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.

House Passes Corps Water Projects Measure

On July 14, the House passed a $10 billion water project measure to support projects to be carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers.  Some 700 total projects are included in the measure, ranging from navigation improvement and flood control to environmental restoration.  Up to a third of the authorized funding would support the Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway System project which plans to construct seven new large locks and undertake extensive restoration work.  The House passed the measure, H.R. 2864, by a margin of 406-14. (PS)

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Holds Confirmation Hearings

The Senate EPW Committee held confirmation hearings this week on three Administration nominees for posts at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The three nominees are Marcus A. Peacock, nominated to be deputy EPA administrator; Susan P. Bodine, named assistant administrator for solid waste and emergency response; and Granta Y. Nakayama, nominated to be assistant EPA administrator for enforcement and compliance.  Nakayama came under the strongest questioning when Senator Baucus raised concerns that Nakayama had been “tainted” by his former law firm’s representation of W.R. Grace, accused by the government of concealing the health effects of its asbestos mining operations on the residents of Libby, Montana.  Nakayama stated that he had no involvement with the case during his tenure at the law firm, Kirkland and Ellis, and that he would recuse himself from the case at EPA.  This issue is not expected to hold up his nomination, and all three are expected to be confirmed with relative ease. (PS)

Senate Introduces Water Infrastructure Bill

The Senate on Thursday introduced the “Water Infrastructure Financing Act” which will provide $38 billion over five years to support financing of water and wastewater projects through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds ($20 billion is provided for the Clean Water SRF and $18 billion for the Drinking Water SRF).  It provides targeted financing to disadvantaged communities, technical assistance to small communities, and incentives for increased asset management strategies and use of alternative technologies by utility operators.  The proposed legislation would also establish a national grants program, authorized at $300 million annually for five years, for the purposes of supporting watershed restoration efforts.  Specifically, the proposed new grant program would target projects within a watershed that address wet weather problems, nitrogen reduction strategies, and finance implementation of local watershed plans.  The Committee is expected to mark up the legislation next week.  The House is expected to take up similar legislation in the fall.  The Senate bill is attached. (PS)

Governors' Institute on Community Design Founded

On July 12, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced the formation of a new initiative to support governors’ leadership in good community design and innovative planning.  Created in partnership with the U.S. EPA, the Governors’ Institute on Community Design (GICD) will pair governors and their cabinets with top planning experts and practitioners to identify strategies for well-designed planning.  The GICD will be jointly administered by the Smart Growth Leadership Institute and the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, both based at the University of Maryland.  During the announcement, Ben Grumbles, EPA Assistant Administrator for Water, noted that "Air and water quality, brownfields, water infrastructure, and wetlands protection are all linked to how and where we grow.  Working in collaboration with states, we will enhance our understanding of the implications of growth."  Former Governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, Parris N. Glendening of Maryland, and Angus King of Maine will spearhead the GICD.  For more information, visit http://www.govinstitute.org/. (SRT)

Animal Agriculture and Processing: Managing Environmental Impacts           

The Animal Agriculture and Processing Conference, jointly sponsored by WEF and the Air & Waste Management Association, will be held on August 31 - September 2 at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis in St. Louis, Missouri. The focus of this conference is on strategies and solutions for assessing and managing the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. The event will provide an update on the requirements of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) rule, and on other national, state and local regulatory and policy developments covering feeding and processing operations. It will also highlight effective management and technology-based approaches.  To register please go to http://www.awma.org/events/confs/Animal/default.asp and download the brochure.

Quote of the Week: "The noblest of the elements is water"  - -Pindar, 476 B.C.

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/.