News EPA & USACE Announce Intent to Revise the Navigable Waters Protection Rule This week EPA and the USACE announced their intent to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). The agencies’ announcement came as the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion requesting remand of the rule the U.S. District Court… Read More »
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ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XII, Issue 20 (Week of May 31, 2021)
News EPA Publishes NWQI Practitioners Guide In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), EPA has published Planning and Implementing Agricultural Water Quality Projects Through the National Water Quality Initiative: a Practitioners Guide (NWQI Practitioners Guide) on EPA’s webpages. The document provides a resource for EPA staff, NRCS staff, and… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XII, Issue 7 (Week of Feb. 22, 2021)
News EPA WSD Releases Vaccination Information for Water & Wastewater Workers The EPA Water Security Division (WSD) released an updated website with Center for Disease Control (CDC) vaccination information for essential workers. The CDC recommends states and local jurisdictions develop a phased approach for COVID-19 vaccinations. In defining essential workers, CDC references the Department of… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 40 (Week of Nov. 30, 2020)
News Water Utility Employees Included in Phase 1-B of COVID Vaccination Program The Department of Homeland Security recognizes water and wastewater utility staff and their suppliers and manufacturers as part of the “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce” (see page 15). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s phased approach for COVID-19 vaccinations recommends that non-health care… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 33 (Week of September 28, 2020)
News EPA OIG Reports on Title VI Program Funding Oversight EPA Office of Inspector General Released (OIG) a report, Improved EPA Oversight of Funding Recipients’ Title VI Programs Could Prevent Discrimination, stating that the External Civil Rights Compliance Office (ECRCO) has “not fully implemented” an effective oversight system to track whether funding recipients are complying… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 31 (Week of September 14, 2020)
News Proposal to Reissue and Modify Nationwide Permits The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Proposal To Reissue and Modify Nationwide Permits was published in the Federal Register this week. Nationwide Permits (NWPs) authorize certain activities under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 28 (Week of August 17, 2020)
News EPA Emergency COVID-19 Impact Study EPA is developing an emergency survey to gauge the current and anticipated economic and operational challenges faces by the nation’s drinking water and wastewater system during the coronavirus (COVID-19) national health emergency. A goal of the information collection is to assess whether water sector utilities have sufficient resources to… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 23 (Week of July 6, 2020)
News Spring 2020 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions Last week, EPA released the spring 2020 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. This list provides updates on all planned regulatory activities for the next 12 months. “EPA has mapped out our regulatory agenda through the first half of 2021 that will continue to reduce… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 22 (Week of June 22, 2020)
News ECOS Status of State Environmental Agency Budgets ECOS published its report on the Status of State Environmental Agency Budgets (EAB), FY2016 – FY2019 this week. The report notes that state environmental agency funding rose 18.9%, or a total of $2.56B, in 46 states and one territory over the reporting period. Based on data collected… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 21 (Week of June 8, 2020)
News Public Webinar for the Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule On June 1, 2020, the EPA finalized the “Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule” to implement the water quality certification process consistent with the text and structure of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The final rule establishes procedures that promote consistent implementation… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 20 (Week of June 1, 2020)
News EPA Issues Final Rule Revising 401 Regulations This week, the Office of Water released the long-awaited final rule revising the water quality certification process, Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule. The final rule establishes procedures designed to promote consistent implementation of CWA Section 401 and provide regulatory certainty in the federal licensing and… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 19 (Week of May 18, 2020)
News EPA Request Comments on Sec. 404 & ESA Consultation EPA will soon be publishing a Federal Register Notice requesting public comment regarding whether Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 Consultation is required when EPA approves a state or tribe’s Clean Water Act Section 404 dredge and fill permit program. Specifically, EPA is seeking comment… Read More »
