PIPES Act Introduced in House
Last week, Representatives Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) introduced the "Protecting Infrastructure and Promoting Environmental Stewardship Act" (PIPES Act, H.R. 6591) to codify a flushability certification process for the marketing of single-use "flushable" wet wipes. The PIPES Act is complementary to the WIPPES Act (HR 4602) that requires wipes manufacturers to label synthetic wet wipes as "Do Not Flush." Together, the two bills holistically address the problem of the flushing of single-use wet wipes. Over the past year, CASA assisted McClain and Lowenthal's offices with the development of both the PIPES Act and WIPPES Act. The press release for the PIPES Act and legislative text are available here.
CASA is urging agencies to express support for the legislation to Representatives Lowenthal and McClain, as well as reach out to their local Congressional representatives to request they support the PIPES Act and WIPPES Act. CASA is providing template letters for our membership to use to send to congressional offices. The template letter of support to Representatives McClain and Lowenthal is available here. The template letter requesting CASA agencies’ own Congressional representatives support the two bills is available here. CASA would be happy to assist in connecting your agency with your local representative if needed. Letters should be directed to Representatives Lowenthal and McClain (contact info is in the template letter), and copies should also be sent to your local Representatives as well with the request that they support the PIPES and WIPPES Acts. Thank you for your support on this important federal legislation! Please contact Sarah Sapirstien or Jessica Gauger with any questions.
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Join us Feb 28 - Mar 1 for CASA’s 2022 Washington D.C. Policy Forum
Time is running out! Make plans to join your clean water peers at the 2022 Washington D.C. Policy Forum on February 28-March 1. The D.C. Policy Forum provides an opportunity for you to discuss significant legislative priorities with federal leaders that directly impact your agency’s operations.
Key program topics will examine the Congressional landscape, recently adopted infrastructure package, upcoming mid-term elections, cybersecurity and other exciting developments of importance to California’s clean water professionals. We are also bringing our popular USEPA meetings to the program with updates on PFAS, biosolids and renewable resources programs.
Brand new this year, you are invited to an exclusive tour of the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority’s award-winning facility. Participants also have the flexibility to arrange their own Congressional visits on Capitol Hill. With the State of the Union scheduled for March 1, it will be an exciting time to be in Washington D.C. We urge you to join us!
The forum takes place at a new venue this year: the Hotel Washington directly across from the White House. As a reminder, the deadline for hotel reservations is next week, Monday, February 7! To see all of the D.C. Policy Forum details visit https://casaevents.memberclicks.net/dc-forum.
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CASA Collaborates with Danish Delegation
Last month Greg Kester, CASA Director of Renewable Resource Programs, was invited to join a delegation from Denmark including Ms. Lea Wermelin, Danish Minister of the Environment, on a recent visit to Northern California. Denmark and the State of California re-signed a Memorandum of Understanding to combat climate change in a ceremony on December 1, 2021, which was attended by CalEPA Secretary Jared Blumenthal, Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, State Water Board member Nichole Morgan and others. Greg helped lead a workshop on SB 1383 following the MOU signing, focusing on the role co-digestion and biosolids play in meeting its objectives. The delegation then toured Folsom Lake and gained insight into the effects of drought and water supply. Greg also attended a second workshop at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on December 2nd and again helped lead a robust discussion on issues of importance to the clean water community. We thank the delegation for this unique opportunity and look forward to continuing a great collaborative partnership with our Danish colleagues!
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Connecting Beyond CASA Connects: Join CASA’s LISTSERVs!
Is there a topic of interest particularly near and dear to you? Biosolids? Collection systems? Legislative advocacy? Along with this newsletter, CASA offers several other ways to connect and share on these topics and more. With several LISTSERVs available to our members for updates on Biosolids, Communications, Collection Systems, Federal Advocacy, Regulatory Issues, State Advocacy, Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy, and our NEWEST listserv, Professional Development, there really is something for everyone! These group email lists are interactive and the most immediate way to get up to date information about what’s going on in the world of clean water advocacy.
