In this episode of Talking Under Water, the co-hosts discuss recent industry news including two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PFAS legal actions. First, the agency motioned to partially vacate a court case in which American Water Works Association (AWWA) sued the agency for procedural missteps in how it developed the concentration limits that defined the Hazard Index. Second, EPA announced its intentions for the Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as CERCLA or the Superfund. The hosts also cover Jessica Kramer’s confirmation as assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Water; the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s updates to its flood mapping tool; and post-Hurricane Helene recovery efforts a year after the storm.  

Show Notes:    

• Legal challenges cloud future of PFAS regulation as EPA moves to vacate PFAS MCL


• EPA outlines next steps on PFOA and PFOS cleanup under CERCLA


• EPA funds water infrastructure resiliency in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene


• NOAA expands flood inundation mapping tool to cover 60% of the U.S. population


• Senate confirms Jessica Kramer to lead EPA Office of Water

Timestamps:   

• Cold open & intro | 00:00


• Episode overview | 00:22


• Government shutdown update | 00:45


• Jessica Kramer confirmed to EPA Office of Water | 01:42  


• PFAS legal actions | 04:33


• EPA post-hurricane funding in North Carolina |08:09


• NOAA flood inundation mapping tool expansion | 09:06


• Housekeeping & announcements | 10:19


• Closing | 11:3

Resources: 

• Tunnels & Tech eBook 


• WWD workplace culture webinar 


• Renew your WaterWorld subscription 


• SWS webinar with the Center for Watershed Protection 

About the Podcast      

Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.      

Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing talkingunderwater@endeavorb2b.com engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.