18843_Authority_Dec

Resolution 14-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA, in recognition of the fact that municipal authorities are passive receivers of PFAS-compounds, support legislation, regulation, or policy that imposes the treatment cost of removing PFAS-related compounds from the Commonwealth’s water on to PFAS manufacturers and those that use PFAS in commerce. Resolution 15-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA, in recognition of the fact that municipal authorities are passive receivers of PFAS-compounds, urge the U.S. Congress to pass legislation that specifically exempts municipal authorities from Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) liability related to PFAS disposal and advance the “polluter pays” principle. Resolution 16-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA support legislation, regulation, or policy that bans the use of class B firefighting foam containing PFAS-compounds, establishes an inventory and “take back” collection program, prohibits the donation of these materials, and require the use of a backflow prevention device whenever any firefighting chemical is connected to a public water system. Resolution 17-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA support protection of public health, and the waters of the Commonwealth as a priority for federal and state regulators overseeing industries that pollute our waterways and their practices. Resolution 18-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA oppose legislation that requires municipal authority board members to be elected rather than appointed. Resolution 19-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA oppose legislation requiring unnecessary performance-based audits of municipal authorities. Resolution 20-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA support legislation placing strict parameters for commercial and/or vexatious requests for documents under the Right-to-Know Law. Resolution 21-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA support legislation to modernize Pennsylvania’s Separations Act, providing for and including a variety of delivery options as well as design build contracts. Resolution 22-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA support legislation that modernizes Pennsylvania’s public notice and advertising laws to include needed flexibility while retaining transparency and accountability. Resolution 23-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA support legislation to significantly increase and annually adjust, based on inflation, the bidding and project thresholds which trigger wage payments in accordance with Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage Act, while opposing any expansion of the Act’s definition of “public works”. Resolution 24-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA work with the PA Department of Environmental Protection, other state agencies, professional and work force organizations, and higher education facilities to promote training and workforce development efforts, including PMAA's Future Leaders Committee and its established mentorship and scholarship programs, and similar programs operated by PMAA members, specifically in the area of water and wastewater utilities to ensure adequate numbers of certified operators and other water quality professionals in the future, and actively share these workforce development resources with partner agencies for potential replication and broader implementation. Resolution 25-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA encourage the PA General Assembly to adequately fund the PA Department of Environmental Protection, to ensure timely responses to permit and plan approval requests, and to properly implement any new legislative or regulatory requirements. Resolution 26-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the PA Department of Environmental Protection to base nutrient and sediment TMDLs as well as any water and wastewater initiatives on sound science, required regulatory procedures, and cost/benefit analyses. Resolution 27-26 RESOLVED , That PMAA advise the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the PA Department of Environmental Protection that the Pennsylvania wastewater sector, already having complied with its Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) reductions prior to the 2017 and 2026 deadlines, should not be subject to further reductions while other sectors have not met either deadline.