Monday Morning Briefing

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Our Monday Morning Briefing offers weekly coverage of all the latest water policy news. The latest issue of MMB is available for everyone to read but you must be a member to see the archives.

Past Issues (Join or Login to Continue)

June 10, 2013

Latest EPA Survey Reports $384 Billion In Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs

EPA released its fifth Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment last week, once again highlighting the vast resource allocations

Final SAB Perchlorate Report Submitted To EPA

On May 29, EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) submitted its final report containing recommendations for setting a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG

AMWA And NACWA Ask Congress To Protect Municipal Bonds

AMWA and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) sent an alert to all members of the House of Representatives last week to encourage

House Subcommittee To Consider Bill To Create Cybersecurity Guidance For Industry

UPDATE, 6/11: The Homeland Security Committee has postponed the planned markup of the "National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection

House Extends CFATS For Another Year

The Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program would receive yet another one-year extension under

EPA Issues Risk Communication Guidance For Contamination Incidents

EPA recently released Developing Risk Communication Plans for Drinking Water Contamination Incidents, a publication to help drinking water utilities

New EPA “Quick Guide” For Watershed Planning Available

In an effort to make its watershed planning guidance less complex, EPA has released A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect

June 3, 2013

Lawmakers Circulating Letter To Protect Muni Bond Tax Exemption

Two House lawmakers are seeking support for a letter asking congressional leaders to reject any proposal that would limit the value of the tax

House Members Spar Over Desalination Research Bill

Members of the House Water and Power Subcommittee broke along party lines at a hearinglast month on a bill to reauthorize federal desalination

New Methods Available For Drinking Water Analysis

In a May 31 Federal Register notice, EPA issued expedited approvals for 84 additional analytical methods for determining compliance with national

Water Affordability Report And Assessment Tool Released

A new report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, AWWA and WEF sets out alternatives to EPA’s current approach for measuring the ability of communities

May 27, 2013

MMB Published in Advance of Memorial Day; AMWA Offices Closed Monday

The May 27 edition of Monday Morning Briefing is being published early today in advance of Memorial Day. AMWA’s offices in Washington, D.C. will be

House Appropriations Allocation Cuts Funds Available For EPA

House lawmakers will have a smaller pool of dollars from which to carve out 2014 funding for EPA under spending allocations announced by GOP House

Acting AA for Water Testifies on Proposed SRF Cuts

Acting EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Nancy Stoner appeared before the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee last week to testify

NIST Director Defends Cybersecurity Executive Order Before Hill Committee

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Patrick Gallagher told members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week

Water Sector Industrial Control Systems Threat Briefing Set For Tuesday, May 28 

On May 28, WaterISAC is hosting the next Water Sector Industrial Control Systems Threat Briefing. The webcast will feature presentations from David

May 20, 2013

Senate Overwhelmingly Approves WIFIA Pilot Program

A proposed “Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act” (WIFIA) took a major step forward last week when the U.S. Senate approved a WIFIA pilot

Senate Panel Advances McCarthy Nomination

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee backed the nomination of Gina McCarthy to serve as the next EPA Administrator last week on a party

BLM Re-proposes Draft Hydraulic Fracturing Rule

Stakeholders awaiting a rulemaking governing hydraulic fracturing (fracking) practices on federal and Indian lands from the Department of the Interior

Senate, House Agriculture Committees Advance Farm Bills With Conservation Programs

The respective Agriculture Committees of the Senate and House approved their versions of long-term farm bill reauthorizations last week. Both measures

Perciasepe Brings EPA Budget Testimony To E&C Committee

Acting EPA Administrator Bob Perciasepe was back on Capitol Hill last week to defend the Obama Administration’s FY14 budget request before the House

CDC Releases Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolbox

The Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolbox, designed to help utilities plan for, develop, implement and evaluate drinking water advisories, was

May 13, 2013

Senate Vote Expected On WRDA, WIFIA Bill

After a week of Senate debate on the “Water Resources Development Act of 2013” (S. 601), a proposed “Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act

Water Supply Reallocation Limits Dropped From WRDA Bill

Senate leaders have removed a controversial provision from the WRDA bill that would have limited the authority of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and

