News

This bill would apply the term ‘local mandate’ to any requirement by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and its agencies (collectively EOEEA) that a city or town expend funds on water-related projects, and requires an impact statement and public review process prior to the implementation of any rule or regulation. See H.463 … Read more

This bill proposes to establish within the Water Pollution Abatement Trust a Water Infrastructure Improvement Fund for purposes of improving drinking water, wastewater and storm water capital assets through loans and grants, for which bonds may be issued for local or regional projects that meet certain criteria; authorizes the Treasurer to issue bonds for this … Read more

This bill would reaffirm existing law allowing water districts and municipalities to continue withdrawals from river basins at existing levels, subject to a renewal registration statement, and requires that the Department of Environmental Protection may only impose accurate metering on registration renewals. This bill is in opposition to a recent Mass Rivers Alliance petition to … Read more

Amends provisions of the Massachusetts Water Management Act (GL c.21G) requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to create standards for restoring and maintaining stream flows, water levels and hydrologic regimes that are protective of natural aquatic life for all rivers and streams in the Commonwealth. These regulations are supposed to ‘ensure a balance among competing … Read more

From EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Army, and Army Corps of Engineers (the agencies) are proposing a rule to rescind the Clean Water Rule and re-codify the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015 defining “waters of the United States” or WOTUS. This action would, when finalized, provide certainty in the interim, pending … Read more

H3388 Dig Safe law changes Review of bill by Utility Contractors of New England: UCANE – Section by Section Summary) – An Act Relative to Improving Public Safety in Excavation (June 2017)(HB3388)

from “This Week in Washington” (Water Environment Federation) Bipartisan Clean Water Bill Introduced in House Also during Infrastructure Week 2017, H.R. 2510, the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2017, was introduced by Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Vice Chair of the House Committee on … Read more

from “This Week In Washington” (Water Environment Federation) Bipartisan Water Bill Introduced in Senate During Infrastructure Week 2017, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), both senior members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), introduced bipartisan legislation to bring affordable relief to America’s crumbling water infrastructure systems. The bill, S. … Read more

from “This Week In Washington” (Water Environment Federation) House Hearing Focuses on Integrated Planning On Thursday, May 19, the Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee held a hearing examining the EPA’s implementation of the integrated planning policy, and looked at ways to help EPA, states, and municipalities in developing … Read more