Closing Date: March 29, 2024
Job ID #142133
NMED #12186
The Surface Water Quality Bureau (SWQB) preserves, protects, and improves New Mexico’s surface water quality for present and future generations. This position will support the mission of the SWQB by developing the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) planning documents, assisting with assessment of surface water quality data to develop the Clean Water Act List of Impaired Waters and developing other water quality planning documents. This position is responsible for developing TMDL planning documents, managing water quality data, running moderately complex water quality models, and presenting technical documents to the public. This position also assists with periodic water quality monitoring surveys and water quality assessments.
If you are interested in applying, please visit NM’s Job Opportunities website to review the job posting and complete your application!
Seasonal Invasive Species Intern
Location: Providence, RI
Closing Date: April 7, 2024
To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org by April 7, 2024. Please reference #24-RIDEM-001 in the email subject line. Accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Lake Champlain Education and Outreach Steward
Location: Grand Isle and Burlington, Vermont
Closing Date: April 7, 2024
To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample by email to Jobs@neiwpcc.org by April 7, 2024. Please reference #24-LCBP-004 in the email subject line. A full position description may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Environmental Analyst – Long Island Sound Habitat Restoration Coordinator
Location: Kings Park, NY
Closing Date: April 7, 2024
To apply, submit cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org by April 7, 2024. Please reference #24-LISS-004 in the email subject line. Accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Real Property Coordinator – Long Island Conservation
Location: Stony Brook, NY
Closing Date: April 7, 2024
To apply, submit cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org by April 7, 2024. Please reference #24-LISS-005 in the email subject line. Accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Program Manager – Drinking Water Source Protection Program
Location: Albany, NY
Closing Date: April 14, 2024
To apply, submit cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org by April 14, 2024. Please reference #24-NYS-SW-DOH-002 in the email subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, accepting applications until the position is filled. A full position description and benefits listing may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/about-us/careers.
Environmental Permit Specialist III
Location: Austin, TX
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, click here.
Construction Stormwater Program Coordinator
Location: Salt Lake County, UT
Closing Date: Open Until Filled
The Utah Division of Water Quality Construction Stormwater Program Coordinator oversees Utah’s more than 5,000 construction stormwater UPDES permits. You will serve as the state’s technical and policy expert on construtcion stormwater permitting by preparing permits, inspecting sites, and providing technical assistance and outreach to stormwater permittees.
For more information and to apply online click here.
Senior General Permits Manager
Location: Spokane, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, visit State of Washington Job Opportunities.
General Permit Coordinator
Location: Thurston County – Lacey, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, visit State of Washington Job Opportunities.
Lead Permit Developer/Facility Manager
(Environmental Specialist 4)
Location: Yakima County – Union Gap, WA
Closing Date: Continuous
For more information and to apply, visit State of Washington Job Opportunities.
Be sure to check out other opportunities on ACWA’s jobs page.
