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Recent Developments in Water Quality and Affordability Initiatives from the COG Bay Policy Committee

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) held a WRTC meeting, discussing critical developments in water quality and affordability. Key issues included aging infrastructure, permitting flexibility for innovation, and the importance of public awareness. Future steps involve organizing regional dialogues, gathering wastewater and stormwater cost data, and coordinating educational efforts with the EPA. Highlights from the meeting also emphasized the energy-water nexus and the resilience of infrastructure against natural disasters, as well as the benefits of urban tree canopy on pollution reduction.

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Recent Developments in Water Quality and Affordability Initiatives from the COG Bay Policy Committee

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  1. COG Bay Policy CommitteeSome Recent Developments Karl Berger Dept. of Environmental Programs Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

  2. WRTC Meeting Outline • Regional Water Quality Forum • Joint CBPC – CEEPC meeting • New Bay Agreement Comments – (covered separately) • Participation in National Affordability Dialogue • Future Developments

  3. WRTC Meeting Regional Water Quality Forum in May • Attendance Shawn Garvin, Ellen Gilinsky, Jon Capacasa, EPA Region III Jeff Corbin -- EPA Diane Davis -- District of Columbia Doug Domenech -- Virginia Robert 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

  4. WRTC Meeting 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

  5. WRTC Meeting 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

  6. WRTC Meeting 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

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