This Excel chart compares the Trump Administration’s proposed rule “Redefinition of Waters of the United States”, the 2015 Obama Administration rule defining Waters of the United States, and the regulatory definitions which existed before that. The chart provides brief information on how each defined various features/bodies of water, and where in the proposed redefinition of… Read More »
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ACWA Compilation of Questions EPA Seeks Comment On for Proposed Rule Redefining WOTUS
This document compiles questions asked by EPA in the proposed rule redefining Waters of the United States. In the proposed rule, EPA poses the questions after each section which discusses various definitions, terms, concepts, etc. The purpose of this document is to provide an easy-to-reference list of those questions for ACWA members and their states… Read More »
ACWA Summary of Proposed Rule Redefining WOTUS
The following memorandum provides a brief overview of key elements within the proposed rulemaking, Revised Definition of “Waters of the United States”. The summary is based on the pre-publication version of the proposed rule. This summary is meant to assist ACWA’s Membership in their review of the proposed rule as they prepare comments and provide… Read More »
Water Infrastructure Investment Needs
ACWA joined a broad coalition of organizations in urging Congress to provide funding for water, wastewater, stormwater and reuse infrastructure projects in any infrastructure funding packages considered during the 116th Congress.
Example Letter to State Agencies on Nutrients
EPA – in partnership with USDA – is encouraging increased engagement and a reinvigoration of state, tribal and federal efforts to reduce excess nutrients in waterways, with a focus on market-based and other collaborative pollutant reduction approaches. The Agencies are committed to working with federal agencies, states, tribes and stakeholders such as agricultural producers, wastewater and drinking water service providers, and conservation organizations, to develop solutions tailored to the needs of specific communities and watersheds.
Coalition Letter on Potential Changes to Sec. 401
We urge you to reject any changes to agency rules, guidance, and/or policy that may diminish, impair, or subordinate states’ well-established sovereign and statutory authorities to protect water quality within their boundaries. Any regulatory action related to states’ CWA Section 401 authority raises significant federalism concerns, and therefore, we request that EPA engage in meaningful and substantive consultation with state officials before the commencement of such action.
With the adoption of the CWA, Congress purposefully designated states as co-regulators under a system of cooperative federalism that recognizes state authority over the allocation, administration, protection, and development of water resources. Section 101 of the CWA clearly expresses Congress’s intent to:
…recognize, preserve, and protect the primary responsibilities and rights of States to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution, to plan the development and use (including restoration, preservation, and enhancement) of land and water resources, and to consult with the Administrator in the exercise of his authority under this chapter.
This declaration demonstrates Congress’s understanding that a one-size-fits-all approach to water management and protection does not accommodate the practical realities of geographic and hydrologic diversity among states.
Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) Letter
The Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) passed the senate as a part of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act. Under VIDA, the EPA and Coast Guard must work together to develop and implement ballast water and incidental discharge standards. The goal of this act is to have a more consistent national regulatory system for ballast water… Read More »
USAG Memo Consent Decree and Settlement Agreement States and Local Governments
December 2017 Nutrients Permitting Workshop Presentations
ACWA held the 2017 Nutrients Permitting Workshop in Boise, Idaho. The first of seven workshops, over fifty individuals from the states and EPA participated. Presentations were given on POTW technologies, permitting flexibilities and innovations, the interrelation of permitting for nutrients and other pollutants, and other issues. A group of attendees also visited the Dixie Drain project in… Read More »
2018 National Pretreatment Meeting
In April 2018, ACWA hosted the 2018 National Pretreatment Meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland. The two-day meeting held at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center brought together over 80 representatives from states and EPA Headquarters and Regions to discuss issues including pretreatment enforcement, the Dental Amalgam Rule, contaminants of emerging concern, deindustrialization and changing industries, food processing and… Read More »
June 2018 Nutrients Permitting Workshop Presentations
The June 2018 Nutrients Permitting Workshop was held in Columbus, Ohio. The second workshop in a series of seven, the Columbus workshop focused on the relationship between technology and permitting for nutrients. Presenters spoke on specific types of technology, optimization and alternative approaches to nutrients removal, costs analyses, operator training, small systems, and more. Also,… Read More »
November 2018 Nutrients Permitting Workshop Presentations
The workshop focused on the relationship between permitting for nutrients and TMDLs. Representatives from 27 states attended along with representatives from EPA Headquarters and 5 Regions. Topics included breaking down barriers between TMDL and permitting programs, CAFOs and MS4s, reassessing and reevaluating TMDLs, politics and public perceptions of TMDLs and permits, small systems, variances and… Read More »
