This Week in Washington is a weekly publication of the Water Environment Federation’s Government Affairs department. It provides updates on the latest legislative and regulatory developments that affect the water and wastewater communities.

Provided by the Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA

EPA Releases Clean Water State Revolving Fund 2004 Annual Report - Proven Integrity and Performance

EPA released on May 25 its 2004 annual report on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund highlighting program activities and successes through the past 15 years. The fund is the largest federal funding program for water infrastructure projects across the country. The Proven Integrity and Performance report provides an overview of the fund, describes its financial status and economic and environmental performance, and discusses new directions for the future.  It provides an in-depth look at how the fund operates and describes projects it has financed that help protect and improve the nation's water quality.  The agency hopes that the successes the report documents will attract new borrowers to the program and expand use of the fund to support a sustainable nationwide water infrastructure.  The report is available at http://www.epa.gov/owmitnet/cwfinance/cwsrf/.  (SJH) 

U.S. EPA's Top Enforcement Official Announces Resignation

In a letter to President Bush sent May 24, Tom Skinner, acting assistant administrator in EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, requested that his nomination be withdrawn and said he would continue in the position until this fall.  Skinner was nominated in the fall of 2004, and stated that after leaving his family in Illinois upon his nomination, “no one anticipated that circumstances would cause the confirmation process to be delayed as it has been.  As you begin your second term, you deserve to have someone in this role who is able to serve the full four years.”  Since Bush took office, three individuals have been nominated to the enforcement position.  Skinner was nominated after the resignation of J.P. Suarez. (SRT) 

House Panel Examines Desalination Energy Costs

The House Water and Power Subcommittee of the House Resources Committee held a hearing this week on the issue of high energy costs of desalination plants.  HR1071, “Desalination Drought Protection Act of 2005”, was the focus of the hearing.  Introduced by Jim Davis (D-FL), the bill directs the secretary of the Energy Department to provide financial incentives to desalination plant operators.  The bill authorizes $200 million through 2016 to be awarded through energy assistance grants to plant operators at a rate of 62 cents per every thousand gallons of desalinated water sold.  An additional $10 million would be authorized for research and development of cost-effective desalination technologies.  Testifying at the hearing were: David Garman, assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at the Energy Department; Maryanne Bach, director of research and development at the Bureau of Reclamation; Douglas Holtz-Eakin, director of the Congressional Budget Office; Bernie Rhinerson, board member of the U.S. Desalination Coalition; Colin Sabol, chief marketing officer of General Electric; Kevin Wattier, general manager of the Long Beach Water Department; Pat McCourt, city manager, Alamogordo, New Mexico; and Michael Max, chief executive officer, Marine Desalination Systems. (PS) 

FACA Committee Meeting Announcement to Examine Detection and Quantitation Approaches in Clean Water Act Programs

EPA announced in the May 24 Federal Register that it will hold its first meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee on Detection and Quantitation Approaches and Uses in Clean Water Act Programs on June 21 and 22 at the Hilton Old Town, 1767 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, across from the King Street Metro stop. Members of the public may attend this meeting in person or via teleconference. The public may obtain the call-in number and access code for the teleconference lines from Marion Kelly, Engineering and Analysis Division, MC 4303T, EPA (202) 566-1045; e-mail address: kelly.marion@epa.gov. (SJH)

This Week in Washington is provided by the Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA. To receive This Week in Washington by e-mail, contact Lisa Jones, (703) 684-2400 ext. 7741, ljones@wef.org . For more information on this week's stories, please contact the WEF staff whose initials appear at the end of the item in which you are interested. TW - Tim Williams (703) 684-2437, twilliams@wef.org ; SRT - Sharon Thomas, (703) 684-2423, sthomas@wef.org ; SJH - Sam Hadeed (703) 684-2418, shadeed@wef.org ; PS-Patricia Sinicropi (703) 684-2416, psinicropi@wef.org . This Week in Washington is available on-line at http://www.wef.org/PolicyAction/USGovernmentAffairs/TWIW/.