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.

December 9, 2005

Provided by the Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA

Parking Lot Sealants Examined as Source of Pollution
On Friday, December 2, WEF sponsored a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill on recent studies by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) that identified sealcoating, the black, shiny surface often applied to asphalt pavement, as a significant and previously unrecognized source of extremely elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in streams.  Runoff from parking lots sealed with one type of sealcoat, coal tar-based sealant, had PAH concentrations 65 times higher than concentrations in runoff from unsealed parking lots. PAHs are suspected human carcinogens and are toxic to aquatic life.  Biological studies conducted by the City of Austin, Texas found a loss of species and decreased numbers of organisms at the PAH concentrations seen in Austin streams and observed these effects at sites downstream from the points where sealed parking lot runoff enters the streams.  Because sealants are used nationwide and the concentrations of PAHs in lakes and reservoirs across the country are increasing, this information raises important local and national policy questions about the use of sealants and methods to prevent contaminated runoff from reaching urban water bodies. Based on these studies, the City of Austin Council has banned the use of coal-tar sealants.  Peter VanMetre, a USGS scientist, presented USGS findings on PAH concentrations in sealcoat runoff and trends of PAH contamination in urban areas nationwide; Mateo Scoggins, Biologist, City of Austin Watershed Protection and Development Review Department presented Austin’s findings on how sealant impacts on aquatic life.  For additional information visit: http://www.wef.org/PolicyAction/USGovernmentAffairs/Legislative/.  For background information, go to the USGS webpage for the National Water Quality Assessment Program at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/asphalt_sealers.html. (PS)
 
House Reauthorizes Programs for Coastal Waters Monitoring and Long Island Sound
On Wednesday, December 7, the House of Representatives passed two pieces of legislation to reauthorize the EPA’s Long Island Sound National Estuary Program and the coastal water monitoring program.  H.R. 3963 extends the authorization for the EPA’s Long Island Sound management office whose responsibilities include monitoring wastewater treatment, wetland restoration and maintenance, pollution levels and health of fish in the sound.  The funding authorization for the office expired on September 30.  H.R. 1721 extends the authorization for the coastal monitoring programs established by the BEACH Act of 2000.  Under the law, coastal and Great Lakes states are required to adopt pathogen criteria to protect swimmers from harmful bacteria and authorizes EPA to issue grants to help states with monitoring programs.  Both pieces of legislation passed the House unanimously. (PS)

EPA Celebrates the Agency’s 35th Anniversary
December 2 marked the 35th anniversary of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  EPA was created by President Richard Nixon on Dec. 2, 1970, and celebrated the anniversary by highlighting the significant progress made in pollution reduction and the protection of human health.  "While at 35, EPA may still be one of the newer kids on the block, the results we have delivered to the American people can stack up next to any of our federal partners in the government," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.  "EPA's birthday present is cleaner air, water and land for all Americans -- fulfilling our obligation to leave the nation's environment healthier than when we found it."   Major achievements cited by the Agency between 1970 and 2004 include a 54 percent reduction in total emissions of the six major air pollutants; the restoration of 600,000 acres of contaminated land; action taken by EPA and its partners to restore and protect nearly 830,000 acres of wetlands; and commitments from industry to spend billions of dollars on environmental improvements, reducing more than 10 billion pounds of pollutants annually.   For more information on EPA's 35th Anniversary, go to EPA's Home Page at http://www.epa.gov.  (SRT)

Kent County, DE Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility Receives NBP Certification
The National Biosolids Partnership recognizes the Kent County, DE Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, Milford, DE, as the eleventh wastewater agency in the nation to be certified and admitted to the Partnership’s environmental management system (EMS) for biosolids program. The Kent County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility is one of 80 demonstration agencies currently participating in the NBP EMS program.  As the eleventh wastewater agency certified and admitted into the NBP EMS program, Kent County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility’s achievement recognizes that the agency has been independently verified as having an effective biosolids environmental management system.  Kent County Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility’s biosolids EMS was independently verified on December 2 by the audit firm, KEMA-Registered Quality, Inc., to conform to the NBP’s EMS guidance. Kent County is the first agency in the U.S. to achieve 3 certificates--ISO 14001 (EMS), ISO 18001 (Health and Safety), and NBP (EMS for biosolids).  Before the end of the year, 2 or 3 more NBP wastewater agencies are expected to undergo audits of their biosolids EMS programs.

For more information on the Kent County, DE Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility Biosolids EMS program, visit: http://www.co.kent.de.us/publicworks.  For more information on the NBP EMS program, visit: http://www.biosolids.org.  Additional information relating to a planned January 2006 EMS celebratory event in Milford, DE to recognize its NBP, ISO 14001, and ISO 18001 certifications will be posted on the NBP and the Kent County’s web sites at a later date. (SJH)
 
EPA Docks New Research Ship in Baltimore
On December 5, EPA Regional Administrator Donald S. Welsh hosted a tour of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) Bold, docked in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor this week.  The ship is a 224-foot floating scientific laboratory that helps EPA monitor public health and environmental threats to oceans, bays, and estuaries.  The OSV Bold is EPA’s only coastal and ocean monitoring vessel.  The converted Navy vessel has onboard laboratories, an operating crew of 19 and can accommodate 20 scientists.  In September, the Bold conducted water quality assessments in the Gulf of Mexico in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Beginning Dec. 6, the Bold will start monitoring the impacts of dredge disposal from the Baltimore Channel.  Additional information on the OSV Bold is available at http://www.epa.gov/bold/.  (SRT)

Quote of the Week:  “When it is not necessary to make a decision, it is necessary not to make a decision.”  -- Lord Falkland (1610 - 1643)

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/.