Members can subscribe employees to any (or all) of these LISTSERVs. If you are interested, please send Cheryl MacKelvie your email at cmackelvie@casaweb.org and identify the list you would like to subscribe to. We are proud to be your source for wastewater legislative, regulatory, and industry news! Below please find a brief description of each LISTSERV:
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CASA Awards of Excellence
CASA seeks to recognize members who provide essential public services and go above and beyond to protect public health and the environment. All member agencies and associates are invited to submit an Award of Excellence application by Friday, April 29, 2022. Your organization works hard to do what’s right for California. Recognition from the leading clean water association honors your hard work and accomplishments. It’s a symbol of respect, credibility, and innovation. For more information about the award criteria and categories, please visit the Awards Program Webpage.
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CASA Education Foundation Scholarship Applications
The CASA Education Foundation helps ensure clean water for Californians by awarding scholarships to promising students on a path to serving the environmental community. Does your local college or university know about CASA’s financial aid to students interested in a career in water? The Foundation is accepting scholarship applications through May 15, 2022. For information on how to apply, who is eligible and the scholarship guidelines, visit the website.
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$600 Million Available Statewide to Cover Unpaid Wastewater Bills from the Pandemic
The State Water Resources Control Board has funding available to provide relief to wastewater agencies and wastewater billing entities for unpaid customer debt accrued during the Pandemic. The California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program covers residential and commercial customer debt accrued March 4, 2020 through June 15, 2021. Applications are now open and should be submitted by April 1, 2022. Technical assistance is available for agencies who need support to complete the application. If you don’t bill customers directly, please pass this information onto your billing entity (or email wwarrearages@waterboards.ca.gov with your billing entity’s contact information) so they can apply for relief for your customers. Please see the attached factsheet for more information on program eligibility and how to apply, or visit the State Water Board’s website.
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Welcome New Associate Members! |
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EPA Announces $250 Million WIFIA Loan Awarded to USD
In mid-January, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $250 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Union Sanitary District. EPA’s WIFIA loan will help fund upgrades to the District’s aging water infrastructure to provide better wastewater treatment, reduce nutrient discharges to the San Francisco Bay, and increase resiliency to impacts of climate change. The District’s Enhanced Treatment and Site Upgrade Phase 1 Projects will support implementation of the San Francisco Bay Nutrient Management Strategy by improving treatment quality for up to 33 million gallons of wastewater per day. The project will reduce 50 percent of the facility’s nitrogen discharges and 90 percent of its ammonia discharges to the San Francisco Bay on an annual basis. In addition to improving water quality in the Bay, the projects are also designed to bolster the facility’s resilience to wet weather events and the impacts of climate change. “This federal support is the financial cornerstone of USD’s Enhanced Treatment and Site Upgrade (ETSU) Phase 1 program, a multi-year improvement project that provides significant engineering, operational, and environmental benefits,” said General Manager Paul Eldredge. “USD is proud to collaborate with the EPA to proactively improve water quality in the San Francisco Bay through enhanced wastewater treatment processes and nutrient removal as we renew and replace aging infrastructure for the 21st century. The EPA’s low-cost financing will help ensure modernized, reliable, cost-effective service to customers and will deliver benefits to the San Francisco Bay Area for many years to come.” Read the full press release and check out the “flyover” video demonstrating the planned improvements.
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LIHWAP Water Systems Informational Webinar
On Tuesday, February 15 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm and Wednesday, February 16 from 10:00am to 11:00am, the California Department of Community Services & Development (CSD) will be hosting informational webinars regarding the disbursement of the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) funds. LIHWAP provides financial assistance to low-income Californians to help manage their residential water and wastewater utility costs. The federal LIHWAP funds are administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. HHS) and CSD has been designated the administering agency for LIHWAP in California. LIHWAP is a customer-based program where qualified, low-income households can apply to their Local Service Provider to receive a one-time credit (up to $2,000) on their water or wastewater bill.
In order for a customer to apply, your water or wastewater system must enroll in the Direct Payment program. Enrollment in the LIHWAP program is essential to receive funding and allow your customers the chance to participate. The webinar will provide an introduction on the enrollment process.
Register here for one of the upcoming informational webinars to discuss the importance of your participation in LIHWAP. During this webinar, CSD and partners will provide a program overview, a demonstration of the enrollment portal, and field any questions you may have. During the registration process, please be sure to include any questions you may have in preparation for this webinar.
