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.

EPA Releases Draft List of Pesticides for Endocrine Disruptor Effects Testing
EPA announced on June 11 that it has released a draft list of 73 pesticides to be evaluated under the first phase of its endocrine disruptor screening program.  According to the Agency, the draft list of candidates were selected for screening based on their high potential for exposure to people or the environment, and not on possible endocrine disruption effects. The ultimate purpose of the screening will be to determine if the pesticides can adversely influence the endocrine system.  EPA’s endocrine disruptor screening program, mandated under the Food Quality Protection Act, will use validated tests to determine whether pesticides and other chemicals affect the endocrine system.  "As a leader in endocrine disruptor research, EPA's science driven approach ensures that the data generated by this new testing is comprehensive and based on the best available science," said Jim Gulliford, EPA's assistant administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, in a press statement.  The screening program consists of two phases. Tier 1 tests are meant to determine whether a given chemical may be an endocrine disruptor.  If so, the substance will be subject to more extensive Tier 2 tests that will generate data suitable for risk assessment purposes.  The draft list of pesticides will be published soon in the Federal Register.  Additional information on EPA’s screening plan and a pre-publication copy of the draft list is available at www.epa.gov/endo/index.htm.  (SJH)

WEF and CSIS Host Water Experts on “Positive-Sum” Water Agreements in the Middle East
On June 14, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), WEF hosted Mr. Fuad Bateh and Dr. Shaddad Attili from Adam Smith International.  Dr. Attili, who has recently been appointed to head the Palestinian delegation on the Steering committee of the Red Canal Feasibility Study representing the Palestinian Authority, gave a presentation on issues relevant to the resolution of the Palestinian water question, including the practical definition of water rights as one of the permanent status issues between Israel and Palestine; the basis for an equitable allocation of the water resources; and future scenarios for sustainable water resource management.  Their presentation focused on the promotion of international law and technical infrastructure development as the means to jump-start a region-wide Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) plan. 

According to Dr. Attili, what’s new, compared with past negotiations, is a “positive-sum outcome” approach, focused on the Red Sea-Dead Sea project.  The potential Red Sea – Dead Sea Water Conveyance is a multi-objective project, centered on saving the Dead Sea from environmental degradation; desalinating water and generating energy at affordable prices for Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority; and building a symbol of peace and cooperation in the Middle East.  The expected cost of the project is $3-5 billion dollars, with USAID as a leading aid contributor for technical infrastructure.  To read more about the Red Sea – Dead Sea Water Conveyance Feasibility Study and Environmental and Social Assessment, please visit the World Bank’s website at
 http://go.worldbank.org/TDZM48OXO0.  (MB)

Water Groups Working Together
On June 12, the Water for People DC Committee hosted a special presentation and discussion on the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) new water initiatives and on their activities in developing countries. Melanie Nakagawa, an attorney with the international programs office at NRDC, gave a presentation on their new Safe Drinking Water Project and led a discussion on how best to design and operate water projects in developing countries, particularly India. The Water for People DC Committee also reported back on the Dance for Water and the Running Dry Event that presented water challenges in developing countries to government representatives on the hill, and on recent presentations to Rotary, who developed the Water Resources Group last year. To learn more about these groups, please visit www.waterforpeopledc.org, www.nrdc.org or www.rotary.org/aboutrotary/president/boyd/water.html.  (MB)

Citing Regulatory Overreach, NAHB Files Clean Water Act Lawsuit Against Corps of Engineers
On June 13, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) over the latest iteration of the agency’s Nationwide Permit (NWP) program. Permit 46, issued as part of program, regulates dredging and filling of upland ditches, which NAHB President Brian Catalde said extend Corps authority, “way too far.”  “We are trying to restore some common sense to the Act's huge breadth and scope.  These aren’t wetlands. These aren’t ponds. These are common drainage ditches, not navigable water,” Catalde said in a press statement.  NAHB’s press release pointed to the guidance issued last week by the Corps and EPA interpreting the Supreme Court decision in Rapanos v. United States.  According to NAHB, the agencies made clear in the guidance that upland ditches are generally not regulated as navigable waters under the Act.  “Regulatory inconsistency of this sort must stop,” said Catalde.  The Corps has 60 days to answer NAHB's complaint.  (SJH)

WERF Releases $600,000 in Funding for Water Quality Research
The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) announced this week that it is seeking pre-proposals for research that will advance knowledge and understanding in water quality.  WERF will also consider proposals that would take existing research to the next level of completion, resulting in practical solutions to water quality problems.  “This is the second year of our revitalized unsolicited research program,” said Director of Research Dan Woltering.  “It is a key component of WERF’s overall research effort and a tangible commitment to future science and technology advances.”  Proposals in all relevant wastewater and water quality areas are welcome. WERF currently has research under way on the following topics: wastewater treatment and reuse; solids treatment and reuse; infrastructure management; operations optimization including energy efficiency; stormwater; decentralized collection and treatment systems; risk assessment and communication; and watershed management and water quality.  WERF has up to $600,000 (in total) for unsolicited research under this call for pre-proposals.  All pre-proposals are due on July 20.  The call for pre-proposals can be viewed at www.werf.org, along with complete instructions.  (SRT)

Quote of the Week:
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
 - Soren Kierkegaard

This Week in Washington is provided by the Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, VA.  To receive by e-mail, contact Sharon Thomas at sthomas@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, twilliams@wef.org;  SRT - Sharon Thomas, sthomas@wef.org; SJH - Sam Hadeed, shadeed@wef.org; PS - Patricia Sinicropi,  psinicropi@wef.org; MB - Maya Buchanan, mbuchanan@wef.org.  This Week in Washington is available on-line at www.wef.org/GovernmentAffairs/TWIW.