A draft FY13 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill approved by a House subcommittee would extend the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program for another year while maintaining the water and wastewater sector’s exemption from the program. MORE

EPA has released a draft guidance document, “Permitting Guidance for Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing Activities Using Diesel Fuels (Underground Injection Control Program Guidance #84),” clarifying its permitting requirements for hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) operations under its underground injection control program.  MORE

EPA officially kicked off the process for developing its fourth drinking water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL4) with a call for contaminant nominations in a May 8 Federal Register. MORE

A new National Water Quality Initiative announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will make up to $33 million available to encourage farmers, ranchers and foresters to improve the health of selected watersheds. MORE

The House of Representatives passed its first FY13 appropriations bill, a measure that includes $5 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. MORE