News
House Adopts Senate Budget Resolution
The House of Representatives voted this week, 216 to 214, to pass the Senate’s budget resolution, which was adopted last week. Once signed by the President, negotiations will officially kick off on 2026 appropriations, taxes, and the debt ceiling and the final bill will be adopted through reconciliation, which allows the measure to pass the Senate with a simple majority, avoiding the possibility of a filibuster.
Directing the Repeal of Unlawful Regulations
This week President Trump issued a memorandum specifically directing federal agencies to prioritize their “review and repeal” efforts to focus on regulations viewed as “unlawful” under a list of ten Supreme Court decisions. The memorandum cites back to Executive Order 14219, Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department Of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative (February 19, 2025) which directed all executive departments and agencies to identify certain categories of unlawful regulations within 60 days and begin plans to repeal them. The new memorandum goes on to require repeals of Supreme Court driven facially unlawful regulations to occur “without notice and comment, where doing so is consistent with the “good cause” exception in the Administrative Procedure Act.” Supreme Court decisions specifically cited include:
- Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, 603 U.S. 369 (2024) – Chevron doctrine
- West Virginia v. EPA, 597 U.S. 697 (2022), Major Questions Doctrine
- SEC v. Jarkesy, 603 U.S. 109 (2024), common law, Seventh Amendment
- Michigan v. EPA, 576 U.S. 743 (2015), reg costs and the APA
- Sackett v. EPA, 598 U.S. 651 (2023), CWA jurisdiction
- Ohio v. EPA, 603 U.S. 279 (2024), Clean Air Act and defensible science
- Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid, 594 U.S. 139 (2021), union organizers and Takings Clause
- Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 600 U.S. 181 (2023), “affirmative action” admission programs
- Carson v. Makin, 596 U.S. 767 (2022), religious schools and voucher programs
- Roman Cath. Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo, 592 U.S. 14 (2020), occupancy restrictions during COVID
Tangentially related to EO 14219, President Trump recently issued Executive Order Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy to help boost energy production by requiring ten federal agencies to add expiration dates (Conditional Sunset Dates), “to the extent consistent with applicable law,” to existing and new energy-related regulations which would then cause them to automatically lapse unless actively reviewed and extended. These agencies must implement this sunset process by September 30, 2025.
Related resources:
Directing the Repeal of Unlawful Regulations – The White House
Fact Sheet: Trump Directs Repeal of Regulations That Are Unlawful Under 10 Recent Supreme Court Decisions Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Regulatory Initiative
Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy
Association Updates
2025 Water Quality Standards Workshop – Virtual Listen-Only Option Available For Members
Dates: April 22-24, 2025
Location: Des Moines, IA
For this year’s workshop, we are able to offer a virtual option for state staff to listen in. This virtual option will be listen-only.
You may register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3-fPx6p0QGaQgSiQX86h7g
This workshop is a national meeting organized by ACWA for state staff involved in state water quality standards programs, as well as for both Regional and Headquarters-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency managers and staff. More information, including an updated agenda may be found here.
Save The Date for ACWA’s 64th Annual Meeting in Madison, WI!
Dates: August 13-15th, 2025
Board of Directors will meet August 12th, 2025.
Lodging is now open for reservation!
Venue:
The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club
One West Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53703
Room rate: $138 per night
Registration and more information will be coming soon. Check back here for more details.
2025 ACWA CWA Cross-Program Workshop – Registration is Live!
Dates: July 21-23, 2025
Location: Chicago (Rosemont), IL
Registration is now open for the 2025 CWA Cross-Program Workshop on July 21-23, 2025, in Chicago (Rosemont) at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. The theme for this year’s Workshop will be “CWA Cross-Program Coordination to Improve Nutrient Management and Address Nutrient Pollution.” The 2025 Workshop is the third annual Cross-Program Workshop held in cooperation with EPA.
Agenda and Registration: Please click here to register. There is no registration fee for this event. A draft agenda will be circulated and available soon.
Objective: CWA Cross-Program Workshops are intended to bring together state, territorial, 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 protect and restore our waters. The 2025 Workshop will focus on opportunities and challenges for administrators of CWA Sections 303(c), 303(d), and 402 in coordinating nutrient management and responses to nutrient pollution.
State, territorial, and federal clean water leaders will identify cross-program challenges and barriers to CWA implementation in the nutrients space; work toward solutions to cross cutting water quality topics; identify ways to improve technical capabilities; highlight opportunities for cross-program planning, implementation, and co-operation; and clarify linkages, roles, and responsibilities among CWA programs.
