Provided by the Water Environment Federation,
Alexandria, VA

EPA Sets Arsenic Standard For Drinking Water at 10 Parts per Billion
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman announced on October 31 that the arsenic standard in drinking water will be 10 parts per billion (ppb). In January 2001, EPA revised the standard from 50 ppb to 10 ppb. Under the Bush Administration, EPA decided to review the decision to ensure that the final standard was based on sound science and accurate estimates of costs and benefits. Whitman asked for time to evaluate new information and requested three expert panels to review new and existing materials. The National Academy of Sciences looked at risk, the National Drinking Water Advisory Council examined costs to water systems throughout the nation, and EPA's Science Advisory Board assessed benefits. The extra time did not delay the effective date for utilities to comply with the new arsenic standard, which remains January 2006. Nearly 97 percent of the water systems affected by this rule are small systems that serve less than 10,000 people each. EPA plans to provide $20 million over the next two years for the research and development of more cost-effective technologies. The Agency also will provide technical assistance and training to operators of small systems to help reduce their compliance costs (SRT).

Jeffords, Boehlert Introduce Water Security Legislation
Senator Jim Jeffords (I-VT), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Representative Sherry Boehlert (R-NY), chair of the House Science Committee each introduced legislation October 31 that would authorize $72 million to EPA for research and development of anti-terrorism measures for the nations water and wastewater systems. The Senate version (S. 1593) and the House version (H.R. 3178) are virtually identical and both would allow EPA to provide grants to public and nonprofit groups to prevent and detect physical and cyber threats to water or wastewater systems. WEF worked with a coalition of groups led by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) to draft the legislation. The $72 million would be allocated in $12 million annual increments from 2002 to 2007. (JKS)

Senate Democrats Insert $20 Billion in Economic Stimulus Package for Infrastructure
Led by U.S. Senate President Pro Tempore Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), Senate Democrats have inserted a $20 billion package for infrastructure, including water and wastewater, in an economic stimulus package currently being considered. It is not clear how much would be available for water and wastewater, however several members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee asked for $1 to $5 billion last month. The House of Representatives stimulus package and the Senate Republican package does not include money for infrastructure measures, only tax cut provisions and unemployment benefits. The Senate will continue working on the package next week. (JKS)

Senate Environment Committee Debates Water Infrastructure Financing
In a related matter, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on October 31 held a hearing on innovative funding mechanisms for water and wastewater infrastructure in an attempt to find a balance between the current financing structure and future financial needs of water and wastewater systems. G. Tracy Mehan III, Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), testified that while the current clean water and safe drinking water state revolving loan funds (SRFs) are successful, Congress and EPA should look for more mechanisms to help small and/or disadvantaged communities. He suggested, for example, that small communities could consolidate with larger systems to integrate resources and reduce costs. Several other witnesses, including Paul Pinault, representing the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (Washington, D.C.), and Harold Gorman, representing the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (Washington, D.C.), confirmed that the SRF was a successful program but noted that more federal grants or loan subsidies are needed to ensure the continued protection of public health and the environment. For more information go to www.senate.gov/~epw/stm1_107.htm#10-31-01 (JKS)

Senate Considers Farm Bill; Harkin Offers Conservation Alternative
Despite continued concerns from Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman, the Senate is considering passing a Farm Bill this year. Veneman has publicly stated that Congress should wait until next year to pass a Farm Bill when more discretionary money may be available. However Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), and 24 other Democratic Senators wrote Veneman and Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels this week asking to work with the Senate on a farm bill this year. The letter challenges Veneman's assertion that money will be available next year and says a deal could be worked out to fund the bill this year. The Senate Agriculture Committee began work on Wednesday by passing the credit title of the Farm Bill. Sources on the Hill state other provisions of the Bill will be considered by the committee early next week. One notable Democrat who did not sign the Conrad letter was Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA), who is advocating spending up to $44.5 billion on conservation over 10 years. On November 1 Harkin announced the introduction of his version of a Farm Bill, with budget estimates showing it would spend about the same $175 billion as the House-passed bill. However, Harkin's version would spend $10 billion less over 10 years than the House bill on the commodity title, with the money instead divided among conservation, nutrition, trade and rural development. WEF, along with several municipal organizations, wrote a letter to Senate Agriculture Committee members last week asking that any Farm Bill passed this year include significant money for conservation programs. (JKS)

EPA Wants to Make Cultural Shift Towards Innovation
EPA held a meeting on October 30 to get feedback from stakeholders on a new draft innovation strategy, Innovating for Better Environmental Results. The draft strategy is a framework for promoting innovation and is based on 4 inter-connected elements: strengthening EPA's innovation partnerships with States and Tribes; focusing on priority environmental problems; diversifying EPA's environmental protection tools and approaches; and fostering a more innovative culture and organizational systems within the Agency. The draft focuses on 4 specific environmental challenges for which innovative approaches can further progress: reducing greenhouse gases, reducing smog, restoring and maintaining water quality, and reducing the cost of water and wastewater infrastructure. EPA Deputy Administrator Linda Fisher stated that EPA wants to make innovation an "operating principle" and that the strategy is a framework and guide for the Agency. She wants to enact a "cultural change" at EPA and among stakeholders and build trust so that the system for solving environmental problems is less rigid. A copy of the draft strategy is available at www.epa.gov/innovation/strategy. EPA is accepting comments through November 23. (SRT).

Quote of the Week:
"You want it to be safe as baby shampoo, but kill the worst things on the planet"--Brian Kalamenka, president of a Denver company that is licensed to sell a new soap solution being used to clean buildings that may be contaminated with anthrax spores. (Washington Post, October 29, 2001).

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, mailto:shadeed@wef.org. This Week in Washington is available on-line at http://www.wef.org/GovtAffairs.