Provided by the Water Environment Federation,
Alexandria, VA

Congress Hears Conflicting Testimony Regarding SRF Funding Levels
A bill to substantially raise the amounts of clean and safe drinking water state revolving loan funds received varying degrees of support this week as EPA, states, local elected officials, and other interest groups testified before and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Ben Grumbles, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water, said the Administration supports the goals of S.1961, the Water Investment Act of 2002, but had concerns on the amount of the funding increase. "The President clearly defined his priorities in the State of the Union as defense and homeland security … the increased spending called for in this bill is not consistent with those priorities," said Grumbles. The bill would authorize $35 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure over five years through the current SRF with some additional administrative adjustments to the programs. Grumbles said the Administration is also concerned about provisions in the bill that would expand the scope of projects eligible for SRF funding and that the expansion may have the effect of taking away resources from core water and wastewater infrastructure issues. Grumbles did say the Administration supported other provisions in the bill, including allowing the transfer of funds between the clean water SRF and the safe drinking water SRF and vice-versa, and provisions promoting technology innovation.

The second day of the hearing focused on testimony from municipal water and wastewater agencies including Paul Pinault, Executive Director of the Narragansett Bay Commission. While EPA did not support the levels of funding in the bill, Pinault said the bill falls short of the $57 billion over the next five years recommended by the Water Infrastructure Network to address core infrastructure investments. Pinault, testifying on behalf of the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies, said Congress should recognize the need for grants to local communities in S. 1961. The Senate is expected to move quickly to approve S. 1961 out of committee and on to the floor for a vote. On the House side, a similar bill by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected to be introduced next week with a hearing scheduled for March 13. The full text of the S.1961 and testimony from both hearings before the Environment and Public Works Committee is available at http://www.senate.gov/~epw/stm1_107.htm. (JKS)

EPA Enforcement Positions Filled
This week President Bush announced his intention to nominate John Peter Suarez as EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Suarez has served as the Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement since 1999 and previously was Assistant Counsel to then-Governor Christie Whitman. In 1998, he was Special Assistant to the New Jersey Director of Criminal Justice. On February 27, Steven J. Shimberg was appointed as EPA Associate Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Prior to this appointment, Shimberg worked as Vice-President of the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C. from 1997 to 2001. Between 1981 and 1997, Shimberg held various staff positions in the U.S. Senate including Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the Committee on Environment and Public Works and counsel to the late Senator John H. Chafee (R-RI). (SRT)

EPA Publishes New Nutrient Criteria Documents
EPA published nine new nutrient criteria documents for lakes/reservoirs and rivers/streams on February 28 (67 FR 9269). In January 2001, EPA released seventeen ecoregion-specific nutrient criteria documents (66 FR 1671) as part of the 1998 National Nutrient Strategy. The documents are intended to assist states and tribes with the development of numeric nutrient criteria and contain specific recommendations. The criteria documents have undergone peer review outside of the Agency, and the public can also provide scientific views and information during the next 90 days. The criteria documents are available on the web at www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/nutrient.html. (SRT)

EPA Proposes Effluent Limitations Guidelines and NSPS for Meat and Poultry Products Point Source Category
EPA announced in the 2-25-02 Federal Register proposed effluent guidelines and standards for wastewater discharges from meat and poultry processing facilities. The proposed regulation revises technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards for wastewater discharges associated with the operation of new and existing meat processing and independent rendering facilities, proposes new effluent limitations guidelines for poultry slaughtering and poultry further processing facilities that discharge wastewater, and revises the name of the regulation. EPA estimates that compliance with this regulation as proposed would reduce the discharge of nutrients by at least 53 million pounds per year and would cost an estimated $80 million (year 1999 $, pre-tax) on an annual basis. In addition, EPA expects that discharges of conventional pollutants would be reduced by at least 32 million pounds per year. EPA has estimated that the annual quantifiable benefits of the proposal would be approximately $37 million.

