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.

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Utility Commissioners Support EPA Proposal to Lift Limits on Private Bonds

EPA Releases List of High-Volume Chemicals
EPA released on September 10 the first set of Hazard Characterizations on 101 High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals, which are those manufactured in excess of a million pounds a year.  The characterizations are based on EPA’s scientific review of data submitted by the U.S. chemical industry through EPA’s HPV Challenge Program, which encouraged companies to provide the public with basic health and safety data on HPV chemicals.  The hazard characterizations include a summary of the data submitted, EPA’s evaluation of the quality and completeness of the data, and an assessment of the potential hazards that a chemical or chemical category may pose.  EPA plans to combine this information with human and environmental exposure information to develop a risk characterization and, based on that review, determine if additional action is needed to ensure the safety of the HPV chemicals’ manufacture and use.  The agency intends to use this approach to assess risks and take needed action on 3000 HPV chemicals by 2012.  This goal was one of the elements of the North American chemical cooperation commitment announced by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico at the Security and Prosperity Partnership North American Leaders’ Summit in Canada in August.  For additional information on this announcement, visit the HPV Challenge Program Web site at www.epa.gov/hpv.  

EPA Pushes Procurement of Materials from Recovered Waste
In the September 14 Federal Register, EPA issued a final rule that revises the list of items designated in the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines’ landscaping products category to promote the use of materials recovered from solid waste.  EPA expanded the description of “compost” from yard trimmings and food waste to include compost from biosolids and manure, but did not limit the designation to specific types of organic materials.  In addition, EPA added fertilizer made from recovered materials as a designated landscaping item.  The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act requires procurement officials to buy products containing recovered materials when the agencies spend more than $10,000 a year on that item.  Procuring agencies are federal, state, and local agencies and their contractors that use appropriated federal funds.  Agencies are required to purchase the product with the highest recovered material content level practicable, given reasonable competition, product price, performance, and availability.  To view the final rule, visit: www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WASTE/2007/September/Day-14/f18150.htm.  EPA also published in the Federal Register today its Recovered Materials Advisory Notice that provides guidance to agencies on implementing the final rule (available at www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WASTE/2007/September/Day-14/f18149.htm). 

Quote of the Week:
“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.”
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

To receive This Week in Washington via e-mail, contact Sharon Thomas at sthomas@wef.org.