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… Read More »
Documents
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… Read More »
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… Read More »
USAG Memo Consent Decree and Settlement Agreement States and Local Governments
Memo from the US Attorney General to provide direction to all civil litigating components and United States Attorneys’ Offices (“USAO”) concerning several important issues arising when a civil action against… Read More »
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,… 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… 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… 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… Read More »
Final EPA Regional Realignment Plan
EPA’s Regional Realignment Plan establishes a standard organizational structure for its regional offices that is intended to: • Increase coordination between EPA National Programs and their regional counterparts as we… Read More »
Principles and Best Practices for Oversight of Federal Environmental Programs Implemented by States and Tribes
Memo from Acting Administrator Wheeler to regional administrators directing EPA to defer to state decision-making in most cases but also lays out situations when regulators should intervene to protect human… Read More »