OWEA Government

Affairs Committee

Update – the Quest

for Relevancy

Presenters:

Dale E. Kocarek, PE, BCEE

June 20, 2012

Education in All Things

"Above all things I hope the

education of the common

people will be attended to;

convinced that on their good

sense we may rely with the

most security for the

preservation of a due degree

of liberty.“

Thomas Jefferson to James Madison

December 20, 1787

1800 Portrait by Rembrandt Peale

OWEA Evolution Toward Relevancy

• OWEA is taking strides to moving from an organization

that does strictly training to one of public outreach,

education, advocacy, and active engagement.

• We believed that an informed membership is essential to

participative government and being free of poorly

conceived and burdensome regulation.

• We believe that most elected officials and policy makers

– regardless of political affiliation - want the right

information to make decisions.

OWEA Evolution Toward Relevancy

Speech to the Press Corps – The American President

(1995)

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship.

You've got to want it bad, 'cause it's going to put up a

fight. It's going to say, "You want free speech? Let's see

you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood

boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the

top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime

opposing at the top of yours." You want to claim this land

as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country

cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of

its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest.

Now show me that, defend that, and celebrate that in

your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about

the land of the free.

Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd in

The American President, 1995

OWEA Evolution Towards Relevancy

• OWEA is a 501-c-3 (educational) organization

• Our “advocacy” stresses education, which

everyone benefits from

• Our message is non political, but our theme is

common sense and meaningful regulation

• We want to be a respected “voice.”

OWEA Evolution Towards Relevancy

• A year ago, Tom Angelo, Doug Clark and I

discussed how OWEA may be perceived as

more relevant.

• Despite a number of positive initiatives between

2010-2013, relevancy still remains to some

degree a problem!

OWEA Evolution – How Have We

Improved Our Relevancy?

• We have done this through MOUs, the Technical

Review Group, the Fly In and relationship

building with other organizations.

• This helps build consensus on important issues,

share resources and create a consistent

message with sister organizations.

• We want our message to be positive, pro-active,

and and constructive and “part of the solution.”

OWEA Evolution Towards Relevancy:

The Technical Review Group (TRG)

The Technical Review Group reviews of proposed rules

and regulations based on the expertise of select members

of the group. It seeks to:

• Educate members through sharing information and

networking

• Educate the public on preserving and enhancing our

water quality

• Be proactive on water environment issues

• Build a positive professional image within and outside

the Association

.

OWEA Evolution Towards Relevancy:

The Technical Review Group (TRG)

• The TRG is a section in the OWEA Government

Affairs Committee that helps OWEA coordinate

review of proposed rules, issues, policy and

white paper reviews.

• The most recent is the Ohio EPA’s proposed

strategy for nutrient management and control.

OWEA Evolution

• OWEA became an active partner with WEF on

their 2012 messaging campaign to get the

message of water in front of candidates

• WEF created the “water for jobs” campaign:

with the slogan “Water Puts America to Work”

• Op Ed pieces appeared in newspapers in Ohio

cities in August - October 2012

OWEA Evolution Towards Relevancy:

WEF Jobs Campaign Op Ed Piece (Columbus Dispatch)

Championing WEF’s Jobs Campaign

(WEF’s Job’s Logo)

AWWA-WEF Fly In – An Annual Event

• OWEA participated with the Ohio Section

of AWWA in the annual AWWA-WEF Fly-

In to Washington DC on April 17-18, 2013

• During this intense two day period, 170

members of AWWA and WEF converged

on Capitol Hill to meet with congressional

representatives on “water” issues

AWWA-WEF Fly In

OWEA Fly In Team at the Ronald Reagan Office Building on April 16, 2013 with

Friends from Kentucky-Tennessee WEA Photo was taken after the WEF

Infrastructure Forum

AWWA-WEF Fly In • The Fly-In has several purposes.

• It presents an opportunity for significant

“water” organizations such as AWWA and

WEF to play an active and participative

role in our nation’s law and rule making

process

AWWA-WEF Fly In

• It allows OWEA to form long term

relationships with Congress and

adhere to the principals of participative

government.

• We can become a sought after

resource to provide input on important

“water” issues.

AWWA-WEF Fly In: What Occurs Prior

to the Event?

• Appointments are made with

congressional representatives from our

home state 30-60 days ahead.

• Visits last about 25 minutes

• The morning of the first day, we get a

briefing from AWWA and WEF officials

on critical issues and talking points.

AWWA-WEF Fly In

Morning Briefing Session Before Going to “The Hill”

AWWA-WEF Fly In: One of the Ohio Groups

Senator Rob Portman, Dave Weihrauch (OAWWA), Dale Kocarek, and Doug Clark on April 17, 2013

AWWA-WEF Fly In Topics for 2013

• The evolution of WIFIA in 2012 to S. 601

(Title 10 of the WRDA)

• Tax Reform and Municipal Bonds (concerns

over the potential removal of exemptions for

high income earners)

• Affordability Determinations and what may be

a better tool that MHI

• Integrated Planning – how will it really work?

AWWA-WEF Fly In Challenges

• Congressional representatives are very

busy. Unfortunately, the Fly In was the

same week as the Boston Marathon

bombing, a “ricin” scare in the Longworth

Building, and the “gun control” vote in the

Senate.

• Messages must be clear, concise, and

preferably attached to a draft bill.

• Practice the “elevator speech.”

AWWA-WEF Fly In Challenges

• 50% of the time, we meet with congressional

aides.

• At times our group may be confused with

others also taking about “water.”

• It is best to have a single message per year.

• It is a multi-year process to build relationships.

AWWA-WEF Fly In Focus on Financing

• The concept of WIFIA was championed by

Bob Gibbs of the 18th District in 2012.

• In 2013, WIFIA became part of Title 10 of

the Water Resources Development Act

(WRDA), sponsored by Senator Barbara

Boxer.

• On May 15, 2013, the US Senate passed

S. 601, which created a WIFIA pilot

program.

What Does WIFIA Propose to Do?

• The original WIFIA proposal was to provide direct loans for

large projects > $25 Million using funds from the Treasury

Department.

• WIFIA would also help states leverage SRF funds.

• Agency Directors have voiced concerns that WIFIA would

add complication/confusion to state’s management of the

SRF. It is clear that there is much more that needs to be

worked out!

OWEA’s Onward Quest for Relevancy

• To be relevant, OWEA needs to be perceived

as reasonable, enlightened, consistent, and

adding value to a discussion.

• We believe that OWEA made good progress!

• Continued progress will require OWEA to do

even more

• We must continue to improve our

communication and engaging our members.

OWEA Government Affairs

Committee Update

Thank You!

Questions?