Archive for the Policy & Politics Category
Decreased Water Flow Projected to Colorado River Basin
Colorado is no stranger to drought especially as the current one is closing in on 20 years with no trajectory change in sight. The drought is the second worst 20-year period in the past 1,200 years, according to Bradley Udall, a senior climate and water scientist at Colorado State University’s Colorado Water Center. This summer/fall alone had some of the hottest spells on record and the worst wildfire season ever. “Aridification” is what Udall formally calls the situation that is currently occurring in the western U.S. But perhaps more accurately, he calls it hot drought which is heat-induced lack of […]
Water Infrastructure Resilience Report Released
In the third of its Community Resilience Benchmarks, the water benchmark addresses resilience of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. The Alliance for National and Community Resilience (ANCR) released the new benchmark recently after both the building and housing benchmarks were released in 2019. ANCR’s Community Resilience Benchmarks (CRBs) support communities in assessing their resilience and developing strategies for improvement. These benchmarks take a coordinated, holistic look at the people, services and processes that make communities work. The water benchmark was developed by a committee of subject matter experts co-chaired by Andy Kricun, Managing Director at Moonshot Missions and Senior […]
New Proposed Actions for EPA’s National Water Reuse Plan
During the recent Future of Water Infrastructure and Innovation Virtual Summit, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water, David Ross, announced four new proposed actions under the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP). The Summit was hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and their Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. It featured members of the newly formed Water Subcabinet and highlighted, among other issues, the importance of federal coordination on water reuse. “Water reuse is a prime example where enhanced federal coordination under the Water Subcabinet is essential to driving progress on actions that […]
Michigan Receives Water Infrastructure Investment
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently announced MI Clean Water, a $500 million comprehensive water infrastructure investment in Michigan’s water systems from source to tap. The MI Clean Water plan, the state says, marks a significant investment after decades of underinvestment in Michigan’s infrastructure. “The MI Clean Water investment will help us rebuild Michigan’s water infrastructure and will prioritize and invest directly into protecting our public health, environment, and economy. The MI Clean Water Plan is a critical part of the solution, but the work cannot stop here. I look forward to working with the legislature to find creative solutions to address our water infrastructure backlog. Everyone must remain committed to ensuring that every Michigander has access to clean water.”[1] The […]
EPA Sued Over Chesapeake Bay Clean-Up Enforcement
Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and D.C. have jointly filed a lawsuit against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to protect the Chesapeake Bay and other local waterways. The jurisdictions say that the EPA has failed to hold up the terms of a multi-state agreement to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Primarily, these jurisdictions say that New York and Pennsylvania have failed to uphold their end of the bargain, and that the EPA has failed to follow-up with enforcement. The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure,” said Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh. “Restoring the health of the Bay […]