Articles by J.J. Smith

The FY2024 BOR budget is $3.86 billion, while the proposed FY2025 budget for BOR is $3.56 billion, a reduction in spending of $299.6 million, according to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

The EPA has proposed a fiscal year 2025 budget of $10.9 billion, marking an increase of $858 million from FY2024. This proposed budget includes an expansion based on $9.23 billion of federal infrastructure funds allocated for clean water initiatives, as detailed in the EPA’s FY2025 budget overview.

Two federal agencies have committed over $1 billion to collaborate on developing safe drinking water and sanitation infrastructure for Indigenous tribal communities, a move bolstered by a new memorandum of understanding aimed at streamlining project delivery and enhancing access to essential services.

The House of Representatives introduced a new bill that provides protection from lawsuits for PFAS contamination for water system entities that are ‘passive receivers' of PFAS.

A report by the Federal Research Agency raises concerns among members of Congress that federal budget earmarks are diverting funds administered by the EPA to support water projects.

U.S. hydropower dams face significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities, largely due to a lack of federal audits and widespread use of commonly targeted software, posing national security risks.

The EPA has announced a free webinar scheduled for April 30, 2024, to discuss the new federal drinking water standards for PFAS substances and the best treatment methods to remove these chemicals from water.

The EPA has designated two PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances under Superfund, facilitating cleanup while ensuring non-producers like municipalities and farmers aren't burdened with remediation costs.

The bureau is “working on the alternative development stage for operations post-2026” for the Colorado River Basin, with “the goal to have a draft environmental impact statement by the end of this year.”

“We (EPA) think that steps like this can significantly help reduce the amount of PFAS  that exists in our daily lives that may wash into sewers and end up in wastewater treatment facilities,” Klasen said.