Press Release - National Rural Water Association
101 Constitution Avenue, NW Suite 900
Washington DC, 20001   *   443-739-1358
Ed Thomas, thomas@ruralwater.org

The National Rural Water Association devotes a lot of time and resources into its white papers resulting in the papers publications, Critical Issues in Setting Regulatory Standards, Volumes I, II, and III.  But, did you know that these white papers are read, studied and relied upon by some of the top people making decisions in the United States?

We always wondered why Former White House Regulatory Chief, John Graham, had the NRWA White Paper book close at hand, highlighted and with the pages folded down. 

Now we know!  The Office of Management and Budget is recommending a new, more transparent, approach for making the regulatory process affordable.  Thus, it is more protective of public health to small systems and their customers.  Many of the concepts and approaches being proposed by OMB have come from NRWA's White Papers.

The OMB Risk Assessment Bulletin (71 FR 2600), is highly controversial with many groups attempting to undercut the content.  However, Former Chief Graham defends the bulletin and cites the recent controversy around the Perchlorate multi-agency dispute as sound evidence for the need of the new affordability approach.

In comments submitted by NRWA, Rural Water commends OMB for its effort to replace the historical practice of slanting assessments in a conservative direction.  This former practice always results in water regulations with unacceptably high per household costs for customers of small systems. 

OMB's new approach promotes full transparency.  This transparency helps communities to see how much water / wastewater safety they are receiving for the money they spend.

OMB and Graham are commended for the progressive approach they have outlined in this Bulletin to improving the critical risk assessment process and are urged to adopt the Bulletin revisions immediately.

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