Government Relations
American Water CEO Don Correll Presents to Congressional Water Caucus
First in a Series of Forums to Discuss Nation’s Aging Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
Donald L. Correll, president and chief executive officer of American Water Works Company, Inc., made a presentation to the Congressional Water Caucus at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center on June 24. The program, titled “The Crisis of Infrastructure: Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” was the first of four forums to discuss the critical issues surrounding the nation’s aging water and wastewater infrastructure.
In addition to Correll’s presentation, the program included an overview by the co-chairs of the Congressional Water Caucus, John Linder (R-GA) and Jim Costa (D-CA), other members of Congress, and an abbreviated screening of the Penn State Public Broadcasting documentary Liquid Assets, followed by a question and answer session.
"I applaud Representatives Linder and Costa and the Congressional Water Caucus for recognizing the urgent need to address the water and wastewater infrastructure challenges this country faces, and I am delighted to be asked to bring our expertise into the conversation," said Correll.
Also, a panel of experts talked about the water as an undervalued resource and the array of creative procurement options available at the local level to manage water. Joining Don Correll on the panel was Mayor Bob Young of Augusta, Ga.; Greg Hyland, CEO of Mueller Water Products; and Debra Coy, a water analyst for Janney Montgomery Scott.
House to Vote on Cap-and-Trade, Energy Bill
The House of Representatives is planning to vote on H.R. 2998, a massive, 1,200-page bill intended to create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy. The vote is expected Friday, June 26.
Chairman Waxman (D-CA) and the Democratic leadership have been negotiating this bill for months, and a deal was reportedly struck earlier last week with several other committee chairmen that would allow the bill to proceed.
The core components:
- An amendment to the Clean Air Act would establish a cap-and-trade system designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, and 83 percent by 2050.
- An absolute cap would be established on emissions and would allow trading of emissions permits or “allowances.” This proposal would achieve broad coverage through mandates on petroleum and gas producers and importers as well as mandates on electric generators, industrial sources and natural gas distribution companies.
- A substantial percentage of the allowances would be allocated to energy consumers and low-income households.
- A cost-control mechanism that would allow for the availability of domestic and international offsets is included.
- An energy efficiency and renewable electricity standard would start in 2011, requiring retail electricity suppliers to meet 20 percent of their electricity demand through renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency by 2020 is established.
Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Rush Holt (D-NJ) and George Miller (D-CA) secured a place for an authorization of EPA’s WaterSense program in the bill. This provision, supported by NAWC, would expand EPA’s successful WaterSense program to encourage the manufacturing and sale of water-efficient consumer products. If passed, the WaterSense program would become a permanent EPA program and additional funding for the program would be provided.
The Senate has not yet introduced a companion climate-change bill. Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is likely to craft a bill that will include similar core components to the House bill. The Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee lead by Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has produced a broad energy package that includes a renewable electricity standard but not a cap-and-trade framework. Senate leadership has indicated that it would like to eventually vote on a combined climate and energy package —though the Senate may have a difficult time mustering the 60 votes that are needed to pass such a bill.
Water Sector Coordinating Council to Hold Workshops
The Water Sector Coordinating Council is hosting a series of workshops designed to improve the knowledge, skills and abilities of U.S.-based water sector utility employees who are responsible for control system security. The Department of Homeland Security’s Control Systems Security Program will present the workshop training and discuss security products that are available for use by Water Sector asset owners and operators.
Water Sector Coordinating Council
“The current economic downturn may be a perfect storm for (cyber) security breaches”. -McAffee Report on Cybersecurity
To: Water/Wastewater Utilities
From: Water Sector Coordinating Council (WSCC)
RE: Cyber Security Training Workshops
Date/Place: October 15, 2009-Chicago, IL,
October 26, 2009-San Antonio, TX and
November 3, 2009-Holliston (Boston), MA
The urgent need to mitigate risks and threats to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) has led the water sector to collaborate with government leaders on an integrated security strategy as detailed in the Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the Water Sector, March 2008.
A critical component of this effort is equipping utility personnel with the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to identify, defend against and reduce the risk from cyber attack.
The WSCC is hosting a series of workshops designed specifically to improve the knowledge, skills and abilities of U.S. based water sector utility employees who are responsible for control system security. The Department of Homeland Security’s Control Systems Security Program will present the workshop training and discuss security products that are available for use by Water Sector asset owners and operators. These one-day events will include:
- A briefing on the Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the Water Sector to review the goals, milestones, and information on roles, responsibilities and relationship models for IT and ICS organizations;
- An overview of cyber risks and threats to utility based ICS;
- Concrete and easy to understand mitigation strategies for securing ICS;
- Demonstration and instruction on the DHS mitigation and self assessment tools.
To register for the one of the three workshops please go to www.waterisac.org and select News and Events at the top of the page.
If you have any questions regarding the workshops, please contact Aaron Levy at levy@amwa.net or Kevin Morley at kmorley@awwa.org.
FY 2010 EPA Appropriations Bills Being Considered
The House of Representatives is expected to vote soon on the FY 2010 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill. The spending bill would give $2.3 billion to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $1.4 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
The Senate Interior and Environment Appropriations panel would provide similar increases: $2.1 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $1.39 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. These numbers would reflect a $1.4 billion and $558 million increase over the FY 2009 appropriations for the two funds, respectively.
The House version of the FY 2010 spending bill would continue provisions that were created in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act earlier this year. Namely, they would be set aside for green infrastructure and, a portion of the funds could be distributed with further subsidization such as no interest loans.
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