Committees Plan Farm Bill Markups

Efforts to enact a new long-term farm bill will pick up steam this week as the Senate Agriculture Committee marks up its farm legislation on Tuesday

Conference Of Mayors Urges A “Fresh Look” At Water Affordability

In a new report, the U.S. Conference of Mayors documents the growing challenge of water affordability for low income households and communities and

McCarthy Nomination On Hold As Republicans Boycott Committee Vote McCarthy Nomination On Hold As Republicans Boycott Committee Vote

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s vote on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to serve as EPA Administrator was postponed last week

Perciasepe Again Defends FY14 EPA, SRF Budget Request

For the second time in three weeks, Acting EPA Administrator Bob Perciasepe visited Capitol Hill last Wednesday to defend the Obama Administration’s

Bill Would Reauthorize CWSRF, Establish Trust Fund

Legislation introduced in the House of Representatives last week would authorize $13.8 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) over

May 6, 2013

Water Resources Bill With WIFIA Title Heads to Senate Floor

This week the U.S. Senate is expected to begin consideration of S. 601, the Water Resources Development Act of 2013, a measure that includes an AMWA

Democrats Call For “Blue Ribbon Commission” On Chemical Plant Security

As investigators continue their work following last month’s fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, two Democratic lawmakers are calling on

EPA Awards Water Resiliency Funds To New York, New Jersey

EPA announced last week that it will award New York and New Jersey a total of $569 million to help water and wastewater systems in those states repair

New Reports Highlight Fracking’s High Volume Water Consumption

A great deal of attention has been given to potential water contamination and the associated potential health effects of hydraulic fracturing

April 29, 2013

AMWA Urges Congress To Restore SRF Funds

AMWA joined a coalition of drinking water and wastewater organizations last week in calling on members of the House Interior and Environment

EPA Takes Heat For Proposed SRF Cuts

The chairman of the Senate Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee criticized the Obama Administration’s proposed cuts

AMWA President Calls For Innovative Financing, Research To Address Drought

AMWA President Pat Mulroy called on Congress to help water utilities respond to persistent drought by increasing water research and developing

GOP Requests Delay On McCarthy Vote

Republican members of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee asked to delay the panel’s confirmation vote on Gina McCarthy’s

EPA Proposes Effluent Limitation Guidelines For Power Plants

On April 19, EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe signed a proposed rule to set effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) for certain steam power

April 22, 2013

AMWA Focuses On Problematic Reservoir Storage Provision In WRDA

AMWA is investigating a provision in S. 601, the “Water Resources Development Act of 2013” (WRDA), that could make it more difficult for community

House Approves Cybersecurity Bill Despite Veto Threat

The House of Representatives last week approved a controversial cybersecurity information-sharing bill despite a veto threat from President Obama that

Public Meeting On CCL/UCMR Method Development

The EPA announced in an April 16 Federal Register notice that it will hold a public meeting May 15 to “discuss analytical testing procedures for

Nominations Sought For SAB Drinking Water Committee

EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) published an April 12 Federal Register notice seeking nominees for the SAB and its standing committees. Open

EPA Releases Draft National Water Program Guidance For 2014

EPA has released a draft of its National Water Program Guidance for fiscal year 2014. The guidance “describes how EPA, states, territories, and tribal

April 15, 2013

FY14 Budget Request Would Cut EPA, SRF Funding

The $3.8 trillion FY14 budget request sent by President Obama to Congress last week proposes new cuts to EPA and the Drinking Water and Clean Water

Obama Budget Would Cap Tax Deductions, Limit Muni Bond Benefits

The FY14 budget proposal released by President Obama last week includes language to cap tax deductions for high-earning families – a provision that

CFATS Extension, National Infrastructure Bank Among Items Tucked Into FY14 Budget

Beyond SRF funding levels and caps on tax-exempt municipal bond interest, the hundreds of pages of President Obama’s FY14 budget request include

CBO Scoring Issue Complicates Water Infrastructure Legislation

An April 9 report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated a proposed “Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act” (WIFIA) would cost

WaterISAC Plans Webcast on Optimizing Operations Amidst Cyber Security Threats

On April 23, WaterISAC and EMA, Inc. will host a webcast to discuss the questions utilities should ask to identify their cyber security strengths and

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