EPA has signed a Federal Register notice finalizing its 2021 Financial Capability Assessment (FCA) for Clean Water Act (CWA) Obligations. A pre-publication version of the notice and FCA document are available on EPA’s website.

In consideration of new funding provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law December 27th, 2020 – including a historic first time appropriation of federal funding to aid water ratepayers – and significant utility interest in these programs, NACWA is providing this update summarizing these new programs.

The 117th Congress began on a somber and disconcerting note for the country last week. Undaunted, Members of Congress and their staff are moving forward in a bipartisan fashion with important policy work. There is hope and optimism throughout the water sector to build on the success at the end of last year and advance key clean water legislation over the next two years.

NACWA partnered with the WateReuse Association this week to file comments on EPA’s recently released draft guidance memorandum, “Applying the Supreme Court’s County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund Decision in the Clean Water Act Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program.”

NACWA is getting significant utility interest in the new funding provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law December 27th, 2020 – including a historic first time appropriation of federal funding to aid water ratepayers.

It has been almost 15 years since the first ever comprehensive National Biosolids Survey was conducted.

EPA announced its Final Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 14 in the January 11 Federal Register. The Plan is published every two years to outline EPA’s planned studies and rulemakings related to effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards for industrial dischargers.

Members of Congress old and new arrived in Washington this week to begin the 117th Congress. With Democrats winning both Senate races in Georgia on January 5, they will now control the Senate as well as the House and the White House. This will create a very different political dynamic in Washington and will present new opportunities and challenges for the public clean water sector.