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.

---

February 2, 2007

Provided by the Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA

House Water Resources Subcommittee Approves Wastewater Bills
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's water panel approved three bills on its markup agenda on January 31, including reauthorization of a key loan program, the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF).  The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment passed the "Water Quality Financing Act of 2007," or H.R. 720, which would reauthorize the SRF at $20 billion over 5 years for fiscal years 2008 through 2012.  The Subcommittee also approved by voice vote an amendment to H.R. 720 offered by Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) that requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of other potential funding and investment mechanisms and revenue sources for meeting the nation's water infrastructure needs.  Also passing the committee was H.R. 569, the "Water Quality Investment Act of 2007," which would authorize $1.8 billion over the next five years for grants that would help municipalities pay for improvements and upgrades to reduce the problem of overflows from sanitary sewer systems and combined systems.  The "Healthy Communities Water Supply Act," or H.R. 700, would provide $125 million to fund pilot alternative water supply projects. (SJH)

Johanns Unveils 2007 Farm Bill Proposals
On January 31, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns unveiled the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 2007 farm bill proposals. The more than 65 proposals correspond to the 2002 farm bill titles with additional special focus areas, including specialty crops, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged producers.  "We listened closely to producers and stakeholders all across the country and took a reform-minded and fiscally responsible approach to making farm policy more equitable, predictable and protected from challenge," said Johanns.  The plan would increase conservation funding by $7.8 billion, with a $4.2 billion increase for a newly designed Environmental Quality Incentives Program that would consolidate cost-share programs and create a Regional Water Enhancement Program, increase the acreage limit on the Wetlands Reserve Program from 2.3 to 3.5 million acres, increase funding for the Conservation Security Program by $500 million, and reauthorize the Conservation Reserve Program at current levels.  Other highlights of the proposals include (funding reflects ten year totals):  provide $1.6 billion in new funding for renewable energy research, development and production, provide $5 billion in funding to support specialty crop producers, provide $250 million to increase direct payments for beginning farmers and ranchers, and support socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers by reserving a percentage of conservation assistance funds and providing more access to loans for down payments, land purchasing, and farm operating.  The farm bill proposals would spend approximately $10 billion less than the 2002 farm bill spent over the past five years (excluding ad-hoc disaster assistance), and provide approximately $5 billion more than the projected spending if the 2002 farm bill were extended.  The proposals are available at http://www.usda.gov/farmbill, along with Farm Bill Forum transcripts, farm bill comments submitted by the public, theme papers summarizing the comments, and USDA analysis papers. (SRT)

Long-Term Continuing Resolution Passes House
On January 31 the House approved a $463.5 billion joint resolution to fund the remaining eight months of fiscal 2007 by a 286-140 vote. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure next week.  The continuing resolution (CR), which will govern spending unrelated to defense and homeland security until September 30, includes $7.9 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency and $18.3 billion for the Department of the Interior and related agencies, including the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.  The CR includes $1 billion for the clean water state revolving fund, an increase of $197.1 million from fiscal 2006.  It does not include the earmarks for specific projects that were in the fiscal 2006 budget, which totaled $413.3 million for EPA. As a result, EPA would receive those funds without the earmarks in its 2007 appropriations.  According to a House press release, the bill’s drafters, Rep. David Obey (D-WI), Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, “decided to place a moratorium on the practice [of including earmarks] until the new, reformed process is fully in place.” (SRT)

House Science Committee Passes Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Bill
The House Science and Technology Committee on January 31 passed its first energy-related bill of the year by a unanimous voice vote.  H.R. 547, the "Advanced Fuel Infrastructure Research and Development Act," aims to lower the cost for distribution of alternative fuels. The bill directs the Energy Department and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to research ways to use alternative fuels in existing infrastructure, theoretically lowering the cost of bringing those fuels to market. The other major portion of the bill directs DOE and NIST to create an "affordable, portable, quick and accurate way" to test the sulfur content of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. The legislation was offered in response to concerns from fuel distributors that diesel fuel picks up enough sulfur during transport to fail the U.S. EPA mandates for sulfur content. (SJH)

White House Issues Executive Order on Developing Rules and Guidance
On January 18, the Bush Administration issued an amendment to Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review that imposes new requirements and more specific instructions on how federal agencies draft regulations and guidance documents.  It requires agencies to submit guidance documents to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.  Previously only regulations required their review.  On the same day, OMB issued a bulletin to all agencies entitled “Final Bulletin for Agency Good Guidance Practices” that establishes policies and procedures for the development, issuance, and use of “significant” guidance documents.  According to a memorandum from OMB Director Rob Portman, the bulletin “is intended to increase the quality and transparency of agency guidance practices and the significant guidance documents produced through them.”  The amendment to Executive Order 12866 is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070118.html.  The OMB bulletin is at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/memoranda/fy2007/m07-07.pdf.  (SRT)

EPA Extends Comment Period for Storm Water General Permits
On December 11, 2006 (71 FR 71540), EPA published a notice of the availability of seven National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permits for Storm Water Discharges from Industrial Activities and requested comments on the draft by January 10. EPA announced in the January 30 Federal Register that it has extended this comment period to February 13. To view the Federal Register notice, visit: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2007/January/Day-30/w1426.htm.  (SJH)

EPA Public Meeting on Proposed NPDES Permit Fee Incentive Program
EPA announced in the January 30 Federal Register that it will conduct a public meeting on February 21 on the proposed regulatory revision for the NPDES Permit Fee Incentive for Clean Water Act Section 106 Grants Allotment Formula. This proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on January 4 (72 FR 293.  EPA officials will give a presentation on the proposed regulation followed by a public comment session.  The meeting will be held from 1:00 - 4 pm EST at EPA Headquarters, EPA East Building in conference room 1153. To view the Federal Register notice, visit: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2007/January/Day-30/w1420.htm. (SJH)

Nominations Open for 2007 WEF Public Officials Award
WEF members, Member Associations and Committees are invited to submit nominations for the 2007 Water Environment Federation’s Public Officials Award.  This award will be presented at the 2007 National Clean Water Policy Forum, to be held May 6-9 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.  The deadline for nominations is March 1, 2007.  The Federation Board of Trustees established this new award in 2005 to recognize public officials who have made an outstanding contribution to improvement of the water environment.  The award can be presented to a local, state or federal public official.  Nominations should be submitted to Lisa Jones, Government Affairs Office Administrator, ljones@wef.org.  If you have questions, please contact Lisa at (703) 684-2400, ext. 7741.  (LJ)

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/