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.

House Members Pledge Support for WRDA
At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on Wednesday, members of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee vowed to support a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) in 2008.  The Subcommittee received testimony from the Department of the Army (Civil Works), and representatives of industry, conservation organizations, and other stakeholders on issues and proposals for a 2008 WRDA.  While some of the witnesses expressed concern over the cost of a new WRDA, there was overwhelming bipartisan support from the Subcommittee members for a new water resources bill.  Congress overrode President Bush’s veto of the 2007 Act, which authorized more than $23 billion in water projects.  It was the first WRDA measure to pass since 2000.  Subcommittee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AZ) described the 2007 WRDA as “catch-up legislation,” as most members were only allowed to include projects previously requested in past WRDA efforts.  The 2008 WRDA will allow members of Congress to make new project requests.  The subcommittee will gather information and individual project requests over the next several weeks in order to introduce the legislation this summer. 

WEF and NACWA Offer Assistance in Upcoming Biosolids Hearings
In response to Senator Barbara Boxer’s (D -CA) announced plans to hold a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing on land application of biosolids, WEF and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) sent a letter to Boxer requesting the opportunity to testify and present their members’ perspectives.  WEF will follow up on this letter with a meeting with Senator Boxer’s staff next week.  WEF is also coordinating additional congressional outreach efforts to members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to ensure they receive complete information about the beneficial uses of biosolids in anticipation of hearings on the subject.  WEF and NACWA both support land application as one option for managing biosolids in accordance with EPA Part 503 regulations and for continued federal biosolids research efforts.  To receive a copy of the letter, please email mravenhill@wef.org.  

Congress Approves another Farm Bill Extension—Fails to Complete Negotiations
On Thursday, House and Senate Agriculture Committee conferees agreed to yet another 2-week extension (the current one expires today) of existing farm programs while they continue to hammer out the last few remaining items in a 5-year, $280 billion farm bill.  Both bills (H.R. 2419 and S. 2302) would renew conservation programs that pay farmers to implement environmental improvements on farms or to keep sensitive lands out of production, although conferees may trim these programs further.  New funding will likely be available under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and a new program championed by WEF that would provide grants to “partner” wastewater utilities and other entities with farmers to address regional water quality problems within watersheds.  Both bills would also extend loans and grants to construct wastewater treatment facilities in rural areas and renew Conservation Innovation Grants.  A $380 million Chesapeake Bay program would pay farmers to create buffer zones to reduce the flow of pollutants into the Bay, set aside land for conservation, and restrict the use of fertilizer when planting wheat, barley or rye in the fall and winter.  President Bush may still veto the final bill if it fails to meet his demands for reform.

EPA Region 5 Administrator Resigns
On May 1, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Administrator, Mary Gade resigned amid speculation that Bush administration officials were displeased with her enforcement efforts against Dow Chemical Company.  Appointed Regional Administrator in October 2006, Gade had previously served as director of Illinois EPA, co-founded the Environmental Council of States, and served as deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.  On Thursday, Gade told the Chicago Tribune that she resigned after two top EPA officials stripped her of her powers and told her to quit or be fired by June 1.  "There is no question this is about Dow," Gade said. "I stand behind what I did and what my staff did.  I'm proud of what we did."  Dow spokesman John Musser told the Associated Press, "Flatly, we never asked or implied that Ms. Gade be removed from her post."  At issue was Gade's effort to force Dow to cleanup dioxin-contaminated land, wetlands, and waters in and around Midland, Michigan, the Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers, and Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay.

Water Quality Credit Trading Workshop Announced
The Conservation Technology Information Center, in conjunction with WEF and other partners, is hosting a two-day water quality credit trading workshop August 19-20 in Troy, Ohio.  Designed to educate stakeholders in regional watersheds about the benefits and challenges of trading and the steps involved in developing a trading program, the workshop will include presentations, group discussions, and break-out sessions.  Of particular interest to the region's agricultural and municipal wastewater treatment communities, the workshop is a detailed, intensive training program that emphasizes communication between buyer and seller to better understand each other's concerns, issues, and challenges.  To register, visit: http://www.conservationinformation.org/?action=events_trainingworkshops_wqttroy.

EPA’s Offers Webcast on Draft Water Climate Change Strategy
On Thursday, May 8, EPA will host a free webcast from 2:30 to 4:30 pm EDT to discuss EPA's Draft National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change. The agency recently distributed the draft strategy and is seeking comments until May 27.  The draft strategy represents an initial effort by EPA's National Water Program to identify potential impacts of climate change for clean water and drinking water programs and to define actions both to adapt water programs to these impacts as well as to mitigate the release of greenhouse gases. The webcast will highlight some of the key actions EPA is proposing.  Webcast registration and a copy of the draft strategy are at www.epa.gov/water/climatechange/.

Quote of the Week:  Don't be fooled by the calendar.  There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. 
~Charles Richards

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