News Bipartisan Vote to Confirm Regan as EPA Administrator This week, the Senate voted 66-34 to confirm Michael Regan as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Regan hails from North Carolina, where he most recently served as the head of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. During his confirmation hearings before the Senate… Read More »
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ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 34 (Week of October 5, 2020)
News EPA Releases Proposal to Better Protect Ecosystems from Incidental Discharges of Marine Vessels EPA is proposing to establish national standards of performance for incidental discharges from commercial vessels as required under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). The proposed rule includes discharge-specific standards for 20 different types of vessel equipment and treatment systems, as well… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 26 (Week of July 27, 2020)
News House Passes FY21 EPA Budget with a Boost The House approved EPA’s fiscal year 2021 spending bill with a boost to overall agency funding by about 3 percent to almost $9.4 billion. The Environment-Interior Appropriations bill was joined in a “minibus” with funding for the Departments of State, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and Interior, passing… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 24 (Week of July 13, 2020)
News EPA Announces State WIFIA Program EPA announced the 2020 notice of funding availability under the WIFIA program, including funding for the new State infrastructure financing authority WIFIA (SWIFIA) program. This new program, which was authorized by Congress as part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018, offers low-interest loans to state water… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 21 (Week of June 15, 2020)
News EPA Announces the Release of the How’s My Waterway App EPA has announced the release of the How’s My Waterway App. From their press release: “EPA’s new How’s My Waterway provides unprecedented transparency that our partners and the public can use to learn about water, explore data and find out what’s happening to improve… 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 »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 14 (Week of April 13, 2020)
News Federal Court Nullifies Clean Water Act General Permit for Pipelines and Other Linear Projects A Montana federal court has vacated Clean Water Act (CWA) Nationwide Permit 12 (“NWP 12”) on the basis that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed to uphold its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when it reissued NWP… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. XI, Issue 5 (Week of February 3, 2020)
News Public Webcast on Navigable Waters Protection Rule (WOTUS) EPA and the Army will hold a public webcast to help explain the key elements of the final Navigable Waters Protection Rule on Thursday, February 13, 2020 from 2-3 PM ET. Registration is available here. The webcast will be recorded and available online following presentation. ACWA… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. IX, Issue 31 (Week of August 27, 2018)
News OECA Refocuses Priorities On Compliance On August 21, 2018 Susan Bodine, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) issued a memo to the Regional Administrators formally informing them of OECA’s decision to move away from National Enforcement Initiatives to National Compliance Initiatives. “The EPA intends to evolve the National Enforcement… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. IX, Issue 29 (Week of August 6, 2018)
News ACOE Issues Memo Clarifying Sec. 404 Assumption The U.S. Army today released a memorandum taking initial steps to empower States and tribes in assuming Section 404 permit authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In taking on this authority, States and tribes can accelerate job-creating economic development and infrastructure, all while continuing to protect… Read More »
ACWA Weekly Wrap Vol. IX, Issue 21 (Week of June 4, 2018)
News EPA Budget Moves to House Floor The House Appropriation Committee approved a $7.95 billion EPA budget. This budget is about 1% lower than FY18 level, but $2 billion more than the president’s budget request. Highlights include $2.6 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and $75 million for the Water Infrastructure… Read More »
