John Hardwick, welcome and housekeeping

• Introduction of special guests, Senator Beverly Gard and Utility Consumer Counselor Susan Macey
• Introduction of all present

Susan Macey, Office of Utility Consumer Counselor

• Water/Sewer division is now called Water/Wastewater division.
• Scott Bell heads that division and can serve as point person for any issues.
• Experience as judge and mediator leads to strong focus on problem resolution before a formal hearing.
• Mission is "To represent all Indiana consumers to ensure quality, reliable utility services at the most reasonable prices possible through dedicated advocacy, consumer education and creative problem solving."
• What customers want is good value, not necessarily the cheapest utility services. If utilities are making decisions with their consumers' interests at heat, then we'll all be in a better position.
• OUCC can represent consumers in disputes with utilities not under the jurisdiction of the IURC, but as a practice has not.

Senator Beverly Gard, environmental legislative update

• Much of the legislative session has been consumed with highways, property taxes and telecom regulations. There is less environmental legislation than in past sessions.
• Senate bill 234 is the largest and most important; has five major provisions.
  • Sen. Gard opposed a blanket policy of not allowing state rules and regulations to be more stringent than federal rules and regulations it's not necessarily good for public health and the two levels of regulations aren't always apples to apples. A law implemented a few years ago said that state could make environmental laws stricter than existing federal law if additional reporting requirements were followed. SB234 allows state to create standards that are not addressed in federal regulations.
  • Creates an abbreviated rule-making process for CSO communities' new process will take about 45 days instead of 18 months.
  • Creates a environmental performance track program
  •  Adds a small business representative to the first public notice.
  • Extends timeframe for rulemaking process dealing with exceptional water use, outstanding resource water and anti-degradation by two years.
• Drought planning: Richard Young introduced a bill creating several tiers of advisors to the Governor. Sen. Gard may try to work with Young to remove the establishment of these advisors and build a reporting structure of related agencies.
• Currently serving as vice chair of Environment and Natural Resources Committee of National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), which has allowed her to put pressure on EPA regarding funding levels.

Vince Griffin, Indiana Chamber of Commerce

• Distributed IndianaNet digest of bills of interest and chart showing legislative process.
• Session adjourns on March 14; all bills must switch houses by Feb. 2.
• Currently, nearly 1,000 bills presented; vast majority will die by Feb. 2; those may be amended onto bills that are still alive.
• Reviewed the list of bills of interest to AWWA.

Chamber hosts a legislative reception on Feb. 7 in Hyatt ballroom; good opportunity to talk to legislators.

WUC issues

Lobby Week

• Distributed Lobby Week status report.
• Distributed What is AWWA flier.
• Melissa Moran reporter that her rep responded to her introduction letter with a question about water fluoridation.

DC Fly-In March 29-30

• Melissa Moran and John Hardwick will attend.
• MTBE likely fall by the wayside now, since safe harbor was not in the energy bill that passed.
• SRF funding likely to be an issue

Water Shortage plan

• Subcommittee formed with Kathy Humphrey, Phil Smith, Mike Simpson, Jack Wittman, Vince Griffin and chair Todd Taylor.
• Subcommittee will meet to determine whether to support or oppose current proposed legislation.

Great Lakes Water Works Committee

• John Stancati was invited to appoint a member and alternate to the committee.
• Mike Simpson made a motion to appoint John Stancati as member and George Brown as alternate. Phil Miller seconded. Passed unanimously.
• Committee will have primary impact on northwest corner of Indiana but decisions will have impact on whole state.

Legislative review:

• SB0072: support

• SB0074: track, but will not take strong stance one way or another, since membership represents both sides of the issue.

• SB0234: support

• SB0369: Water Shortage committee will review and address.

• HB1010: encourage members to support as appropriate for their situation.

• HB1018: support

• HB1102: encourage members to support as appropriate for their situation.

Pat Carroll, IDEM

• Stage 2 ltd 2 new requirements will greatly affect surface water systems in Indiana; session will be added to the Section annual meeting to cover these changes

• Water pollution control board re-adopted the construction permitting rules for small systems; allows small simpler systems to put construction permits together without a PE certification.

