On September 15, the Water Environment Federation (WEF), The American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) joined together to applaud the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for today’s pre-publication release of its proposed 2020 Financial Capability Assessment (FCA). This revised affordability guidance should ease the financial burden on low-income communities.

The White House National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulation took effect on Sept. 14th.  The rule, which aims to speed up federal reviews is taking effect as planned after a Federal judge declined to block the measure on Sept. 11.  The decision is a victory for the administration’s efforts to speed up approvals, especially for pipelines, oil and gas wells, highways, and other projects.

On August 17, WEF sent a letter to the the Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. House of RepresentativesTransportation and Infrastructure Committee regarding the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020.

On July 28, the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change held a hearing titled, There’s Something in the Water: Reforming our Nations Drinking Water Standards, to evaluate the need to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) regulatory process.

The U.S. House of Representatives on July 21 passed the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA). While the majority of the bill, H.R. 6395, is unrelated to the water sector, there are several provisions related to the handling and cleanup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a chemical class known more commonly as PFAS.

On July 13, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, signed the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for WIFIA.

On July 8, EPA released the Water Utility COVID-19 Financial Impact Tool to help drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater ("water") utilities assess the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its cashflow.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies has advanced a major appropriations bill by voice vote. The bill included large increases in spending on many water related projects.

The INVEST in America Act (H.R. 2) is a massive infrastructure bill that was put forward by House Democrats with Rep. DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as the main sponsor.

On June 19, a federal judge in San Francisco denied a bid by a coalition of 18 Democratic state attorneys generals to put the regulation on hold nationwide, ruling that the plaintiffs didn't show they had a strong enough chance of winning their challenge to the Navigable Waters Protection rule to warrant a preliminary injunction. The rule goes into effect today.