About WESTCAS

Background

WESTCAS

The Arid west has a unique ecosystem. Many months have no rain, and annual precipitation often is less than 12 inches. Consequently, it is essential to protect both the quantity and quality of water supplies. To this end, in 1992 the area's water and wastewater providers joined together to share their talents and resources, assuming the name Western Coalition of Arid States or WESTCAS. A grassroots organization, WESTCAS is dedicated to encouraging the development of water programs and regulations which assure adequate supplies of high quality water for those living in the arid regions while protecting the environment. WESTCAS has current members in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas.

Achievements

WESTCAS Achievements

WESTCAS Awards

WESTCAS is an organization that has always valued the professional contributions that its members make toward ensuring sustainable water quality and quantity in the arid west. Historically, WESTCAS has honored its hard-working members with a variety of awards, usually presented to our members at the WESTCAS Annual Summer Conference. Please review the following list of awards and their recipients.

WESTCAS Awards Summary

Vision and Mission Statements

WESTCAS Vision Mission Goals Obj-1

Goals and Objectives

WESTCAS Objectives

Membership List

WESTCAS Members
WESTCAS Members 2006-2007

Management

OFFICERS EMAIL TELEPHONE
president
  Charlie Nylander
  Watermatters, LLC
  Santa Fe, NM
cdnylander@comcast.net 505-470-7230
vice president
  Robert Hollander
  City of Phoenix
  Phoenix, AZ
robert.hollander@phoenix.gov 602-262-4992
secretary
  Mary Gardner
  Littleton/Englewood
  Wastewater Treatment Plant
  Englewood, CO
mgardner@englewoodgov.org 303-762-2605
treasurer
  Kelly Collins
  CDM
  Albuquerque, NM
collinska@cdm.com 505-243-3200
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EMAIL TELEPHONE
ARIZONA
  Ed Curley ed.curley@wwm.pima.gov 520-740-6500
  Robert Hollander robert.hollander@phoenix.gov 602-262-4992
CALIFORNIA
  Manny Aranda info@sbvwcd.dst.ca.us 909-793-2503
  Steve Bigley sbigley@cvwd.org 760-398-2651
COLORADO
  Mary Gardner mgardner@englewoodgov.org 303-762-2605
  Chris Treese ctreese@crwcd.org 970-945-8522
NEVADA
  Rick Mills rick.mills@cityofhenderson.com 702-267-2574
  Bruce Johnson bruce.johnson1@ch2m.com 702-369-6175
NEW MEXICO
  Doug Dailey ddailey@abcwua.org 505-873-7068
  Dan Santantonio dsantantonio@las-cruces.org 505-528-3548
TEXAS
  Peggy Glass peggy@apaienv.com 512-452-5905
  Wayne Owen wowen@trwd.com 817-335-2491-157
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
  Lawrence M. Libeu llibeu@roadrunner.com 951-553-1600
ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS
  Charlie Nylander cdnylander@comcast.net 505-470-7230
  Kelly Collins collinska@cdm.org 505-243-3200
AT-LARGE
  Dorothy O'Brien dorothyo@peoriaaz.com 623-773-7286
  David McNeil david_mcneil@tempe.gov 480-350-2844
WASHINGTON COUNSEL
  Will & Carlson, Inc. pcarlson@willandcarlson.com 202-966-2190

Legislative Advocate

Peter Carlson
Will & Carlson, Inc.
PO Box 42727
5335 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite 440
Washington, DC 20015 pcarlson@willandcarlson.com
Tel: (202) 478-9669
Tel: (202) 966-2190
Cell: (202) 251-6585
Fax: (202) 966-2191

Committees

Policy

Legislative

The Legislative Budget Committee was established as an alternate method of influencing Congressional action. WESTCAS intended that it's primary efforts be focused on ensuring federal regulations were fair in their treatment of the arid states. The method of achieving that fairness was to influence the language of the legislative reauthorization of the CWA, SDWA, and ESA, which would form the basis for regulatory action. WESTCAS leaders, however, realized that another avenue available was to influence the legislative budgets and appropriations for the federal departments that conduct business under, or enforce the regulations of, the CWA, SDWA, and ESA. Hence, the Legislative Budget Committee was created to compliment the work of the WESTCAS Task Forces that were specifically focused on language for the reauthorization of those Acts.

Regulatory

Outreach

The Western Coalition of Arid States (WESTCAS) Outreach Committee is generally responsible for membership support activities including retention and recruiting of members, distribution of information regarding issues of importance to members and activities associated with the organization. The Outreach Committee is responsible for preparation of the Newsletter and developing other outreach mechanisms such as the WESTCAS Brochure. Members of the Outreach Committee include the Vice President, who serves as chair, at least one other member of the Board of Directors, state coordinators and volunteers from the membership.

Associates

The Associates Committee is composed of consultants, lawyers and researchers with principle areas of practice in water, wastewater and water resources. A primary objective of the Associates Committee is to promote research and application of technology in solving problems facing WESTCAS members. This includes providing presentations and information on emerging and applied technologies at WESTCAS meetings, giving testimony to support research, and providing data for WESTCAS initiatives. The Associates Committee also provides financial support for various WESTCAS activities. The strength of the Associates contribution to WESTCAS comes from the variety and number of projects Associate members are involved with throughout the Arid West.

Committee Chairs

Associates Committee

Bruce A. Johnson
Program Manager
CH2M HILL
2285 Corporate Circle, Suite 200
Henderson, NV 89074
(702) 953-1221
bruce.johnson1@ch2m.com

Policy Committee

Charlie Nylander
WESTCAS President
Watermatters LLC
11 Abierto Way
Santa Fe, NM 87506
505-820-6318
cdnylander@comcast.net

Legislative Committee

Dorothy O'Brien
Acting Water Resource Manager
City of Peoria, Utilities Department
8401 W. Monroe
Peoria, AZ, 85345
623-773-7645
dorothy.obrien@peoriaaz.gov

Regulatory Committee

Harlan Agnew
Deputy County Attorney
Pima County
32 N. Stone Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701
520-740-5605
harlan.agnew@pcao.pima.gov

Outreach Committee

Robert Hollander
WESTCAS Vice President
Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Administrator
City of Phoenix Water Services Department
200 W. Washington, 9th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-534-1358
robert.hollander@phoenix.gov

Organizational Structure

WESTCAS Structure

Contact

WESTCAS Partnerships

Water Infrastructure Network (WIN)
www.win-water.org

The Water Infrastructure Network is a broad-based coalition of local elected officials, drinking water and wastewater service providers, state environmentalists dedicated to preserving and protecting the health, environment and economic gains that America's drinking water and wastewater infrastructure provides.

Federal Water Quality Coalition (FWQC)
www.fwqc.org

WESTCAS is a member of the Federal Water Quality Coalition.

National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)
www.nacwa.org

WESTCAS members support the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

Water Environment Federation (WEF)
www.wef.org

Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF)
www.werf.org