Washington Report

House passes EPA spending bill that would reduce SRFs

House passes EPA spending bill that would reduce SRFs

Public Utility Finance, Washington Report, Water Finance November 6, 2023 at 10:19 am

The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved an appropriations bill that would reduce total funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and some of the agency’s key funding programs, although the measure is unlikely to get very far. The measure would reduce EPA’s fundingRead More

AMWA, other sector orgs support continued LIHWAP funding

AMWA, other sector orgs support continued LIHWAP funding

Rates & Affordability, Washington Report, Water Finance October 19, 2023 at 10:24 am

The Association of Metropolitan of Water Agencies (AMWA) recently joined more than 150 national, state and local organizations in writing to congressional leaders to express strong support for continued funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) at Department of Health and Human Services inRead More

EPA announces $20 million in grants to help bolster water workforce

EPA announces $20 million in grants to help bolster water workforce

Washington Report October 9, 2023 at 7:05 am

The Biden-Harris administration is announcing the availability of more than $20 million in grant funding to support training and career opportunities for water and wastewater workers through the U.S. EPA’s Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant program. Frontline workers at water and wastewater treatment utilitiesRead More

EPA finalizes rule to require PFAS reporting

EPA finalizes rule to require PFAS reporting

Washington Report October 4, 2023 at 12:33 pm

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule in September that it said will provide the agency, its partners and the public with the largest-ever dataset of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) manufactured and used in the United States. The agency said rule buildsRead More

Commentary: Now is the time to amend WIFIA

Commentary: Now is the time to amend WIFIA

By John Ryan Congress certainly looks like an exciting place this fall, with plenty of political fireworks and intense drama over spending. But there’s no doubt legislators and their constituents will also want to see progress on some basic things that are clearly beneficial, aren’tRead More

EPA Headquarters building at the Federal Triangle in Washington, DC.

WOTUS amended to conform to Supreme Court decision

Legal Corner, Washington Report September 11, 2023 at 10:45 am

In late August, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) announced a final rule to amend the definition of “waters of the United States” to conform with the recent Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA. The agenciesRead More

Water sector reiterates call to fully fund SRFs in 2024

Water sector reiterates call to fully fund SRFs in 2024

Washington Report, Water Finance September 5, 2023 at 7:45 am

In August, 18 water sector organizations including those representing U.S. utility systems, wrote to Congress to reiterate support for funding the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) to the maximum authorization in federal law, $3 billion each, for fiscal year 2024. InRead More

EPA announces $50 million in grants for stormwater, sewer needs

EPA announces $50 million in grants for stormwater, sewer needs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the availability of nearly $50 million in regular funding through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. States may now apply for grant assistance to fundRead More

NACWA warns against proposed ‘radical spending cuts’ to SRFs in FY24

NACWA warns against proposed ‘radical spending cuts’ to SRFs in FY24

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) expressed deep concern last week about the potential for Congress to move forward on massive spending cuts being proposed for the Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. These programs had been previously designated forRead More

AWWA: EPA ‘should consider withdrawing’ proposed NPDWR for PFOA, PFOS

AWWA: EPA ‘should consider withdrawing’ proposed NPDWR for PFOA, PFOS

Washington Report, Water Management June 5, 2023 at 12:30 pm

In public comments submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week, two water sector associations representing the drinking water sector offered strong recommendations to the agency’s proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for PFAS. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) and AssociationRead More