(November 20, 2020) – NACWA met this week with members of the Biden-Harris EPA transition team, called the Agency Review Team (EPA ART), and provided input on key Association priorities that the incoming Administration could focus on when taking office. 

The transition team's primary focus was on climate and resiliency and NACWA outlined several of its top priorities during the discussion. These included climate/resiliency planning, as well as the need for more federal investment in water infrastructure, affordability challenges, the need for EPA to finalize its current draft Financial Capability Assessment (FCA) guidance, and the importance of promoting continued use of integrated planning concepts. 

NACWA provided feedback on the importance of viewing climate change as fundamentally a water issue in terms of its impacts on municipal governments and clean water utilities.  NACWA and the EPA ART also discussed ways in which EPA could improve its resources and tools for the public clean water sector around climate and resilience issues. 

NACWA is currently developing a formal transition document with key Association advocacy priorities that will be forwarded to the Biden-Harris EPA ART in the coming weeks.  NACWA thanks the EPA ART team for reaching out to the Association and seeking input.  Please contact Nathan Gardner-Andrews, NACWA’s General Counsel & Chief Advocacy Officer, with any questions.