CASA 2022 "Ask the Experts" Webinar Series |
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After we made the tough decision to cancel the CASA Winter Conference this January, CASA staff got to work crafting an alternative so members could still have access to the timely and important information we were planning as part of the program. Starting next Monday, March 7, 2022, and running through June 2022, we are excited to announce a series of CASA-led “Ask the Experts” webinars! Join the conversation as we discuss the hot topics all clean water agencies are concerned with, including infrastructure funding, climate resiliency, public messaging, PFAS, and much more! These virtual workshops are free and open to all CASA members.
Workshop #1: Biosolids 101 for Agency Managers, Directors, and Staff
Hear from one of the foremost biosolids experts in the country, CASA’s own Director of Renewable Resource Programs Greg Kester, on the origins and contours of the federal and state biosolids program. Greg’s presentation will run participants through the history of federal biosolids regulations, and new advancements that will further your understanding of modern challenges, opportunities and the latest research and collaborative studies. Whether you are brand new to biosolids or a seasoned professional, this interactive session is sure to be one that you won’t want to miss! Join the Zoom meeting next Monday, March 7 and save this link to your calendar.
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CASA Washington D.C. Policy Forum |
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CASA Concludes Successful Washington D.C. Policy Forum
Just this week, CASA celebrated a successful return to Washington D.C. as we hosted our 18th annual Policy Forum. Attendees heard from Congressional staff on key Committees of jurisdiction, several high level USEPA representatives, national association partners, as well as Representative John Garamendi. Thank you to all our members who were able to attend and represent CASA on important federal issues! For those of you who were not able to make it back this year, CASA has prepared issue papers for your agencies to consider in your federal outreach throughout the year. This marks an exciting return to our nation’s capital, and we are looking forward to having the event again in 2023!
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Hundreds of Bills Introduced Before State Legislative Deadline
Friday, February 18th was the bill introduction deadline for the 2022 Legislative Session. In the weeks leading up to the deadline all bills that will be considered this year were introduced and assigned bill numbers. Now every bill must remain in print for 30 days before they can be assigned to policy committees for consideration and hearings. Early policy committee hearings will begin in March and all bills must be heard and passed by all policy committees by April 29th.
Several hundred bills were introduced in the last several weeks, including many of interest to CASA members. We are pleased to be co-sponsoring AB 2247 (Bloom) with our NGO partners, Clean Water Action and Environmental Working Group. The bill would require all manufacturers of PFAS or products containing PFAS to disclose the PFAS in their products on a publicly accessible database by 2024. This information is critical for water sector decision making and the database will be an important tool to facilitate source reduction programs. We look forward to getting agencies engaged on this legislation – in the coming weeks we will ask CASA members to send in letters of support to the Legislature in advance of key hearings and deadlines specific to the bill.
We will also be engaging on several other bills that will have significant impacts to the wastewater community this year. Legislation relating to water conservation, PFAS In products, microplastics, connection and capacity fees, and many other topics of interest will be considered during the 2022 session. The CASA State Legislative Committee (SLC) will meet on March 11th to discuss and take positions on all bills of interest that have been introduced this year and will continue to meet monthly throughout the legislative session. Meetings are open to all CASA members to attend. Additionally, if you’re not already subscribed you are invited to follow along with the state legislative advocacy program through our SLC listserv. Please email Cheryl Mackelvie if you would like to be added.
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White House Publishes Guidebook for IIJA Infrastructure Implementation
The White House has published the “Building a Better America” guidebook for states, local governments, and Territories to assist in the understanding and coordinating the implementation Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), commonly known as the bipartisan infrastructure law. Over the coming weeks, the Administration will publish subsequent guidebooks to keep the information on how to access the IIJA’s funding resources up to date. Specifically, the guidebook provides local governments:
- Roadmap to funding resources, detailing how much funding is available per program and how to engage with the appropriate federal agencies and departments to access funding.
- Explanation of how local entities can prepare to apply for funding resources as the federal government prepares to distribute IIJA funds to existing and new funding programs.
In an effort to relay funding and application information clearly, the guidebook is organized by infrastructure sector and then by specific program. It outlines the responsible agency, available funding amount, funding availability timeframe, funding mechanism, whether it is a grant, loan or both, eligible recipients, and a description of the program and eligible funding uses. For the water sector, the IIJA provided a total of $55 billion to invest in clean water, drinking water, water reuse, conveyance, water storage, and water quality needs.
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USDOI Announces WaterSMART 2022 Drought Contingency Planning Grant Opportunity
The U.S. Department of the Interior has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Year 2022. The purpose of the WaterSMART Drought Response Program is to support proactive approaches to respond to droughts and drought related impacts by providing assistance that supports developing and updating comprehensive drought plans and implementing projects that build long-term resilience to drought conditions. This NOFO provides funding for project planning activities that increase water reliability and improve water management through expanded use of technologies and modeling capabilities. Eligible applicants include states, tribes, water districts, irrigation districts and other organizations with water or power delivery authorities within the Western U.S. Applications are due by Thursday, April 14, 2022.
