Washington Report

The director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Water Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Authority (WIFIA) program Jorianne Jernberg is leaving the agency, according to a colleague. The news was acknowledged in a Nov. 13 LinkedIn post from Tracy Mehan, AWWA’s executive director of governmentRead More

On Monday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposal designed to improve the scope of its perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) reporting regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The changes, EPA said, are aimed at making the rules more implementable and toRead More

The National Rural Water Association (NRWA), which supports water and wastewater professionals that serve small and rural communities in the United States, said without additional funding, it will receive a “stop work order” on Nov. 1 for its water Circuit Rider program. “The National RuralRead More

Water sector groups are reacting favorably to the reintroduction of the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act. The bipartisan legislation would fund upgrades to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure and make them more resilient against threats ranging from cyberattacks to extreme weather. The billRead More

The Water Coalition Against PFAS, a coalition of drinking water and wastewater sector organizations, is calling on Congress to pass legislation protecting passive receivers of PFAS from litigation after U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin called for new statutory authority in September. The WaterRead More

The House and Senate were unable to resolve their differences over the FY2026 appropriations process and sent the federal government into a partial shutdown on Oct. 1. The House passed a GOP-led funding extension Sept. 19 primarily along party lines. It was a “clean” continuingRead More

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Jessica Kramer as the next assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water. Kramer was first nominated by President Donald Trump in February and had been awaiting confirmation for seven months. Kramer worked in the OfficeRead More

By Charlie Suse In November of 2021, the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was passed, ushering in a historic infusion of federal funding to bolster the nation’s infrastructure. The IIJA appropriated roughly $43.5 billion for water infrastructure through the existing State RevolvingRead More

By John Ryan The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Corps Water Infrastructure Finance Program (CWIFP) is an original part of the successful 2014 WIFIA loan program statutory framework. CWIFP’s implementation has been much delayed (more on that later), but the program was finally able toRead More

In late July, the Senate released its Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) appropriations bill. Its release came with some anticipation in the water sector following a recent House version – a draft and final proposal – that would slash EPA’s budgetRead More