Clean Water Current

NACWA met June 7 with the Director of EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management, Andrew Sawyers, and his senior staff to discuss a range of issues, including NACWA’s May 15 input on regulatory areas needing improvement. EPA provided an update on the more than 40 letters of interest received in response to the initial funding announcement from the WIFIA program. EPA also released the list of projects submitting letters on June 6.  The Agency expects to announce the projects selected to proceed to the full application process by early July.

EPA discussed a renewed effort to look at streamlining the State Revolving Fund loan process and associated paperwork requirements (see related article), as well as its interest in pursuing a number of reforms addressing wet weather issues.  NACWA and EPA discussed areas where a common interest in making progress on these issues may exist. Additional conversations will be necessary once NACWA has refined specific regulatory improvement options in these areas and further discussed these ideas with relevant Association committees.  NACWA is encouraged, however, by EPA’s willingness to discuss the concerns raised in its letter.