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 Seeks Public Comment on Water Program Strategy to Respond to Climate Change
EPA released a draft strategy on March 28 that describes the potential effects of climate change on clean water, drinking water, and ocean protection programs and outlines EPA actions to respond to these effects.  The National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change focuses on actions designed to help managers adapt their water programs in response to a changing climate. Other elements of the draft strategy include steps needed to strengthen links between climate research and water programs, and to improve education for water program professionals on potential climate change impacts.  The strategy also identifies contributions that water programs can make to mitigate greenhouse gases.  Some of the potential impacts of climate change on water resources reviewed in the strategy include increases in certain water pollution problems, changes in availability of drinking water supplies, and collective impacts on coastal areas.  The public comment period is open for 60 days.  WEF has a work group ready to develop comments.  The draft strategy is available at www.epa.gov/water/climatechange.

National Monitoring Conference to Include Over 300 Presentations
The sixth National Monitoring Conference will be held May 18 – 22 in Atlantic City, NJ.  Sponsored by the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) and USGS in cooperation with WEF, the conference will feature the latest information on water quality monitoring science and practices.  The conference will focus on seven themes that highlight the importance of monitoring in achieving the goal of clean water for all and will include over 300 platform presentations, technical posters, workshops, an exhibition, short courses, and regional tours.  The conference announcement is available at www.wef.org/ConferencesTraining/ConferencesEvents/NatlWaterQualityMonitoringConference/.  Information on NWQMC and previous conferences is at http://acwi.gov/monitoring/.

EPA Issues Manual on Water Quality Assessment
EPA released a draft Survey of the Nation’s Lakes Field Operations Manual on March 25 that describes protocols for a statistical assessment of the condition of U.S. lakes, ponds, and reservoirs.  EPA said the purpose of this and similar assessments being conducted by the agency, states, and tribes is to generate statistically valid reports on the quality of U.S. water resources and identify key stressors to these systems.  Coastal waters, wadeable streams, rivers, and wetlands also will be studied, EPA said.  The field manual is available at www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/lakessurvey/finaldraftfieldops0307.pdf.  

EPA Accepting Nominations for 2008 Clean Water Act Awards
EPA announced in the March 27 Federal Register the availability of and nomination information for EPA's 2008 Clean Water Act (CWA) Recognition Awards. The awards recognize municipalities and industries for outstanding and innovative technological achievements in wastewater treatment and pollution abatement programs.  The awards are intended to educate the public about the contributions wastewater treatment facilities make to clean water; to encourage public support for municipal and industrial efforts in effective wastewater management, biosolids disposal and reuse, and wet weather pollution control; and to recognize communities that use innovative practices to meet CWA permitting requirements.  Nominations are due from EPA Regional offices to headquarters no later than May 30.  To view the Federal Register notice, visit: www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2008/March/Day-27/w6281.htm.

Internet Reporting Now Available for TRI Data
EPA announced this week that facilities required to submit data to the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) can do so over the internet using the TRI-ME software.  Companies will no longer have to mail reports on compact disks or paper to EPA and the internet system has quality checks built into the software which will improve data quality.  This year, companies are required to submit calendar year 2007 data to TRI by July 1.  The TRI-ME software is available at www.epa.gov/tri/report/software/index.htm#usetrime.

Total Coliform Rule Advisory Committee Public Meeting
EPA announced in the March 26 Federal Register that it is holding a meeting of the Total Coliform Rule Distribution System Advisory Committee (TCRDSAC) to discuss the Total Coliform Rule (TCR) revision and information about distribution systems issues that may impact water quality.  The public meeting will be held on April 9 and 10 in Washington, DC.  Additional information on the meeting is available at www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-MEETINGS/2008/March/Day-26/m6179.htm.

Quote of the Week:
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
 - Charles Dickens

This Week in Washington is provided by the Water Environment Federation. To receive by e-mail, contact Martha Ravenhill at mravenhill@wef.org.