ACWA e-News for February 15, 2012

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg is confirmed as the keynote speaker at ACWA's 2012 Legislative Symposium March 7 in Sacramento.

Steinberg will headline the luncheon program at the annual symposium, set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sacramento Convention Center. He is expected to discuss top priorities in the Legislature, including the water bond set for the November ballot.

Symposium attendees also will hear from experts on a variety of topics, including finance, groundwater and pension reform.

A new report showing no change in California snowfall amounts over the last 130 years disputes that anything has changed as a result of climate change.

Conducted by John Christy, director of the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, the analysis of snowfall data from as far back as 1878 found no long-term trend in how much snow falls in the state.

ACWA member agencies have until Thursday, March 1, to submit nominations and entries for ACWA's spring awards program.

ACWA’s Clair A. Hill Agency Award for Excellence recognizes exemplary programs developed by ACWA member agencies in water resources management. Sponsored by CH2M Hill, the award recognizes projects and programs in a variety of areas, including capital improvement, water quality, watershed or ecosystem restoration, renewable energy and more.

Educating Californians on the critical need to invest in our state’s water supply infrastructure is an important job for the water community, ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn writes in the latest entry in the Voices on Water blog.

Read the complete post here.

ACWA’s Preferred Provider Program is seeking requests for qualifications to provide solar energy services and financing options to local water agencies.

Statements must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 16. Contact ACWA’s Business Development Specialist Linda Anderson with questions.

View the full Request for Qualifications.

The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight hearing Tuesday, Feb. 7, on “Water for Our Future and Job Creation: Examining Regulatory and Bureaucratic Barriers to New Surface Storage Infrastructure.” 

ACWA members Thad Bettner, General Manager, Glen Colusa Irrigation District and Jerry Brown, General Manager Contra Costa Water District were witnesses. The hearing’s purpose was to highlight regulatory burdens that hinder vital water storage improvement projects.

The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy held an oversight hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Stands program (CFATS) on February 3.  The hearing came as a bill to reauthorize the program for seven years failed to make it to the House floor for a vote in December. The oversight hearing and failure of the house bill were brought about by a leaked DHS memo highlighting numerous problems with the CFATS program.

The Senate voted to proceed with consideration of the Transportation bill (S 1813) late Thursday evening. Debate on the bill is anticipated to begin the week of February 13 and the fate of the bill is uncertain. Senate rules allow for amendments to be offered on any subject, and it the bill could end up tied down by a debate on the health care law, the keystone pipeline decision, or any other issue on Senators minds.

LUST Fund Raided

On February 23 from 2 to 4pm EST, EPA will host a listening session to gather information on enhancing the communication and delivery of Consumer Confidence Reports. Topics to be discussed include alternative delivery options such as email; CCR delivery certification resource burdens; use of CCRs to meet Tier 3 public notification requirements; and how contaminant levels are reported in the CCR. Individuals must register to view the webinar. For more information see the attached flier.

“Bringing California Water Conversations to D.C.” is the theme of ACWA’s 2012 Washington, D.C., Conference Feb. 28-March 1 at the Washington Court Hotel.

The Washington Conference provides a unique opportunity to meet with members of the 112th Congress and the Obama administration. Highlights will include learning about key Congressional committee agendas, understanding the direction of federal agencies, and developing insights about where Congress is headed this year.

Reps. Elton Gallegly (R-24), Wally Herger (R-2), Jerry Lewis (R-41) and Lynn Woolsey (D-6) announced that they would not seek re-election after their terms expire this year.

Congressman Gallegly has represented Ventura County in Washington for the past 24 years.

Congressman Herger has represented Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba counties in Washington for the past 26 years.

Congressman Lewis has represented San Bernardino County in Washington for the past 34 years.