ASDWA Submits Comments on Draft FY 23-24 National Program Guidance for OW and OECA

On July 13, 2022, ASDWA submitted combined comments on the Draft FY 23-24 National Program Guidance (NPG) for both the Office of Water and the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. ASDWA’s comments urge the agency to:

• Collaborate internally to ensure states receive consistent and streamlined communications from OECA, OW, and the Regions.
• More closely work with co-regulators in the development of NPGs, as well as other agency efforts affecting the state programs, including the development of metrics against which the states are measured.
• Streamline efforts on cross-cutting issues and overlapping implementation areas.
• Initiate more direct and candid conversations with states on a variety of issues.
• Work with states to identify program areas to deemphasize to ensure limited state resources prioritize activities critical for public health protection.
• Collaborate more closely with federal partners, where appropriate.
• Work with states to identify program areas in which guidance is needed and prioritize the development of that guidance.
• Collaborate more closely with states and ASDWA to address state workforce challenges.