Jerry Webb, IURC

• Chairman Hardy is out visiting to learn more about water utility issues
• Commissioners Server and Hardy are unofficially focused on water

Odetta Cadwell, IRWA

• Joint contract for water operator training is moving forward; preliminary workshops scheduled for 2006
• Annual conference is April 21-26 at Columbus, IN, Holiday Inn

Melissa Moran

• Water for People benefit concert Saturday in Goshen

John Hardwick, welcome and housekeeping

• Introduction of special guests, Senator Beverly Gard and Utility Consumer Counselor Susan Macey
• Introduction of all present

Susan Macey, Office of Utility Consumer Counselor

• Water/Sewer division is now called Water/Wastewater division.
• Scott Bell heads that division and can serve as point person for any issues.
• Experience as judge and mediator leads to strong focus on problem resolution before a formal hearing.
• Mission is "To represent all Indiana consumers to ensure quality, reliable utility services at the most reasonable prices possible through dedicated advocacy, consumer education and creative problem solving."
• What customers want is good value, not necessarily the cheapest utility services. If utilities are making decisions with their consumers' interests at heat, then we'll all be in a better position.
• OUCC can represent consumers in disputes with utilities not under the jurisdiction of the IURC, but as a practice has not.

Senator Beverly Gard, environmental legislative update

• Much of the legislative session has been consumed with highways, property taxes and telecom regulations. There is less environmental legislation than in past sessions.
• Senate bill 234 is the largest and most important; has five major provisions.
  • Sen. Gard opposed a blanket policy of not allowing state rules and regulations to be more stringent than federal rules and regulations it's not necessarily good for public health and the two levels of regulations aren't always apples to apples. A law implemented a few years ago said that state could make environmental laws stricter than existing federal law if additional reporting requirements were followed. SB234 allows state to create standards that are not addressed in federal regulations.
  • Creates an abbreviated rule-making process for CSO communities' new process will take about 45 days instead of 18 months.
  • Creates a environmental performance track program
  •  Adds a small business representative to the first public notice.
  • Extends timeframe for rulemaking process dealing with exceptional water use, outstanding resource water and anti-degradation by two years.
• Drought planning: Richard Young introduced a bill creating several tiers of advisors to the Governor. Sen. Gard may try to work with Young to remove the establishment of these advisors and build a reporting structure of related agencies.
• Currently serving as vice chair of Environment and Natural Resources Committee of National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), which has allowed her to put pressure on EPA regarding funding levels.

Vince Griffin, Indiana Chamber of Commerce

• Distributed IndianaNet digest of bills of interest and chart showing legislative process.
• Session adjourns on March 14; all bills must switch houses by Feb. 2.
• Currently, nearly 1,000 bills presented; vast majority will die by Feb. 2; those may be amended onto bills that are still alive.
• Reviewed the list of bills of interest to AWWA.

Chamber hosts a legislative reception on Feb. 7 in Hyatt ballroom; good opportunity to talk to legislators.

WUC issues

Lobby Week

• Distributed Lobby Week status report.
• Distributed What is AWWA flier.
• Melissa Moran reporter that her rep responded to her introduction letter with a question about water fluoridation.

DC Fly-In March 29-30

• Melissa Moran and John Hardwick will attend.
• MTBE likely fall by the wayside now, since safe harbor was not in the energy bill that passed.
• SRF funding likely to be an issue

Water Shortage plan

• Subcommittee formed with Kathy Humphrey, Phil Smith, Mike Simpson, Jack Wittman, Vince Griffin and chair Todd Taylor.
• Subcommittee will meet to determine whether to support or oppose current proposed legislation.

Great Lakes Water Works Committee

• John Stancati was invited to appoint a member and alternate to the committee.
• Mike Simpson made a motion to appoint John Stancati as member and George Brown as alternate. Phil Miller seconded. Passed unanimously.
• Committee will have primary impact on northwest corner of Indiana but decisions will have impact on whole state.

Legislative review:

• SB0072: support

• SB0074: track, but will not take strong stance one way or another, since membership represents both sides of the issue.

• SB0234: support

• SB0369: Water Shortage committee will review and address.

• HB1010: encourage members to support as appropriate for their situation.

• HB1018: support

• HB1102: encourage members to support as appropriate for their situation.

Pat Carroll, IDEM

• Stage 2 ltd 2 new requirements will greatly affect surface water systems in Indiana; session will be added to the Section annual meeting to cover these changes

• Water pollution control board re-adopted the construction permitting rules for small systems; allows small simpler systems to put construction permits together without a PE certification.

Jerry Webb, IURC

• Chairman Hardy is out visiting to learn more about water utility issues
• Commissioners Server and Hardy are unofficially focused on water

Odetta Cadwell, IRWA

• Joint contract for water operator training is moving forward; preliminary workshops scheduled for 2006
• Annual conference is April 21-26 at Columbus, IN, Holiday Inn

Melissa Moran

• Water for People benefit concert Saturday in Goshen