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

Election Brings Changes to both House and Senate – Impact on Water Issues Unclear
After twelve years of single party rule in the U.S. Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate are now controlled by the Democratic Party, which was able to capitalize on discontent with the Administration’s Iraq Policy and Republican rule in Congress to achieve large gains in Tuesday’s mid-term elections.  Democrats are expected to have a margin of at least 33 seats in the House.  While the full impact of Tuesday’s elections on policy matters will play out in the next several months, observers expect the majority to move on some high-profile democratic priorities while maintaining a degree of caution as the country heads into the 2008 presidential election cycle.  Based on statements already made by Democratic Party leaders, the new House majority party will move on issues such as increasing the minimum wage, reforming the Medicare prescription drug program, passing ethics legislation, and reinstating oversight hearings on Administration policies, especially on its policies in Iraq and the war on terrorism.  However, on matters concerning the environment, including issues such as water, energy independence, and climate change, it’s unclear how much a Democratic-controlled Congress will accomplish.  On fiscal matters, the Democrats will continue to operate in a restrained environment.  An article detailing what water quality professionals might expect from the 110th Congress is available by clicking here.  (PS)
 
WEF Encourages the Bush Administration to Finalize EPA Peak Flow Discharges Policy
WEF urged the Administration to finalize and release EPA’s December 2005 peak flow discharges policy without further delay in a letter sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) today.  OMB is currently reviewing the policy, one of the final steps prior to its release.  The proposed policy, issued December 22, 2005, is based on one developed jointly by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).  The policy interprets the 40 CFR 122.41(m) bypass provisions and the term “no feasible alternatives” as they apply to peak wet weather flow diversions from publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) serving separate sanitary sewer systems.  In the letter, WEF stressed the need for a national policy on peak flows.  “WEF believes that the absence of a national policy on peak flow discharges has resulted in an escalation of both cost and anxiety for POTWs, with different regions of the country interpreting and enforcing regulatory requirements differently.  WEF supports EPA’s peak flow policy because it believes that it will provide a clear and consistent process for evaluating and approving wet weather treatment and operating scenarios.”  WEF also mentioned that its new publication, Guide to Managing Peak Wet Weather Flows in Municipal Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems, can support implementation of the policy.  The guide presents a facility planning and management approach that brings detail to the general framework of the utility analysis included in the peak flow discharges policy.  Contact Sharon Thomas at sthomas@wef.org for a copy of WEF’s letter or for information on the new WEF guide.  (SRT)

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Final Ground Water Rule
EPA announced in the November 8 Federal Register that it is promulgating a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation, the Ground Water Rule, to provide for increased protection against microbial pathogens in public water systems that use ground water sources.  The Ground Water Rule establishes a risk-targeted approach to identify ground water systems that are susceptible to fecal contamination, instead of requiring disinfection for all ground water systems. The occurrence of fecal indicators in a drinking water supply is an indication of the potential presence of microbial pathogens that may pose a threat to public health. This rule requires ground water systems that are at risk of fecal contamination to take corrective action to reduce cases of illnesses and deaths due to exposure to microbial pathogens. The final rule is effective on January 8, 2007.  To view the Federal Register notice, visit: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2006/November/Day-08/w8763.htm. (SJH)

EPA to Convene Expert Panel on Observational Exposure Measurement Studies
EPA announced in the November 6 Federal Register that it  will convene a panel of experts and conduct a meeting to gather information on the most up-to-date methods, approaches, and ethical standards for designing and implementing observational exposure measurement studies. These studies are performed by researchers both within and outside of EPA to measure people's contact with chemicals in their everyday environments during normal activities. They involve measurements of chemicals in environmental media (e.g., air, water, food, soil, and dust); collection of information about the voluntary study participants; and analysis of voluntary human samples such as blood or urine to determine the amounts of contact.  EPA plans to use the information from the workshop to prepare a document on the state-of-the-science approaches for these studies. The workshop will be held in Durham, NC on November 28 - 29. To view the Federal Register notice, visit: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-MEETINGS/2006/November/Day-06/m18655.htm.  (SJH)

2007 Water & Wastewater Leadership Center Now Accepting Applications
The Water & Wastewater Leadership Center is currently accepting applications for the 2007 session being held March 18 –30, 2007, at the Kenan-Flagler Executive Education Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  The deadline for applications is Dec. 15.  Participants will enhance their decision-making skills, learn to lead confidently, and think strategically.  As a 12-day residential leadership development program, the center offers unlimited peer networking, online resources, relevant curriculum, and optional faculty mentoring.  Since its inception in 2000, the goal of the Leadership Center’s curriculum has been to prepare current and up-and-coming water and wastewater utility leaders to meet customers’ existing and future demands for the highest level of service, quality, and efficiency.  This joint venture with the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a one-of-a-kind intensive professional training program specifically designed to develop leadership and management skills among water and wastewater utility CEOs, general managers, senior managers, and upper level management.
To obtain an application to the Leadership Center or for additional information, Click here (link to http://www.wef.org/ConferencesTraining/Conferences/Co-sponsoredEvents/WaterWastewaterLeadershipCtr.htm. (TW)

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/GovernmentAffairs/TWIW/.