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White House Releases Environmental Justice Screening Tool for Public Comment
The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has released their “beta version” of the Climate and Economic Justice Screen Tool (CEJST) that will support the Administration’s goal of addressing environmental justice issues, by helping the federal government fulfill the Administration’s directive of the Justice40 Initiative. Under the Justice40 Initiative, 40% of the overall benefits from federal investments go towards disadvantaged communities. CEJST will assist in this effort by identifying what and where disadvantage communities are located and ensure they receive federal investments. CEQ is requesting public feedback on the CEJST beta version. A 60-day public comment period will begin after a Request for Information is published on the Federal Register.
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New Scholarship Available
The CASA Education Foundation, East Bay Dischargers Authority, and the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies are proud to present the Bruce Wolfe Memorial Scholarship which honors the former Executive Officer of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, an impactful steward of the Bay environment and supporter of expanding diversity in the clean water sector. This scholarship is available to San Francisco Bay Area applicants whose backgrounds are currently underrepresented in clean water career paths.
Bruce Wolfe received degrees in civil and environmental engineering from Stanford University and went on to pursue a successful career with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board that was marked by notable achievements in the protection of public health and the environment. Bruce was a passionate leader in the clean water community. He knew how important education was in bettering people and communities. He supported diversity and education throughout his life, and we are proud to honor that tradition and recognize his legacy through this memorial scholarship.
Funded by generous contributions from the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies and the East Bay Dischargers Authority, the Bruce Wolfe Memorial Scholarship will award a $5,000 scholarship to a student from the Bay Area who identifies as a gender other than male and/or whose racial identity includes any mix of BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color). To learn more about the criteria and eligibility please visit the CASA Education Foundation webpage.
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Opt in by March 31 to CASA’s Benefits Salary Survey
We encourage CASA agencies to participate in this year’s call for benefits and salary information by completing the 2022 Benefits Survey . The more responses we receive, the more accurate the statistical summary we can create. Where appropriate, please send this notification to the HR department for completion. In today’s competitive talent landscape, salary benchmarking is an important HR tool and this survey is a member benefit. If your agency participated previously, your data is important for those agencies that use benchmarks. For those of you who have not participated in recent surveys, or have never participated, you will find this information very helpful when conducting a salary classification and review. Monterey One Water has again graciously volunteered to coordinate and produce the survey report.
- Part 1 contains only benefit information. Please take the time to answer each question to the best of your ability.
- Part 2 is the salary information.
We can exclude listing salary data for any sensitive positions that you prefer not to be recorded on the report. However, we would still like to use that information in the calculations of the overall averages. To accomplish this, just make a notation on the survey.
We look forward to providing as much comprehensive, beneficial information as possible with the distribution of the results.
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We Want to Celebrate YOU
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. 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. Award recipients will be announced (and celebrated!) during CASA’s Annual Conference in August. For more information about the award criteria and categories, please visit the Awards Program Webpage.
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Sign up for CASA’s Regulatory Updates
CASA’s Regulatory Workgroup regularly puts together a comprehensive e-newsletter to share all regulatory updates on key issues and workgroup initiatives with the CASA membership. If you are interested in receiving these regulatory updates, please contact Jared Voskuhl. Last month’s edition is available here.
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IERCA Recognized as Large-Scale Compost Manufacturer of the Year
The Inland Empire Regional Composting Authority (IERCA) was recently recognized as the Large-Scale Compost Manufacturer of the Year at the United States Composting Council’s (USCC) Annual Conference and Tradeshow. This award is presented to a commercial-scale U.S. composting facility that produces more than 10,000 tons of compost per year. The award recognizes a public or private facility that has been in operation for a minimum of three years and displays excellence in compost production, marketing and distribution. IERCA manufactures premium compost made up of green waste and biosolids that undergo a 60-day composting process at its facility in Rancho Cucamonga. The high-quality, nutrient-rich product sold under the SoilPro® name meets top-quality guidelines outlined by the United States Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) Program. Congratulations to IERCA and the Inland Empire Utilities Agency! Read the press release here.
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VSD Receives International Distinction for Superior Budgeting
Valley Sanitary District recently received distinguished recognition for excellent budgeting practices and comprehensive annual financial reporting. The District earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). “At Valley Sanitary District, one of our top priorities is making sure we operate in a fiscally responsible manner, following best practices that benefit our customers,” said Jeanette Juarez, Business Services Manager. “This acknowledgment from the GFOA represents our team’s commitment to ensuring the District functions at a secure financial level for all those we serve.” Congratulations to Valley Sanitary District! Read the press release here.
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Funding for County-wide and Regional Funding Programs
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has opened a County-wide and Regional Funding Solicitation for counties or eligible partner entities to receive funding to implement county-wide or regional programs that address drought-related and/or contamination issues for state small water systems and domestic wells serving disadvantaged communities and low-income households.
A webinar will be held regarding this funding:
In these webinars, participants will learn about similar programs that are currently being implemented, how to apply for funding and assistance, and where to go for additional information. The target audience is county staff/representatives and non-governmental organizations that could apply to implement a program on their behalf.
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Biosolids 101 for Agency Managers, Directors, and Staff
Hear from one of the foremost biosolids experts in the country, CASA’s own Director of Renewable Resource Programs Greg Kester, on the origins and contours of the federal and state biosolids program. Greg’s presentation will run participants through the history of federal biosolids regulations, as well as modern challenges, opportunities and the latest research and collaborative studies. Whether you are brand new to biosolids or a seasoned veteran, you won’t want to miss this webinar! Join the Zoom meeting next Monday, March 7 and save this link to your calendar.
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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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Careers and Opportunities |
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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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