EPA must receive comments on the proposal by midnight of April 26, 2002. EPA will conduct two public hearings on March 14, 2002 at 1 p.m. (Kansas City, MO) and April 9, 2002 at 9 a.m. (Washington, DC). To view the proposed rule, visit: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2002/February/Day-25/w2838.pdf. (SJH)

Deadline for Construction and Development Effluent Guidelines Extended
EPA has received court approval to extend the consent decree deadline for the upcoming proposed rule establishing Effluent Limitation Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Construction & Development Point Source Category. The new deadline by which the proposal must be signed is May 15. When finalized, the regulation will establish technology-based standards for wastewater discharges from construction sites regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program and will also establish standards for design and installation of permanent storm water best management practices. The deadline for EPA to finalize the rule remains unchanged at March 31, 2004. Information on the proposed rule and supporting documents are available at the Construction and Development Effluent Guidelines Home Page, http://www.epa.gov/OST/guide/construction (SRT).

Registration Now Open For All EPA/WEF Wastewater Security Training Sessions; Session in Indianapolis, IN is March 19
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) in cooperation by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a series of wastewater security training sessions throughout the country this spring. These free-of-charge, one-day workshops will address how to mitigate security threats and react in the event of a crisis. Registration for these workshops is limited and the first workshop in this series, being held March 6 in Boston, Mass., is near capacity. Registration for all remaining sessions are now open including Indianapolis, Ind. on March 19; Sacramento, Calif. on April 2; Denver, CO on April 15; Dallas, Texas on May 1; and Atlanta, Ga. on May 9. Schedule and program updates, as well as registration information, can be found online at www.wef.org/Publicinfo/WEFsecurity.jhtml. (JKS)

EPA Announces 2002 Biosolids Exemplary Management Awards Program
EPA's nomination guidance for its 2002 Biosolids Exemplary Management Awards Program is now available for all wastewater agencies. EPA encourages agencies to submit nominations. The awards program recognizes excellence in all areas of municipal biosolids management, including outstanding operating projects, research, technological advances, public acceptability, and risk and cost reduction activities. Application information includes the current categories and criteria to recognize a broad spectrum of programs. The national awards will be presented on 9-30-02 at WEFTEC in Chicago, IL. To download the awards guidance document, visit the National Biosolids Partnership web page: http://www.biosolids.org/. (SJH)

WEF 2002 Biosolids Specialty Conference Papers Available On-Line
The new papers from the 16th WEF Annual Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference that will be held on March 3-6, 2002 are now available for purchase through WEF's online library. To view the list of papers and abstracts, click on the link below: http://www.wef.org/applications/periodicals/results.cfm?searchmonth=March&searchyear=2002&pubtype=conf%20paper&keyword=biosolids. The hyperlink to the WEF On-Line Library and Bookstore for biosolids publications is also located on the NBP home page - http://www.biosolids.org. (SJH)

Quote of the Week:
"Every person, every family, every community in America depends on clean and safe water. America can be proud of all that we have accomplished to bring clean and safe water to so many of us." - Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) on S. 1961 The Water Investment Act of 2002 during a February 26 hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

This Week in Washington is provided by the Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA. To receive This Week in Washington by e-mail, contact Lisa Scott, (703) 684-2400 ext. 7741, lscott@wef.org. For more information on this week's stories, please contact the WEF Government Affairs staff member whose initials appear at the end of the item in which you are interested. TSW -Tim Williams (703) 684-2437, twilliams@wef.org; JKS - Jim Sullivan, (703) 684-2436, jsullivan@wef.org: SRT - Sharon Thomas, (703) 684-2423, sthomas@wef.org; SJH - Sam Hadeed (703) 684-2418, shadeed@wef.org; EDM - Eugene DeMichele, (703) 684-2438, edmichele@wef.org; AMWA - Michael Archeneaux, michael@amwa.net. This Week in Washington is available on-line at www.wef.org/GovtAffairs