Washington Report

The Senate voted 52-46 on Friday to confirm Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Republicans moved forward with Pruitt’s confirmation despite a last-minute push from Democrats and environmentalists to delay the vote. Pruitt’s confirmation came a dayRead More

According to a new estimate developed by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), eliminating tax-exempt municipal bonds would increase water and wastewater infrastructure financing costs by $16 billion nationwide over a 30-year repayment period. TheRead More

Earlier this month, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-0 to advance Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for full consideration by the Senate. While some Democrats boycotted the committee, Republicans voted toRead More

Water and wastewater infrastructure funding programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would receive an additional $110 billion over the next 10 years as part of a massive $1 trillion infrastructure spending plan unveiled by Senate Democrats inRead More

Scott Pruitt, Oklahoma attorney general and President Trump’s nominee to head up the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), expressed strong support for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program and the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) in his writtenRead More

Leadership at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is transitioning this week as President Donald Trump’s administration assumes power. The position of EPA Administrator last held by Gina McCarthy has been temporarily filled by Catherine McCabe, who is now acting administrator. Previously, McCabe served as theRead More

The US Water Alliance announced Thursday that DC Water CEO and General Manager George Hawkins and American Water President and CEO Susan Story, will join its board of directors. Hawkins has served as the CEO and general manager of DC Water since 2009, where heRead More

President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to multiple reports. If confirmed by the Senate, Pruitt — a Republican and frequent opponent of President Obama’s environmental policies — would oversee the 15,000-employee agencyRead More

Last week, EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water released the agency’s final Drinking Water Action Plan. Organized around six “priority areas,” the plan is intended to serve as a “national call to action, urging all levels of government, utilities, community organizations, and otherRead More

Lawmakers return to Washington this week with the goal of quickly wrapping up the year’s remaining unfinished business. The top “must-pass” item on the agenda is a continuing resolution (CR) that is expected to keep the federal government operating largely at current funding levels throughRead More