Information

WESTCAS

Resolution of the Board of Directors

On March 19, 2010 the Board of Directors of WESTCAS unanimously passed a Resolution calling upon both the Executive and Legislative branches of government to involve the public and local governments in all water policy legislation.

WESTCAS Resolution March 19, 2010

U. S. Government Resource Links

The White House
U. S. House of Representatives
House Committee on Natural Resources
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
House Committee on Appropriations
House Budget Committee
U. S. Senate
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Senate Appropriations Committee
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Senate Budget Committee
The Roll Call

Regulatory Comments

WESTCAS provides comments to California EPA on the Draft Public Health Goal (PHG) for hexavalent chromium in California drinking water-October 28, 2009

Appropriations Testimony

WESTCAS utilizes its Legislative Committee for the review of legislation and preparation of testimony regarding proposed annual appropriations for federal agencies budgeted for water resource management activities. The Legislative Committee typically follows multiple federal agency budget proposals. For further insight into recent WESTCAS statements on agency appropriations, please refer to the specific example testimony below for the following agencies: Bureau of Reclamation, Corps of Engineers, EPA, USDA, USGS, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Instructions for Providing FY10 Appropriations Testimony in House and Senate-March 6, 2009
Instructions for Appropriations Testimony

WESTCAS submits testimony regarding the FY 09 Environmental Protection Agency Budget on April 25, 2008.
WESTCAS Testimony on FY 2009 EPA Budget

WESTCAS submits testimony regarding the FY 09 Budget for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on March 19, 2008.
WESTCAS Testimony for the Energy and Water Subcommittee 3-19-08

WESTCAS supports increased federal funding for water reclamation/reuse Title XVI to assist in addressing the serious drought conditions throughout the Reclamation states. See the following testimony for details.
WESTCAS EandW Approprops FY08 Bureau

EW FY07

WESTCAS supports increased funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, and the establishment of performance criteria which will ensure water resource projects are funded and completed within a timely manner. See the following testimony for details.
WESTCAS EandW Corps08

Corps of Engineers

WESTCAS supports increased funding for EPA's State Revolving Loan funding programs for water and wastewater; water quality research; and State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG). See the following testimony for details.
WESTCAS FY08 EPA Approps Testimony

EPA 2007 Budget

WESTCAS supports increased funding for the FY08 USDA budget and FY07 Farm Bill regarding conservation programs and rural development in order to protect water quality and water supplies in the arid west. See the following testimony for details.
WESTCAS Ag Approps Testimony Fy2008

WESTCAS USDA FY07

WESTCAS is concerned about the ongoing reductions in the USGS budgets in light of major changes in the Arid West due to global warming and natural disasters. WESTCAS stresses the need for USGS scientific data and analyses to support water resource management. See the following testimony for details.
WESTCAS Interior AppropsFY08 USGS

WESTCAS USGS Budget Analysis 06
Fish and Wildlife Budget 2007

Authorizing Testimony

WESTCAS utilizes its Legislative and Regulatory Committees for the review of legislation and preparation of testimony regarding specific water-related authorizing legislation. For further insight into recent WESTCAS policy positions on authorizing legislation, please refer to the example testimony below.

WESTCAS submitted testimony for the record regarding S. 2156 "The Science and Engineering to Comprehensively Understand and Responsibly Enhance Water Act (SECURE) before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, December 11, 2007.
WESTCAS Testimony on S 2156 The Secure Water Act 12-11-07

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held two days of hearings on July 17 and 19, 2007 on the "Status of the Nation's Waters, Including Wetlands, Under the Jurisdiction of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Much of the testimony provided was in reference to H.R. 2421, a bill that would amend the Clean Water Act and among other changes, alter the definition of "waters of the U.S.". WESTCAS provided testimony for these hearings regarding the definition, and it is included below.
WESTCAS waters of the U.S. testimony-house-July 2007

WESTCAS supports extending the authority for drought assistance via their support for an amendment to the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991.
BOR Drought Relief Testimony

WESTCAS supports the development of a new Clean Water Funding Bill and increased authorization for the Clean Water State Revolving Funds. WESTCAS supports serious consideration of a Clean Water Trust Fund. See the following testimony for details.
WESTCAS CW Infrastructure Financing January 19 07

Support Letter for Water Quality Financing
Water Infrastructure Financing Testimony
WESTCAS Support Letter

Key Legal Cases

WESTCAS members are kept abreast of key state and federal court decisions that influence the management of water resources. Examples of key legal cases include the following.
Western Amicus Brief
Western Users Amicus Brief
Western Amicus Motion

Key Water Policy Documents

WESTCAS members, via the Legislative and Regulatory committees, collaborate to create key water policy documents that have had and may have influence on water resources management in the arid west. Drafts and background materials of policy positions are presented to the WESTCAS Board for approval, and once approved by the Board are put into the WESTCAS Policy Statement Template. The following documents are examples of background materials for Policy statement development, as well as final WESTCAS Policy Statements.

WESTCAS Policy Statement Template

Background Material for Policy Statement Development

WESTCAS Policy Statements
WESTCAS Policy Statement on Whole Effluent Toxicity