ACWA White Paper Released: Examples of State Innovations: Clean Water Act Compliance

Recently, the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), "a national, nonpartisan professional organization . . . [whose] members are the State, Interstate and Territorial officials who are responsible for the implementation of surface water protection programs throughout the nation" issued a white paper titled, Examples of State Innovations: Clean Water Act Compliance (Apr. 24, 2013). The 8-page document is available here under the "New" category (ACWA White Paper: CWA Compliance Innovations 4-24-13).

EPA Memorandum of Understanding to Promote Healthy Watersheds Initiative Released

 On February 22, 2013, EPA, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) jointly signed the Memorandum of Understanding between The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Association of Clean Water Administrators to Promote the Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MOU). This MOU formalizes a mutual collaboration between these groups as they strive to develop and implement healthy watersheds programs in states and with regional aquatic ecosystem programs. These programs include working with states and other partners to identify healthy watersheds state-wide and to implement healthy watershed protection plans, to integrate such protection into EPA programs and to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of protecting our remaining healthy watersheds. TNC, EPA, and ACWA will promote data gathering / data sharing and evaluation of conservation and environmental outcomes resulting from the implementation of state and regional healthy watershed programs.

Memorandum of Understanding to Promote the Healthy Watersheds Initiative (PDF)

Association of Clean Water Administrators Report Released: State Water Programs: Nutrient Reduction Programs and Methods

Last week, the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), "a national, nonpartisan professional organization . . . [whose] members are the State, Interstate and Territorial officials who are responsible for the implementation of surface water protection programs throughout the nation" issued a report titled, State Water Programs: Nutrient Reduction Programs and Methods (Dec. 2012).  The 107-page report is available here (titled Nutrient Reduction Report 12-14-12).

Association of Clean Water Administrators Report Released: Use of Biological Assessment in State Water Programs: Focus on Nutrients

Last week, the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), "a national, nonpartisan professional organization . . . [whose] members are the State, Interstate and Territorial officials who are responsible for the implementation of surface water protection programs throughout the nation" issued a report titled, Use of Biological Assessment in State Water Programs: Focus on Nutrients (2012).  According to the 139-page report available here, the

report consists of responses from every state, the District of Columbia, and the Delaware River Basin Commission. The following provides a high level summary of responses ACWA received, categorized by question.

• Questions 1 & 2 asked respondents to discuss the relevant biological/ecological assessment work their state is conducting and identify which indicators are being used or considered to assess nutrient impairment of aquatic life.

• In Questions 3 & 4, respondents were asked about sensitivity of nutrients to the various biometrics and the correlation of causal and response variables.

• Question 5 asked states how biological/ecological assessment information is used in combination with chemical and physical data to make impairment decisions.