The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently issued new, draft ambient water quality criteria recommendations for nutrients in lakes and reservoirs. The criteria recommendations serve as important resources to protect public health, pets, and aquatic life from the adverse effects of excess nutrients in surface waters, including during the summer recreation season. When finalized, these Read More
Future PFAS Legislation One Step Closer
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is closer to implementing an important per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) requirement of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA added 172 PFAS to the list of chemicals required to be reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and established a 100-pound reporting threshold for these substances. The Read More
Facility Operators Should Prepare for Emergency Weather Events
The summer severe weather season is upon us, with tornados, flash floods, and hurricanes possible depending on specific location. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) reminds facility operators of requirements for preventing, minimizing, and reporting chemical releases. Facility operators are obligated to maintain safety, minimize releases that do occur, and report chemical or oil releases Read More
Lawsuits Attempt to Block New Definition of WOTUS
The pendulum on the definition of the “Waters of the United States”, or WOTUS, appears to be swinging in yet another direction. A federal lawsuit filed by 20 entities aims to prevent the Navigable Waters Protection Act from going into effect later this month. California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Read More
New AWIA Risk & Resilience Assessment Checklist
The National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently unveiled a simplified checklist for small Community Water Systems to help achieve compliance with new risk and resilience assessment requirements under America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA). The guidance is intended for systems serving greater than 3,300 but less than 50,000 Read More
Senate Committee Unanimously Approves Infrastructure Bills
The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) unanimously passed America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (AWIA 2020) and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 in May. The bills now need approval from the full Senate and ultimately, President Donald Trump, who has called on Congress to pass comprehensive infrastructure legislation after Read More