Participants: The Workshop target audience will be state/territorial clean water regulators with practical experience and responsibilities in supporting and managing CWA Section 303(c), 303(d), and/or 402 programs, particularly in the nutrients space, as well as EPA representatives for each of the programs. Attendees should come prepared to discuss ways in which cross-program coordination has been an important aspect of successful program and/or restoration plan implementation, as well as cross-program challenges and needs.
Travel Support: ACWA plans to provide limited state/territorial travel support in the form of a post-Workshop reimbursement. Please contact Ward Scott before June 1, if you know you will require travel support to attend the Workshop.
Hotel: Book your hotel room here. The room block will close June 30, 2025.
Website: 2025 Clean Water Cross-Program Workshop – Event Page
Meetings and Webinars
EPA Tools & Resources Training Webinar: Detection and Forecasting of Harmful Algal Blooms (April 16, 2025)
EPA will host a webinar on Wednesday, April 16, from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET to present two EPA research efforts related to detecting and forecasting cyanoHABs. The first uses satellite data to predict weekly probabilities of cyanoHABs in over 2000 U.S. lakes. EPA launched the public beta test forecast website for the 2024 active HAB season, and a newly updated forecasting website is planned for 2025. The forecasting has 91% overall accuracy, allowing states and local partners to prepare for, and quickly respond to, cyanoHAB events, mitigate health risks, and protect public health. The second research effort uses cyanotoxin encoding genes as an early warning system to predict cyanoHABs in source and recreational waters throughout the U.S.
Please click here to here to register for the Detection and Forecasting of HABs webinar
National Water and Wastewater Sector Cybersecurity Drill
Tuesday, April 29 – 1:00 – 2:00 pm (ET)
Register here
EPA is hosting a cybersecurity drill for drinking water and wastewater utilities to provide an opportunity for participants to test their ability to respond to a cybersecurity incident and practice manual operations.
Interested water systems may also participate in a 1-hour informational session designed specifically for systems interested in testing transition to manual operations.
Continuing education credits may be available. Please check the registration site for your state.
Water and Wastewater Cybersecurity Vulnerability Snapshot Quarterly Webinar
Wednesday, April 30th – 2:00 – 3:00 pm (ET)
Register here
The EPA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will provide an overview of the cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified at water and wastewater systems via CISA’s Free Cyber Vulnerability Scanning for Water Utilities and EPA’s Proactive Vulnerability Identification Program for Water and Wastewater Systems. EPA and CISA will share cybersecurity best practices for water and wastewater systems to limit exposure to these common vulnerabilities.
Job Opportunities
Upcoming Announcement: Colorado Water Quality Standards Feasibility Unit – Small Communities Feasibility Coordinator
This position is part of a team that provides scientific analysis, policy and regulatory recommendations, and other technical information to the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC). The unit’s work involves researching and analyzing complex water quality topics to support the development, implementation, and review of water quality standards variances in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act and the Colorado Water Quality Control Act.
Our team’s Small Community Feasibility Coordinator develops economic, technological, and environmental feasibility tools to scale our program’s support for small communities working to improve water quality. This work includes connecting with communities and conducting technical work to support the development of robust policy proposals that maximize feasible water quality progress throughout Colorado. By evaluating cost-effective and practical approaches, the coordinator ensures that small communities have the resources and insights needed to implement sustainable improvements while considering their unique constraints.
An ideal candidate:
- Effectively translates engineering concepts for decision-makers and communities.
- Conducts independent research and develops clear, actionable resources.
- Understands policy, economics, and philosophy and their impact on water quality.
- Solves problems proactively, connecting people, data, and systems.
If you’re interested in this position, enjoy solving difficult problems, and having a meaningful impact, please reach out to blake.beyea@state.co.us with any questions or for more information. The official job announcement is expected to open (Spring 2025).
Aquatic Invasive Species Boat Launch Stewards
Location: Lake Champlain, NY and VT
Closing Date: Open until filled
To apply, submit a cover letter and resume by email to jobs@neiwpcc.org; please reference #25-LCBP-003 in
the email subject line. Application review will begin on February 2, 2025, and will continue on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. A full position description may be viewed at: https://neiwpcc.org/aboutus/careers.
Be sure to check out other opportunities on ACWA’s Job Opportunities page.
