Cheryl MacKelvie

2020 Legislative Session Wrap-up The final deadline for Governor Newsom to sign or veto all legislation sent to him in 2020 was Wednesday, September 30. There were notably fewer bills in the mix this year after the COVID pandemic forced the legislature to pare down legislative business significantly. The Governor signed 457 bills and vetoed 56 in [...]

Congress Passes and White House Signs Bill Avoiding Government Shutdown Congress and the White House avoided a potential government shutdown this week, passing and enacting a Continuing Resolution (CR) (H.R. 8337) through December 11. A CR was necessary since the House and Senate were unable to pass fiscal year 2021 spending bills ahead of October [...]

It’s Time to Celebrate California Water Professionals Week This week, October 3-11 we are thrilled to celebrate the fourth annual California Water Professionals Appreciation Week! During this time, we are extra thankful for all of the men and women who continue to perform essential work to protect public health and the environment, 24/7, 365. We [...]

The Cost of Wipes on America’s Clean Water Utilities NACWA has released the long-awaited nationwide study on The Cost of Wipes on America’s Clean Water Utilities. CASA collaborated with NACWA and other water associations to produce this report which provides an estimate of the increased operating costs for utilities nationwide, with costs also estimated for [...]

Deadline Extended for the Awards of Excellence Have you heard? We have extended the deadline to apply for CASA’s 2020 Awards of Excellence to Friday, October 30, 2020. CASA seeks to recognize members who provide essential public services and go above and beyond to protect public health and the environment. All member agencies and associates [...]

Sewershed Protection Article in Science The latest issue of Science features an article which highlights the intersection of urban reuse projects and industrial discharges to renew the call for protection of sewersheds. You may review the article online here, but a key takeaway is, “Regulations for sewershed protection must take into account the potential risks that chemicals in the [...]

Wastewater Consolidation and Funding Webinar Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 9:30am to 11:30am the Central Valley Clean Water Association is hosting a webinar: Wastewater Consolidation and Funding Webinar. In 2018, Governor Brown signed SB 1215 into law, establishing funding and the regulatory framework for a statewide program to facilitate the consolidation of inadequate onsite [...]

Congress Returns With Packed September Legislative Schedule After taking the month of August off, Congress has returned to Washington D.C. with a packed legislative to-do list. At the top of the list are striking a deal on a coronavirus relief package and passing a Continuing Resolution (CR) ahead of the start of the new fiscal [...]

Employment Related COVID Bills Signed by Governor On Thursday, September 17, Governor Newsom signed two COVID related employment bills that likely will impact all wastewater agencies. AB 685 (Reyes) requires that starting January 1, 2021, employers must issue notifications of potential COVID exposures to any workers exposed to an employee that has tested positive or [...]

CASA Seeking Legislative & Regulatory Analyst CASA recently initiated the recruitment process for a new Legislative & Regulatory Analyst. This position will assist in implementing the Association’s state legislative and regulatory program; research, monitor, and analyze legislation and regulatory issues affecting Association members; and provide staff support to the State Legislative Committee and Regulatory Work [...]