Each Webinar will be accessible by computer only and cover the same material. Please register for the option that works best for you. If you cannot attend this webinar, a recording will be posted to the CSD website. Please follow this link to sign up for future LIHWAP updates. To learn more about LIHWAP, visit the CSD website here.
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Diversity in California Water: CUWA’s DEI Toolkit and Lessons Learned
Continuing our Diversity in Water webinar series, on February 16, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, two California water leaders will share lessons learned to support DEI efforts within their agencies. The agencies are members of the California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA). They have developed a DEI Toolkit for water and wastewater agencies to help support their diversity programs. The toolkit shares ideas and progress stories to support the development of DEI programs in California’s water sector. The toolkit summarizes best practices from member agencies, including: sharing lessons learned through DEI program implementation; compile resources/examples; and complement broader frameworks. This webinar series is supported by California’s water associations, including: ACWA, BAYWORK, CA-NV AWWA, CASA and CWEA.
February 16, 2022 – 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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Coffee with CalTRUST
Join CalTRUST on February 24th at 9am for a webinar: Coffee with CalTRUST to learn about the CalTRUST features and funds including: (1) CalTRUST 101 – Learn the history and the features of CalTRUST; (2) CalTRUST Fund Options and Current Positioning; and (3) Mini Market Update by BlackRock. This webinar is a great opportunity for existing shareholders to invite their staff or elected officials to learn about CalTRUST as well as for those agencies that don't already participate with CalTRUST to learn about the funds and features that CalTRUST offers. In addition to speakers from CalTRUST staff and BlackRock, you will hear from your public agency peers on how and why they invest assets with CalTRUST.
All attendees will receive a $10 Starbucks gift card as a thank you! This session will be held in conjunction with the CSAC Finance Corporation and attendees can receive 1.0 continuing education hours for participating. The webinar is offered at no-cost and is available to both existing Shareholders as well as any public agency who does not already invest with CalTRUST.
Date: February 24, 2022
Time: 9:00am - 10:00am
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Save the Date: Partnering for Impact in California 2022
Join us on April 11, 2022, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm for a joint CASA/CWEA workshop: Partnering for Impact in California. This workshop will allow attendees to explore new technologies that advance emerging solutions to address wastewater, biosolids and solid waste challenges in California and gain a better understanding of how to implement these strategies into on-the-ground programs at both small and large agencies throughout the state. Some of the State’s key goals for water quality and solids management that impact the wastewater community are:
- Reduce carbon emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
- Reduction in organic waste disposal in landfills 75 percent below 2014 levels by 2025.
- Emerging PFAS and Nutrient Water Quality Objectives.
While the mission-critical function of water and wastewater services remains constant, the tools used to maintain consistent levels of service must evolve to meet these new systemic challenges and high-performance expectations.
This one-day workshop, co-hosted by CASA and CWEA, will bring together thought leaders, decision makers, project managers, and plant operators to create an open discussion around innovation in the wastewater sector in California. The audience will engage in moderated discussions around each topic introduced by our speakers. Register here.
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ACT Expo
CASA is proud to endorse the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo on May 9-12, 2022, in Long Beach, CA. The advanced clean transportation sector continues to grow at a breakneck pace, rapidly rising to the occasion through ongoing innovation. Every year, ACT Expo attendees receive unmatched educational opportunities on the latest trends, policies, technologies, and opportunities in clean tech transportation. The 2022 agenda will enable attendees to:
- Learn from large-scale real-world fleet applications of low- and zero-emission vehicles across numerous applications
- Access the tools to support environmental, social, and governance (ESG) finance and the opportunities it affords
- Explore new charging and low-emission fuel technologies, such as DC fast charging, biofuels, and hydrogen, and how they plan to address the challenges in diverse vehicle applications
- Understand important climate and environmental policy developments being driven by the federal, state, and local agency commitments
- Discover financial incentives to reduce total cost of ownership for advanced clean vehicles
CASA members can receive a $50 discount when registering by using the code: 22CASAD50 (enter the code when registering for ACT Expo 2022 on the payment page).
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CASA represents more than 125 local public agencies engaged in the collection, treatment and recycling of Wastewater and biosolids to protect public health and the environment. Our mission is to provide trusted information and advocacy on behalf of California clean water agencies, and to be a leader in sustainability and utilization of renewable resources. |
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