Karl BergerDept. of Environmental ProgramsMetropolitan Washington Council of Governments

COG Bay Policy Committee

Some Recent Developments

WRTC Meeting

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Outline•Regional Water Quality Forum•Joint CBPC – CEEPC meeting•New Bay Agreement Comments –

(covered separately)•Participation in National Affordability

Dialogue•Future Developments

09/06/13

WRTC Meeting

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Regional Water Quality Forum in May• Attendance

Shawn Garvin, Ellen Gilinsky, Jon Capacasa, EPA Region III Jeff Corbin -- EPADiane Davis -- District of ColumbiaDoug Domenech -- VirginiaRobert Summers -- Maryland

• Issues▫ Affordability; need to address aging infrastructure▫ Flexibility in permitting; allowing for innovation▫ Need for greater public awareness

• Next Steps▫ Organize regional dialogue on challenges of water resource

infrastructure▫ Gather regional fee data on wastewater, drinking water, and

stormwater costs▫ Develop a regional water quality education effort in partnership

with EPA, states

09/06/13

WRTC Meeting

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Joint CBPC – CEEPC meeting in July

Highlights▫Energy-Water Nexus

Address trade-off between measures that improve water quality while increasing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions

Work to have energy and emission concerns addressed in water quality permits

▫Infrastructure Resilience and Disaster Preparedness Make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters

▫Tree Canopy Better document benefits of urban tree canopy on air pollution

reduction, energy savings and water pollution reduction Work with bay program to explore credit for urban tree canopy in

watershed model

09/06/13

WRTC Meeting

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National Affordability Dialogue• November 2012 presentation to CBPC by U.

S. Conference of Mayors (USCM)• April dialogue session with EPA

▫ Four COG members attended wearing other hats Fairfax County and Frederick County – NACO Greenbelt and Gaithersburg – National League of Cities

• Focus on flexible permitting (integrated permits) and affordability▫ Use of 2-percent median household income as threshold does

not work

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WRTC Meeting

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Upcoming Developments•Potential legislation

▫USCM has developed proposed legislation to amend the Clean Water Act

▫Codifies how EPA should define technically achievable and economically affordable

•Discussion at Sept. 20 CBPC meeting•Another national dialogue session with EPA planned

for October

09/06/13