Washington Report – February 5, 2024

Comments are consistent with APWA policy priorities opposing unfunded mandates and supporting greater access to assistance and funding;
APWA is also stressing the cumulative regulatory burden from this and other proposed rules, and that corresponding relief would be beneficial if the administration wants to prioritize the removal of lead service lines;
As a public works professional and APWA member it is vital EPA hears from you, too, about regulatory proposals impacting infrastructure;
- Take a minute to contact EPA if you haven’t done so already and reiterate these concerns
If you have contacted EPA, thank you for doing so and please consider sharing with other public works professionals so they do the same;
If you aren’t receiving APWA action alerts, text PWX to 52886.

EPA is hosting two webinars this week to help educate public works professionals about resources available in advance of finalizing maximum contaminant levels for certain Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS);
The first, PFAS Today, Tomorrow, and Forever: MCLs are Coming…Very Soon!, is Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. ET;
The second is Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. and is the first in a series on the infrastructure law by EPA’s national Source Water Collaborative: Addressing Emerging Contaminants in Source Water Using BIL Grants and Forgivable Loans.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released its first ever Office of Response and Recovery (ORR) Year in Review’ report for 2023;
The report highlights ORR’s approach to improve efforts supporting communities before, during, and after disasters, such as:
- Instilling equity as a foundation of emergency management
- Leading the whole of community in climate resilience
- Highlighting ORR innovations to support disaster survivors over the past year.

The U.S. Dept. Of Transportation (DOT) DOT Navigator tool is updated weekly with information on upcoming Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding opportunities, technical assistance, department webinars, and more;
This month, notices of funding opportunities (NOFO) are expected to open for programs that include Safe Streets and Roads for All as well as NOFOs for bus facilities and port infrastructure development;
In addition to regularly checking the DOT Navigator, be sure to go to APWA’s Infrastructure Law page for updates on all infrastructure programs’ funding and resources.

All times ET.

Feb. 6 at 10 a.m., the House Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee holds a hearing on Securing Operational Technology: A Deep Dive into the Water Sector
Feb. 12 at 12:30 p.m., FEMA will host a webinar on the National Continuous Improvement Guidance, which will focus on equipping participants with an approach to conducting consistent and rigorous improvement activities before, during and after real-world incidents.