Washington Report – January 29, 2024

The Roadshow will fete the Mountain Parkway Expansion at 1:30 p.m. ET, today in Frankfort, KY;
Joining Gov. Andy Beshear will be APWA Immediate Past-President Keith Pugh, leaders from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE);
Tune in to the livestream at www.infrastructureroadshow.org;
Spotlighting the Mountain Parkway Expansion is the fourth stop of the Roadshow promoting the great work of engineers and public works professionals, plus the importance of investing in our nation’s infrastructure—what it means to our quality of life, public health, our economy and communities of all sizes across the country;
APWA chapters are encouraged to consider hosting a local Engineering and Public Works Roadshow to showcase your local infrastructure and the benefits;
- For tips on what we’re seeking, watch our recent webinar
Questions on the Roadshow, reach out to APWA’s Government Affairs Media Manager Mark Shade.

APWA submitted a letter supportive of reducing lead in drinking water, but also asking EPA address issues with its proposal in terms of complexity, timeline, assistance, and funding;
Greater flexibility is likely needed to allow for appropriate adaptation as more is learned through the implementation process;
Comments are consistent with APWA policy priorities opposing unfunded mandates and supporting greater access to assistance and funding;
APWA also would like to stress the cumulative regulatory burden from this, and other proposed rules and that corresponding relief would be beneficial if the administration wants to prioritize specifically 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, please take a minute to contact EPA and reiterate these concerns;
If you aren’t receiving APWA action alerts, text PWX to 52886.

The Federal Highway Admin. (FHWA) announced funding allocations to assist in repair or reconstruction of federal aid highways and federal land roads damaged from natural disasters and catastrophic failures caused by external forces;
States must apply for the funding individually within two years of the disaster date;
$729.4M is set aside for 34 states, DC, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico and for additional background and information on ER and Program Admin. Overview and Eligibility.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently released their “Emergency Exercise Starter Kits”;
These new kits are designed to support emergency managers at all levels of government, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations as they plan, conduct, and evaluate their exercises;
The kits include information on the following topics
- Climate resilience
- Climate adaptation
- Complex incident coordination
- Large-scale population movement and resettlement
- Mitigating social isolation and loneliness
- Community preparedness and response to the opioid crisis
- Enhancing supply chain resilience
- Recovery
- Community profile
- Reunification
To assist in outreach efforts, FEMA will host the following webinars
- Wednesday, January 31 at 12:00pm
- Tuesday, February 13 at 9:00am