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.

WEF Sends Letter of Support for Chairman Oberstar’s Jurisdictional Request
WEF sent a letter of support to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar and Ranking Member John Mica in support of the Committee’s request for jurisdictional review of H.R. 5577, The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008.  The Committee requested the review two weeks ago, after the legislation was reported out of the House Homeland Security Committee on March 14.  Chairman Oberstar was motivated to request jurisdiction over H.R. 5577 because it requires Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) to comply with the Act’s requirements.  The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has original jurisdiction over the Clean Water Act (CWA) and related water pollution control statutes.  In its letter, WEF argued that as currently drafted, the legislation fails to address the unique characteristics and responsibilities of wastewater treatment utilities and that review by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is both proper and necessary.  The letter discusses the following key attributes of wastewater treatment utilities:  POTWs are unique from private chemical companies in that they are highly regulated entities under the CWA and consider public health and safety a priority; wastewater treatment utilities cannot easily alter treatment methods without risking compliance with environmental and public health regulations; wastewater treatment utilities cannot be shut-down without causing devastating impacts to public health; and many wastewater treatment utilities are already under orders to stockpile quantities of chlorine gas in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak.  The legislation is now before the House Energy and Commerce Committee where it awaits action. It is unclear whether the House Parliamentarian will grant Chairman Oberstar’s request for jurisdiction.  See the WEF letter here.

EPA and Army Corps Release Compensatory Wetlands Mitigation Rule
On March 31, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a final rule setting standards for compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts to the nation's wetlands and streams.  The rule establishes performance standards, sets timeframes for decision making, and establishes equivalent requirements and standards for three sources of compensatory mitigation: permittee-responsible mitigation, mitigation banks, and in-lieu-fee programs.  The rule maintains existing requirements on applicants to minimize impacts before proposing compensatory mitigation and on when mitigation is necessary.  According to EPA Assistant Administrator for Water, Ben Grumbles, the rule "advances the president's goals of halting overall loss of wetlands and improving watershed health through sound science, market-based approaches, and cooperative conservation.  The new standards will accelerate our wetlands conservation efforts under the Clean Water Act by establishing more effective, more consistent, and more innovative mitigation practices."  For more information and to view a prepublication version of the Federal Register announcement, visit www.epa.gov/wetlandsmitigation.

EPA Sponsors Free Webcast on Monitoring Watershed Program Efficiency
On April 10th, EPA's Watershed Academy will present a free webcast for watershed practitioners called Monitoring Watershed Program Effectiveness.  EPA chose this topic in response to the increasing emphasis on evaluating the results of efforts to control nonpoint source pollution on a watershed basis.  Evaluation or effectiveness monitoring is designed to measure the actual impact of management decisions in the waterbody.  The webcast will offer an overview of watershed monitoring, three watershed effectiveness monitoring designs, and issues to be considered when developing effectiveness monitoring programs.  To register or to access archived audio versions of past webcasts, please visit www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.

EPA Celebrates Earth Day All Month
April 22 is Earth Day and this year, EPA is launching several new web and multimedia features throughout the month of April to help raise environmental awareness.  Free audio podcasts on reducing your carbon footprint will be available twice per week through the month of April, and EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson will host the latest edition of the agency’s new online video series.  EPA has set up an Earth Day website where individuals can sign up for daily environmental e-mail tips and watch a historical video on the origins of the agency.  To find out more about these and other Earth Day events visit www.epa.gov/earthday/index.htm. 

UL Launches New Certification Program for Bottled Water
On March 31, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) announced a new certification program for bottled water. A Certified Water Quality Mark will appear on bottled water that has been validated by UL to meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) requirements for quality and safety.  According to a UL press release, UL will audit bottled water plants as part of the certification process.  Audits will include requirements of the IBWA, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, and Good Manufacturing Practice programs.  "The introduction of this new Mark for bottled water is a natural extension of UL's commitment to public safety," said Jeff Smith, general manager, UL Global Water Business.  UL is a product safety testing and certification organization based in Northbrook, IL, that is best-known for its certification of electrical products and appliances.  The press release is available at www.ul.com/newsroom/newsrel/nr033108.html.

WEF Residuals & Biosolids Specialty Conference Draws Record Attendance
The WEF Residuals & Biosolids Specialty Conference that was held in Philadelphia, PA from March 30-April 2 drew a record attendance of 880 people. The conference theme, “Traditions, Trends, and Technologies,” was held in collaboration with the WEF Residuals and Biosolids Committee (RBC), Pennsylvania Water Environment Association, New York Water Environment Association, and the Mid-Atlantic Biosolids Association. The conference featured three tours of wastewater facilities, three workshops plus one by the National Biosolids Partnership, an exhibition, 20 technical sessions, and several RBC subcommittee/committee meetings. To view the on-site conference program and committee agendas and reports, visit: www.biosolids.org/contact_main.asp?sectionid=51&pageid=213.

Register Now for the National Clean Water Policy Forum – April 14 Hotel Deadline
WEF and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) will host the 2008 National Clean Water Policy Forum on May 4 – 7 in Washington, DC.  The Forum will cover the latest federal legislative and regulatory developments, including Clean Water Act jurisdiction, sewer overflow notification, clean water funding, and climate change.  In addition to a program focused on critical issues, the Policy Forum will include opportunities for networking and discussion, such as the Technical Roundtable Breakfast and the Utility Executives Forum.  Reserve a room by calling the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel at 202.347.3000 by April 14 to guarantee the special conference rate.  An agenda and additional details are available at www.wef.org/GovernmentAffairs/GAEvents/ or www.nacwa.org.

Quote of the Week:
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. 
Martin Luther King, Jr.

To receive This Week in Washington via e-mail, contact Martha Ravenhill at mravenhill@wef.org.